Reservoirs are increasingly deemed to be important given their potential control of water availability across seasons - from wet to dry seasons, especially given the concerns on the effect of climate ...change. In this paper, we focus on the collective action aspect of investing in irrigation reservoirs and on the potential scope for policy intervention. We formulate a model in which farmers pool resources to construct a collective reservoir. We conceptualized the reservoir as a blue club that increases the potential water availability in dry season, thus improving water safety for the whole society. We determine the societal potential inefficiency in club size and the potential policy measures to correct it, focusing on two different club access rules (open vs closed membership). Results show that linear subsidy are ineffective in case of closed membership, and minimum participation rules are required.
Acknowledgement :
Numerous Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been developed in irrigated agriculture. While there are studies focusing on ICT impacts at the farm level, no research deal with this ...issue at the level of Water Authority (WA). With the present study, the authors developed a theoretical framework based on Bayesian decision theory to assess the economic benefits brought by the introduction of ICT. An empirical example is provided with the aim of showing any potentialities and limitation of ICT for the management of water supply networks in agriculture. The adoption of ICT by WA have the capacity to achieve water savings and favor climate change adaptation. Site specific constraints as decisional power, water availability and technical issues do not allow the full exploitation of information services. A sensitivity analysis showed that by improving the quality of information, such constraints can be overcame. Policy remark is to favor ICT development jointly with end users, answering decision maker s information requirements.
Acknowledgement :
The paper reports the first results of the Project WADI (Sustainability of European Irrigated Agriculture under Water Directive and Agenda 2000), funded under the 5th Framework Programme of the ...European Union (EU). The objective of the project is to evaluate the economic, social and environmental sustainability of European irrigated farming under different scenarios concerning water policy and the Common Agricultural Policy. The methodology relies on scenario analysis combined with farm level mathematical programming models. Two pilot case studies are presented for Italy: cereal farming and fruit farming. According to the first results, the impact of the directive, up to reasonable prices, may be summed up in a minor reduction of water use associated with a sharp decrease of farm income and a significant reduction of employment. Nevertheless, different farming systems may react in very different ways. More detailed local analyses are needed in order to support the design of effective and efficient policies at basin level.
Background Celiac disease (CD) is a gluten-dependent enteropathy. The current standard for diagnosing CD involves obtaining 4 biopsy samples from the descending duodenum. It has been suggested that ...duodenal bulb biopsies may also be useful. Objective To assess the utility of bulbar biopsies for the diagnosis of CD in pediatric patients. Design Prospective study. Setting Single center. Patients Forty-seven consecutively enrolled pediatric patients with celiac serologies and a clinical suspicion of CD. Interventions All patients underwent EGD, and 4 biopsy samples were obtained from the duodenal bulb and 4 from the descending duodenum of each child. Main Outcome Measurements The pathologist blindly reported the Marsh histological grade for the diagnosis of CD of the bulb and descending duodenum. Results The diagnosis of CD was histologically confirmed in 89.4% (42/47) of the cases of biopsy samples obtained from the descending duodenum and in all 47 obtained from the bulb. In 35 patients (74.5%), histology was the same in the bulb and duodenum; in 11 (23.4%) cases, the grade of atrophy was higher in the bulb than in the descending duodenum, and 5 (10.6%) had bulb histology positive for CD but negative duodenal findings. One child (2.1%) had a higher histological grade in the duodenum than in the bulb. The diagnostic gain with bulbar biopsies was 10.6%. Limitations Small sample and absence of a comparison group (asymptomatic children with normal CD antibodies). Conclusions We suggest examining 4 biopsy samples from the duodenal bulb and 4 from the descending duodenum to improve diagnostic accuracy of CD.
Abstract Klebsiella pneumoniae producing KPC-type carbapenemase causes severe nosocomial infection at a high mortality rate. Nosocomial pneumonia in particular is associated with high mortality, ...likely due to the unfavorable pulmonary pharmacokinetics of the antibiotics used against this agent. Therefore, early and accurate microbiological identification and susceptibility evaluation are crucial in order to optimize antibiotic therapy. We report a case of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae producing KPC-type carbapenemase treated using a carbapenem-sparing therapy and tailored according to the serum procalcitonin concentration in order to limit the duration of antibiotic therapy.
Nowadays innovation represents a strategy to face the economic crisis affecting many sectors globally. It is believed that innovation is one of the most significant factors for the enhancement of ...competitiveness. Innovation is identified with the creation of value by companies, and networking is believed to be a key way to contribute to the better value creation. In particular networking is object of increasing interest not only by academics but also by political institutions, firstly European Union, due to the beliefs that it can foster innovation among SMEs and hence enhances competitiveness. The development of innovation may requires R&D support from outside and the collaboration with other organizations. It is hence recognized the essential role of networking for the innovation and the participation of SMEs in networks as pivotal strategy. European economy is characterized by SMEs and particularly the agri-food sector. This study carries out an investigation, based on a web survey of Italian food SMEs, presenting an overview of Italian food SMEs engaged in collaborations for innovation purposes. Especially, the examination focuses on the identification of types of organizations mainly involved in collaborations for the resources acquisition and structural factors characterizing such SMEs.
