• Title/Summary/Keyword: Costa Rica

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How the domestic industry of Costa Rica became more competitive in the US market. Antecedents and Trends

  • Pena-Vinces, Jesus C.;Castro, Segundo;Espasandin-Bustelo, Francisco
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.11 no.4
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    • pp.5-11
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    • 2013
  • Purpose - The aim of this work is to study the reorientation that the export industrial sectors in Costa Rica have experienced during the last 20 years. Research design, data, methodology - The study employs the Cluster Analysis with the export data (20 years of cut-off period) from Costa Rica to the U.S-market. To make the predictions, the technique of the time series was used, with official data (from 2001 to 2010) from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission. Results - The Cluster Analysis, show how the economic sectors of traditional products exports of Costa Rica have progressively become in exporters of non-traditional products, meanwhile,the time series confirms that this trend will continue, at least during the next five years. Conclusions - The industry of traditional products exports of Costa Rica (dressmaking, vegetables, coffee, mate, species, etc.) will progressively become in exporters of non- traditional products with a high-tech component (i.e., mechanical equipment and devices, electronic devices and medical equipment),as a consequence of the Chinese (Costa Rica's main competitor) economy's presence in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCDE). This fact has enabled the potential improvement of Costa Rica's international competitiveness in the U.S. market.

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Occurrence of Squash yellow mild mottle virus and Pepper golden mosaic virus in Potential New Hosts in Costa Rica

  • Castro, Ruth M.;Moreira, Lisela;Rojas, Maria R.;Gilbertson, Robert L.;Hernandez, Eduardo;Mora, Floribeth;Ramirez, Pilar
    • The Plant Pathology Journal
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.285-293
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    • 2013
  • Leaf samples of Solanum lycopersicum, Capsicum annuum, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepo, Sechium edule and Erythrina spp. were collected. All samples were positive for begomoviruses using polymerase chain reaction and degenerate primers. A sequence of ~1,100 bp was obtained from the genomic component DNA-A of 14 samples. In addition, one sequence of ~580 bp corresponding to the coat protein (AV1) was obtained from a chayote (S. edule) leaf sample. The presence of Squash yellow mild mottle virus (SYMMoV) and Pepper golden mosaic virus (PepGMV) were confirmed. The host range reported for SYMMoV includes species of the Cucurbitaceae, Caricaceae and Fabaceae families. This report extends the host range of SYMMoV to include the Solanaceae family, and extends the host range of PepGMV to include C. moschata, C. pepo and the Fabaceae Erythrina spp. This is the first report of a begomovirus (PepGMV) infecting chayote in the Western Hemisphere.

Optimization of a four-bar mechanism cyclic pitch control for a vertical axis wind turbine

  • Montenegro-Montero, Mariana;Richmond-Navarro, Gustavo;Casanova-Treto, Pedro
    • Wind and Structures
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    • v.35 no.2
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    • pp.121-130
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    • 2022
  • In this paper, the issue of pitch control in a vertical axis wind turbine was tackled. Programming the Actuator Cylinder model in MATLAB, a theoretical optimum pitch solution was found and then a classic four-bar mechanism was adapted to that theoretical solution to achieve a simple and elegant control of the pitch in the turbine. A simulation using the mechanism worked to find the optimum pitch cycles, where it was found that the mechanism would, in fact, increase the efficiency of the VAWT, by at least 11% and in the best case, over 35%. Another aspect that is studied is the possibility of self-start of the turbine by only changing the pitch on the blades. This analysis, however, proved that a further individual pitch control must be used to surpass the cogging torque. All analyses conducted were done for a specific wind turbine that is 2 m2 in the swept area.

