IMPACTS OF THE NORTHEAST INTERSTATE DAIRY COMPACT ON NEW ENGLAND MILK SUPPLY

A two-equation random coefficients model and two estimates of milk prices in the absence of the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact (Compact) are used to estimate the impact of minimum price regulation for fluid milk products on milk production in the New England states. Estimated responses to price enhancement differed by state for cow numbers, but parameters for milk per cow were not significantly different among states. The amount of increase in milk production attributed to the Compact is estimated at 45 million pounds (about 1% of production) during the first year of minimum price regulation, primarily due to increased milk per cow.Demand and Price Analysis,

IMPACTS OF THE NORTHEAST INTERSTATE DAIRY COMPACT ON NEW ENGLAND MILK SUPPLY

A two-equation random coefficients model is developed to examine the impact of the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact on cow numbers, milk per cow, and milk production during July 1997 to June 1998. The Compact is estimated to have increased milk production by 1%, primarily due to increased milk per cow.Agribusiness, Livestock Production/Industries,

Applying consumer responsibility principle in evaluating environmental load of carbon emissions

There is a need for a proper indicator in order to assess the environmental impact of international trade, therefore using the carbon footprint as an indicator can be relevant and useful. The aim of this study is to show from a methodological perspective how the carbon footprint, combined with input- output models can be used for analysing the impacts of international trade on the sustainable use of national resources in a country. The use of the input-output approach has the essential advantage of being able to track the transformation of goods through the economy. The study examines the environmental impact of consumption related to international trade, using the consumer responsibility principle. In this study the use of the carbon footprint and input-output methodology is shown on the example of the Hungarian consumption and the impact of international trade. Moving from a production- based approach in climate policy to a consumption-perspective principle and allocation, would also help to increase the efficiency of emission reduction targets and the evaluation of the ecological impacts of international trade

Non-Parametric Approximations for Anisotropy Estimation in Two-dimensional Differentiable Gaussian Random Fields

Spatially referenced data often have autocovariance functions with elliptical isolevel contours, a property known as geometric anisotropy. The anisotropy parameters include the tilt of the ellipse (orientation angle) with respect to a reference axis and the aspect ratio of the principal correlation lengths. Since these parameters are unknown a priori, sample estimates are needed to define suitable spatial models for the interpolation of incomplete data. The distribution of the anisotropy statistics is determined by a non-Gaussian sampling joint probability density. By means of analytical calculations, we derive an explicit expression for the joint probability density function of the anisotropy statistics for Gaussian, stationary and differentiable random fields. Based on this expression, we obtain an approximate joint density which we use to formulate a statistical test for isotropy. The approximate joint density is independent of the autocovariance function and provides conservative probability and confidence regions for the anisotropy parameters. We validate the theoretical analysis by means of simulations using synthetic data, and we illustrate the detection of anisotropy changes with a case study involving background radiation exposure data. The approximate joint density provides (i) a stand-alone approximate estimate of the anisotropy statistics distribution (ii) informed initial values for maximum likelihood estimation, and (iii) a useful prior for Bayesian anisotropy inference.Comment: 39 pages; 8 figure

Means and covariance functions for geostatistical compositional data: an axiomatic approach

This work focuses on the characterization of the central tendency of a sample of compositional data. It provides new results about theoretical properties of means and covariance functions for compositional data, with an axiomatic perspective. Original results that shed new light on the geostatistical modeling of compositional data are presented. As a first result, it is shown that the weighted arithmetic mean is the only central tendency characteristic satisfying a small set of axioms, namely continuity, reflexivity and marginal stability. Moreover, this set of axioms also implies that the weights must be identical for all parts of the composition. This result has deep consequences on the spatial multivariate covariance modeling of compositional data. In a geostatistical setting, it is shown as a second result that the proportional model of covariance functions (i.e., the product of a covariance matrix and a single correlation function) is the only model that provides identical kriging weights for all components of the compositional data. As a consequence of these two results, the proportional model of covariance function is the only covariance model compatible with reflexivity and marginal stability

The transformation of transport policy in Great Britain? 'New Realism' and New Labour's decade of displacement activity

