Energy Sector Market Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arent, D.; Benioff, R.; Mosey, G.; Bird, L.; Brown, J.; Brown, E.; Vimmerstedt, L.; Aabakken, J.; Parks, K.; Lapsa, M.; Davis, S.; Olszewski, M.; Cox, D.; McElhaney, K.; Hadley, S.; Hostick, D.; Nicholls, A.; McDonald, S.; Holloman, B.

2006-10-01

This paper presents the results of energy market analysis sponsored by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Weatherization and International Program (WIP) within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The analysis was conducted by a team of DOE laboratory experts from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), with additional input from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The analysis was structured to identify those markets and niches where government can create the biggest impact by informing management decisions in the private and public sectors. The analysis identifies those markets and niches where opportunities exist for increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy use.

Impacts of CO2 taxes in an Economy with Niche Markets and Learning-by-doing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van der Zwaan, B.C.C.; Gerlagh, R.; Hofkes, M.W.; Klaassen, G.

2003-09-01

In this paper, we analyse the impact of carbon taxes on emission levels, when niche markets exist for new carbon-free technologies, and when these technologies experience 'learning-by-doing' effects. For this purpose, a general equilibrium model has been developed, DEMETER, which specifies two energy technologies: one based on fossil fuels and one on a composite of carbon-free energy technologies. Initially, the carbon-free technology has relatively high production costs, but niche markets ensure positive demand. Learning-by-doing decreases production costs, which increases the market share, which in turn accelerates learning-by-doing, and so forth. This mechanism allows a relatively modest carbon tax, of about 50 US$/tC, to almost stabilise carbon emissions at their 2000 levels throughout the entire 21st century. Sensitivity analysis shows that the required carbon tax for emission stabilisation crucially depends on the elasticity of substitution between the fossil fuel and carbon-free technology

Revisiting Ethnic Niches: A Comparative Analysis of the Labor Market Experiences of Asian and Latino Undocumented Young Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther Yoona Cho

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Drawing on thirty in-depth interviews with Korean- and Mexican-origin undocumented young adults in California, this comparative analysis explores how the intersection of immigration status and ethnoracial background affects social and economic incorporation. Respective locations of principal ethnic niches, and access to these labor market structures, lead to divergent pathways of employment when no legal recourse exists. Despite similar levels of academic achievement, Korean respondents were more likely to enter into a greater diversity of occupations relative to Mexican respondents. However, the experiences of Mexican respondents varied depending on their connection to pan-ethnic Latino nonprofit organizations. Illegality, therefore, is conditioned by opportunity structures that vary strongly by membership in different ethnoracial communities, leading to structured heterogeneity in experiences with undocumented status.

Partner Market Opportunities and Relationship Stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingmar Rapp

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Although partner market opportunities are generally considered to be important for relationship stability, they have never been measured accurately. In order to be able to test the anticipated effects of partner market opportunities, this study conceptualises them as individual opportunities for contact and interaction in concrete social contexts, like the neighbourhood, the workplace, leisure activities, etc. Using data from the German Marriage Market Survey, we first examine the impact of individual partner market opportunities on the risk of separation. Second, we examine to what extend the most frequently studied determinants of divorce and separation depend on partner market opportunities. Our results show that the number of opposite sex contacts increases the probability of separation. Sharing the same contacts with one’s partner decreases the risk of separation. Our results indicate further that reducing opposite sex contacts in the course of the relationship is partly responsible for the higher stability of longer-lasting relationships. Having a migration background is associated with fewer opposite sex contacts. This means that having a migration background would be more destabilising if these individuals did not have less opposite sex contacts than individuals without a migration background. In contrast, joint home ownership, church attendance, higher education and residing in western Germany would generally be more stabilising if these factors were not connected with more opposite sex contacts.

Integration of non-food crops in rural areas with niche energy markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwant, K.W.; Heuval, E. van der; Rijk, P.J.J.

1996-01-01

Integration of energy-crops in the agricultural sector is hampered by a number of factors. Within the EU AIR programme a concerted action has been initiated to contribute to a better understanding of the several aspects of introducing energy corps in the rural sector. A standard methodology to assess the economic and technical viability of energy crops for three identified niche markets was developed. Technical viability of biomass production, pretreatment and conversion to energy is a necessary condition for implementation of such a project, however, it is not a sufficient condition. Non-technical constraints can either hamper or stimulate a successful introduction. Technical issues will be dealt with in other papers. This paper will, therefore concentrate on the non-technical issues. In section 2 the major issues are described. Opportunities on how to improve biomass energy introduction are provided in section 3. As a case study, the non-technical issues of a combined heat and power plant, planned to be fired on arboricultural and short rotation willow, in the municipality of Groningen in the Netherlands will be presented. The paper ends with general conclusions. (Author)

SERVICING THE MARKET NICHE – A POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND/OR SUCCESS OF THE FIRM ON THE MARKET IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS

OpenAIRE

Doina I. POPESCU

2013-01-01

This work shows the importance of servicing the market niche by firms operating in the garment industry in the context of the world economic crisis. The paper presents the necessity of adapting companies’ strategies based on the main trends set out by the global economic crisis. Within this work is presented a study that aims to highlight the degree in which Romanian firms acting in the clothing industry service the market niche, their identification, the measure in which these firms’ managem...

Development of a standard methodology for integrating non-food crop production in rural areas with niche energy markets. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-09-01

This project was supported as a Concerted Action under the EC DGVI AIR programme from 1993-1996. It has successfully developed a standard methodology to help integrate non-food crop production in rural areas with niche energy markets. The methodology was used to compare the costs of different energy crop production and conversion options across the six participating nations. The partners provide a representative cross-section of European agriculture and energy expertise. All partners agreed on three niche markets favourable for biomass and biofuels: small-scale heat markets (less than 1 MW th ) for agro-industry, domestic and commercial buildings, medium-scale heat markets (1-10MW th ), including cogeneration for light industry and district heating, and liquid biofuels as substitutes for fossil fuels in transport, heat and power applications. (Author)

Market opportunities: U.S. - PADD IV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garner, R.P.

1997-01-01

The current supply and demand balance, the short and long term expectations and marketing opportunities for Canadian crude oil in PADD IV, the Rocky Mountain region in the US, were reviewed. It was suggested that market opportunities in PADD IV are derived from the following four factors: (1) crude oil declines within that area, (2) federal regulations, (3) competitive presence with markets, and (4) population growth. The overall conclusion was that Canadian producers and PADD IV refiners will be looking at an ever-growing relationship based on freight equalized world crude prices. 8 tabs., 5 figs

Innovative business models within niche tourist markets: shared identity, authenticity and flexibile networks. The case of three italian SMEs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federica Montaguti

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Innovative business models within niche tourist markets: shared identity, authenticity and flexibile networks. The case of three italian SMEs The evolution of business models is a crucial challenge for tourism companies, which should understand how they can stimulate their creativity and introduce innovation. However for many firms, in particular for SMEs, this process is not so easy to be adopted. Even more difficult it is to understand how the business model should change to be successful in solving what appears to be one of the main problems for SMEs, especially within mature, tourist destinations, i.e. targeting new profitable segments. The paper discusses the main findings of a research project carried out by the authors about changes in the business models of Italian tourism companies, underlining in particular three case-studies of interest in terms of the innovation put in place and that relate to SMEs. The analysis, based on the business model canvas, the value constellation and the storytelling, found out that these three firms are flexible companies that have characteristics emblematic of the knowledge and information economy business models. They successfully answer the needs of specific niches, finding new opportunities within a mature tourism market and famous destinations, thanks to their ability to develop wide flexible networks, where customers are an active part, and thanks to the value proposed to the clients, centred on the idea of a shared identity between the clients and the company’s founders and of an authenticity guaranteed by the life story of the founders themselves.

Identifying PHM market and network opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Grube, Mark E; Krishnaswamy, Anand; Poziemski, John; York, Robert W

2015-11-01

Two key processes for healthcare organizations seeking to assume a financially sustainable role in population health management (PHM), after laying the groundwork for the effort, are to identify potential PHM market opportunities and determine the scope of the PHM network. Key variables organizations should consider with respect to market opportunities include the patient population, the overall insurance/employer market, and available types of insurance products. Regarding the network's scope, organizations should consider both traditional strategic criteria for a viable network and at least five additional criteria: network essentiality and PHM care continuum, network adequacy, service distribution right-sizing, network growth strategy, and organizational agility.

An overview of outside U.S. market opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, S.B.

1986-01-01

The approach adopted in this paper in analyzing United States market opportunities outside the United States was to: look at the United States worldwide market penetration from an historical perspective, establish whether the United States position is still valid, determine what the future market will be, and offer some opinions on what United States companies must do to avail themselves of this market. Insight into worldwide market opportunities for U.S. companies can be gained by looking at the history of the Nuclear Industry on a worldwide basis

Socio-technical transition as a co-evolutionary process: Innovation and the role of niche markets in the transition to motor vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Birky, Alicia K.

2008-10-01

Significant reductions in greenhouse emissions from personal transportation will require a transition to an alternative technology regime based on renewable energy sources. Two bodies of research, the quasi-evolutionary (QE) model and the multi-level perspective (MLP) assert that processes within niches play a fundamental role in such transitions. This research asks whether the description of transitions based on this niche hypothesis and its underlying assumptions is consistent with the historical U.S. transition to motor vehicles at the beginning of the 20th century. Unique to this dissertation is the combination of the perspective of the entrepreneur with co-evolutionary approaches to socio-technical transitions. This approach is augmented with concepts from the industry life-cycle model and with a taxonomy of mechanisms of learning. Using this analytic framework, I examine specifically the role of entrepreneurial behavior and processes within and among firms in the co-evolution of technologies and institutions during the transition to motor vehicles. I find that niche markets played an important role in the development of the technology, institutions, and the industry. However, I also find that the diffusion of the automobile is not consistent with the niche hypothesis in the following ways: (1) product improvements and cost reductions were not realized in niche markets, but were achieved simultaneously with diffusion into mass markets; (2) in addition to learning-by-doing and learning-by-interacting with users, knowledge spillovers and interacting with suppliers were critical in this process; (3) cost reductions were not automatic results of expanding markets, but rather arose from the strategies of entrepreneurs based on personal perspectives and values. This finding supports the use of a behavioral approach with a micro-focus in the analysis of socio-technical change. I also find that the emergence and diffusion of the motor vehicle can only be understood by

Market realities: new challenges and opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The market outlook for the natural gas industry was the focus of discussion at this conference. Presentations included papers on energy and supply forecasting, natural gas supply and demand and market opportunities, growth, economics, and issues in natural gas transportation. Pricing dynamics of these energy resources and the complexities of the energy market were also addressed. tabs., figs

Intraspecific ecological niche divergence and reproductive shifts foster cytotype displacement and provide ecological opportunity to polyploids.

Science.gov (United States)

Karunarathne, Piyal; Schedler, Mara; Martínez, Eric J; Honfi, Ana I; Novichkova, Anastasiia; Hojsgaard, Diego

2018-05-11

Niche divergence between polyploids and their lower ploidy progenitors is one of the primary mechanisms fostering polyploid establishment and adaptive divergence. However, within-species chromosomal and reproductive variability have usually been neglected in community ecology and biodiversity analyses even though they have been recognized to play a role in the adaptive diversification of lineages. We used Paspalum intermedium, a grass species with diverging genetic systems (diploidy vs. autopolyploidy, allogamy vs. autogamy and sexuality vs. apomixis), to recognize the causality of biogeographic patterns, adaptation and ecological flexibility of cytotypes. Chromosome counts and flow cytometry were used to characterize within-species genetic systems diversity. Environmental niche modelling was used to evaluate intraspecific ecological attributes associated with environmental and climatic factors and to assess correlations among ploidy, reproductive modes and ecological conditions ruling species' population dynamics, range expansion, adaptation and evolutionary history. Two dominant cytotypes non-randomly distributed along local and regional geographical scales displayed niche differentiation, a directional shift in niche optima and signs of disruptive selection on ploidy-related ecological aptitudes for the exploitation of environmental resources. Ecologically specialized allogamous sexual diploids were found in northern areas associated with higher temperature, humidity and productivity, while generalist autogamous apomictic tetraploids occurred in southern areas, occupying colder and less productive environments. Four localities with a documented shift in ploidy and four mixed populations in a zone of ecological transition revealed an uneven replacement between cytotypes. Polyploidy and contrasting reproductive traits between cytotypes have promoted shifts in niche optima, and increased ecological tolerance and niche divergence. Ecologically specialized diploids

Energy market opportunities post-Maui

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saha, G.

1995-01-01

As supply from the Maui and other existing producing fields decline, petroleum explorers and developers need to address the question who will be the indigenous oil and gas customers post Maui? This paper discusses major macro- and micro-environmental trends which will influence likely market opportunities. Two sub-markets are examined. First, what trends impact on current oil and gas customers. Second, what other new customers might arise. The macro-environment trends cover important economic, political, legislation, socio-economic and technical parameters. The micro-environment trends cover energy market structures and pricing parameters. (Author)

Marketing African Leafy Vegetables: Challenges and Opportunities ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Marketing African Leafy Vegetables: Challenges and Opportunities in the Kenyan Context. ... The market share of ALVs vis-à-vis other vegetable species, particularly kales, cabbages and ... EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

Opportunities for electricity storage in deregulating markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graves, F.; Jenkin, T.; Murphy, D.

1999-01-01

This article addresses the value of electricity storage and its ability to take advantage of emerging energy arbitrage opportunities: buying power when it is inexpensive, and reselling it at a higher price. The focus of this article is on electricity markets and the opportunities they present for a merchant storage device, rather than on storage technologies themselves. There are a number of existing and emerging storage technologies: pumped hydro, various batteries, compressed air energy storage (CAES), superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES), flywheels--even conventional hydro has storage-like properties. However, all these technologies operated on the same basic principle of exploiting short-term differentials in electricity prices: buy low, sell high (a strategy that is actually meaningful in electricity markets, unlike in financial markets). The object of this article is to develop and demonstrate a means for assessing the potential value of storage in different electricity markets, rather than to attempt to assess the prospects of a particular technology. The approach taken here is to look at price data from a number of actual electricity markets to determine what opportunities they might offer to a generic storage device. A storage technology is described here by its basic performance parameters--charge and generate capacity, energy inventory limits, and efficiency--which are sufficient to assess the basic economic potential of storage in a given market. The authors look primarily at US markets, but also compare and contrast findings with the situation in foreign markets in the U.K., Norway, Canada, and Australia, and discuss how market structure can influence the value of storage. Moreover, the authors use empirically observed relationships between hourly and 5 x 16 blocked prices to infer a rule for adjusting the value of storage assets in regions where only blocked price information is available

Increasing electric vehicle policy efficiency and effectiveness by reducing mainstream market bias

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, Erin H.; Skerlos, Steven J.; Winebrake, James J.

2014-01-01

Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) provide an opportunity for reducing energy use and emissions in the transportation sector. Currently, a number of federal policies are in place to incentivize deployment of PEVs to mainstream consumers with demographics and vehicle attribute preferences most common to today's new vehicle purchasers. This article argues that policies intending to give PEVs a foothold in the market should not focus on mainstream consumers and should instead focus on niche markets—specifically carsharing and postal fleets—and early adopters including green consumers. Two arguments can be made in support of eliminating the mainstream market bias of current policies toward a policy of cultivating niche markets. The first is efficiency: so far PEV policies featuring a mainstream market bias have proven to be inefficient and costly. The second is effectiveness: it is becoming increasingly evident that PEV policies would be more effective in achieving potential societal benefits if they focused on early adopters and niche markets using such approaches as strategic niche management, accessible loans and financing, and appropriately targeted incentives. PEV policies focused on early adopters and niche markets would create complementary system effects that will lead to increased PEV market penetration and realization of intended societal benefits. - Highlights: • We argue that U.S. electric vehicle policies are inefficient and ineffective. • We introduce “mainstream consumer bias” as an explanation for policy deficiencies. • We propose an alternative policy agenda to address some of these policy problems. • Proposed policy options include strategic niche management, targeted R and D and incentives, and loans

Market opportunities in emerging markets : case study: Rideascout's innovative vehicle and Vietnamese market

OpenAIRE

Bui, Huyen-Anh

2015-01-01

Nowadays, there is no limit for innovation. Successful innovative products promise to bring about dramatic changes to the world. Rideascout, a Finnish start-up, is developing their new product, an innovative vehicle. In order to understand how their product could be used in certain market areas, the company decided to carry out an extensive market research. As part of the project, this thesis aims to explore possible uses and market opportunities for the product in Vietnam and more specifical...

On Risks and Opportunities in Financial Markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S.D. Lansdorp (Simon)

2012-01-01

textabstractInvesting in financial securities inevitably involves risks on the one hand and opportunities on the other hand. This thesis bundles four different studies on risks and/or opportunities in financial markets. In one study, we examine the cross-sectional explanatory power of different

Latin America as new PV market opportunity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, Ingrid

2015-01-01

It is important to recognize solar energy as an international and strategic opportunity for the European market to expand. The objective of this paper is to apply the methodology created during the PV Parity project for analyzing PV Competitiveness in the emerging residential PV market in Brazil, using information from the State of Rio de Janeiro. The dynamic competitiveness analysis was performed considering the price with and without taxes in order to assess the year when PV will reach grid parity in Rio de Janeiro and how the taxes impact on the results. Results are divided into 3 scenarios: Optimistic, Conservative, and Conservative Moderate. The LCOE of residential systems will likely become competitive with the residential electricity tariffs between 2020 and 2030, assuming the residential tariffs in Rio de Janeiro. This is an indicator that PV energy business opportunities are increasing in Brazil and, with the adequate policy support, its market competitiveness could be improved. We are also looking in other markets of Latin America. (full text)

Water Technology Innovation: 10 Market Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

The Water Technology Innovation Blueprint offers an overview of market opportunities that include conserving and recovering energy, recovering nutrients, improving water infrastructure, reducing costs for water monitoring, and improving water quality.

Market forces in municipal and industrial waste-to-energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makansi, J.

1991-01-01

The market for municipal and industrial waste-to-energy can be characterized simply as currently soft with continued excellent long-term prospects. But as in all markets large and small, niche opportunities exist now which can be profitable with proper definition and strategy. Economics of several projects have proven marginal, cost overruns are common, and revenue projections are sometimes overstates. Also contributing to poorer economics of late are lower prices for the electric power produced from these plants. New environmental restrictions are adding 10-15% to the capital costs of a given project. On the industrial front, the strength of waste-fuel firing continues to be evident for independent power production. Important fuel-niche markets have sprung up over the last decade including petroleum coke, coal-mining wastes, hospital or redbag wastes, biomass, used tires, and so on. Another fuel niche is hazardous waste incineration. In the municipal arena, realism has not yet hit the recycling and source reduction enthusiasts. Only 25-35% recycling is considered practical by experts. There are also limits to how often material can be recycled. Finally, in spite of the best efforts of the population to control the amount of refuse generated and to recycle that which is, population and economic growth may overtake any new sense of environmental responsibility. And, yes, the additional refuse still has to go somewhere exclamation point The best somewhere option continues to be a waste-to-energy plant. Current market opportunities and two other market forces (international activities and the role of US utilities) are discussed

Status, challenges and marketing opportunities for canning navy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Status, challenges and marketing opportunities for canning navy bean in Kenya. ... improve incomes of smallholder farmers in Kenya; its production and marketing has, however, stagnated. ... EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

Food Processing and Marketing: New Directions...New Opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Mary A., Ed.

1995-01-01

This issue uses tomato processing to illustrate the new directions and opportunities available in the food market. Comparative advantage and economies of scale are discussed in relation to markets. Forecasting success in the market is attributed to studying consumer consumption trends by type and monitoring standards of living in 32 newly…

The influence of different framing strategies in the social construction of a niche: ambidexterity in developing a bio resource market

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loohuis, Raymond Petrus Antonius; von Raesfeld Meijer, Ariane M.; Groen, Arend J.

2014-01-01

Which framing strategy helps developing a regional bio resource market? Building on literature interested in the social construction of niches in the renewable energy technology, we examine how the enactment of different framing strategies (diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational) influence how a

Sustainable marketing communication strategies of Russian companies under the import substitution policy

OpenAIRE

Chernova, Veronika,; Zobov, Alexander,; Starostin, Vasily,; Butkovskaya, Galina,

2017-01-01

International audience; The sanction standoff between Russia and the West opened up new opportunities for Russian food manufacturers. A new import substitution policy declared by the government restricted the access of the leading foreign countries to the market and unlocked a potential for internal development. Russian producers spotted new niches in the food market. There exist numerous obstacles to assimilating new market prospects: organizational (logistics, infrastructure, etc.), investm...

Empirical Study on Arbitrage Opportunities in China Copper Futures Market

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2007-01-01

No-arbitrage bound is established with no-arbitrage theory considering all kinds of trade costs, different deposit and loan interest rate, margin and tax in fuuaes markets. The empirical results find that there are many lower bound arbitrage opportunities in China copper futures market from August 8th, 2003 to August 16th, 2005. Concretely, no-arbitrage opportunity is dominant and lower bound arbitrage is narrow in normal market segment. Lower bound arbitrage almost always exists with huge magnitude in inverted market segment. There is basically no-arbitrage in normal market because spot volume is enough, so that upper or lower bound arbitrage can be realized. There is mostly lower bound arbitrage in inverted market because spot volume is lack.

Pitfalls and opportunities for environmental marketers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, R J

1992-01-01

Issues such as global warming, ozone depletion, insufficient landfill capacity, and excess packaging are foremost on the minds of consumers. Companies face a myriad of environmental challenges, but they also recognize the opportunities to be gained by implementing responsible marketing action plans.

ENOTOURISM: A NICHE TENDENCY WITHIN THE TOURISM MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sorin BIBICIOIU

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is aimed at establishing the required actions to be taken so as to improve perception on Romanian wine and vine tourism. In the Romanian wine and vine field, the main changes over the last ten years have been the modernization of wineries by maintaining the valuable local grape varieties and replanting soil with resistant and productive varieties, introducing new technologies in wine production processes and local producers’ relocation on the market. Besides all these, technical and material facilities were developed by rehabilitating, modernizing and opening of numerous wine cellars, constructing modern accommodation units within or close to vine areas and implementing marketing programmes aimed at promoting vine areas. The tendencies of hospitality industry corroborated with the change of interest and the perceptions of the tourism products consumers make us reach the following conclusion: enotourism has to be adapted to the innovative market spirit, an efficacious brand strategy has to be defined for the final goal of attracting as many consumers as possible. Eenotourism is that form of tourism which offers great local development opportunities to vineyards areas. To conclude, the study will describe the market features and tendencies, based on a large range of resources and it will present ideas connected to the tourism management and economic policies that may positively or negatively influence this field.

Clean coal: Global opportunities for small businesses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The parallel growth in coal demand and environmental concern has spurred interest in technologies that burn coal with greater efficiency and with lower emissions. Clean Coal Technologies (CCTs) will ensure that continued use of the world's most abundant energy resource is compatible with a cleaner, healthier environment. Increasing interest in CCTs opens the door for American small businesses to provide services and equipment for the clean and efficient use of coal. Key players in most coal-related projects are typically large equipment manufacturers, power project developers, utilities, governments, and multinational corporations. At the same time, the complexity and scale of many of these projects creates niche markets for small American businesses with high-value products and services. From information technology, control systems, and specialized components to management practices, financial services, and personnel training methods, small US companies boast some of the highest value products and services in the world. As a result, American companies are in a prime position to take advantage of global niche markets for CCTs. This guide is designed to provide US small businesses with an overview of potential international market opportunities related to CCTs and to provide initial guidance on how to cost-effectively enter that growing global market

Clean coal: Global opportunities for small businesses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-01-01

The parallel growth in coal demand and environmental concern has spurred interest in technologies that burn coal with greater efficiency and with lower emissions. Clean Coal Technologies (CCTs) will ensure that continued use of the world`s most abundant energy resource is compatible with a cleaner, healthier environment. Increasing interest in CCTs opens the door for American small businesses to provide services and equipment for the clean and efficient use of coal. Key players in most coal-related projects are typically large equipment manufacturers, power project developers, utilities, governments, and multinational corporations. At the same time, the complexity and scale of many of these projects creates niche markets for small American businesses with high-value products and services. From information technology, control systems, and specialized components to management practices, financial services, and personnel training methods, small US companies boast some of the highest value products and services in the world. As a result, American companies are in a prime position to take advantage of global niche markets for CCTs. This guide is designed to provide US small businesses with an overview of potential international market opportunities related to CCTs and to provide initial guidance on how to cost-effectively enter that growing global market.

TEKES Market opportunities for distributed generation applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This summary provides the presents status of the Finnish companies, the evaluation of legislative and regulatory issues, main points of the market analysis, case studies of market entry strategies and the strategic direction required for targeted and effective decision-making in the proposed Programme. The items in this executive summary are discussed in more details in the main report. The project was carried out by Electrowatt-Ekono Oy and Frost and Sullivan. Frost and Sullivan undertook the country market analysis and the case studies. Electrowatt-Ekono carried out the legislation parts, the opportunities and barriers of the market in Finland, and the strategic implications

SMS marketing: It's place in mobile commerce and opportunity in the South African market

OpenAIRE

Frik Jansen van Ryssen

2004-01-01

This article investigates Short Message Service (SMS) Marketing's place in the world of mobile commerce (m-commerce). The article also investigates the opportunity that SMS Marketing presents in the South African market. The article indicates a couple of clear guidelines and implications for marketers on how to approach the challenge presented by technological advances that allowed this new trend of mass- and personalised marketing messages via SMS. Advances in the m-commerce field are predic...

On Risks and Opportunities in Financial Markets

OpenAIRE

Lansdorp, Simon

2012-01-01

textabstractInvesting in financial securities inevitably involves risks on the one hand and opportunities on the other hand. This thesis bundles four different studies on risks and/or opportunities in financial markets. In one study, we examine the cross-sectional explanatory power of different risk-measures in pricing U.S. stocks and find that investors dislike downside risk. In the second study, we show that conventional short-term reversal strategies exhibit dynamic exposures to systematic...

Green business opportunities on the rise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2006-01-01

By treating tougher environmental regulations as business opportunities rather than constraints, Finnish companies are finding new niches in the growing markets for environmental technologies around the world. The global market for environmental technologies is estimated at around euro 550 billion, so green business is truly big business. What's more, this market is growing by about 10 per cent a year as energy savings and reductions in emissions become evermore urgent. Renewable energy technologies are increasingly in demand as the world wakes up to the threat of climate change. The energy expertise is the result of factors including the cold climate, long distances, energy-intensive industry and the lack of fossil fuel resources. About 300 Finnish companies operate in the field of environmental technology, with a total turnover of some euro 3,4 billion

Biomass Business Opportunities Viet Nam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zwebe, D [SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Ha Noi (Viet Nam)

2012-03-15

The goal of this survey is to provide a more specific and integral perspective in which niches, relevant policy development by the Vietnamese government, legislation and sustainability criteria are clearly addressed to benefit both the Dutch Private sector as well as to stimulate Dutch-Vietnamese cooperation and support the Vietnamese government in its search for tangible options to develop the desired enabling environment for a sustainable biomass/biofuel market. The following activities are defined to be executed to reach the goal of the project: Biomass availability in Vietnam (Chapter 2); Government of Vietnam and Energy (Chapter 3); The opportunities and barriers to enter the market in Vietnam (Chapter 4 and 5); Stakeholder analysis of the bio-energy sector (Chapter 6); and Recommendations (Chapter 7)

Helsinki market entry opportunity for a Vegan & Raw Danish restaurant chain 42˚RAW

OpenAIRE

Yablokova, Anna

2015-01-01

For those who follow and are interested in the vegan lifestyle, the scarce number of restaurants which offer suchlike products in Helsinki is evident. Comparing the local market with cities around the globe this impression can be proven with statistical data. Despite the world growing trend of healthy eating and living, Finland is still far behind even the neighbouring Nordic countries on the level of niche vegan industry. The purpose of this thesis was to research the Helsinki market and fin...

Modulating the stem cell niche for tissue regeneration

Science.gov (United States)

Lane, Steven W; Williams, David A; Watt, Fiona M

2015-01-01

The field of regenerative medicine holds considerable promise for treating diseases that are currently intractable. Although many researchers are adopting the strategy of cell transplantation for tissue repair, an alternative approach to therapy is to manipulate the stem cell microenvironment, or niche, to facilitate repair by endogenous stem cells. The niche is highly dynamic, with multiple opportunities for intervention. These include administration of small molecules, biologics or biomaterials that target specific aspects of the niche, such as cell-cell and cell–extracellular matrix interactions, to stimulate expansion or differentiation of stem cells, or to cause reversion of differentiated cells to stem cells. Nevertheless, there are several challenges in targeting the niche therapeutically, not least that of achieving specificity of delivery and responses. We envisage that successful treatments in regenerative medicine will involve different combinations of factors to target stem cells and niche cells, applied at different times to effect recovery according to the dynamics of stem cell–niche interactions. PMID:25093887

Short-term versus long-term market opportunities and financial constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrari, Angelo

1999-01-01

This presentation discusses gas developments in Europe, the European Gas Directive, short term vs. long term, and Snam's new challenges. The European gas market is characterized by (1) The role of gas in meeting the demand for energy, which varies greatly from one country to another, (2) A growing market, (3) Decreasing role of domestic production, and (4) Increasing imports. Within the European Union, the Gas Directive aims to transform single national markets into one integrated European market by introducing third party access to the network for eligible clients as a means of increasing the competition between operators. The Gas Directive would appear to modify the form of the market rather than its size, and in particular the sharing of responsibility and risk among operators. The market in the future will offer operators the possibility to exploit opportunities deriving mainly from demands for increased flexibility. Opportunities linked to entrepreneurial initiatives require long-term investments characteristic of the gas business. Risks and opportunities must be balanced evenly between different operators. If everyone takes on their own risks and responsibilities, this means a wider distribution of the risks of long-term vs. short-term, currently borne by the gas companies that are integrated, into a market that tends to favour the short-term. A gradual liberalization process should allow incumbent operators to gradually diversify their activities in new gas market areas or enter new business activities. They could move beyond their local and European boundaries in pursuit of an international dimension. The market will have to make the transition from the national to the European dimension: as an example, Snam covers 90% of the Italian market, but its share of an integrated European market will be about 15%

Opportunities and challenges in developing gas markets in South America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duarte, Cristiano Boaventura [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2008-07-01

The article has the objective of identifying and analyzing the key market levers and drivers, emerging issues and challenges in developing the gas markets in South America. In section 1, the paper provides an overview of the most relevant indicators in the natural gas markets of the region. Data such as natural gas proven reserves; production; consumption; trade movements (by pipeline and LNG) and main aspects of regulatory framework are shown. In section 2, some of the key challenges and opportunities in developing gas markets in the region are identified, including those relating to market integration, political aspects and the main players' investments. In section 3, possible strategies from governments and enterprises to overcome those challenges, and seize the potential opportunities of the region are examined. In section 4, the conclusions point to the potential of developing the gas markets as a means to diversify the energy sources in the region, fostering a successful process of economic growth and political integration in the area. (author)

Digital Marketing Insights and Opportunities in Kosovo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MBA. Besfort Ahmeti

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In recent decades, we have witnessed an ever increasing concentration of companies towards the consumer. This has come as a result of various factors, of which an important one has been the digital revolution, which has empowered consumers by giving them access to information and access to one another on a global scale. In an attempt by companies to adapt to this customer empowerment in order to achieve a greater profitability by better serving customers, digital marketing was born. Digital marketing includes various methods of achieving marketing goals by using digital tools, including: search marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, mobile marketing, content marketing, etc. While digital marketing has proven to be very successful in developed countries around the world, in Kosovo it does not have a significant presence. Either way, the development opportunities of this field in Kosovo are plenty. In Kosovo, the percentage of internet users is quite large. This means that there is an almost unexploited market online. The main reasons why digital marketing can succeed in Kosovo are: low cost compared to traditional marketing (TV, radio, billboard, etc., a positive attitude of businesses towards digitalization, a large number of potential customers, and an emphasized need for professionals in this field.

Functional traits, convergent evolution, and periodic tables of niches.

Science.gov (United States)

Winemiller, Kirk O; Fitzgerald, Daniel B; Bower, Luke M; Pianka, Eric R

2015-08-01

Ecology is often said to lack general theories sufficiently predictive for applications. Here, we examine the concept of a periodic table of niches and feasibility of niche classification schemes from functional trait and performance data. Niche differences and their influence on ecological patterns and processes could be revealed effectively by first performing data reduction/ordination analyses separately on matrices of trait and performance data compiled according to logical associations with five basic niche 'dimensions', or aspects: habitat, life history, trophic, defence and metabolic. Resultant patterns then are integrated to produce interpretable niche gradients, ordinations and classifications. Degree of scheme periodicity would depend on degrees of niche conservatism and convergence causing species clustering across multiple niche dimensions. We analysed a sample data set containing trait and performance data to contrast two approaches for producing niche schemes: species ordination within niche gradient space, and niche categorisation according to trait-value thresholds. Creation of niche schemes useful for advancing ecological knowledge and its applications will depend on research that produces functional trait and performance datasets directly related to niche dimensions along with criteria for data standardisation and quality. As larger databases are compiled, opportunities will emerge to explore new methods for data reduction, ordination and classification. © 2015 The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Liberalising European electricity markets: opportunities and risks for a sustainable power sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ringel, M.

2003-01-01

The process of liberalising European electricity markets, encompassing a wide range of restructuring activities, has mainly been spurred by the attempt to increase the economic efficiency of the whole sector. This process might be used to trigger a development towards a sustainable power sector by increasing the use of renewable energy sources and enhancing energy efficiency on the supply and demand side. However, by taking a closer look at the current trends of the European electricity markets, it becomes obvious that the liberalisation not only implies opportunities but also risks for the creation of a sustainable power sector. Many of these risks are due to market distortions and imperfections caused by the delay in creating a fully functional single European market. Thus, in the short-term, the market liberalisation tends to constitute more risks than opportunities without government actions to prevent these risks. In the long run, though, the efficiency gains of the sector and the appearance of new market factors are likely to bring forth the opportunities of liberalisation and actively foster a transformation towards a sustainable electricity sector. (author)

Innovation processes navigated by women groups in the Malian shea sector: How targeting of international niche markets results in fragmentation and obstructs coordination

OpenAIRE

Sidibe, A.; Vellema, S.; Dembele, M.M.; Traore, K.; Kuyper, T.W.

2012-01-01

The incorporation of women and their associations into international markets and value chains is proposed increasingly as a development pathway in Sub-Saharan Africa. The underlying assumption is that exclusion of individual women from groups specialized in supplying a single international niche market is the main obstacle to their development. Intervention under this assumption focuses on linking women groups to international business and development organizations (NGOs). To validate this pr...

The evolution of climatic niches in squamate reptiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Pie, Marcio R; Campos, Leonardo L F; Meyer, Andreas L S; Duran, Andressa

2017-07-12

Despite the remarkable diversity found in squamate reptiles, most of their species tend to be found in warm/dry environments, suggesting that climatic requirements played a crucial role in their diversification, yet little is known about the evolution of their climatic niches. In this study, we integrate climatic information associated with the geographical distribution of 1882 squamate species and their phylogenetic relationships to investigate the tempo and mode of climatic niche evolution in squamates, both over time and among lineages. We found that changes in climatic niche dynamics were pronounced over their recent squamate evolutionary history, and we identified extensive evidence for rate heterogeneity in squamate climatic niche evolution. Most rate shifts involved accelerations, particularly over the past 50 Myr. Most squamates occupy similar regions of the climatic niche space, with only a few lineages diversifying into colder and humid climatic conditions. The changes from arid to mesic conditions in some regions of the globe may have provided opportunities for climatic niche evolution, although most lineages tended to remain near their ancestral niche. Variation in rates of climatic niche evolution seems common, particularly in response to the availability of new climatic conditions over evolutionary time. © 2017 The Author(s).

The Emerging Markets of Africa: Business Opportunities for Central and Eastern Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gina Cook

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the increasing importance of emerging markets, particularly those in Africa, in terms of international business opportunities in the post-financial crisis period; while BRIC economies have received a lot of attention in the preceding decade, other emerging markets – especially in Africa – show indications of taking on more prominence in the upcoming period. In fact, at present, the continent of Africa represents one of the fastest growing markets in the world. This paper focuses on growth indicators and trends in the African markets as well as potential future international business opportunities; specifically, it examines the competitiveness of African nations, the business environments of countries in Africa, the continent’s international trade situation and urbanization in Africa. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on existing business opportunities together with some challenges which remain on the continent.

Innovation processes navigated by women groups in the Malian shea sector: How targeting of international niche markets results in fragmentation and obstructs coordination

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sidibe, A.; Vellema, S.; Dembele, M.M.; Traore, K.; Kuyper, T.W.

2012-01-01

The incorporation of women and their associations into international markets and value chains is proposed increasingly as a development pathway in Sub-Saharan Africa. The underlying assumption is that exclusion of individual women from groups specialized in supplying a single international niche

Pockets of opportunity: multicultural marketing strategies for BEP growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Kelly

2003-01-01

Ranked among the 50 largest food service corporations in America, the Randolph-Sheppard Business Enterprise Program (BEP) represents a challenging and rewarding career opportunity for Americans who are legally blind. In recent years, however, the number of facilities and facility managers has declined. Multicultural consumers represent a major emerging growth market. The multicultural market is one of the most overlooked retail markets in the United States--and the one with the most buying power and growth potential. Multicultural marketing is among the least understood strategies available to facility managers, vocational rehabilitation counselors and BEP directors. Four major minority markets are discussed and marketing strategies are offered to help BEPs target and serve these unique consumers.

The malignant niche: safe spaces for toxic stem cell marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

Sipp, Douglas

2017-01-01

Many tumors are sustained by microenvironments, or niches, that support and protect malignant cells, thus conferring a competitive advantage against both healthy cells and therapeutic interventions (for a brief review, see Yao and Link (Stem Cells 35: 3-8, 2017)). The global industry engaged in the commercial promotion of unproven and scientifically implausible cell-based "regenerative" therapies has developed a number of self-protective strategies that support its survival and growth in ways that are broadly analogous to the functions of the malignant niche.

Combined Heat and Power Market Potential for Opportunity Fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, David [Resource Dynamics Corporation, McLean, VA (United States); Lemar, Paul [Resource Dynamics Corporation, McLean, VA (United States

2015-12-01

This report estimates the potential for opportunity fuel combined heat and power (CHP) applications in the United States, and provides estimates for the technical and economic market potential compared to those included in an earlier report. An opportunity fuel is any type of fuel that is not widely used when compared to traditional fossil fuels. Opportunity fuels primarily consist of biomass fuels, industrial waste products and fossil fuel derivatives. These fuels have the potential to be an economically viable source of power generation in various CHP applications.

Market Opportunities and Barriers for Smart Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Zheng; Badi, Adrian; Jørgensen, Bo Nørregaard

2016-01-01

Buildings consume up to 42% of the global electricity and the primary emitter of greenhouse gas on the planet. Building efficiency is the largest growing segment in the US, the estimated global revenue by the building efficiency sector is around 210 million dollars, and constantly increases since...... 2011. Much research already shows the players' passive and conservative attitudes to enter into the energy efficiency market. Especially there are obstacles for the construction companies to redesign their business model from the traditional building business to the smart building market. This paper...... conducts a qualitative approach with primary and secondary data to investigate the Barriers and opportunities of the construction companies into the smart building market. The result shows the willingness of the players to involve the building efficiency business with huge potential monetary benefits...

SMS marketing: It's place in mobile commerce and opportunity in the South African market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frik Jansen van Ryssen

2004-12-01

Full Text Available This article investigates Short Message Service (SMS Marketing's place in the world of mobile commerce (m-commerce. The article also investigates the opportunity that SMS Marketing presents in the South African market. The article indicates a couple of clear guidelines and implications for marketers on how to approach the challenge presented by technological advances that allowed this new trend of mass- and personalised marketing messages via SMS. Advances in the m-commerce field are predicted, and an indication of the proposed target market is provided. Of these devices, the cellphone is the most relevant to the article, because it is the main vehicle through with SMS's are sent and received. It is concluded that SMS Marketing requires a great amount of investigation by every marketer and that continuous monitoring will be required in order for companies not to fall behind or be caught napping by competitors.

Labor market modeling recognizing latent job attributes and opportunity constraints : an empirical analysis of labor market behavior of Eritrean women

OpenAIRE

Arneberg, Marie W.; Dagsvik, John K.; Jia, Zhiyang

2002-01-01

Abstract: This paper analyzes labor market behavior of urban Eritrean women with particular reference to the impact of education, earnings and labor market opportunities. Unlike traditional models of labor supply, which assume that work can be supplied freely in the labor market, we develop a framework that explicitly takes into account the notion of job opportunities and observable sets of feasible jobs. The framework is formulated within a random utility setting in which unob...

Determinants and opportunities for commercial marketing of beef ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of this study was to examine the factors influencing smallholder producers' potential to sell cattle and identify marketing opportunities for sustainable beef production in South Africa. A total of 95 structured questionnaires was administered to the Ncorha and Gxwalibomvu communities in the Eastern Cape ...

Neural Crossroads in the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche.

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwala, Sobhika; Tamplin, Owen J

2018-05-29

The hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche supports steady-state hematopoiesis and responds to changing needs during stress and disease. The nervous system is an important regulator of the niche, and its influence is established early in development when stem cells are specified. Most research has focused on direct innervation of the niche, however recent findings show there are different modes of neural control, including globally by the central nervous system (CNS) and hormone release, locally by neural crest-derived mesenchymal stem cells, and intrinsically by hematopoietic cells that express neural receptors and neurotransmitters. Dysregulation between neural and hematopoietic systems can contribute to disease, however new therapeutic opportunities may be found among neuroregulator drugs repurposed to support hematopoiesis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food marketing to children and youth: threat or opportunity?

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

McGinnis, J. Michael; Gootman, Jennifer Appleton; Kraak, Vivica I

2006-01-01

.... Yet the prevailing pattern of food and beverage marketing to children in America represents, at best, a missed opportunity, and at worst, a direct threat to the health prospects of the next generation. Childrenâ...

Regional power marketing opportunities : current challenges and future outlooks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stiers, M.

1998-01-01

The North American demand for electric power and natural gas by sector was described and a comparison was made between the number of FERC certified electric power marketers versus natural gas marketing companies between 1986 and 1997 to illustrate the extent of changes that occurred during the decade. Regional opportunities for energy marketers were reviewed. By way of current challenges, the author identified (1) regulatory impediments, (2) divestiture of assets, (3) creation of an effective ISO, (4) establishment of effective pricing mechanisms, (5) customer systems and infrastructure, (6) forcing legislative reform, and (7) stranded cost recovery, as the most important. figs

Ecological opportunity and the adaptive diversification of lineages.

Science.gov (United States)

Wellborn, Gary A; Langerhans, R Brian

2015-01-01

The tenet that ecological opportunity drives adaptive diversification has been central to theories of speciation since Darwin, yet no widely accepted definition or mechanistic framework for the concept currently exists. We propose a definition for ecological opportunity that provides an explicit mechanism for its action. In our formulation, ecological opportunity refers to environmental conditions that both permit the persistence of a lineage within a community, as well as generate divergent natural selection within that lineage. Thus, ecological opportunity arises from two fundamental elements: (1) niche availability, the ability of a population with a phenotype previously absent from a community to persist within that community and (2) niche discordance, the diversifying selection generated by the adaptive mismatch between a population's niche-related traits and the newly encountered ecological conditions. Evolutionary response to ecological opportunity is primarily governed by (1) spatiotemporal structure of ecological opportunity, which influences dynamics of selection and development of reproductive isolation and (2) diversification potential, the biological properties of a lineage that determine its capacity to diversify. Diversification under ecological opportunity proceeds as an increase in niche breadth, development of intraspecific ecotypes, speciation, and additional cycles of diversification that may themselves be triggered by speciation. Extensive ecological opportunity may exist in depauperate communities, but it is unclear whether ecological opportunity abates in species-rich communities. Because ecological opportunity should generally increase during times of rapid and multifarious environmental change, human activities may currently be generating elevated ecological opportunity - but so far little work has directly addressed this topic. Our framework highlights the need for greater synthesis of community ecology and evolutionary biology, unifying

Social media as marketing tool for SMEs: opportunities and challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blerta Rugova

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Social media is a phenomenon that has transformed the interaction and communication of individuals throughout the world. Especially, social networking websites are very popular and have become daily practice in a lot of people’s lives. These sites have made significant impact on the individual’s life. However, social media is not only a communication tool for amusement, but it is also an important part of marketing strategies in business life. There is a constant rise in social networking and therefore impact of social networks is becoming stronger every day, into each kind of business. Social media are often used as a source of information and spread of knowledge changing people’s views and opinions. They belong among very important business marketing tactics and help to create new business opportunities, develop a stronger market position or modify consumer’s behaviour. Therefore, in developed countries, social media are gaining popularity and are increasingly used in regular operations of many companies, including start-ups, small, medium-sized, and large organizations. But it seems that in emerging economies such as Kosovo, Albania and other neighbour countries, marketing over social media is not taken that seriously, especially by SMEs. There are some companies who have shown interest and have created their presence, yet there is no serious focus in this innovative marketing tool. The study deals with the issue of social media and its influence on SMEs. It classifies social media and explores the possibilities and challenges of social networks in business. The authors describe features and the evolution of social media, including major social networking sites that came into existence during the 21st century. The purpose of the paper is to review the academic literature on the opportunities and challenges of using social media from SMEs, as well as identifying factors that drive social media marketing adoption and usage in SMEs. This

Market Assessment for Capturing Water Conservation Opportunities in the Federal Sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parker, Graham B.; Mcmordie, Katherine; Sullivan, Gregory P.; Elliott, Douglas B.

