Combustion of coal for production of electricity in the United States often requires the removal of SO 2 produced in the flue gas in order to meet clean air regulations. Some scrubbing technologies lead to the production of large amounts of flue gas desulfurization (FGD)-gypsum. Gypsum is a soluble source of the plant nutrients Ca and S and can also improve the physical and chemical properties of soils. However, there are few reports on the use of FGD-gypsum for enhancement of crop growth or soil quality in agriculture. FGD products, used as S fertilizers, were applied at a rate of 30 lbs S/acre to an agricultural soil (Wooster silt loam, Typic Fragiudalf). Corn (Zea mays) grain yield was statistically (P ≤ 0.05) increased by 18.3% in 2002 and 6.6% in 2003 as compared to a no-treatment control. Based upon measurements of soil chemical properties, the quality of a Blount soil (Aeric Epiaqualf) in Ohio was improved by application of 1,500 to 3,000 lbs of FGD-gypsum/acre. Water-soluble Ca and S were increased to a depth of 80 cm and exchangeable Al was decreased between 10 and 40 cm depth. Preliminary results of an economic analysis suggested that a gypsum/no-tillage crop production system had economic advantages compared to a no gypsum/conventional tillage system for soybean production.

Some of Law and Economics’ basic claims have come to be criticized as a result of empirical findings that question their viability. Particularly, the premise that agents consistently act rationally and with their self-interest in mind seems problematic. What the consequences of the criticism mean for Law and Economics’ tenability depends largely on the questions whether (1) some elements are unassailable to the alternative’s objections and (2) the alternative is a systematic whole. It is argued that Law and Economics may be salvaged, if it is minimized and its ambitions are tempered. This means focusing on the stable, a priori, elements inherent to it.

Part I of this paper contained a technological description and economic evaluation of a large-scale highend CDW recycling plant in the Lisbon Metropolitan area. It concludes that economic viability is likely under the operating conditions considered, but these may and will very probably change in the near future. The reasons for such assumption have to do with the inherent uncertainty related to CDW generation (which might vary, for instance, due to socioeconomic conditions in the region), such as the variability of CDW input gate fees and tariffs associated with landfilling rejected materials, which are market dependent parameters. This made it necessary to perform an (simplified) economic viability sensitivity analysis, focused on the investment return period and global economic balance. If parameters such as the plant's capacity, the CDW input gate fee and landfill fee are varied, the investment return period is affected in different ways, though its value is generally kept below 8 years, for parameter variations of AE30%. The analysis indicates economic performance for variations in single parameters, except for the plant's capacity, which was considered to vary simultaneously with all others. Extreme best and worst scenarios were also tested in an attempt to define the model's boundaries.

To investigate if repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was as effective as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in treating major depressive episodes and to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis. A single-blind pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 6 months of follow-up to test equivalence of rTMS with ECT. The South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and Pembury Hospital in the Invicta Mental Health Trust in Kent. Right-handed adult patients referred for ECT for treatment of a major depressive episode (DSM-IV) were assessed. During the 2.5-year trial period, 260 patients were referred for ECT, of whom 46 entered the trial. The main reason for not entering the trial was not consenting to ECT while being formally treated under the UK Mental Health Act 1983. Patients were randomised to receive a 15-day course of rTMS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (n = 24) or a course of ECT (n = 22). Patients were assessed before randomisation, at end of treatm...

The burden of NCDs in Kenya is rising rapidly, and now accounts for more than 50 percent of all hospital admissions, and nearly 30 percent of total deaths. Cancer is the second leading cause of NCD mortality in Kenya, with the incidence of cancer nearly doubling between 2008-2012. The illness affects Kenyans of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds, with an increasing risk of cancer as age progresses. Most cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage when treatment options are limited, leading to poor prognosis and high fatality rates. This report uses a case study approach with focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to shed light on the patient journey, and better understand the direct and indirect costs families face; the difficult decisions and choices they need to make; and the socio-economic and psychological implications of having a family member afflicted by cancer. Key challenges identified include lack of awareness and poor knowledge of cancer; late health seeking behavior; inadequate health insurance coverage and gaps in the benefit package which limit access to critical diagnostic tests, treatments and drugs; and socio-cultural barriers, including stigma, fear and myths that impede patients from seeking care early. The main themes from the patient stories and focus group discussions, including the economic impact on patients and households are summarized and a series of recommendations to mitigate the cost of cancer to patients and families are proposed based on the findings from the case studies.