In a 1999 paper, Goodwin announced ‘the transformation of transport policy in Great Britain’. His central point was that consensus was emerging among policy makers and academics based on earlier work including Transport: The New Realism, which rejected previous orthodoxy that the supply of road space could and should be continually expanded to match demand. Instead a combination of investment in public transport, walking and cycling opportunities and – crucially – demand management should form the basis of transport policy to address rising vehicle use and associated increases in congestion and pollution / carbon emissions. This thinking formed the basis of the 1997 Labour government’s ‘sustainable transport’ policy, but after 13 years in power ministers neither transformed policy nor tackled longstanding transport trends. Our main aim in this paper is to revisit the concept of New Realism and re-examine its potential utility as an agent of change in British transport policy. Notwithstanding the outcome of Labour’s approach to transport policy, we find that the central tenets of the New Realism remain robust and that the main barriers to change are related to broader political and governance issues which suppress radical policy innovation

Assessing the capacity of local ecosystems to meet industrial demand for ecosystem services

Despite the importance of ecosystems, engineering activities continue to ignore or greatly undervalue their role. Consequently, engineered systems often overshoot nature's capacity to support them, causing ecological degradation. Such systems tend to be inherently unsustainable, and they often fail to benefit from nature's ability to provide essential goods and services. This work explores the idea of including ecosystems in chemical processes, and assesses whether such a techno-ecological synergistic system can operate within ecological constraints. The demand for ecosystem services is quantified by emissions and resources used, while the supply is provided by ecosystems on the manufacturing site. Application to a biodiesel manufacturing site demonstrates that ecosystems can be economically and environmentally superior to conventional technologies for making progress toward zero emissions and net positive impact manufacturing. These results highlight the need for shifting the paradigm of engineering from that of dominating nature to embracing nature and respecting its limits

Education can improve the negative perception of a threatened long-lived scavenging bird, the Andean condor

Human-wildlife conflicts currently represent one of the main conservation problems for wildlife species around the world. Vultures have serious conservation concerns, many of which are related to people's adverse perception about them due to the belief that they prey on livestock. Our aim was to assess local perception and the factors influencing people's perception of the largest scavenging bird in South America, the Andean condor. For this, we interviewed 112 people from Valle Fértil, San Juan province, a rural area of central west Argentina. Overall, people in the area mostly have an elementary education, and their most important activity is livestock rearing. The results showed that, in general, most people perceive the Andean condor as an injurious species and, in fact, some people recognize that they still kill condors. We identified two major factors that affect this perception, the education level of villagers and their relationship with livestock ranching. Our study suggests that conservation of condors and other similar scavengers depends on education programs designed to change the negative perception people have about them. Such programs should be particularly focused on ranchers since they are the ones who have the worst perception of these scavengers. We suggest that highlighting the central ecological role of scavengers and recovering their cultural value would be fundamental to reverse their persecution and their negative perception by people.Fil: Cailly Arnulphi, Verónica Beatríz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera; ArgentinaFil: Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Borghi, Carlos Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera; Argentin

Взаємний зв'язок властивостей і структури плівкових чутливих елементів сенсорів магнітного поля

