RETIRING MARGINALLY PROFITABLE SECTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL FIELDS IN ONTARIO ECONOMICALLY JUSTIFIED: CASE STUDIES OF TYPICAL FIELDS IN ONTARIO, FINAL REPORT

The dairy industry in Canada was turned on its ear by the release of the WTO decision last fall that Canada's Special Milk Classes constitute an export subsidy. Dairy processors fear the loss of established export markets. At the same time, the decision threatens the role of supply management authorities as the sole marketers of farmers' milk. Will farmers market milk for export directly to processors? What consequences could renewed marketing board involvement in exports have in the international trade arena? The industry is preparing for conflict as it reorients itself in the international market. That conflict is embedded in proposals made by some of the milk marketing agencies and by some processor members of the National Dairy Council (NDCC). Because of the immediate importance of this case and the issues it spawns, the George Morris Centre is releasing this special report. It addresses the following topics: The nature of the challenges to the Special Milk Classes scheme The WTO decision Implications for the dairy industry Marketing board's proposal for export pricing reform NDCC proposal for export pricing reform Evaluation of the alternativesInternational Relations/Trade,

WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSIONER REALLY SAID: THE AUDIT OF THE FEDERAL PEST MANAGEMENT REGULATORY AGENCY

Environmental Economics and Policy,

The multifocal pattern electroretinogram in chloroquine retinopathy

Purpose: Optimal screening for ocular toxicity caused by chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine is still controversial. With the multifocal pattern electroretinogram (mfPERG), a new electrophysiological technique has recently become available to detect early changes of ganglion cells. In this study this new technique is applied to a series of 10 patients seen consecutively receiving long-term chloroquine medication. Methods: In 10 patients receiving chloroquine medication, clinical examination, Amsler visual field testing and computerized color vision testing were performed. If toxicity was suspected, automated perimetry was carried out. In addition, in all patients conventional pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and mfPERG testing were performed. Results: On clinical examination 8 patients showed no chloroquine-associated maculopathy, while 2 patients did. Of these 2, only 1 reported abnormalities when viewing the Amsler chart, while automated perimetry showed typical, ring-like paracentral scotomas in both affected patients and color vision was significantly abnormal. In the normal patients, 4 of 8 had a mild color vision disturbance, which correlated to age-related macular changes. The amplitudes of the PERG and the central (approximately 10degrees) responses of the mfPERG were markedly reduced in chloroquine maculopathy, while the latencies were unchanged. The peripheral rings of mfPERG (ranging to 48degrees) were not affected by chloroquine toxicity. Both PERG and mfPERG were less affected by age-related macular changes. Conclusions: The reduction of PERG and central mfPERG responses in chloroquine maculopathy may help with the early detection of toxicity. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Risk-based damage potential and loss estimation of extreme flooding scenarios in the Austrian Federal Province of Tyrol