2001-08-17

The Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is considering the development of a technology-specific Super-Energy Saving Performance Contract (ESPC) for water conservation. Prior to the development however, FEMP requires the completion of a market assessment to better understand the water conservation opportunities and the strategies available for capturing them. Thus, this market assessment has been undertaken to evaluate the water conservation opportunities and answer the key questions necessary for FEMP to make recommendations on whether or not to proceed with strategies for water conservation primarily through the development of a water conservation technology-specific performance contract.

EVENT MARKETING MANAGEMENT – OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTEGRATING INTO COMPANIES’ BUSINESS POLICY

OpenAIRE

Nicoleta Cristache; Micu Adrian; Elena Valentina Basalic; Ema Rusu

2013-01-01

Although the word “event” is one of the world’s 500 most popular words, few people know what event marketing is and how can it help boost business. Event marketing used by marketers in all industries, represents a unique opportunity for conveying specific messages, educating both the external and internal public, generating demand and leads, increasing sales and last but not least for improving companies reputation. By presenting a mix of recent studies, the present paper shows marketers wha...

Electricity in Central Asia: Market and investment opportunity report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-09-15

This WEC report examines the vast interdependent electricity systems of the Central Asian states; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Republic), Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The report outlines the progress of market reform in this region and identifies the potential for investment opportunities.

Renewable energies and the poor: niche or nexus?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, Subhes C.

2006-01-01

Renewable energies are considered as an essential element of any strategy for sustainable energy development. The poor in the developing world without access to modern energies are regarded as a major market for renewable energies. This short paper attempts to analyse whether such a niche is backed by any economic logic and whether renewable energy and the poor nexus could be a strategy for success. The paper suggests that contrary to the common belief, the economic logic behind the niche is unsound and that the nexus is not a recipe for success

Areva T and D market opportunities after the US and EU Blackouts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hakansson, K

2004-02-01

This document presents the events on the transmission systems during August 2003 in Usa and in September 2003 in Italy. The author analyzes the causes of the blackouts (small margins in transmission system, not adequate control, weaknesses in interconnections between regions), the market opportunity arising out of the blackouts, the economic regulatory and environmental structure/issues today and developments, the scenario for Areva after the blackout (the market size today and in the future) and Areva strength in relation to blackout. (A.L.B.) opportunities.

Areva T and D market opportunities after the US and EU Blackouts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakansson, K.

2004-02-01

This document presents the events on the transmission systems during August 2003 in Usa and in September 2003 in Italy. The author analyzes the causes of the blackouts (small margins in transmission system, not adequate control, weaknesses in interconnections between regions), the market opportunity arising out of the blackouts, the economic regulatory and environmental structure/issues today and developments, the scenario for Areva after the blackout (the market size today and in the future) and Areva strength in relation to blackout. (A.L.B.) opportunities

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ITALIAN LABOUR MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balazs-Foldi Emese

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The integration of persons with disabilities and with reduced work capacity in the labour market represents one of the biggest challenges for labour market policies. The non-integration of disabled people in the labour market causes huge costs for the countries’ economy. The European Union’s aim is to transform passive social support into active support by means of labor market policy measures, to help people to obtain gainful employment and to raise employment levels of people with disabilities and with reduced work capacities. Earlier this target group has to work in the sheltered employment. But it changed from the 90’s years because of the social model of disability definition. Nowadays the main goal to help this target group integrates in the open employment. The members of European Union imagine this aim on other way. The Scandinavian countries or England prefer the equal opportunities and the personalised mainstreaming programmes and services. Other European countries, as Germany, Austria or Italy prefer the rehabilitation quota system. Thus, the labor force participation and employment rates for people with disabilities and with reduced working capacities are strong differences between the European countries. But lot of other options also influence the member of countries’ policy and employment system. Since the Amsterdam Treaty the European Union has devoted exceptional attention to the equal opportunities of disabled people, the enforcement of equal treatment, and the reduction of the dangers of discrimination, as it is, a significant part of persons with disabilities and reduced work capacity do not have a full-time job, they become unemployed two or three times more frequently than their abled-counterparts, and dispose of lower salary, therefore they need the help of their family and the community. This study examines the Italian situation. It bases on statistics on the Italian target group and provides comparisons with

YOUTH LABOUR MARKET. MOBILITY, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, INCOMES. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasile Liviu

2011-07-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the main characteristics of the youth labour market, with a special view on mobility, career development and incomes. The paper is substantiated by and continues the researches of the authors on the topic of labour force mobility and on the one of adaptability, respectively on youths' beahviour on labour market (with particular consideration of young graduates highlighting the factors that adjust choices regarding taking up a job, career advancement, labour motivation, professional and personal satisfaction opportunities which are provided by the labour market at local level, in country and abroad. Quantitative and qualitative indicators are presented about Romanian youths' labour market within the European context during the transition period. The impact of the crisis on youths' labour market is analysed, highlighting the challenges and opportunities, the particularities of the newly created jobs and especially the knowledge, skills and competencies requirements (KSC. The authors propose both the improvement of the systems of indicators for defining the potential and presence of youth on the labour market, the economic and social impact of external mobility of young graduates and an integrated scheme of policy measures for promoting adaptability and performance integration on Romanian labour market of youth. Particular attention is paid to presenting policy instruments for halting/diminishing the brain drain and brain shopping phenomena by promoting an attractive (professionally and monetary supply for employment in Romania's local economy. The authors succeed in highlighting the functional links between the education market (labour force supply and labour market (employment demand of the business environment underpinning the requirement of integrated management of labour potential in the years preceding studies' finalization and up to the post-insertion years by multi-criteria analysis models and graduate career tracking

Emerging opportunities: the internet, marketing and museums

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richani Evdoxia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The tremendous impact of applying new technologies is obvious when it comes to museums. Internet forms an integral part of museums everyday life and decision making. Websites, online communities, social media, and mobile applications comprise elements of the modern museum’s digital self, which complements the real museum of permanent and temporary exhibitions, storage rooms, visitors’ facilities, laboratories and, most important, museum objects. This environment inevitably affects museum marketing strategies and creates relevant opportunities.

Small-scale generator opportunities in the competitive supply market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scrivener, G.

1998-01-01

The last franchises for electricity supply held by Public Electricity Suppliers are due to expire early in 1998. As a consequence from then on, after a phased start-up, all electricity consumers will be free to choose their supplier, completing the process of introducing competition into the electricity market which started in 1990 with the privatisation of the Industry. Then the framework by which the industry operates will become very different. This paper will review the changes to the operation of the market and assess the opportunities for small scale embedded generators post 1998. (Author)

Small-scale generator opportunities in the competitive supply market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scrivener, G. [Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU), Harwell (United Kingdom)

1998-07-01

The last franchises for electricity supply held by Public Electricity Suppliers are due to expire early in 1998. As a consequence from then on, after a phased start-up, all electricity consumers will be free to choose their supplier, completing the process of introducing competition into the electricity market which started in 1990 with the privatisation of the Industry. Then the framework by which the industry operates will become very different. This paper will review the changes to the operation of the market and assess the opportunities for small scale embedded generators post 1998. (Author)

Technical Barriers, Gaps, and Opportunities Related to Home Energy Upgrade Market Delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bianchi, M. V. A.

2011-11-01

This report outlines the technical barriers, gaps, and opportunities that arise in executing home energy upgrade market delivery approaches, as identified through research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America program. The objective of this report is to outline the technical1 barriers, gaps, and opportunities that arise in executing home energy upgrade market delivery approaches, as identified through research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building America program. This information will be used to provide guidance for new research necessary to enable the success of the approaches. Investigation for this report was conducted via publications related to home energy upgrade market delivery approaches, and a series of interviews with subject matter experts (contractors, consultants, program managers, manufacturers, trade organization representatives, and real estate agents). These experts specified technical barriers and gaps, and offered suggestions for how the technical community might address them. The potential benefits of home energy upgrades are many and varied: reduced energy use and costs; improved comfort, durability, and safety; increased property value; and job creation. Nevertheless, home energy upgrades do not comprise a large part of the overall home improvement market. Residential energy efficiency is the most complex climate intervention option to deliver because the market failures are many and transaction costs are high (Climate Change Capital 2009). The key reasons that energy efficiency investment is not being delivered are: (1) The opportunity is highly fragmented; and (2) The energy efficiency assets are nonstatus, low-visibility investments that are not properly valued. There are significant barriers to mobilizing the investment in home energy upgrades, including the 'hassle factor' (the time and effort required to identify and secure improvement works), access to financing, and the

Marketing quality and value to the managed care market.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazmirski, G

1998-11-01

Quantifying quality and marketing care delivery have been long-term challenges in the health care market. Insurers, employers, other purchasers of care, and providers face a constant challenge in positioning their organizations in a proactive, competitive niche. Tools that measure patient's self-reported perception of health care needs and expectations have increased the ability to quantify quality of care delivery. When integrated with case management and disease management strategies, outcomes reporting and variance analysis tracking can be packaged to position a provider in a competitive niche.

Market Assessment for Capturing Water Conservation Opportunities in the Federal Sector; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, Graham B; McMordie-Stoughton, Katherine L; Sullivan, Gregory P; Elliott, Douglas B

2001-01-01

The Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is considering the development of a technology-specific Super-Energy Saving Performance Contract (ESPC) for water conservation. Prior to the development however, FEMP requires the completion of a market assessment to better understand the water conservation opportunities and the strategies available for capturing them. Thus, this market assessment has been undertaken to evaluate the water conservation opportunities and answer the key questions necessary for FEMP to make recommendations on whether or not to proceed with strategies for water conservation primarily through the development of a water conservation technology-specific performance contract

The Rise of Market-Based Job Search Institutions and Job Niches for Low-Skilled Chinese Immigrants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zai Liang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Increasingly, market-based job search institutions, such as employment agencies and ethnic media, are playing a more important role than migrant networks for low-skilled Chinese immigrants searching for jobs. We argue that two major factors are driving this trend: the diversification of Chinese immigrants’ provinces of origin, and the spatial diffusion of businesses in the United States owned by Chinese immigrants. We also identify some new niche jobs for Chinese immigrants and assess the extent to which this development is driven by China’s growing prosperity. We use data from multiple sources, including a survey of employment agencies in Manhattan’s Chinatown, job advertisements in Chinese-language newspapers, and information on Chinese immigrant hometown associations in the United States.

In a niche of time: do specialty hospitals outperform general services hospitals?

Science.gov (United States)

Poole, LeJon; Davis, Jullet A; Gunby, Norris W

2013-01-01

Niche hospitals represent a growing segment in the health care industry. Niche facilities are primarily engaged in the treatment of cardiac or orthopedic conditions. The effectiveness of this strategy is of interest because niche hospitals focus on only the most profitable services. The purpose of this research was to assess the financial effectiveness of the niche strategy. We theorize that firm and market-level factors concomitantly with the strategy of the hospital-niche versus traditional-are associated with financial performance. This research used 2 data sources, the 2003 Medicare Cost Report and the 2003 Area Resource File. The sample was limited to only for-profit, urban, nongovernmental hospitals (n = 995). The data were analyzed using hierarchical least squares regression. Financial performance was operationalized using the hospital's return on assets. The principal finding of this project is that niche hospitals had significantly higher performance than traditional facilities. From the organizational perspective, the niche strategy leads to better financial performance. From a societal perspective, the niche strategy provides increased focus and efficiencies through repetition. Despite the limited focus of this strategy, patients who can access these providers may experience better outcomes than patients in more traditional hospitals.

An Essay on Marketing Performance Assessment: Opportunities in the Context of Research Studies in Marketing in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leandro Angotti Guissoni

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Assessing marketing performance is important in order to minimize the subjectivism in the decision making process. Assessing marketing performance is an alternative so marketing will no longer be considered as a tactical area but rather strategically. In this context, research in marketing should investigate the effects of marketing activities by applying metrics. Despite marketing’s growing importance in journals and developed markets, there are few research studies in Brazil, so we organized a theoretical essay. This essay intends to contribute to the marketing literature in two ways: i by presenting a detailed overview of the marketing performance literature from the 1960’s until the year 2012, which allows us to complement previous studies, from a new perspective on the evolution of the central ideas in marketing; ii identifying research opportunities related to this topic that may stimulate debates and future research. 

Development of a laboratory niche Web site.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimenstein, Izak B; Dimenstein, Simon I

2013-10-01

This technical note presents the development of a methodological laboratory niche Web site. The "Grossing Technology in Surgical Pathology" (www.grossing-technology.com) Web site is used as an example. Although common steps in creation of most Web sites are followed, there are particular requirements for structuring the template's menu on methodological laboratory Web sites. The "nested doll principle," in which one object is placed inside another, most adequately describes the methodological approach to laboratory Web site design. Fragmentation in presenting the Web site's material highlights the discrete parts of the laboratory procedure. An optimally minimal triad of components can be recommended for the creation of a laboratory niche Web site: a main set of media, a blog, and an ancillary component (host, contact, and links). The inclusion of a blog makes the Web site a dynamic forum for professional communication. By forming links and portals, cloud computing opens opportunities for connecting a niche Web site with other Web sites and professional organizations. As an additional source of information exchange, methodological laboratory niche Web sites are destined to parallel both traditional and new forms, such as books, journals, seminars, webinars, and internal educational materials. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A New World for Museum Marketing? Facing the Old Dilemmas while Challenging New Market Opportunities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanja Komarac

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Museums are part of a wider cultural and entertainment environment, which is ruled by highly demanding visitors who seek immersive experiences (edutainment and time-saving arrangement. This has encouraged and, in some opinions, forced museums to turn their focus from collections to visitors. In addition, museums have faced competition and new technologies in the form of virtual museums and virtual reality. This has emphasized the need to accept marketing as a survival tool and to make it into a link between museums and visitors. This article attempts to give current insights into museum marketing as part of the arts marketing field. Its aim is also to identify and explain some of the major challenges and opportunities facing everyday museum business, in order to provide insight into the complex world of museum marketing. Former findings about the development of museum marketing and its biggest changes and challenges are presented, summarized and analyzed.

IAC Jabola and IAC Esperança: common bean cultivars for market niches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alisson Fernando Chiorato

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In Brazil, the trade of common beans with specialty grains such as Jalo, Bolinha, Jabola, Vermelho, Rajado,Branco, Pintado and Canário is still considered a niche market when compared to the carioca and black grain types.However, the cultivation of these beans has proved promising as an alternative income source for farmers, since it offers adifferentiated and more valuable product. IAC-Jabola and IAC-Esperança were developed by the Instituto AgronômicoCampinas (IAC in view of their excellent grain type, plant size and higher mean yield than the standard control Jalo Precoce.The IAC had these cultivars registered in MAPA/RNC based on results of 24 VCU trials in 2005/2006/2007, in the state of SãoPaulo. The yield of IAC Jabola was 2124 kg ha-1, 2336 kg ha-1, and 2558 kg ha-1, in the rainy, dry and winter seasons,respectively. The IAC- Esperança produced 1718 kg ha-1, 1545 kg ha-1, and 2263 kg ha-1 in the rainy, dry and winter seasons,respectively.

The Web 2.0 as Marketing Tool: Opportunities for SMEs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Constantinides, Efthymios

2008-01-01

The new generation of Internet applications widely known as Social Media or Web 2.0 offers corporations a whole range of opportunities for improving their marketing efficiency and internal operations. Web 2.0 applications have already become part of the daily life of an increasing number of

Where will the buying and opportunities be in Ontario's competitive power market?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mackay, B.

1999-01-01

This presentation reviewed some aspects of: (1) competition in market supply, (2) competition in the retail business, (3) improving the odds as a retailer, (4) improving the odds as a large customer, (5) lessons learned from elsewhere, and (6) getting ready for the new marketplace. The comments are based on experiences gained by TransAlta Energy Marketing Corporation from New Zealand, as they might relate to the situation in Ontario. The fact remains that power generation in Ontario is currently dominated by one supplier, which makes true competition rather difficult. New suppliers are also needed because nuclear generation lacks full public confidence and there are many environmental concerns regarding coal-fired generation in urban areas. Also, there are weak transmission links with adjoining markets. New suppliers can help by bringing attractive supply technologies that are competitive in 'market-sized' chunks, while new power marketers can help by providing insights and capabilities which customers and smaller producers would otherwise have to develop, by linking electricity markets with other energy markets and financial markets to create more opportunities, and by taking on electricity market risks which customers and and producers would otherwise have to address. The choices facing municipal electric utilities, issues relating to competition in the retail business, including such fundamentals as understanding the de-regulation process and the opportunities and risks of the new situation, are reviewed. As far as lessons learned from elsewhere are concerned, the important things are that customers expect reliability, 'wires' must not subsidize 'retail', competition laws must be robust and fast acting, and costs must be reduced and services improved

Market opportunities in Canada for multimedia residential services in rural and small urban areas

Science.gov (United States)

Shariatmadar, Mehran; Narasimhan, Vasantha

1995-01-01

This paper reviews the studies which were undertaken jointly by Telesat and Industry Canada to provide an estimate of the market opportunities for residential multi-media services in the rural and small urban areas of Canada. This study is part of the Advanced Satcom program, a Ka-band satellite system proposal which is currently in the implementation proposal phase by the government and the Canadian space industry of which Telesat is an active member. Advanced Satcom extends the reach of terrestrial information highways to the remote and sparsely populated parts of the country in a cost-effective manner and thus provides a ubiquitous coverage of the information highways to all Canadians. Therefore, the rural and small urban markets are believed to be good opportunities for the Advanced Satcom. Although the results are primarily intended for fixed residential applications, they can also be used as input to market opportunity studies for wideband mobile applications.

Innovative Marketing Strategies for National Industrial Flagships: Brand Repositioning for Accessing Upscale Markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Todiras, A.; Nijkamp, P.; Rafijeras, S.

2011-01-01

Product and process innovations are generally regarded as strategic competitive vehicles in industry. Identifying and conquering new market niches through focused marketing approaches - by emphasising new product qualities in mature markets - has become a very appropriate innovation strategy. This

Internet of Things in Marketing: Opportunities and Security Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Abashidze, Irakli; Dąbrowski, Marcin

2016-12-01

Internet of Things (IoT) affects different areas of human activities: everyday life of ordinary citizens, work style of marketing teams, factories and even entire cities. Large companies try to implement the technology in their marketing strategy that reshapes not only communication style and product promotion but consumers' expectations, perceptions and requirements towards companies. IoT is expected to become a huge network that will encompass not only smart devices but significantly influence humans' behavior, in this particular case - decision making style in different phases of purchase process. Therefore, the need for comprehensive scientific research is necessary. The issue needs to be reviewed from various points of view, such as opportunities, advantages, disadvantages, legal and technical considerations. The paper is an attempt to review different aspects of using Internet of Things for marketing purposes, identify some of the major problems and present possible ways of solution.

Residential customer-sited photovoltaics markets 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herig, C.; Thomas, H.; Perez, R.; Wenger, H.

1999-01-01

Nearly three years ago, the authors published the paper, Niche Markets for Grid Connected Photovoltaics. The paper identified target market niches for Customer-Sited Photovoltaics (CSPV), on a state-by-state basis for the US. The paper demonstrated cost-effective, grid-connected, domestic markets existed and identified those showing the most near-term promise. Many financial and policy attributes effecting the economics of CSPV have changed since the previous paper was published. Incorporating these policy changes into the analysis expands the CSPV market from a niche status to an era of significance. The number of states with break-even turnkey costs (BTC) above four dollars per watt expanded from five to fifteen. The top five state market values are now above a break-even cost of seven dollars per watt, a value at which the domestic CSPV market moves beyond a break-even status to consumer savings or industry profit, depending on system price. Emissions mitigation values were also included in the paper, but did not significantly effect the break-even market value results. The paper presents the details of the data, analysis, and results

THE DYNAMICS OF THE TEXTILE MARKET. ANALYTICAL REFERENCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliona CERNOVA

2013-12-01

Full Text Available During the transition to a market economy, the state of many countries’ economies and the international textile industry face considerable challenges. There are many uncertainties surrounding the global textile market, exacerbated by gloomy predictions that for a decade should have been eliminated, resulting in “free” trade flows. There is no doubt that manufacturers which have created niche markets will be better positioned to compete in the global marketplace and achieve higher margins for products while yielding greater profitability. This paper is an introduction of a reasearch that examines how some textile market niches have evolved. The goal of this paper is research and the role that textile niche markets will play by 2025. Specific objectives are: to give a broad overview of various trade theories, including classical, neo-classical, post-neo-classical, and modern, in order to determine what are the possibilities for development and protection. In particular, emphasis will be focused the special problems, due to the vector exchanges and commercial conjuncture, to illustrate how traditional marketing methods differ from market to market and to examine what role will play niche markets in the textiles industry and textile apparel industry in 2050. The results of this research study will help formulate a business strategy that can be used in market capitalization and will provide a framework for research for textile researchers at a global level.

Gazlı İçecek Sektörü ve Gazoz Pazarındaki KOBİ’ler İçin Niş Pazarlamasına Bir Örnek(A Sample of The Applıcatıon of Niche Marketing by SMEs In The Soda and Carbonated Beverages Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Canan AY

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME rarely find themselves in distress like the ones do in carbonated beverages market. The reasons for that may be the market dominance of a few gigantic firms in terms of control and market share, and the disability of resource-limited SMEs in responding to market needs due to the competitive structure of the industry. In this paper we try to show how a local soda pop company can better deal with the challenges in its market through niche marketing.

EVENT MARKETING MANAGEMENT – OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTEGRATING INTO COMPANIES’ BUSINESS POLICY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicoleta Cristache

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Although the word “event” is one of the world’s 500 most popular words, few people know what event marketing is and how can it help boost business. Event marketing used by marketers in all industries, represents a unique opportunity for conveying specific messages, educating both the external and internal public, generating demand and leads, increasing sales and last but not least for improving companies reputation. By presenting a mix of recent studies, the present paper shows marketers what to pursue when organizing such an event so that the rate of investment return to be as high as possible. As it can be seen, this paper shows that people do share their experiences be they positive or negative, aspect which helps boosting brands if event marketing is well planned and organized. How does event marketing look like and what efforts are required to achieve the desired results will be revealed in the current research.

INTERNET OF THINGS IN MARKETING: OPPORTUNITIES AND SECURITY ISSUES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irakli ABASHIDZE

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Internet of Things (IoT affects different areas of human activities: everyday life of ordinary citizens, work style of mar-keting teams, factories and even entire cities. Large companies try to implement the technology in their marketing strat-egy that reshapes not only communication style and product promotion but consumers’ expectations, perceptions and requirements towards companies. IoT is expected to become a huge network that will encompass not only smart devic-es but significantly influence humans’ behavior, in this particular case – decision making style in different phases of pur-chase process. Therefore, the need for comprehensive scientific research is necessary. The issue needs to be reviewed from various points of view, such as opportunities, advantages, disadvantages, legal and technical considerations. The paper is an attempt to review different aspects of using Internet of Things for marketing purposes, identify some of the major problems and present possible ways of solution.

Toward a Periodic Table of Niches, or Exploring the Lizard Niche Hypervolume.

Science.gov (United States)

Pianka, Eric R; Vitt, Laurie J; Pelegrin, Nicolás; Fitzgerald, Daniel B; Winemiller, Kirk O

2017-11-01

Widespread niche convergence suggests that species can be organized according to functional trait combinations to create a framework analogous to a periodic table. We compiled ecological data for lizards to examine patterns of global and regional niche diversification, and we used multivariate statistical approaches to develop the beginnings for a periodic table of niches. Data (50+ variables) for five major niche dimensions (habitat, diet, life history, metabolism, defense) were compiled for 134 species of lizards representing 24 of the 38 extant families. Principal coordinates analyses were performed on niche dimensional data sets, and species scores for the first three axes were used as input for a principal components analysis to ordinate species in continuous niche space and for a regression tree analysis to separate species into discrete niche categories. Three-dimensional models facilitate exploration of species positions in relation to major gradients within the niche hypervolume. The first gradient loads on body size, foraging mode, and clutch size. The second was influenced by metabolism and terrestrial versus arboreal microhabitat. The third was influenced by activity time, life history, and diet. Natural dichotomies are activity time, foraging mode, parity mode, and habitat. Regression tree analysis identified 103 cases of extreme niche conservatism within clades and 100 convergences between clades. Extending this approach to other taxa should lead to a wider understanding of niche evolution.

24 CFR 511.13 - Nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative marketing requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... consist of good faith efforts to provide information and otherwise to attract eligible persons from all.... The grantee shall annually assess the affirmative marketing program to determine: Good faith efforts..., use of the Equal Housing Opportunity logotype or slogan, display of fair housing poster); (iii...

Market profile and conservation opportunity assessment for large industrial operations in Ontario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keyes, C.; Balbaa, I.; Cuthbert, D.; Young, D.

2006-01-01

In view of the expected electricity shortages in Ontario, there is an urgent need for not only new supply but also a significant increase in conservation and load shifting efforts. This report presented the results of a study focused on key technology or market areas that presented opportunities for implementation of energy efficient measures. The materials, analytical results, and outcomes of the study could be utilized as a framework for developing future program delivery models. The report provided a comprehensive market analysis for large industrial operations in Ontario. A market profile was presented for the following sectors: mining; pulp and paper; iron and steel; the chemical industry; petroleum refining; motor vehicle, body and parts manufacturing; cement; and food. Opportunities for conservation and demand management were identified. The report also presented an analysis and recommendations for energy conservation demand management and demand response applicable to large industry. Examples of programs in other jurisdictions in Canada as well as the United States were discussed. 34 refs., 7 tabs., 23 figs., 1 appendix.

Classification and comparison of niche services for developing strategy of medical tourism in Asian countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hung-chi; Kuo, Hsin-chih; Chung, Kuo-Piao; Chang, Sophia; Su, Syi; Yang, Ming-chin

2010-01-01

Medical tourism is a new trend in medical service. It is booming not only in Asian countries but also in European and South American countries. Worldwide competition of medical service is expected in the future, and niche service will be a "trademark" for the promotion of global medicine. Niche service also functions for market segmentation. Niche services are usually surgical procedures. A study was carried out to compare different strategies for developing medical tourism in Asian countries. The role of a niche service is evaluated in the initiation and further development of medical tourism for individual countries. From this study, a general classification was proposed in terms of treatment procedures. It can be used as a useful guideline for additional studies in medical tourism. Niche service plays the following roles in the development of medical tourism: (1) It attracts attention in the mass media and helps in subsequent promotion of business, (2) it exerts pressure on the hospital, which must improve the quality of health care provided in treating foreign patients, especially the niche services, and (3) it is a tool for setting up the business model. E-Da Hospital is an example for developing medical tourism in Taiwan. A side effect is that niche service brings additional foreign patients, which will contribute to the benefit of the hospital, but this leaves less room for treating domestic patients. A niche service is a means of introduction for entry into the market of medical tourism. How to create a successful story is important for the development of a niche service. When a good reputation has been established, the information provided on the Internet can last for a long time and can spread internationally to form a distinguished mark for further development. Niche services can be classified into 3 categories: (1) Low-risk procedures with large price differences and long stay after retirement; (2) high-risk procedures with less of a price difference

Technical Barriers, Gaps,and Opportunities Related to Home Energy Upgrade Market Delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bianchi, Marcus V.A. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2011-11-01

This report outlines the technical barriers, gaps, and opportunities that arise in executing home energy upgrade market delivery approaches, as identified through research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America program.

Business, market and intellectual property analysis of polymer solar cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damgaard Nielsen, Torben; Cruickshank, C.; Foged, S.

2010-01-01

and manufacturing cost leaves little room for competition on the thin film photovoltaic market. However, polymer solar cells do enable the competitive manufacture of low cost niche products and is viewed as financially viable in its currently available form in a large volume approximation. Finally, it is found......The business potential of polymer solar cells is reviewed and the market opportunities analyzed on the basis of the currently reported and projected performance and manufacturing cost of polymer solar cells. Possible new market areas are identified and described. An overview of the present patent...... and intellectual property situation is also given and a patent map of polymer solar cells is drawn in a European context. It is found that the business potential of polymer solar cells is large when taking the projections for future performance into account while the currently available performance...

International and Domestic Market Opportunities for Biomass Power: Volumes I and II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1998-09-01

This report examines the domestic and international markets for biopower. Domestic and foreign markets present fundamentally different challenges to private power developers. Volume I focuses on the domestic market for biopower. The domestic challenge lies in finding economically viable opportunities for biopower. Vol. I outlines the current state of the U.S. biomass industry, discusses policies affecting biomass development, describes some demonstration projects currently underway, and discusses the future direction of the industry. Volume II focuses on the international market for biopower. Recent literature states that the electricity investment and policy climate in foreign markets are the key elements in successful private project development. Vol. II discusses the financing issues, policy climate, and business incentives and barriers to biopower development. As India and China are the largest future markets for biopower, they are the focus of this volume. Three other top markets- -Brazil, Indonesia, and the Philippines--are also discussed. Potential financial resources wrap up the discussion.

The medical record entrepreneur: a future of opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Dietz, M S; Nath, D D

1989-06-01

In summary, medical record practitioners can become successful entrepreneurs with the right motivation. It will be important to overcome the fear and inertia inherent in any bold new venture, to find our "niche," to assume the roles of explorer, artist, judge, and champion, as well as to encourage and promote our development within an organization or in a business of our own. Medical record entrepreneurs need to evaluate and understand current and potential consumers, their current needs, perceptions, and future needs. Entrepreneurs should capitalize on strengths, develop innovative marketing approaches, and apply them. In the current climate of the health care industry, there is a myriad of entrepreneurial opportunities available to the medical record profession. It all begins with the individual.

Opportunities for District Heating Systems in Ukraine. Market survey. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brienen, M.

2011-12-15

The market survey should identify the existing and future opportunities for Dutch companies in the district heating sector in Ukraine, facilitate better understanding of the sector specifics by providing a complete picture on the whole district heating chain at specific cities mentioned and surrounding areas, and provide practical information on the best ways to enter this market segment by Dutch companies. The points of special interest are: (a) Analysis of main types of district heating chain in terms of the key stakeholders and their interest; Identification of the cases where the whole chain is under control (if any); Identification of the main directions of change within the existing set-up; (b) Analysis of the pricing model(s) and the procedures for setting up the prices for district heating; Identification of the main influencers on the decision making; (c) Identification of the main opportunities to use renewable energy for heating systems in Ukraine; and (d) Identification of the Dutch clusters with appropriate products, services and knowledge which can be used to achieve optimal results with district heating systems in Ukraine. Another important reason to execute this market survey is the 2g at-sign thereprogramme 'Ukraine-sustainable energy'. One of the consortia supported under the 2g at-sign there programme, is called NUSEP, Netherlands Ukrainian Sustainable Energy Platform. Under this platform 15-20 Dutch companies and institutes have joined forces. All of these companies and institutes are active in the field of(sustainable) energy. In short, the district heating sector in Ukraine offers many opportunities for Dutch companies. This survey will help Dutch companies to do business in Ukraine. The market research has been executed at both national level (where relevant concerns) and is specifically focused on the following cities and surrounding area: Kiev; Poltava; Kamyanets-Podilsky; Kovel; Lviv; Zhytomyr. Since the major developments in

Exploring E-marketing Opportunities for Exporting Education Services : Case HAAGA-HELIA Global Education Services

OpenAIRE

Gómez , Julio

2013-01-01

This Bachelor’s thesis examines online marketing opportunities for exporting education programs and education consulting services from Finland and internationally. The objective of the study is to determine how is the current B2B environment in e-marketing communications. The purpose of this research is to provide useful information on e-marketing strategies that would benefit HAAGA-HELIA Global Education Services (HAAGA-HELIA GES). This study consists of a theoretical section tha...

Technology Transfer Strategies for Creating Growth Opportunities in Frontier Markets of Sub-Saharan Africa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Ulrik B.

In the past decade, Africa has developed from being an extremely impoverished continent with discouraging prospects to a more promising destination and home to some of the fastest growing Frontier Market economies. Approximately 75% of Africans rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, making...... to create growth opportunities in Frontier Markets of Sub-Saharan Africa....

Proceedings of the CANBIO workshop on Canadian bioenergy : export markets vs. domestic business opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

While there is a strong European demand for bioenergy products such as wood pellets, Canadian bioenergy markets remain relatively subdued. Organized by the Canadian Bioenergy Association, this workshop explored various national and international development opportunities for wood residue and bioenergy products. BioOil markets in Europe were considered as a potential market for Canadian bioenergy products. Various European and Canadian incentive programs and research initiatives were outlined. New technologies in bioenergy refinement practices were explored and new development in syngas production techniques were introduced. It was suggested that district heating programs and gasification fuels may provide new domestic markets for bioenergy products. Resource opportunities in the electricity sector were evaluated, and wood residue production trends in Canada were examined. It was noted that the mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation in British Columbia (BC) has increased wood residue production surpluses in the province, which has resulted in increased sawmill activity. Sixteen presentations were given at this workshop, 4 of which were catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Opportunities of Establishment of Destination Management and Marketing Organizations in Bulgaria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venelin Terziev

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The paper examines tourism sector development in the Republic of Bulgaria in the context of the country’s strategic priorities till 2020 of knowledge-based economy, sustainable growth and smart specialization, the opportunities for its integration with agri-food sector and potential contribution to balanced rural development. The principles and roles of destination management and marketing organizations are discussed and the opportunities for their application in the national conditions are explored. A framework for of establishment, management and functioning of such organizations is proposed based on integrated and participatory approaches, planning, coordination and communication activities, permanent monitoring and controlling.

Market profile and conservation opportunity assessment for small businesses in Ontario : final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-05-30

This report discussed the results of a study that analysed electric energy efficiency, fuel substitution and demand response (CDM) opportunities for small and medium-sized commercial enterprises (SME) in Ontario and made recommendations. The report first provided a market overview of the SME. It addressed the study methodology, building inventory, electricity use and performance, and interpretation of results. Next, the report provided market profiles of priority sub-sectors. These included: office, food retail, food service, shopping malls, as well as an interpretation of results. A stakeholder assessment and energy management opportunity assessment were then provided. Insight into the experience of other jurisdictions relating to energy conservation were also addressed. Last, the report presented recommendations. It was concluded that, the SME Commercial sector demonstrated good potential for energy conservation and demand management. tabs., figs.

European Retail Payments Market: New Opportunities to Mergers and Acquisition Transactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lina Novickytė

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Most of European banks will not be able to allocate funds successfully participating in the SEPA. Some of them have to look for opportunities to reduce the cost in collaboration with other institutions in the execution of the payment or provision of services to carry out transmission of the third party. The other part will have to find a merger partner. In future there can be more active participants in the market lead to acquisitions. In order to assess possible changes in the payment market, noted that its participants – service providers – consolidation will be inevitable. The assessment of the Lithuanian bank sector shows that banks with the parent banks that invest and develop the activities of subsidiaries of banks, are likely to remain in the market. However, banks that are not ready to participate and get involved in a single market, will be taken over or disappear.Article in Lithuanian

Educational Systems and the Trade-Off between Labor Market Allocation and Equality of Educational Opportunity

Science.gov (United States)

Bol, Thijs; van de Werfhorst, Herman G.

2013-01-01

Educational systems with a high level of tracking and vocational orientation have been shown to improve the allocation of school-leavers in the labor market. However, tracked educational systems are also known to increase inequality of educational opportunity. This presumed trade-off between equality and labor market preparation is clearly rooted…

NEW OPPORTUNITIES ON THE MARKET OF MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS FOR 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina MOLDOVAN-MADAN

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Mergers and acquisitions activity at global level could begin during 2014. Confidence in the economic environment, the availability of cash and credit, the restoration of confidence in local economies – all of these factors signals new opportunities on mergers and acquisitions market. However, caution still dominate this area and this is understandable, given the occurring of unprecedented economic crisis. In this context, the market remains very sensitive to geopolitical issues - any shock could extend short-term interruptions of the flow of transactions. However, while organic growth measures only provide diminishing returns, mergers and acquisitions activity may be the only practical way of increasing for companies.

The Italian Green Certificates market between uncertainty and opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lorenzoni, Arturo

2003-01-01

With the overall reform of the electricity industry in 1999, Italy has started the implementation of a new support mechanism for renewable energy sources that is based upon a Green Certificates market. Such certificates will be delivered for 8 years for electricity production to renewable power plants commissioned after 31 March 1999. All the electricity production based on non-renewable energy sources and import have an obligation to cover 2% of its total with Green Certificates. This support mechanism is open to foreign production, but only from countries with reciprocal opportunities for Italian production. The new market has formally started on January 2002, even if some important rules have not yet been defined. This paper describes the new support mechanism, investigates the critical aspects for its activation and shows some possible trends for the quantity of the supplied certificates and their prices in the coming years

The Web 2.0 as Marketing Tool: Opportunities for SMEs

OpenAIRE

Constantinides, Efthymios

2008-01-01

The new generation of Internet applications widely known as Social Media or Web 2.0 offers corporations a whole range of opportunities for improving their marketing efficiency and internal operations. Web 2.0 applications have already become part of the daily life of an increasing number of consumers who regard them as prime channels of communication, information exchange, sharing of expertise, dissemination of individual creativity and entertainment. Web logs, podcasts, online forums and soc...

Marketing small animal theriogenology services--one perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Barber, J A

2007-08-01

Once a decision is made to add small animal theriogenology services to a practice, marketing strategies must be developed and implemented to attract clients to the new services. Marketing strategies for the niche market of theriogenology include start-up marketing methods, referral programs, internal marketing, and continued marketing. Marketing theriogenology services is a dynamic, ongoing process that never ends.

Stochastic Dominance and Omega Ratio: Measures to Examine Market Efficiency, Arbitrage Opportunity, and Anomaly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Guo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Both stochastic dominance and Omegaratio can be used to examine whether the market is efficient, whether there is any arbitrage opportunity in the market and whether there is any anomaly in the market. In this paper, we first study the relationship between stochastic dominance and the Omega ratio. We find that second-order stochastic dominance (SD and/or second-order risk-seeking SD (RSD alone for any two prospects is not sufficient to imply Omega ratio dominance insofar that the Omega ratio of one asset is always greater than that of the other one. We extend the theory of risk measures by proving that the preference of second-order SD implies the preference of the corresponding Omega ratios only when the return threshold is less than the mean of the higher return asset. On the other hand, the preference of the second-order RSD implies the preference of the corresponding Omega ratios only when the return threshold is larger than the mean of the smaller return asset. Nonetheless, first-order SD does imply Omega ratio dominance. Thereafter, we apply the theory developed in this paper to examine the relationship between property size and property investment in the Hong Kong real estate market. We conclude that the Hong Kong real estate market is not efficient and there are expected arbitrage opportunities and anomalies in the Hong Kong real estate market. Our findings are useful for investors and policy makers in real estate.

Bestsellers dominate the market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koenemann, Detlef

2010-07-01

The strong market growth of the past years has led to certain turbine types achieving very high numbers of units sold. As a result, the leading manufacturers are becoming ever more dominant, and many smaller manufacturers are beng required to seek their success in market niches. (orig.)

40 Is the New 65? Older Adults and Niche Targeting Strategies in the Online Dating Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derek Blackwell

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Niche dating sites have become a popular trend in the online dating industry; yet, little is known about the specialization strategies these sites use to cater to their users’ needs. Moreover, previous research alludes to the idea that many of these sites may be engaging in pseudo-individualization—a deceptive technique that creates an illusion of specialization. This study focuses on niche dating sites for older adults, one of the fastest growing niches in online dating. Through a qualitative content analysis and close reading of older-adult dating sites, I seek to determine how and to what extent online dating sites that target older adults actually customize their services to benefit this population. Three key findings emerge: (1 the use of mass segmentation, a strategy that combines elements of both mass marketing and market segmentation; (2 a strategic broadening of the boundaries of the older-adult niche; and (3 the use of deceptive advertising to attract users. These findings suggest that older-adult dating sites are, in fact, engaging in pseudo-individualization. They also highlight some of the unique aspects of online media that facilitate this practice. Implications for both online daters and site producers are discussed.

E-COMMERCE MARKET AND PERSPECTIVES FOR THE REVERSE COMMERCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michał Laskowski

2015-12-01

Full Text Available E-commerce has been evolving from being a purely niche phenomenon to owning a vital share in economies of developed countries. Growth of such distribution and sales channel has been highly correlated with technological improvements penetrating modern societies. Today we stand in front of new ideas, adoption barriers and profit opportunities. There are a few trends ready to take off in the near future, one of them is the idea of reverse e-commerce, which is engaging the consumer even more into a highly personalized buying process. Nevertheless, every new idea needs the suitable time and place to launch. The purpose of this analysis is to verify prospects for the reverse e-commerce, which has a huge market potential. Reverse e-Commerce has every chance of becoming a new, still undiscovered now, marketing channel.

Why developmental niche construction is not selective niche construction: and why it matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Stotz, Karola

2017-10-06

In the last decade, niche construction has been heralded as the neglected process in evolution. But niche construction is just one way in which the organism's interaction with and construction of the environment can have potential evolutionary significance. The constructed environment does not just select for , it also produces new variation. Nearly 3 decades ago, and in parallel with Odling-Smee's article 'Niche-constructing phenotypes', West and King introduced the 'ontogenetic niche' to give the phenomena of exo genetic inheritance a formal name. Since then, a range of fields in the life sciences and medicine has amassed evidence that parents influence their offspring by means other than DNA (parental effects), and proposed mechanisms for how heritable variation can be environmentally induced and developmentally regulated. The concept of 'developmental niche construction' (DNC) elucidates how a diverse range of mechanisms contributes to the transgenerational transfer of developmental resources. My most central of claims is that whereas the selective niche of niche construction theory is primarily used to explain the active role of the organism in its selective environment, DNC is meant to indicate the active role of the organism in its developmental environment. The paper highlights the differences between the construction of the selective and the developmental niche, and explores the overall significance of DNC for evolutionary theory.

Stitch the niche - a practical philosophy and visual schematic for the niche concept

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McInerny, Greg J.; Etienne, Rampal S.

2012-01-01

By over-focusing on precise definitions, ecology has produced a confused idea of the niche concept. This, our second paper, develops a practical philosophy for the niche that approaches the concept at the correct level of abstraction. We deconstruct the niche into effect and response components and

Periarteriolar Glioblastoma Stem Cell Niches Express Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche Proteins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hira, Vashendriya V. V.; Wormer, Jill R.; Kakar, Hala; Breznik, Barbara; van der Swaan, Britt; Hulsbos, Renske; Tigchelaar, Wikky; Tonar, Zbynek; Khurshed, Mohammed; Molenaar, Remco J.; van Noorden, Cornelis J. F.

2018-01-01

In glioblastoma, a fraction of malignant cells consists of therapy-resistant glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) residing in protective niches that recapitulate hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niches in bone marrow. We have previously shown that HSC niche proteins stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α),

Digital Dividend Aware Business Models for the Creative Industries: Challenges and Opportunities in EU Markets

Science.gov (United States)

Cossiavelou, Vassiliki

EU counties have a historically unique opportunity to enable their creative industries to promote the knowledge societies, applying new business models to their media content and networks markets, that are digital dividend (DD) aware. This new extra-media gatekeeping factor could shape new alliances and co operations among the member states and the global media markets, as well.

Market opportunities for kitchen cabinets made from Alaska hardwoods: a synthesis and review of recent research.

Science.gov (United States)

David L. Nicholls; Maria C. Stiefel

2007-01-01

The kitchen cabinet industry has shown significant growth recently, with expanding residential markets, new cabinet styles, and larger kitchens. This industry represents an opportunity for small Alaska wood producers to create high-value secondary products. In response to recent trends in kitchen cabinet manufacturing and the need to identify opportunities for...

The Fluctuation Niche in Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaume Terradas

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Classical approaches to niche in coexisting plants have undervalued temporal fluctuations. We propose that fluctuation niche is an important dimension of the total niche and interacts with habitat and life-history niches to provide a better understanding of the multidimensional niche space where ecological interactions occur. To scale a fluctuation niche, it is necessary to relate environmental constrictions or species performance not only to the absolute values of the usual environmental and ecophysiological variables but also to their variances or other measures of variability. We use Mediterranean plant communities as examples, because they present characteristic large seasonal and interannual fluctuations in water and nutrient availabilities, along an episodic-constant gradient, and because the plant responses include a number of syndromes coupled to this gradient.

The Fluctuation Niche in Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terradas, J.; Penuelas, J.; Lloret, F.; Penuelas, J.

2009-01-01

Classical approaches to niche in coexisting plants have undervalued temporal fluctuations. We propose that fluctuation niche is an important dimension of the total niche and interacts with habitat and life-history niches to provide a better understanding of the multidimensional niche space where ecological interactions occur. To scale a fluctuation niche, it is necessary to relate environmental constrictions or species performance not only to the absolute values of the usual environmental and eco physiological variables but also to their variances or other measures of variability. We use Mediterranean plant communities as examples, because they present characteristic large seasonal and inter annual fluctuations in water and nutrient availabilities, along an episodic-constant gradient, and because the plant responses include a number of syndromes coupled to this gradient.

THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE SOFTWARE MARKET: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR BRAZILIAN COMPANIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar Roberto Burzynski

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the potential for internationalization of the Brazilian software industry from the perspective of software developers and service providers. The purpose of the study conducted was to better understand the way Brazilian software companies relate to the international software market by comparing the perceptions of entrepreneurs and those of government agency officials responsible for increasing Brazil's participation in the international software market. Data collection took place by means of semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs and government agency officials. The data gathered was subjected to content analysis. Results show that Brazilian software companies perform poorly with regard to levels of exporting their products and services for a number of reasons, among which the most outstanding is that they still think that the internal market offers enough challenges and opportunities.

Local Food Marketing as a Development Opportunity for Small UK Agri-Food Businesses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Hingley

2010-10-01

Full Text Available  The study explores local food as a marketing opportunity for small food producers and identifies barriers to development. Research was conducted primarily through depth interviews, supplemented by a survey of food marketing group members in North-West England. The results of this local study were consistent with national survey data showing increasing consumer interest in food provenance, traceability and support for the local economy. Lack of an official and recognised definition of the term "local food" hindered marketing. Restricted access to finance and the burden of regulations were identified as barriers. Further, small business success was subjective and difficult to identify, since goals may be based on sustaining a lifestyle rather than profit.

Government regulation versus market orientation in social housing management : Limitations and opportunities of European and Australian landlords

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nieboer, N.; Gruis, V.H.

2005-01-01

In the past ten to twenty years, governments in various countries have introduced or reinforced market principles in their housing systems. As a consequence, social landlords have increased opportunities to adopt a more market-oriented approach towards the management of their housing stock.

Impact of personal competencies and market value of type of occupation over objective employability and perceived career opportunities of young professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Bargsted

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The research of employability shows tension in the social field of career, where variables such as market value, gender, and personal skills are important. The aim of this study was to identify the predicted weight of market value of type of occupation, sex, and career competences (self-efficacy, pro-activity, and locus of control over objective employability and perceived opportunities for a future career and satisfaction of young professionals. In this study, 294 graduates from 27 different undergraduate degree programs participated, describing their labor situation, satisfaction with career opportunities, and their level in the studied competences. Each type of occupation has a specific market value score, according to national and international criteria. It was possible to identify that the market value of their occupations had significant effects on objective employability (p < .000, f = .48. Also, self-efficacy and locus of control were significant predictors of perceived employability opportunities (p < .000, f = .26. This predictive value of personal variables was different between males (p = .011, f = .82, and females (p < .000, f = .34, and between occupations with low market value (p=.016, f=.45, medium market value (p < .000, f = .34, and high market value (p = .006, f = .21, which allows the development of specific intervention strategies to promote equality in labor opportunities and job placement.

An introduction to niche construction theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Laland, Kevin; Matthews, Blake; Feldman, Marcus W

Niche construction refers to the modification of selective environments by organisms. Theoretical and empirical studies of niche construction are increasing in importance as foci in evolutionary ecology. This special edition presents theoretical and empirical research that illustrates the significance of niche construction to the field. Here we set the scene for the following papers by (1) discussing the history of niche construction research, (2) providing clear definitions that distinguish niche construction from related concepts such as ecosystem engineering and the extended phenotype, (3) providing a brief summary of the findings of niche construction research, (4) discussing the contribution of niche construction and ecological inheritance to (a) expanded notions of inheritance, and (b) the extended evolutionary synthesis, and (5) briefly touching on some of the issues that underlie the controversies over niche construction.

Opportunities and issues in international photovoltaic market development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, R.; Arent, D.; Baldwin, S. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)] [and others

1996-05-01

The confluence of technology development and market readiness is opening up major business opportunities for photovoltaic (PV) systems throughout the developing world. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories in Abuquerque (Sandia), working on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy, have launched pilot projects in several countries throughout the world over the past 3 years. The focus of these pilot projects has been the development of in-country institutional capabilities necessary to deliver the promise of PV electricity to the rural populations. In addition to country-specific activities, NREL is conducting several technology, information, and partnership projects focused on further accelerating the education, training, business, and technology developments necessary to bridge the gap between promise and reality. This paper summarizes these efforts.

Opportunities and issues in international photovoltaic market development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, R.; Arent, D.; Baldwin, S.

1996-01-01

The confluence of technology development and market readiness is opening up major business opportunities for photovoltaic (PV) systems throughout the developing world. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (Sandia), working on behalf of the US Department of Energy, have launched pilot projects in several countries throughout the world over the past 3 years. The focus of these pilot projects has been the development of in-country institutional capabilities necessary to deliver the promise of PV electricity to the rural populations. In addition to country-specific activities, NREL is conducting several technology, information, and partnership projects focused on further accelerating the education, training, business, and technology developments necessary to bridge the gap between promise and reality. This paper summarizes these efforts

Capitalizing on new opportunities in Canada's emerging midstream : processing, transportation, marketing, NGL, storage : proceedings of a Canadian Institute conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

Text or speaking notes used at a conference to examine the challenges and opportunities facing Canada's midstream petroleum and natural gas industry are contained in this volume. A total of eight 8 papers were presented, focusing on the wide range of business opportunities that do not fit into the core functions of the upstream business (exploration and production), or into the core functions of the downstream business (distribution and retail marketing). One of the biggest opportunities lies in the development of storage facilities for the natural gas industry. Other aspects of the midstream business addressed included processing, transportation, marketing, and natural gas liquids. tabs., figs

Technology learning in a global - local perspective: - the interplay between technology diffusion, niche markets and experience curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinsen, Thomas

2010-01-01

Preventing dangerous global climate change requires timely deployment of nascent energy technologies with zero or low Co2 emissions. Managing the shift to a common sustainable technology path calls for insight about the influence of global technological change on the national energy system. Moreover, national policies are required to promote the shift to the new technology path. This calls for methods to analyse the national energy system within a global perspective. The objective of the work presented in this thesis was to investigate interplay between technology diffusion, niche markets and technology learning from the perspective of a small open economy like Norway. More specifically, develop methods to include the influence of technology learning manifested in experience and learning curves into national energy-economy-environment models. Moreover, apply the methods to investigate the potential influence and sensitivity to technology learning in a small open economy. In this thesis three such methods have been developed, applied and its importance assessed using Norway as an example. In this work three models have been linked. They are the global Energy Technology Perspectives model operated by the International Energy Agency, the Norwegian Markal model at the Institute for Energy Technology and the macro economic model MSG6 at Statistics Norway. Method one and two has been developed to manage the interplay between the models. In a local perspective technology learning in the global market is perceived as spillover. Based upon a review of the characteristics of technological change and learning curves and its application to energy system modelling some criteria important for the parameterization and modelling of spillover in a small open economy are suggested. The first method incorporates spillover into the national Markal model. The second method establishes a soft-link between the national models. The soft-link served two purposes; to provide input on demand

Pedelec, the electric assisted bike : market and product opportunities in Canada 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russel, A.

2002-01-01

to own for off-road use, but most provinces are awaiting legislation to allow their use on provincial/municipal roadways. It was emphasized that there is a need for specialty dealers to niche markets in order for the Canadian public to embrace this new technology. tabs., figs

Labeling strategies to overcome the problem of niche markets for sustainable milk products: The example of pasture-raised milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Kühl, S; Gassler, B; Spiller, A

2017-06-01

Pasture-raised milk is gaining in importance in some European countries and in the United States. The production of pasture-raised milk is linked to higher costs, as the milk is normally collected and processed separately from conventional barn milk. This could hinder the production of sustainable milk products. We discuss alternative labeling strategies that allow the mixing of pasture-raised (sustainable) and conventional milk to reduce costs and break free from the current niche market. The lower price would allow for more pasture-raised milk to be produced and enter the mainstream market. The aim of this study was to analyze consumers' willingness to pay for alternative labeling types using a discrete choice experiment with 1,065 German milk buyers. The 2 alternative labels, besides the classical labeling approach, are based on the mass balance approach (at least 50% pasture-raised milk in a package) and cause-related marketing (support of farmers who keep their cows on pasture). The discrete choice experiment was combined with a cluster analysis to get a deeper understanding of the buying behavior of the diverse consumer segments for milk. We found that all consumer groups prefer the classical label where products are segregated but also understand the benefits of cause-related marketing. The average consumer was willing to pay €0.50 more for pasture-raised milk certified with the classical label and €0.38 more for pasture-raised milk labeled with a cause-related marketing claim. However, differences between the clusters are strong: The smallest cluster of ethically involved consumers (15%) is willing to pay the highest premiums, especially for the classical label. Cause-related marketing is an interesting alternative for involved buyers under price pressure (41%), whereas the mass balance approach is little understood and thus less valued by consumers. From our results we concluded that cause-related marketing (in our case, the support of pasturing of

Challenges and opportunities for digital marketing within contemporary art book publishing

OpenAIRE

Grima, M-C

2017-01-01

This dissertation examines a number of challenges and opportunities in digital marketing within contemporary art book publishing. As products of a uniquely cross-pollinated strain of culture and publishing, their tactility and physicality are amongst their most appealing qualities, standing out in a world where so much takes place in a virtual space. The appeal of art books today is thought to be getting stronger and stronger as many other kinds of books dematerialise in the digital space,...

Challenges and Opportunities for Digital Marketing Within Contemporary Art Book Publishing

OpenAIRE

Grima, Marie-Claire

2017-01-01

To download this article, please click here.This dissertation examines a number of challenges and opportunities indigital marketing within con- temporary art book publishing. As products ofa uniquely cross-pollinated strain of culture and publishing, their tactility andphysicality are amongst their most appealing qualities, standing out in a worldwhere so much takes place in a virtual space. The appeal of art books todayis thought to be getting stronger and stronger as many other kinds of boo...

The Opportunities and Challenges of Bringing New Metrology Equipment to Market

Science.gov (United States)

Perloff, David S.

2005-09-01

This paper provides an overview of the economic and technological factors which are driving the demand for new metrology and inspection equipment, the challenges and opportunities facing new companies in bringing such equipment to market, and the funding environment in which new companies must raise capital to finance their efforts. Seven metrology companies and one inspection equipment company that have received first-time venture backing since 2000 are used to illustrate how these specialized businesses are launched and funded.

Communist Cadres and Market Opportunities: Entry into Self-employment in China, 1978-1996

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaogang

2006-01-01

This paper examines the patterns of entry into self-employment in urban and rural China and across different reform stages, focusing on how communist cadres have responded to new market opportunities. Analysis of data from a national representative survey shows that both education and cadre status deter people from entry into self-employment in…

Market opportunities for solar drying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voskens, R.G.J.H.; Out, P.G.; Schulte, B.

2000-01-01

One of the most promising applications for solar heating is the drying of agricultural products. The drying of agricultural products requires large quantities of low temperature air, in many cases, on a year-round basis. Low cost air-based collectors can provide heated air at solar collection efficiencies of 30 to 70%. In 1998/1999 a study was commissioned to better understand the technical and economic potential for solar drying of agricultural products in the world. The practical potential for solar drying was then determined for 59 crops and 22 regions. The world market for solar drying can be divided into three market segments: 1) mechanical drying T 50 deg. C; 3) sun drying. The most promising market for solar drying is generally market segment 1. For this segment the potential amount of energy displaced by solar is in between 216 770 PJ (World-wide). For Western Europe this potential is estimated between 23 88 PJ and for Eastern Europe between 7 and 13 PJ. A different market introduction strategy is required for each market segment. A total of 13 combinations of crops and regions are selected that appear to have the highest practical potential for solar drying. In the Netherlands a programme of activities was carried out by Ecofys and other organisations, to identify and develop the market potential for solar (assisted) drying of agricultural products. A promotional campaign for the use of renewable energy in the (promising) flower bulb sector is planned on a short-term basis to speed up market developments. It can be concluded that there is a large market for solar drying in the World as well as in Europe. (au)

Current and future niche of North and Central American sand flies (Diptera: psychodidae in climate change scenarios.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Moo-Llanes

Full Text Available Ecological niche models are useful tools to infer potential spatial and temporal distributions in vector species and to measure epidemiological risk for infectious diseases such as the Leishmaniases. The ecological niche of 28 North and Central American sand fly species, including those with epidemiological relevance, can be used to analyze the vector's ecology and its association with transmission risk, and plan integrated regional vector surveillance and control programs. In this study, we model the environmental requirements of the principal North and Central American phlebotomine species and analyze three niche characteristics over future climate change scenarios: i potential change in niche breadth, ii direction and magnitude of niche centroid shifts, iii shifts in elevation range. Niche identity between confirmed or incriminated Leishmania vector sand flies in Mexico, and human cases were analyzed. Niche models were constructed using sand fly occurrence datapoints from Canada, USA, Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Nine non-correlated bioclimatic and four topographic data layers were used as niche components using GARP in OpenModeller. Both B2 and A2 climate change scenarios were used with two general circulation models for each scenario (CSIRO and HadCM3, for 2020, 2050 and 2080. There was an increase in niche breadth to 2080 in both scenarios for all species with the exception of Lutzomyia vexator. The principal direction of niche centroid displacement was to the northwest (64%, while the elevation range decreased greatest for tropical, and least for broad-range species. Lutzomyia cruciata is the only epidemiologically important species with high niche identity with that of Leishmania spp. in Mexico. Continued landscape modification in future climate change will provide an increased opportunity for the geographic expansion of NCA sand flys' ENM and human exposure to vectors of Leishmaniases.

Current and Future Niche of North and Central American Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Climate Change Scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Moo-Llanes, David; Ibarra-Cerdeña, Carlos N.; Rebollar-Téllez, Eduardo A.; Ibáñez-Bernal, Sergio; González, Camila; Ramsey, Janine M.

2013-01-01

Ecological niche models are useful tools to infer potential spatial and temporal distributions in vector species and to measure epidemiological risk for infectious diseases such as the Leishmaniases. The ecological niche of 28 North and Central American sand fly species, including those with epidemiological relevance, can be used to analyze the vector's ecology and its association with transmission risk, and plan integrated regional vector surveillance and control programs. In this study, we model the environmental requirements of the principal North and Central American phlebotomine species and analyze three niche characteristics over future climate change scenarios: i) potential change in niche breadth, ii) direction and magnitude of niche centroid shifts, iii) shifts in elevation range. Niche identity between confirmed or incriminated Leishmania vector sand flies in Mexico, and human cases were analyzed. Niche models were constructed using sand fly occurrence datapoints from Canada, USA, Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Nine non-correlated bioclimatic and four topographic data layers were used as niche components using GARP in OpenModeller. Both B2 and A2 climate change scenarios were used with two general circulation models for each scenario (CSIRO and HadCM3), for 2020, 2050 and 2080. There was an increase in niche breadth to 2080 in both scenarios for all species with the exception of Lutzomyia vexator. The principal direction of niche centroid displacement was to the northwest (64%), while the elevation range decreased greatest for tropical, and least for broad-range species. Lutzomyia cruciata is the only epidemiologically important species with high niche identity with that of Leishmania spp. in Mexico. Continued landscape modification in future climate change will provide an increased opportunity for the geographic expansion of NCA sand flys' ENM and human exposure to vectors of Leishmaniases. PMID:24069478

Incremental by Design? On the Role of Incumbents in Technology Niches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hain, Daniel S.; Jurowetzki, Roman

for the rate and direction of technological progress as an outcome. Literature on sustainability transitions outlines the significance of niches and protected space for the development of path-breaking technologies in early stages. They are said to offer firms an environment to experiment in joint learning...... activities on emerging technologies shielded from the selection pressure on open markets. The engagement of large incumbent actors in the development of emerging technologies, and especially joint research projects together with young SME's, is generally positively perceived, since their high resource...... ability to direct the trajectory of technological development can to a large extend be explained by their position in the niche network. If path-dependent and cumulative characteristics such as reputation, age or size of actors are main drivers of change in these networks, evolutionary processes...

Selling wind: Lessons in green niche marketing

Science.gov (United States)

Worden, Gregory Edward

Concern about global warming, energy independence, and threats to oil supply have increased attention on wind and other forms of renewable energy. Yet after more than twenty years, the wind industry remains dependent on government interventions. This research examined the potential of renewable energy credits (RECs) to help wind energy become profitable. Messages used to promote wind and solar energy RECs were compared with those for sustainable building materials. Findings confirm a still immature approach to marketing and sales. None of those interviewed either recognized the value of or had taken action to ensure customer retention nor recognized the role socially conscious and active consumers might play in promoting and helping develop the industry. Recommended actions include continuing research on effective marketing strategies and development of a coordinated industry message.

Niche Marketing: Branding Your Early Child Care and Education Business without Getting Burned

Science.gov (United States)

Wassom, Julie

2004-01-01

Branding in the early child care and education marketplace is very similar to branding on the farm. It refers to the specific image the company develops and promotes to make services unique, recognizable, and memorable in the minds of prospects and customers. This article discusses how to establish a niche in a business, develop a brand, and…

The hidden Niemann-Pick type C patient: clinical niches for a rare inherited metabolic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendriksz, Christian J; Anheim, Mathieu; Bauer, Peter; Bonnot, Olivier; Chakrapani, Anupam; Corvol, Jean-Christophe; de Koning, Tom J; Degtyareva, Anna; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo; Doss, Sarah; Duning, Thomas; Giunti, Paola; Iodice, Rosa; Johnston, Tracy; Kelly, Dierdre; Klünemann, Hans-Hermann; Lorenzl, Stefan; Padovani, Alessandro; Pocovi, Miguel; Synofzik, Matthis; Terblanche, Alta; Then Bergh, Florian; Topçu, Meral; Tranchant, Christine; Walterfang, Mark; Velten, Christian; Kolb, Stefan A

2017-05-01

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disease of impaired intracellular lipid trafficking. Clinical symptoms are highly heterogeneous, including neurological, visceral, or psychiatric manifestations. The incidence of NP-C is under-estimated due to under-recognition or misdiagnosis across a wide range of medical fields. New screening and diagnostic methods provide an opportunity to improve detection of unrecognized cases in clinical sub-populations associated with a higher risk of NP-C. Patients in these at-risk groups ("clinical niches") have symptoms that are potentially related to NP-C, but go unrecognized due to other, more prevalent clinical features, and lack of awareness regarding underlying metabolic causes. Twelve potential clinical niches identified by clinical experts were evaluated based on a comprehensive, non-systematic review of literature published to date. Relevant publications were identified by targeted literature searches of EMBASE and PubMed using key search terms specific to each niche. Articles published in English or other European languages up to 2016 were included. Several niches were found to be relevant based on available data: movement disorders (early-onset ataxia and dystonia), organic psychosis, early-onset cholestasis/(hepato)splenomegaly, cases with relevant antenatal findings or fetal abnormalities, and patients affected by family history, consanguinity, and endogamy. Potentially relevant niches requiring further supportive data included: early-onset cognitive decline, frontotemporal dementia, parkinsonism, and chronic inflammatory CNS disease. There was relatively weak evidence to suggest amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or progressive supranuclear gaze palsy as potential niches. Several clinical niches have been identified that harbor patients at increased risk of NP-C.

Market Survey Turkey. Electricity Market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-12-01

The present market survey presents the Turkish power market and derives business opportunities and prospects for Dutch trade and industry. This market survey has been carried out for the following four, from time to time overlapping, sectors that have been identified by EVD as potential opportunities for Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises (SME): renewable energy, energy efficiency, electricity generation, electricity distribution

Vietnam: opportunities in a developing oil and gas market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knott, T.

1993-11-01

The aim of this report is to act as an introduction to Vietnam and its oil industry opportunities for manufacturing, contracting, service and supplies companies which are seeking entry into other markets. The chapters of the report present an overview of the country, its recent history and formative events; in addition, the country's economy, industries and rebuilding process are reviewed. Detailed attention is given to trade, investment and finance, as these factors directly influence all business ventures in Vietnam, and are essential considerations in the assessment of the overall business environment. The appendices contain an extensive list of organisational contacts in Vietnam, the U.K. and elsewhere, and other useful information to support these activities. (author)

Failing arsenic mitigation technology in rural Bangladesh: explaining stagnation in niche formation of the Sono filter

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kundu, D.K.; Mol, A.P.J.; Gupta, A.

2016-01-01

Arsenic contamination of shallow hand pump tube well drinking water in Bangladesh has created opportunities for radical innovations to emerge. One such innovation is the household Sono filter, designed to remove arsenic from water supplies. Applying a strategic niche management approach, and based

Deregulation of the energy industry in the United States : access conditions to the American market and business opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcoux, D.

1998-01-01

The impact of deregulation in the North American electricity market on the energy industry in Quebec was discussed. Increased competition, a direct result of deregulation, can lead to open markets for Quebec utilities. It is expected that Quebec utilities such as Hydro-Quebec and Gaz-Metropolitain will profit from an open market since consumers will have the choice of electricity suppliers that will best suit their needs. Open markets enabling Hydro-Quebec to sell at market prices in the American market present tremendous opportunities for Quebec utilities, especially in view of the lower production costs, the accumulated knowledge about energy markets, and their aggressive policy to form constructive partnerships.. Figs

MEAT GOAT DEMOGRAPHICS AND NICHE MARKETING

OpenAIRE

Jeffrey Fisher; Richard Stock; David A. Mangione; Larry A. Nye

2009-01-01

Six focus groups were conducted with each having ten people who attend different Islamic Centers in Ohio. The objective of the focus groups was to understand Halal meat purchase patterns and consumption patterns of the Moslem population with special attention to goat. The Ohio State University Extension personnel are utilizing these results to work with meat goat producers to understand and meet the requirements of the Halal meat market.  Participants discussed the Zabiha approach to slaught...

BTU convergence spawning gas market opportunities in North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1998-01-01

The so-called BTU convergence of US electric power and natural gas sectors is spawning a boom in market opportunities in the US Northeast that ensures the region will be North America's fastest growing gas market. That's the view of Catherine Good Abbott, CEO of Columbia Gas Transmission Corp., who told a Ziff Energy conference in Calgary that US Northeast gas demand is expected to increase to almost 10 bcfd in 2000 and more than 12 bcfd in 2010 from about 8 bcfd in 1995 and only 3 bcfd in 1985. The fastest growth will be in the US Northeast's electrical sector, where demand for gas is expected to double to 4 bcfd in 2010 from about 2 bcfd in 1995. In other presentations at the Ziff Energy conference, speakers voiced concerns about the complexity and speed of the BTU convergence phenomenon and offered assurances about the adequacy of gas supplies in North American to meet demand growth propelled by the BTU convergence boom. The paper discusses the gas demand being driven by power utilities, the BTU convergence outlook, electric power demand, Canadian production and supply, and the US overview

Niche players

Science.gov (United States)

Seandel, Marco; Falciatori, Ilaria; Shmelkov, Sergey V.; Kim, Jiyeon; James, Daylon; Rafii, Shahin

2010-01-01

The undifferentiated spermatogonia of adult mouse testes are composed of both true stem cells and committed progenitors. It is unclear what normally prevents these adult germ cells from manifesting multipotency. The critical elements of the spermatogonial stem cell niche, while poorly understood, are thought to be composed of Sertoli cells with several other somatic cell types in close proximity. We recently discovered a novel orphan G-protein coupled receptor (GPR125) that is restricted to undifferentiated spermatogonia within the testis. GPR125 expression was maintained when the progenitor cells were extracted from the in vivo niche and propagated under growth conditions that recapitulate key elements of the niche. Such conditions preserved the ability of the cells to generate multipotent derivatives, known as multipotent adult spermatogonial derived progenitor cells (MASCs). Upon differentiation, the latter produced a variety tissues including functional endothelium, illustrating the potential applications of such cells. Thus, GPR125 represents a novel target for purifying adult stem and progenitors from tissues, with the goal of developing autologous multipotent cell lines. PMID:18256534

The niche reduction approach: an opportunity for optimal control of infectious diseases in low-income countries?

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Benjamin; Broutin, Hélène; Choisy, Marc; Godreuil, Sylvain; de Magny, Guillaume Constantin; Chevaleyre, Yann; Zucker, Jean-Daniel; Breban, Romulus; Cazelles, Bernard; Simard, Frédéric

2014-07-25

During the last century, WHO led public health interventions that resulted in spectacular achievements such as the worldwide eradication of smallpox and the elimination of malaria from the Western world. However, besides major successes achieved worldwide in infectious diseases control, most elimination/control programs remain frustrating in many tropical countries where specific biological and socio-economical features prevented implementation of disease control over broad spatial and temporal scales. Emblematic examples include malaria, yellow fever, measles and HIV. There is consequently an urgent need to develop affordable and sustainable disease control strategies that can target the core of infectious diseases transmission in highly endemic areas. Meanwhile, although most pathogens appear so difficult to eradicate, it is surprising to realize that human activities are major drivers of the current high rate of extinction among upper organisms through alteration of their ecology and evolution, i.e., their "niche". During the last decades, the accumulation of ecological and evolutionary studies focused on infectious diseases has shown that the niche of a pathogen holds more dimensions than just the immune system targeted by vaccination and treatment. Indeed, it is situated at various intra- and inter- host levels involved on very different spatial and temporal scales. After developing a precise definition of the niche of a pathogen, we detail how major advances in the field of ecology and evolutionary biology of infectious diseases can enlighten the planning and implementation of infectious diseases control in tropical countries with challenging economic constraints. We develop how the approach could translate into applied cases, explore its expected benefits and constraints, and we conclude on the necessity of such approach for pathogen control in low-income countries.

DOES THE IMAGE OF INDONESIAN CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS MATTER? A THEORETICAL REVIEW ON BRAND IMAGE, ACCEPTANCE & MARKET OPPORTUNITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel PD Anantadjaya

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The issue surrounding brand image is always fascinating to ponder. This is true not only for products/services, but also for organizations and individuals. Like it or not, individuals are prone toward creating brand image to excel in life. From the understanding on products/services, personal marketing for artists are deemed necessary. Following the study on personal brand image, it is fascinating to evaluate the likelihood of impact toward public/market acceptance, and whether the level of public/market acceptance influences the level of market opportunity for those artists. Hence, it is expected that the relationships are adequately robust.

Cogeneration: A marketing opportunity for pipelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulrich, J.S.

1992-01-01

This chapter describes the marketing of dual-purpose power plants by pipeline companies as a long term marketing strategy for natural gas. The author uses case studies to help evaluate a company's attitude toward development of a market for cogeneration facilities. The chapter focuses on strategies for developing markets in the industrial sector and identifying customer groups that are likely to respond in like manner to a marketing strategy

Economically sustainable: market synergies in hydrogen systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hart, D.

2000-01-01

As interest in the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier grows, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of a market-based approach to its introduction. While there will always be niche markets in which it makes sense to employ what is currently a comparatively expensive form of energy storage and delivery, this will not enable the sort of large-scale penetration that will allow for economies of mass-manufacture to bring the cost of hydrogen down. In addition, energy markets are becoming increasingly liberalised, and because of this it is important to understand the sort of market pressures that are arising where none have existed before. These pressures may actually lead to opportunities for hydrogen in energy storage and for use in power generation and transport fuel modes, and allow market penetration to occur more rapidly than might be the case in a centralised energy structure. In the liberalised energy market within the UK, for example, there are two areas of potentially major growth in hydrogen production and consumption: energy storage for renewable generators; and backup systems at weak electricity grid links. The first of these is due, in part, to potential changes in regulation governing the way that electricity is sold into the market, while the second is dependent more on an increasingly congested electricity grid and the high costs of building supplementary infrastructure. In both cases there is potential for the early use of hydrogen energy systems in an economically competitive environment. (author)

When do plant radiations influence community assembly? The importance of historical contingency in the race for niche space.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanentzap, Andrew J; Brandt, Angela J; Smissen, Rob D; Heenan, Peter B; Fukami, Tadashi; Lee, William G

2015-07-01

Plant radiations are widespread but their influence on community assembly has rarely been investigated. Theory and some evidence suggest that radiations can allow lineages to monopolize niche space when founding species arrive early into new bioclimatic regions and exploit ecological opportunities. These early radiations may subsequently reduce niche availability and dampen diversification of later arrivals. We tested this hypothesis of time-dependent lineage diversification and community dominance using the alpine flora of New Zealand. We estimated ages of 16 genera from published phylogenies and determined their relative occurrence across climatic and physical gradients in the alpine zone. We used these data to reconstruct occupancy of environmental space through time, integrating palaeoclimatic and palaeogeological changes. Our analysis suggested that earlier-colonizing lineages encountered a greater availability of environmental space, which promoted greater species diversity and occupancy of niche space. Genera that occupied broader niches were subsequently more dominant in local communities. An earlier time of arrival also contributed to greater diversity independently of its influence in accessing niche space. We suggest that plant radiations influence community assembly when they arise early in the occupancy of environmental space, allowing them to exclude later-arriving colonists from ecological communities by niche preemption. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Niche construction game cancer cells play.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, Aviv; Gligorijevic, Bojana

2015-10-01

Niche construction concept was originally defined in evolutionary biology as the continuous interplay between natural selection via environmental conditions and the modification of these conditions by the organism itself. Processes unraveling during cancer metastasis include construction of niches, which cancer cells use towards more efficient survival, transport into new environments and preparation of the remote sites for their arrival. Many elegant experiments were done lately illustrating, for example, the premetastatic niche construction, but there is practically no mathematical modeling done which would apply the niche construction framework. To create models useful for understanding niche construction role in cancer progression, we argue that a) genetic, b) phenotypic and c) ecological levels are to be included. While the model proposed here is phenomenological in its current form, it can be converted into a predictive outcome model via experimental measurement of the model parameters. Here we give an overview of an experimentally formulated problem in cancer metastasis and propose how niche construction framework can be utilized and broadened to model it. Other life science disciplines, such as host-parasite coevolution, may also benefit from niche construction framework adaptation, to satisfy growing need for theoretical considerations of data collected by experimental biology.

Niche construction game cancer cells play

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, Aviv; Gligorijevic, Bojana

2015-10-01

Niche construction concept was originally defined in evolutionary biology as the continuous interplay between natural selection via environmental conditions and the modification of these conditions by the organism itself. Processes unraveling during cancer metastasis include construction of niches, which cancer cells use towards more efficient survival, transport into new environments and preparation of the remote sites for their arrival. Many elegant experiments were done lately illustrating, for example, the premetastatic niche construction, but there is practically no mathematical modeling done which would apply the niche construction framework. To create models useful for understanding niche construction role in cancer progression, we argue that a) genetic, b) phenotypic and c) ecological levels are to be included. While the model proposed here is phenomenological in its current form, it can be converted into a predictive outcome model via experimental measurement of the model parameters. Here we give an overview of an experimentally formulated problem in cancer metastasis and propose how niche construction framework can be utilized and broadened to model it. Other life science disciplines, such as host-parasite coevolution, may also benefit from niche construction framework adaptation, to satisfy growing need for theoretical considerations of data collected by experimental biology.

Spatial distributions of niche-constructing populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaozhuo Han

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Niche construction theory regards organisms not only as the object of natural selection but also an active subject that can change their own selective pressure through eco-evolutionary feedbacks. Through reviewing the existing works on the theoretical models of niche construction, here we present the progress made on how niche construction influences genetic structure of spatially structured populations and the spatial-temporal dynamics of metapopulations, with special focuses on mathematical models and simulation methods. The majority of results confirmed that niche construction can significantly alter the evolutionary trajectories of structured populations. Organism-environmental interactions induced by niche construction can have profound influence on the dynamics, competition and diversity of metapopulations. It can affect fine-scale spatially distribution of species and spatial heterogeneity of the environment. We further propose a few research directions with potentials, such as applying adaptive dynamics or spatial game theory to explore the effect of niche construction on phenotypic evolution and diversification.

Domestic market opportunities for Alaska lumber-species preferences by secondary wood products manufacturers in the continental United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph Roos; David L. Nicholls

2006-01-01

New equipment, technology, and marketing efforts have allowed Alaska’s wood products producers to consider opportunities previously unavailable to them. Until recently, the primary product produced by Alaska firms was rough, unseasoned lumber sold primarily within local markets. Given the purchase and installation of new drying and planing equipment, Alaska producers...

An opportunity for HMOs to use marketing to increase enrollee satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwore, R B; Murray, B P; Parsons, R P; Gustafson, G

2001-01-01

To identify the combination of marketing components (i.e., service, price, access, and promotion) of commercial health maintenance organizations (HMOs) that are related to overall enrollee satisfaction. The researchers focus on factors that commercial HMOs control directly--specifically, health care organization and financing. Descriptive (mail order). This study uses national data provided by a major health benefits consulting firm, which collected data from a 1997 calendar year mail survey of HMO administrators. The administrators responded to an extensive survey, which tapped selected HMO marketing-mix components and the percentage of surveyed members who indicated satisfaction with their HMOs. To test hypotheses, researchers treated marketing-mix components as independent variables and enrollee satisfaction as the dependent variable. This study found statistically significant relationships between overall satisfaction and HMO providers' quality; access, particularly to specialists and out-of-network providers; waiting times for physician services; customer service; and disease prevention/health promotion programs. The researchers did not find significant relationships between overall satisfaction and accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the presence of physician gatekeepers, numbers of providers, or financial indicators. The relationship between overall satisfaction and utilization was mixed. This study's findings are largely consistent with the literature, consumer- and professional-group position papers, and the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry. HMOs can use marketing as a way to address problems and pursue opportunities identified by enrollees. As these findings demonstrate, certain features of HMO design are more appealing to patients. By focusing on these preferences, HMOs can adopt a responsive market orientation that gives rise to more effective marketing mixes

Marketing audit reveals holes and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, E

1990-07-01

The marketing department is an essential function of the hospital. But do you know if your marketing efforts are meeting your institution's objectives? An audit of the department is as essential as any other part of the marketing plan. The author tells you "how" and "why" you should seek the services of an auditor to examine your marketing function.

Telecommunications: international opportunities for power utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, A. [Teleglobe Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

1996-08-01

International telecommunications services markets and trends were reviewed in an effort to identify business opportunities for Canadian power utilities. With increasing deregulation in the U.S. and Canada, and other countries around the globe, market opportunities are beginning to open up. In monopoly markets opportunities exist in providing dual infrastructures to upgrade both the power delivery services (frequently poor), and telecommunications. Billing, collection and customer service expertise might be other marketable commodities, perhaps packaged as part of a network provision project as a service to existing power and telecommunications service providers. In countries with directed competition markets local partnerships may be the only vehicle for entering the market. In managed competition markets opportunities were said to exist in cellular radio technology, as well as in switched telephone service, local, long distance, or international. In general, opportunities outside telecommunications-rich North America were considered to have better potential, due to rapid deregulation and higher current growth rates in telecommunications. Careful examination and research of the political and business environment prior to entering any of the potentially fertile areas was advised.

Spain as a market: Opportunities for business, economic development and Francoism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseba de la Torre

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This article offers a perspective of the strategies adopted by the main industrial powers during the 1950s and 1960s to penetrate the Spanish market. Under the influence of the Cold War, international cooperation between the United States of America and Western Europe and the emergence of a developing country, foreign corporate groups sought support from their governments to conquer new business opportunities in Spain. Despite the entrance barriers, the 50s bore witness to how these groups adopted positions based on the conviction that Franco’s regime would eventually end up giving way to economic liberalism, thus returning Spain to the international economy, hence multiplying expectations on investments and profit. An outward- looking vantage point helps to understand the complexity of an economy that was subject to the intervention of an authoritarian state while in a stage of accelerated growth. External relationships were forged based on market strategies.

Overcoming Barriers to Frugal Innovation: Emerging Opportunities for Finnish SMEs in Brazilian Markets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirva Hyypiä

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Frugal innovation has become a popular concept, in academia but also in industry at large. Although there has been a great deal of discussion about the relevance of frugal innovation to the developed world, the notion’s full acceptance within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs still seems far in the distance. The opportunities and barriers seen with practical implementation of frugal innovation during the development processes have received little attention. This article considers these opportunities and barriers in the context of Finnish SMEs, providing insight specifically into the approaches these companies take in Brazilian markets. Qualitative data were drawn from a case study forming part of an extensive action research-based development project called SCALA, aimed at creating suitable and scalable mobile learning services for global markets. The concepts of frugal innovation and proceeding from user needs – essential parts of the development processes – are examined by observing three Finnish SMEs and their top managers, with particular focus on their interaction with Brazilian partners. Development sessions and meetings shed light on how the companies perceived and responded to testing their products/services with six individual schools in Brazil. Although frugal innovation is seen as essential for guaranteeing long-term competitiveness of Finnish SMEs – and access to rapidly growing, unsaturated emerging markets such as Brazil can be a step in the right direction – our study highlights numerous barriers and ways to overcome them in the real-world implementation of frugality in SMEs’ development processes.

Harnessing the market: The opportunities and challenges of privatization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-01-01

The decision to privatize comes from a policy determination that the Government no longer needs particular assets or no longer needs to be in control of all the means by which products or services are obtained or delivered. Most broadly defined, privatization substitutes, in whole or in part, private market mechanisms for the traditional Government role as employer, financier, owner, operator, and/or regulator of a product or service. This definition admits a wide variety of actions, from innovative contractual arrangements to outright divestiture of activities or assets. But all of these actions share common objectives: to remove the agency from those activities that are not inherently governmental functions or core business lines; to improve the management of remaining activities; to reduce the costs of doing business; and to shift greater performance and financial risk to the private sector. This report by the Privatization Working Group provides an indepth analysis of the major issues that surround privatization within the Department of Energy (DOE). The report divides privatization initiatives at the DOE into three major types: divestiture of functions, contracting out, and asset transfers. It includes the results of a survey of the entire DOE system that identifies more than 200 potential privatization opportunities. The report also includes 13 case studies that explore actual DOE privatization efforts over the past 2 years. Additionally, it summarizes the key legal authorities that govern each of the three types of privatization opportunities in the DOE. The report makes a series of recommendations and outlines accompanying actions that will help the DOE seize the opportunities presented by privatization and confront its challenges.

Exploring Value-Added Options

Science.gov (United States)

Bob Smith; Philip A. Araman

1997-01-01

This paper looks at various opportunities for sawmills to add value to rough sawn lumber. The paper discusses edge-glued panels and blanks, mouldings and millwork, niche market opportunities, and timber bridge members.

A variational approach to niche construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Constant, Axel; Ramstead, Maxwell J D; Veissière, Samuel P L; Campbell, John O; Friston, Karl J

2018-04-01

In evolutionary biology, niche construction is sometimes described as a genuine evolutionary process whereby organisms, through their activities and regulatory mechanisms, modify their environment such as to steer their own evolutionary trajectory, and that of other species. There is ongoing debate, however, on the extent to which niche construction ought to be considered a bona fide evolutionary force, on a par with natural selection. Recent formulations of the variational free-energy principle as applied to the life sciences describe the properties of living systems, and their selection in evolution, in terms of variational inference. We argue that niche construction can be described using a variational approach. We propose new arguments to support the niche construction perspective, and to extend the variational approach to niche construction to current perspectives in various scientific fields. © 2018 The Authors.

Internet Marketing Research: Opportunities and Problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Furrer, O.F.G.; Sudharshan, D.

2001-01-01

The Internet is promised a brilliant future among the favorite tools of marketing researchers. Develops a typology of Internet marketing surveys showing the existence of eight different designs that can be used by marketers. However, researchers who plan to develop research using the Internet need

Environmental challenges and opportunities of the evolving North American electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaughan, S.; Patterson, Z.; Miller, P.; Block, G.

2002-06-01

Five, the authors looked at the role of price changes and market creation in reducing environmental externalities. Scale effects and external costs, and the opportunities to further reduce them by means of demand-side management, energy efficiency, renewable energy and international cooperation, were examined in Section Six. Environmental impact assessments, their role and the opportunities for greater regional and international cooperation was discussed in Section Seven. The last Section dealt with the relationships between free trade and environmental quality and environmental policy impacts. refs., tabs., figs

Geothermal energy and the utility market -- the opportunities and challenges for expanding geothermal energy in a competitive supply market: Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-01-01

Each year the Geothermal Division of the US Department of Energy conducts an in-depth review of its entire geothermal R D program. The conference serves several purposes: a status report on current R D activities, an assessment of progress and problems, a review of management issues, and a technology transfer opportunity between DOE and the US geothermal city. This year's conference, Program Review X, was held in San Francisco on March 24--26, 1992. The theme of the review, Geothermal Energy and the Utility Market -- The Opportunities and Challenges for Expanding Geothermal Energy in a Competitive Supply Market,'' focused on the needs of the electric utility sector. Geothermal energy, with its power capacity potential of 10 GWe by the year 2010, can provide reliable, enviromentally clean electricity which can help offset the projected increase in demand. Program Review X consisted of seven sessions including an opening session with presentations by Mr. Vikram Budhraja, Vice President of System Planning and Operations, Southern California Edison Company, and Mr. Richard Jaros, President and Chief Operating Officer, California Energy Company. The six technical sessions included presentations by the relevant field researchers covering DOE-sponsored R D in hydrothermal, hot dry rock, and geopressured energy. Individual projects are processed separately for the data bases.

THE NICHE CONSTRUCTION PERSPECTIVE: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL*

Science.gov (United States)

Scott-Phillips, Thomas C; Laland, Kevin N; Shuker, David M; Dickins, Thomas E; West, Stuart A

2014-01-01

Niche construction refers to the activities of organisms that bring about changes in their environments, many of which are evolutionarily and ecologically consequential. Advocates of niche construction theory (NCT) believe that standard evolutionary theory fails to recognize the full importance of niche construction, and consequently propose a novel view of evolution, in which niche construction and its legacy over time (ecological inheritance) are described as evolutionary processes, equivalent in importance to natural selection. Here, we subject NCT to critical evaluation, in the form of a collaboration between one prominent advocate of NCT, and a team of skeptics. We discuss whether niche construction is an evolutionary process, whether NCT obscures or clarifies how natural selection leads to organismal adaptation, and whether niche construction and natural selection are of equivalent explanatory importance. We also consider whether the literature that promotes NCT overstates the significance of niche construction, whether it is internally coherent, and whether it accurately portrays standard evolutionary theory. Our disagreements reflect a wider dispute within evolutionary theory over whether the neo-Darwinian synthesis is in need of reformulation, as well as different usages of some key terms (e.g., evolutionary process). PMID:24325256

The niche party concept and its measurement

OpenAIRE

Meyer, Thomas M; Miller, Bernhard

2015-01-01

The concept of the niche party has become increasingly popular in analyses of party competition. Yet, existing approaches vary in their definitions and their measurement approaches. We propose using a minimal definition that allows us to compare political parties in terms of their ?nicheness?. We argue that the conceptual core of the niche party concept is based on issue emphasis and that a niche party emphasizes policy areas neglected by its rivals. Based on this definition, we propose a con...

Does niche divergence accompany allopatric divergence in Aphelocoma jays as predicted under ecological speciation? Insights from tests with niche models.

Science.gov (United States)

McCormack, John E; Zellmer, Amanda J; Knowles, L Lacey

2010-05-01

The role of ecology in the origin of species has been the subject of long-standing interest to evolutionary biologists. New sources of spatially explicit ecological data allow for large-scale tests of whether speciation is associated with niche divergence or whether closely related species tend to be similar ecologically (niche conservatism). Because of the confounding effects of spatial autocorrelation of environmental variables, we generate null expectations for niche divergence for both an ecological-niche modeling and a multivariate approach to address the question: do allopatrically distributed taxa occupy similar niches? In a classic system for the study of niche evolution--the Aphelocoma jays--we show that there is little evidence for niche divergence among Mexican Jay (A. ultramarina) lineages in the process of speciation, contrary to previous results. In contrast, Aphelocoma species that exist in partial sympatry in some regions show evidence for niche divergence. Our approach is widely applicable to the many cases of allopatric lineages in the beginning stages of speciation. These results do not support an ecological speciation model for Mexican Jay lineages because, in most cases, the allopatric environments they occupy are not significantly more divergent than expected under a null model.

Theories of opportunity creation and effective entrepreneurial actions in opportunity creation context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behrooz Jamali

2018-09-01

Full Text Available Created opportunities are refered as the opportunities in which none of the supply and demand parties exists clearly and obviously one or both of them must be created. Therefore, several economic inventions should take place in marketing, franchising, etc. so that opportunity can be created. This perception of opportunity deals with the creation of new markets. In the meantime, identifying some entrepreneurial actions influencing on the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities can provide backgrounds for the formation and empowering the opportunity creation. In this paper, some basic ideas about the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities and the evolution of opportunity creation theories are examined. Then effective actions on the opportunity creation are identified. Finally, the structure of the investigated actions is examined using the DEMATLE Method. The results which were according to the opinions of 15 experts of entrepreneurship showed that leadership, decision making, and strategy actions influence other entrepreneurial actions.

Plant stem cell niches.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahl, Yvonne; Simon, Rüdiger

2005-01-01

Stem cells are required to support the indeterminate growth style of plants. Meristems are a plants stem cell niches that foster stem cell survival and the production of descendants destined for differentiation. In shoot meristems, stem cell fate is decided at the populational level. The size of the stem cell domain at the meristem tip depends on signals that are exchanged with cells of the organizing centre underneath. In root meristems, individual stem cells are controlled by direct interaction with cells of the quiescent centre that lie in the immediate neighbourhood. Analysis of the interactions and signaling processes in the stem cell niches has delivered some insights into the molecules that are involved and revealed that the two major niches for plant stem cells are more similar than anticipated.

