Economic analysis of the carnation industry in the United States, An

Includes bibliographical references (pages [92]-97).August, 1966.An economic analysis of the carnation industry in the United States was conducted by mail questionnaires surveying growers, shippers, and wholesalers. Production costs, total revenues, investments, types of greenhouses, methods of financing, plant densities, flower yields, management and other cultural problems, and climatic factors were determined for seven production areas. Western production areas, such as California and Colorado were shown to have the advantages of higher production, producing at relatively less cost per unit, and capabilities of supplying all national markets by fast air and truck freight. Older established eastern areas were shown to be stabilizing or decreasing carnation production because of western area competitive advantages and improved transportation. A general flow pattern of carnations during seasons of the year was determined between production areas and market areas. The western production areas supply the main volume of carnations sold in all sections of the country, except the Northeast. Shipping prices and wholesale market prices were shown to vary with geographical region, being somewhat lower on the west coast and in the New York area. Essentially, carnation prices appear to be quite stable, there being a winter and spring price and a lower summer price. Problems of the industry, as reported by participants in the survey are many. Predominating was the need for uniform, grading, more consistent supply, less transportation delays, better handling and less storage of flowers for holidays. The need for more economic information for management decision making was emphasized

Intergenerational transmission of criminal and violent behaviour

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree', 'Like father like son', 'Chip off the old block'. All these idioms seem to suggest that offspring resemble their parents and this also applies to criminal behaviour. This dissertation investigates mechanisms that might explain why children with criminal parents have a higher risk of committing crime. Several explanations for this intergenerational transmission have been contrasted, such as social learning (imitation of behaviour), official bias against certain families, and transmission of risk factors. Sytske Besemer investigated this in England as well as in the Netherlands. She answers questions such as: does it matter when the parents committed crime in the child's life? Do more persistent offenders transmit crime more than sporadic offenders? Do violent offenders specifically transmit violent behaviour or general crime to their children? Might the police and courts be biased against certain families? Could a deprived environment explain why parents as well as children show criminal behaviour? Does parental imprisonment pose an extra risk? This dissertation is the first study to specifically investigate these mechanisms of intergenerational continuity. The study is scientifically relevant because of its breadth, integration of conviction data as well as data on self-reported offending and environmental risk factors, its comparative design and the long periods over which transmission is investigated. Furthermore, the dissertation has important policy implications. It demonstrates how penal policy designed to reduce criminal behaviour might actually increase this behaviour in the next generation. This is especially important since Western countries such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands show an increasing trend towards more punitive policies

Rural livelihoods and inequality under trade liberalisation: A case study of southern Vietnam

The purpose of this mixed-methods case study research is to discover how, in relation to trade liberalisation in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, intangible assets affect livelihood outcomes of the ethnic majority Kinh and the ethnic minority Khmer people. Methods used include a random survey of 150 ethnic majority (Kinh) rice farmers combined with focus group data from Khmer ethnic minority people. Data shows that lack of access to information about the changing economic circumstances generated by trade reform has caused farmers to take sub-optimal decisions about the diversification of their crops. The economic outcomes on Khmer farmers have also been negatively affected by a lack of information, compounded by rigid gender roles, lack of education, discrimination, language problems and isolation from the majority ethnic group. These factors have contributed considerably to the negative outcomes of liberalisation, including loss of land, and have impeded people's ability to make use of emerging opportunities, including better access to markets and new ways of making a livelihood. This research shows that intangible assets interact with trade liberalisation to exacerbate existing inequalities.Funded by the University of Chester and Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds

Selectief zoeken naar selectieve pesticiden

Rede. Wageningen, 11 november 197

Social networks, social capital and poverty: panacea or placebo?

