Exploring Japanese olive oil consumer behavior

During the last two decades, olive oil consumption in Japan is showing an increasing trend due to dietary and health concerns. Traditional olive oil producer and exporter countries such as Italy, Spain and Tunisia have interest to reinforce and to increase their penetration in the Japanese market. This study examines Japanese olive oil consumer behaviour by the use of the conjoint analysis technique. Five attributes have been chosen to design the experiment: region of origin, price, olive oil type, taste and colour. Two models have been estimated where the price variable was introduced in its discrete form in the first model and in its linear and quadratic from in the second model. In a second step, consumer segmentation was undertaken based on consumption frequencies. Two groups have been identified: “heavy consumers” and “light or potential consumers”. The main results indicate the importance of the selected variables in Japanese olive oil consumer' choice. Olive oil with Mediterranean or Tunisian origin has higher probabilities to be chosen than Italian or Spanish one. Japanese consumers prefer a green with bland taste olive oil. Concerning olive oil type, results indicate that refined olive oil has more probability to be chosen than virgin or extra-virgin one, indicating low awareness of Japanese consumers about olive oil. The price variable estimates have shown a convex utility curve indicating a decrease of consumers’ utility when price increases till a maximum price. Above that price, consumers’ utility increase indicating in that case that olive oil is considered as a luxurious product. Differences as well as similarities have been detected among consumer segments.Olive oil, Japan, consumer behavior, Consumer/Household Economics,

Technical efficiency of olive oil manufacturing and efficacy of modernization programme in Tunisia

This study investigates firm level technical efficiency of production and its determinants in a sample of 137 olive oil manufacturing firms in Tunisia using a stochastic frontier production model applied to cross-section data. Results indicate that technical efficiency of production in the sample of olive oil manufacturing firms investigated ranges from a minimum of 47.1% to a maximum 99.5% with an average technical efficiency estimate of 86.5%. This implies olive oil manufacturing firms in Tunisia can increase their production on average by 13.5% through more efficient use of technology and production inputs. The fact that 93 firms represented more than 64.4% of the sample hit more than 80% of technical efficiency score implies the efficacy of modernization programme implemented in Tunisia. The estimated coefficients in the technical inefficiency effects model indicate that level of technology, frequent use of computer and internet, the owner’s age, the share of skilled labour, the employment of management staff, and the input sourcing by the own production have a significant and positive effect on technical efficiency. On the other hand, negative relationships are found between technical efficiency and entrepreneur dummy variable, continuous relationship with the suppliers in the same district, and with the private sector and trader as customers. These results imply that the adoption of new technology, accumulation of skill and knowledge as well as stable input sourcing contribute to improve the technical efficiency of olive oil manufacturing.olive oil manufacturing, stochastic frontier production function, technical efficiency, modernization programme, Tunisia, Crop Production/Industries,

The effects of Information and Country of Origin on Japanese Olive Oil Consumer Selection

Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Flexible and Efficient Partial Migration of Split-memory VMs

Recently, virtual machines (VMs) with a large amount of memory are being widely used. For flexible migration of such large-memory VMs without large hosts, split migration has been proposed. It transfers VM fragments to multiple smaller hosts and runs a split-memory VM across those hosts with remote paging. However, the traditional method cannot migrate a split-memory VM efficiently because it always migrates the entire VM. In addition, it has to gather all the VM fragments to one host and transfer them from that host. To address these issues, this paper proposes flexible and efficient partial migration of split-memory VMs. In particular, subst migration migrates only part of a split-memory VM to enable the maintenance of some of the hosts running the VM. Merge migration efficiently consolidates VM fragments distributed across multiple hosts into one host by directly transferring a VM fragment from each host. Even if a split-memory VM itself causes remote paging during such partial migration, the consistency of the VM is maintained by retransferring and invalidating target memory. We have implemented partial migration in KVM and showed its efficiency.2020 IEEE 13th International Conference on Cloud Computing (CLOUD 2020), 18–24 October, 2020, Beijing, China（オンライン開催に変更

S-memV: Split Migration of Large-Memory Virtual Machines in IaaS Clouds

Recently, Infrastructure-as-a-Service clouds provide virtual machines (VMs) with a large amount of memory. Such large-memory VMs make VM migration difficult because it is costly to reserve large-memory hosts as the destination. Using virtual memory is a remedy for this problem, but virtual memory is incompatible with the memory access pattern in VM migration. Consequently, large performance degradation occurs during and after VM migration due to excessive paging. This paper proposes split migration of large-memory VMs with S-memV. Split migration migrates a VM to one main host and one or more sub-hosts. It divides the memory of a VM and transfers memory likely to be accessed to the main host. Since it transfers the rest of the memory directly to the sub-hosts, no paging occurs during VM migration. After split migration, remote paging is performed between the main host and the sub-hosts, but its frequency is lower thanks to memory splitting that is aware of remote paging. We have implemented S-memV in KVM and showed that the performance of split migration and application performance after VM migration were comparable to that of traditional VM migration with sufficient memory.IEEE International Conference on Cloud Computing (IEEE Cloud 2018), July 2-7, 2018, San Francisco, CA, US