Among the specialized analysis tools, spreadsheet applications are the most accessible. In addition, techniques and tools for organizing, processing and presentation of basic data, such as strengthening multiple lists, filtering, running sum, pivot tables they offer, largely satisfy the needs of organization and data analysis activities in the field of economics. For this reason we conducted a study in which we sought to obtain information on how these applications are used in the economic field.

Crown rust (Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae) is the most important disease of oats in Brazil. In susceptible oat cultivars, fungicides are needed to control the disease efficiently. However, spray at low volumes may reduce fungicide performance significantly. A field experiment with the oat cultivar UPFA-20 was carried out at the FAMV/UPF to evaluate the influence of fungicides, rates, and spray volumes on the efficacy of the chemical control for crown rust. The tested treatments combined two fungicides (tebuconazole, Folicur, 0,75 L ha-1; epoxiconazole + pyraclostrobin, Opera, 0,5 L ha-1), four rates (40; 60; 80 and 100% of the commercial rate), and two spray volumes (100 and 200 L ha-1). The field plots were arranged according to a factorial block design (2×4×2) with four replicates. The assessments included the disease severity, disease control, grain quality and grain yield. The net profit of each treatment was also determined based upon the application costs and the sale price ...

In the European FP6 research project CACHET palladium-based hydrogen membrane reactors for pre-combustion CO2 capture from natural gas combined cycles are being developed. In the project both the electroless plating method used by DICP and the SINTEF two-stage membrane preparation method based on magnetron sputtering have been successfully up-scaled to produce membranes with a length of 50 cm. The membranes

Integration/co-firing with existing fossil fuel plants could give near term highly efficient and low cost power production from biomass. This paper presents a techno-economical analysis on options for integrating biomass thermal conversion (optimized for local resources w50 MW th) with existing CCGT (combined cycle gas turbine) power plants (800e1400 MW th). Options include hybrid combined cycles (HCC), indirect gasification of biomass and simple cycle biomass steam plants which are simulated using the software Ebsilon Professional and Aspen Plus. Levelized cost of electricity (LCoE) is calculated with cost functions derived from power plant data. Results show that the integrated HCC configurations (fullyfired) show a significantly higher efficiency (40e41%, LHV (lower heating value)) than a stand-alone steam plant (35.5%); roughly half of the efficiency (2.4% points) is due to more efficient fuel drying. Because of higher investment costs, HCC options have cost advantages over stand-alone options at high biomass fuel prices (>25 EUR/MWh) or low discount rates (<5%). Gasification options show even higher efficiency (46e50%), and the lowest LCoE for the options studied for fuel costs exceeding 10 EUR/MWh. It can be concluded that clear efficiency improvements and possible cost reductions can be reached by integration of biomass with CCGT power plants compared to stand-alone plants.

Public services are provided by government and have been traditionally supply-oriented. Changing citizen expectations put pressure on government agencies and public sector organizations to be accountable for efficiency and effectiveness. Further, the quest to enhance international competitiveness by ranking high in the echelons of world’s best governments, led to the adoption of proven marketing philosophy and methodologies in the domain of public service as well. The present study aims at examining the impact of Service quality, Reputation and Consumer Engagement on Customer Perceived Value, Satisfaction and Loyalty for an important public service viz., Dubai Metro which operated in an intensely competitive market. The study aimed at developing and empirically testing a structural model of travel behavior based on variables such as satisfaction, value, quality, reputation and engagement that have been found to drive loyalty in various industry settings. An understanding of the driv...

Background: Sepsis has a high prevalence within intensive care units, with Abstract elevated rates of morbidity and mortality, and high costs. Data on sepsis costs are scarce in the literature, and in developing countries such as Brazil these data are largely unavailable. Objectives: To assess the standard direct costs of sepsis management in Brazilian intensive care units (ICUs) and to disclose factors that could affect those costs. Methods: This multicentre observational cohort study was conducted in adult septic patients admitted to 21 mixed ICUs of private and public hospitals in Brazil from 1 October 2003 to 30 March 2004. Complete data for all patients admitted to the ICUs were obtained until their discharge or death. We collected only direct healthcare-related costs, defined as all costs related to the ICU stay.

