Scale, technique and composition effects in the Mexican agricultural sector: the influence of NAFTA and the institutional environment

More than a decade after NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) entered into force, the environmental effects of agricultural trade liberalization in Mexico are still controversial, emerging, and not fully understood. This paper contributes to the literature that aims to explore trends in input use in the agricultural sector in Mexico during the post-NAFTA period among both commercial/industrial and traditional/rainfed farmers, and examines the influence of the national and multilateral institutional framework on these outcomes. We decompose the post-NAFTA agricultural production data into scale, technique and composition effects to estimate the impact that trade liberalization has had on the use of fertilizer and land use, two key agricultural inputs for which reliable aggregate data is available. We conclude that among commercial farmers patterns of crop type specialization and significant technological improvements have led to some declines in fertilizer use but they have been offset by growth in fertilizer use associated with growing agricultural output. Among traditional farmers increased output and specialization in land-intensive grain crops are contributing to an increase in land under cultivation and technological improvements show the potential, but not yet not the strength, to counteract these effects. We analyse the environmental institutional framework and rural development plans, observing that institutional weaknesses have, in several instances, reduced the environmental benefit of technique and composition effects. We conclude with recommendations about how the Mexican agricultural sector might reap the environmental benefits of international agricultural trade.     

Of War and Law

Netherlands International Law Review -     

复合扩增mtDNA-HVI和Cyt b片段鉴定混合血痕种属

目的探讨mtDNA-HVI和Cyt b片段复合扩增法鉴定人与动物混合血痕种属的应用价值。方法用chelex-100法从人、牛、猪、狗、兔、鱼、鸡和鼠血痕中提取DNA,复合扩增mtDNA-HVI片段和Cyt b片段,琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测。结果人类在mtDNA-HVI区和Cyt b区分别出现279bp和358bp各一条带,且279bp条带亮于358bp;动物均只有358bp一条带。人与7种动物血痕的检测灵敏度均为3.13ng。检测人与动物混合DNA,灵敏度仍为3.13ng,但358bp条带亮于279bp条带。结论当358bp带明显强于279bp带时,提示检材为人与动物的混合。     

8例利多卡因过敏性休克死的血药浓度分析

目的研究利多卡因过敏性休克死者利多卡因血药浓度及其与死因的关系。方法采用高效液相色谱法(HPLC),分别对使用利多卡因麻醉术中各项指标均正常的8例术中因利多卡因过敏性休克死者的血液和11例顺利完成手术患者的血液进行利多卡因浓度的检测,对比分析两者结果。结果 8例死者利多卡因血药浓度(1．61mg± 0．45mg／L)低于11例正常患者利多卡因血药浓度(2．44mg±0．47mg／L)。结论利多卡因过敏性休克死者血药浓度在正常值范围内,与发生过敏性休克致死无关。