Decentralised energy supply as a market opportunity for small and middle-sized companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawkins, A. C.

1999-01-01

So far, the heating and sanitary industry has been active in energy applications. Energy supply was a business for big energy utilities and international combinations. However, this may be soon belong to the past, as pointed out by a conference at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) dealing with the prospects for the energy market and its actors. The electric utilities increasingly look at the decentralised energy production as an interesting opportunity for them, especially if it may be combined with a local district heating network (cogeneration). New technologies are emerging here: gas and vapor turbine power plants with an electric power of 1 MW or higher; fuel cells. However, the production number of these new devices and equipment's is not yet as high as the equivalent conventional equipments available from the market today [de

Opportunities for electric utilities in telecommunications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meehan, C.M.

1994-01-01

This article examines the opportunities for utility participation in the telecommunications market on private microwave systems and hybrid microwave and fiber systems. The topics of the article include entering the market, national information infrastructure, business opportunities and considerations, levels of participation in telecommunications market, and regulatory objectives

78 FR 25337 - Notice With Respect to List of Countries Denying Fair Market Opportunities for Government-Funded...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-30

...: Date of Publication. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Pietan, International Procurement... OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Notice With Respect to List of Countries Denying Fair Market Opportunities for Government-Funded Airport Construction Projects AGENCY: Office of the...

Bone Marrow Vascular Niche: Home for Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ningning He

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Though discovered later than osteoblastic niche, vascular niche has been regarded as an alternative indispensable niche operating regulation on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs. As significant progresses gained on this type niche, it is gradually clear that the main work of vascular niche is undertaking to support hematopoiesis. However, compared to what have been defined in the mechanisms through which the osteoblastic niche regulates hematopoiesis, we know less in vascular niche. In this review, based on research data hitherto we will focus on component foundation and various functions of vascular niche that guarantee the normal hematopoiesis process within bone marrow microenvironments. And the possible pathways raised by various research results through which this environment undergoes its function will be discussed as well.

Niche Overlap and Discrediting Acts: An Empirical Analysis of Informing in Hollywood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giacomo Negro

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This article examines informing on others as a discrediting act between individual agents in a labor market. We conduct an empirical analysis of artists called to testify during the 1950s Congressional hearings into Communism in Hollywood, and multi-level regression models reveal that the odds of an artist informing on another increase when their career histories are more similar. The similarity reflects levels of niche overlap in the labor market. The finding that similarity contributes to discredit in the context of resource competition is compatible with a social comparison process, whereby uncertainty about performance leads more similar people to attend to and exclude one another to a greater extent.

Niche-specific cognitive strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hulgard, K.; Ratcliffe, J. M.

2014-01-01

Related species with different diets are predicted to rely on different cognitive strategies: those best suited for locating available and appropriate foods. Here we tested two predictions of the niche-specific cognitive strategies hypothesis in bats, which suggests that predatory species should...... the niche-specific cognitive strategies hypothesis and suggest that for gleaning and clutter-resistant aerial hawking bats, learning to associate shape with food interferes with subsequent spatial memory learning....

77 FR 12216 - Milk in the Mideast Marketing Area; Recommended Decision and Opportunity To File Written...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-29

... to provide increased opportunities for citizen access to Government information and services, and for... recommends adoption of a proposal to amend the Pool Plant provisions of the Mideast Federal milk marketing... utilization of at least 30 percent, and with combined route disposition and transfers of at least 50 percent...

Ecological niche of plant pathogens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ecaterina Fodor

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Disease ecology is a new approach to the understanding of the spread and dynamics of pathogens in natural and man-made environments. Defining and describing the ecological niche of the pathogens is one of the major tasks for ecological theory, as well as for practitioners preoccupied with the control and forecasting of established and emerging diseases. Niche theory has been periodically revised, not including in an explicit way the pathogens. However, many progresses have been achieved in niche modeling of disease spread, but few attempts were made to construct a theoretical frame for the ecological niche of pathogens. The paper is a review of the knowledge accumulated during last decades in the niche theory of pathogens and proposes an ecological approach in research. It quest for new control methods in what concerns forest plant pathogens, with a special emphasis on fungi like organisms of the genus Phytophthora. Species of Phytophthora are the most successful plant pathogens of the moment, affecting forest and agricultural systems worldwide, many of them being invasive alien organisms in many ecosystems. The hyperspace of their ecological niche is defined by hosts, environment and human interference, as main axes. To select most important variables within the hyperspace, is important the understanding of the complex role of pathogens in the ecosystems as well as for control programs. Biotic relationships within ecosystem of host-pathogen couple are depicted by ecological network and specific metrics attached to this. The star shaped network is characterized by few high degree nodes, by short path lengths and relatively low connectivity, premises for a rapid disturbance spread. 

Ecological niche of plant pathogens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ecaterina Fodor

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Disease ecology is a new approach to the understanding of the spread and dynamics of pathogens in natural and man-made environments. Defining and describing the ecological niche of the pathogens is one of the major tasks for ecological theory, as well as for practitioners preoccupied with the control and forecasting of established and emerging diseases. Niche theory has been periodically revised, not including in an explicit way the pathogens. However, many progresses have been achieved in niche modeling of disease spread, but few attempts were made to construct a theoretical frame for the ecological niche of pathogens. The paper is a review of the knowledge accumulated during last decades in the niche theory of pathogens and proposes an ecological approach in research. It quest for new control methods in what concerns forest plant pathogens, with a special emphasis on fungi like organisms of the genus Phytophthora. Species of Phytophthora are the most successful plant pathogens of the moment, affecting forest and agricultural systems worldwide, many of them being invasive alien organisms in many ecosystems. The hyperspace of their ecological niche is defined by hosts, environment and human interference, as main axes. To select most important variables within the hyperspace, is important for the understanding of the complex role of pathogens in the ecosystems as well as for control programs. Biotic relationships within ecosystem of host-pathogen couple are depicted by ecological network and specific metrics attached to this. The star shaped network is characterized by few high degree nodes, by short path lengths and relatively low connectivity, premises for a rapid disturbance spread.

The niche construction perspective: a critical appraisal.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott-Phillips, Thomas C; Laland, Kevin N; Shuker, David M; Dickins, Thomas E; West, Stuart A

2014-05-01

Niche construction refers to the activities of organisms that bring about changes in their environments, many of which are evolutionarily and ecologically consequential. Advocates of niche construction theory (NCT) believe that standard evolutionary theory fails to recognize the full importance of niche construction, and consequently propose a novel view of evolution, in which niche construction and its legacy over time (ecological inheritance) are described as evolutionary processes, equivalent in importance to natural selection. Here, we subject NCT to critical evaluation, in the form of a collaboration between one prominent advocate of NCT, and a team of skeptics. We discuss whether niche construction is an evolutionary process, whether NCT obscures or clarifies how natural selection leads to organismal adaptation, and whether niche construction and natural selection are of equivalent explanatory importance. We also consider whether the literature that promotes NCT overstates the significance of niche construction, whether it is internally coherent, and whether it accurately portrays standard evolutionary theory. Our disagreements reflect a wider dispute within evolutionary theory over whether the neo-Darwinian synthesis is in need of reformulation, as well as different usages of some key terms (e.g., evolutionary process). © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Opportunities and constraints in the subsistence production and marketing of indigenous vegetables in East and Central Africa

OpenAIRE

Schippers, Rudy; Fereday, Nicholas

1998-01-01

This report summarises the results of market and production surveys carried out in both the dry and wet seasons in Cameroon and Uganda during 1997/98 as part of the DFID fimded project "Opportunities and constraints in the subsistence production and marketing of indigenous vegetables in East and Central Africa (A0699)". The main objective of the study was to establish the socio-economic significance of indigenous vegetables compared to exotic ones. This project is a follow up to the strategy ...

76 FR 24082 - Notice With Respect to List of Countries Denying Fair Market Opportunities for Government-Funded...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-29

..., suppliers, or bidders in foreign government-funded airport construction projects. DATES: Effective Date... to U.S. products, suppliers, or bidders in connection with airport construction projects of $500,000... Fair Market Opportunities for Government-Funded Airport Construction Projects AGENCY: Office of the...

77 FR 23791 - Notice With Respect to List of Countries Denying Fair Market Opportunities for Government-Funded...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-20

..., suppliers, or bidders in foreign government-funded airport construction projects. DATES: Effective Date... to U.S. products, suppliers, or bidders in connection with airport construction projects of $500,000... Fair Market Opportunities for Government-Funded Airport Construction Projects AGENCY: Office of the...

From the ecological niche to the mass market with 'Green Power Marketing' - 1st European Conference on Green Power Marketing 2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This report summarises the information presented at the European Conference on Green Power Marketing held in 2001 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. It takes a look at the market chances of ecologically produced electricity for use in Switzerland and for export. The opinions of experts from the areas of research, business, politics, marketing and non-governmental organisations that were presented at the meeting are summarised. European perspectives and trends in the USA are discussed and examples of green power marketing in the USA and Holland are given. Marketing issues and price policies are discussed, as are labelling strategies and customer perception of 'Green Power' issues. Also, sales issues including e-marketing, power-market rules and certificate trading are dealt with

Commercial Opportunities and Market Demand for Nanotechnologies in Agribusiness Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Sabourin

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Agribusiness is projected to be a $ 2.9 trillion USD industry in global investment by 2030 (World Bank 2013. Nanotechnology is poised to impact dramatically on all sectors of agribusiness industry in the next 10 years. Nanotechnology could be used to enhance the possibilities of developing conventional and stranded agribusiness resources. Nanotechnology can make the industry considerably greener and competitive, with its current growth rate of 25% (US$ 1.08billion annually. The opportunity for application of nanotechnology in agricul¬ture is prodigious. Nanotechnology, focusing on special properties of materials emerging from nanometric size has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural and food sectors, biomedicine, environmental engineering, safety and security, water resources, energy conversion, and numerous other areas. It is well recognized that adoption of new technology is crucial in accu-mulation of global wealth and market value which now stand at US$ 1.09 trillion in estimated value. Nanotechnology has emerged as a technological advancement that could develop and transform the entire agri-food sector, with the potential to increase agricultural productivity, food security and economic growth for industries by atleast 30% (Aver. US$0.9 trillion. This review set out to address the implications of nanotechnology for the agri-food industry by examining the potential benefits, risks and opportunities.

Focus groups for allied health professionals and professions allied to technical services in the NHS--marketing opportunities, lessons learnt and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlain, David; Brook, Richard

2011-09-01

Worcestershire Health Libraries provides services to all NHS and social care staff in Worcestershire. Despite intensive marketing, statistics showed low usage of the library service for professions allied to technical services and allied health professionals. To discover why there was low usage of the library services using qualitative techniques and to use focus groups as a marketing opportunity. This article also aims to outline the processes involved in delivering focus groups, the results gained, and the actions taken in response to the results. Focus groups were conducted in two departments, Pathology and Occupational Therapy. The Biochemistry department (part of Pathology) had two focus groups. An additional focus group was conducted for all the Pathology education leads. Occupational Therapy had two meetings, one for hospital based staff, and the other for community staff. Issues centred on registration, inductions, time, library ambience, multi-disciplinary service and resources. The findings raised marketing opportunities and the process identified potential candidates for the role of team knowledge officer, to act as library champions within departments. It also identified areas in which the library service was not meeting user needs and expectations, and helped focus service development. Focus groups allowed an opportunity to speak to non-users face to face and to discover, and where appropriate challenge both their, and library staff's pre-conceived ideas about the service. The information revealed gave an opportunity to market services based on user needs. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

THE GROWING NATURAL FOODS MARKET: OPPORTUNITIES AND OBSTACLES FOR MASS MARKET SUPERMARKETS

OpenAIRE

Richman, Nessa J.

2000-01-01

Seven serious obstacles hinder the success of mass market grocery stores that try to succeed in the natural foods market. Finding timely and complete market information, linking with natural foods suppliers, and pricing and marketing natural foods are the three most important. Uncertainty about future standards for natural foods is the only major obstacle for natural foods stores. The problems facing mass market stores trying to succeed in the natural foods market are related to the market st...

Macroevolutionary diversification with limited niche disparity in a species-rich lineage of cold-climate lizards.

Science.gov (United States)

Reaney, Ashley M; Saldarriaga-Córdoba, Mónica; Pincheira-Donoso, Daniel

2018-02-06

Life diversifies via adaptive radiation when natural selection drives the evolution of ecologically distinct species mediated by their access to novel niche space, or via non-adaptive radiation when new species diversify while retaining ancestral niches. However, while cases of adaptive radiation are widely documented, examples of non-adaptively radiating lineages remain rarely observed. A prolific cold-climate lizard radiation from South America (Phymaturus), sister to a hyper-diverse adaptive radiation (Liolaemus), has extensively diversified phylogenetically and geographically, but with exceptionally minimal ecological and life-history diversification. This lineage, therefore, may offer unique opportunities to investigate the non-adaptive basis of diversification, and in combination with Liolaemus, to cover the whole spectrum of modes of diversification predicted by theory, from adaptive to non-adaptive. Using phylogenetic macroevolutionary modelling performed on a newly created 58-species molecular tree, we establish the tempo and mode of diversification in the Phymaturus radiation. Lineage accumulation in Phymaturus opposes a density-dependent (or 'niche-filling') process of diversification. Concurrently, we found that body size diversification is better described by an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck evolutionary model, suggesting stabilizing selection as the mechanism underlying niche conservatism (i.e., maintaining two fundamental size peaks), and which has predominantly evolved around two major adaptive peaks on a 'Simpsonian' adaptive landscape. Lineage diversification of the Phymaturus genus does not conform to an adaptive radiation, as it is characterised by a constant rate of species accumulation during the clade's history. Their strict habitat requirements (rocky outcrops), predominantly invariant herbivory, and especially the constant viviparous reproduction across species have likely limited their opportunities for adaptive diversifications throughout novel

The niche party concept and its measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Thomas M; Miller, Bernhard

2015-03-01

The concept of the niche party has become increasingly popular in analyses of party competition. Yet, existing approaches vary in their definitions and their measurement approaches. We propose using a minimal definition that allows us to compare political parties in terms of their 'nicheness'. We argue that the conceptual core of the niche party concept is based on issue emphasis and that a niche party emphasizes policy areas neglected by its rivals. Based on this definition, we propose a continuous measure that allows for more fine-grained measurement of a party's 'nicheness' than the dominant, dichotomous approaches and thereby limits the risk of measurement error. Drawing on data collected by the Comparative Manifesto Project, we show that (1) our measure has high face validity and (2) exposes differences among parties that are not captured by alternative, static or dichotomous measures.

Characteristics and Conditions of Entrepreneurship in Eastern Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marinov, Marin Alexandrov; Marinova, Svetla Trifonova

2017-01-01

provides entrepreneurs with many opportunities for niche company creation. However, many problems exist related to the lack of resources (mostly financial), inadequate knowledge and skills in management and marketing needed in market economies, insufficient availability of business support organisations...

Plant stem cell niches.

Science.gov (United States)

Aichinger, Ernst; Kornet, Noortje; Friedrich, Thomas; Laux, Thomas

2012-01-01

Multicellular organisms possess pluripotent stem cells to form new organs, replenish the daily loss of cells, or regenerate organs after injury. Stem cells are maintained in specific environments, the stem cell niches, that provide signals to block differentiation. In plants, stem cell niches are situated in the shoot, root, and vascular meristems-self-perpetuating units of organ formation. Plants' lifelong activity-which, as in the case of trees, can extend over more than a thousand years-requires that a robust regulatory network keep the balance between pluripotent stem cells and differentiating descendants. In this review, we focus on current models in plant stem cell research elaborated during the past two decades, mainly in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We address the roles of mobile signals on transcriptional modules involved in balancing cell fates. In addition, we discuss shared features of and differences between the distinct stem cell niches of Arabidopsis.

The HysNiche trial: hysteroscopic resection of uterine caesarean scar defect (niche) in patients with abnormal bleeding, a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Vervoort, A J M W; Van der Voet, L F; Witmer, M; Thurkow, A L; Radder, C M; van Kesteren, P J M; Quartero, H W P; Kuchenbecker, W K H; Bongers, M Y; Geomini, P M A J; de Vleeschouwer, L H M; van Hooff, M H A; van Vliet, H A A M; Veersema, S; Renes, W B; van Meurs, H S; Bosmans, J; Oude Rengerink, K; Brölmann, H A M; Mol, B W J; Huirne, J A F

2015-11-12

A caesarean section (CS) can cause a defect or disruption of the myometrium at the site of the uterine scar, called a niche. In recent years, an association between a niche and postmenstrual spotting after a CS has been demonstrated. Hysteroscopic resection of these niches is thought to reduce spotting and menstrual pain. However, there are no randomised trials assessing the effectiveness of a hysteroscopic niche resection. We planned a multicentre randomised trial comparing hysteroscopic niche resection to no intervention. We study women with postmenstrual spotting after a CS and a niche with a residual myometrium of at least 3 mm during sonohysterography. After informed consent is obtained, eligible women will be randomly allocated to hysteroscopic resection of the niche or expectant management for 6 months. The primary outcome is the number of days with postmenstrual spotting during one menstrual cycle 6 months after randomisation. Secondary outcomes are menstrual characteristics, menstruation related pain and experienced discomfort due to spotting or menstrual pain, quality of life, patient satisfaction, sexual function, urological symptoms, medical consultations, medication use, complications, lost productivity and medical costs. Measurements will be performed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after randomisation. A cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed from a societal perspective at 6 months after randomisation. This trial will provide insight in the (cost)effectiveness of hysteroscopic resection of a niche versus expectant management in women who have postmenstrual spotting and a niche with sufficient residual myometrium to perform a hysteroscopic niche resection. Dutch Trial Register NTR3269 . Registered 1 February 2012. ZonMw Grant number 80-82305-97-12030.

A review of the deregulated power market since market opening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Runge, C.

2003-01-01

The Alberta electrical industry structure was discussed along with the market opportunities and historic market data pertaining to Alberta. The Alberta electrical industry is responsible for 20,000 kilometres of transmission lines, connections with British Columbia and Saskatchewan, operates in excess of 90 generating units, with 200 Power Pool participants. The Alberta electricity generation breakdown was provided (coal, gas, hydro), and a look at the projected growth in installed capacity provided. General information concerning the Power Pool of Alberta was presented. In discussing market opportunities, the author began by looking at the evolution of the Alberta market, noting that the Pool commenced operations in 1996. A discussion followed on real time spot market, direct sales, contract for differences (CfD), and other market opportunities. The last part of the presentation dealt with historical market data. The Alberta annual Pool price from 1996 to 2002 was presented, along with daily pool price 1996-2002. The factors affecting Pool price are: other markets, input costs, supply-demand balance, and other market elements. Alberta imports and exports were discussed, followed by a look at forward trading activity. Market evolution was addressed, including considerations in next phase of Alberta market. figs

Understanding Market Segments and Competition in the Private Military Industry

Science.gov (United States)

2009-12-01

Likert scale, and importance scale) and “open-end” (unstructured) questions ( Kotler , 2009, p.137). We applied parts of the Tailored Design Method... Kotler , 2008, p. 249). Item 2 and Items 8-10 of the questionnaire attempted to capture the market niche/s that the respondents’ reportedly... Kotler , 2009, p. 137). These questions were designed using Likert-type items to assess the participant’s level of importance or level of

Nest-niche differentiation in two sympatric columbid species from a Mediterranean Tetraclinis woodland: Considerations for forest management

Science.gov (United States)

Hanane, Saâd; Yassin, Mohamed

2017-01-01

Studies of niche partitioning among Columbid species have mainly addressed food habits and foraging activities, while partitioning in relation to nest-niche differentiation has been little studied. Here we investigate whether two sympatric columbid species-Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) and Turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur)-occupy similar niches. A total of 74 nests were monitored: 37 nests for each species. The study, conducted in June 2016, attempted to determine the factors that may play a role in nest-niche differentiation among the two sympatric columbid species in a Moroccan Thuya (Tetraclinis articulata) forest. We used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) to test the relevance of nest placement, proximity of food resources, forest edge and human presence variables in the nest distribution of the two species. The results show substantial niche segregation in the T. articulata nest-trees selected by Woodpigeons and Turtle doves, with selection depending primarily on the tree size and nest height. Observed nest-niche partitioning may diminish the potential for competition between these species and enhance opportunities for their coexistence. Management policies and practices aimed at ensuring the presence of mixed-sized class of Thuya trees must be prioritized. We recommend additional studies designed to: (1) reproduce the same experimental approach on other Mediterranean Thuya forests to improve our understanding of the effects of different levels of anthropogenic disturbance on the breeding behaviour of these two game species; (2) better understand the spatio-temporal dynamics of Woodpigeon and Turtle dove coexistence in the region; and (3) better identify the spatio-temporal extent of the effect of forest management on Woodpigeon and Turtle dove site occupancy.

Market opportunities and challenges for oil sands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wise, T.H.

2004-01-01

The use of Alberta bitumen as a clean fuel depends on upgrading, transportation, and refining processes. Forecasts show that oil sands production, which includes synthetic crude oil (SCO), will surpass declining conventional production from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The challenges facing the oils sands processing industry include: crude oil prices which affect the producer's market; market expansion options; diluent availability/cost; supply cost competitiveness; and, regional processing. The common market issues include light/heavy crude prices, oil sands crude qualities, prices of oil sands crudes, pipeline infrastructure, and competitive supplies. The issues facing the refiners are: refining margins, security of crude supply, refined product quality, and competitive product supply. It was noted that Alberta must retain or increase its share of the Midwest market. The market expansion options were reviewed for both downstream (refining) and upstream (upgrading) operations. New pipeline capacity is needed to reach more distant markets such as Southern Midwest, Washington, and California. The market is nearly saturated for Canada's heavy oil supply. More upgrading will be required as bitumen production increases. Market growth is still possible for Canada's SCO but according to forecasts, the market could also become saturated. To increase demand and allow supplies to grow, SCO prices may fall below light crude prices. It was noted that a balance must be achieved in order for producers to increase production and for refiner/upgraders to expand their conversion capacity. 13 figs

Segmentation of electric energy customers by specific niches; Segmentacao de clientes de energia eletrica por nichos especiais

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Ana Lucia Rodrigues da; Jannuzzi, Gilberto de Martino [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil)], E-mail: jannuzzi@fen.unicamp.br

2009-04-15

The article presents the classic segmentation used in electric energy industry for large customers. The paper argues the limitations of this classification, as well as, the potentialities to classify customers for specific niches, the example of that already occurs in other competitive sectors of the economy. Twelve potential forms for classifying large customers in electricity industry are presented: geographic localization; value of the invoice; sector of productive activity; types of share holding composition and enterprise management; forms and characteristics of the use of the electric energy in the final units; degree of technological sophistication; client relation cost benefit; common factors in energy process of purchase; brand associated with the customer; extraordinary factors, such as, urgency, application and volume of energy; personal characteristics of the purchaser in charge of the operation; former-customers who moved from the captive market to the free market and vice versa. The article concludes proposing a new methodology to identify the specific niches of customers in the electric sector, as well as the inductive and restrictive factors of this methodology. (author)

Update of Market Assessment for Capturing Water Conservation Opportunities in the Federal Sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mcmordie, Katherine; Solana, Amy E.; Elliott, Douglas B.; Sullivan, Gregory P.; Parker, Graham B.

2005-09-08

This updated market assessment for capturing water conservation opportunities in the Federal sector is based on a new analytical approach that utilizes newly available data and technologies. The new approach fine-tunes the original assessment by using actual Federal water use, which is now tracked by DOE (as compared to using estimated water use). Federal building inventory data is also used to disseminate water use by end-use technology in the Federal sector. In addition, this analysis also examines the current issues and obstacles that face performance contracting of water efficiency projects at Federal sites.

[Mesenchymal stroma cells and their niche].

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, R K

2013-11-01

Stem cells reside in a highly specialized, complex microenvironment that is known as the stem cell niche. The stem cell niche can be described as an anatomically defined space where the stem cell is localized and nourished and stem cell quiescence, proliferation and differentiation are maintained. Tissue engineering aims to imitate the stem cell niche to (I) induce a directed differentiation, (II) maintain the self-renewal capacity or (III) find a regulated balance between self-renewal and differentiation. Mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSC) can differentiate in three-dimensional collagen gels into functional osteoblasts when subjected to a phosphate-rich cultivation medium. Furthermore, they acquire a prosynthetic, matrix remodeling, contractile phenotype. Medial artery calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease also proceeds through intramembranous ossification resulting from osteoblast-induced calcification of the collagen extracellular matrix. Thus, the influence of uremic cultivation conditions as a pathophysiological stimulus on MSC and endothelial cells was analyzed with special regards to matrix remodeling, vascularization and calcification. The results showed that BMP-2/4 mediated MSC (mal)differentiation into osteoblasts with acquired matrix remodeling phenotype and loss of proangiogenic capacity. These studies have led to the conclusion that uremia has detrimental effects on the stem cell niche and promotes the continuous calcification by osteogenic (mal)differentiation. In summary, recent studies have shown the conducting and regulating effect of the stem cell niche under physiological conditions that can be applied and mimicked for tissue engineering applications. However, under pathological conditions the stem cell niche can have detrimental effects on stem cell function and can promote disease progression.

Vascular and perivascular niches, but not the osteoblastic niche, are numerically restored following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with aplastic anemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Liangliang; Mo, Wenjian; Zhang, Yuping; Zhou, Ming; Li, Yumiao; Zhou, Ruiqing; Xu, Shiling; Pan, Shiyi; Deng, Hui; Mao, Ping; Wang, Shunqing

2017-07-01

Bone marrow (BM) niches, including the osteoblastic, vascular, and perivascular niches, are numerically impaired in patients with aplastic anemia (AA). It remains unclear whether these niches are numerically restored in AA patients after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). To investigate changes in BM niches, we monitored 52 patients with AA who had undergone allo-HSCT and performed immunohistochemical studies of BM niches using antibodies against CD34, CD146, and osteopontin. After allo-HSCT, patients with AA exhibited a remarkable increase in the number of cellular elements in the BM niches, including the vascular and perivascular cells. However, no significant differences in endosteal cells were detected. We explored the cause of this restoration by analyzing the origin of BM mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and the expression of cytokines in BM plasma. STR-PCR revealed that the BM-MSCs were derived from the host, not the donor. In addition, significantly elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were found after allo-HSCT. Our data indicates that vascular and perivascular niches are numerically restored, but the endosteal niche remains numerically impaired in patients with AA after allo-HSCT, and that levels of VEGF, but not donor-derived BM-MSCs, may correlate with the restoration of BM niches.

The HysNiche trial: hysteroscopic resection of uterine caesarean scar defect (niche) in patients with abnormal bleeding, a randomised controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vervoort, A. J. M. W.; van der Voet, L. F.; Witmer, M.; Thurkow, A. L.; Radder, C. M.; van Kesteren, P. J. M.; Quartero, H. W. P.; Kuchenbecker, W. K. H.; Bongers, M. Y.; Geomini, P. M. A. J.; de Vleeschouwer, L. H. M.; van Hooff, M. H. A.; van Vliet, H. A. A. M.; Veersema, S.; Renes, W. B.; van Meurs, H. S.; Bosmans, J.; Oude Rengerink, K.; Brölmann, H. A. M.; Mol, B. W. J.; Huirne, J. A. F.

2015-01-01

A caesarean section (CS) can cause a defect or disruption of the myometrium at the site of the uterine scar, called a niche. In recent years, an association between a niche and postmenstrual spotting after a CS has been demonstrated. Hysteroscopic resection of these niches is thought to reduce

Commercialisation of renewable energy technologies and opportunities available in the Indian market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakshi, P.R.

1994-01-01

One of India's major infra-structural requirements is energy. This paper discusses India's generating capacity from conventional and non-conventional sources of energy in order to meet future power requirements. The Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources has set targets during the next five years for additional capacity of approximately 2,000 MW from new and renewable sources of energy. Power generation from these sources is estimated at 600 MW of small hydro power, 500 MW of wind power, 500 MW of biomass/bio energy, 30 MW of solar thermal power and 25 MW of solar photovoltaic power. The estimated market potential and opportunities for each power source is outlined

Diet and trophic niche of Lithobates catesbeianus (Amphibia: Anura

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peterson T. Leivas

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Lithobates catesbeianus (Shaw, 1802 is an invasive anuran introduced in Brazil that is associated with the displacement and the decline of populations of native species worldwide. There is evidence that biological invasions are facilitated by certain attributes of the invading species, for instance niche breath, and that invasive species have a broader ecological niche with respect to native ones. We designed a study to ascertain the temporal, ontogenetic, and sex differences in the niche dynamics of the American bullfrog. We sampled monthly from June 2008 to May 2009 in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil. For each individual, we gathered biometric and stomach content data. We then estimated the niche breath of the juveniles and adults, and compared it between the sexes. A total of 104 females and 77 males were sampled. Lithobates catesbeianus has a generalist diet, preying upon invertebrates and vertebrates. Even though the diet of the studied population varied seasonally, it did not differ between the sexes nor did it respond to biometric variables. Niche breadth was more restricted in the winter than in the autumn. The trophic niche of juveniles and adults did not overlap much when compared with the trophic niche overlap between males and females. Adult males and females had a considerable niche overlap, but females had a broader trophic niche than males in the winter and in the spring. These niche characteristics point to an opportunistic predation strategy that may have facilitated the process of invasion and establishment of this species in the study area.

Views on personal networks and business opportunities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Windekilde, Iwona Maria; Roswall, Rune

2009-01-01

opportunities. The aim has been to examine new business opportunities PNs. This work consists of three main elements: a) classification and categorisation of different business opportunity areas, b) an overview of relevant Industry trends, c) explanation of stakeholder opportunities and the strategies......The EU project MAGNET-Beyond has examined the business opportunities regarding Personal Networks (PN) for the typical value network stakeholders. In the current communication markets, companies deliver services to customers in cooperation with other market players profiting on different business...

An Exploratory Research Regarding Romanian Market for Halal Food

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentin-Cosmin SARACIN

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The changes in the social structure, the economic crisis, the ageing of the population had an important role in the development of Romania. As a result, Romania must identify other segments and industries in order to rejuvenate the economy of the country. This study focuses on a market niche represented by Halal food products, which are underdeveloped in Romania at this moment. It may represent a potential catalyst for the development of other latent sectors and may consolidate the bilateral relations with the Muslim countries, in conformity with the globalization and the internalization of the global market. The research method used in this study is the thorough analysis of numerous scientific articles and a literature review. It focuses both on the past and the current state of Halal food products and how the development of this market niche can lead to the expansion of other sectors, such as tourism and education.

Ecological and evolutionary consequences of niche construction for its agent.

Science.gov (United States)

Kylafis, Grigoris; Loreau, Michel

2008-10-01

Niche construction can generate ecological and evolutionary feedbacks that have been underinvestigated so far. We present an eco-evolutionary model that incorporates the process of niche construction to reveal its effects on the ecology and evolution of the niche-constructing agent. We consider a simple plant-soil nutrient ecosystem in which plants have the ability to increase the input of inorganic nutrient as an example of positive niche construction. On an ecological time scale, the model shows that niche construction allows the persistence of plants under infertile soil conditions that would otherwise lead to their extinction. This expansion of plants' niche, however, requires a high enough rate of niche construction and a high enough initial plant biomass to fuel the positive ecological feedback between plants and their soil environment. On an evolutionary time scale, we consider that the rates of niche construction and nutrient uptake coevolve in plants while a trade-off constrains their values. Different evolutionary outcomes are possible depending on the shape of the trade-off. We show that niche construction results in an evolutionary feedback between plants and their soil environment such that plants partially regulate soil nutrient content. The direct benefit accruing to plants, however, plays a crucial role in the evolutionary advantage of niche construction.

THE GERMLINE STEM CELL NICHE UNIT IN MAMMALIAN TESTES

Science.gov (United States)

Oatley, Jon M.; Brinster, Ralph L.

2014-01-01

This review addresses current understanding of the germline stem cell niche unit in mammalian testes. Spermatogenesis is a classic model of tissue-specific stem cell function relying on self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). These fate decisions are influenced by a niche microenvironment composed of a growth factor milieu that is provided by several testis somatic support cell populations. Investigations over the last two decades have identified key determinants of the SSC niche including cytokines that regulate SSC functions and support cells providing these factors, adhesion molecules that influence SSC homing, and developmental heterogeneity of the niche during postnatal aging. Emerging evidence suggests that Sertoli cells are a key support cell population influencing the formation and function of niches by secreting soluble factors and possibly orchestrating contributions of other support cells. Investigations with mice have shown that niche influence on SSC proliferation differs during early postnatal development and adulthood. Moreover, there is mounting evidence of an age-related decline in niche function, which is likely influenced by systemic factors. Defining the attributes of stem cell niches is key to developing methods to utilize these cells for regenerative medicine. The SSC population and associated niche comprise a valuable model system for study that provides fundamental knowledge about the biology of tissue-specific stem cells and their capacity to sustain homeostasis of regenerating tissue lineages. While the stem cell is essential for maintenance of all self-renewing tissues and has received considerable attention, the role of niche cells is at least as important and may prove to be more receptive to modification in regenerative medicine. PMID:22535892

Primer and interviews: The dynamic stem cell niche.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiefer, Julie C

2011-03-01

A stem cell niche is a microenvironment that supports self-renewal of a population of stem cells, and their production of differentiated cells. While the definition evokes images of a stem cell Shangri-La-where a serene stem cell pool nestles within a niche that shelters and sustains it-the reality is much more tumultuous. Niches are subject to an ever-changing maelstrom of environmental factors, the ravages of old age, and the sly tactics of disease. Presented here is a basic overview of the different ways in which stem cell niches respond to local and systemic environments, and their impact on stem cell behavior. The primer culminates with a discussion of the topic with stem cell and niche biologists D. Leanne Jones, Ph.D., and Tudorita Tumbar, Ph.D. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The crosstalk between hematopoietic stem cells and their niches.

Science.gov (United States)

Durand, Charles; Charbord, Pierre; Jaffredo, Thierry

2018-07-01

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in specific microenvironments also called niches that regulate HSC functions. Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the crosstalk between HSCs and niche cells is a major issue in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. The purpose of this review is to discuss recent advances in this field with particular emphasis on the transcriptional landscape of HSC niche cells and the roles of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the dialog between HSCs and their microenvironments. The development of high-throughput technologies combined with computational methods has considerably improved our knowledge on the molecular identity of HSC niche cells. Accumulating evidence strongly suggest that the dialog between HSCs and their niches is bidirectional and that EVs play an important role in this process. These advances bring a unique conceptual and methodological framework for understanding the molecular complexity of the HSC niche and identifying novel HSC regulators. They are also promising for exploring the reciprocal influence of HSCs on niche cells and delivering specific molecules to HSCs in regenerative medicine.

North American natural gas long-term outlook : market and transportation opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahan, R.

1998-01-01

This study assessed the impact of major issues and trends on the market dynamics of the natural gas industry. A view of how these trends may evolve over the 1998 to 2015 period was also presented. The focus of the study is on market and transportation opportunities in Canada and the United States and their relationship in terms of supply, demand and gas flows between large aggregated regions. Key issues addressed in the report include: (1) the impacts of new transportation capacity on the flow of gas among supply and demand regions, (2) the impact of deregulation and environmental issues on the demand for gas in the electricity generation sector, and (3) the impacts of technological innovations on supply cost and size of the resource base. The report predicts a steady increase ( about 2 per cent annually) in demand for natural gas in Canada over the projection period (i.e. 1998-2015). Highest growth rates are likely to occur in the use of natural gas to generate electricity. While Alberta will remain pre-eminent among producing regions, British Columbia and resource areas off Canada's East Coast will also significantly increase their share of Canada's total production. 36 refs., 64 tabs., 46 figs

Opportunities for the inclusion of students in the labour market and entrepreneurship : qualitative assessment

OpenAIRE

Kvedaraitė, Nida; Repečkienė, Aušra; Glinskienė, Rasa; Žvirelienė, Renata

2013-01-01

Straipsnyje nagrinėjamos Lietuvos akademinio jaunimo įtraukties į darbo rinką ir verslininkystės galimybės, pasitelkiant ES ir nacionalinių jaunimo politiką reglamentuojančių dokumentų turinio analizės metodą. Kokybinio tyrimo duomenys analizuojami taikant kokybinę turinio ir fenomenologinės hermeneutikos analizę, kuria siekta suvokti ir aprašyti tiriamo fenomeno esmę.  The article examines the opportunities of Lithuanian students for the inclusion in the labour market and entrepreneurship...

The Chinese Olive Oil Market Today Import Prices,Market Segments, Opportunities and Challenges%The Chinese Olive Oil Market Today Import Prioes,Market Segments, Opportunities and Challenges

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Mateo Radnic

2011-01-01

@@ Ⅰ .EDIBLE OIL CONSUMPTION IN CHINA According to the data of Edible Oil Consumption in China,this market has constantly growth over the last years, doublingits size in only 8 years.For the past year 2010, the market sizereaches over 29 thousand tons.

Nurse education in competitive markets: the case for relationship marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, P M

1998-10-01

Since the National Health Service reforms of the late 1980s, nurse education has been increasingly subject to market forces. This new competitive environment presents not only threat, but also challenge and opportunity. Providers of nurse education who recognize the need for market orientation and develop responsive marketing strategies will maximize their potential for market retention and growth. Traditional marketing strategies have considerable limitations for public sector services. The new and growing field of relationship marketing offers nurse education an opportunity to retain and develop profitable relationships with both internal and external markets. This paper reviews the marketing arena in nurse education and proposes context-based qualitative research to ascertain definitive constructs of service quality. Such constructs might then be rooted in a theoretical framework of service quality measurement, and be measured within the disconfirmation paradigm of relationship marketing.

Improving market access opportunities for urban small, medium and micro-enterprises in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian M. Rogerson

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Since the democratic transition of 1994, the promotion of the small, medium and micro-enterprise (SMME economy has been a core focus of South African government policy. With high levels of unemployment and poverty in urban areas, the impact of this policy intervention is most critical for city development. Given South Africa’s chequered history, the national government’s focus is on transforming the prospects for enterprises owned by black South Africans, who were disadvantaged under apartheid. This article examines the range of contemporary policy initiatives to address business constraints on market access and catalyse new market opportunities for black-owned enterprises in urban South Africa. The article concentrates on two themes: 1 building links into private sector supply chains, especially through supplier diversity, and 2 building links into public sector markets through public procurement. It is shown that current policy directions recognise that the national government has a limited capacity to implement SMME improvement and build competitive black-owned SMMEs by itself, which has prompted support for private sector initiatives. In addition, the government is struggling to practice what it preaches and use its own procurement capacity to assist black-owned SMMEs.

Astrocitary niches in human adult medulla oblongata.

Science.gov (United States)

Rusu, Mugurel Constantin; Dermengiu, Dan; Loreto, Carla; Motoc, Andrei Gheorghe Marius; Pop, Elena

2013-04-01

Astrocytes are considered as neuromodulators of the CNS. Whereas experimental studies on astrocitary functions are gaining importance, the anatomy of the astrocitary niches in the human CNS has been overlooked. The study was performed on the brainstem of 10 adult cadavers. We aimed to determine astrocitary niches in the human medulla oblongata using immunohistochemical labeling with vimentin and also CD34 immunostaining to accurately diagnose associated microvessels. Niches rich in astrocytes were identified as follows: (a) the superficial layer of astrocytes, ventral and ventrolateral, in the rostral medulla oblongata; (b) the median raphe; (c) medullary nuclei: arcuate nucleus, area postrema, nucleus of the solitary tract; (d) the subependymal zone (SEZ, caudal medulla) and subventricular zone (SVZ, rostral medulla). Astrocytes were scarce in the ventrolateral medulla, and mostly present within the pyramidal tract and the olivary nucleus. Apart from the SEZ and SVZ, the brainstem niches of astrocytes mostly overlap those regions known to perform roles as central respiratory chemoreceptors. The astrocytes of the SEZ and SVZ, which are known as stem cell niches, are related to an increased microvascular density. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

AgSTAR Market Opportunities Report

Science.gov (United States)

Assesses the market potential for biogas energy projects at swine and dairy farms in the United States and characterizes the sizes and types of operations where biogas projects are technically feasible.

Glioblastoma niches: from the concept to the phenotypical reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiffer, Davide; Mellai, Marta; Bovio, Enrica; Bisogno, Ilaria; Casalone, Cristina; Annovazzi, Laura

2018-05-08

Recently, the concept of niches as sites of tumor progression, invasion, and angiogenesis in glioblastoma (GB) has been extensively debated. Niches, considered the sites in which glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) reside, have been classified as perivascular, perinecrotic, and invasive. However, from a neuropathological point of view, it is not easy to establish when a tumor structure can be considered a niche. The relevant literature has been reviewed in the light of our recent experience on the subject. As for perinecrotic niches, the occurrence of GSCs around necrosis is interpreted as triggered by hypoxia through HIF-1α. Our alternative hypothesis is that, together with progenitors, they are the cell constituents of hyper-proliferative areas of GB, where perinecrotic niches have developed, and they would, therefore, represent the remnants of GSCs/progenitors spared by the developing necrosis. Perivascular structures originate from both transport vessels and exchange vessels, i.e., venules, arterioles, or the undefinable neo-formed small vessels, but only those in which a direct contact between GSCs/progenitors and endothelial cells occurs can be called niches. Both pericytes and microglia/macrophages play a role in niche function: Macrophages of blood origin invade GB only after the appearance of "mother vessels" with consequent blood-brain barrier disruption. Not all vessel/tumor cell structures can be considered niches, that is, crucial sites of tumor progression, invasion, and angiogenesis.

Habitat niche breadth predicts invasiveness in solitary ascidians.

Science.gov (United States)

Granot, Itai; Shenkar, Noa; Belmaker, Jonathan

2017-10-01

A major focus of invasion biology is understanding the traits associated with introduction success. Most studies assess these traits in the invaded region, while only few compare nonindigenous species to the pool of potential invaders in their native region. We focused on the niche breadth hypothesis , commonly evoked but seldom tested, which states that generalist species are more likely to become introduced as they are capable of thriving under a wide set of conditions. Based on the massive introduction of tropical species into the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal (Lessepsian migration), we defined ascidians in the Red Sea as the pool of potential invaders. We constructed unique settlement plates, each representing six different niches, to assess ascidian niche breadth, and deployed them in similar habitats in the native and invaded regions. For each species found on plates, we evaluated its abundance, relative abundance across successional stages, and niche breadth, and then compared (1) species in the Red Sea known to have been introduced into the Mediterranean (Lessepsian species) and those not known from the Mediterranean (non-Lessepsian); and (2) nonindigenous and indigenous species in the Mediterranean. Lessepsian species identified on plates in the Red Sea demonstrated wider niche breadth than non-Lessepsian species, supporting the niche breadth hypothesis within the native region. No differences were found between Lessepsian and non-Lessepsian species in species abundance and successional stages. In the Mediterranean, nonindigenous species numerically dominated the settlement plates. This precluded robust comparisons of niche breadth between nonindigenous and indigenous species in the invaded region. In conclusion, using Red Sea ascidians as the pool of potential invaders, we found clear evidence supporting the niche breadth hypothesis in the native region. We suggest that such patterns may often be obscured when conducting trait-based studies in the

Niche conservatism and the invasive potential of the wild boar.

Science.gov (United States)

Sales, Lilian Patrícia; Ribeiro, Bruno R; Hayward, Matt Warrington; Paglia, Adriano; Passamani, Marcelo; Loyola, Rafael

2017-09-01

Niche conservatism, i.e. the retention of a species' fundamental niche through evolutionary time, is cornerstone for biological invasion assessments. The fact that species tend to maintain their original climate niche allows predictive maps of invasion risk to anticipate potential invadable areas. Unravelling the mechanisms driving niche shifts can shed light on the management of invasive species. Here, we assessed niche shifts in one of the world's worst invasive species: the wild boar Sus scrofa. We also predicted potential invadable areas based on an ensemble of three ecological niche modelling methods, and evaluated the performance of models calibrated with native vs. pooled (native plus invaded) species records. By disentangling the drivers of change on the exotic wild boar population's niches, we found strong evidence for niche conservatism during biological invasion. Ecological niche models calibrated with both native and pooled range records predicted convergent areas. Also, observed niche shifts are mostly explained by niche unfilling, i.e. there are unoccupied areas in the exotic range where climate is analogous to the native range. Niche unfilling is expected as result of recent colonization and ongoing dispersal, and was potentially stronger for the Neotropics, where a recent wave of introductions for pig-farming and game-hunting has led to high wild boar population growth rates. The invasive potential of wild boar in the Neotropics is probably higher than in other regions, which has profound management implications if we are to prevent their invasion into species-rich areas, such as Amazonia, coupled with expansion of African swine fever and possibly great economic losses. Although the originally Eurasian-wide distribution suggests a pre-adaptation to a wide array of climates, the wild boar world-wide invasion does not exhibit evidence of niche evolution. The invasive potential of the wild boar therefore probably lies on the reproductive, dietary and

Ecological niches of open ocean phytoplankton taxa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brun, Philipp Georg; Vogt, Meike; Payne, Mark

2015-01-01

We characterize the realized ecological niches of 133 phytoplankton taxa in the open ocean based on observations from the MAREDAT initiative and a statistical species distribution model (MaxEnt). The models find that the physical conditions (mixed layer depth, temperature, light) govern large...... conditions in the open ocean. Our estimates of the realized niches roughly match the predictions of Reynolds' C-S-R model for the global ocean, namely that taxa classified as nutrient stress tolerant have niches at lower nutrient and higher irradiance conditions than light stress tolerant taxa. Yet...