Uses of cone-beam computed tomography in San José, Costa Rica

  • Barba, Lucia;Berrocal, Ana Luisa;Hidalgo, Alejandro
    • Imaging Science in Dentistry
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    • v.48 no.2
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    • pp.103-109
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    • 2018
  • Purpose: To analyze cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) use, indications, and exposure parameters in San $Jos{\acute{e}}$, Costa Rica. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. All CBCT examinations over a period of 6 months at 2 radiological centers in San $Jos{\acute{e}}$, Costa Rica were evaluated. The examinations were performed with Veraview EPOC X550 and Veraviewepocs 3D R100 equipment. The patients' age and sex, clinical indication for CBCT, region of interest (ROI), repeat examinations, specialty of the referring dentist, field-of-view (FOV), tube voltage (kV), tube current (mA), and radiation dose (${\mu}Gy$) were evaluated. Patients were classified by age as children (${\leq}12years$), adolescents(13-18 years), and adults(${\geq}19years$). Results: The mean age of the 526 patients was 49.4 years. The main indications were implant dentistry and dental trauma. The most frequent ROIs were posterior, while anterior ROIs were much less common. The highest percentage of repeat examinations was in children. Fifty-six percent of the referring dentists were specialists. The most commonly used FOV was small. The mean tube voltage and current were 79.8 kV and 7.4 mA for Veraview EPOC X550 and 89.9 kV and 6 mA for Veraviewepocs 3D R100, respectively. The mean doses for children, adolescents, and adults were $6.9{\mu}Gy$, $8.4{\mu}Gy$, and $7.8{\mu}Gy$, respectively. Conclusion: Although CBCT was most commonly used in adults for implant dentistry, most repeat examinations were in children, and the highest mean dose was in adolescents. Additional dose optimization efforts should be made by introducing low-dose protocols for children and adolescents.

A taxonomic and distributional study of the rhodolith-forming species Lithothamnion muelleri (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

  • Robinson, Nestor M.;Hansen, G.I.;Fernandez-Garcia, C.;Riosmena-Rodriguez, R.
    • ALGAE
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.63-71
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    • 2013
  • Lithothamnion muelleri is reported for the first time as one of the main components of rhodolith beds along the Eastern Pacific Ocean based on samples from Washington State (USA), Pacific Baja California (M$\acute{e}$xico), southern Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Individual rhodoliths ranged from fruticose to lumpy in morphology, and bi-sporangial, tetrasporangial, and gametangial plants were similar to those described from Australia and Brazil. Our study revealed a surprisingly wide latitudinal distribution of this species along the American continent. Its documentation in the Eastern Pacific will facilitate a more accurate interpretation of the ecology, biology, and biogeography of rhodolith beds worldwide.

Evaluation of Commercial Pheromones on the Population Dynamics of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. smith) and Mythimna loreyi (Duponchel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

  • Seo Yeon Hong;Hwi Jong Yi;Young Nam Yoon;Yun Woo Jang;Ki Do Park;Rameswor Maharjan
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.67 no.4
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    • pp.285-295
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    • 2022
  • The trapping efficacy of five commercially available sex pheromones manufactured in Korea, the Netherlands, North America, China, and Costa Rica was evaluated to determine the population dynamics of Spodoptera frugiperda and Mythimna loreyi and their relationships with the weather parameters of maize fields in Miryang, Gyeongnam Province, Korea in 2019. The results show that the sex pheromone manufactured in Costa Rica were more efficient at capturing S. frugiperda and M. loreyi than those manufactured in other countries. The lowest number of S. frugiperda moths were captured using sex pheromones manufactured in the Netherlands. We noted that more than four population peaks of both the moth species and weather parameters influenced the moth population dynamics in Miryang. A positive relationship was observed between the population of S. frugiperda and weather parameters, such as mean temperature, rainfall, and relative humidity, for sex pheromones manufactured in Korea. Furthermore, a positive relationship was recorded between the population of M. loreyi and wind speed for the sex pheromone manufactured in Korea. The results of this study suggest that the sex pheromones manufactured in Costa Rica are the best solution for the efficient capture of S. frugiperda and M. loreyi under typical weather conditions in the southern parts of Korea. In addition, the outcomes of this study are discussed in terms of population dynamics and integrated pest management for S. frugiperda and M. loreyi as alternatives to chemical management by maize producers. Further studies related to the continuous improvement in the capture efficiency of both moth species using sex pheromones are now needed.

