Labor Shock and the Diversity of Transnational Corporate Strategy in Export Processing Zones

ABSTRACT This article examines diverse transnational corporations’(TNC) strategies in response to labor shock and specific conditions that enhance TNCs’local embedding in export processing zones (EPZs). The goal of this paper is to understand the rationale behind TNCs’choice between spatial differentiation (mobility) and spatial fmity (immobility). Based on field research and data analysis from the Masan Free Export Zone (MAFEZ) in South Korea, it is argued that TNCs do not always withdraw from EPZs in reaction to wage costs and growing labor militancy. Higher labor costs can be overridden by other advantages: existing physicalkocial inhstructure, tax benefits, fured assets, localized labor skills and technology, cultural proximity, and advantages from geographical proximity to market, raw materials, and TNCs’headquarters. This paper criticizes the overly simplistic view of capital mobility. However, TNCs that choose to remain in the EPZs use both upgrading and cheapening strategies, and their remaining does not necessarily result in upgrading labor skills or improving labor conditions. This article raises a critical question of the firm-centered view of the global enterprise literature and the local embeddedness literature of TNCs on workers’welfare. It emphasizes the important role of firms and of unions in training workers for purposes of technology and skill upgrading.     

Post-Death Cloning of Endangered Jeju Black Cattle (Korean Native Cattle): Fertility and Serum Chemistry in a Cloned Bull and Cow and Their Offspring

To preserve Jeju black cattle (JBC; endangered native Korean cattle), a pair of cattle, namely a post-death cloned JBC bull and cow, were produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in a previous study. In the present study, we examined the in vitro fertilization and reproductive potentials of these post-death cloned animals. Sperm motility, in vitro fertilization and developmental capacity were examined in a post-death cloned bull (Heuk Oll Dolee) and an extinct nuclear donor bull (BK94-13). We assessed reproductive ability in another post-death cloned cow (Heuk Woo Sunee) using cloned sperm for artificial insemination (AI). There were no differences in sperm motility or developmental potential of in vitro fertilized embryos between the post-death cloned bull and its extinct nuclear donor bull; however, the embryo development ratio was slightly higher in the cloned sperm group than in the nuclear donor sperm group. After one attempt at AI, the post-death cloned JBC cow became pregnant, and gestation proceeded normally until day 287. From this post-death cloned sire and dam, a JBC male calf (Heuk Woo Dolee) was delivered naturally (weight, 25 kg). The genetic paternity/maternity of the cloned JBC bull and cow with regard to their offspring was confirmed using International Society for Animal Genetics standard microsatellite markers. Presently, Heuk Woo Dolee is 5 months of age and growing normally. In addition, there were no significant differences in blood chemistry among the post-death cloned JBC bull, the cow, their offspring and cattle bred by AI. This is the first report showing that a pair of cattle, namely, a post-death cloned JBC bull and cow, had normal fertility. Therefore, SCNT can be used effectively to increase the population of endangered JBC.     

Distribution of radioactivity in wheat plants grown in the presence of strontium-90

Thatcher wheat grown in soil to which Sr(90) had been added showed that accumulation of radioactivity in the kernels was about one-tenth the accumulation in leaves and stems. Experimental milling of the kernels gave brans with the largest amounts and flours with the least amounts of activity, the Sr(90) concentrations being related practically linearly to the weights of total ash in the various milling products.     

Effects of drought stress on root morphology and spatial distribution of soybean and adzuki bean

Due to global climate change, Korea is facing severe droughts that affect the planting and early vegetative periods of upland crops. Soybean and adzuki bean are important legume crops in Korea, so it is critical to understand their adaptations to water stress. This study investigated the changes in root morphological properties in soybean and adzuki bean and quantified the findings using fractal analysis. The experiment was performed at the National Institute of Crop Science in Miryang, Korea. Soybeans and adzuki beans were planted in test boxes and grown for 30 days. The boxes were filled with bed soil with various soil moisture treatments. Root images were obtained and scanned every two days, and the root properties were characterized by root length, depth and surface area, number of roots, and fractal parameters(fractal dimension and lacunarity). Root depth, length and surface area and the number of roots increased in both crops as the soil moisture content increased. The fractal dimension and lacunarity values increased as the soil moisture content increased. These results indicated that the greater the soil moisture, the more heterogeneous the root structure. Correlation analysis of the morphological properties and fractal parameters indicated that soybean and adzuki bean had different root structure developments. Both soybean and adzuki bean were sensitive to the amount of soil moisture in the early vegetative stage. Soybean required a soil moisture content greater than 70% of the field capacity to develop a full root structure, while adzuki bean required 100% of the field capacity. These results would be useful in understanding the responses of soybean and adzuki bean to water stress and managing irrigation during cultivation.     