Rare earths production and marketing opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falconnet, P.G.

1988-01-01

The rare earths (RE) market is relatively small. The total production during 1968 was only 10000 tons (REO) which rose to 27000 tons (REO) during 1985. The three major areas of application, which are volume market for ceric rare earths are catalysts, glass ceramics and metallurgy. Among the other uses of rare earths, the permanent magnets, lamp phosphors and fine ceramics have registered significant growth in RE consumption. Monazite and bastnasite are the main natural source for rare earths and processing of these for one of the rare earths in high demand leads to over production of some others not in demand, thus creating a balance problem. The growth in RE market has always been influenced by the technology shifts and product substitution. For example, the RE consumption during 1974/76 for desulfurization of steel had substantially decreased due to the usage of calcium. Similarly, 1985 had witnessed a drastic cut in the use of REs in fluid cracking due to the introduction of stabilized zeolites which contain less REO. Thus, the overall compound growth rate of demand was only 3.9 % per year during the period 1970-1985. At present, 37 % of the rare earths production goes to the glass/ceramics industry, 33 % for catalyst and 25 % to metallurgy. The price of REs constantly shows a downward trend. This trend coupled with the rapid changes taking place in the various technological fields, demands greater flexibility and high marketing skills from the RE producers. The key factor for future expansion of RE market will be the development of 'high volume' application of ceric rare earths. (author) 2 figs., 8 tabs

Business, market and intellectual property analysis of polymer solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, Torben D.; Krebs, Frederik C.; Cruickshank, Craig; Foged, Soeren; Thorsen, Jesper

2010-01-01

The business potential of polymer solar cells is reviewed and the market opportunities analyzed on the basis of the currently reported and projected performance and manufacturing cost of polymer solar cells. Possible new market areas are identified and described. An overview of the present patent and intellectual property situation is also given and a patent map of polymer solar cells is drawn in a European context. It is found that the business potential of polymer solar cells is large when taking the projections for future performance into account while the currently available performance and manufacturing cost leaves little room for competition on the thin film photovoltaic market. However, polymer solar cells do enable the competitive manufacture of low cost niche products and is viewed as financially viable in its currently available form in a large volume approximation. Finally, it is found that the polymer solar cell technology is very poorly protected in Europe with the central patents being valid in only France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Several countries with a large potential for PV such as Portugal and Greece are completely open and have apparently no relevant patents. This is viewed as a great advantage for the possible commercialization of polymer solar cells in a European setting as the competition for the market will be based on the manufacturing performance rather than domination by a few patent stakeholders. (author)

Stem cell autotomy and niche interaction in different systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorn, David C; Dorn, August

2015-07-26

The best known cases of cell autotomy are the formation of erythrocytes and thrombocytes (platelets) from progenitor cells that reside in special niches. Recently, autotomy of stem cells and its enigmatic interaction with the niche has been reported from male germline stem cells (GSCs) in several insect species. First described in lepidopterans, the silkmoth, followed by the gipsy moth and consecutively in hemipterans, foremost the milkweed bug. In both, moths and the milkweed bug, GSCs form finger-like projections toward the niche, the apical cells (homologs of the hub cells in Drosophila). Whereas in the milkweed bug the projection terminals remain at the surface of the niche cells, in the gipsy moth they protrude deeply into the singular niche cell. In both cases, the projections undergo serial retrograde fragmentation with progressing signs of autophagy. In the gipsy moth, the autotomized vesicles are phagocytized and digested by the niche cell. In the milkweed bug the autotomized vesicles accumulate at the niche surface and disintegrate. Autotomy and sprouting of new projections appears to occur continuously. The significance of the GSC-niche interactions, however, remains enigmatic. Our concept on the signaling relationship between stem cell-niche in general and GSC and niche (hub cells and cyst stem cells) in particular has been greatly shaped by Drosophila melanogaster. In comparing the interactions of GSCs with their niche in Drosophila with those in species exhibiting GSC autotomy it is obvious that additional or alternative modes of stem cell-niche communication exist. Thus, essential signaling pathways, including niche-stem cell adhesion (E-cadherin) and the direction of asymmetrical GSC division - as they were found in Drosophila - can hardly be translated into the systems where GSC autotomy was reported. It is shown here that the serial autotomy of GSC projections shows remarkable similarities with Wallerian axonal destruction, developmental axon

Stem cell autotomy and niche interaction in different systems

Science.gov (United States)

Dorn, David C; Dorn, August

2015-01-01

The best known cases of cell autotomy are the formation of erythrocytes and thrombocytes (platelets) from progenitor cells that reside in special niches. Recently, autotomy of stem cells and its enigmatic interaction with the niche has been reported from male germline stem cells (GSCs) in several insect species. First described in lepidopterans, the silkmoth, followed by the gipsy moth and consecutively in hemipterans, foremost the milkweed bug. In both, moths and the milkweed bug, GSCs form finger-like projections toward the niche, the apical cells (homologs of the hub cells in Drosophila). Whereas in the milkweed bug the projection terminals remain at the surface of the niche cells, in the gipsy moth they protrude deeply into the singular niche cell. In both cases, the projections undergo serial retrograde fragmentation with progressing signs of autophagy. In the gipsy moth, the autotomized vesicles are phagocytized and digested by the niche cell. In the milkweed bug the autotomized vesicles accumulate at the niche surface and disintegrate. Autotomy and sprouting of new projections appears to occur continuously. The significance of the GSC-niche interactions, however, remains enigmatic. Our concept on the signaling relationship between stem cell-niche in general and GSC and niche (hub cells and cyst stem cells) in particular has been greatly shaped by Drosophila melanogaster. In comparing the interactions of GSCs with their niche in Drosophila with those in species exhibiting GSC autotomy it is obvious that additional or alternative modes of stem cell-niche communication exist. Thus, essential signaling pathways, including niche-stem cell adhesion (E-cadherin) and the direction of asymmetrical GSC division - as they were found in Drosophila - can hardly be translated into the systems where GSC autotomy was reported. It is shown here that the serial autotomy of GSC projections shows remarkable similarities with Wallerian axonal destruction, developmental axon

IMPLEMENTATION OF MARKETING IN RURAL TOURISM AS A PRAGMATIC DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chumachenko Yuliia

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction. In the context of integration processes and the transition to a market economy, innovative forms of management and the search for alternative or related activities for gaining competitive advantages and obtaining additional profit become more and more important. This tendency takes place not only in specific business units, but also in industries and business complexes in general. Therefore, these available resources and opportunities, new forms and activities within the business segment and market niche should to be introduced. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to highlight the essence of rural tourism, study its types and forms, as well as substantiate the need for the development of this service for the development of rural areas. The main task is to demonstrate the role and necessity of using the marketing system for the effective development of rural tourism, indicating its advantages and peculiarities of practical implementation. Results. As a result of the study, the general characteristics of rural tourism, its types and place in the general structure of agrarian-industrial complex are determined. The difference between the definitions of «rural tourism», «agro tourism» and «green tourism», which is often identified, however, has distinctive features and features. The existing definition of the definition of «rural tourism» is investigated and the author’s own definition is formed. The weight of green tourism in the socio-economic development of the village and region as a whole is proved. The level of application of marketing in the development of this direction and its main problems are determined. Examples of marketing tools that are successfully applied in the world are presented and recommended to be used for the development of green tourism in Ukraine. Conclusions. Rural tourism is a new direction of development, which is a symbiosis of the tourist and recreational sphere and agro-industrial complex, in

Cellular population dynamics control the robustness of the stem cell niche

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam L. MacLean

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Within populations of cells, fate decisions are controlled by an indeterminate combination of cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic factors. In the case of stem cells, the stem cell niche is believed to maintain ‘stemness’ through communication and interactions between the stem cells and one or more other cell-types that contribute to the niche conditions. To investigate the robustness of cell fate decisions in the stem cell hierarchy and the role that the niche plays, we introduce simple mathematical models of stem and progenitor cells, their progeny and their interplay in the niche. These models capture the fundamental processes of proliferation and differentiation and allow us to consider alternative possibilities regarding how niche-mediated signalling feedback regulates the niche dynamics. Generalised stability analysis of these stem cell niche systems enables us to describe the stability properties of each model. We find that although the number of feasible states depends on the model, their probabilities of stability in general do not: stem cell–niche models are stable across a wide range of parameters. We demonstrate that niche-mediated feedback increases the number of stable steady states, and show how distinct cell states have distinct branching characteristics. The ecological feedback and interactions mediated by the stem cell niche thus lend (surprisingly high levels of robustness to the stem and progenitor cell population dynamics. Furthermore, cell–cell interactions are sufficient for populations of stem cells and their progeny to achieve stability and maintain homeostasis. We show that the robustness of the niche – and hence of the stem cell pool in the niche – depends only weakly, if at all, on the complexity of the niche make-up: simple as well as complicated niche systems are capable of supporting robust and stable stem cell dynamics.

Knowledge from Research and Practice on the Barriers and Carriers to Successful Technology Transfer for Assistive Technology Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Leahy, James A.; Lane, Joseph P.

2010-01-01

Historically, the assistive technology (AT) industry is made up of small to medium size companies serving relatively small markets with products characterized as "niche" or "orphan" products. Presenting opportunities to AT companies that are created by outside sources is difficult. Presenting such opportunities to companies serving larger markets…

Rural Marketing in India –Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies

OpenAIRE

Abhisek Kumar Tripathi

2012-01-01

The rural market in Indian economy can be classified under two broad categories. These are the market for consumer goods that comprise of both durable and non-durable goods and the market for agricultural inputs that include fertilizers, pesticides, seeds Key words: rural marketing, marketing, challenges in rural marketing, rural marketing environment

Proceedings of the Canadian Institute's 4. annual oil sands supply and infrastructure conference : maximizing opportunity and mitigating risks in a rapidly growing market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

This conference addressed the challenges facing oil sands development, with particular reference to supply and infrastructure issues. Updates on oil sands markets and opportunities were presented along with strategies for mitigating risks in a rapidly growing market. The best practices for supplying a demanding market through supply shortages and high prices were identified along with policies that should be implemented to help overcome labour shortages. Some presentations expressed how commodities pricing and trends can impact business. Others showed how markets in China and the United States are prepared for oilsands products. The views of other international companies on oil sands was also discussed along with proposed plans to eliminate the infrastructure congestion and risks caused by expanding oil sands development. The challenges and benefits of investing in Alberta's oil sands were reviewed along with strategies to enhance upgrading and refining capacity in the province. Economic drivers and the creation of new markets were examined, and various export opportunities were reviewed along with industry management challenges concerning human resources, labour supply, training and education. The conference featured 10 presentations, of which 3 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Ten Niche Strategies To Commercialize New High-Tech Products

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ortt, J.R.; Langley, D.J.; Pals, N.

2013-01-01

There are serious gaps in the scientific literature relating to niche strategies as a means for commercializing new high-tech products. In particular, there is no clarity about what types of niche strategies can be distinguished, or how a niche strategy can be selected to suit a certain ituation. In

Database marketing practices and opportunities in a newly emerging African market

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paas, L.J.

2009-01-01

In this paper, qualitative research is conducted to gain insight into the current application and potential of database marketing in a newly emerging African economy, Tanzania. It is found that database marketing applications in Tanzania are currently limited, but that there is potential. The most

Labour Market Flexibility between Risk and Opportunity for Gender Equality Analyses of Self-employment, Part-time Work, and Job Autonomy

OpenAIRE

König, Stefanie

2016-01-01

The dissertation “Labour Market Flexibility between Risk and Opportunity for Gender Equality – Analyses of Self-employment, Part-time Work, and Job Autonomy” addresses the main research question: Is flexibility the key to a less gendered labour market, or does it rather foster more traditional roles and gender inequality? In four empirical studies, different aspects in life were investigated in order to gain a holistic understanding of gender inequalities related to flexibility at work: the d...

Geothermal Program Review X: proceedings. Geothermal Energy and the Utility Market -- the Opportunities and Challenges for Expanding Geothermal Energy in a Competitive Supply Market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-01-01

Each year the Geothermal Division of the US Department of Energy conducts an in-depth review of its entire geothermal R&D program. The conference serves several purposes: a status report on current R&D activities, an assessment of progress and problems, a review of management issues, and a technology transfer opportunity between DOE and the US geothermal city. This year`s conference, Program Review X, was held in San Francisco on March 24--26, 1992. The theme of the review, ``Geothermal Energy and the Utility Market -- The Opportunities and Challenges for Expanding Geothermal Energy in a Competitive Supply Market,`` focused on the needs of the electric utility sector. Geothermal energy, with its power capacity potential of 10 GWe by the year 2010, can provide reliable, enviromentally clean electricity which can help offset the projected increase in demand. Program Review X consisted of seven sessions including an opening session with presentations by Mr. Vikram Budhraja, Vice President of System Planning and Operations, Southern California Edison Company, and Mr. Richard Jaros, President and Chief Operating Officer, California Energy Company. The six technical sessions included presentations by the relevant field researchers covering DOE-sponsored R&D in hydrothermal, hot dry rock, and geopressured energy. Individual projects are processed separately for the data bases.

Lambayeque Region marketing: Improving Incoming Tourism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roger Pingo Jara

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Up to now, the marketing of the Lambayeque region as a tourist destination has been able to make important progress in the growth of domestic tourists flow. 40% of these tourists come from the capital, mostly they arrive in this region, mainly for business reasons. However, little progress is shown in relation to Incoming tourism, because from 100% of visitors who arrive to this touristic destination only 5% are of foreign origin.Furthermore, in 2011, from the total foreign tourists that visited the Moche Route - La Libertad region and Lambayeque region, 70% remained in the first one and only 30% visited both regions, completing the touristic circuit. The recommendations of the teachers of the Universidad del Pacífico, Universidad Esan and Centrum Católica, who have been interviewed are compared with the businessmen’s opinions in the region, showing the importance of targeting the tourism marketing strategy. Thus, it seeks to create value in different niches of the source markets, to prioritize potential tourists from brotherly countries, to link emotionally the tourist with the city, to build brands for each touristic product, to invest in highly specialized tourism and to improve significantly the clusters organization of the tourism sector in the region.We conclude that, in the region of Lambayeque, isolated efforts have been made regarding the incoming marketing, but, according to the needs, tastes and preferences of the potential tourist, this does not fulfill the international standards. This is demonstrated by the results achieved up to now—in terms of the foreign visitors’ number—. To that extent, It emphasizes the importance of the design and the implementation of a marketing plan connected with market reality.It should profit from the national brand and develop regional and local brand based on the international touristic demand-supply relation to market niches.

Emergence of Cooperative Long-Term Market Loyalty in Double Auction Markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Alorić, Aleksandra; Sollich, Peter; McBurney, Peter; Galla, Tobias

2016-01-01

Loyal buyer-seller relationships can arise by design, e.g. when a seller tailors a product to a specific market niche to accomplish the best possible returns, and buyers respond to the dedicated efforts the seller makes to meet their needs. We ask whether it is possible, instead, for loyalty to arise spontaneously, and in particular as a consequence of repeated interaction and co-adaptation among the agents in a market. We devise a stylized model of double auction markets and adaptive traders that incorporates these features. Traders choose where to trade (which market) and how to trade (to buy or to sell) based on their previous experience. We find that when the typical scale of market returns (or, at fixed scale of returns, the intensity of choice) become higher than some threshold, the preferred state of the system is segregated: both buyers and sellers are segmented into subgroups that are persistently loyal to one market over another. We characterize the segregated state analytically in the limit of large markets: it is stabilized by some agents acting cooperatively to enable trade, and provides higher rewards than its unsegregated counterpart both for individual traders and the population as a whole.

Niche conservatism in Gynandropaa frogs on the southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Junhua; Broennimann, Olivier; Guisan, Antoine; Wang, Bin; Huang, Yan; Jiang, Jianping

2016-09-07

The role of ecological niche in lineage diversification has been the subject of long-standing interest of ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Gynandropaa frogs diversified into three independent clades endemic to the southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Here, we address the question whether these clades kept the same niche after separation, and what it tells us about possible diversification processes. We applied predictions in geographical (G)-space and tests of niche conservatism in environmental (E)-space. Niche models in G-space indicate separate regions with high suitability for the different clades, with some potential areas of sympatry. While the pair of central and eastern clades displayed the largest niche overlap for most variables, and strict niche equivalency was rejected for all clade-pairs, we found no strong evidence for niche divergence, but rather the signature of niche conservatism compared to null models in E-space. These results suggest a common ancestral ecological niche, and as such give good support to divergence through allopatric speciation, but alternative explanations are also possible. Our findings illustrate how testing for niche conservatism in lineage diversification can provide insights into underlying speciation processes, and how this information may guide further research and conservation practices, as illustrated here for amphibians on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Encouraging the Domestic Small Turbine Market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsyth, T.

2001-01-01

The state incentives for home-based renewables in the domestic market continue to grow and change creating opportunities for the small wind turbine market. Tracking the opportunities to get small wind turbines included in incentive policies and developing a proactive industry approach is important because market changes can occur anytime. There are near-term opportunities to work with states in developing their strategies for disbursing system benefit charges, adding tags to existing policies for other small renewables to include small wind, and developing state-wide net metering programs. Other opportunities to improve the domestic market exist but will be quite challenging to implement. Other opportunities include federal tax credits, state wind access laws, equipment verification for specific states, and leasing programs for small wind turbines

Exosomes as novel regulators of adult neurogenic niches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Federico Batiz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Adult neurogenesis has been convincingly demonstrated in two regions of the mammalian brain: the sub-granular zone (SGZ of the dentate gyrus (DG in the hippocampus, and the sub-ventricular zone (SVZ of the lateral ventricles. SGZ newborn neurons are destined to the granular cell layer of the DG, while new neurons from the SVZ neurons migrate rostrally into the olfactory bulb. The process of adult neurogenesis persists throughout life and is supported by a pool of neural stem cells (NSCs, which reside in a unique and specialized microenvironment known as neurogenic niche. Neurogenic niches are structured by a complex organization of different cell types, including the NSC-neuron lineage, glial cells and vascular cells. Thus, cell-to-cell communication plays a key role in the dynamic modulation of homeostasis and plasticity of the adult neurogenic process. Specific cell-cell contacts and extracellular signals originated locally provide the necessary support and regulate the balance between self-renewal and differentiation of NSCs. Furthermore, extracellular signals originated at distant locations, including other brain regions or systemic organs, may reach the niche through the cerebrospinal fluid or the vasculature and influence its nature. The role of several secreted molecules, such as cytokines, growth factors, neurotransmitters, and hormones, in the biology of adult NSCs, has been systematically addressed. Interestingly, in addition to these well-recognized signals, a novel type of intercellular messengers has been identified recently: the extracellular vesicles (EVs. EVs, and particularly exosomes, are implicated in the transfer of mRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs, proteins and lipids between cells and thus are able to modify the function of recipient cells. Exosomes appear to play a significant role in different stem cell niches such as the mesenchymal stem cell niche, cancer stem cell niche and pre-metastatic niche; however, their roles in adult

Building an International Student Market: Educational-Balanced Scorecard Solutions for Regional Australian Cities

Science.gov (United States)

Forbes, Linda; Hamilton, John

2004-01-01

There is an international student market suitable for regional Australia, but each region is different. Hence, each region must determine, target and niche market to its best potential international student customer base. For international education there remains scant, relevant, data for regional Australia, hence complete regional approaches to…

Niche construction, sources of selection and trait coevolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Laland, Kevin; Odling-Smee, John; Endler, John

2017-10-06

Organisms modify and choose components of their local environments. This 'niche construction' can alter ecological processes, modify natural selection and contribute to inheritance through ecological legacies. Here, we propose that niche construction initiates and modifies the selection directly affecting the constructor, and on other species, in an orderly, directed and sustained manner. By dependably generating specific environmental states, niche construction co-directs adaptive evolution by imposing a consistent statistical bias on selection. We illustrate how niche construction can generate this evolutionary bias by comparing it with artificial selection. We suggest that it occupies the middle ground between artificial and natural selection. We show how the perspective leads to testable predictions related to: (i) reduced variance in measures of responses to natural selection in the wild; (ii) multiple trait coevolution, including the evolution of sequences of traits and patterns of parallel evolution; and (iii) a positive association between niche construction and biodiversity. More generally, we submit that evolutionary biology would benefit from greater attention to the diverse properties of all sources of selection.

Ecological niche transferability using invasive species as a case study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Fernández

Full Text Available Species distribution modeling is widely applied to predict invasive species distributions and species range shifts under climate change. Accurate predictions depend upon meeting the assumption that ecological niches are conserved, i.e., spatially or temporally transferable. Here we present a multi-taxon comparative analysis of niche conservatism using biological invasion events well documented in natural history museum collections. Our goal is to assess spatial transferability of the climatic niche of a range of noxious terrestrial invasive species using two complementary approaches. First we compare species' native versus invasive ranges in environmental space using two distinct methods, Principal Components Analysis and Mahalanobis distance. Second we compare species' native versus invaded ranges in geographic space as estimated using the species distribution modeling technique Maxent and the comparative index Hellinger's I. We find that species exhibit a range of responses, from almost complete transferability, in which the invaded niches completely overlap with the native niches, to a complete dissociation between native and invaded ranges. Intermediate responses included expansion of dimension attributable to either temperature or precipitation derived variables, as well as niche expansion in multiple dimensions. We conclude that the ecological niche in the native range is generally a poor predictor of invaded range and, by analogy, the ecological niche may be a poor predictor of range shifts under climate change. We suggest that assessing dimensions of niche transferability prior to standard species distribution modeling may improve the understanding of species' dynamics in the invaded range.

Target Article with Commentaries: Developmental Niche Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Emma G.; Laland, Kevin N.; Kendal, Rachel L.; Kendal, Jeremy R.

2013-01-01

Niche construction is the modification of components of the environment through an organism's activities. Humans modify their environments mainly through ontogenetic and cultural processes, and it is this reliance on learning, plasticity and culture that lends human niche construction a special potency. In this paper we aim to facilitate…

Phenological shifts conserve thermal niches in North American birds and reshape expectations for climate-driven range shifts.

Science.gov (United States)

Socolar, Jacob B; Epanchin, Peter N; Beissinger, Steven R; Tingley, Morgan W

2017-12-05

Species respond to climate change in two dominant ways: range shifts in latitude or elevation and phenological shifts of life-history events. Range shifts are widely viewed as the principal mechanism for thermal niche tracking, and phenological shifts in birds and other consumers are widely understood as the principal mechanism for tracking temporal peaks in biotic resources. However, phenological and range shifts each present simultaneous opportunities for temperature and resource tracking, although the possible role for phenological shifts in thermal niche tracking has been widely overlooked. Using a canonical dataset of Californian bird surveys and a detectability-based approach for quantifying phenological signal, we show that Californian bird communities advanced their breeding phenology by 5-12 d over the last century. This phenological shift might track shifting resource peaks, but it also reduces average temperatures during nesting by over 1 °C, approximately the same magnitude that average temperatures have warmed over the same period. We further show that early-summer temperature anomalies are correlated with nest success in a continental-scale database of bird nests, suggesting avian thermal niches might be broadly limited by temperatures during nesting. These findings outline an adaptation surface where geographic range and breeding phenology respond jointly to constraints imposed by temperature and resource phenology. By stabilizing temperatures during nesting, phenological shifts might mitigate the need for range shifts. Global change ecology will benefit from further exploring phenological adjustment as a potential mechanism for thermal niche tracking and vice versa.

Internet marketing 401.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Ryan J

2010-11-01

For facial plastic surgeons who are already realizing increased patient consultation requests from their online marketing efforts, the primary concern often becomes implementing additional tactics and strategies that can keep their online marketing fresh, relevant, and effective. This article creates a framework for evaluating advanced online marketing opportunities by analyzing each opportunity according to the variables of possible return, average cost to implement, probability of success, and implementation time. Within this framework, 11 distinct tactics are discussed, with special emphasis on the most common marketing needs and challenges of facial plastic surgery practices. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Off-Patent Transgenic Events: Challenges and Opportunities for New Actors and Markets in Agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick Rüdelsheim

2018-06-01

Full Text Available More than 20 years ago, the first genetically modified (GM plants entered the seed market. The patents covering the first GM plants have begun to expire and these can now be considered as Off-Patent Events. Here we describe the challenges that will be faced by a Secondary Party by further use and development of these Off-Patent Events. Indeed, the conditions for Off-Patent Events are not available yet to form the basis for a new viable industry similar to the generic manufacturers of agrochemicals or pharmaceutical products, primarily because of (i unharmonized global regulatory requirements for GM organisms, (ii inaccessibility of regulatory submissions and data, and (iii potential difficulties to obtain seeds and genetic material of the unique genotypes used to generate regulatory data. We propose certain adaptations by comparing what has been done in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical markets to facilitate the development of generics. Finally, we present opportunities that still exist for further development of Off-Patent Events in collaboration with Proprietary Regulatory Property Holders in emerging markets, provided (i various countries approve these events without additional regulatory burdens (i.e., acceptance of the concept of data transportability, and (ii local breeders agree to meet product stewardship requirements.

Understanding the value of plant diversity for ecosystem functioning through niche theory

Science.gov (United States)

Isbell, Forest; Purves, Drew W.; Loreau, Michel

2016-01-01

Biodiversity experiments have generated robust empirical results supporting the hypothesis that ecosystems function better when they contain more species. Given that ecosystems provide services that are valued by humans, this inevitably suggests that the loss of species from natural ecosystems could diminish their value. This raises two important questions. First, will experimental results translate into the real world, where species are being lost at an alarming rate? And second, what are the benefits and pitfalls of such valuation exercises? We argue that the empirical results obtained in experiments are entirely consistent with well-established theories of species coexistence. We then examine the current body of work through the lens of niche theory and highlight where closer links with theory could open up opportunities for future research. We argue that niche theory predicts that diversity–functioning relationships are likely to be stronger (and require more species) in the field than in simplified experimental settings. However, we caution that while many of the biological processes that promote coexistence can also generate diversity–function relationships, there is no simple mapping between the two. This implies that valuation exercises need to proceed with care. PMID:27928043

Innovations in the dairy chain: bio-economic analysis of novel breeding opportunities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Demeter, R.M.

2011-01-01

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the dairy sector to move from producing bulk dairy commodities towards producing specialized dairy products aimed at niche markets. Dairy farmers consider shifting from commodity milk to raw milk with specialized composition to meet consumer or

Diversity in Morphology and Locomotory Behavior Is Associated with Niche Expansion in the Semi-aquatic Bugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Crumière, Antonin J J; Santos, M Emilia; Sémon, Marie; Armisén, David; Moreira, Felipe F F; Khila, Abderrahman

2016-12-19

Acquisition of new ecological opportunities is a major driver of adaptation and species diversification [1-4]. However, how groups of organisms expand their habitat range is often unclear [3]. We study the Gerromorpha, a monophyletic group of heteropteran insects that occupy a large variety of water surface-associated niches, from small puddles to open oceans [5, 6]. Due to constraints related to fluid dynamics [7-9] and exposure to predation [5, 10], we hypothesize that selection will favor high speed of locomotion in the Gerromorpha that occupy water-air interface niches relative to the ancestral terrestrial life style. Through biomechanical assays and phylogenetic reconstruction, we show that only species that occupy water surface niches can generate high maximum speeds. Basally branching lineages with ancestral mode of locomotion, consisting of tripod gait, achieved increased speed on the water through increasing midleg length, stroke amplitude, and stroke frequency. Derived lineages evolved rowing as a novel mode of locomotion through simultaneous sculling motion almost exclusively of the midlegs. We demonstrate that this change in locomotory behavior significantly reduced the requirement for high stroke frequency and energy expenditure. Furthermore, we show how the evolution of rowing, by reducing stroke frequency, may have eliminated the constraint on body size, which may explain the evolution of larger Gerromorpha. This correlation between the diversity in locomotion behaviors and niche specialization suggests that changes in morphology and behavior may facilitate the invasion and diversification in novel environments. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Market survey of fuel cells in Mexico: Niche for low power portable systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramirez-Salgado, Joel [Programa de Ingenieria Molecular, Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Eje Lazaro Cardenas No 152, 07730 D. F. (Mexico); Dominguez-Aguilar, Marco A. [Laboratorio de Sintesis Quimica y Electroquimica, Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Eje Lazaro Cardenas No 152, 07730 D. F. (Mexico)

2009-01-15

This work provides an overview of the potential market in Mexico for portable electronic devices to be potentially powered by direct methanol fuel cells. An extrapolation method based on data published in Mexico and abroad served to complete this market survey. A review of electronics consumption set the basis for the future forecast and technology assimilation. The potential market for fuel cells for mobile phones in Mexico will be around 5.5 billion USD by 2013, considering a cost of 41 USD per cell in a market of 135 million mobile phones. Likewise, the market for notebook computers, PDAs and other electronic devices will likely grow in the future, with a combined consumption of fuel cell technology equivalent to 1.6 billion USD by 2014. (author)

Market survey of fuel cells in Mexico: Niche for low power portable systems

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Salgado, Joel; Domínguez-Aguilar, Marco A.

This work provides an overview of the potential market in Mexico for portable electronic devices to be potentially powered by direct methanol fuel cells. An extrapolation method based on data published in Mexico and abroad served to complete this market survey. A review of electronics consumption set the basis for the future forecast and technology assimilation. The potential market for fuel cells for mobile phones in Mexico will be around 5.5 billion USD by 2013, considering a cost of 41 USD per cell in a market of 135 million mobile phones. Likewise, the market for notebook computers, PDAs and other electronic devices will likely grow in the future, with a combined consumption of fuel cell technology equivalent to 1.6 billion USD by 2014.

INNOVATIONS OF THE TRADE MARKETING IN LATVIA

OpenAIRE

Spīča, Inese; Spīčs, Ernests

2010-01-01

In the rapidly changing environment contemporary marketing activities affects educational programms. The paper analyze the marketing and sales current events in Latvia. In this paper given a substantive explanation of trade marketing and trade marketing development opportunities for Latvia, trade marketing new development areas and to clarify their learning opportunities in Latvia.

Chironomidae larvae (Diptera) of Neotropical floodplain: overlap niche in different habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Butakka, C M M; Ragonha, F H; Takeda, A M

2014-05-01

The niche overlap between trophic groups of Chironomidae larvae in different habitats was observed between trophic groups and between different environments in Neotropical floodplain. For the evaluation we used the index of niche overlap (CXY) and analysis of trophic networks, both from the types and amount of food items identified in the larval alimentary canal. In all environments, the larvae fed on mainly organic matter such as plants fragments and algae, but there were many omnivore larvae. Species that have high values of food items occurred in diverse environments as generalists with great overlap niche and those with a low amount of food items with less overlap niche were classified as specialists. The largest number of trophic niche overlap was observed among collector-gatherers in connected floodplain lakes. The lower values of index niche overlap were predators. The similarity in the diet of different taxa in the same niche does not necessarily imply competition between them, but coexistence when the food resource is not scarce in the environment even in partially overlapping niches.

Marketing approaches for OTC analgesics in Bulgaria.

Science.gov (United States)

Petkova, Valentina; Valchanova, Velislava; Ibrahim, Adel; Nikolova, Irina; Benbasat, Niko; Dimitrov, Milen

2014-03-04

The marketing management includes analysis of market opportunities, selection of target markets, planning, developing and implementing of marketing strategies, monitoring and result control. The object of the present study was to analyse the marketing approaches applied for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in Bulgaria. The performed SWOT(planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis for one of the leading Bulgarian manufacturers marked the complex corporative strategy for stimulating the sales of NSAIDs. The study results show that the legislation frame in the country gives an opportunity for regulation of the NSAID market in order that incorrect marketing approaches such as disloyal competition are avoided.

Evolution of climatic niche specialization: a phylogenetic analysis in amphibians.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonetti, Maria Fernanda; Wiens, John J

2014-11-22

The evolution of climatic niche specialization has important implications for many topics in ecology, evolution and conservation. The climatic niche reflects the set of temperature and precipitation conditions where a species can occur. Thus, specialization to a limited set of climatic conditions can be important for understanding patterns of biogeography, species richness, community structure, allopatric speciation, spread of invasive species and responses to climate change. Nevertheless, the factors that determine climatic niche width (level of specialization) remain poorly explored. Here, we test whether species that occur in more extreme climates are more highly specialized for those conditions, and whether there are trade-offs between niche widths on different climatic niche axes (e.g. do species that tolerate a broad range of temperatures tolerate only a limited range of precipitation regimes?). We test these hypotheses in amphibians, using phylogenetic comparative methods and global-scale datasets, including 2712 species with both climatic and phylogenetic data. Our results do not support either hypothesis. Rather than finding narrower niches in more extreme environments, niches tend to be narrower on one end of a climatic gradient but wider on the other. We also find that temperature and precipitation niche breadths are positively related, rather than showing trade-offs. Finally, our results suggest that most amphibian species occur in relatively warm and dry environments and have relatively narrow climatic niche widths on both of these axes. Thus, they may be especially imperilled by anthropogenic climate change. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Role of Financial Information in Emerging Capital Markets ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... "discriminate" analysis between good and bad performance companies. In a world of advance information technology (IT), use of electronic data processing naturally provides a competitive niche in the instantaneous business decision making process in stock markets. African Journal of Finance and Management Vol.7(2) ...

Export versus domestic market opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melin, S.

2006-01-01

This presentation analyzed the current global wood pellet market and evaluated some of the forces currently driving market expansion. Global wood pellet production statistics were also presented. Large forest companies are now expanding into the energy sector and seeking to produce processing heat from biomass in addition to creating value-added products such as wood pellets, ethanol and electricity. The European biomass action plan has promised to increase production of energy from biomass from 4 per cent to 8 per cent by 2010. Various biomass boiler eco-directives have been established internationally, and some countries in Europe are now aggressively promoting the use of combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Biofuels mixing quotas have been established in various countries as well as tax relief plans for users of bio-fuels. As a result of these developments, along with various new directives, wood pellet consumption in Europe has increased from approximately 1 million tonnes in 2000 to 5 million tonnes in 2005. Consumption of wood pellets in Canada has increased only marginally in the same time period. While Canada currently exported 330,000 tonnes of wood pellets to Europe in 2006, it is expected that exports will increase to 800,000 tonnes by 2010. Other potential markets for Canadian wood pellets include South America, South Africa, Japan, and China. Production of wood pellets in China is expected to increase from current negligible production figures to approximately 50 million tonnes by 2020. Biomass research and development activities in Europe and North America are continuing to improve the calorific value of wood pellets and improve their mechanical strength. Researchers are also investigating methods of lowering wood pellet production costs. refs., tabs., figs

Market survey Hungary. Bio-energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

Basic characteristics of the market for bioenergy (biomass, biogas and biofuels) in Hungary and consequences for business environment are summarized, based on a SWOT analysis. RES is the priority issue to which a lot of attention is paid both at governmental and private level; private investors should view RES as a new niche for their business activities. Standard approach based on a thoroughly done preparation of the project in terms of profitability and risk assessment is necessary in order to avoid potential financial losses due to changed market conditions or differences between assumptions and business reality. Some recommendations for entry on the Hungarian bio energy market are presented: (1) Generally, look for success stories in the Netherlands first and then look for places where such proved and time-tested technologies could be used in Hungary with respect to local specifics. In such way, you can find market niches where investment can be made or new products can be launched; (2) For retail selling it is appropriate to establish business contacts with existing dealers and associations and offer own products through their distribution network. This scheme has the advantage of low initial costs as well as risks involved; (3) In the case of large investments into equipment complexes using RES it seems more appropriate to refer directly either to municipal authorities on whose cadastre the investment should take place or to specialized consultancy agencies that can support the plan with additional information on legal requirements, national programmes supporting RES or available technology. Of course, direct collaboration with well-established local partner can be beneficial for both sides too; (4) If you want to receive up-to-date information on particular aspects of the biomass market in Hungary, you can refer to some governmental organisations associations referred in the key contact addresses

Market transformation opportunities for emerging dynamic facade and dimmable lighting control systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Eleanor S.; Selkowitz, Stephen E.; Hughes, Glenn D.; Thurm, David A.

2004-06-04

Automated shading and daylighting control systems have been commercially available for decades. The new challenge is to provide a fully functional and integrated fagade and lighting system that operates appropriately for all environmental conditions and meets a range of occupant subjective desires and objective performance requirements. These rigorous performance goals must be achieved with solutions that are cost effective and can operate over long periods with minimal maintenance. It will take time and effort to change the marketplace for these technologies and practices, particularly in building a series of documented success stories, and driving costs and risks to much lower levels at which their use becomes the norm. In recent years, the architectural trend toward highly-transparent all-glass buildings presents a unique challenge and opportunity to advance the market for emerging, smart, dynamic window and dimmable daylighting control technologies. We believe it is possible to accelerate product market transformation by developing projects where technical advances and the interests of motivated manufacturers and innovative owners converge. In this paper we present a case study example that explains a building owner's decision-making process to use dynamic window and dimmable daylighting controls. The case study project undertaken by a major building owner in partnership with a buildings R&D group was designed explicitly to use field test data in conjunction with the market influence of a major landmark building project in New York City to stimulate change in manufacturers' product offerings. Preliminary observations on the performance of these systems are made. A cost model that was developed with the building owner is explained.

Approaches to a marketing strategy for the development and penetration of the PV market in German speaking countries. Ansaetze einer Marketingstrategie zur Erschliessung und Durchdringung des PV-Marktes in den deutschsprachigen Laendern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulte, F. (SOTEC - Ingenieurbuero fuer Sonnenenergie, Duesseldorf (Germany, F.R.))

1990-01-01

The photovoltaics market in Central Europe is characterized by the fact that a consolidation has been achieved in niche markets only. The main emphasis in this field of energy supply has been on technological progress; however, it needs to be supported by a serious marketing policy in the future. Based on an analysis of today's situation, both strategie and operative considerations for a marketing concept are demonstrated for a constitution of the PV market in Central Europe. (orig.).

Emergence of Cooperative Long-Term Market Loyalty in Double Auction Markets

Science.gov (United States)

Alorić, Aleksandra; Sollich, Peter; McBurney, Peter; Galla, Tobias

2016-01-01

Loyal buyer-seller relationships can arise by design, e.g. when a seller tailors a product to a specific market niche to accomplish the best possible returns, and buyers respond to the dedicated efforts the seller makes to meet their needs. We ask whether it is possible, instead, for loyalty to arise spontaneously, and in particular as a consequence of repeated interaction and co-adaptation among the agents in a market. We devise a stylized model of double auction markets and adaptive traders that incorporates these features. Traders choose where to trade (which market) and how to trade (to buy or to sell) based on their previous experience. We find that when the typical scale of market returns (or, at fixed scale of returns, the intensity of choice) become higher than some threshold, the preferred state of the system is segregated: both buyers and sellers are segmented into subgroups that are persistently loyal to one market over another. We characterize the segregated state analytically in the limit of large markets: it is stabilized by some agents acting cooperatively to enable trade, and provides higher rewards than its unsegregated counterpart both for individual traders and the population as a whole. PMID:27120473

Survey of the small (300 W to 300 kW) wind turbine market in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

The significant growth in the Canadian wind power industry over the past decade has resulted in an increased number of large utility-scale wind farms appearing across Canada. Although large wind turbines are often acknowledged as a mature technology that can provide clean, reliable and economically competitive power, smaller wind turbines have had relatively little documentation in comparison. The aim of this report was to provide a profile of the Canadian market for small wind turbines (SWTs), divided into 3 categories: mini wind turbines with a rated power output from 300 watts to 1000 watts; small wind turbines up to 30 kW; and medium-sized wind turbines up to 300 kW. Study findings were based on interviews with industry experts and a comprehensive survey of 135 companies involved in the Canadian SWT industry. Details of annual sales and total installed capacity were provided, as well as a summary of key SWT markets. An overview of Canadian market demand and international SWT manufacturing capacity was presented. Opportunities and barriers were examined. It was observed that experiences in the United States have indicated that SWTs are more successful when combined with enabling policies, market incentives, and education and awareness raising. The U.S. small wind industry has estimated that in the near future, the SWT industry could supply 50,000 MW, employ 10,000 people and generate $1 billion per year. A number of opportunities for the promotion of the small wind industry in Canada were reviewed, including the niche manufacturing sector in the 20 kW to 50 kW range. Issues concerning the economic benefits of a SWT manufacturing industry were examined. It was suggested that as the SWT markets grow and mature, turbine prices are expected to fall and turbine effectiveness and reliability will increase. An SWT promotional strategy was outlined with incentives in 4 areas: (1) market development; (2) policy development; (3) technology development; and (4) education

From a fuel supplier to an active participant: Shell's view of the opportunities offered by a changing power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyhan, J.

1998-01-01

In the last 10 years, the power generation market has seen radical changes. The coming years will see yet more change. Although the pace of change may be uneven across Europe, it is clear that the old reference points for the power generation market are no longer valid. Along with other market players, Shell has re-evaluated the role it wishes to play in the power generation market. Although it has long operated large generation capacity on its own sites, Shell's role has been that of a fuel supplier to monopoly power generation and distribution organizations, which were largely state controlled . Privatization and liberalization have been followed by changing market structures tending to push risk towards the producer. This evolution presents challenges for the normal IPP structure, where market risk is transferred and offers an opportunity for the active participation of the fuel supplier in meeting these challenges. In 1996, Shell decided to embrace the changes in power generation market. Already, significant steps have been taken in markets in Asia, Latin America and in Europe. The differing requirements of each of these markets means there are no standard solutions and requires Shell to devise flexible frameworks which meet the customer's needs. Shell is bringing its significant strengths to the power generation market and looks forward to participating on a world wide scale in the industry at this exciting phase in its development

Niche construction drives social dependence in hermit crabs.

Science.gov (United States)

Laidre, Mark E

2012-10-23

Organisms can receive not only a genetic inheritance from their ancestors but also an ecological inheritance, involving modifications their ancestors made to the environment through niche construction. Ecological inheritances may persist as a legacy, potentially generating selection pressures that favor sociality. Yet, most proposed cases of sociality being impacted by an ecological inheritance come from organisms that live among close kin and were highly social before their niche construction began. Here, I show that in terrestrial hermit crabs (Coenobita compressus)--organisms that do not live with kin and reside alone, each in its own shell--niche-construction drives social dependence, such that individuals can only survive in remodeled shells handed down from conspecifics. These results suggest that niche construction can be an important initiator of evolutionary pressures to socialize, even among unrelated and otherwise asocial organisms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stem cell dynamics in the hair follicle niche

Science.gov (United States)

Rompolas, Panteleimon; Greco, Valentina

2014-01-01

Hair follicles are skin appendages of the mammalian skin that have the ability to periodically and stereotypically regenerate in order to continuously produce new hair over our lifetime. The ability of the hair follicle to regenerate is due to the presence of stem cells that along with other cell populations and non-cellular components, including molecular signals and extracellular material, make up a niche microenvironment. Mounting evidence suggests that the niche is critical for regulating stem cell behavior and thus the process of regeneration. Here we review the literature concerning past and current studies that have utilized mouse genetic models, combined with other approaches to dissect the molecular and cellular composition of the hair follicle niche. We also discuss our current understanding of how stem cells operate within the niche during the process of tissue regeneration and the factors that regulate their behavior. PMID:24361866

Charting a Path Toward a Sustainable ROK Space Program

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

technological competitiveness in niche markets.  While the ROK has invested in certain, independent military space capabilities, it will be best served－in...through rich research in space like Israel has put in space activities, the ROK cannot reach its targeted point. Moreover, these efforts cannot achieve...human capital promotion. But the ROK still has opportunities in space development due to the strength of its technological competitiveness in niche

American Depositary: A Case Study for Brazilian Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Machado Caldeira

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Specialists often question market efficiency. Some works suggest arbitrage opportunities in several financial operations. Such opportunities can be explained mainly by information asymmetry, since pricing in the stock market is directly linked to information; therefore, the investor that has access to such information the soonest has a competitive advantage. The objective of this paper is to verify the existence of arbitrage opportunities via ADRs, traded in the American market, and their respective stocks, which are traded in the domestic market. Through a case study conducted with four companies, not considering the transition costs, arbitrage opportunity windows were found. Among the companies studied, two had frequent arbitrage opportunities, for one of them the arbitrage opportunity can be shaped by the time series model.

Synergistic selection between ecological niche and mate preference primes diversification.

Science.gov (United States)

Boughman, Janette W; Svanbäck, Richard

2017-01-01

The ecological niche and mate preferences have independently been shown to be important for the process of speciation. Here, we articulate a novel mechanism by which ecological niche use and mate preference can be linked to promote speciation. The degree to which individual niches are narrow and clustered affects the strength of divergent natural selection and population splitting. Similarly, the degree to which individual mate preferences are narrow and clustered affects the strength of divergent sexual selection and assortative mating between diverging forms. This novel perspective is inspired by the literature on ecological niches; it also explores mate preferences and how they may contribute to speciation. Unlike much comparative work, we do not search for evolutionary patterns using proxies for adaptation and sexual selection, but rather we elucidate how ideas from niche theory relate to mate preference, and how this relationship can foster speciation. Recognizing that individual and population niches are conceptually and ecologically linked to individual and population mate preference functions will significantly increase our understanding of rapid evolutionary diversification in nature. It has potential to help solve the difficult challenge of testing the role of sexual selection in the speciation process. We also identify ecological factors that are likely to affect individual niche and individual mate preference in synergistic ways and as a consequence to promote speciation. The ecological niche an individual occupies can directly affect its mate preference. Clusters of individuals with narrow, differentiated niches are likely to have narrow, differentiated mate preference functions. Our approach integrates ecological and sexual selection research to further our understanding of diversification processes. Such integration may be necessary for progress because these processes seem inextricably linked in the natural world. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution �

An assessment of the economics and market opportunities for municipal solid waste fired combined heat and power applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frith, D.P.; Toothill, S.J.