Our understanding of the links between social networks and the causes or solutions to poverty have been enhanced through theoretical and empirical research on the concept of social capital. In this paper we discuss how social networks and social capital have commonly been presented as a problem or a panacea in policy regarding neighbourhoods and worklessness and then contrast this with recent evidence. We conclude that policy misrecognises the links between poverty and social networks and social capital and through cuts in public services in the UK, is currently undermining social capital and social networks

Poverty and social networks evidence review

This is a self-published version of the full report produced for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for their Anti-Poverty Strategy programme in 2014

GeneMark: web software for gene finding in prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses

The task of gene identification frequently confronting researchers working with both novel and well studied genomes can be conveniently and reliably solved with the help of the GeneMark web software (). The website provides interfaces to the GeneMark family of programs designed and tuned for gene prediction in prokaryotic, eukaryotic and viral genomic sequences. Currently, the server allows the analysis of nearly 200 prokaryotic and >10 eukaryotic genomes using species-specific versions of the software and pre-computed gene models. In addition, genes in prokaryotic sequences from novel genomes can be identified using models derived on the spot upon sequence submission, either by a relatively simple heuristic approach or by the full-fledged self-training program GeneMarkS. A database of reannotations of >1000 viral genomes by the GeneMarkS program is also available from the web site. The GeneMark website is frequently updated to provide the latest versions of the software and gene models

'Hard-to-Reach' or ‘Easy-to-Ignore’? A rapid review of place-based policies and equality

Executive summary   This review details the findings of a rapid evidence synthesis of academic literature, grey literature - research findings and evaluation - and statistical analysis on place-based policies and dimensions of equality. The main findings of the review with relevance for Scotland are:   The evidence for the ways in which particular equalities groups may benefit, or not, from place-based policies is quite sparse and we can make few definite conclusions.   Overall, in place-based policies, socio-economic inequality is much easier for policy-makers to understand and focus on, compared to the complexities of exclusion and deprivation faced by equalities groups.   The differing spatial distribution of equalities groups in Scotland suggests any future place-based policies should have equalities as a key focus.   17 per cent of those responding to successive waves of the Scottish Health Survey, classifying themselves as not heterosexual, also live in the 15 per cent most deprived neighbourhoods, making this group disproportionately represented in these neighbourhoods.   In the past there has commonly been a wholly unintentional "blindness" to equalities in place-based policies, with a presumption that all will, or can, benefit equally from improvements in socio-economic outcomes.   Place-based policies can explicitly focus on equalities groups, but often in a negative or problematising way - for example disabled people as a group needing to gain employment to reduce welfare benefits expenditure.   Scotland has a long history of place-based policies and continuing small, local projects focused on equalities groups. The lessons from these should be more broadly disseminated.   Engagement with place-based policies by local residents is often quite low; one large programme in England only managed to reach 20 per cent of residents in the targeted deprived neighbourhoods.   Place-based policies are particularly effective at delivering physical renewal and environmental improvements.   The holistic nature of place-based policies means they are often associated with improvements in wellbeing and place attachment outcomes. In the most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in England there is evidence that some outcomes for certain BME groups were particularly improved by place-based policies.   Place-based policies often fail to make sustained improvements in socio-economic outcomes because the root cause of problems is outwith the neighbourhood, at the scale of the town, city or greater.   We recommend:   An ongoing focus on improving equalities data at a neighbourhood level, particularly using the 2011 Census as a basis for understanding ongoing trends.   Community Planning partners should also ensure they are using whatever equalities data is broadly available - particularly around gender and age.   Equality Impact Assessments based on a broad evidence base, and using techniques such as logic modelling, should be embedded into the implementation of any future place-based policies to assure an equalities focus even if statistical data at the neighbourhood level is not available.   The new statutory duties on equalities outcomes and positive duties may also be effective policy tools for CPPs to deliver an equalities dimension to place-based policies

Veertig jaar volhardend zoeken : het "ideale" bestrijdingsmiddel een utopie?

Beschouwing van de ontwikkeling van chemische bestrijdingsmiddelen en van de poging het zogenaamde "ideale middel" te verwezenlijke