Data collection of Italian food SMEs is accomplished by standardized questionnaires designed to be compiled on line in anonymous way. Findings show higher frequency of SMEs involved in collaboration with suppliers for innovation purposes. However, in term of realized innovation, SMEs collaborating with universities demonstrate higher frequency of enhanced innovation. This work presents an additional value in term of comprehension not only for their impact on the nature of the network but also for the conceptualization of proper network able to encourage firm’s participation. Additionally, it must be point out that results from such studies cannot be generalized and extended to outside SMEs nation, hence factors involved in other SMEs cultures need to be carefully investigated at each country’s level.
Agriculture is the main source of nitrogen loading (EEA, 2012) and is the sector with the largest remaining emission reduction potential (Sutton et al., 2011). Furthermore, surpluses of nitrogen are ...forecast to grow in the next decade (FAO, 2008). The objective of this study is to evaluate the determinants of the use of nitrogen inputs in agriculture, and the effects of RDP implementation in Emilia-Romagna on preventing nitrate pollution through a spatial econometric regression model.
Firstly, we carried out an estimation of both inorganic and organic nitrogen input in agriculture at the municipality scale for year 2000 and 2010..Secondly, we performed a Moran’s statistics and a LISA (Local Indicators of Spatial Association; Anselin, 1995) analysis in order test the data for local spatial autocorrelation. Finally, in order to provide a quantitative evaluation of the application of the agri-environmental measures on the impact of farming systems on water quality, we constructed two spatial regression models: INORGANIC AND ORGANIC. Spatial dependence was included to the regressions (OLS) through spatial lag and spatial error.
The INORGANIC model explains more than 70% of the dependent variable and suggest that participation to the measure 214 is not likely to be important for explaining the reduction of the Inorganic Nitrogen in the municipalities of Emilia Romagna. Significant variables are farm’s size, population density, location in NVZs and share of certified organic surface on the UAA. The same regressors could not explain the dependent variable in the case of the ORGANIC model.
The availability of better estimation of changes in nitrogen inputs, such as the calculation at the farm scale, would be an important component to allow for a more robust use of spatial econometrics in RDP evaluation related to Nitrogen reduction.
This article aims to analyse the determinants of EU farmers' intentions to invest in the
period 2014-2020. It analysed data of a survey of 780 farmers interviewed in spring 2013, covering
6 EU ...countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Poland) and four different farm
types (arable crops, livestock, perennial crops and mixed farms). A multivariate probit model is
used in order to determine the factors explaining the willingness to invest or not to invest in various
farm asset classes (land, building, machinery, training) by the surveyed farmers. The multivariate
probit allows taking into account the possibility of simultaneous investments and the potential
correlations among these investment decisions. We find that investments in different asset classes
are complementary. Farmers willing to invest in one asset class are also willing to invest in other
asset classes, after controlling for observable characteristics such as farm size, specialization,
farmer's age. This paper contributes to the limited literature on farmers' investment decisions at EU level.
Abstract Objectives The ability to auscultate during air medical transport is compromised by high ambient noise levels. The aim of this study was to assess the capabilities of a traditional and an ...amplified stethoscope (which is expected to reduce background and ambient noise) to assess heart and breath sounds during medical transport in a Falcon 50 plane. Methods A prospective, double-blind, randomized study was performed. We tested 1 model of traditional stethoscope (Littman cardiology III) and 1 model of amplified stethoscope (Littman 3100). We studied heart and lung auscultation during real medical evacuations aboard Falcon 50 (medically configured). For each, the quality of auscultation was described using a numeric rating scale (ranging from 0 to 10, with 0 corresponding to “I hear nothing” and 10 corresponding to “I hear perfectly”). Comparisons were accomplished using a t test for paired values. Results A total of 32 comparative evaluations were performed. For cardiac auscultation, the value of the rating scale was 5.8 ± 1.5 and 6.4 ± 1.9, respectively, for the traditional and amplified stethoscope ( P = .018). For lung sounds, quality of auscultation was estimated at 3.3 ± 2.4 for traditional stethoscope and at 3.7 ± 2.9 for amplified stethoscope ( P = .15). Conclusions Practicians in Falcon 50 are more able to hear cardiac sounds with an amplified than with a traditional stethoscope, whereas there is no significant difference concerning breath sounds auscultation.