1995-01-01

This study examines the issues surrounding the development of CHP applications of MSW combustion plants, and in particular the opportunities for new projects. The specific objectives of the study were as follows: (i) To assess the economics of CHP applications of MSW plant at three scales of operation, with waste throughputs of 400,000, 200,000 and 100,000 tonnes per year. (ii) To report on the market opportunities and barriers to implementation for such applications in the UK. (iii) To report on the commercial development of three such applications (case studies) in the UK and to examine the environmental benefits of such applications, with particular respect to greenhouse gas emissions. (author)

Australian SME micro-offshoring opportunities in the Philippines: An expanding niche market?

OpenAIRE

Ross, Peter K.

2016-01-01

This paper examines how Filipino-based business process outsourcing centers have been developing services, including offshore "staff leasing" and "co-managed services" arrangements, that are helping to overcome traditional small and medium enterprise (SME) resource constraints. These "micro-offshoring" models greatly reduce transaction costs for Australian SMEs seeking to outsource/offshore former in-house work and appear to be supporting a rapid increase in the number of Australian-based SME...

Reproductive Interference and Niche Partitioning in Aphidophagous Insects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzuki Noriyuki

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The range and quality of prey species differ greatly among closely related species of predators. However, the factors responsible for this diversified niche utilization are unclear. This is because the predation and resource competition do not always prevent species coexistence. In this paper, we present evidence in support of reproductive interference as a driver of niche partitioning, focusing on aphidophagous insect. Firstly, we present closely related generalist and specialist species pairs in aphidophagous lacewings to compare the reproductive interference hypothesis with two other hypotheses that have been proposed to explain niche partitioning in lacewings and sympatric speciation through host race formation and sexual selection. Secondly, we present a case study that shows how reproductive interference can drive niche partitioning in sibling ladybird species. Thirdly, we show that many ladybird genera include species inhabiting the same region but having different food and habitat preferences, raising the possibility that reproductive interference might occur in these groups. Finally, we show that intraguild predation cannot always explain the niche partitioning in aphidophagous insects including hoverflies and parasitoids. On the basis of the evidence presented, we urge that future studies investigating predator communities should take account of the role of reproductive interference.

Are species' responses to global change predicted by past niche evolution?

Science.gov (United States)

Lavergne, Sébastien; Evans, Margaret E. K.; Burfield, Ian J.; Jiguet, Frederic; Thuiller, Wilfried

2013-01-01

Predicting how and when adaptive evolution might rescue species from global change, and integrating this process into tools of biodiversity forecasting, has now become an urgent task. Here, we explored whether recent population trends of species can be explained by their past rate of niche evolution, which can be inferred from increasingly available phylogenetic and niche data. We examined the assemblage of 409 European bird species for which estimates of demographic trends between 1970 and 2000 are available, along with a species-level phylogeny and data on climatic, habitat and trophic niches. We found that species' proneness to demographic decline is associated with slow evolution of the habitat niche in the past, in addition to certain current-day life-history and ecological traits. A similar result was found at a higher taxonomic level, where families prone to decline have had a history of slower evolution of climatic and habitat niches. Our results support the view that niche conservatism can prevent some species from coping with environmental change. Thus, linking patterns of past niche evolution and contemporary species dynamics for large species samples may provide insights into how niche evolution may rescue certain lineages in the face of global change. PMID:23209172

Haematopoietic stem cell niches: new insights inspire new questions

Science.gov (United States)

Ugarte, Fernando; Forsberg, E Camilla

2013-01-01

Haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niches provide an environment essential for life-long HSC function. Intense investigation of HSC niches both feed off and drive technology development to increase our capability to assay functionally defined cells with high resolution. A major driving force behind the desire to understand the basic biology of HSC niches is the clear implications for clinical therapies. Here, with particular emphasis on cell type-specific deletion of SCL and CXCL12, we focus on unresolved issues on HSC niches, framed around some very recent advances and novel discoveries on the extrinsic regulation of HSC maintenance. We also provide ideas for possible paths forward, some of which are clearly within reach while others will require both novel tools and vision. PMID:24022369

CSU attention focuses on the Asian markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-15

European coal terminal operators increasingly select grab cranes over continuous ship loader (CSU) technology, but does the Far East still offer the greatest potential for growth? Siewertell, part of the Cargotec group, has developed something of a niche market with its screw-type CSUs. The article reports recent business by Siwertell and ThyssenKrupp Foerdertechnik (TFK). 2 photos.

Engaging western landowners in climate change mitigation: a guide to carbon-oriented forest and range management and carbon market opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

David D. Diaz; Susan Charnley; Hannah Gosnell

2009-01-01

There are opportunities for forest owners and ranchers to participate in emerging carbon markets and contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon oriented forest and range management activities. These activities often promote sutainable forestry and ranching and broader conservation goals while having the potential to provide a new income stream for...

Analysis of market development for photovoltaics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregory, J.A.; Bahaj, A.S.; Stainton, R.S.

1994-01-01

The acceptance of any product by the market is dependent upon a multitude of formal and informal mechanisms. These include, among others, the technical merit of the product, its presentation, its perceived image and the user feedback to the market-place. Further growth or diffusion of the product into the market-place is possible if the image and perception are positive. If the product is difficult to use, and/or lacks the information necessary for implementation and operation, it is unlikely that it will sell well. The result is a negative image and slow market growth. Today, photovoltaic (PV) systems are technically appropriate for many applications. However, apart from specific niche markets, the overall market penetration for PV is small when compared to other products of similar developmental history. This paper discusses the market development of PV applications, review some of the promoted scenarios and depicts past experiences with PV systems. In particular, it looks at the market development for PV in the telecommunications and health care sectors

A hypothesis-testing framework for studies investigating ontogenetic niche shifts using stable isotope ratios.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline M Hammerschlag-Peyer

Full Text Available Ontogenetic niche shifts occur across diverse taxonomic groups, and can have critical implications for population dynamics, community structure, and ecosystem function. In this study, we provide a hypothesis-testing framework combining univariate and multivariate analyses to examine ontogenetic niche shifts using stable isotope ratios. This framework is based on three distinct ontogenetic niche shift scenarios, i.e., (1 no niche shift, (2 niche expansion/reduction, and (3 discrete niche shift between size classes. We developed criteria for identifying each scenario, as based on three important resource use characteristics, i.e., niche width, niche position, and niche overlap. We provide an empirical example for each ontogenetic niche shift scenario, illustrating differences in resource use characteristics among different organisms. The present framework provides a foundation for future studies on ontogenetic niche shifts, and also can be applied to examine resource variability among other population sub-groupings (e.g., by sex or phenotype.

Hot business - cool opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraser, M.

1997-01-01

A new role for the deregulated electric utilities in the energy services market or performance contracting markets was discussed. It was argued that in view of the long tradition of close customer contact, distribution utilities are in a good position to leverage their relationship with their customers to expand the range of products and services that the ''utility'' provides to them. Real time pricing, energy services, HVAC maintenance and operation are just some of the areas where the distribution utility''s linkage to customers could be used to good advantage. Some case histories, and a list of potential product and service opportunities in the commercial/industrial and residential sectors were provided. Some of the potential pitfalls were also identified for utilities that wish to pursue these opportunities. These pitfalls included legal, marketing, risk management and funding issues

Competitor see, competitor do: Incumbent entry in new market niches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Debruyne, M.; Reibstein, D.

2005-01-01

The ability to keep up with changing technology is critical for a company's long-term survival. However, companies have to balance the risk of rushing into new areas and potentially cannibalizing their existing business against the risk of missing the emerging market. This paper investigates when

Academic health centers on the front lines: survival strategies in highly competitive markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Blumenthal, D; Weissman, J S; Griner, P F

1999-09-01

The authors describe approaches that five academic health centers (AHCs) have taken to reduce costs, enhance quality, or improve their market positions since the onset of price competition and managed care. The five AHCs, all on the West Coast, were selected for study because they (1) are located in markets that had been highly competitive for the longest time; (2) are committed to all the major missions of AHCs; and (3) own or substantially control their major clinical teaching facilities. The study findings reflect the status of the five AHCs during the fall of 1998. Although some findings may no longer be current (especially in light of ongoing implementation of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997), they still provide insights into the options and opportunities available to many AHCs in highly competitive markets. The authors report on the institutions' financial viability (positive), levels of government support (advantageous), and competition from other AHCs (modest). They outline the study AHCs' survival strategies in three broad areas: increasing revenues via exploiting market niches, reducing costs, and reorganizing to improve internal governance and decision making. They also report how marketplace competition and the strategies the AHCs used to confront it have affected the AHCs' missions. The authors summarize the outstanding lessons that all AHCs can learn from the experiences of the AHCs studied, although adding that AHCs in other parts of the country should use caution in looking to the West Coast AHCs for answers.

Niche evolution and diversification in a Neotropical radiation of birds (Aves: Furnariidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Seeholzer, Glenn F; Claramunt, Santiago; Brumfield, Robb T

2017-03-01

Rapid diversification may be caused by ecological adaptive radiation via niche divergence. In this model, speciation is coupled with niche divergence and lineage diversification is predicted to be correlated with rates of niche evolution. Studies of the role of niche evolution in diversification have generally focused on ecomorphological diversification but climatic-niche evolution may also be important. We tested these alternatives using a phylogeny of 298 species of ovenbirds (Aves: Furnariidae). We found that within Furnariidae, variation in species richness and diversification rates of subclades were best predicted by rate of climatic-niche evolution than ecomorphological evolution. Although both are clearly important, univariate regression and multivariate model averaging more consistently supported the climatic-niche as the best predictor of lineage diversification. Our study adds to the growing body of evidence, suggesting that climatic-niche divergence may be an important driver of rapid diversification in addition to ecomorphological evolution. However, this pattern may depend on the phylogenetic scale at which rate heterogeneity is examined. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Hospital marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Tony

2003-01-01

This article looks at a prescribed academic framework for various criteria that serve as a checklist for marketing performance that can be applied to hospital marketing organizations. These guidelines are drawn from some of Dr. Noel Capon of Columbia University's book Marketing Management in the 21st Century and applied to actual practices of hospital marketing organizations. In many ways this checklist can act as a "marketing" balanced scorecard to verify performance effectiveness and develop opportunities for innovation.

The evolutionary adoption of thorium beginning with its application in niche LWR fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drera, Saleem

2015-01-01

Since the inception of nuclear energy, the use of thorium as a nuclear fuel has been envisioned. Thorium boasts benefits, however, drawbacks which are both economic and technical including its the lack of a naturally occurring fissile isotope implies that its utility is inherently more difficult. The implementation of thorium as a nuclear fuel requires that it must provide sound technical advantages in combination with attractive economics as compared to standard uranium fuel. Revolutionary thorium concepts such as molten salt reactors and accelerator driven systems may provide theoretical merit, however, their exotic nature and associated technical challenges label them as long-term solutions at best. A near-to-medium term solution for thorium must be based on an evolutionary approach utilizing light/heavy water reactor platforms. While thorium does not provide a near-to-medium term complete replacement of uranium, it does provide substantial benefit within niche applications. To license and bring to market these niche fuels, Thor Energy and an international consortium of entities (including: Fortum, KAERI, Westinghouse, NNL, ITU, IFE, and a few other minor entities) have initiated a fuel development and irradiation test program to characterize the performance of these thoria-containing fuels. (author)

Trophic specialization influences the rate of environmental niche evolution in damselfishes (Pomacentridae).

Science.gov (United States)

Litsios, Glenn; Pellissier, Loïc; Forest, Félix; Lexer, Christian; Pearman, Peter B; Zimmermann, Niklaus E; Salamin, Nicolas

2012-09-22

The rate of environmental niche evolution describes the capability of species to explore the available environmental space and is known to vary among species owing to lineage-specific factors. Trophic specialization is a main force driving species evolution and is responsible for classical examples of adaptive radiations in fishes. We investigate the effect of trophic specialization on the rate of environmental niche evolution in the damselfish, Pomacentridae, which is an important family of tropical reef fishes. First, phylogenetic niche conservatism is not detected in the family using a standard test of phylogenetic signal, and we demonstrate that the environmental niches of damselfishes that differ in trophic specialization are not equivalent while they still overlap at their mean values. Second, we estimate the relative rates of niche evolution on the phylogenetic tree and show the heterogeneity among rates of environmental niche evolution of the three trophic groups. We suggest that behavioural characteristics related to trophic specialization can constrain the evolution of the environmental niche and lead to conserved niches in specialist lineages. Our results show the extent of influence of several traits on the evolution of the environmental niche and shed new light on the evolution of damselfishes, which is a key lineage in current efforts to conserve biodiversity in coral reefs.

Antitrust implications of utility participation in the market for remote photovoltaic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Starrs, T.J.

1994-01-01

Remote photovoltaic systems are an important niche market in the development of a viable photovoltaics industry. Electric utilities in the US have started offering remote photovoltaic service. Utilities have the potential to use their monopoly power in regulated markets to unfair competitive advantage in competitive markets. Therefore, utility participation in remote photovoltaic markets raises potentially significant issues of antitrust law and policy. This paper describes some of the legal and factual criteria that US courts and regulatory agencies are likely to use in assessing the antitrust implications of utility participation in the market for remote photovoltaic systems

Unified electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon

2011-01-01

A unified European electricity market means a unification and harmonisation of functioning of the national electricity market into one European Market or into one entity. It gives an opportunity to Slovenske elektrarne to open room for their wider activity within Europe where common rules for cross-boarder trade and markets functioning will apply. (author)

Identifying market opportunities for Smallholder farmers in Uganda

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mo

city represents a large expansion in markets for agricultural products, and offers a strong demand for a wide range of food .... secondary sources of market information were consulted. ...... Finance schemes, to motivate expansion of production.

Probabilistic and spatially variable niches inferred from demography

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey M. Diez; Itamar Giladi; Robert Warren; H. Ronald. Pulliam

2014-01-01

Summary 1. Mismatches between species distributions and habitat suitability are predicted by niche theory and have important implications for forecasting how species may respond to environmental changes. Quantifying these mismatches is challenging, however, due to the high dimensionality of species niches and the large spatial and temporal variability in population...

PV Solar Electricity: From a Niche Market to One of the Most Important Mainstream Markets for Electricity

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, W.; Waldmann, L.

PV solar electricity is seen as one of the few booming markets, today and in the coming decades. This market has grown globally at a rate of about 40% per year over the past 10 years. Related industries have realized a two-digit, billion-dollar (U.S.) turnover worldwide. PV solar electricity is a high-tech industry with high performance potential in the coming decades, leaving even the electronics industries behind and approaching the automotive industry.

Niche conservatism of Eulophia alta, a trans-Atlantic orchid species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Kolanowska

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The genus Eulophia embraces over 230 species distributed through the tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. In Neotropics it is represented by a sole species – E. alta. The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the difference between ecological niches occupied by American and African populations of this species based on the ecological niche modeling. The similarity between the glacial and present niches occupied by E. alta was calculated and the factors limiting the species occurrence were identified. Areas of seasonal tropical forest, tropical savanna and woodland served as refugia for the studied species during last glacial maximum and they were more widespread in Neotropics than in Africa. No significant niche shift after last glacial maximum was observed. The distribution of E. alta in its whole range is restricted mainly by temperature seasonality. The differences in the niches occupied by African and Neotropical populations of E. alta suggest preglacial disjunction of the species range and independent adaptation of both groups. Despite the significant range disjunction of E. alta the species is characterized by relatively high degree of niche conservatism.

Fair Trade in Sustainable Development. The Potential for Fair Trade Market Growth in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grażyna Śmigielska

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the concept of Fair Trade, which is considered an alternative to conventional trade, and becomes increasingly popular in the Western countries. In addition, some results of empirical research, conveyed in Poland and aimed at diagnosis and assessment of Fairtrade products market, are provided. Fair trade is analysed not only in the broad theoretical context which shows its contribution to sustainable development and relation to corporate social responsibility, but also in the framework of supply chains management. The benefits from the Fairtrade label, including transaction costs reduction are indicated. The assumption is that to achieve them, consumer acceptance of the idea and willingness to buy Fairtrade products are necessary. The empirical research was focused on answering the question whether a market niche for Fairtrade goods exists in Poland and how to develop it by the means of communication tools. The market niche, although very small, has been identified and described. It is apparent that, in order to develop it, a public policy, aimed at raising the awareness of Fair Trade idea, is necessary as well as marketing activities like social marketing Internet campaigns and better and more prominently products display.

The marketing-accounting interface: problems and opportunities

OpenAIRE

Kraus, Kalle; Håkansson, Håkan; Lind, Johnny

2015-01-01

This is the authors’ accepted, refereed and final manuscript to the article An important aim of this special issue is to contribute to the interdisciplinary research literature on marketing and accounting. This is important also from a practical point of view since both the marketing and accounting functions are often ‘under attack’ within companies. Drawing on previous research and the individual contributions to the special issue, we identify and discuss three important themes related to...

International markets: Seizing the opportunity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heyes, A. [UK Department of Trade and Industry, London (United Kingdom). Energy Technologies Directorate

1997-12-31

The author begins by highlighting some of the key facts and figures mentioned in a number of papers at this conference, together with a summary of the perceived market barriers. The author believes there are a number of positive things that can be done to smooth the path of encouraging the deployment of clean coal technologies over the next few years, and he discusses a few of these.

First steps in developing the niche market for PV in conservatories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-06-01

This report describes the findings of a project commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to review and quantitatively assess the prospects and potential for the integration of photovoltaic (PV) modules and components into conservatories. This is considered one way of expanding the market for domestic PV installations in the UK. The report describes the outputs from the project's various work packages. These included: an assessment of the benefits provided by PVs in conservatories in terms of energy use, shading, simulations and aesthetics; the definition of design requirements for integrating PV; development of designs; market surveys of consumers, the conservatory industry and the house building industry; and the development of user guidelines

An economic evaluation of forest improvement opportunities and impacts from the emergence of a biomass fuel market in southwestern Nova Scotia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manley, A.L.; Savage, G.D.

1993-01-01

In 1991, Nova Scotia's public power utility initiated a process to purchase privately produced electrical power. A proposal was received to produce 20--25 megawatts from the burning of 350 to 400,000 tonnes annually of wood residue and forest biomass in a co-generation facility in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. This proposal has been proceeding and is nearing the construction phase. As a result of this potential market, there is an opportunity for increasing the scope and extent of forest improvement operations. Options for a closer integration of planning, harvesting, and silviculture activities will emerge. Optimum end use allocation could occur and enhance overall economic efficiency. The objective of this project is to assess the effect that this emerging market for forest biomass could have on forest management in the supply area. This project has two phases. Phase 1, presented here, develops the framework and methodology. Phase 2 will apply a linear programming-based analytical model for evaluation. Phase 1 accumulated the required data and information for both the current management and marketing situation and that including the emerging biomass market. Growth and yield of the natural stand types were calculated for a mixture of conventional roundwood products and chip equivalents. Management regimes, based on current forest type, site class, and appropriate silviculture treatments, were established. Expected multiproduct yields, by regime were estimated. Silviculture and harvest costs along with product revenues were used to calculate standing timber and soil expectation values. In Phase 2, a stand-based optimization model will be developed to explore and evaluate the long term opportunities and differences between the present and emerging management and market situations

U.S. northeast and Maritime markets : a marketer`s perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broadfoot, M. [Engage Energy Canada, Calgary, AB (Canada)

1998-09-01

A 1998 profile of Engage Energy Canada was presented as an illustration of gas marketing opportunities in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States from the point of view of the gas marketer. Engage Energy is a joint venture company of Westcoast Energy Inc., and the Coastal Corporation. The company`s annual gross revenues equal $US 4.0 billion involving an annual natural gas volume of 8 Bcf/day and an annual electricity volume of 40 million MWh. The functions of marketers and the characteristics of this particular market area were described, paying attention also to commodity volatility. The role of energy marketers in the Maritimes and the northeast USA was defined as `partnering` between energy users and marketing firms to manage the energy users` needs through a rapidly changing energy market. The expertise that marketers bring to this task was also described. 7 figs.

Spontaneous Cognition and Epistemic Agency in the Cognitive Niche

Science.gov (United States)

Fabry, Regina E.

2018-01-01

According to Thomas Metzinger, many human cognitive processes in the waking state are spontaneous and are deprived of the experience of epistemic agency. He considers mind wandering as a paradigm example of our recurring loss of epistemic agency. I will enrich this view by extending the scope of the concept of epistemic agency to include cases of depressive rumination and creative cognition, which are additional types of spontaneous cognition. Like mind wandering, they are characterized by unique phenomenal and functional properties that give rise to varying degrees of epistemic agency. The main claim of this paper will be that the experience of being an epistemic agent within a certain time frame is a relational phenomenon that emerges from the organism’s capacity to interact with its cognitive niche. To explore this relation, I develop a new framework that integrates phenomenological considerations on epistemic agency with a functional account of the reciprocal coupling of the embodied organism with its cognitive niche. This account rests upon dynamical accounts of strong embodied and embedded cognition and recent work on cognitive niche construction. Importantly, epistemic agency and organism-niche coupling are gradual phenomena ranging from weak to strong realizations. The emerging framework will be employed to analyze mind wandering, depressive rumination, and creative cognition as well as their commonalities and differences. Mind wandering and depressive rumination are cases of weak epistemic agency and organism-niche coupling. However, there are also important phenomenological, functional, and neuronal differences. In contrast, creative cognition is a case of strong epistemic agency and organism-niche coupling. By providing a phenomenological and functional analysis of these distinct types of spontaneous cognition, we can gain a better understanding of the importance of organism-niche interaction for the realization of epistemic agency.

Climatic niche conservatism and the evolutionary dynamics in species range boundaries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olalla-Tárraga1, Miguel Á.; McInnes, Linsey; Bini, Luis M.

2011-01-01

Aim Comparative evidence for phylogenetic niche conservatism – the tendency for lineages to retain their ancestral niches over long time scales – has so far been mixed, depending on spatial and taxonomic scale. We quantify and compare conservatism in the climatic factors defining range boundaries...... conservatism, as expected from their greater physiological sensitivity and lower dispersal abilities. Location Global; continental land masses excluding Antarctica. Methods We used nearly complete global distributional databases to estimate the climatic niche conservatism in extant continental mammals...... and amphibians. We characterized the climatic niche of each species by using a suite of variables and separately investigate conservatism in each variable using both taxonomic and phylogenetic approaches. Finally, we explored the spatial, taxonomic and phylogenetic patterns in recent climatic niche evolution...

Widespread correlations between climatic niche evolution and species diversification in birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooney, Christopher R; Seddon, Nathalie; Tobias, Joseph A

2016-07-01

The adaptability of species' climatic niches can influence the dynamics of colonization and gene flow across climatic gradients, potentially increasing the likelihood of speciation or reducing extinction in the face of environmental change. However, previous comparative studies have tested these ideas using geographically, taxonomically and ecologically restricted samples, yielding mixed results, and thus the processes linking climatic niche evolution with diversification remain poorly understood. Focusing on birds, the largest and most widespread class of terrestrial vertebrates, we test whether variation in species diversification among clades is correlated with rates of climatic niche evolution and the extent to which these patterns are modified by underlying gradients in biogeography and species' ecology. We quantified climatic niches, latitudinal distribution and ecological traits for 7657 (˜75%) bird species based on geographical range polygons and then used Bayesian phylogenetic analyses to test whether niche evolution was related to species richness and rates of diversification across genus- and family-level clades. We found that the rate of climatic niche evolution has a positive linear relationship with both species richness and diversification rate at two different taxonomic levels (genus and family). Furthermore, this positive association between labile climatic niches and diversification was detected regardless of variation in clade latitude or key ecological traits. Our findings suggest either that rapid adaptation to unoccupied areas of climatic niche space promotes avian diversification, or that diversification promotes adaptation. Either way, we propose that climatic niche evolution is a fundamental process regulating the link between climate and biodiversity at global scales, irrespective of the geographical and ecological context of speciation and extinction. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2016 British Ecological Society.

Emerging Markets for Renewable Energy Certificates: Opportunities and Challenges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holt, E.; Bird, L.

2005-01-01

Renewable energy certificates (RECs) represent the attributes of electricity generated from renewable energy sources. These attributes are unbundled from the physical electricity, and the two products-the attributes embodied in the certificates and the commodity electricity-may be sold or traded separately. RECs are quickly becoming the currency of renewable energy markets because of their flexibility and the fact that they are not subject to the geographic and physical limitations of commodity electricity. RECs are currently used by utilities and marketers to supply renewable energy products to end-use customers as well as to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements, such as renewable energy mandates. The purpose of this report is to describe and analyze the emerging market for renewable energy certificates. It describes how RECs are marketed, examines RECs markets including scope and prices, and identifies and describes the key challenges facing the growth and success of RECs markets.

Geographical parthenogenesis: General purpose genotypes and frozen niche variation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vrijenhoek, Robert C.; Parker, Dave

2009-01-01

hypotheses concerning the evolution of niche breadth in asexual species - the "general-purpose genotype" (GPG) and "frozen niche-variation" (FNV) models. The two models are often portrayed as mutually exclusive, respectively viewing clonal lineages as generalists versus specialists. Nonetheless...

A family business: stem cell progeny join the niche to regulate homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Ya-Chieh; Fuchs, Elaine

2012-01-23

Stem cell niches, the discrete microenvironments in which the stem cells reside, play a dominant part in regulating stem cell activity and behaviours. Recent studies suggest that committed stem cell progeny become indispensable components of the niche in a wide range of stem cell systems. These unexpected niche inhabitants provide versatile feedback signals to their stem cell parents. Together with other heterologous cell types that constitute the niche, they contribute to the dynamics of the microenvironment. As progeny are often located in close proximity to stem cell niches, similar feedback regulations may be the underlying principles shared by different stem cell systems.

Compatible ecological niche signals between biological and archaeological datasets for late-surviving Neandertals.

Science.gov (United States)

Bible, Rachael C; Peterson, A Townsend

2018-04-17

To assess ecological niche similarity for biological and archaeological samples representing late-surviving Neandertals in Europe to evaluate the validity of combining these two types of data in ecological niche modeling analyses. Tests of niche conservatism were used to assess niche similarity and niche identity of samples of morphologically diagnostic Neandertal remains and Middle Paleolithic (MP) archaeological sites dating to the time period leading up to Neandertal extinction. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions for the Pre-H4 (43.3-40.2 ky cal BP) were used as environmental space analyses. Null hypotheses of niche similarity and identity of the two types of samples could not be rejected. As primary and secondary evidence of Neandertal occurrence during the Pre-H4 show high levels of niche similarity and identity, combining the two types of occurrence data to create larger samples for niche analyses is justified without the concern that different environmental signals could complicate future research. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Insights from ecological niche modeling on the taxonomic distinction and niche differentiation between the black-spotted and red-spotted tokay geckoes (Gekko gecko).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yueyun; Chen, Chongtao; Li, Li; Zhao, Chengjian; Chen, Weicai; Huang, Yong

2014-09-01

The black-spotted tokay and the red-spotted tokay are morphologically distinct and have largely allopatric distributions. The black-spotted tokay is characterized by a small body size and dark skin with sundry spots, while the red-spotted tokay has a relatively large body size and red spots. Based on morphological, karyotypic, genetic, and distribution differences, recent studies suggested their species status; however, their classifications remain controversial, and additional data such as ecological niches are necessary to establish firm hypotheses regarding their taxonomic status. We reconstructed their ecological niches models using climatic and geographic data. We then performed niche similarity tests (niche identity and background tests) and point-based analyses to explore whether ecological differentiation has occurred, and whether such differences are sufficient to explain the maintenance of their separate segments of environmental ranges. We found that both niche models of the black- and the red-spotted tokay had a good fit and a robust performance, as indicated by the high area under the curve (AUC) values ("black" = 0.982, SD = ± 0.002, "red" = 0.966 ± 0.02). Significant ecological differentiation across the entire geographic range was found, indicating that the involvement of ecological differentiation is important for species differentiation. Divergence along the environmental axes is highly associated with climatic conditions, with isothermality being important for the "black" form, while temperature seasonality, precipitation of warmest quarter, and annual temperature range together being important for the "red" form. These factors are likely important factors in niche differentiation between the two forms, which result in morphological replacement. Overall, beside morphological and genetic differentiation information, our results contribute to additional insights into taxonomic distinction and niche differentiation between the black- and the red

Behavioural manipulation of insect hosts by Baculoviridae as a process of niche construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamblin, Steven; Tanaka, Mark M

2013-08-16

Niche construction has received increasing attention in recent years as a vital force in evolution and examples of niche construction have been identified in a wide variety of taxa, but viruses are conspicuously absent. In this study we explore how niche construction can lead to viruses engineering their hosts (including behavioural manipulation) with feedback on selective pressures for viral transmission and virulence. To illustrate this concept we focus on Baculoviridae, a family of invertebrate viruses that have evolved to modify the feeding behaviour of their lepidopteran hosts and liquefy their cadavers as part of the course of infection. We present a mathematical model showing how niche construction leads to feedback from the behavioural manipulation to the liquefaction of the host, linking the evolution of both of these traits, and show how this association arises from the action of niche construction. Model results show that niche construction is plausible in this system and delineates the conditions under which niche construction will occur. Niche construction in this system is also shown to be sensitive to parameter values that reflect ecological forces. Our model demonstrates that niche construction can be a potent force in viral evolution and can lead to the acquisition and maintenance of the behavioural manipulation and liquefaction traits in Baculoviridae via the niche constructing effects on the host. These results show the potential for niche construction theory to provide new insights into viral evolution.

Just like the lottery? Player behaviour and anomalies in the market for football pools.

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, David; Pérez, Levi

2015-06-01

Football pools were an antecedent to lotto in providing a long-odds, high-prize gambling opportunity for a mass market in Europe. Even after lotto has become well established, pools games continue to occupy a significant niche in the gaming market in several jurisdictions, most notably Spain. This paper employs 23 years of sales data from the national pools game in Spain to investigate similarities between the behaviour of lotto players and pools players. It observes similar phenomena as have been noted in lotto sales studies, including strong sensitivity of sales to the size of jackpot on offer, significant habit effects, a halo effect whereby there is some short-term persistence in increased sales whenever a high jackpot is offered (even after jackpot size has returned to normal), and a tendency to jackpot fatigue (over time, the size of the jackpot has to be increased to more than before to stimulate the same increase in sales). Notwithstanding that the football pools are marketed as based on knowledge and understanding of sport whereas lotto is a pure numbers game, modelling sales of the pools therefore yields findings very similar to those reported in the literature on lotto. This suggests that both sets of players share common psychological and cognitive traits and economic motivation. Those responsible for promoting pools should therefore be able to draw on findings from the much more extensive literature on lotto when formulating strategy in terms of game design and marketing.

COPE-SMARTER - A decision support system for analysing the challenges, opportunities and policy initiatives: A case study of electric commercial vehicles market diffusion in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barfod, Michael Bruhn; Kaplan, Sigal; Frenzel, Ina

2016-01-01

Stakeholder's strategies in encouraging wide-scale market penetration depend on their perceptions. This study focuses on perceptions of Danish practitioners in policy-making organizations regarding the perceived challenges, opportunities and policy initiatives for the majority-market adoption...... of electric commercial vehicles (ECVs) in commercial sector in Denmark. We propose a new four-step expert-based technique, named COPE-SMARTER, for evaluating the market diffusion of environmental friendly technologies by combining SWOT analysis and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques. We focus...... on the perceptions regarding: (i) the potential promotional strength of motivators for ECV market penetration, (ii) the severity of the technological, financial, physical and operational challenges, (iii) the efficiency of policy initiatives in encouraging the market diffusion of ECVs, (iv) the expected market...

HOW PINK ARE YOU? : Creating Awareness of the Gay Market

OpenAIRE

Orlik, Inez

2012-01-01

The objective of the thesis was to gather information on as well as draw attention to the Gay Market among representatives connected to the tourism business who met during the international fair Matka Expo 2012 held in the Helsinki Exposition and Convention Centre. The aim was to seek to improve the future situation on this particular niche market through increased interest and knowledge, which would lead to better understanding, cooperation and prejudice release. The thesis was aimed to make...

Green power marketing in retail competition: an early assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiser, R.; Porter, K.; Fang, J.

1999-01-01

With retail competition being introduced throughout the United States, green power marketing offers the promise of customer-driven markets for renewable energy. This paper summarizes early experience with green marketing under full retail competition. We conclude that (1) niche markets exist today among residential and non-residential consumers for green power; (2) green demand may ultimately offer an important strategic market for renewable technologies, but the market is currently rather small and the long-term prospects remain uncertain; (3) the success of green markets will depend critically on the regulatory rules established at the onset of restructuring; and (4) the biomass industry will be forced to better communicate the environmental benefits of its technology in order to play a strong role within the green market. This paper is based on a more detailed NREL Topical Issues Brief, which is available on the Internet. (author)

Niche evolution and adaptive radiation: Testing the order of trait divergence

Science.gov (United States)

Ackerly, D.D.; Schwilk, D.W.; Webb, C.O.

2006-01-01

In the course of an adaptive radiation, the evolution of niche parameters is of particular interest for understanding modes of speciation and the consequences for coexistence of related species within communities. We pose a general question: In the course of an evolutionary radiation, do traits related to within-community niche differences (?? niche) evolve before or after differentiation of macrohabitat affinity or climatic tolerances (?? niche)? Here we introduce a new test to address this question, based on a modification of the method of independent contrasts. The divergence order test (DOT) is based on the average age of the nodes on a tree, weighted by the absolute magnitude of the contrast at each node for a particular trait. The comparison of these weighted averages reveals whether large divergences for one trait have occurred earlier or later in the course of diversification, relative to a second trait; significance is determined by bootstrapping from maximum-likelihood ancestral state reconstructions. The method is applied to the evolution of Ceanothus, a woody plant group in California, in which co-occurring species exhibit significant differences in a key leaf trait (specific leaf area) associated with contrasting physiological and life history strategies. Co-occurring species differ more for this trait than expected under a null model of community assembly. This ?? niche difference evolved early in the divergence of two major subclades within Ceanothus, whereas climatic distributions (?? niche traits) diversified later within each of the subclades. However, rapid evolution of climate parameters makes inferences of early divergence events highly uncertain, and differentiation of the ?? niche might have taken place throughout the evolution of the group, without leaving a clear phylogenetic signal. Similar patterns observed in several plant and animal groups suggest that early divergence of ?? niche traits might be a common feature of niche evolution in

Microhabitat and Climatic Niche Change Explain Patterns of Diversification among Frog Families.

Science.gov (United States)

Moen, Daniel S; Wiens, John J

2017-07-01

A major goal of ecology and evolutionary biology is to explain patterns of species richness among clades. Differences in rates of net diversification (speciation minus extinction over time) may often explain these patterns, but the factors that drive variation in diversification rates remain uncertain. Three important candidates are climatic niche position (e.g., whether clades are primarily temperate or tropical), rates of climatic niche change among species within clades, and microhabitat (e.g., aquatic, terrestrial, arboreal). The first two factors have been tested separately in several studies, but the relative importance of all three is largely unknown. Here we explore the correlates of diversification among families of frogs, which collectively represent ∼88% of amphibian species. We assemble and analyze data on phylogeny, climate, and microhabitat for thousands of species. We find that the best-fitting phylogenetic multiple regression model includes all three types of variables: microhabitat, rates of climatic niche change, and climatic niche position. This model explains 67% of the variation in diversification rates among frog families, with arboreal microhabitat explaining ∼31%, niche rates ∼25%, and climatic niche position ∼11%. Surprisingly, we show that microhabitat can have a much stronger influence on diversification than climatic niche position or rates of climatic niche change.

Regulatory System for Stem/Progenitor Cell Niches in the Adult Rodent Pituitary

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Saishu; Kato, Takako; Kato, Yukio

2016-01-01

The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland is a master endocrine tissue composed of five types of endocrine cells. Although the turnover rate of pituitary endocrine cells is as low as about 1.6% per day, recent studies have demonstrated that Sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2)+-cells exist as pituitary stem/progenitor cells in the adult anterior lobe and contribute to cell regeneration. Notably, SOX2+-pituitary stem/progenitor cells form two types of niches in this tissue: the marginal cell layer (MCL-niche) and the dense cell clusters scattering in the parenchyma (parenchymal-niche). However, little is known about the mechanisms and factors for regulating the pituitary stem/progenitor cell niches, as well as the functional differences between the two types of niches. Elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms in the niches might enable us to understand the cell regeneration system that acts in accordance with physiological demands in the adult pituitary. In this review, so as to reveal the regulatory mechanisms of the two types of niche, we summarize the regulatory factors and their roles in the adult rodent pituitary niches by focusing on three components: soluble factors, cell surface proteins and extracellular matrixes. PMID:26761002

Regulatory System for Stem/Progenitor Cell Niches in the Adult Rodent Pituitary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saishu Yoshida

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland is a master endocrine tissue composed of five types of endocrine cells. Although the turnover rate of pituitary endocrine cells is as low as about 1.6% per day, recent studies have demonstrated that Sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2+-cells exist as pituitary stem/progenitor cells in the adult anterior lobe and contribute to cell regeneration. Notably, SOX2+-pituitary stem/progenitor cells form two types of niches in this tissue: the marginal cell layer (MCL-niche and the dense cell clusters scattering in the parenchyma (parenchymal-niche. However, little is known about the mechanisms and factors for regulating the pituitary stem/progenitor cell niches, as well as the functional differences between the two types of niches. Elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms in the niches might enable us to understand the cell regeneration system that acts in accordance with physiological demands in the adult pituitary. In this review, so as to reveal the regulatory mechanisms of the two types of niche, we summarize the regulatory factors and their roles in the adult rodent pituitary niches by focusing on three components: soluble factors, cell surface proteins and extracellular matrixes.

The making of an immigrant niche.

Science.gov (United States)

Waldinger, R

1994-01-01

"This article speaks to the conceptual and methodological issues in research on the making of an immigrant niche through a case study of immigrant professionals in New York City government." The author argues that "the growth of this immigrant niche resulted from changes in the relative supply of native workers and in the structure of employment, which opened the bureaucracy to immigrants and reduced native/immigrant competition. These shifts opened hiring portals; given the advantages of network hiring for workers and managers, and an immigrant propensity for government employment, network recruitment led to a rapid buildup in immigrant ranks." excerpt

E-Marketing Jaya Abadi Computer (JAC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Honni Honni

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Internet has been widely used by manufacturers and distributors to expand product markets for its advantageous in quick process, practicality and low cost. Jaya Abadi Computer (JAC as a sales distributor and service agent of computer equipment still perform its direct marketing manually on the spot, so that the marketing only reaches a small scope. This article analyzes the market opportunity of JAC; determines the marketing strategy and builds e-marketing website for JAC based on customer experience using The Seven Stage Cycle of Internet Marketing. The results obtained are an e-marketing website to support the marketing activities of JAC. Eventually it can be concluded that by building an e-marketing, JAC can reach as well as expand market opportunities in virtual world, use the right marketing strategy, and meet customer needs through features on the website. 

Geography of opportunity and residential mortgage foreclosure: A spatial analysis of a U.S. housing market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanmei LI

2011-12-01

Full Text Available South Florida has been among the top foreclosure markets in the United States, but little research has explored whether this market presents different dynamics compared to other metropolitan areas. This research chooses Broward County to explore whether socioeconomic characteristics and certain public policy instruments relate to subprime lending and mortgage foreclosure patterns. Results indicate areas bounded by linear highways and railroads have a concentration of low-income black population and subprime loans. The spatial distribution of subprime loans is mostly explained by a higher percentage of minority and/or Hispanic population in a neighborhood. Yet, racial minorities, instead of Hispanic origin, contributes mostly to the concentration of subprime loans. The spatial pattern of foreclosures is more complex, determined not only by subprime loans but also possibly other factors associated with the mortgage crisis. This suggests that disadvantaged neighborhoods are disproportionally lacking favorable opportunities due to institutional and sub- cultural forces shaping the geography of subprime and foreclosure.

Stem cell niche-specific Ebf3 maintains the bone marrow cavity.

Science.gov (United States)

Seike, Masanari; Omatsu, Yoshiki; Watanabe, Hitomi; Kondoh, Gen; Nagasawa, Takashi

2018-03-01

Bone marrow is the tissue filling the space between bone surfaces. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are maintained by special microenvironments known as niches within bone marrow cavities. Mesenchymal cells, termed CXC chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12)-abundant reticular (CAR) cells or leptin receptor-positive (LepR + ) cells, are a major cellular component of HSC niches that gives rise to osteoblasts in bone marrow. However, it remains unclear how osteogenesis is prevented in most CAR/LepR + cells to maintain HSC niches and marrow cavities. Here, using lineage tracing, we found that the transcription factor early B-cell factor 3 (Ebf3) is preferentially expressed in CAR/LepR + cells and that Ebf3-expressing cells are self-renewing mesenchymal stem cells in adult marrow. When Ebf3 is deleted in CAR/LepR + cells, HSC niche function is severely impaired, and bone marrow is osteosclerotic with increased bone in aged mice. In mice lacking Ebf1 and Ebf3 , CAR/LepR + cells exhibiting a normal morphology are abundantly present, but their niche function is markedly impaired with depleted HSCs in infant marrow. Subsequently, the mutants become progressively more osteosclerotic, leading to the complete occlusion of marrow cavities in early adulthood. CAR/LepR + cells differentiate into bone-producing cells with reduced HSC niche factor expression in the absence of Ebf1/Ebf3 Thus, HSC cellular niches express Ebf3 that is required to create HSC niches, to inhibit their osteoblast differentiation, and to maintain spaces for HSCs. © 2018 Seike et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

The Google Online Marketing Challenge and Research Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Neale, Larry; Treiblmaier, Horst; Henderson, Vani; Hunter, Lee; Hudson, Karen; Murphy, Jamie

2009-01-01

The Google Online Marketing Challenge is an ongoing collaboration between Google and academics, to give students experiential learning. The Challenge gives student teams US$200 in AdWords, Google's flagship advertising product, to develop online marketing campaigns for actual businesses. The end result is an engaging in-class exercise that…

Fibrocytes and the tissue niche in lung repair

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjermer Leif

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Human fibrocytes are bone marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells that express a variety of markers related to leukocytes, hematopoietic stem cells and a diverse set of fibroblast phenotypes. Fibrocytes can be recruited from the circulation to the tissue where they further can differentiate and proliferate into various mesenchymal cell types depending on the tissue niche. This local tissue niche is important because it modulates the fibrocytes and coordinates their role in tissue behaviour and repair. However, plasticity of a niche may be co-opted in chronic airway diseases such as asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and obliterative bronchiolitis. This review will therefore focus on a possible role of fibrocytes in pathological tissue repair processes in those diseases.

Marketing opportunities and challenges for Canada's oil sands industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

This report demonstrated that effective marketing of Canadian oil sands products has been vital to the success of the industry in the past. Future success was expected to depend on having efficient transportation systems for the industry's products, unrestricted access to markets, and a range of products can competitively meet the needs of specific markets and customs. 9 ills

Dynamics of the youth travel market on a global level

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timea DEMETER

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The segment of young tourists has been considered a niche market and was treated as a branch of the tourism industry. In the past 10 years, however, its market value has began to increase significantly bringing real benefits to the companies adapting to this segment by developing appropriate strategies and policies. Therefore, the aim of this project is to analyse the dynamics of the youth travel market, on a global level, taking into consideration the international youth arrivals, youth accommodation units and the behavioural habits of young tourists, serving as a starting point in the strategy development process.

Niche dimensions in fishes: an integrative view.

Science.gov (United States)

Pörtner, H O; Schulte, P M; Wood, C M; Schiemer, F

2010-01-01

Current shifts in ecosystem composition and function emphasize the need for an understanding of the links between environmental factors and organism fitness and tolerance. The examples discussed here illustrate how recent progress in the field of comparative physiology may provide a better mechanistic understanding of the ecological concepts of the fundamental and realized niches and thus provide insights into the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance. Here we argue that, as a link between physiological and ecological indicators of organismal performance, the mechanisms shaping aerobic scope and passive tolerance set the dimensions of an animal's niche, here defined as its capacity to survive, grow, behave, and interact with other species. We demonstrate how comparative studies of cod or killifish populations in a latitudinal cline have unraveled mitochondrial mechanisms involved in establishing a species' niche, performance, and energy budget. Riverine fish exemplify how the performance windows of various developmental stages follow the dynamic regimes of both seasonal temperatures and river hydrodynamics, as synergistic challenges. Finally, studies of species in extreme environments, such as the tilapia of Lake Magadi, illustrate how on evolutionary timescales functional and morphological shifts can occur, associated with new specializations. We conclude that research on the processes and time course of adaptations suitable to overcome current niche limits is urgently needed to assess the resilience of species and ecosystems to human impact, including the challenges of global climate change.