Abstract: This contribution seeks to identify the short and long-term economic and cultural effects of file sharing on music, films and games, while taking into account the legal context and policy developments. The short-term implications examined concern direct costs and ...

Religious life is studied by way suggested by the rational choice theory and the religious capital theory. The basic contentions of the theory on the nature of religious life having to do with an exchange upon a religious market, by firms offering compensators and rewards, and consumers, is considered. In the empirical analysis, it was validated that the independent (religious capital) and dependent (religious rewards of two types) were empirically separate constructs. Cross-sectional analysis of survey data indicated a very strong association between religious capital and institutional and ritual experience rewards within religious life, at a cross-cultural analysis, including Bosnian Muslims, Serbian Orthodox, Slovenian Catholics and US Protestants. The association was confirmed as robust at regression inspection with religious socialization. This extends further support for the empirical validity these novel theories of religious life and extensions of economic analysis into reli...

SWOT -это аббревиатурное обозначение сильных сторон (Strengths), слабых сторон (Weaknesses), благоприятных возможностей (Opportunities), факторов угрозы (Threats). Сила и слабость предприятия должны оцениваться в контексте его конкурентоспособности. Анализ SWOT помогает развивать понимание тех обстоятельств, в которых действует предприятие. Этот метод помогает сбалансировать свои внутренние сильные и слабые стороны с теми благоприятными возможностями и факторами угрозы, с которыми придется столкнуться предприятию. Данный анализ помогает определить не только возможности предприятия, но и все доступные преимущества перед конкурентами. Ниже приводятся примерные группы вопросов для проведения SWOT-анализа. Первые две группы касаются внутренних факторов. Анализируются сильные и слабые стороны. Вторая группа вопросов касается внешних факторов и включает в себя благоприятные возможности и факторы угрозы. Сильные стороны должны основываться только на фактах.

... Correspondence: Prof. Dr M. Kaleem Abbasi, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Department of Agronomy and Soil Science Faculty of Agriculture, Rawalakot Azad Jammu and Kashmir-Pakistan. Tel: + 92 (0) 58710 42688. Fax: + 92 (0) 58710 42826. ...

The objective of this study was to conduct an experimental analysis to investigate the performance and energy saving of the wellknown desiccant airconditioning system in Thailand. The system was composed of a silica gel bed, a split type air-conditioner (1.5 ton refrigeration) installed in a room of volume 76.8 m 3 , air ducts and a blower. Its design allows us to adjust the percentages of return air, outdoor air and indoor air mixed to the air leaving the desiccant, and desiccant bed thickness as well. Tests were conducted on several days with relatively similar ambient conditions. Under the test conditions used here, a 5 cm bed thickness is recommended with a maximum adsorption rate of 473 g/h. The optimum percentages of air ratios are as follows: 15% outdoor air, 15% return air (mixed together at the desiccant bed inlet) and 70% of indoor air mixed to the dry air leaving the desiccant. The corresponding electricity saving was about 24%. As expected, simple economic analysis indicated that the desiccant airconditioning is only viable for large cooling capacities and central air-conditioned buildings. The payback period is about 4 yr.

Sistemas de información geográfica: Algunas aplicaciones en planificación y gestión urbana ROBERTO A. FIGUEROA Instituto de Geografía Pontifi cia Universidad Católi ca de Chile RESUMEN En un contexto de cont inuo crec imiento urbano en el mundo el presente arttculo revisa algunas de las aplicacion es de Sistemas de Informa ci án Geográfica (SIG) en planificaci6n y gestión urbana. Diferentes beneficios operacionales son descritos (e.g., búsqueda de planos y mapas). La inclusi ánde los SIG en estudio de sitio es analizada, tomando como caso los procesos de control, las evaluaciones y selecciones de sitio. La participación de SIG en estrategias de planificación es también considerada , señalando las ventajas en términos de sobreposici 6n de coberturas o cartas y en el análisis sociodemográfico . Al mism o tiempo las restr icc iones en términos de costos de apl icación son men cionadas . En este sentido, el desarrollo de Sistemas de Informacián Geográfica Mult ípropásito (SIGMP) es propuesto como alternativa de reduccián de costos . Una segunda restricc ión planteada se relaciona con la capac idad limitada de simulación de escenarios urbana que actualmente poseen los SIG comerciales. Dos modelos de simula ción de crecimiento urbano son descritos (Waterloo Generic Urban Model, Regional Growth Forecast) . ABSTRACf

