International harmonization of product standards and firm heterogeneity in international trade

As free trade areas have proliferated and statutory tariffs have been dramatically reduced in recent decades, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to international trade have risen in importance. Destination-specific product standards are one of the major types of NTBs as they impose additional costs on exporters and increase the time required to bring a product to market. This paper examines the response of U.S. manufacturing firms to a reduction of this NTB by looking at the harmonization of European product standards to international norms in the electronics sector. Using a highly detailed dataset that links U.S. international trade transactions to U.S. firms and a new industry-level database of EU product standards, the author finds that harmonization increases U.S. exports to the EU and that this increase is due to more U.S. firms entering the EU market –the extensive margin of trade. New entrants to the EU region are drawn mainly from the most productive set of firms already exporting to developing markets before harmonization -the extensive margin of trade composition. These firms are characterized by being smaller and less productive than the firms that were already exporting to the EU before harmonization. Furthermore, harmonization decreases export sales at existing exporters -the intensive margin of trade. These findings are consistent with a model featuring the role of product standards heterogeneity across market destinations and productivity heterogeneity across firms. These results suggest that working toward a harmonization of product rules across markets could be a supportive policy to encourage small and medium size firms'ability to enter new export markets.Markets and Market Access,E-Business,Information Security&Privacy,Economic Theory&Research,Labor Policies

Beyond the information technology agreement : harmonization of standards and trade in electronics

Product standards can have a dual impact on production and trade costs. Standards may impose additional costs on exporters as it may be necessary to adapt products for specific markets (cost-effect). In contrast, standards can reduce exporters'information costs if they convey information on industrial requirements or consumer tastes that would be costly to collect in the absence of standards (informational-effect). Using a new World Bank database of European standards for electronic products, the authors examine the impact of internationally-harmonized European standards on European Union imports. They find that European Union standards for electronic products that are harmonized to international standards have a positive and significant effect on trade. The results suggest that efforts to promote trade in electronic products could be complemented by steps to promote standards harmonization. This might include, for example, re-starting talks to extend the Information Technology Agreement to non-tariff measures and commitments to harmonize national standards in electronic products.Information Security&Privacy,Technology Industry,Scientific Research&Science Parks,Science Education,Labor Policies

Exporter dynamics and partial-year effects

Two identical firms that start exporting in different months, one each in January and December, will report dramatically different exports for the first calendar year. This partial-year effect biases down first year export levels and biases up first year export growth rates. For Peruvian exporters, the partialyear bias is large: first-year export levels are understated by 65 percent and the first year growth rate is overstated by 112 percentage points. Correcting the partial-year effect eliminates high first year export growth rates, raises initial export levels and almost doubles the contribution of net firm entry and exit to overall export growth

Estructura informativa y Cambio Climático: el caso de ‘El País’

Los medios de comunicación mantienen relaciones económicas con empresas que son ajenas a este sector. El estudio de estas vinculaciones nos acerca a comprender el control que el poder económico tiene sobre los medios. Este trabajo pone el foco en las conexiones entre el Grupo PRISA y entidades con especial impacto sobre el cambio climático, como son las compañías del ámbito de los combustibles fósiles. Para ello, se ha realizado una recogida de datos acerca de estas relaciones y se ha aplicado un enfoque estructural para su interpretación. Para comprobar si el medio puede llegar a emitir mensajes intencionales en consonancia con los que son sus dueños o sus socios, se ha elaborado un estudio de caso sobre la nacionalización de YPF por el Gobierno de Argentina en 2012. En concreto, se ha realizado un análisis del discurso sobre los editoriales que El País publicó durante el proceso de nacionalización de YPF. Como resultado, esta investigación identifica múltiples vinculaciones entre el Grupo PRISA y empresas del ámbito de los combustibles fósiles. Por su parte, el estudio de caso pone de manifiesto cómo la posición del medio puede llegar a alinearse con los intereses de aquellos con los que mantiene relaciones económicas

‘Vacas más verdes’. Encuadres sobre la dieta y el cambio climático en la prensa extremeña