Дисертацію присвячено комплексним експериментальним дослідженням особливостей структурно-фазового стану та магнітних і магніторезистивних властивостей багатошарових плівкових систем на основі Co і Cu, Co і Cr, Fe і Cr та Fe і Cu як можливих матеріалів чутливих елементів сенсорів різного призначення. У роботі встановлено взаємозв’язок між товщиною магнітних шарів і немагнітних прошарків, орієнтацією зразка у зовнішньому магнітному полі, температурою термообробки та магнітними, магніторезистивними і магнітооптичними властивостями багатошарових плівкових систем із можливим спін-залежним розсіюванням електронів. Визначені величини магнітоопору, коерцитивної сили, коефіцієнта прямокутності й чутливості плівкової системи до магнітного поля досліджуваних плівкових систем як приладових структур для формування первинних перетворювачів. Установлена кореляція між структурно-фазовим станом, магнітними та магнітооптичними властивостями тришарових плівкових систем з різним типом розчинності компонент як функціональних елементів датчиків. Запропонована схематична конструкція АМР-датчика магнітного поля для тришарових плівкових систем із спін-залежним розсіюванням електронів. У результаті проведених досліджень впливу геометрії вимірювання, температури термообробки та загальної концентрації феромагнітної компоненти в системі на магнітні й магніторезистивні властивості визначені можливі області застосування плівкових систем на основі Co і Cu або Cr та Fe і Cu або Cr.Диссертация посвящена комплексным экспериментальным исследованиям особенностей структурно-фазового состояния, магнитных магниторезистивных свойств многослойных пленочных систем на основе Co и Cu, Co и Cr, Fe и Cr и Fe и Cu в качестве возможных материалов чувствительных элементов сенсоров различного назначения. В работе установлена взаимосвязь между толщиной магнитных слоев и немагнитных прослоек, ориентацией образца во внешнем магнитном поле, температурой термообработки и магнитными, магниторезистивными и магнитооптическими свойствами многослойных пленочных систем с возможным спин-зависимым рассеянием электронов. При исследовании магнитных свойств пленочных систем на основе Fe, Co, Cu или Cr получено, что для пленочных систем на основе Fe и Cu в форме кривых гистерезиса наблюдается определенный перегиб, свидетельствующий о послойном перемагничивании слоев Fe, в то время как для систем на основе Fe и Cr петля гистерезиса имеет форму, подобную однослойным пленкам Fe, что говорит о преобладании ферромагнитной связи в системе. В пленочных структурах на основе Co и Cr или Cu магнитные свойства системы главным образом определяются состоянием слоев Со, поэтому форма кривых гистерезиса для обеих систем схожа с формой кривых для однослойных пленок Со, а небольшие значения коэрцитивной силы свидетельствуют о реализации ферромагнитной связи в системе. Все четыре системы характеризуются достаточно высоким значением коэффициента прямоугольности, которое при смене ориентации образца от 0 до 90° несколько уменьшается для систем Fe/Cu/Fe и Fe/Cr/Fe и, наоборот, растет в системах на основе Co и Cr. Определены величины магнитосопротивления, коэрцитивной силы, коэффициента прямоугольности и чувствительности пленочной системы к магнитному полю исследуемых пленочных систем как приборных структур для формирования первичных преобразователей. Установлена корреляция между структурно-фазовым состоянием, магнитными и магнитооптическими свойствами трехслойных пленочных систем с разным типом растворимости компонент в качестве функциональных элементов датчиков. Предложена схематическая конструкция АМР-датчика магнитного поля для трехслойных пленочных систем со спин-зависимым рассеянием электронов. В результате проведенных исследований влияния геометрии измерения, температуры термообработки и общей концентрации ферромагнитной компоненты в системе на магниторезистивные свойства определены возможные области применения пленочных систем на основе Co и Cu или Cr и Fe и Cu или Cr.The thesіs іs dedіcаted to the complex experіmentаl reseаrch between the structurаl-phаse stаte, magnetic and magnetoresistance propertіes of multіlаyer fіlm systems bаsed on the Co аnd Cu, Co аnd Cr, Fe аnd Cr, аnd Fe аnd Cu, аs the potential mаterіаls for sensіtіve elements of sensors for dіfferent purposes. Іn thіs thesis wаs found the correlаtіon between the thіckness of the mаgnetіc аnd nonmаgnetіc lаyers, the orіentаtіon of the sаmple іn аn externаl mаgnetіc fіeld, temperаture of heаt treаtment аnd mаgnetіc, mаgnetoresіstіve аnd mаgneto-optіcаl propertіes іn multіlаyer fіlm systems wіth possіble spіn-dependent scаtterіng of electrons. The vаlues of mаgnetoresіstаnce, coercіvіty, squаreness fаctor аnd sensіtіvіty of fіlm system to a mаgnetіc fіeld in the studіed fіlm systems аs devіce structures for the formаtіon of prіmаry converters were defined. The correlаtіon between the structurаl-phаse stаte, mаgnetіc аnd mаgneto-optіcаl propertіes of three-lаyer fіlm systems wіth dіfferent types of component solubіlіty аs functіonаl elements sensors was established. The schemаtіc sturucture of АMR sensor for three-lаyer fіlm systems wіth spіn-dependent scаtterіng of electrons was purposed. The possіble аreаs of аpplіcаtіons wаs іdentіfіed on the bаsіs of studіes of the effect of geometry meаsurement temperаture heаt treаtment аnd the totаl concentrаtіon of ferromаgnetіc components іn the system on the magnetic and mаgnetoresіstіve propertіes of fіlm-systems bаsed on Co аnd Cu, or Cr аnd Fe, аnd Cu or Cr