This paper provides an economic analysis of underground gun markets drawing on interviews with gang members, gun dealers, professional thieves, prostitutes, police, public school security guards and teens in the city of Chicago, complemented by results from government surveys of recent arrestees in 22 cities plus administrative data for suicides, homicides, robberies, arrests and confiscated crime guns. We find evidence of considerable frictions in the underground market for guns in Chicago. We argue that these frictions are due primarily to the fact that the underground gun market is both illegal and "thin" the number of buyers, sellers and total transactions is small and relevant information is scarce. Gangs can help overcome these market frictions, but the gang's economic interests cause gang leaders to limit supply primarily to gang members, and even then transactions are usually loans or rentals with strings attached.

A two-year experiment was conducted at the Kentland Agricultural Research Farm (KARF), VA, to evaluate potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production of 32-to 57-mm-size-range tubers (referred to hereafter as creamers) in a conservation-tillage, cover-cropping strategy. The experiments used a split-plot design in which the main-plots were cover crop treatments and the sub-plots were different potato selections. Main plot treatments included rye (Secale cereale L.), crimson clover (TrifoUum incarnatum L.), Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum L.), rape (Brassica napus L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), rye/crimson clover mixture, rape/ crimson clover mixture, bare soil/raised beds, and bare soil/fiat beds (control). Potato selections tested were Bl145-2, B1491-5, and B1492-12 in 2000 and Bl145-2, Bl102-3, and B0811-4 in 2001. Yields in the conserva-

Geographic Information (GI) is becoming more important everyday at all levels of society. GI has a central role in supporting economies, improving business effectiveness in the private sector, enabling more efficient governments, and increasing citizens&#x27; quality of ...

neal dialysis Peritoneal dialysis (PD) as a modality is underutilized in most parts of the world today despite several advantages including the possibility of it being offered in the remotest of locations and being significantly more affordable than haemodialysis (HD) in most cases. In this article, we will compare the cost of HD and PD in several countries to demonstrate that PD is less than, or at least as expensive as, HD. A thorough literature survey of EMBASE and PUBMED was conducted; 78 articles which compared the annual PD and annual HD costs were finally selected. Careful attention was paid to the methodology followed by each study and the year it was published in. Our final calculations included 46 countries (20 developed and 26 developing). We found that the cost of HD was between 1.25 and 2.35 times the cost of PD in 22 countries (17 developed and 5 developing), between 0.90 and 1.25 times the cost of PD in 15 countries (2 developed and 13 developing), and between 0.22 an...

In this study, performance experiments and economic analysis of a horizontal ground source heat pump (GSHP) system have been performed. The horizontal GSHP system connected to a test room, Elazıg (38.41°N, 39.14°E), Turkey, was designed and constructed for space heating. The heating and cooling loads of the test room were 2.5 and 3.1 kW at design conditions, respectively. The performance was determined experimentally under real operational conditions. The experimental results were obtained from 7 November 2002 to 3 May 2003 in the heating season of 2002-2003. A detailed cost analysis was presented and payback periods when substituting for different local fuel/power sources were determined. The GSHP system was compared to conventional heating methods (electric resistance, fuel oil, liquid petrol gas, coal, oil and natural gas) in the economical analysis using an annualised life cycle cost method. It was shown that the GSHP system offers economic advantages over the mentioned first five conventional heating methods. However, it is not an economic alternative system to natural gas.