Una de las industrias que más contribuyen a la emisión de gases de efecto invernadero es la agricultura animal, que también conlleva otros problemas ambientales como la gestión de residuos y el consumo de agua, y problemas de índole ética como la explotación animal. La dieta es una herramienta de mitigación del cambio climático que puede resultar controvertida, ya que afecta profundamente a las decisiones individuales. Así, este trabajo se enmarca en la perspectiva de investigación emergente relativa a la comunicación sobre la explotación animal y el calentamiento global, un tema que requiere más presencia en la agenda mediática por la urgencia de la acción climática. Según el informe de Greenpeace Menos es más publicado en 2018, la explotación de animales para alimentación es responsable del 14% de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero a nivel mundial. Así, comprender cómo encuadran los medios de comunicación esta problemática resulta de utilidad para contrastar las necesidades que reclama la ciencia del cambio climático y las que trasladan los medios. Esta investigación toma un planteamiento crítico y no antropocéntrico, bajo la perspectiva de los Estudios Críticos sobre Animales y Medios de Comunicación. Dentro de este marco, este trabajo utiliza como herramienta el framing para estudiar los contenidos que vinculan el cambio climático y la explotación animal en los diarios extremeños Hoy y El Periódico de Extremadura desde enero de 2005 a marzo de 2019. Entre los resultados se confirman las siguientes hipótesis: una falta de información acerca del impacto climático de la agricultura animal; una tendencia progresiva al reconocimiento del papel de la explotación de animales en granjas sobre el calentamiento global, aunque con reticencias; un grado de confianza muy relevante en la tecnología para mitigar el calentamiento global; una falta de cuestionamiento acerca de los dilemas éticos implicados, y un tratamiento aislado de otros problemas ambientales asociados

Postmortem Interval Estimation and Validation Through a Comparative Study of South American Flies Reared in the Field Versus Laboratory Conditions

Estudios bajo temperaturas constantes son los más comunes para estimar el Intervalo Postmortem (IPM). Es imperativo que las ciencias forenses cuenten con datos de estudios llevados a cabo en el campo. Por ello, los objetivos de este trabajo son: (1) evaluar los parámetros (longitud, peso, tiempo de desarrollo) asociados a los ciclos vitales de las moscas Lucilia ochricornis (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) y Lucilia purpurascens (Walker) bajo condiciones experimentales en el campo considerando temperaturas fluctuantes, y (2) comparar estos resultados con aquellos ya conocidos y publicados por los mismos autores para cultivos realizados en laboratorio bajo temperaturas constantes; lo cual nos permitirá contrastar las metodologías existentes más utilizadas de aplicación forense en la estimación del intervalo postmortem mínimo (IPMmin). Para cada estación del año, se realizaron cultivos de ambas especies en el campo colectando información de temperatura, humedad y fotoperíodo para realizar cultivos en laboratorio, comparándose posteriormente: tiempo de desarrollo, longitud, peso y los Grado-Hora Acumulados (GHA) en ambos tipos de cultivo. Se obtuvieron métodos de estimación del IPM y se los validó con la información de los cultivos realizados en campo. Los dos tipos de cultivos mostraron diferencias entre sí para ambas especies. Los métodos de uso forense para estimar el IPM aumentaron su precisión cuando se usaron datos de longitud larval máximos, asimismo se concluyó que los estadios larvales alimentarios son los más precisos para ser usados en la realización de estimaciones debido a que la larva está creciendo. La estimación del IPM a través del uso del desarrollo de moscas necrófagas sigue siendo fiable para la obtención del IPMmin.Studies under constant temperatures are the most common to estimate the Postmortem Interval (PMI). It is imperative that forensic sciences have data from studies carried out in the field. Therefore, this work aims to: (1) evaluate the parameters (weight, length, development time) associated with the life cycles of Lucilia ochricornis (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Lucilia purpurascens (Walker) under experimental conditions in the field considering fluctuating temperatures, and (2) compare these results with those known and published by the same authors for cultures realized in the laboratory under constant temperatures; which will permit us to contrast the most widely used existing methodologies for forensic application in estimating the minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). For each season of the year, cultures of both species were made in the field, collecting information on temperature, humidity, and photoperiod to perform laboratory cultures, later comparing: development time, length, weight, and Accumulated Degree-Hours (ADH) in both types of cultures. Methods for estimating the PMI were obtained and validated with the information of the cultures grown in the field. The two types of cultures showed differences between each other for both species. The forensic use methods to estimate PMI were enhanced and their precision increased when maximum larval length data were used, and it was also concluded that feeding larval stages are the most accurate to be used in making estimates because the larva is growing. The estimation of the PMI through the use of necrophagous flies development remains reliable for obtaining the PMImin.Fil: Acosta, Ximena Gisela del Milagro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto para el Estudio de la Biodiversidad de Invertebrados; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Forense; ArgentinaFil: Corronca, Jose Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto para el Estudio de la Biodiversidad de Invertebrados; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez Reyes, Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta; ArgentinaFil: Centeno, Néstor Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Forense; Argentin

Improving the reliability of warehouse operations in the 3PL Industry: an Australian 3PL case study.

