Neoliberal restructuring, neoregulation, and the Mexican poultry industry

The US poultry industry based on flexible accumulation has been advanced as the model of agro-industrial development for agrifood globalization. Similarly, Mexico has been presented as a noteworthy example of the negative effects of neoliberal restructuring associated with the globalization project. In this paper we use both of these assertions as points of departure to guide an investigation of the case of the restructuring of the Mexican poultry industry. Informed by a commodity systems analysis, archival data and key informant interviews are used to generate an overview of the history of the poultry industry in Mexico. A sociology of agrifood theoretical framework informed by regimes theory is employed to analyze the events of the case. We conclude that neoregulation related to the IMF and NAFTA restructuring in Mexico facilitated the diffusion of the US model of poultry production.     

How learning to read changes the cortical networks for vision and language

Does literacy improve brain function? Does it also entail losses? Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we measured brain responses to spoken and written language, visual faces, houses, tools, and checkers in adults of variable literacy (10 were illiterate, 22 became literate as adults, and 31 were literate in childhood). As literacy enhanced the left fusiform activation evoked by writing, it induced a small competition with faces at this location, but also broadly enhanced visual responses in fusiform and occipital cortex, extending to area V1. Literacy also enhanced phonological activation to speech in the planum temporale and afforded a top-down activation of orthography from spoken inputs. Most changes occurred even when literacy was acquired in adulthood, emphasizing that both childhood and adult education can profoundly refine cortical organization.     

Recursive diameter prediction and volume calculation of eucalyptus trees using Multilayer Perceptron Networks

A major challenge in forest management is the ability to quickly and accurately predict bole volume of standing trees. This study presents a new model that uses Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) artificial neural networks for predicting tree diameters values. The model requires three diameter measures at the base of the tree, and recursively predicts other diameter measures. The predicted diameters allow for calculating tree volume using the Smalian method. The performance of the proposed model was satisfactory when compared with data obtained from tree scaling and volume equations.     

On-farm evaluation of the effect of coffee pulp supplementation on milk yield and dry matter intake of dairy cows grazing tropical grasses in central Mexico

Tropical grasses are the primary nutrient resource for cattle production in the tropics, and they provide low-cost nutrients to cattle. However, its production is constrained by seasonal changes and quality; hence, appropriate usage of relatively inexpensive agricultural by-products is important to profitable livestock production. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of supplementing coffee pulp to dairy cows grazing tropical grasses on milk yield and forage intake. Four multiparous crossed Holstein–Brown Swiss–Zebu cows of similar weight and milk yield were used. The effect of 10%, 15% and 20% inclusion of coffee pulp in dairy concentrates on milk yield and forage intake was analysed using a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Results showed that there were no significant effects (P > 0.05) in grass dry matter intake, milk yield, milk composition body weight and body condition score due to the inclusion of coffee pulp in the dairy concentrates. It is concluded that coffee pulp can be included at levels of 20% in the concentrate without compromising significantly (P > 0.05) milk yield, milk composition and grass dry matter intake. It also was concluded that cost of concentrate is reduced in 20% by the inclusion of coffee pulp.     

Reconstructing 290 years of a data‐poor fishery through ethnographic and archival research: The East Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Baja California,Mexico

Evaluating historical changes in the exploitation of marine organisms is a key challenge in fisheries ecology and marine conservation. In the Eastern Pacific, marine turtles were exploited for millennia before systematic monitoring began <50 years ago. Using ethnographic and historical data, we generated a detailed reconstruction of the East Pacific green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) fishery in Mexico's Baja California peninsula from 1700 to 1990. Sea turtles from the region's important feeding areas were a staple food source from the earliest phases of human occupation, dating back at least 12,000 years. In contrast with regions such as the Caribbean, small human populations and limited market access resulted in apparently sustainable turtle harvests until the second half of the 20th century. We found that the estimated annual catches between 1960 and 1980 exceeded the estimated annual catches of the previous 250 years by an order of magnitude, leading to the collapse of the fishery and the depletion of the green turtle population. A total ban on sea turtle captures in 1990, comprehensive nesting beach protection, and significant conservation efforts resulted in increases in breeding females on nesting beaches and catch rates in scientific monitoring on main feeding grounds since the early 2000s. This provides a positive outlook for this once‐depleted population segment. Although further research is needed to evaluate current conservation status, we have identified a date, between 1950 and 1960, which can serve as a reliable temporal reference for future evaluations of historical baseline abundance in this region.     