This article presents the cost-effectiveness results of a randomised controlled trial conducted in two Australian cities. The trial was designed to assess the safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of buprenorphine versus methadone in the management of opioid dependence. The trial utilised a flexible dosing regime that was tailored to the clinical need of the patients, with high maximum doses, using the marketed formulation, under double-blind conditions. A total of 405 subjects were randomised to a treatment at one of three specialist outpatient drug treatment centres in Adelaide and Sydney, Australia. The perspective of the cost-effectiveness analysis was that of the service provider and included costs relevant to the provision of treatment. The primary outcome measure used in the economic analysis was change in heroin-free days from baseline to the sixth month of treatment. Treatment with methadone was found to be both less expensive and more effective than treatment with buprenorphine, which suggests methadone dominates buprenorphine. However, statistical testing found that the observed difference between the cost-effectiveness of methadone and buprenorphine treatments was not statistically significant. The results of this study provide useful policy information on the costs and outcomes associated with the use of methadone and buprenorphine and indicate that buprenorphine provides a viable alternative to methadone in the treatment of opioid dependence. #

Since the maturing of the wind farm industry, attention has been focused on the use of wind turbines for electricity production in remote areas. Generally, remote villages are driven by diesel generators. However, introduction/dissemination of wind energy conversion systems (WECS) into the existing diesel systems results in the reduction of the diesel fuel consumption and eventually allows atmospheric pollution to subside. A short-term energy storage integrated with wind-diesel system may compensate for fluctuations in the power output of the wind turbine and raise the fuel saving potential. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's (K.S.A) area is large, with large number of villages/settlements scattered all over the Kingdom. In the present study, hourly mean wind-speed data recorded at an airport, K.S.A., has been analyzed to investigate the technical and economic feasibility/viability of utilizing off-grid hybrid (wind-diesel-battery) power systems to meet the load requirements of a typical remote/isolated village with annual electrical energy demand of 13,244 MWh. The airport is located in the vicinity of the candidate settlement. The hybrid systems simulated comprise of various combinations (wind farms) of 600 kW commercial WECS supplemented with diesel generators and a short-term battery storage. The amount of battery storage capacity has been varied from 0 to 60 load minutes (equivalent to 0-60 min of average load). National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) HOMER software has been used to perform the technical and economic analysis of hybrid wind-diesel-battery power systems. The investigation indicates that for a hybrid system consisting of 3.6 MW (six 600 kW wind machines, 50 m hub-height) wind farm capacity together with 4.5 MW diesel system (three 1.5 MW diesel units) and a battery storage of 30 load minutes (equivalent to 30 min of average load), the wind penetration is 24%. The cost of generating energy from the above hybrid configuration has been found to be 0.078 US$/kWh (assuming a diesel fuel price of 0.1 $/liter). The simulation results highlight that the number of operational hours of diesel generators in wind-diesel system decreases with increase in wind farm capacity. The study also illustrates that for a given hybrid wind-diesel system, the decrease in diesel run time is further enhanced by inclusion of battery storage capacity. An attempt has been made to address the effect of wind penetration, effect of hub-height on energy production, cost of wind-diesel-battery systems, cost of energy production, excess electricity, un-met load, percentage fuel savings and decrease in carbon emissions, etc (for different scenarios such as wind-diesel without storage, wind-diesel with storage, as compared to diesel-only situation).

The Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission Crush District 11 was created by referendum during the summer of 1991. The commission conducts extensive on-farm research trials and demonstration projects in cooperation with the University of California, the California State University system and local growers. The results have been disseminated through a series of regular grower meetings, seminars and an IPM newsletter sponsored by the commission and widespread coverage in the agriculture and general media. Several pest management practices which could reduce pesticide inputs have been promoted by the commission's IPM Program, and others are being further validated or are being researched for applicability to growers in the area. The research falls into two distinct categories. The ®rst category of research is evaluation of the ef®cacy of recommended practices and includes economic analysis and the collection of biological data to evaluate performance from the perspectives of vineyard ecology, input use, and pro®tability. Intensive study of 10 growers over 2 years showed a highly variable level of adoption. The yield response to pest control inputs showed increasing returns up to the level of inputs of $375 per hectare after which returns leveled off. The second category of research is the development of alternative practices through onfarm controlled trials. The results of 3 on-farm trials are reported. A cover crop trial showed a reduction of pests in 1995 but no difference in 1994 between the cover cropped and bare soil blocks. Yellow sticky bands signi®cantly reduced the number of leafhoppers in a trial vineyard, but was not as effective as pesticide treatments. The comparison of four alternative weed management techniques demonstrated that the use of an in-row cultivator is more effective than preemergent herbicides or mulch placed along the vine row in controlling weeds. A visual sprayer was shown to reduce the use of contact herbicide. The on-farm approach to all of the research and the`in your own backyard' nature of the meetings has created the sense of ownership for the growers that has been instrumental in achieving grower support. The public nature of the information provided by the commission and grower members to all winegrape producers implies a recognition among members of their interdependence and the long-term bene®ts of reducing pesticide use as a group. The recognition of interdependency is crucial for any group trying to form an IPM district.