Warehouses play an important value-adding role to provide a competitive edge, support business growth and efficiency throughout their supply chains. This paper explores warehouse operations (i.e. receiving, put away, picking, packing and shipping) and a series of challenges faced in managing warehouse operations in general and the 3PL industry in particular. Especially, the paper analyses the warehouse and logistics operations of an Australian 3PL company. By utilizing a mixed method approach both qualitative and quantitative data was gathered through in-depth interviews, direct observations and warehouse operations records. The collected data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. The data was screened and coded to further develop major themes to identify the problematic areas. This analysis helped to identify issues in operations related to the receiving process, missing, picking and locating items as well as human errors. While multiple approaches could be utilized to improve the operations, there yet remained a major challenge to manage operations within the planned budgetary limits. This research, therefore, provides some solutions/recommendations to improve the case company’s warehouse operations through staff empowerment, management process improvement, order dispatch and return process improvement, improvement in record keeping, and recruiting more personnel. These recommendations ensure company’s efficiency while balancing its challenges both in operations and budgetary constraints. This study thus provides an evidence to improve the reliability of warehouse operations through systematic process improvement.N/

Divergent modulation of nociception by glutamatergic and GABAergic neuronal subpopulations in the periaqueductal gray

The ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) constitutes a major descending pain modulatory system and is a crucial site for opioid-induced analgesia. A number of previous studies have demonstrated that glutamate and GABA play critical opposing roles in nociceptive processing in the vlPAG. It has been suggested that glutamatergic neurotransmission exerts antinociceptive effects, whereas GABAergic neurotransmission exert pronociceptive effects on pain transmission, through descending pathways. The inability to exclusively manipulate subpopulations of neurons in the PAG has prevented direct testing of this hypothesis. Here, we demonstrate the different contributions of genetically defined glutamatergic and GABAergic vlPAG neurons in nociceptive processing by employing cell type-specific chemogenetic approaches in mice. Global chemogenetic manipulation of vlPAG neuronal activity suggests that vlPAG neural circuits exert tonic suppression of nociception, consistent with previous pharmacological and electrophysiological studies. However, selective modulation of GABAergic or glutamatergic neurons demonstrates an inverse regulation of nociceptive behaviors by these cell populations. Selective chemogenetic activation of glutamatergic neurons, or inhibition of GABAergic neurons, in vlPAG suppresses nociception. In contrast, inhibition of glutamatergic neurons, or activation of GABAergic neurons, in vlPAG facilitates nociception. Our findings provide direct experimental support for a model in which excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the PAG bidirectionally modulate nociception

Environmental friendly fluidized bed combustion of solid fuels: a review about local scale modeling of char heterogeneous combustion

Purpose: Fluidized bed combustion is currently intensively developed throughout the world to produce energy from several types of solid fuels, while significantly reducing pollutant emissions with respect to conventional combustion units. Accurate models must be formulated at both bed and particle levels to operate efficiently such units, since local phenomena such as particle temperature and combustion rate are crucial aspects for process improvement and control. In this sense, this article proposes a classification of local scale models to represent the evolution of char heterogeneous combustion of any carbonaceous particles. Methods: Existing models are described and classified based on the characteristics of the governing equations, the thermal behavior of the gas and solid phases and the description of both the burning particle and the surrounding gas, under a heterogeneous or pseudo-continuous assumption. Criteria for choosing one model instead of others are also considered, depending on the case. The so-called Intrinsic Reactivity Models are described in detail for evaluating the pertinence of their simulated results. The use of CFD to build a simulation scheme of the solid combustion process at local scale is also presented and discussed. Results: A complete description of the solid fuel burning process is given, along with useful information concerning the evolution of different variables, such as particle internal temperature that governs the reaction rate and gas composition. Conclusions: This comparative analysis gives a strong basis to select the appropriate modeling approach. Finally, recommendations are proposed for model application and future development.Fil: Mazza, German Delfor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energías Alternativas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energías Alternativas; ArgentinaFil: Soria, Jose Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energías Alternativas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energías Alternativas; ArgentinaFil: Gauthier, Daniel. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Reyes Urrutia, Ramón Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energías Alternativas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energías Alternativas; ArgentinaFil: Zambon, Mariana Teresa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energías Alternativas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energías Alternativas; ArgentinaFil: Flamant, Gilles. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Franci