Planning low-impact tourist paths within a Site of Community Importance through the optimisation of biological and logistic criteria

A leading goal in the management of protected areas is to promote a balanced coexistence between wildlife and people. Although this target may be achieved by limiting human activities through buffer zones and restricted areas, a more rigorous approach can be based on optimisation models founded on quantitative and transparent scientific methodologies.

In this paper, a decision model is proposed, for the first time, for planning low-impact tourist paths within a European Union Site of Community Importance. The proposed methodology seeks to plan optimised paths based on a virtual landscape built on both biological and logistic criteria. Our model consists of four steps: (1) choice of biological and logistic constraints; (2) selection of biological and logistic factors; (3) use of fuzzy scoring to standardise and weight criteria and (4) application of least-cost modelling to the virtual landscape resulting from previous steps.

We identified three optimised routes for new tourist paths which have the least possible impact on existing biodiversity (habitats, plant and animal species), meeting logistic criteria as well. The proposed approach also allows the impacts of suggested paths to be estimated quantitatively thereby allowing comparison with existent paths. Proposed paths, based on optimisation, perform considerably well; furthermore, we were able to propose the decommissioning of eight existing paths that have high impacts on biodiversity.

This work not only proposes a framework for planning low-impact tourist paths within protected areas, but also purports the idea that, through the use of proper optimisation models, a satisfactory balance between nature and human activities is achievable.     

Modeling the height–diameter relationship and volume of young African mahoganies established in successional agroforestry systems in northeastern Brazil

New Forests - The aim of this study was to fit and select height–diameter and stem volume equations for two African mahogany species (Khaya ivorensis and Khaya anthotheca) in the initial...     

Structure-activity relationship studies of dibromo phenolic derivatives as photosynthetic electron chain inhibitors

A number of 2,6-dibromophenols with different substituents in the 4-position have been synthesised and their effect on the whole electron transport chain and on photosystem II have been determined. A study was made to relate the chemical characteristics of the 4-substituent group and the inhibition of the uncoupled electron transport of isolated chloroplasts from spinach plants. The chemical nature of the 4-substituent group varies greatly in the active compounds and it is therefore suggested that this group does not participate in the inhibitor-receptor interaction. The results indicated that the inhibiting power of these compounds increased with the electron-attracting capacity of the 4-substituent group, decreased with increase in its size and that there was no correlation with its hydrophobic nature.     

Circle hook effectiveness for the mitigation of sea turtle bycatch and capture of target species in a Brazilian pelagic longline fishery

• 1. Incidental catches by the pelagic longline fishery is a major global threat for loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles.
• 2. The reduction of incidental capture and post‐release mortality of sea turtles in the Brazilian pelagic longline fishery, operating in the south‐western Atlantic Ocean, was investigated by comparing the performance of 18/0 circle hooks with 9/0 J‐type (control) hooks. Hook selectivity experiments were performed between 2004 and 2008, in a total of 26 trips, 229 sets and 145 828 hooks. The experimental design included alternating control and experimental hooks along sections of the mainline.
• 3. An overall decrease in capture rates for loggerhead turtles of 55% and for leatherbacks of 65% were observed when using circle hooks. In addition, deep‐hooking in loggerheads decreased significantly from 25% using J‐hooks to 5.8% with circle hooks, potentially increasing post‐release survival.
• 4. Circle hooks increased catch rates of most of the main target species, including tunas (bigeye Thunnus obesus and albacore T. alalunga), and sharks (blue Prionace glauca and requiem sharks of the genus Carcharinus), with no difference in the capture rates of yellowfin tuna (T. albacares), shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini and S. zygaena), and dolphinfish or mahi mahi (Coryphaena hippurus). On the other hand, a significant decrease in the capture rate of swordfish (Xiphias gladius) was detected when using circle hooks.
• 5. Overall, results support the effectiveness of using circle hooks for the conservation of loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles, with positive effects on capture of most target species of the south‐western Atlantic longline fishery. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.