激活的绢云母：一种使水生环境中铯衰减的高效天然粘土物质)

Sericite is mica-based natural clay that is annealed at 800 ℃ for 4 h, followed by acid activation using 3.0 mol L-1HCl at 100℃. The interaction of cesium(I), Cs(I), with sericite could provide useful data for the study of soil erosion or mass water movement utilizing the natural radioactive Cs. In this study sericite and activated sericite were used to assess their suitability in the attenuation of Cs from the aquatic environment under both batch and column experiments. The surface morphological studies indicated that a disordered and heterogeneous surface structure was exhibited by the activated sericite, whereas the native sericite exhibited a compact and layered structure. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) specific surface area results indicated a significant increase in the surface area due to the activation of sericite. The batch reactor data collected for various parametric studies revealed that an increase in p H(from 2.0 to 8.0) and sorbate concentration(from 10.0 to 100.0 mg L-1) apparently favored the attenuation of Cs(I). The timedependent sorption data revealed that Cs(I) uptake was very rapid, and it achieved its saturation value within just 50 min of contact.The kinetic modeling studies indicated that the uptake of Cs(I) followed a pseudo-second-order rate equation; hence, the attenuation capacity of these solids for Cs(I) was estimated to be 0.858 and 4.353 mg g-1for sericite and activated sericite solids, respectively.The adsorption isotherm modeling data showed a reasonably good applicability of the Freundlich model than the Langmuir model.The effect of background electrolyte concentrations(0.001 to 0.1 mol L-1) of Mg(NO3)2indicated that the presence of this electrolyte could not significantly affect the percent removal of Cs(I) by activated sericite. Furthermore, the fixed-bed column reactor operations were performed to obtain the breakthrough data, which were fitted well to the Thomas non-linear equation. Therefore, the loading capacity of Cs(I) was estimated to be 1.585 mg g-1at the initial influent Cs(I) concentration of 30.0 mg L-1at p H 5.0.     

The effect of Eucommia ulmoides leaf supplementation on the growth performance, blood and meat quality parameters in growing and finishing pigs

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Eucommia ulmoides leaf (EUL) supplementation on the growth performance, blood and meat quality parameters in growing and finishing pigs. Ninety gilts (L × LW × D, 20 kg initialBW) were housed 10 per pen in a front‐open building with three replicate pens per treatment. Experimental treatment was started from the beginning of the growing stage (20 ± 3 kg) by supplementing EUL at 0(C), 3(T1) and 5% (T2) to the growing and finishing diet. Pigs were slaughtered by electrical stunning at 105 ± 3 kg live weight. Average daily feed intake (ADFI, kg/day) decreased (P < 0.05) by addition of EUL in growth performance, average daily gain (ADG, kg/day) was lower (P < 0.05) in T1 and T2 than in C. In hematology, leukocytes (WBC, 10³/mm³) decreased (P < 0.05) in T1 and T2 than in C. Erythrocytes (RBC, 10⁶/mm³), hemoglobin (HGB, g/dL) and hematocrit (HCT, %) increased (P < 0.05) in T1 and T2 than in C. Platelet (PLT, 10³/mm³) was lower (P < 0.05) in T2 than in C and T1. In biochemical composition of serum, total protein (g/dL), r‐GTP (μ/L), total cholesterol (mg/dL) and triglycerides (mg/dL) were lower (P < 0.05) in T1 and T2 than in C. On longissimus dorsi muscle, crude protein was higher (P < 0.05) in T1 than in C. Crude ash was higher (P < 0.05) in T1 and T2 than in C. Yellow to blue color scale (CIE b*) in meat color was higher (P < 0.05) in T2 than in C. CIE b* in back fat color was higher (P < 0.05) in T2 than in the other treatments. In sensory evaluation scores for fresh meat, the values of meat color, fat color, drip loss and marbling were not significantly affected by addition of EUL. In cooked meat, the values of chewiness and overall acceptability were higher (P < 0.05) in T1 and T2 than in C. The results indicate that the addition of EUL affected growth performance, blood parameters and meat quality parameters in growing and finishing pigs.     