Interactions between structural and chemical biomimetism in synthetic stem cell niches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nava, Michele M; Raimondi, Manuela T; Credi, Caterina; De Marco, Carmela; Turri, Stefano; Cerullo, Giulio; Osellame, Roberto

2015-01-01

Advancements in understanding stem cell functions and differentiation are of key importance for the clinical success of stem-cell-based therapies. 3D structural niches fabricated by two-photon polymerization are a powerful platform for controlling stem cell growth and differentiation. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of further controlling stem cell fate by tuning the mechanical properties of such niches through coating with thin layers of biomimetic hyaluronan-based and gelatin-based hydrogels. We first assess the biocompatibility of chemical coatings and then study the interactions between structural and chemical biomimetism on the response of MSCs in terms of proliferation and differentiation. We observed a clear effect of the hydrogel coating on otherwise identical 3D scaffolds. In particular, in gelatin-coated niches we observed a stronger metabolic activity and commitment toward the osteo-chondral lineage with respect to hyaluronan-coated niches. Conversely, a reduction in the homing effect was observed in all the coated niches, especially in gelatin-coated niches. This study demonstrates the feasibility of controlling independently different mechanical cues, in bioengineered stem cell niches, i.e. the 3D scaffold geometry and the surface stiffness. This will allow, on the one hand, understanding their specific role in stem cell proliferation and differentiation and, on the other hand, finely tuning their synergistic effect. (paper)

European gas market developments. Opportunities and threats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Oostvoorn, F.

1998-09-01

The paper is based on two studies conducted by ECN, namely a study entitled 'An analysis of the West-European gas market: a company approach' and another entitled 'Developments of gas markets across Europe' to be published in November 1998. The paper addresses the past driving factors responsible for the increasing share of gas in the EU energy demand. Furthermore it very briefly discusses the rising dependency of the European Union (EU) on gas imports from non-EU sources such as Russia and the expected gas-to-gas competition in a large number of EU countries in the next decades. 25 refs

Opportunities for Pellet Trade - Towards a Single European Pellet Market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pigaht, Maurice; Janssen, Rainer; Rutz, Dominik; Boehm, Thorsten; Vasen, Norbert; Vegas, Laura; Karapanagiotis, Nicolas

2006-01-01

The potential for Pellets trade in Europe was researched and assessed. Such trade is of key importance for the development of a European pellet market of sufficient supply, demand, price and quality standards. Three target markets were taken as case studies for the trade assessment: Greece, Spain and Italy. All three markets stand to profit greatly from international trade. For these markets, pellet imports could supply the basis for the development of a domestic boiler market. At the same time, pellet exports would allow the planning of larger pellet production plants. Whilst these additional costs amount to some 10-20% of the Pellets price, they are financially acceptable, especially for new markets and 'peaks' in the demand/supply of established markets

Two paths from lab to market: Product and standard

Science.gov (United States)

Knapp, Robert H.

2018-01-01

To shed light on the movement of sustainable technologies from basic science to widespread use, this chapter describes key aspects of the quite different paths followed by two important examples—photovoltaics (a product) and passive-house buildings (a standard). Discussion of photovoltaics includes the experience curve concept, the increasing significance of balance-of-system costs, and the importance of market heterogeneity (niches and sub-national markets) to the long-term trajectory of major cost reductions. Discussion of passive-houses highlights the array of technical developments needed for present-day energy efficient houses, and the relevance of "stretch" standards to the development of a market for very high-performance houses.

[Swiss surgery: quo vadis? Reader and market analysis for strategic positioning of a specialty journal].

Science.gov (United States)

Freiermuth, O; Todorov, A; Bolli, M; Heberer, M

2003-01-01

Scientific journals currently face challenges including cost pressures caused by economic constraints, increasing rivalry among competitors, limited market potential of non-english speaking journals, increasing medical specialization with resulting market fragmentation, and internet-based competition. We therefore analyzed strategic opportunities of the journal Swiss Surgery on the basis of customer surveys and of a market analysis. Swiss surgeons expressed their interest in the continuation of the journal but also indicated their support for changes in its concept and for an increased use of electronic media. An international market analysis points-out the difficulties of national, non-english speaking journals in gaining impact points and in attracting authors and readers of scientific medical articles. Therefore, a journal such as Swiss Surgery should identify and use publication niches. The demand for a concept addressing surgical training including continuous postgraduate education was confirmed by the customers of Swiss Surgery. A corresponding offer does not presently exist in the area and could become the new focus of the journal. This change of concept may have a number of consequences: A journal focusing on surgical training and education should use the results of readers' surveys rather than impact point assignment to evaluate quality. The journal should increasingly use electronic services including data bases, pictures, videos and closed user groups to supplement the print version. At short term, however, the printed version should be continued and not be substituted by the electronic version in order to maintain the established brand "Swiss Surgery".

Marketing fortification of business through crowdsourcing and social responsibility: focus on South African SMEs

OpenAIRE

Eunice Lebogang Sesale; Solly Matshonisa Seeletse

2017-01-01

This paper investigates networking and related activities for marketing performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for the sustainable development and the preservation of the environment. These SMEs have limited business skills and knowledge, and don`t have any marketing funds. As a clearly growing trend aspect in business, networking approaches were blended to find approaches to help these SMEs to take their market niche. Thirty-seven (37) SMEs were used as a convenience sample to ex...

Opportunity for inter-regional integration of electricity markets: the case of Shandong and Shanghai in East China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gnansounou, Edgard; Dong Jun

2004-01-01

In this paper, the opportunity for the inter-regional integration of the electricity market in East China is analysed on the basis of strategies for the future expansion of the electricity generation system. We assume that during its first stage, the operational breakthrough of the electricity sector reform in China will be to achieve an economic dispatch of the generating plants. On the basis of this assumed goal a multi-region model is proposed to appraise the potential benefits of an integrated inter-regional electricity market. This model includes: propositions on design and operation of the market, electricity demand forecasting, least-cost generating system expansion. As case study, three strategies of electricity supply are assessed in two provinces: Shandong and Shanghai in East China. While Shandong is a potential electricity exporter due to availability of primary energy resources, Shanghai is an electricity importer. The strategies include: autarkical expansion of each regional system, import/export only for minimizing operation costs, integration of the system expansion for minimizing total costs including operation and investment costs. One of the findings is that building up an inter-regional integrated electricity market is profitable for both the Shanghai and Shandong regions compared with the two other strategies, if the future regulation makes it possible to insure an economic dispatch of the generating power plants

STATUS, CHALLENGES AND MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

kitonyo

the Ethiopian rift valley especially in Oromia and north of Lake Ziway regions. Since ... In 2001, the Eastern and Central Africa Bean Research Network ... KEPHIS and Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA), and supermarket ... markets of Westlands, Karen and Ngong and the Nairobi city centre stock a variety of.

Phylogenetic signals in the climatic niches of the world's amphibians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hof, Christian; Rahbek, Carsten; Araújo, Miguel B.

2010-01-01

amphibian orders and across biogeographical regions. To our knowledge, this is the first study providing a comprehensive analysis of the phylogenetic signal in species climatic niches for an entire clade across the world. Even though our results do not provide a strong test of the niche conservatism......The question of whether closely related species share similar ecological requirements has attracted increasing attention, because of its importance for understanding global diversity gradients and the impacts of climate change on species distributions. In fact, the assumption that related species...... are also ecologically similar has often been made, although the prevalence of such a phylogenetic signal in ecological niches remains heavily debated. Here, we provide a global analysis of phylogenetic niche relatedness for the world's amphibians. In particular, we assess which proportion of the variance...

Framework for analyzing ecological trait-based models in multidimensional niche spaces

Science.gov (United States)

Biancalani, Tommaso; DeVille, Lee; Goldenfeld, Nigel

2015-05-01

We develop a theoretical framework for analyzing ecological models with a multidimensional niche space. Our approach relies on the fact that ecological niches are described by sequences of symbols, which allows us to include multiple phenotypic traits. Ecological drivers, such as competitive exclusion, are modeled by introducing the Hamming distance between two sequences. We show that a suitable transform diagonalizes the community interaction matrix of these models, making it possible to predict the conditions for niche differentiation and, close to the instability onset, the asymptotically long time population distributions of niches. We exemplify our method using the Lotka-Volterra equations with an exponential competition kernel.

Mexico and emerging carbon markets : investment opportunities for small and medium-size companies and the global climate agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaughan, S.; Carpentier, C.L.; Patterson, Z.; Kelly, K.; De Alba, E.; Hoyt, E.A.; Breceda, M.; Ouimet, B.

2001-11-01

This report provides information to the financial services sector on major environmental issues in North America in an effort to identify potential financial opportunities in Mexico regarding the climate change agenda and those coming from possible carbon offset projects. As a non-Annex 1 country, Mexico is not obliged to meet domestic GHG emission reduction targets, but given the strong economic links between Mexico, Canada and the United States it is suggested that investment transfer links to climate change should follow existing international investment and trade patterns. This report examined three sectors in Mexico, including electric power generation, steel production and land-use change and forestry, in an effort to evaluate their potential for carbon reduction. The report identifies carbon-related opportunities involving small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in particular because large companies are already better positioned to examine opportunities associated with the international climate agenda. SMEs, however, face many challenges in taking advantage of climate-related projects and associated investment opportunities, including higher entry and transaction costs, difficulty in accessing capital markets, and difficulty in estimating individual baselines and inventories. The report showed that the main carbon-related opportunity in Mexico's electricity sector are closely related to the planned expansion of natural gas use. This study also suggests that the climate agenda can contribute to changing Mexican forests from their current state of being a net source of greenhouse gas emissions, to becoming a significant carbon sink. tabs., figs

The Marketing Mix in the Online Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Talpau A.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available : The introduction of the Internet into our lives has brought many opportunities that affected also marketing. With the development of the Internet, online sales (e-sales have become more common in every day society and in a certain extend even replaced components of the traditional environment. The Internet is a new channel of communication which brings new opportunities in marketing. Nowadays, online marketing has taken over more and more of the budgets allocated for marketing, increasingly diminishing traditional marketing in favour of online promotion activities. This paper will present how the marketing mix adapts to the online environment.

Renewable energy sources. Transformation of the Energy Market; Foernybara Energikaellor. Hela elmarknaden i foeraendring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2009-03-15

This report describes and analyzes renewable energy seen as emerging markets, focusing on wind, solar and wave power. The conclusions are that: Wind and solar energy has reached critical mass. They are already large markets, and has a high growth rate. There are growth areas that may become among the world's largest industries in the future. This summary report and the underlying studies of wind, solar and wave power show that there is a large potential market for renewable energy sources. Wind power is already a market worth around 36.5 billion Euro. Solar energy is growing strongly and solar cells in 2008 had a market worth around 24 billion Euro. Wave power is at present a very small market and the in the actual development stage the potential of wave power is uncertain. But if the wave would become commercially viable, it could represent a significant part of the world's energy capacity, with associated large investments. In the foreseeable future, all areas have a continuing need for public support to be commercially viable. Despite the already extensive market renewable energy sources represent a relatively small share of energy and electricity in the world. For large-scale electricity generation, there is still a need for public support. Renewable energy means new business opportunities that fundamentally can change structure and competition in the electricity market. A potential of this magnitude involves major business opportunities for involved companies, but also challenges. There are several factors affecting this development, Such as new technology, deregulation, support systems and consumer preferences. The growth of renewable energy sources is not only a question of technical development and relative prices of a homogeneous product, but a question of which actors and business models that will be viable in a rapidly changing market. Swedish industry is well placed to benefit from the growing markets. Many Swedish companies have significant

Market Opportunities for Cellulose Products From Combined Renewable Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Zihare, Lauma; Blumberga, Dagnija

2017-05-01

This study investigates available resources that has not been used or is used with low added value, such as woody crops, forest residues and invasive species possibilities in case of cellulosic products. Main aspect is this study is market outlook, to see if the products can have positive market sales if produced. Resource have been selected by availability and current usage and properties they contain. Products have been chosen the most basic, to see is there possibility to enter an existing cellulose product markets. GE/McKinsey matrix have been used for clear visual decision making. The results show that only two out of seven products has a potential in international market.

Niche divergence facilitated by fine-scale ecological partitioning in a recent cichlid fish adaptive radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Antonia G P; Rüber, Lukas; Newton, Jason; Dasmahapatra, Kanchon K; Balarin, John D; Bruun, Kristoffer; Day, Julia J

2016-12-01

Ecomorphological differentiation is a key feature of adaptive radiations, with a general trend for specialization and niche expansion following divergence. Ecological opportunity afforded by invasion of a new habitat is thought to act as an ecological release, facilitating divergence, and speciation. Here, we investigate trophic adaptive morphology and ecology of an endemic clade of oreochromine cichlid fishes (Alcolapia) that radiated along a herbivorous trophic axis following colonization of an isolated lacustrine environment, and demonstrate phenotype-environment correlation. Ecological and morphological divergence of the Alcolapia species flock are examined in a phylogenomic context, to infer ecological niche occupation within the radiation. Species divergence is observed in both ecology and morphology, supporting the importance of ecological speciation within the radiation. Comparison with an outgroup taxon reveals large-scale ecomorphological divergence but shallow genomic differentiation within the Alcolapia adaptive radiation. Ancestral morphological reconstruction suggests lake colonization by a generalist oreochromine phenotype that diverged in Lake Natron to varied herbivorous morphologies akin to specialist herbivores in Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Exploring the Types of SMEs Which Could use Blogs as a Marketing Tool: a Proposed Future Research Agenda

OpenAIRE

Adeline Phaik Harn Chua; Kenneth R. Deans; Craig M. Parker

2009-01-01

Blogs appear to be gaining momentum as a marketing tool which can be used by organisations for such strategies and processes as branding, managing reputation, developing customer trust and loyalty, niche marketing, gathering marketing intelligence and promoting their online presence. There has been limited academic research in this area, and most significantly concerning the types of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for which blogs might have potential as a marketing tool. In an attempt to...

The Marketing Mix in the Online Environment

OpenAIRE

Talpau A.

2014-01-01

: The introduction of the Internet into our lives has brought many opportunities that affected also marketing. With the development of the Internet, online sales (e-sales) have become more common in every day society and in a certain extend even replaced components of the traditional environment. The Internet is a new channel of communication which brings new opportunities in marketing. Nowadays, online marketing has taken over more and more of the budgets allocated for marketing, incre...

Niche entrepreneurs in urban systems integration : On the role of individuals in niche formation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pesch, U.; Vernay, A.L.; van Bueren, E.M.; Pandis Iveroth, S

2017-01-01

In many sustainable urban innovation projects, the efforts, endurance and enthusiasm of individuals at key positions are considered a crucial factor for success. This article studies the role of individual agency in sociotechnical niches by using Kingdon’s agenda-setting model. Although strategic

Language and other artifacts: socio-cultural dynamics of niche construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Chris

2015-01-01

Niche construction theory is a relatively new approach in evolutionary biology that seeks to integrate an ecological dimension into the Darwinian theory of evolution by natural selection. It is regarded by many evolutionary biologists as providing a significant revision of the Neo-Darwinian modern synthesis that unified Darwin's theory of natural and sexual selection with 20th century population genetics. Niche construction theory has been invoked as a processual mediator of social cognitive evolution and of the emergence and evolution of language. I argue that language itself can be considered as a biocultural niche and evolutionary artifact. I provide both a general analysis of the cognitive and semiotic status of artifacts, and a formal analysis of language as a social and semiotic institution, based upon a distinction between the fundamental semiotic relations of "counting as" and "standing for." I explore the consequences for theories of language and language learning of viewing language as a biocultural niche. I suggest that not only do niches mediate organism-organism interactions, but also that organisms mediate niche-niche interactions in ways that affect evolutionary processes, with the evolution of human infancy and childhood as a key example. I argue that language as a social and semiotic system is not only grounded in embodied engagements with the material and social-interactional world, but also grounds a sub-class of artifacts of particular significance in the cultural history of human cognition. Symbolic cognitive artifacts materially and semiotically mediate human cognition, and are not merely informational repositories, but co-agentively constitutive of culturally and historically emergent cognitive domains. I provide examples of the constitutive cognitive role of symbolic cognitive artifacts drawn from my research with my colleagues on cultural and linguistic conceptualizations of time, and their cultural variability. I conclude by reflecting on

Phylogenetic niche conservatism and the evolutionary basis of ecological speciation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pyron, R Alexander; Costa, Gabriel C; Patten, Michael A; Burbrink, Frank T

2015-11-01

Phylogenetic niche conservatism (PNC) typically refers to the tendency of closely related species to be more similar to each other in terms of niche than they are to more distant relatives. This has been implicated as a potential driving force in speciation and other species-richness patterns, such as latitudinal gradients. However, PNC has not been very well defined in most previous studies. Is it a pattern or a process? What are the underlying endogenous (e.g. genetic) and exogenous (e.g. ecological) factors that cause niches to be conserved? What degree of similarity is necessary to qualify as PNC? Is it possible for the evolutionary processes causing niches to be conserved to also result in niche divergence in different habitats? Here, we revisit these questions, codifying a theoretical and operational definition of PNC as a mechanistic evolutionary process resulting from several factors. We frame this both from a macroevolutionary and population-genetic perspective. We discuss how different axes of physical (e.g. geographic) and environmental (e.g. climatic) heterogeneity interact with the fundamental process of PNC to produce different outcomes of ecological speciation. We also review tests for PNC, and suggest ways that these could be improved or better utilized in future studies. Ultimately, PNC as a process has a well-defined mechanistic basis in organisms, and future studies investigating ecological speciation would be well served to consider this, and frame hypothesis testing in terms of the processes and expected patterns described herein. The process of PNC may lead to patterns where niches are conserved (more similar than expected), constrained (divergent within a limited subset of available niches), or divergent (less similar than expected), based on degree of phylogenetic relatedness between species. © 2014 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Language and other artifacts: socio-cultural dynamics of niche construction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris eSinha

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Niche construction theory is a relatively new approach in evolutionary biology that seeks to integrate an ecological dimension into the Darwinian theory of evolution by natural selection. It is regarded by many evolutionary biologists as providing a significant revision of the Neo-Darwinian modern synthesis that unified Darwin’s theory of natural and sexual selection with 20th century population genetics. Niche construction theory has been invoked as a processual mediator of social cognitive evolution and of the emergence and evolution of language. I argue that language itself can be considered as a biocultural niche and evolutionary artifact. I provide both a general analysis of the cognitive and semiotic status of artifacts, and a formal analysis of language as a social and semiotic institution, based upon a distinction between the fundamental semiotic relations of counting as and standing for. I explore the consequences for theories of language and language learning of viewing language as a biocultural niche. I suggest that not only do niches mediate organism-organism interactions, but also that organisms mediate niche-niche interactions in ways that affect evolutionary processes, with the evolution of human infancy and childhood as a key example. I argue that language as a social and semiotic system is not only grounded in embodied engagements with the material and social-interactional world, but also grounds a sub-class of artifacts of particular significance in the cultural history of human cognition. Symbolic cognitive artifacts materially and semiotically mediate human cognition, and are not merely informational repositories, but co-agentively constitutive of culturally and historically emergent cognitive domains. I provide examples of the constitutive cognitive role of symbolic cognitive artifacts drawn from my research with my colleagues on cultural and linguistic conceptualizations of time, and their cultural variability. I conclude

Marketing in the long-term care continuum.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurence, J Nathan; Kash, Bita A

2010-04-01

Today, long-term care facilities are composed of independent, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities along with many variations of those themes in between. The clientele for these various types of facilities differ because of the level of care the facility provides as well as the amenities long-term care consumers are looking for. However, there many similarities and common approaches to how reaching the target audience through effective marketing activities. Knowing who the target audience is, how to reach them, and how to communicate with them will serve any facility well in this competitive market. Developing marketing strategies for long-term care settings is as important as understanding what elements of care can be marketed individually as a niche market. Determining the market base for a facility is equally crucial since the target populations differ among the three types of facilities. By reviewing current marketing articles and applying marketing practices, we have crafted some general principles for which each facility type can learn from. Finally, we will discuss the types of marketing and how they related to the spectrum of long-term care facilities.

Advances and Limitations of Disease Biogeography Using Ecological Niche Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar, Luis E; Craft, Meggan E

2016-01-01

Mapping disease transmission risk is crucial in public and animal health for evidence based decision-making. Ecology and epidemiology are highly related disciplines that may contribute to improvements in mapping disease, which can be used to answer health related questions. Ecological niche modeling is increasingly used for understanding the biogeography of diseases in plants, animals, and humans. However, epidemiological applications of niche modeling approaches for disease mapping can fail to generate robust study designs, producing incomplete or incorrect inferences. This manuscript is an overview of the history and conceptual bases behind ecological niche modeling, specifically as applied to epidemiology and public health; it does not pretend to be an exhaustive and detailed description of ecological niche modeling literature and methods. Instead, this review includes selected state-of-the-science approaches and tools, providing a short guide to designing studies incorporating information on the type and quality of the input data (i.e., occurrences and environmental variables), identification and justification of the extent of the study area, and encourages users to explore and test diverse algorithms for more informed conclusions. We provide a friendly introduction to the field of disease biogeography presenting an updated guide for researchers looking to use ecological niche modeling for disease mapping. We anticipate that ecological niche modeling will soon be a critical tool for epidemiologists aiming to map disease transmission risk, forecast disease distribution under climate change scenarios, and identify landscape factors triggering outbreaks.

A practical guideline for examining a uterine niche using ultrasonography in non-pregnant women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jordans, I P M; de Leeuw, R; Stegwee, S I

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To generate a uniform, internationally recognized guideline for detailed uterine niche evaluation by ultrasonography in non-pregnant women using a modified Delphi method amongst international experts. METHODS: Fifteen international gynecological experts were recruited...... definitions, relevance, method of measurement and tips for visualization of the niche. All experts agreed on the proposed guideline for niche evaluation in non-pregnant women as presented in this paper. CONCLUSION: Consensus between niche experts was achieved on all items regarding ultrasonographic niche...

Strategies to crack well-guarded markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Bryce, David J; Dyer, Jeffrey H

2007-05-01

How can companies break into attractive markets, where incumbents erect many barriers to entry? To answer this question, the authors studied organizations that successfully entered the most profitable industries in the United States between 1990 and 2000. When they dissected the strategies that worked best, one common theme stood out: indirect assault. Smart newcomers don't duplicate existing business models, compete for crowded distribution channels, or go after mainstream customers right away. Instead, they attack the enemy at its weakest points; then gain competitive advantage; and later, if doing so meets their objectives, go after its strongholds. Recent battles in the soft drink industry--where brands, bottling and distribution capabilities, and shelf space are incumbents' main advantages--are a case in point. When Virgin Drinks entered the U.S. cola market in 1998, it advertised heavily and immediately tried to get into the retail outlets that stock the leading brands. Virgin has never garnered more than a 1% share of the market. Red Bull, by contrast, came on the scene in 1997 with a niche product: a carbonated energy drink. The company started by selling the drink at bars and nightclubs. After gaining a loyal following through these outlets, Red Bull elbowed its way into the corner store. In 2005 it enjoyed a 65% share of the $650 million energy drink market. Successful entrants use three basic approaches in their indirect attacks. They leverage their existing assets and resources, reconfigure their value chains, and create niches. These approaches may appear to be simple, but their magic lies in their combination. By mixing and matching them, Bryce and Dyer say, enterprises can defy half a century of economic logic and make money entering highly profitable industries. The authors use Skype, Costco, Skechers, and many other companies to illustrate their argument.

Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Tourism Development in Ulithi Atoll

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Ongaro

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This article aims to analyze the tourism potential of Ulithi Atoll, in the Federated States of Micronesia. It identifies possibilities for sustainable tourism development, while taking into account the major issues that threaten the environment, the cultural integrity and the future of the local community. Through a review of existing research and an assessment of the web presence, the study develops a diagnosis of the current situation of the tourism sector in the destination. The tourism potential of Ulithi mainly relies on its beautiful physical environment and authentic cultural heritage, but it is still largely untapped due to limited development. Tourism represents a strategic tool for the economic growth and empowerment of Ulithi community. Presently, however, the atoll’s biggest problem is the recovery from the recent disastrous Typhoon Maysak. Other pressing challenges are climate change and the erosion of traditional knowledge. The study identifies ecotourism and voluntourism as key niche market opportunities for the destination. Encouraging greater participation among the stakeholders and a concrete commitment to sustainability within the strategic plans are some of the recommendations that aim to build the tourism industry in a way that supports the local culture, the natural resources and the way of life.

Correlated evolution of thermal niches and functional physiology in tropical freshwater fishes.

Science.gov (United States)

Culumber, Zachary W; Tobler, Michael

2018-05-01

The role of ecology in phenotypic and species diversification is widely documented. Nonetheless, numerous nonadaptive processes can shape realized niches and phenotypic variation in natural populations, complicating inferences about adaptive evolution at macroevolutionary scales. We tested for evolved differences in thermal tolerances and their association with the realized thermal niche (including metrics describing diurnal and seasonal patterns of temperature extremes and variability) across a genus of tropical freshwater fishes reared in a standardized environment. There was limited evolution along the thermal niche axis associated with variation in maximum temperature and in upper thermal limits. In contrast, there was considerable diversification along the first major axis of the thermal niche associated with minimum temperatures and in lower thermal limits. Across our adaptive landscape analyses, 70% of species exhibited evidence of divergence in thermal niches. Most importantly, the first two major axes of thermal niche variation were significantly correlated with variation in lower thermal limits. Our results indicate adaptation to divergent thermal niches and adaptive evolution of related functional traits, and highlight the importance of divergence in lower thermal limits for the evolution of tropical biodiversity. © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Marketing in the Emerging Markets of Latin America

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marinov, Marin Alexandrov

. Addressing a broad variety of historical, political, economic, social, cultural and legal issues, the book offers unique insights into the enormous opportunities and challenges the region presents for implementing effective marketing strategies. Macro marketing issues such as regional integration, foreign......Marketing in the Emerging Markets of Latin America provides a much needed analysis of business and marketing in Latin America. The book highlights the diverse characteristics of the Latin American business and marketing environment as well as the dynamic nature of regional and country markets...... trade and direct investment are considered within the context of specific countries, as are the micro aspects of a company's marketing activities. The book is an extremely valuable resource for academics, practitioners and anyone interested in doing business in or with Latin America....

Ontogenetic niche shifts and evolutionary branching in size-structured populations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Claessen, D.; Dieckmann, U.

2002-01-01

There are many examples of size-structured populations where individuals sequentially exploit several niches in the course of their life history. Efficient exploitation of such ontogenetic niches generally requires specific morphological adaptations. Here, we study the evolutionary implications of

Environmental challenges and opportunities of the evolving North American electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-06-01

On April 22, 2001 a joint statement was issued by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Mexican President and the United States President concerning the opportunities for North American cooperation on environment and energy. Efforts are being made by representatives from the three countries to find innovative approaches for expanding the production, distribution and trade in energy, including electricity. Competition in the electricity sector has either been implemented or is under consideration in several jurisdictions within the three countries. The designs of electricity markets that would deliver affordable and reliable electricity in the region are being explored to protect the health and environment of citizens and their neighbours. Fuel choice, technology, pollution control strategies and subsidies are factors that are directly influenced by policy measures. Achieving the twin goals of clean and abundant electricity is dependent on the degree of coordinated interaction between the three countries. To prepare this report, members of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) of North America Electricity and Environment Advisory Board, governments and the general public reviewed and exchanged on key policy issues related to market integration in the electricity sector. Convergence in competitiveness and trade policy is underway in those countries. Secure health and environmental safety nets are called for in the face of uncertainties concerning several characteristics of the electricity sector, such as planned and future generation capacity and location, demand, fuel type and technology. Measures designed to reduce adverse environmental effects might result in efficient and effective regional initiatives generating resources to be used in protection and conservation of the environment. Access to information, environmental impact assessment and integrated resource planning could all be enhanced through cooperation by the three countries on the policy front

Affiliate marketing

OpenAIRE

Ureš, Michal

2012-01-01

This bachelor's thesis focuses on the topic of online affiliate marketing from the perspective of an internet entrepreneur. In the first, theoretical part, it characterizes the affiliate marketing, describes different, significant affiliate solutions in the Czech market and opportunities for their implementations. In the second, practical part, it concentrates mainly on an affiliate program of a company called GameLeader, s.r.o. It analyses expectations of the business from the implementation...

Mammalian niche conservation through deep time.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larisa R G DeSantis

Full Text Available Climate change alters species distributions, causing plants and animals to move north or to higher elevations with current warming. Bioclimatic models predict species distributions based on extant realized niches and assume niche conservation. Here, we evaluate if proxies for niches (i.e., range areas are conserved at the family level through deep time, from the Eocene to the Pleistocene. We analyze the occurrence of all mammalian families in the continental USA, calculating range area, percent range area occupied, range area rank, and range polygon centroids during each epoch. Percent range area occupied significantly increases from the Oligocene to the Miocene and again from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene; however, mammalian families maintain statistical concordance between rank orders across time. Families with greater taxonomic diversity occupy a greater percent of available range area during each epoch and net changes in taxonomic diversity are significantly positively related to changes in percent range area occupied from the Eocene to the Pleistocene. Furthermore, gains and losses in generic and species diversity are remarkably consistent with ~2.3 species gained per generic increase. Centroids demonstrate southeastern shifts from the Eocene through the Pleistocene that may correspond to major environmental events and/or climate changes during the Cenozoic. These results demonstrate range conservation at the family level and support the idea that niche conservation at higher taxonomic levels operates over deep time and may be controlled by life history traits. Furthermore, families containing megafauna and/or terminal Pleistocene extinction victims do not incur significantly greater declines in range area rank than families containing only smaller taxa and/or only survivors, from the Pliocene to Pleistocene. Collectively, these data evince the resilience of families to climate and/or environmental change in deep time, the absence of

Biogeographic ranges do not support niche theory in radiating Canary Island plant clades

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steinbauer, Manuel; Field, Richard; Fernández-Palacios, José María

2016-01-01

in allopatry. Main conclusions: The expectations from niche conservatism were frequently not met; instead our results suggest considerable climatic niche lability. All significant differences in climatic niche differentiation were opposite to the predictions from competitive displacement. These forces may...

Overlap and partitioning of the ecological and isotopic niches

Science.gov (United States)

Elizabeth A. Flaherty; Merav Ben-David

2010-01-01

Recently, it was proposed that stable isotope patterns can be used to quantify the width of the ecological niche of animals. However, the potential effects of habitat use on isotopic patterns of consumers have not been fully explored and consequently isotopic patterns may yield deceptive estimates of niche width. Here, we simulated four different scenarios of a...

Human niche, human behaviour, human nature.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuentes, Agustin

2017-10-06

The concept of a 'human nature' or 'human natures' retains a central role in theorizing about the human experience. In Homo sapiens it is clear that we have a suite of capacities generated via our evolutionary past, and present, and a flexible capacity to create and sustain particular kinds of cultures and to be shaped by them. Regardless of whether we label these capacities 'human natures' or not, humans occupy a distinctive niche and an evolutionary approach to examining it is critical. At present we are faced with a few different narratives as to exactly what such an evolutionary approach entails. There is a need for a robust and dynamic theoretical toolkit in order to develop a richer, and more nuanced, understanding of the cognitively sophisticated genus Homo and the diverse sorts of niches humans constructed and occupied across the Pleistocene, Holocene, and into the Anthropocene. Here I review current evolutionary approaches to 'human nature', arguing that we benefit from re-framing our investigations via the concept of the human niche and in the context of the extended evolutionary synthesis (EES). While not a replacement of standard evolutionary approaches, this is an expansion and enhancement of our toolkit. I offer brief examples from human evolution in support of these assertions.

Environmental niche conservatism explains the accumulation of species richness in Mediterranean-hotspot plant genera.

Science.gov (United States)

Skeels, Alexander; Cardillo, Marcel

2017-03-01

The causes of exceptionally high plant diversity in Mediterranean-climate biodiversity hotspots are not fully understood. We asked whether a mechanism similar to the tropical niche conservatism hypothesis could explain the diversity of four large genera (Protea, Moraea, Banksia, and Hakea) with distributions within and adjacent to the Greater Cape Floristic Region (South Africa) or the Southwest Floristic Region (Australia). Using phylogenetic and spatial data we estimated the environmental niche of each species, and reconstructed the mode and dynamics of niche evolution, and the geographic history, of each genus. For three genera, there were strong positive relationships between the diversity of clades within a region and their inferred length of occupation of that region. Within genera, there was evidence for strong evolutionary constraint on niche axes associated with climatic seasonality and aridity, with different niche optima for hotspot and nonhotspot clades. Evolutionary transitions away from hotspots were associated with increases in niche breadth and elevated rates of niche evolution. Our results point to a process of "hotspot niche conservatism" whereby the accumulation of plant diversity in Mediterranean-type ecosystems results from longer time for speciation, with dispersal away from hotspots limited by narrow and phylogenetically conserved environmental niches. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Transforming shortcomings into opportunities: Can market incentives solve Lebanon's energy crisis?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruble, Isabella; Nader, Pamela

2011-01-01

Over the past decades Lebanon's energy sector has been largely ignored and this has led to high economic and environmental costs. The sector is characterized by electricity poverty, an expanding and mainly unregulated transport sector and a lack of energy savings spanning through all sectors of the economy. Recently, the Government of Lebanon has committed to increase the share of renewable energy to 10% of the total energy supply by 2013 and to 12% by the year 2020; it also aims at reducing energy consumption by 6% by the year 2013. This paper aims at contributing to the formulation of a more comprehensive energy strategy for Lebanon by analyzing the recent changes in policy direction and by recommending legal, regulatory and policy measures in order to transform current shortcomings into opportunities allowing the country to become a regional 'success story' in the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency. - Research highlights: → This paper reviews the current situation of Lebanon's energy sector. → We analyze the recent development of the markets for renewable energy and energy efficiency. → Policy recommendations that will allow for a sustainable energy future are made.

SWOT Analysis of the Romanian Tourism Market Component of the Marketing Plan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Șerban Comănescu Adrian

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Managing the marketing-related activity is all about the context assesement in wich a company finds itself at a given time. The marketing specialist will perform a detailed analysis, i.e. a SWOT Analysis, through wich he can pinpoint the company’s strong points in corellation with the favourable opportunities that may be generated in the company’s environment at a given time, and to wheigh these assets and apportunities compared to the weaknesses and threats that may occur and create hazards in the company’s activity. The company has to keep track of all the elements mentioned above by using a thoroughly executed study and to unearth its opportunities and advantages, but also threats and weaknesses and act accordingly in his upcoming marketing-related activities. This paper’s objective is to perform a SWOT analysis in regard with the Romanian tourism market. The Romanian tourist market has great potential, but it is insuficiently valorified.

Identifying niche-mediated regulatory factors of stem cell phenotypic state: a systems biology approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravichandran, Srikanth; Del Sol, Antonio

2017-02-01

Understanding how the cellular niche controls the stem cell phenotype is often hampered due to the complexity of variegated niche composition, its dynamics, and nonlinear stem cell-niche interactions. Here, we propose a systems biology view that considers stem cell-niche interactions as a many-body problem amenable to simplification by the concept of mean field approximation. This enables approximation of the niche effect on stem cells as a constant field that induces sustained activation/inhibition of specific stem cell signaling pathways in all stem cells within heterogeneous populations exhibiting the same phenotype (niche determinants). This view offers a new basis for the development of single cell-based computational approaches for identifying niche determinants, which has potential applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. © 2017 The Authors. FEBS Letters published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Market power across the Channel: Are Continental European gas markets isolated?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massol, Olivier; Banal-Estanol, Albert

2014-01-01

This paper examines the efficiency of the arbitrages performed between two regional markets for wholesale natural gas linked by a capacity-constrained pipeline system. We develop a switching regime specification to (i) detect if the observed spatial arbitrages satisfy the integration notion that all arbitrage opportunities between the two markets are being exploited, and (ii) decompose the observed spatial price differences into factors such as transportation costs, transportation bottlenecks, and the oligopolistic behavior of the arbitrageurs. Our framework incorporates a test for the presence of market power and it is thus able to distinguish between the physical and behavioral constraints to marginal cost pricing. We use the case of the 'Interconnector' pipeline as an application, linking Belgium and the UK. Our empirical findings show that all the arbitrage opportunities between the two zones are being exploited but confirm the presence of market power. (authors)

Foreign Financial Institution Equities: Returns From Emerging Markets And Developed Markets Differ

OpenAIRE

R. Stephen Elliott; Mark Schaub

2011-01-01

With the vicissitude of the capital markets, investors continually seek new and innovative techniques that will identify securities that outperform the market. In addition to the usual fundamental and technical analysis, the international markets may provide enhanced profit potential. Investors may purchase securities of foreign companies to gain greater diversity and new investment opportunities.

Not all renal stem cell niches are the same: anatomy of an evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clara Gerosa

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The renal stem cell niche represents the most important structure of the developing kidney, responsible for nephrogenesis. Recently, some Authors have reported, at ultrastructural level, a previously unknown complexity of the architecture of renal stem cell niche in experimental models. This study was aimed at studying, at histological level, the anatomy of renal stem cell niches in the human fetal kidney. To this end, ten fetal kidneys, whose gestational ages ranged from 11 up to 24 weeks, were studied. H&E-stained sections were observed at high power. The study of the anatomy of renal stem cell niches in the human kidney revealed a previously unreported complexity: some niches appeared as a roundish arrangement of mesenchymal cells; others showed the initial phases of induction by ureteric buds; in other niches the process of mesenchymal epithelial transition was more evident; finally, in other stem cell niches the first signs of nephron origin were detectable. These findings suggest the existence of niches with different anatomy in the same kidney, indicating different stages of evolution even in adjacent niches. All stem cell niches were in strict contact with the capsular cells, suggesting a major role of the renal capsule in nephrogenesis. Finally, our study confirms the existence of a strict contact between the bud tip cells and the surrounding mesenchyme in the human developing kidney, giving a morphological support to the theory of intercellular channels allowing the passage of transcription factors from the epithelial to the mesenchymal stem/progenitors cells.Proceedings of the 2nd International Course on Perinatal Pathology (part of the 11th International Workshop on Neonatology · October 26th-31st, 2015 · Cagliari (Italy · October 31st, 2015 · Stem cells: present and future Guest Editors: Gavino Faa, Vassilios Fanos, Antonio Giordano

Range bagging: a new method for ecological niche modelling from presence-only data.

Science.gov (United States)

Drake, John M

2015-06-06

The ecological niche is the set of environments in which a population of a species can persist without introduction of individuals from other locations. A good mathematical or computational representation of the niche is a prerequisite to addressing many questions in ecology, biogeography, evolutionary biology and conservation. A particularly challenging question for ecological niche modelling is the problem of presence-only modelling. That is, can an ecological niche be identified from records drawn only from the set of niche environments without records from non-niche environments for comparison? Here, I introduce a new method for ecological niche modelling from presence-only data called range bagging. Range bagging draws on the concept of a species' environmental range, but was inspired by the empirical performance of ensemble learning algorithms in other areas of ecological research. This paper extends the concept of environmental range to multiple dimensions and shows that range bagging is computationally feasible even when the number of environmental dimensions is large. The target of the range bagging base learner is an environmental tolerance of the species in a projection of its niche and is therefore an ecologically interpretable property of a species' biological requirements. The computational complexity of range bagging is linear in the number of examples, which compares favourably with the main alternative, Qhull. In conclusion, range bagging appears to be a reasonable choice for niche modelling in applications in which a presence-only method is desired and may provide a solution to problems in other disciplines where one-class classification is required, such as outlier detection and concept learning.

Biodiversity influences plant productivity through niche-efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Jingjing; Zhou, Mo; Tobin, Patrick C; McGuire, A David; Reich, Peter B

2015-05-05

The loss of biodiversity is threatening ecosystem productivity and services worldwide, spurring efforts to quantify its effects on the functioning of natural ecosystems. Previous research has focused on the positive role of biodiversity on resource acquisition (i.e., niche complementarity), but a lack of study on resource utilization efficiency, a link between resource and productivity, has rendered it difficult to quantify the biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationship. Here we demonstrate that biodiversity loss reduces plant productivity, other things held constant, through theory, empirical evidence, and simulations under gradually relaxed assumptions. We developed a theoretical model named niche-efficiency to integrate niche complementarity and a heretofore-ignored mechanism of diminishing marginal productivity in quantifying the effects of biodiversity loss on plant productivity. Based on niche-efficiency, we created a relative productivity metric and a productivity impact index (PII) to assist in biological conservation and resource management. Relative productivity provides a standardized measure of the influence of biodiversity on individual productivity, and PII is a functionally based taxonomic index to assess individual species' inherent value in maintaining current ecosystem productivity. Empirical evidence from the Alaska boreal forest suggests that every 1% reduction in overall plant diversity could render an average of 0.23% decline in individual tree productivity. Out of the 283 plant species of the region, we found that large woody plants generally have greater PII values than other species. This theoretical model would facilitate the integration of biological conservation in the international campaign against several pressing global issues involving energy use, climate change, and poverty.

The human and murine hematopoietic stem cell niches: are they comparable?

Science.gov (United States)

van Pel, Melissa; Fibbe, Willem E; Schepers, Koen

2016-04-01

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in specific niches that provide various instructive cues that regulate HSC self-renewal and their development into all mature cells of the peripheral blood. Progress in this research field has largely been guided by mouse studies. However, parallel studies with human subjects, tissues, and cells, in combination with xenotransplantation experiments in immunodeficient mice, have contributed to our increased understanding of the human HSC niche. Here, we summarize our current knowledge of the various specialized subsets of both stromal and hematopoietic cells that support HSCs through cell-cell interactions and secreted factors, and the many parallels between the murine and human HSC niches. Furthermore, we discuss recent technological advances that are likely to improve our understanding of the human HSC niche, a better understanding of which may allow further identification of unique molecular and cellular pathways in the HSC niche. This information may help to further improve the outcome of HSC transplantation and refine the treatment of hematopoietic diseases. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

MARKETING AND LOGISTICS INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRANSPORT SERVICES MARKET

OpenAIRE

Kopytko, V. I.

2009-01-01

Taking into account the modern trends of world economy development, the opportunities of increasing the competitiveness of the Ukrainian transport system on the base of marketing-logistical providing the development of infrastructure of transport services market are presented. The analysis of marketing-logistical approaches of estimation of the efficiency of operation of transport infrastructure objects is performed. The condition of theoretical and practical aspects of the transport services...

Macrophytes shape trophic niche variation among generalist fishes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Vejříková

Full Text Available Generalist species commonly have a fundamental role in ecosystems as they can integrate spatially distinct habitats and food-web compartments, as well as control the composition, abundance and behavior of organisms at different trophic levels. Generalist populations typically consist of specialized individuals, but the potential for and hence degree of individual niche variation can be largely determined by habitat complexity. We compared individual niche variation within three generalist fishes between two comparable lakes in the Czech Republic differing in macrophyte cover, i.e. macrophyte-rich Milada and macrophyte-poor Most. We tested the hypothesis that large individual niche variation among generalist fishes is facilitated by the presence of macrophytes, which provides niches and predation shelter for fish and their prey items. Based on results from stable nitrogen (δ15N and carbon (δ13C isotopic mixing models, perch (Perca fluviatilis L. and rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus (L. showed larger individual variation (i.e., variance in trophic position in Milada as compared to Most, whereas no significant between-lake differences were observed for roach (Rutilus rutilus (L.. Contrary to our hypothesis, all the three species showed significantly lower individual variation in the relative reliance on littoral food resources in Milada than in Most. Rudd relied significantly more whereas perch and roach relied less on littoral food resources in Milada than in Most, likely due to prevalent herbivory by rudd and prevalent zooplanktivory by perch and roach in the macrophyte-rich Milada as compared to macrophyte-poor Most. Our study demonstrates how the succession of macrophyte vegetation, via its effects on the physical and biological complexity of the littoral zone and on the availability of small prey fish and zooplankton, can strongly influence individual niche variation among generalist fishes with different ontogenetic trajectories, and hence

Macrophytes shape trophic niche variation among generalist fishes

Science.gov (United States)

Vejřík, Lukáš; Šmejkal, Marek; Čech, Martin; Sajdlová, Zuzana; Frouzová, Jaroslava; Kiljunen, Mikko; Peterka, Jiří

2017-01-01

Generalist species commonly have a fundamental role in ecosystems as they can integrate spatially distinct habitats and food-web compartments, as well as control the composition, abundance and behavior of organisms at different trophic levels. Generalist populations typically consist of specialized individuals, but the potential for and hence degree of individual niche variation can be largely determined by habitat complexity. We compared individual niche variation within three generalist fishes between two comparable lakes in the Czech Republic differing in macrophyte cover, i.e. macrophyte-rich Milada and macrophyte-poor Most. We tested the hypothesis that large individual niche variation among generalist fishes is facilitated by the presence of macrophytes, which provides niches and predation shelter for fish and their prey items. Based on results from stable nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) isotopic mixing models, perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus (L.)) showed larger individual variation (i.e., variance) in trophic position in Milada as compared to Most, whereas no significant between-lake differences were observed for roach (Rutilus rutilus (L.)). Contrary to our hypothesis, all the three species showed significantly lower individual variation in the relative reliance on littoral food resources in Milada than in Most. Rudd relied significantly more whereas perch and roach relied less on littoral food resources in Milada than in Most, likely due to prevalent herbivory by rudd and prevalent zooplanktivory by perch and roach in the macrophyte-rich Milada as compared to macrophyte-poor Most. Our study demonstrates how the succession of macrophyte vegetation, via its effects on the physical and biological complexity of the littoral zone and on the availability of small prey fish and zooplankton, can strongly influence individual niche variation among generalist fishes with different ontogenetic trajectories, and hence the overall

A practioner's view on Strategic Niche Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mourik, R.; Raven, R.P.J.M.

