Economic parameters of deforestation

Recent debate about how timber prices affect deforestation has focused mainly on how log export bans (imposed in many developing countries to protect domestic timber processing) affect deforestation. One side argues that the lower domestic timber prices that result from banning log exports increase deforestation by making forestry less profitable than competing land uses, such as agriculture. The other argues that lower timber prices reduce profits from logging, so they slow down deforestation caused by logging. The author argues that the conflicting views result from simplistic analysis that ignores differences between types of forest. The two positions are reconciled by distinguishing between unmanaged forests (for example, biologically mature, previously unlogged primary forests) and managed forests (such as forest plantations cultivated for periodic harvest). This distinction allows the derivation of unambiguous comparative static results and is useful because many nontimber benefits from forests (such as biodiversity conservation) are associated mainly with unmanaged forests. The distinction between managed and unmanaged forests leads to both unconventional and conventional results. All things being equal, a lower timber price results in larger areas of unmanaged forests and smaller areas of managed forests. That is, measures that reduce the producer price for timber (for example, import restrictions in timber-consuming countries and export restrictions in timber-producing countries) are suitable as a second-best policy to reduce the pressure on unmanaged forest frontiers. Most logging in tropical forests occurs in unmanaged forests, so the claim that trade restrictions (such as log export bans) increase deforestation is inconsistent with profit-maximizing land use. A fee on land used for logging is preferable to a tax on timber output,which is far more common but encourages logging waste. Technological interventions that increase the intensity of forestry or alternative land uses are an ambiguous instrument for the conservation of unmanaged forests. If demand elasticity for outputs is high, an intervention that increases the intensity of agriculture, logging, or other land uses increases incentive for conversion of unmanaged forests. The building of roads is particularly harmful to the conservation of unmanaged forests, as it increases incentives for logging and subsequent alternative land uses. Proper pricing of forest lands would increase land prices and lead to market-driven intensification accompanied by forest protection. Such pricing policies would be preferable to a technological intervention that increases land use intensity with ambiguous outcomes for forest protection. If unmanaged forest is converted to agriculture, the effect of lowering the decisionmaker's discount rate depends on the size of timber rents from logging unmanaged forests. If the standing timber has high commercial value, a lower discount rate would slow conversion of unmanaged forests. If the standing timber has no commercial value, logging is an investment for obtaining future benefits of alternate land use. A lower discount rate would stimulate this investment and increase the conversion of unmanaged forests. Also, if unmanaged forests are converted to managed forests, a lower discount rate can increase conversion since profits from managed forestry are higher with a lower discount rate.Silviculture,Agribusiness,Forestry,Environmental Economics&Policies,Forests and Forestry

Зарубежные подходы к формированию государственной экологической политики

В современных условиях хозяйствования вопросы экологии и экологической политики приобретают особый статус. В связи с этим автором проведен сравнительный анализ отечественного опыта реализации экологической политики и разработаны рекомендации по внедрению в отечественную экологическую политику.In modern conditions of management issues of ecology and environmental policy acquire a special status. In this connection, the author carried out a comparative analysis of domestic experience in the implementation of environmental policy and developed recommendations on the introduction of domestic environmental policy

Future Generations: economic, legal and institutional aspects

In economics, the issue of ‘future generations’ is mainly related to the environmental problems of resource consumption and pollution and their distribution over long time horizons. This paper critically discusses fundamental concepts in economics, such as efficiency and optimality, in relation to the incorporation of future generations in present day decision-making. Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and discounting are used as a starting point and criticized for its inherent flaws such as incommensurability of values and its tendency to hide rather than reveal underlying values which are assumed to be fixed. We then investigate alternative approaches, in which, unlike in CBA, the preferences are not assumed to be a priori but must be constructed. Thus, interest groups or individuals must sit down together and figure out what things seem to be worth. The aim is to involve all interested parties in planning for the future. Similarly, on a national and regional level, increasingly stakeholder processes, deliberative and interest group procedures are used to develop strategies and visions for resource management and conservation. A similar case can be made for institutions at the international level. The legal examples provided in this paper show that rather than only installing an institution such as the guardian for the future on the global level, more ‘democratized’ bottom up approaches might be more appropriate

Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy on glycaemic control and psychological outcomes in adults with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Aim Diabetes is a chronic progressive condition presenting physical, social and psychological challenges that increase the risk of comorbid mental health problems. Cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective in treating a variety of psychological disorders, and may potentially improve glycaemic control and psychological outcomes in diabetes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to establish the effectiveness of CBT on glycaemic control and comorbid diabetes-related distress, depression, anxiety and quality of life in the short, medium and longer term among adults with diabetes. Method An electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and references in reviews. Twelve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified that evaluated the effectiveness of CBT on at least one of: glycaemic control, diabetes-related distress, anxiety, depression or quality of life in adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and Review Manager version 5.3 were used for risk of bias assessment and meta-analysis, respectively. Results CBT is effective in reducing short-term and medium-term glycaemic control, although no significant effect was found for long-term glycaemic control. CBT improved short- and medium-term anxiety and depression, and long-term depression. Mixed results were found for diabetes-related distress and quality of life. Conclusion CBT is beneficial in improving depression for adults with diabetes. It may have benefits for improving glycaemic control and other aspects of psychological health, although the findings are inconclusive

O CORPO VIRTUALIZADO COMO CORPO HÍBRIDO EM “THE ACCORD”

Na obra de ficção científica The Accord (2009), Keith Brooke conta a história do homem que construiu o paraíso dentro do espaço virtual, que pode ser habitado por aqueles seres humanos que sofreram a morte do corpo não-virtual. O conceito de virtual explicado por Pierre Lévy e as ideias desenvolvidas por Katherine Hayles a respeito das implicações das novas tecnologias na configuração do pós-humano servem aqui para pensar as possibilidades de entender a morte corporal física como uma transferência entre realidades que transforma o corpo criando assim uma versão do híbrido corpo-tecnologia

The plasticity of the body in Peter Carey

Orientador: Márcio Orlando Seligmann-SilvaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da LinguagemResumo: Baseada nas reflexões de autores como David Le Breton, Denise Sant'Anna, Katherine Hayles, Jean Baudrillard, e Gilles Deleuze, problematizo a relação entre o corpo e a subjetividade nos contos do australiano Peter Carey, relaciono a modificação e mutação do corpo às teorias pós-modernas. Segundo Donna Haraway, na pós-modernidade as tecnologias nos habitam, transformando-nos em ciborgues, sendo a escrita (e, portanto, a literatura) a tecnologia própria dos ciborgues. David Le Breton explica que o corpo é o "rascunho a ser corrigido", complementando a afirmação de Peter Pál Pelbart de que "o eu é o corpo", ao referir-se à relação entre o ser humano e o corpo na contemporaneidade. Tal relação está presente na obra de Peter Carey, especialmente nos contos reunidos no livro The Fat Man in History, edição de 1993. The fat Man in History destaca-se no do contexto da obra do autor por dar relevância ao corpo e mostrar, de maneiras diversas, sua plasticidade e variaçõesAbstract: Based on the theories of authors such as David Le Breton, Denise Sant'Anna, Katherine Hayles, Jean Baudrillard e Gilles Deleuze, I deal with the relation between the body and the subjectivity relating the body's mutation and modification to the postmodern theories. According to Donna Haraway, in the postmodern era the technology inhabits us, turning us into cyborgs, and the writing (and so, literature) is the cyborgs very technology. David Le Breton explains that the body is a sketch to be corrected, and this goes together with Pelbart's claim that "the body is me", referring to the relation between the body and the human being in the contemporary era. Such a relation is present in Peter Carey's work, mainly in the short stories collected in The Fat man in History, 1993 edition. The Fat Man in History gets a special place in Carey's work because it highlights the body and shows, in many ways, the body's plasticity and mutationMestradoHistoria e Historiografia LiterariaMestre em Teoria e História Literári