Distribution of albacore (Thunnus alalunga) in the Indian Ocean and its relation to environmental factors

The distribution pattern of albacore, Thunnus alalunga, in the Indian Ocean was analyzed based on catch data from the Taiwanese tuna longline fishery during the period 1979–85. The Taiwanese tuna fishery began operating in the Indian Ocean in 1967. We used a geographic information system to compile a fishery and environmental database and statistically explored the catch per unit effort (CPUE) distribution of albacore. Our results indicated that immature albacore were mainly distributed in areas south of 30°S although some displayed a north–south seasonal migration. Mature albacore, which were mainly concentrated between 10°S and 25°S, also showed a north–south migration. Within 10°S and 30°S, the separation of mature, spawning, and immature albacore life history stages roughly coincided with the boundaries of the three oceanic current systems in the Indian Ocean. The optimal environmental variables for CPUE prediction by stepwise discriminant analysis differed among life history stages. For immature albacore, the sea surface variables sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll concentration and surface salinity were significant. For mature albacore, SST was significant, while for spawning albacore, the sub‐surface variables temperature at 100 m and oxygen at 200 m were significant. Spawning albacore evidently prefer deep oceanographic conditions. Our results on the oceanographic conditions preferred by different developmental stages of albacore in the Indian Ocean were compatible with previous studies found in the Pacific Ocean.     

Fluctuation in abundance of larval anchovy and environmental conditions in coastal waters off south-western Taiwan as associated with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation

Monthly abundance ( CPUE ) of larval anchovy in the coastal waters off south-western Taiwan from 1980 to 1992 (156 months) fluctuated at intervals corresponding to the 4.3- and 2.2-year cycles of the southern oscillation index ( SOI ). Also, CPUE was significantly correlated with sea surface temperature with a time lag of 3 months and nearly significantly to river flow with a time lag of 4 months, which in turn correlated with SOI at lags of 13–14 months (cross-correlation and transfer function analyses). The results suggested the presence of linkage between recruitment of the larvae and ENSO episodes, perhaps through oceanographic and meteorological conditions that affect coastal upwelling and river discharge. The Kuroshio Current, which is the western extension of the North Equatorial Current, may be one of the important mechanisms of ENSO's teleconnections affecting local climate and fisheries in the western Pacific region.     

Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Personnel Attending a Veterinary Surgery Conference

Objective— To evaluate the prevalence of, and risk factors for, methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in veterinary personnel. Study Design— Cross‐sectional study. Sample Population— Conference attendees (n=341) at the 2008 American College of Veterinary Surgeons Symposium in San Diego California. Methods— Nasal swabs were collected and tested using selective culture for MRSA. Isolates were typed and risk factors were evaluated using questionnaire data. Results— 17.3% of subjects (17% veterinarians and 18% technicians) were MRSA positive. Colonized individuals originated from 5 different countries, predominantly the United States and Canada. Contact with small ruminants in the preceding 30 days (odds ratio [OR] 2.2), living with a person diagnosed with MRSA in the preceding year (OR 19.8) and working in a clinic where there is a specific person in charge of the infection control program (OR 2.2) were associated with colonization using multivariable analysis. Conclusion— The high rate of colonization identified here provides more evidence that MRSA exposure is likely an occupational risk for veterinary personnel. The equal rates in small animal and large animal personnel were surprising and contradict earlier studies indicating greater rates among equine personnel. The association of MRSA and small ruminant contact has not been reported previously. Clinical Relevance— MRSA is an important emerging pathogen in veterinary medicine and is a concern for both patients and veterinary personnel. The high colonization rate indicates the need to understand and control the spread of MRSA in veterinary clinics.     

Prevalence of respiratory bacterial pathogens and associated management factors in dairy calves in Taiwan

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence at both farm-level and calf-level and to identify the risk factors of respiratory bacterial pathogens in dairy calves in Taiwan. The status of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) was evaluated by using the Wisconsin scoring system from a total of 400 pre-weaned calves from 32 different farms in Taiwan, then the nasopharyngeal swabs were collected. The prevalence of respiratory pathogens was 84.37% at farm-level and 45.50% at calf-level, and Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida) was the most prevalent pathogen. The presence of Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis), P. multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica (M. haemolytica) and Histophilus somni (H. somni) were all higher in BRD positive calves than BRD negative calves, but only in H. somni was significant (P<0.001). Then nine farm management risk factors were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression models to determine the risk factors of respiratory bacterial pathogens (farm and calf-level). In the result at farm-level, only unheated colostrum was significantly associated with pathogen positive farms (Odds Ratio (OR)=11.43). At calf-level, the predominant risk factor for each pathogen, M. bovis, P. multocida, M. haemolytica and H. somni, was late first colostrum feeding (OR=272.82), unheated colostrum (OR=3.41), waste milk feeding (OR=6.59) and high pneumonia treatment cost (OR=2.52), respectively. For effective preventive measures, farmer education on milk and colostrum feeding are urgently warranted.