Application of the contingent valuation method to the moroccan argan: Case of the Souss Massa National Park (PNSM)

L’un des principaux défis de la filière arganier est de réussir le pari d’une approche de développement durable en protégeant l’Arganeraie. Le Parc National Souss Massa peut avoir un rôle important à cet égard, à travers la promotion de l’écotourisme visant la protection et la préservation du patrimoine Arganier. Dans ce contexte, cette étude vise à estimer le consentement à payer pour visiter le Parc, dans l’optique que leur paiement sera dédié à la protection de l’arganeraie. En appliquant la méthode d’évaluation contingente, les résultats montrent que la population enquêtée dans la province de Tiznit et en ligne sont prêts à payer pour bénéficier des services du circuit proposé. En effet, selon le modèle Logit, les résultats de cette enquête donnent une valeur moyenne de CAP allant de 37 598 Dhs comme estimation au niveau de la province de Tiznit à 76 985 Dhs comme estimation web. Par contre, selon le modèle Probit cette estimation varie entre 55 129 Dhs et 85 034 Dhs. En supposant un nombre de visites allant d’un scénario pessimiste de 100 000 visiteurs à un scénario plus optimiste de 300 000 visiteurs, les autorités publiques peuvent percevoir entre 3,8 Mdhs à 26,8 Mdhs/ an en établissant ce consentement à payer comme un droit d’entrée au parc. Sur la base de l’enquête réalisée au niveau de la province, la modélisation Tobit a permis d’évaluer les facteurs déterminants de consentement à payer. Le facteur âge a un impact négatif sur le consentement à payer, alors que les revenus, la distance du parc et la fibre écologique ont eu des effets positifs. Par contre, l’enquête web a permis d’identifier des variables significatifs différents tels que la nationalité, l’état matrimonial, le niveau d’éducation, la taille du ménage, le revenu et la connaissance du parc. Mot clés : Arganier, Argane, Evaluation contingente, Consentement à payer, Parc national Souss MassaOne of the main challenges of the Argan value chain is the construction of a sustainable project for the development of the sector and its products while protecting the Argan tree. The Souss Massa National Park can play an important role in this direction, through the promotion of ecotourism aimed at protecting and preserving Argan heritage. In this context, this work aims to estimate the willingness to pay to visit the Park and protect the argan tree, in the perspective that their payment will be dedicated to the protection of the argan tree. Using the contingent valuation method, this study shows that visitors are willing to pay (WTP) for the services of the proposed circuit. According to the Logit model, the results of this survey give an average value of WTP ranging from 37 598 Dhs as estimate at the level of the province of Tiznit to 76 985 Dhs as web estimation. On the other hand, according to the Probit model, this estimate varies between 55 129 Dhs and 85 031 Dhs. Assuming a number of visits ranging from a pessimistic scenario of 100 000 visitors to more optimistic scenario of 300 000 visitors, the public authorities can collect between 3.8 Mdhs to 26.8 Mdhs/year by establishing this willingness to pay as a fee to enter in the park. Based on the survey conducted at province of Tiznit, Tobit modeling was allowed to evaluate the determining factors of willingness to pay. The age factor had a negative impact on willingness to pay, while revenues, distance from the park and ecological fiber had positive effects. On the other hand, the web survey identified different significant variables such as nationality, marital status, educational level, household size, income and knowledge of the park.  Key words: Argan, contingent valuation, Wiliness to pay, WTP, National Park of Souss Massa

Application of the contingent valuation method to the moroccan argan: Case of the Souss Massa National Park (PNSM)