“THE LAST DAYS OF A FAMOUS MIME” E A REPETIÇÃO EM ESPIRAL

The short story “The Last Days of a Famous Mime”, written by the Australian PeterCarey and published in 1979, tells the story of a mime specialized in miming terror. I do theanalysis of the story heading to the idea of a culture of terror that is growing in our contemporarysociety, as well as, the idea of the mime as threat established in and by the colonization andpersists up to the post-colonial era, being visible in the literary production of this period, as it isPeter Carey’s literature. For this, I use Jacques Derrida’s, Jacques Gleyse’s Homi Bhabha’s andZygmunt Bauman’s thoughts.O conto “The Last Days of a Famous Mime”, escrito pelo australiano Peter Carey epublicado em 1979, conta a história de um mímico especialista em imitar o terror. teço a análisedo conto direcionada à idéia de uma cultura do terror crescente na sociedade contemporânea,bem como a idéia da mímica como ameaça instaurada na e pela colonização e que persiste na erapós-colonial, aparecendo assim na produção literária desse período, como é a literatura de PeterCarey. Utilizo para isso as reflexões de Jacques Derrida, Jacques Gleyse Homi Bhabha e ZygmuntBauman

Floral and vegetative development in Dactylis glomerata as influenced by different temperature levels and durations

Growth chamber and field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of different temperature levels and durations on floral induction and vegetative growth in orchardgrass. Propagules of two clones, XLI-8 (clone R) and MID-5 (clone 0), from the synthetic variety Pennlate, were used in all experiments. Clone R plants were less dependent than clone 0 plants on extended low temperature exposure for floral induction. Temperature regimes in the growth chambers, where daily maxima were above 65°F for the durations of exposure used in these experiments, did not induce clone 0 propagules. However, clone R plants were induced to some degree with all temperature regimes except where the maximum temperature reached over 90°F for 10 hours each day. The longer the exposure periods of inductive regimes, the higher the percentage of plants initiating an inflorescence and the larger the number of tillers induced. Clone R plants were usually induced in a shorter time than was true for clone 0. A positive linear relationship between floral induction and exposure time through the longest duration of 10 weeks suggests that the optimum duration of exposure under growth chamber conditions was not reached. Constant 38°F and alternating 38°-60°F induced the highest percentage of plants of both clones. Cyclic daily temperatures of 15 hours at 38°F and 5 hours at 60°F temperatures gave the highest number of inflorescences per plant for clone 0. This effect appeared to be due in part to the more favorable conditions for tillering with alternating temperatures, which resulted in more potentially inducible tillers. Alternating temperatures of 38°-60°F did not show a similar advantage over 38°F constant in number of inflorescence per plant for clone R, but did increase the number of tillers per plant. Cyclic temperatures with high temperature maxima usually favored tiller development, both in the controlled environment chamber and after they had been transferred to the greenhouse. Constant 38°F temperatures were less promotive to tillering and reduced leaf development on the main tiller. Leaf development was accelerated by high temperatures with response related to the duration of high temperature received in each cyclic regime. Field results indicated that the earlier the plant were transplanted to the field, the larger were the number of inflorescences. Differences in the number of floral primordia were more pronounced for clone 0 than they were for clone R plants. Earlier planting dates for either clone resulted in earlier inflorescence exsertion. Inflorescence exsertion started about a week earlier for clone 0 than for clone R. Clone 0 plants were superior to clone R plants in number of reproductive primordia, as well as in the total number of tillers developed in the field for early dates of planting. These differences were smaller or nonexistent with the later planting dates

Beyond bevacizumab: an outlook to new anti-angiogenics for the treatment of ovarian cancer

In addition to the monoclonal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibody bevacizumab, several alternative anti-angiogenic treatment strategies for ovarian cancer patients have been evaluated in clinical trials. Apart from targeting extracellular receptors by the antibody aflibercept or the peptibody trebananib, the multikinase inhibitors pazopanib, nintedanib, cediranib, sunitinib, and sorafenib were developed to interfere with VEGF receptors and multiple additional intracellular pathways. Nintedanib and pazopanib significantly improved progression-free survival in two positive phase III trials for first-line therapy. A reliable effect on overall survival could, however, not be observed for any anti-angiogenic first-line therapies so far. In terms of recurrent disease, two positive phase III trials revealed that trebananib and cediranib are effective anti-angiogenic agents for this indication. Patient selection and biomarker guided prediction of response seems to be a central aspect for future studies. Combining anti-angiogenics with other targeted therapies to possibly spare chemotherapy in certain constellations represents another very interesting future perspective for clinical trials. This short review gives an overview of current clinical trials for anti-angiogenic treatment strategies beyond bevacizumab. In this context, possible future perspectives combining anti-angiogenics with other targeted therapies and the need for specific biomarkers predicting response are elucidated