This startlingly original (and sure to be controversial) account of the evolution of Christianity shows that the economics of religion has little to do with counting the money in the collection basket and much to do with understanding the background of today&#39;s religious and political divisions. Since religion is a set of organized beliefs, and a church is an organized body of worshipers, it&#39;s natural to use a science that seeks to explain the behavior of organization—economics—to understand the development of organized religion. The Marketplace of Christianity applies the tools of economic theory to illuminate the emergence of Protestantism in the sixteenth century and to examine contemporary religion-influenced issues, including evolution and gay marriage. The Protestant Reformation, the authors argue, can be seen as a successful penetration of a religious market dominated by a monopoly firm—the Catholic Church. The Ninety-five Theses nailed to the church door in Wittenberg...

Cost-effectiveness analysis provides important information about the economic ef®ciency of health-related programs that can help health care decision makers choose between competing alternatives. Ethical concerns (such as equity and other issues of fairness) are critical to any discussion of health care resource allocation, as are the political and societal context in which such decisions are made and implemented. Here, we present an overview of ethical and other concerns raised by the use of cost-effectiveness analysis in health care resource allocation decision-making. We review the philosophical and theoretical foundations of cost-effectiveness analysis and describe some of the ethical assumptions and implications that are embedded in, and result from, the use of this economic analysis technique. Finally, we consider how the social and political context of health-related decision affects the usefulness of the results derived from cost-effectiveness analyses. q

The overjustification effect demonstrates that payment for an activity can have negative after-effects on performance. The implications of this effect for work motivation theory are discussed and it is argued that the overjustifLzation effect is best regarded as being driven by a single source of work motivation (motivation to control). This is contrasted with theories that either advocate two sources of work motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic motivation) or that disregard work motivation in their analysis of the overjustification effect. An economic analysis of the many different instances of people's paid and unpaid activities shows how a motivation to control one's environment induces people to dislike activities that are paid. A distinction is made between payment in general, which is thought to make people regard their activity as one of work, and monetary payment, which is thought to make people feel relatively deprived of the outcomes of their work.

When shock therapy is politically infeasible, will gradualism work? This paper takes up this question by: (i) building a political economy model in which it makes sense; (ii) stating the relevant political economy constraint rigorously; and (iii) analyzing the question in the context of a neoclassical model of adjustment, based on Mussa (1978). The paper answers the question in the affirmative, thus contributing to the scientific and policy literature on the economic analysis of policy reform.

Health care economic analyses are becoming increasingly important in the evaluation of health care interventions, including many within ophthalmology. Encompassed with the realm of health care economic studies are cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-minimization analysis, and cost-utility analysis. Cost-utility analysis is the most sophisticated form of economic analysis and typically incorporates utility values. Utility values measure the preference for a health state and range from 0.0 (death) to 1.0 (perfect health). When the change in utility measures conferred by a health care intervention is multiplied by the duration of the benefit, the number of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained from the intervention is ascertained. This methodology incorporates both the improvement in quality of life and/or length of life, or the value, occurring as a result of the intervention. This improvement in value can then be amalgamated with discounted costs to yield ex...

This paper explores the relationship between social capital and crop diversity. The study is conducted in an area of Ethiopia where inter-specific diversity is significant and that diversity includes crops that are of important in terms of their genetic value since it is a center of origin or diversity for these crops. The results indicate that linking social capital does not lead to a decline in crop diversity but actually increases it suggesting that interventions by formal organizations need not lead to reduction in inter-specific diversity. However, the results also suggest that households with strong social links within a community (bonding social capital) are less likely to be diversified implying that policies that seek to promote sustainable utilization should be wary of only working to promote greater grassroots organization since this may not support crop diversity.