2006-11-01

Strategic Niche Management (SNM) is a tool to support the societal introduction of radical sustainable innovations. However, it has been mainly used in retrospective to analyse historical case studies. This report discusses SNM from a practioner's perspective with the main aim to articulate questions that should be addressed for translating SNM from an ex-post to an ex-ante tool. The main conclusion is that an SNM tool should focus on the level of 'niches' rather than single projects, i.e. SNM should aim to support (program) managers who aim at orchestrating the interaction between multiple experiments

Market turbulence creates financing opportunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, James H

2012-03-01

The flight to high-quality assets resulting from Standard & Poor's downgrade of the U.S. government's credit rating has dropped the yield on U.S. Treasury securities as investors have sought refuge amid uncertain market conditions. Consequently, hospitals can now obtain mortgage insurance from the U.S. government to finance expansions and refinance their debt with GNMA securities at taxable interest rates that are often more favorable than tax-exempt bond fixed rates. Because GNMA certificates can be sold in a forward purchase transaction that locks in a fixed interest rate while avoiding payment of interest until construction funds are disbursed, they can help avoid the effects of negative arbitrage.

Segmentation of overweight Americans and opportunities for social marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolodinsky, Jane; Reynolds, Travis

2009-03-08

The food industry uses market segmentation to target products toward specific groups of consumers with similar attitudinal, demographic, or lifestyle characteristics. Our aims were to identify distinguishable segments within the US overweight population to be targeted with messages and media aimed at moving Americans toward more healthy weights. Cluster analysis was used to identify segments of consumers based on both food and lifestyle behaviors related to unhealthy weights. Drawing from Social Learning Theory, the Health Belief Model, and existing market segmentation literature, the study identified five distinct, recognizable market segments based on knowledge and behavioral and environmental factors. Implications for social marketing campaigns designed to move Americans toward more healthy weights were explored. The five clusters identified were: Highest Risk (19%); At Risk (22%); Right Behavior/Wrong Results (33%); Getting Best Results (13%); and Doing OK (12%). Ninety-nine percent of those in the Highest Risk cluster were overweight; members watched the most television and exercised the least. Fifty-five percent of those in the At Risk cluster were overweight; members logged the most computer time and almost half rarely or never read food labels. Sixty-six percent of those in the Right Behavior/Wrong Results cluster were overweight; however, 95% of them were familiar with the food pyramid. Members reported eating a low percentage of fast food meals (8%) compared to other groups but a higher percentage of other restaurant meals (15%). Less than six percent of those in the Getting Best Results cluster were overweight; every member read food labels and 75% of members' meals were "made from scratch." Eighteen percent of those in the Doing OK cluster were overweight; members watched the least television and reported eating 78% of their meals "made from scratch." This study demonstrated that five distinct market segments can be identified for social marketing

Segmentation of overweight Americans and opportunities for social marketing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reynolds Travis

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The food industry uses market segmentation to target products toward specific groups of consumers with similar attitudinal, demographic, or lifestyle characteristics. Our aims were to identify distinguishable segments within the US overweight population to be targeted with messages and media aimed at moving Americans toward more healthy weights. Methods Cluster analysis was used to identify segments of consumers based on both food and lifestyle behaviors related to unhealthy weights. Drawing from Social Learning Theory, the Health Belief Model, and existing market segmentation literature, the study identified five distinct, recognizable market segments based on knowledge and behavioral and environmental factors. Implications for social marketing campaigns designed to move Americans toward more healthy weights were explored. Results The five clusters identified were: Highest Risk (19%; At Risk (22%; Right Behavior/Wrong Results (33%; Getting Best Results (13%; and Doing OK (12%. Ninety-nine percent of those in the Highest Risk cluster were overweight; members watched the most television and exercised the least. Fifty-five percent of those in the At Risk cluster were overweight; members logged the most computer time and almost half rarely or never read food labels. Sixty-six percent of those in the Right Behavior/Wrong Results cluster were overweight; however, 95% of them were familiar with the food pyramid. Members reported eating a low percentage of fast food meals (8% compared to other groups but a higher percentage of other restaurant meals (15%. Less than six percent of those in the Getting Best Results cluster were overweight; every member read food labels and 75% of members' meals were "made from scratch." Eighteen percent of those in the Doing OK cluster were overweight; members watched the least television and reported eating 78% of their meals "made from scratch." Conclusion This study demonstrated that five distinct

Electron Beam Processing of Polymers: Facts and Opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gielenz, G.

2006-01-01

Electron Beam (EB) processing of polymers is a well established and mature technology in a multitude of industrial polymer applications for more than 40 years. Constant research effort in combination with emerging tailored EB process technologies, have led to numerous new (niche) applications and products within the past decade. Nonetheless, and despite the fact, that nowadays a large variety of EB and related process equipment is readily available for use by the respective industries, EB processing of polymers still takes up only a small niche in comparison to the overall polymer business. In this lecture the author attempts to present a short overview on the current industrial established and emerging radiation processing applications and the related EB equipment suppliers. Then some selected plastics business facts and figures with a forecast of the global plastics consumption situation up to 2010 will be shown. As a conclusion from these facts, some comments will be deduced, regarding the future potential, attractiveness and economical relevance of irradiation processing technologies in present day competitive global markets

Optimization of Femtosecond Laser Polymerized Structural Niches to Control Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Fate in Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuela T. Raimondi

2014-06-01

Full Text Available We applied two-photon polymerization to fabricate 3D synthetic niches arranged in complex patterns to study the effect of mechano-topological parameters on morphology, renewal and differentiation of rat mesenchymal stromal cells. Niches were formed in a photoresist with low auto-fluorescence, which enabled the clear visualization of the fluorescence emission of the markers used for biological diagnostics within the internal niche structure. The niches were structurally stable in culture up to three weeks. At three weeks of expansion in the niches, cell density increased by almost 10-fold and was 67% greater than in monolayer culture. Evidence of lineage commitment was observed in monolayer culture surrounding the structural niches, and within cell aggregates, but not inside the niches. Thus, structural niches were able not only to direct stem cell homing and colony formation, but also to guide aggregate formation, providing increased surface-to-volume ratios and space for stem cells to adhere and renew, respectively.

Language and other artifacts: socio-cultural dynamics of niche construction

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Chris

2015-01-01

Niche construction theory is a relatively new approach in evolutionary biology that seeks to integrate an ecological dimension into the Darwinian theory of evolution by natural selection. It is regarded by many evolutionary biologists as providing a significant revision of the Neo-Darwinian modern synthesis that unified Darwin’s theory of natural and sexual selection with 20th century population genetics. Niche construction theory has been invoked as a processual mediator of social cognitive evolution and of the emergence and evolution of language. I argue that language itself can be considered as a biocultural niche and evolutionary artifact. I provide both a general analysis of the cognitive and semiotic status of artifacts, and a formal analysis of language as a social and semiotic institution, based upon a distinction between the fundamental semiotic relations of “counting as” and “standing for.” I explore the consequences for theories of language and language learning of viewing language as a biocultural niche. I suggest that not only do niches mediate organism-organism interactions, but also that organisms mediate niche-niche interactions in ways that affect evolutionary processes, with the evolution of human infancy and childhood as a key example. I argue that language as a social and semiotic system is not only grounded in embodied engagements with the material and social-interactional world, but also grounds a sub-class of artifacts of particular significance in the cultural history of human cognition. Symbolic cognitive artifacts materially and semiotically mediate human cognition, and are not merely informational repositories, but co-agentively constitutive of culturally and historically emergent cognitive domains. I provide examples of the constitutive cognitive role of symbolic cognitive artifacts drawn from my research with my colleagues on cultural and linguistic conceptualizations of time, and their cultural variability. I conclude by

B2B marketing communications in emerging markets : content marketing in digital channels: a case study of the United Arab Emirates

OpenAIRE

Banjo, Olugbenga

2013-01-01

With the ever increasing online community and opportunities, digital marketing is fast becoming the mainstream in the field of marketing. At the same time marketers have to be up-to-date with the current digital trends in order to be able to improve themselves and make valuable contributions to their organisations. The significance of digital marketing thus should make any thoughtful organisation want to plan for, perform, evaluate and improve its digital marketing endeavours where necessary,...

Advanced secondary batteries: Their applications, technological status, market and opportunity

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, M.

1989-03-01

Program planning for advanced battery energy storage technology is supported within the NEMO Program. Specifically this study had focused on the review of advanced battery applications; the development and demonstration status of leading battery technologies; and potential marketing opportunity. Advanced secondary (or rechargeable) batteries have been under development for the past two decades in the U.S., Japan, and parts of Europe for potential applications in electric utilities and for electric vehicles. In the electric utility applications, the primary aim of a battery energy storage plant is to facilitate peak power load leveling and/or dynamic operations to minimize the overall power generation cost. In the application for peak power load leveling, the battery stores the off-peak base load energy and is discharged during the period of peak power demand. This allows a more efficient use of the base load generation capacity and reduces the need for conventional oil-fired or gas-fire peak power generation equipment. Batteries can facilitate dynamic operations because of their basic characteristics as an electrochemical device capable of instantaneous response to the changing load. Dynamic operating benefits results in cost savings of the overall power plant operation. Battery-powered electric vehicles facilitate conservation of petroleum fuel in the transportation sector, but more importantly, they reduce air pollution in the congested inner cities.

Organic food provision strategies of a niche market in Bangkok

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kantamaturapoj, K.

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Any increase in the level of sustainable food consumption in Bangkok requires both providers and consumers to change their behavior and strategies in a more sustainable direction. This paper focuses on provider’s side and examines the strategies that food providers in Bangkok use to reach the Thai consumers with their sustainable food offers. This paper looks at the “niche” specialized shops which are the first group of organic food provider and currently provide organic food to consumers in Bangkok. A focus group discussion was organized with representatives of the specialized shops in order to discuss and to assess a number of different strategies that could be applied when trying to sell organic food to consumers in Bangkok. The study found that the specialized shops in Bangkok are “small, specialized and beautiful”. The specialized shops in Bangkok form the “Green Market Network” to work together and empower individual shop owners. The major tasks of the network are to procure sufficient sustainable food from reliable sources for the individual shops, to improve their businesses by learning from each other’s experiences and to expand the market for their products. The specialized shops are not so much focused on certification but, instead rely on trust. The specialized shops communicate with consumers in an informal and friendly way, talking directly to them in the shop and organizing activities with them.

Stem Cell Plasticity and Niche Dynamics in Cancer Progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Picco, Noemi; Gatenby, Robert A; Anderson, Alexander R A

2017-03-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been hypothesized to initiate and drive tumor growth and recurrence due to their self-renewal ability. If correct, this hypothesis implies that successful therapy must focus primarily on eradication of this CSC fraction. However, recent evidence suggests stemness is niche dependent and may represent one of many phenotypic states that can be accessed by many cancer genotypes when presented with specific environmental cues. A better understanding of the relationship of stemness to niche-related phenotypic plasticity could lead to alternative treatment strategies. Here, we investigate the role of environmental context in the expression of stem-like cell properties through in-silico simulation of ductal carcinoma. We develop a two-dimensional hybrid discrete-continuum cellular automata model to describe the single-cell scale dynamics of multicellular tissue formation. Through a suite of simulations, we investigate interactions between a phenotypically heterogeneous cancer cell population and a dynamic environment. We generate homeostatic ductal structures that consist of a mixture of stem and differentiated cells governed by both intracellular and environmental dynamics. We demonstrate that a wide spectrum of tumor-like histologies can result from these structures by varying microenvironmental parameters. Niche driven phenotypic plasticity offers a simple first-principle explanation for the diverse ductal structures observed in histological sections from breast cancer. Conventional models of carcinogenesis largely focus on mutational events. We demonstrate that variations in the environmental niche can produce intraductal cancers independent of genetic changes in the resident cells. Therapies targeting the microenvironmental niche may offer an alternative cancer prevention strategy.

Seizing market shaping opportunities for vaccine cold chain equipment.

Science.gov (United States)

Azimi, Tara; Franzel, Lauren; Probst, Nina

2017-04-19

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, supports immunisation programmes in eligible countries to reach children with lifesaving vaccines. Dramatic improvement in the scale and performance of current cold chain systems is required to extend the reach of immunisation services - especially for children living in remote locations - to advance progress towards full vaccine coverage. Achieving these improvements will require a healthier market for cold chain equipment where the products meet user needs, are sustainably priced, and are available in sufficient quantities to meet demand. Yet evidence suggests that the cold chain market has suffered from several failures including limited demand visibility, fragmented procurement, and insufficient information exchange between manufacturers and buyers on needs and equipment performance. One of Gavi's strategic goals is to shape markets for vaccines and other immunisation products, including cold chain equipment and in 2015, Gavi created a new mechanism - the Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) Optimisation Platform - to strengthen country cold chain systems by offering financial support and incentives for higher performing CCE. The main objective of the CCE Platform is to get more equipment that is efficient, sustainable, and better performing deployed to every health facility where it is required at an affordable price. To achieve these objectives, Gavi is putting in place tested market shaping approaches and tools adapted for the CCE market: the development of market strategies or 'roadmaps'; improvement of product performance through the development of target product profiles (TPPs); strategic engagement with CCE manufacturers and countries to enhance information sharing; and tailoring procurement tactics to the CCE market. These approaches and tools will allow for increased demand and supply of higher-performing, cost-effective and quality products. By strengthening immunisation systems with improved cold chain equipment, Gavi countries can

An Investigation of Marketing via Mobile Devices - Attitudes of Croatian Marketing Experts

OpenAIRE

Dobrinić, Damir; Dvorski, Stjepan; Bosilj, Neven

2008-01-01

Marketing activities supported by mobile devices offer great opportunities for direct communication with consumers without the barriers of time, place, location and other. This article explores opinions and expectations Croatian marketing experts have towards use of m-advertising and other available advertising media, where we take the perspective of marketing experts to predict the future of m-marketing and m-advertising in Croatia. The paper also discusses the relevance of m-advertising and...

To benefit from the market opportunities, the French nuclear sector must accelerate its change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Therond-Koos, C.

2016-01-01

An independent think-tank gives its meaning on the future of nuclear energy and on the assets of the French nuclear industry to obtain contracts and tenders in international markets. Nuclear power appears to be a necessary passage for a quick transition towards a no-carbon emitting power production. Between 2006 and 2015 the construction of about 80 reactors was launched and IAEA expects a growth rate of nuclear power production somewhere between +50 and +100% by 2030. 6 countries: United States, Russia, France, Japan, China and South-Korea have developed a nuclear industry and are able to export reactor technology. Concerning reactor construction, France's share of the world market is about 10% and France ranks third behind Russia (33%) and American-Japanese companies (33%). China will be soon a reactor supplier. On the nuclear fuel business, AREVA is also a major player. At the world scale only a few companies operate in the reactor construction field because of technological, industrial but also regulation challenges. The Hinkley Point C project is crucial for the French nuclear industry because of the attractiveness of the contract and mainly because it is an opportunity to show the ability of the French nuclear enterprises to end projects on time and it may be considered a reference to win other export contracts. (A.C.)

Competition in a technological niche: the cars of the future

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, S.; Lente, H. van; Engels, R.

2012-01-01

The notion of ‘niche’has proved to be useful to account for the emergence of radical innovations. Most studies, however, deal with the development of single emerging technologies. In this paper we address the competition between multiple niche technologies.Within the niche of the ‘car of the future’

Opportunistic maintenance considering non-homogenous opportunity arrivals and stochastic opportunity durations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Truong Ba, H.; Cholette, M.E.; Borghesani, P.; Zhou, Y.; Ma, L.

2017-01-01

Many systems and manufacturing processes undergo intermittent operation due to external factors (e.g. weather, low market prices), offering opportunities to conduct maintenance with reduced production losses. Making use of appropriate opportunities can thus lead to significant reduction in the total cost of maintenance and improvement in productivity. In this paper, an opportunistic maintenance (OM) model is developed considering two critical properties of real world opportunities: (i) non-homogeneous opportunity arrivals and (ii) stochastic opportunity duration. The model enables exploiting downtime cost savings from “partial” opportunities (stops shorter than the required maintenance time) thus extending the potential benefit of OM. The criteria for accepting maintenance opportunities are found by minimizing the single-cycle total cost. A closed form expression of the single-cycle total cost is derived for a given PM/OM policy and then a Genetic Algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem. Numerical results are presented to assess the benefit of opportunistic maintenance and the marginal benefit of considering partial opportunities. Results indicate that significant savings can be achieved by considering OM. Moreover, it is shown that the novel consideration of partial opportunities significantly increase the benefit of OM. - Highlights: • Opportunistic and time-based preventive maintenance jointly optimized. • Non-homogeneous opportunity arrivals and stochastic durations considered. • “Partial” opportunities considered for the first time. • Opportunity duration thresholds used as a decision criterion. • Numerical study conducted to evaluate benefit of optimized policy.

Testing the niche variation hypothesis with a measure of body condition

Science.gov (United States)

Individual variation and fitness are cornerstones of evolution by natural selection. The niche variation hypothesis (NVH) posits that when interspecific competition is relaxed, intraspecific competition should drive niche expansion by selection favoring use of novel resources. Po...

Evidence of niche shift and invasion potential of Lithobates catesbeianus in the habitat of Mexican endemic frogs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Luis Becerra López

Full Text Available Invasive alien species are one of most severe threats to biodiversity and natural resources. These biological invasions have been studied from the niche conservatism and niche shifts perspective. Niche differentiation may result from changes in fundamental niche or realized niche or both; in biological invasions, niche differences between native and non-native ranges can appear through niche expansion, niche unfilling and niche stability. The American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus is an invasive species that can have negative impacts on native amphibian populations. This research examines the climate niche shifts of this frog, its potential range of expansion in Mexico and the risk of invasion by bullfrog in the habitats of 82 frog species endemic to Mexico, that based on their climatic niche similarity were divided in four ecological groups. The results indicate that species in two ecological groups were the most vulnerable to invasion by bullfrog. However, the climate niche shifts of L. catesbeianus may allow it to adapt to new environmental conditions, so species from the two remaining groups cannot be dismissed as not vulnerable. This information is valuable for decision making in prioritizing areas for conservation of Mexican endemic frogs.

Micro Mobility Marketing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hosbond, Jens Henrik; Skov, Mikael B.

2008-01-01

, in our case a medium-sized retail supermarket. Two prototypes based on push and pull marketing strategies are implemented and evaluated. Taking outset in a synthesis of central issues in contemporary research on mobile marketing, we discuss their role in micro mobility marketing to point to similarities......Mobile marketing refers to marketing of services or goods using mobile technology and mobile marketing holds potentially great economical opportunities. Traditionally, mobile marketing has been viewed as mobility in the large taking place virtually anywhere, anytime. Further, research shows...... considerable number of studies on push-based SMS mobile marketing campaigns. This paper explores a related yet different form of mobile marketing namely micro mobility marketing. Micro mobility marketing denotes mobility in the small, meaning that promotion of goods takes place within a circumscribed location...

Biogeochemical and Ecomorphological Niche Segregation of Mediterranean Woody Species along a Local Gradient

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Enrique G. de la Riva

2017-07-01

Full Text Available According with niche theory the species are specialized in different ecological niches, being able to coexist as result of a differential use of resources. In this context, the biogeochemical niche hypothesis proposes that species have an optimal elemental composition which results from the link between the chemical and morphological traits for the optimum plant functioning. Thus, and attending to the limiting similarity concept, different elemental composition and plant structure among co-occurring species may reduce competition, promoting different functional niches. Different functional habits associated with leaf life-span or growth forms are associated with different strategies for resource uptake, which could promote niche partitioning. In the present study, based on the biogeochemical niche concept and the use of resources in different proportions, we have focused on leaf traits (morphological and chemical associated with resource uptake, and explored the niche partitioning among functional habits: leaf life-span (deciduous, evergreen, and semideciduous and growth (tree, shrub, and arborescent-shrub. To this end, we have quantified the hypervolume of the leaf functional trait space (both structure and chemical composition in a sample of 45 Mediterranean woody species from Sierra Morena Mountains (Spain growing along a local soil resource gradient. Our results show consistent variation in functional space for woody communities distributed along the environmental gradient. Thus, communities dominated by deciduous trees with faster growth and a predominant acquisitive strategy were characteristic of bottom forests and showed highest leaf biogeochemical space. While semideciduous shrubs and evergreen (arborescent, trees species, characterized by a conservative strategy, dominated ridge forests and showed smaller functional space. In addition, within each topographical zone or environment type, the foliar biogeochemical niche partitioning

Biogeochemical and Ecomorphological Niche Segregation of Mediterranean Woody Species along a Local Gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

de la Riva, Enrique G; Marañón, Teodoro; Violle, Cyrille; Villar, Rafael; Pérez-Ramos, Ignacio M

2017-01-01

According with niche theory the species are specialized in different ecological niches, being able to coexist as result of a differential use of resources. In this context, the biogeochemical niche hypothesis proposes that species have an optimal elemental composition which results from the link between the chemical and morphological traits for the optimum plant functioning. Thus, and attending to the limiting similarity concept, different elemental composition and plant structure among co-occurring species may reduce competition, promoting different functional niches. Different functional habits associated with leaf life-span or growth forms are associated with different strategies for resource uptake, which could promote niche partitioning. In the present study, based on the biogeochemical niche concept and the use of resources in different proportions, we have focused on leaf traits (morphological and chemical) associated with resource uptake, and explored the niche partitioning among functional habits: leaf life-span (deciduous, evergreen, and semideciduous) and growth (tree, shrub, and arborescent-shrub). To this end, we have quantified the hypervolume of the leaf functional trait space (both structure and chemical composition) in a sample of 45 Mediterranean woody species from Sierra Morena Mountains (Spain) growing along a local soil resource gradient. Our results show consistent variation in functional space for woody communities distributed along the environmental gradient. Thus, communities dominated by deciduous trees with faster growth and a predominant acquisitive strategy were characteristic of bottom forests and showed highest leaf biogeochemical space. While semideciduous shrubs and evergreen (arborescent, trees) species, characterized by a conservative strategy, dominated ridge forests and showed smaller functional space. In addition, within each topographical zone or environment type, the foliar biogeochemical niche partitioning would underlie the

The marketing environment

OpenAIRE

Camilleri, Mark Anthony

2017-01-01

The tourism marketing environment consists of internal and external forces which could impact the organisations’ performance. To be successful, companies must adapt to ongoing trends and developments in their macro and micro environments. When organisations scan their marketing environment they will be in a position to deal with any possible threats from the market and to capitalise on any available opportunities. Therefore, this chapter explains the external environmental factors, including;...

Intersexual trophic niche partitioning in an ant-eating spider (Araneae: Zodariidae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stano Pekár

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Divergence in trophic niche between the sexes may function to reduce competition between the sexes ("intersexual niche partitioning hypothesis", or may be result from differential selection among the sexes on maximizing reproductive output ("sexual selection hypothesis". The latter may lead to higher energy demands in females driven by fecundity selection, while males invest in mate searching. We tested predictions of the two hypotheses underlying intersexual trophic niche partitioning in a natural population of spiders. Zodarion jozefienae spiders specialize on Messor barbarus ants that are polymorphic in body size and hence comprise potential trophic niches for the spider, making this system well-suited to study intersexual trophic niche partitioning.Comparative analysis of trophic morphology (the chelicerae and body size of males, females and juveniles demonstrated highly female biased SSD (Sexual Size Dimorphism in body size, body weight, and in the size of chelicerae, the latter arising from sex-specific growth patterns in trophic morphology. In the field, female spiders actively selected ant sub-castes that were larger than the average prey size, and larger than ants captured by juveniles and males. Female fecundity was highly positively correlated with female body mass, which reflects foraging success during the adult stage. Females in laboratory experiments preferred the large ant sub-castes and displayed higher capture efficiency. In contrast, males occupied a different trophic niche and showed reduced foraging effort and reduced prey capture and feeding efficiency compared with females and juveniles.Our data indicate that female-biased dimorphism in trophic morphology and body size correlate with sex-specific reproductive strategies. We propose that intersexual trophic niche partitioning is shaped primarily by fecundity selection in females, and results from sex-differences in the route to successful reproduction where females are

Trophic Niche Differentiation in Rodents and Marsupials Revealed by Stable Isotopes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Galetti

Full Text Available Tropical rainforests support the greatest diversity of small mammals in the world, yet we have little understanding about the mechanisms that promote the coexistence of species. Diet partitioning can favor coexistence by lessening competition, and interspecific differences in body size and habitat use are usually proposed to be associated with trophic divergence. However, the use of classic dietary methods (e.g. stomach contents is challenging in small mammals, particularly in community-level studies, thus we used stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N to infer about trophic niche. We investigated i how trophic niche is partitioned among rodent and marsupial species in three Atlantic forest sites and ii if interspecific body size and locomotor habit inequalities can constitute mechanisms underlying the isotopic niche partitioning. We found that rodents occupied a broad isotopic niche space with species distributed in different trophic levels and relying on diverse basal carbon sources (C3 and C4 plants. Surprisingly, on the other hand, marsupials showed a narrow isotopic niche, both in δ13C and δ15N dimensions, which is partially overlapped with rodents, contradicting their description as omnivores and generalists proposed classic dietary studies. Although body mass differences did not explained the divergence in isotopic values among species, groups of species with different locomotor habit presented clear differences in the position of the isotopic niche space, indicating that the use of different forest strata can favor trophic niche partitioning in small mammals communities. We suggest that anthropogenic impacts, such as habitat modification (logging, harvesting, can simplify the vertical structure of ecosystems and collapse the diversity of basal resources, which might affect negatively small mammals communities in Atlantic forests.

Growing and marketing woody species to support pollinators: An emerging opportunity for forest, conservation, and native plant nurseries in the Northeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Kas Dumroese; Tara Luna

2016-01-01

The decline of insects that pollinate flowers is garnering more attention by land managers, policymakers, and the general public. Nursery managers who grow native trees, shrubs, and woody vines have a promising opportunity to showcase these species, marketing their contributions to pollinator health and other ecosystem services in urban and wild landscapes....

Commodifying snow, taming the waters. Socio-ecological niche construction in an Alpine village.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Robert; Winiwarter, Verena

White belts of snow clad mountains all over the world each winter. Even if there is no snow, the tourism industry is able to produce the white finery at the push of the button, thereby consuming large amounts of water. Studying Damüls, a well-known ski resort in Austria's westernmost province Vorarlberg, we can show that the development of a service sector within agro-pastoral landscapes was connected with novel water uses and massive interventions into Alpine landscapes. Human niche construction theory offers a unique avenue for studying the development of Alpine communities, but also highlights side effects accompanying the change from agrarian to tourism livelihoods. One aim of this paper is to broaden the scope of human niche construction theory. Inceptive, counteractive and relocational niche construction activities were coupled to the differentiation of actor groups. To incorporate social dynamics, indispensable for studies in environmental history, we propose the concept of socio-ecological niche construction. The paper investigates how villagers balanced resource limitations typical for an agrarian society with the differentiation of sub-niches, mediating selective forces on the population. When the valleys were industrialized, Damüls was almost given up as a permanent settlement. Then, tourists entered the stage, by and by turning the wheel of local development into a different direction. A tourism niche based on natural snow evolved from the 1930s onwards. While the socio-ecological niches of agriculture and tourism coexisted in the interwar years, this changed when ski lifts were built, embedded into a debt-based economy that made the tourism niche vulnerable to snow availability. Snow-dependency became a powerful selective force. It was mediated by the ski lift companies through a range of niche construction activities that turned water into an important resource of snowmaking systems.

Improved Predictions of the Geographic Distribution of Invasive Plants Using Climatic Niche Models

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Albores, Jorge E.; Bustamante, Ramiro O.

2016-01-01

Climatic niche models for invasive plants are usually constructed with occurrence records taken from literature and collections. Because these data neither discriminate among life-cycle stages of plants (adult or juvenile) nor the origin of individuals (naturally established or man-planted), the resulting models may mispredict the distribution ranges of these species. We propose that more accurate predictions could be obtained by modelling climatic niches with data of naturally established individuals, particularly with occurrence records of juvenile plants because this would restrict the predictions of models to those sites where climatic conditions allow the recruitment of the species. To test this proposal, we focused on the Peruvian peppertree (Schinus molle), a South American species that has largely invaded Mexico. Three climatic niche models were constructed for this species using high-resolution dataset gathered in the field. The first model included all occurrence records, irrespective of the life-cycle stage or origin of peppertrees (generalized niche model). The second model only included occurrence records of naturally established mature individuals (adult niche model), while the third model was constructed with occurrence records of naturally established juvenile plants (regeneration niche model). When models were compared, the generalized climatic niche model predicted the presence of peppertrees in sites located farther beyond the climatic thresholds that naturally established individuals can tolerate, suggesting that human activities influence the distribution of this invasive species. The adult and regeneration climatic niche models concurred in their predictions about the distribution of peppertrees, suggesting that naturally established adult trees only occur in sites where climatic conditions allow the recruitment of juvenile stages. These results support the proposal that climatic niches of invasive plants should be modelled with data of

Market survey Austria. Bio-energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

Austria has a well developed bioenergy infrastructure as regards solid biomass and a strong growth in the biogas and biofuel sector. The results of a SWOT analysis show the major issues for the development in each of these sectors now and in the short to medium-term future. Based on the SWOT analyses the following conclusions are formulated: (1)The development of the wood biomass sector in Austria is successful. This can be seen from the point of view of the end user, biomass for heating in single houses as well in district heating systems is very widely spread. This created opportunities for Austrian firms producing biomass technology, now having a large market and expending abroad. This development creates, however, major challenges for players from other countries like the Netherlands. It may be difficult to enter this market, unless one offers a cheaper product with the same quality or finding a niche market with a new unique product; (2) The growth of the wood biomass application for heat and electricity has led to the occurrence of another problem, a competition for wood as resource between the energy sector and other applications as pulp and paper industry. Wood imports are nowadays increasing but in the longer term Austria cannot rely on that because of the growing biomass use in neighbouring countries. Austria will therefore have to look for ways how to optimise biomass use for the energy sector and increasing the use of other fuels like straw and other forms of agricultural waste: (3) The production of biogas presents a number of new applications, production of renewable electricity, production of biogas for the transport sector as well as the possibility to inject cleaned biogas into the natural gas grid. In the short term, production of renewable electricity is the most promising for investors as feed-in tariffs are available for these projects. The other applications are still in a pilot phase but may become interesting in the coming years; (4) The

Tug of war in the haematopoietic stem cell niche: do myeloma plasma cells compete for the HSC niche?

Science.gov (United States)

Noll, J E; Williams, S A; Purton, L E; Zannettino, A C W

2012-09-14

In the adult mammal, normal haematopoiesis occurs predominantly in the bone marrow, where primitive haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and their progeny reside in specialised microenvironments. The bone marrow microenvironment contains specific anatomical areas (termed niches) that are highly specialised for the development of certain blood cell types, for example HSCs. The HSC niche provides important cell-cell interactions and signalling molecules that regulate HSC self-renewal and differentiation processes. These same signals and interactions are also important in the progression of haematological malignancies, such as multiple myeloma (MM). This review provides an overview of the bone marrow microenvironment and its involvement in normal, physiological HSC maintenance and plasma cell growth throughout MM disease progression.

Socializing with the neighbors: stem cells and their niche.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchs, Elaine; Tumbar, Tudorita; Guasch, Geraldine

2004-03-19

The potential of stem cells in regenerative medicine relies upon removing them from their natural habitat, propagating them in culture, and placing them into a foreign tissue environment. To do so, it is essential to understand how stem cells interact with their microenvironment, the so-called stem cell niche, to establish and maintain their properties. In this review, we examine adult stem cell niches and their impact on stem cell biology.

7 CFR 35.15 - Opportunity for hearing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Opportunity for hearing. 35.15 Section 35.15 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY STANDARDS AND STANDARD CONTAINER REGULATIONS EXPORT GRAPES AND PLUMS Withholding...

Continental cichlid radiations: functional diversity reveals the role of changing ecological opportunity in the Neotropics.

Science.gov (United States)

Arbour, Jessica Hilary; López-Fernández, Hernán

2016-08-17

Adaptive radiations have been hypothesized to contribute broadly to the diversity of organisms. Models of adaptive radiation predict that ecological opportunity and ecological release, the availability of empty ecological niches and the response by adapting lineages to occupy them, respectively, drive patterns of phenotypic and lineage diversification. Adaptive radiations driven by 'ecological opportunity' are well established in island systems; it is less clear if ecological opportunity influences continent-wide diversification. We use Neotropical cichlid fishes to test if variation in rates of functional evolution is consistent with changing ecological opportunity. Across a functional morphological axis associated with ram-suction feeding traits, evolutionary rates declined through time as lineages diversified in South America. Evolutionary rates of ram-suction functional morphology also appear to have accelerated as cichlids colonized Central America and encountered renewed opportunity. Our results suggest that ecological opportunity may play an important role in shaping patterns of morphological diversity of even broadly distributed lineages like Neotropical cichlids. © 2016 The Author(s).

The influence of social niche on cultural niche construction: modelling changes in belief about marriage form in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Lipatov, Mikhail; Brown, Melissa J.; Feldman, Marcus W.

2011-01-01

With introduction of social niche effects into a model of cultural change, the frequency of a practice cannot predict the frequency of its underlying belief. The combination of a general model with empirical data from a specific case illustrates the importance of collaboration between modellers and field researchers, and identifies the type of quantitative data necessary for analysing case studies. Demographic data from colonial-period household registers in Taiwan document a shift in marriage form within 40 years, from a mixture of uxorilocal marriages and virilocal marriages to the latter's dominance. Ethnographic data indicate marriage-related beliefs, costs, ethnic effects and colonial policies as well as the importance of horizontal cultural transmission. We present a formal model for the effects of moral beliefs about marriage and a population economic index on the decline of uxorilocal marriage. We integrate empirical marriage rates and an estimated economic index to produce five projections of the historical frequencies of one belief. These projections demonstrate how economic development may affect a cultural niche. They also indicate the need for future research on the relationship between wealth and cultural variability, the motivational force of cultural versus social factors, and the process of cultural niche construction. PMID:21320903

Citizen-science, Geoethics and Human Niche

Science.gov (United States)

Bohle, Martin

2017-04-01

The anthropogenic biogeosphere or 'human niche' is the intersection of the biogeosphere and the sphere of human activities of social, economic, cultural and political nature. The application case for geoethics, namely "appropriate behaviours and practices, wherever human activities interact with the Earth system" [1], is about niche building. Geoethics is about the conduct of people and geoscientists, respectively their ordinary lifestyles and professional activities. Geoscience professionals notice the diverse economic, social and cultural living conditions of people, and the application cases of geosciences mirror the diversity of the global social sphere. Subsequently it is argued: A) when considering the ethical dimensions of global niche building then geosciences should feature 'citizen geoscience'; and B) when considering the functioning of a knowledge-based society under conditions of anthropogenic global change then 'citizen geoscience' facilitates applying that knowledge base. (A) Regarding 'niche building': The design of production systems and consumption patterns embeds geoscience know-how and relates it to the everyday life. Any citizen's activities purposefully interconnect to the biogeosphere for well-being, care-taking, and reproduction, although habitually without involving a geoscientist in professional capacity. In that implicit manner the everyday behaviours and practices of people influence Earth system dynamic. This renders their inherent geoscience know-how a public good as it makes their ignorance a public risk. A comfortable human niche for billions of people requires a global biogeosphere that is disrupted little by citizens' activities and exposes them to hazards that can be tamed. Quite the reverse, anthropogenic global change will disturb living conditions for many citizen. Much geoscience know-how will have to be deployed to tame disturbances in a socially sustainable manner. Sustainability in turn needs involvement of citizens in

Hydrogen Infrastructure Market Readiness: Opportunities and Potential for Near-term Cost Reductions; Proceedings of the Hydrogen Infrastructure Market Readiness Workshop and Summary of Feedback Provided through the Hydrogen Station Cost Calculator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melaina, M. W.; Steward, D.; Penev, M.; McQueen, S.; Jaffe, S.; Talon, C.

2012-08-01

Recent progress with fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) has focused attention on hydrogen infrastructure as a critical commercialization barrier. With major automakers focused on 2015 as a target timeframe for global FCEV commercialization, the window of opportunity is short for establishing a sufficient network of hydrogen stations to support large-volume vehicle deployments. This report describes expert feedback on the market readiness of hydrogen infrastructure technology from two activities.

Marketing the professional services of the dietitian.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenberg, J G

1986-01-01

Professionals are beginning to realize that a good service does not necessarily sell itself and that active strategic marketing is often needed. It is no longer sufficient for a dietitian to be up-to-date and provide high quality services; cost effectiveness of sound nutrition must be demonstrated and the services of the dietitian aggressively marketed. A strategic market plan based on an assessment of opportunities and capabilities should be developed and continuously adjusted. This article discusses the steps in strategic market planning with practical examples for the dietitian. Dietitians should examine the marketing strategies being implemented by other professional groups since many can be adapted to marketing nutrition services. There exists much opportunity and unprecedented challenges for all dietitians, calling for creativity, innovation, and professionalism.

Pre-metastatic niches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peinado, Héctor; Zhang, Haiying; Matei, Irina R.

2017-01-01

It is well established that organs of future metastasis are not passive receivers of circulating tumour cells, but are instead selectively and actively modified by the primary tumour before metastatic spread has even occurred. Sowing the 'seeds' of metastasis requires the action of tumour......-secreted factors and tumour-shed extracellular vesicles that enable the 'soil' at distant metastatic sites to encourage the outgrowth of incoming cancer cells. In this Review, we summarize the main processes and new mechanisms involved in the formation of the pre-metastatic niche....

Evaluation of Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce with SWOT Analysis as an Alternative Network Marketing at Agricultural Marketing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuray Kızılaslan

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Compulsory competition occurring in the world trade has led the enterprises to different marketing system. Marketing problems seems to be a problem in Turkey rather than agricultural production problems. In this aspect, marketing alternatives are sought. E-commerce is a system with more opportunities in agricultural marketing. Increasing the applicability of this system in Turkey will eliminate many problems associated with marketing in agriculture. With an active use of E-commerce in agricultural marketing, it provides convenience at marketing products of agro-related industries agencies and producers and all country will have a potential market position. In this study, possibilities offered by e-commerce to the agricultural sector, opportunities, threats, deficiencies and contributions to agricultural sector have been addressed. Without the limitations of place and time via the internet and computers, establishing national and international supply and demand balance of e-commerce seems to play important roles in maintaining an active and alive marketing. Furthermore, it is an important tool in reducing agricultural marketing problems.

24 CFR 884.214 - Marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Marketing. 884.214 Section 884.214... HOUSING PROJECTS Project Development and Operation § 884.214 Marketing. (a) Compliance with equal opportunity requirements. Marketing of units and selection of Families by the Owner shall be in accordance...

The market for process control instrumentation in France. Foreign market survey report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-04-01

The market research was undertaken to study the present and potential US share of the market in France for process control instrumentation; to examine growth trends in French end-user industries over the next few years; to identify specific product categories that offer the most promising export potential for US companies; and to provide basic data which will assist US suppliers in determining current and potential sales and marketing opportunities. The trade promotional and marketing techniques were also reviewed

The multi-niche crowding genetic algorithm: Analysis and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cedeno, Walter [Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)

1995-09-01

The ability of organisms to evolve and adapt to the environment has provided mother nature with a rich and diverse set of species. Only organisms well adapted to their environment can survive from one generation to the next, transferring on the traits, that made them successful, to their offspring. Competition for resources and the ever changing environment drives some species to extinction and at the same time others evolve to maintain the delicate balance in nature. In this disertation we present the multi-niche crowding genetic algorithm, a computational metaphor to the survival of species in ecological niches in the face of competition. The multi-niche crowding genetic algorithm maintains stable subpopulations of solutions in multiple niches in multimodal landscapes. The algorithm introduces the concept of crowding selection to promote mating among members with qirnilar traits while allowing many members of the population to participate in mating. The algorithm uses worst among most similar replacement policy to promote competition among members with similar traits while allowing competition among members of different niches as well. We present empirical and theoretical results for the success of the multiniche crowding genetic algorithm for multimodal function optimization. The properties of the algorithm using different parameters are examined. We test the performance of the algorithm on problems of DNA Mapping, Aquifer Management, and the File Design Problem. Applications that combine the use of heuristics and special operators to solve problems in the areas of combinatorial optimization, grouping, and multi-objective optimization. We conclude by presenting the advantages and disadvantages of the algorithm and describing avenues for future investigation to answer other questions raised by this study.

Industrial opportunities - offshore

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerrits, D.J.

1998-01-01

Industrial opportunities available in the Canadian offshore petroleum industry are discussed. Oil has been produced offshore from Nova Scotia since 1992, and offshore from Newfoundland since 1997. Special needs that must be addressed in offshore operations in eastern Canada such as the cold North Atlantic environment, isolation, logistics, safety, and quality assurance, are examined. The most obvious opportunities lie with the designing, building and installing the facilities needed to extract oil and gas from beneath the sea floor and transport it to market. However, there are also opportunities in designing and fabricating clothing, customized food containers and other equipment for offshore needs. Short term opportunities also exist in the decommissioning of depleted production fields and their facilities. One of the greatest obstacles facing new entrants into the offshore oil and gas industry is the lack of a track record. To meet this challenge, the ability to seek out partners to pursue local and international opportunities through joint ventures, strategic alliances and technology sharing partnering arrangements is of great importance. It may be the difference between success and failure. 6 figs

Evolution of the Jatropha Biofuel Niche in Ghana

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nygaard, Ivan; Bolwig, Simon

spanning the period 1995–2004 and including detailed company case studies. Relating to the MLP framework the factors analysed influencing internal niche processes are alignment of expectations, network formation, and learning and knowledge sharing, while those relating to the GVC framework are value chain......, which contributed to the collapse of the jatropha sector in Ghana and thus to the failure to capitalise on the initially high expectations of biofuel production. We also found a low level of learning and knowledgesharing between jatropha niche actors in Ghana, which, alongside weak public R&D support...

From Dignity to Employment - Newly arrived immigrants and refugees’ interpretations of opportunities to improve labor market participation through the Introduction Program

OpenAIRE

Ediassen, Tora

2016-01-01

Master i International Social Welfare and Health Policy The aim of this thesis is to explore how newly arrived immigrants and refugees interpret their opportunities to improve labor market participation through the Introduction Program. The thesis is based on qualitative interviews with six former participants of the program situated in Oslo, Norway. The Introduction Program is an activation program designed to qualify newly arrived immigrants and refugees for economic indep...

Property and wealth inequality as cultural niche construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Shennan, Stephen

2011-03-27

In contrast to other approaches, evolutionary perspectives on understanding the power and wealth inequalities in human societies view wealth and power not as ends in themselves but as proximate goals that contribute to the ultimate Darwinian goal of achieving reproductive success. The most successful means of achieving it in specific times and places depend on local conditions and these have changed in the course of human history, to such an extent that strategies focused on the maintenance and increase of wealth can even be more successful in reproductive terms than strategies directed at maximizing reproductive success in the short term. This paper argues that a major factor leading to such changes is a shift in the nature of inter-generational wealth transfers from relatively intangible to material property resources and the opportunities these provided for massively increased inequality. This shift can be seen as a process of niche construction related to the increasing importance of fixed and defensible resources in many societies after the end of the last Ice Age. It is suggested that, despite problems of inference, the evidence of the archaeological record can be used to throw light on these processes in specific places and times.

Managing Licensing in a Market for Technology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arora, Ashish; Rønde, Thomas; Fosfuri, Andrea

the technology makes licensing decisions—to centralized licensing. The business unit has superior information about licensing opportunities but may not have the appropriate incentives because its rewards depend upon product market performance. If licensing is decentralized, the business unit forgoes valuable...... licensing opportunities since the rewards for licensing are (optimally) weaker than those for product market profits. This distortion is stronger when production-based incentives are more powerful, making centralization more attractive. Growth of technology markets favors centralization and drives higher...

Opportunities for development of the Moringa sector in Bangladesh : Desk-based review of the Moringa value chains in developing countries and end-markets in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Saavedra Gonzalez, Y.R.; Maden, van der E.C.L.J.

2015-01-01

Moringa trees in Bangladesh and in other developing countries have great potential in terms of nutrition security and income generation, but often seem to be underutilized. The European market does offer opportunities for those suppliers that are willing to, and capable of, meeting EU regulations.

AN ANALYSIS OF FUNDING DECISIONS FOR NICHE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

OpenAIRE

HOWARD VAN AUKEN; SHAWN CARRAHER

2012-01-01

This paper examines the flow of funds from providers of capital to niche agricultural users of capital. Various programs through the US government, state/local economic development and private agencies work to improve the flow of capital to the niche agricultural sector. However, despite the expansion of programs aimed at providing financial resources to the agricultural sector, many sectors remain poorly served. Previous studies have suggested that agencies need to facilitate the flow of cap...

Food Marketing in Irish Schools