Dynamics and Long-Run Structure in U.S. Meat Demand

�Empirical analysis, based on a general dynamic Almost Ideal Demand System, shows the commonly used autoregressive and partial adjustment processes are restrictive to meal demand data. This study derives a linear specification in levels form to investigate dynamics in a general framework. Merging a long-run steady state structure with short-run dynamics results in consistent and robust long-run demand elasticities.

Hybrid features-based prediction for novel phish websites

Phishers frequently craft novel deceptions on their websites and circumvent existing anti-phishing techniques for insecure intrusions, users’ digital identity theft, and then illegal profits. This raises the needs to incorporate new features for detecting novel phish websites and optimizing the existing anti-phishing techniques. In this light, 58 new hybrid features were proposed in this paper and their prediction susceptibilities were evaluated by using feature co-occurrence criterion and a baseline machine learning algorithm. Empirical test and analysis showed the significant outcomes of the proposed features on detection performance. As a result, the most influential features are identified, and new insights are offered for further detection improvement

The Kinetics of E.Coli O157:H7 from Feces to Soil and Ground Water, on a Dairy Farm Reared under Field Conditions in Baghdad Province and Its Relation to Public Health

The aims of this study were to investigate the kinetics of E.coli O157:H7 from faces and its migration through soil into well- water, and the ability of E.coli OI57:H7 to persist on/in soil in Iraqi dairy farms reared under entirely different environmental conditions. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in fecal, soil surface (Z1, Z5, and Z10) and depth (D0, D5 and D10) and well-water samples from January through May 2012 were determined. Colonies isolated from fecal, soil, and water samples with morphological characteristic of E.coli O157: H7 on CT-SMAC, CHROMagar, were further confirmed as E.coli O157: H7 by biochemical reaction, and subjected to agglutination reaction to identifying the O157 somatic and H7 flagellar antigens. Of 32 fecal samples collected over 4 weeks sampling period, 24 (75%) were positive for E.coli O157:H7. Of 63 soil samples collected during the period of the study 43 (68%) were positive for E.coli O157:H7 in all directions of the farm. The prevalence of E.coli O157:H7 contamination transferred to the interior of soil decreased with increased depths, this correlation is highly significant. A total of 45 well-water samples were collected during April and May, 23 (51%) were found to be E. coli O157:H7 positive. The highest prevalence was in April (63%) compared to May (33%). A total of 140 samples (fecal, soil, and water) were collected in this study, 90 (64%) were found to be E.coli O157:H7 positive. Fecal samples had higher prevalence (75%) than soil and water (68% and 51%) respectively. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrated that E. coli O157:H7 can persist for extended periods of time in the faeces, soil, and well-water in the dairy farm reared under natural conditions. This is important because it suggests that these may contribute to the dissemination of E. coli O157:H7 on food products intended for human consumption. Keywords: E.coli O157:H7, dairy farm, kinetics, environmental pollution, public healt

ON DIRECT PRODUCT pure − 1 − 2 − 3 SUBGROUPS IN ABELIAN GROUP Gn×Gm

In this paper, we shall define new subgroups which are called pure−1−2−3 in abelian groups Gn×Gm for all n,m∈N which are a family of pure subgroups. In[1],[2]H.M.A.Abdullah  gave the some general properties of pure− 1−2−3 in abelian group G, but here, we shall prove more than properties on this subgroups in ModGn×Gm, which are not valid for pure subgroups

Special Safeguard Mechanisms for the Agricultural Sector: The GATT Negotiations

The Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations is deadlocked on the issue of agricultural policy reform. Although broad consensus has been reached regarding replacing all nontariff trade barriers with equivalent tariffs, agreement on the questions of domestic farm policy reforms and access to domestic markets by exporting countries has not yet been reached. Arthur Dunkel, Director General of the GATT, has put forward a compromise proposal that seeks to ensure minimum access to the domestic markets of all countries while providing importing countries with special safeguard mechanisms to protect their domestic markets against large price declines and import surges. Within this context, we analyze and compare safeguard mechanisms activated either by prices declining below some benchmark level or by imports surging above a prespecified level

Zinc Oxide Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Catalyst/ Preparation, Activity Test and Kinetic Study

Hydrogen sulfide removal catalyst was prepared chemically by precipitation of zinc bicarbonate at a controlled pH. The physical and chemical catalyst characterization properties were investigated. The catalyst was tested for its activity in adsorption of H2S using a plant that generates the H2S from naphtha hydrodesulphurization and a unit for the adsorption of H2S. The results comparison between the prepared and commercial catalysts revealed that the chemical method can be used to prepare the catalyst with a very good activity.<br />It has observed that the hydrogen sulfide removal over zinc oxide catalyst follows first order reaction kinetics with activation energy of 19.26 kJ/mole and enthalpy and entropy of activation of 14.49 kJ/mole and -220.41 J/mole respectively.<br /