Much careful work and thought are needed from the time an ore is discovered until a marketable product is produced Most often, incomplete or imprecise information on the deposit must be used to decide to continue or not with the development and implementation of a project. This paper presents a diagnostic methodology to deal with gold projects at the preliminary stages. We have developed "IntelliGold"-an expert system for gold process design. A knowledge base on gold mineralogy and processing is used to provide the user with feasibility information on a given gold ore. Decision-makers can have a preliminary, yet reliable view of the mineral processing project, based on lab results supported by mineralogical characteristics, operational issues and economic analysis.

Resumo -O aumento populacional, acompanhado da intensificação das atividades sócioeconômicas, tem tornado a distribuição de água, em quantidade e qualidade adequada, um dos grandes desafios para as companhias de saneamento. Constantemente surgem novas ampliações e consumos especiais nas redes de distribuição já existentes, havendo a necessidade da tomada de decisão sobre qual a forma mais econômica para garantir o abastecimento com vazão e pressão suficientes em todos os pontos de consumo. Faz-se necessário cotejar o custo de investimento necessário à reabilitação das tubulações da rede, com o custo energético de operação de boosters para superar deficiências de pressão em determinados pontos do sistema. Este trabalho apresenta um método de otimização econômica, baseado em técnica de programação dinâmica, associado a um modelo de simulação hidráulica, para a obtenção da alternativa de custo mínimo de reabilitação de sistema de distribuição de água. O método foi aplicado a um anel de uma rede, com deficiência de pressão, provocada por uma ampliação de vazão de 20 l/s. Os resultados alcançados demonstraram que o método de otimização proposto é eficaz para a obtenção da solução que minimiza os custos de reabilitação de sistemas de abastecimento de água.

A comprehensive assessment of the impacts of climate change on agro-ecosystems over this century is developed, up to 2080 and at a global level, albeit with significant regional detail. To this end an integrated ecological-economic modelling framework is employed, encompassing climate scenarios, agro-ecological zoning information, socio-economic drivers, as well as world food trade dynamics. Specifically, global simulations are performed using the FAO/IIASA agro-ecological zone model, in conjunction with IIASAs global food system model, using climate variables from five different general circulation models, under four different socio-economic scenarios from the intergovernmental panel on climate change. First, impacts of different scenarios of climate change on bio-physical soil and crop growth determinants of yield are evaluated on a 5 0 !5 0 latitude/longitude global grid; second, the extent of potential agricultural land and related potential crop production is computed. The detailed bio-physical results are then fed into an economic analysis, to assess how climate impacts may interact with alternative development pathways, and key trends expected over this century for food demand and production, and trade, as well as key composite indices such as risk of hunger and malnutrition, are computed. This modelling approach connects the relevant bio-physical and socioeconomic variables within a unified and coherent framework to produce a global assessment of food production and security under climate change. The results from the study suggest that critical impact asymmetries due to both climate and socio-economic structures may deepen current production and consumption gaps between developed and developing world; it is suggested that adaptation of agricultural techniques will be central to limit potential damages under climate change.

Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar o uso de um inversor de freqüência de 25 cv na irrigação, considerando-se diferentes demandas de água como manejo. A avaliação consistiu de uma análise de custos e benefícios, ambos anuais. O custo foi calculado com base no fator de recuperação do capital, para taxas de juros de 6 e 12% e períodos de amortização de 5 e 15 anos. O benefício consistiu da economia de energia proporcionada pelo inversor de freqüência em relação aos procedimentos usuais de controle da vazão. Relacionaram-se os parâmetros econômicos e de manejo da irrigação, com o objetivo de se avaliar o equipamento para qualquer situação de projeto. Como exemplo de aplicação, analisaram-se duas situações de controle de vazão comparadas ao inversor de freqüência em um projeto de irrigação. Foram determinadas, com auxílio do inversor de freqüência, as características hidráulicas, em função da vazão de uma motobomba de 25 cv sob várias rotações. Observou-se que o inversor de freqüência pode ser viável, devendo-se avaliar a redução de potência advinda do seu uso e o tempo de funcionamento da irrigação, analisando-se a melhor forma de amortização.