Within the last decades serious flooding events occurred in many parts of Europe and especially in 2005 the Austrian Federal Province of Tyrol was serious affected. These events in general and particularly the 2005 event have sensitised decision makers and the public. Beside discussions pertaining to protection goals and lessons learnt, the issue concerning potential consequences of extreme and severe flooding events has been raised. Additionally to the general interest of the public, decision makers of the insurance industry, public authorities, and responsible politicians are especially confronted with the question of possible consequences of extreme events. Answers thereof are necessary for the implementation of preventive appropriate risk management strategies. Thereby, property and liability losses reflect a large proportion of the direct tangible losses. These are of great interest for the insurance sector and can be understood as main indicators to interpret the severity of potential events. The natural scientific-technical risk analysis concept provides a predefined and structured framework to analyse the quantities of affected elements at risk, their corresponding damage potentials, and the potential losses. Generally, this risk concept framework follows the process steps hazard analysis, exposition analysis, and consequence analysis. Additionally to the conventional hazard analysis, the potential amount of endangered elements and their corresponding damage potentials were analysed and, thereupon, concrete losses were estimated. These took the specific vulnerability of the various individual elements at risk into consideration. The present flood risk analysis estimates firstly the general exposures of the risk indicators in the study area and secondly analyses the specific exposures and consequences of five extreme event scenarios. In order to precisely identify, localize, and characterize the relevant risk indicators of buildings, dwellings and inventory, vehicles, and individuals, a detailed geodatabase of the existing stock of elements and values was established on a single object level. Therefore, the localized and functional differentiated stock of elements was assessed monetarily on the basis of derived representative mean insurance values. Thus, well known difference factors between the analysis of the stock of elements and values on local and on regional scale could be reduced considerably. The spatial join of the results of the hazard analysis with the stock of elements and values enables the identification and quantification of the elements at risk and their corresponding damage potential. Thereupon, Extreme Scenario Losses (ESL) were analysed under consideration of different vulnerability approaches which describe the individual element's specific susceptibility. This results in scenario-specific ranges of ESL rather than in single values. The exposure analysis of the general endangerment in Tyrol identifies (i) 105 330 individuals, (ii) 20 272 buildings and 50 157 dwellings with a corresponding damage potential of approx. EUR 20 bn. and (iii) 62 494 vehicles with a corresponding damage potential of EUR 1 bn. Depending on the individual extreme event scenarios, the ESL solely to buildings and inventory vary between EUR 0.9–1.3 bn. for the scenario with the least ESL and EUR 2.2–2.5 bn. for the most serious scenarios. The correlation of the private property losses to buildings and inventory with further direct tangible loss categories on the basis of investigation after the event in 2005, results in potential direct tangible ESL of up to EUR 7.6 bn. Apart from the specific study results a general finding shows that beside the further development of modelling capabilities and scenario concepts, the key to considerably decrease uncertainties of integral flood risk analyses is the development and implementation of more precise methods. These are to determine the stock of elements and values and to evaluate the vulnerability or susceptibility of affected structures to certain flood characteristics more differentiated

Das multifokale Musterelektroretinogramm bei Patienten mit Glaukom und Neuritis Nervi Optici

Background: The multifocal pattern electroretinogram (mfPERG) allows analysis of local ganglion cell dysfunction by multifocal stimulation. Aim of this study was to investigate if this method is an useful tool for diagnosing and following glaucoma patients. Methods: Measurements on 52 age-matched normal eyes were compared to those on 23 eyes with different stages of glaucoma. A RETIScan system was used to generate a stimulus pattern of 19 hexagons, each consisting of 6 triangles. The triangles pattern-reversed black to white at 75 Hz. Those 19 hexagons form 3 stimulus regions: a central field, a middle and a peripheral ring. The complete array subtended 48° at the eye. The hexagons alternated black-white following a corrected binary m-sequence (length 512, 10 cycles with 39 second each). Corneal loop electrodes were used with reference electrode on temple. Results: The mfPERGs were analyzed for significant changes in amplitude and latency of the positive and negative responses. For patients with glaucoma the positive P-50 and negative N-95 components were significantly reduced for the central area and both rings compared to normal volunteers (p<0.001, Mann-Whitney-U). The most distinct reduction was observed for N-95 and the central ring. Changes in latencies were not conclusive. The reduction of the components increased with the stage of glaucoma. A predictive model for detecting early glaucomatous changes was designed based on P-50-N-95 with 88% sensitivity and 77% specificity. Conclusion: The highly significant reduction of components in glaucoma makes the mfPERG an useful tool for diagnosing and following glaucoma.Die Glaukomdiagnostik basiert bislang auf Augeninnendruckmessung, Papillenbeurteilung sowie Gesichtsfelduntersuchungen. Dennoch bleibt die Diagnosestellung in Frühstadien schwierig. Seit etwa 30 Jahren kann hier das Musterelektroretinogramm (MERG), das die Funktion der Ganglienzellen widerspiegelt, zusätzliche Informationen liefern. In den letzten Jahren wurde es erstmals durch die Einführung der multifokalen Stimulation beim MERG möglich, nicht nur generalisiert die Funktionsverluste von Ganglienzellen darzustellen, sondern diese ortsabhängig zu messen. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, zu untersuchen ob der Einsatz des multifokalen Musterelektroretinogramms zur Diagnostik von frühen Glaukomstadien geeignet ist und ob es als Verlaufskontrolle von Patienten mit Sehnervenentzündung (Neuritis Nervi Optici) dienen kann. Untersucht wurden 53 Normalprobanden, 35 Glaukompatienten und 6 Patienten mit akuter Neuritis Nervi Optici. Sowohl bei den Glaukompatienten als auch bei den Patienten mit NNO zeigten sich im Vergleich zu den Normalprobanden signifikante Amplitudenreduktionen bei den P-50 und N-95 Komponenten. Bei den Latenzen ergaben sich keine signifikanten Veränderungen. Es ließ sich eine gute Korrelation von insgesamt abnehmenden Amplituden, örtlich vor allem zentral betont, mit fortschreitendem Glaukomstadium nach Aulhorn herstellen. Mittels Receiver of Operations (ROC) - Analyse konnte ein prädiktives Modell mit hoher Sensitivität und Spezifität für die Diagnose eines frühen Glaukomschadens konstruiert werden, das auf der Amplitudenreduktion von N-95 und P-50 basiert. Zusammenfassend ist das mfMERG als Untersuchungsmethode geeignet, bei der Diagnostik früher Glaukomstadien zusätzliche Informationen zu geben. Es kann auch für die Verlaufskontrolle von Patienten mit Neuritis Nervi Optici herangezogen werden. Jedoch sind auch heute noch nicht alle Details zur Funktionsweise des mfMERG bekannt, so dass weitere Studien zum besseren Verständnis nötig sind