Dynamics and Long-run Structure in U.S. Meat Demand

Empirical analysis, based on a general dynamic Almost Ideal Demand System, shows the commonly used autoregressive and partial adjustment processes are restrictive to meat demand data. This study derives a linear specification in levels form to investigate dynamics in a general framework. Merging a long-run steady state structure with short-run dynamics results in consistent and robust long-run demand elasticities Une analyse empirique, basée sur un systéme dynamique général de demande quasi optimale, montre que les mécanismes courants d\u27ajustement autorégressif et d\u27ajustement partiel ont un effect restrictif sur l\u27évaluation des données de la demande de viande. Les auteurs proposent une spécifcation linéaire par niveaux pour examiner la dynamique du cadre général. La combinaison d\u27une structure stable de longue durée avec une dynamique de courte période a produit des élasticités cohérentes et solides de la demande à long term

Realtime human face tracking and recognition system on uncontrolled environment

Recently, one of the most important biometrics is that automatically recognized human faces are based on dynamic facial images with different rotations and backgrounds. This paper presents a real-time system for human face tracking and recognition with various expressions of the face, poses, and rotations in an uncontrolled environment (dynamic background). Many steps are achieved in this paper to enhance, detect, and recognize the faces from the image frame taken by web-camera. The system has three steps: the first is to detect the face, Viola-Jones algorithm is used to achieve this purpose for frontal and profile face detection. In the second step, the color space algorithm is used to track the detected face from the previous step. The third step, principal component analysis (eigenfaces) algorithm is used to recognize faces. The result shows the effectiveness and robustness depending on the training and testing results. The real-time system result is compared with the results of the previous papers and gives a success, effectiveness, and robustness recognition rate of 91.12% with a low execution time. However, the execution time is not fixed due depending on the frame background and specification of the web camera and computer

Effect of shark cartilage derived protein on the NK cells activity

Context: Shark cartilage has been used for its beneficial effects on various diseases. There are evidences, that shark cartilage stimulates cellular and humoral immune responses, which makes it an anti-tumor and immunomodulator candidate. Objective: The immunostimulatory effect of shark cartilage derived proteins on the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells from healthy human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was studied. Material and methods: The shark cartilage was extracted and its bioactive proteins were purified using ion-exchange chromatography (DE-52) and sequential fractionation on Amicon ultrafiltration membranes. The effect of each protein fraction on the modulation of cytotoxic activity of NK cells, as effectors, against K562, as target cells, was assayed by enzymatic lactate dehydrogenase test. Results: The most immunostimulatory effect on the cytotoxic activity of NK cells was observed for AR10 fraction, containing proteins with molecular weight of about 14.5kDa on the reducible discontinuous sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Discussion: Among the examined shark cartilage derived proteins, the most immunostimulatory effects on the NK cells cytotoxicity was found for AR10 fraction with molecular weight of about 14kDa. We propose—the direct interactions of shark cartilage derived proteins with NK cells surface receptors may lead to the enhancing in the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. Conclusion: Thus AR10 fraction, proteins of about 14.5kDa, has a novel immunostimulatory effect on the NK cells activity in vitro and if confirmed by in vivo trials, it may lead to its future clinical applications as, immunotherapy of cancer, HIV, and augmentation of host immune system related immunodeficiency disorders. Keywords: Immunostimulation, purification, shark cartilage, K562, NK cel

A Review of Enzymatic Transesterification of Microalgal Oil-Based Biodiesel Using Supercritical Technology

Biodiesel is considered a promising replacement to petroleum-derived diesel. Using oils extracted from agricultural crops competes with their use as food and cannot realistically satisfy the global demand of diesel-fuel requirements. On the other hand, microalgae, which have a much higher oil yield per hectare, compared to oil crops, appear to be a source that has the potential to completely replace fossil diesel. Microalgae oil extraction is a major step in the overall biodiesel production process. Recently, supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) has been proposed to replace conventional solvent extraction techniques because it is nontoxic, nonhazardous, chemically stable, and inexpensive. It uses environmentally acceptable solvent, which can easily be separated from the products. In addition, the use of SC-CO2 as a reaction media has also been proposed to eliminate the inhibition limitations that encounter biodiesel production reaction using immobilized enzyme as a catalyst. Furthermore, using SC-CO2 allows easy separation of the product. In this paper, conventional biodiesel production with first generation feedstock, using chemical catalysts and solvent-extraction, is compared to new technologies with an emphasis on using microalgae, immobilized lipase, and SC-CO2 as an extraction solvent and reaction media