L’un des principaux défis de la filière arganier est de réussir le pari d’une approche de développement durable en protégeant l’Arganeraie. Le Parc National Souss Massa peut avoir un rôle important à cet égard, à travers la promotion de l’écotourisme visant la protection et la préservation du patrimoine Arganier. Dans ce contexte, cette étude vise à estimer le consentement à payer pour visiter le Parc, dans l’optique que leur paiement sera dédié à la protection de l’arganeraie. En appliquant la méthode d’évaluation contingente, les résultats montrent que la population enquêtée dans la province de Tiznit et en ligne sont prêts à payer pour bénéficier des services du circuit proposé. En effet, selon le modèle Logit, les résultats de cette enquête donnent une valeur moyenne de CAP allant de 37 598 Dhs comme estimation au niveau de la province de Tiznit à 76 985 Dhs comme estimation web. Par contre, selon le modèle Probit cette estimation varie entre 55 129 Dhs et 85 034 Dhs. En supposant un nombre de visites allant d’un scénario pessimiste de 100 000 visiteurs à un scénario plus optimiste de 300 000 visiteurs, les autorités publiques peuvent percevoir entre 3,8 Mdhs à 26,8 Mdhs/ an en établissant ce consentement à payer comme un droit d’entrée au parc. Sur la base de l’enquête réalisée au niveau de la province, la modélisation Tobit a permis d’évaluer les facteurs déterminants de consentement à payer. Le facteur âge a un impact négatif sur le consentement à payer, alors que les revenus, la distance du parc et la fibre écologique ont eu des effets positifs. Par contre, l’enquête web a permis d’identifier des variables significatifs différents tels que la nationalité, l’état matrimonial, le niveau d’éducation, la taille du ménage, le revenu et la connaissance du parc. Mot clés : Arganier, Argane, Evaluation contingente, Consentement à payer, Parc national Souss MassaOne of the main challenges of the Argan value chain is the construction of a sustainable project for the development of the sector and its products while protecting the Argan tree. The Souss Massa National Park can play an important role in this direction, through the promotion of ecotourism aimed at protecting and preserving Argan heritage. In this context, this work aims to estimate the willingness to pay to visit the Park and protect the argan tree, in the perspective that their payment will be dedicated to the protection of the argan tree. Using the contingent valuation method, this study shows that visitors are willing to pay (WTP) for the services of the proposed circuit. According to the Logit model, the results of this survey give an average value of WTP ranging from 37 598 Dhs as estimate at the level of the province of Tiznit to 76 985 Dhs as web estimation. On the other hand, according to the Probit model, this estimate varies between 55 129 Dhs and 85 031 Dhs. Assuming a number of visits ranging from a pessimistic scenario of 100 000 visitors to more optimistic scenario of 300 000 visitors, the public authorities can collect between 3.8 Mdhs to 26.8 Mdhs/year by establishing this willingness to pay as a fee to enter in the park. Based on the survey conducted at province of Tiznit, Tobit modeling was allowed to evaluate the determining factors of willingness to pay. The age factor had a negative impact on willingness to pay, while revenues, distance from the park and ecological fiber had positive effects. On the other hand, the web survey identified different significant variables such as nationality, marital status, educational level, household size, income and knowledge of the park.  Key words: Argan, contingent valuation, Wiliness to pay, WTP, National Park of Souss Massa

Characterization of a Y-Family DNA Polymerase eta from the Eukaryotic Thermophile Alvinella pompejana

Human DNA polymerase η (HsPolη) plays an important role in translesion synthesis (TLS), which allows for replication past DNA damage such as UV-induced cis-syn cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). Here, we characterized ApPolη from the thermophilic worm Alvinella pompejana, which inhabits deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimneys. ApPolη shares sequence homology with HsPolη and contains domains for binding ubiquitin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Sun-induced UV does not penetrate Alvinella's environment; however, this novel DNA polymerase catalyzed efficient and accurate TLS past CPD, as well as 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine and isomers of thymine glycol induced by reactive oxygen species. In addition, we found that ApPolη is more thermostable than HsPolη, as expected from its habitat temperature. Moreover, the activity of this enzyme was retained in the presence of a higher concentration of organic solvents. Therefore, ApPolη provides a robust, human-like Polη that is more active after exposure to high temperatures and organic solvents

Cardiovascular events in Japanese asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes: a 1-year interim report of a J-ACCESS 2 investigation using myocardial perfusion imaging

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Purpose Diabetic patients have a high risk for cardiovascular events. The role of myocardial perfusion imaging was investigated in asymptomatic diabetic patients to evaluate short-term prognosis in a Japanese population. Methods A total of 506 asymptomatic patients ≥50 years of age who had carotid artery maximum intima-media thickness ≥1.1 mm, urinary albumin excretion of ≥30 mg/g creatinine, with additional criteria of abdominal obesity, low HDL cholesterol, high triglyceride level, and hypertension were enrolled and followed up over a 3-year period. Gated SPECT with stress-rest protocol was performed and analyzed by summed defect scores and QGS software. One-year cardiovascular events were analyzed. Results Myocardial ischemia was observed in 17% of patients, and abnormal perfusion findings of ischemia and/or scar were observed in 32% of patients. By the end of the 1-year follow-up, 33 (6.5%) cardiovascular events occurred including 6 all-cause deaths. Patients with summed stress score (SSS) >8 had a higher incidence of either death or cardiovascular events. Event-free survival rates for SSS 0–3, 4–8, 9–13, and ≥14 were 0.96, 0.95, 0.82, and 0.76, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that significant variables were SSS, history of cerebrovascular accident, and electrocardiographic abnormality at rest. Conclusion The 1-year interim summary showed that cardiovascular events were significantly higher in patients with SPECT abnormality, although hard cardiac event rate was relatively low. Targeted treatment strategy is required for asymptomatic but potentially high-risk diabetic patients