The multifocal pattern electroretinogram in glaucoma

AbstractBackground: The pattern ERG can be used to detect early glaucomatous change, because the response of cells in the inner retina from (typically) 20°–40° of area is reduced before perimetric abnormality is certain. The multifocal pattern electroretinogram (mfPERG) allows analysis of many local regions within this area. The aim of this study was to investigate whether in patients with presumed glaucoma the mfPERG permits diagnosis and discrimination from normals.Methods: Measurements on 25 age-related normal eyes were compared to those on 23 eyes with different stages of glaucoma. A RETIScan system was used to generate a stimulus pattern of 19 hexagons, each consisting of six triangles. The triangles pattern-reversed black to white at 75 Hz. Those 19 hexagons were grouped into three stimulus regions: a central field, a middle, and a peripheral ring. The complete array subtended 48° at the eye. The hexagons alternated between black and white, in a temporal pattern that followed a corrected binary m-sequence (length 512, 10 cycles with 39 s each). The amplitudes and latencies of positive responses at approximately 50 ms (P-50) and negative responses at approximately 95 ms (N-95) were analyzed.Results: In patients with glaucoma the P-50 and N-95 components of the mfPERG were significantly reduced for the central area and both outer rings compared to normal volunteers (p<0.001, Mann–Whitney-U). The most distinct reduction was observed for N-95 and the central ring. Changes in latencies were not conclusive. The reduction of the components increased with the stage of glaucoma. A predictive model for detecting early glaucomatous changes was designed based on P-50–N-95 with 88% sensitivity and 76% specificity.Conclusion: In glaucoma a marked reduction of components, especially centrally is observed in the mfPERG. This hints to an early involvement of central ganglion cells and may be useful for future functional tests

Assessing the greenhouse gas emissions from poultry fat biodiesel

This article attempts to answer the question: What will most likely happen in terms of emitted greenhouse gases if the use of poultry fat for making biodiesel used in transportation is increased? Through a well-to-wheel assessment, several different possible scenarios are assessed, showing that under average conditions, the use of poultry fat biodiesel instead of diesel leads to a slight reduction (6%) in greenhouse gas emissions. The analysis shows that poultry fat is already used for different purposes and using poultry fat for biodiesel will therefore remove the poultry fat from its original use. This implies that even though the use of biodiesel is assumed to displace petrochemical diesel, the 'original user' of the poultry fat will have to find a substitute, whose production leads to a greenhouse gas emissions comparable to what is saved through driving on poultry fat biodiesel rather than petrochemical diesel. Given that it is the production of the substitute for the poultry fat which mainly eliminates the benefit from using poultry fat for biodiesel, it is argued that whenever assessing the greenhouse gas emissions from biodiesel made from by-products (such as rendered animal fats, used cooking oil, etc.) it is very important to include the oil's alternative use in the assessment