Residual characteristics of pesticide in banana from international pesticide residue monitoring data (각국의 잔류농약 모니터링 자료를 활용한 바나나 중 농약 잔류 실태 조사)

  • Kim, Seo-Hong;Kim, Jeong-Ah;Im, Moo-Hyeog
    • Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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    • v.63 no.1
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    • pp.9-22
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    • 2020
  • This study was designed to use the safety management data for residual pesticides in imported banana based on the investigation of pesticide residue detection of agricultural products with different origins in the Republic of Korea. From the USA, EU, UK, Japan and Korea from 2007 to 2018, the results of banana residue pesticides were summarized into detected pesticides, number of inspections, number of pesticide detection cases, and the amount of detected pesticide residue. A total of 109 pesticides were detected for the pesticide residue and pesticide detection rate was 4.58% in 206,894 cases. The detection rate was ranged within 10.62-24.62% for chlorpyrifos, imazalil, methyl-bromide, azoxystrobin, carbendazim, pretilachlor and thiabendazole. Among them, chlorpyrifos was detected most often followed by imazalil, azoxystrobin, thiabendazole, bifenthrin and carbendazim. According to the results of monitoring data for bananas in EU, Japan, USA, UK and Korea, the kinds of detected pesticides were 85, 57, 23, 18 and 8, respectively. Azoxystrobin, bifenthrin and chloropyrifos were found in monitoring data of all countries. Fourteen and twelve pesticides were detected in bananas from Costa Rica and Ecuador, respectively. Imazalil and thiabendazole were detected in 16 and 11 origins, respectively. Myclobutanil and iprodione were detected in four and two countries, respectively. In bananas from Costa Rica, azoxystrobin and bifenthrin were detected 11.8 and 9.8%, respectively, and the detection rate of azoxystrobin was 19% in bananas from Colombia. Chlorpyrifos was detected 22.7, 13.3 and 10.8% in bananas from Belize, Colombia and Costa Rica respectively. Myclobutanil was detected in bananas from Colombia and Costa Rica with the rate of 17.9 and 10.4%, respectively.

Simulateous Determination for the Contents of Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acid in Coffee Beans (원두커피내 카페인 및 클로로겐산 함량 평가를 위한 동시분석법)

  • Shin, Jeoung Hwa;Ahn, Yun Gyong
    • The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.5-12
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    • 2013
  • Caffeine is an alkaloid of the methylxanthine family known as a central nervous system stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness in humans. There is a recommended upper limits of caffeine for health because a high dose can cause negative effects. Chlorogenic acid is a natural polyphenol compound known to have an antioxidant activity. In this study, the contents of caffeine and chlorogenic acid in coffee beans from different origins(Costa Rica, Indonesia, Vietnam) were determined by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS). The experiment offers more selectivity and sensitivity for those compounds compared with conventional methods such as UV/VIS spectrophotometry. The average concentrations of caffeine and chlorogenic acid in coffee beans origined in Costa Rica were 15.05 mg/g and 5.33 mg/g respectively. In the case of coffee beans origined in Indonesia, the average concentrations were 13.10 mg/g for caffeine and 3.75 mg/g for chlorogenic acid. Vietnamese coffee showed that the average concentrations were 17.79 mg/g for caffeine and 1.12 mg/g for chlorogenic acid. This study can contribute to a better understanding of the contents of caffeine and chlorogenic acid in various coffee beans in order to evaluate dietary intake.

Diversity of Subcortical Arthropod Communities in Tropical and Temperate Forests

  • Choe, Jae-Chun
    • Animal cells and systems
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    • v.1 no.4
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    • pp.577-581
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    • 1997
  • Species diversity of subcortical arthropod communities were assessed in two tropical regions and two temperate regions. In the tropics, communities of subcortical arthropods were more diverse in La Selva, Costa Rica, than on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Costa Rican communties yielses higher values of both Shannon and Simpson diversity indices than Panamanian communities. Compared to Panamanian communities, Costa Rican ones supported higher measures of both species richness and evenness. Between the two temperate regions, communities of subcortical arthropods in Korea scored consistently higher values of both Shannon and Simpson indices than the ones in eastern Massachusetts, U.S.A. When individual diversity components were compared, however, Korean communities yielded exceptionally high evenness measures but lower species richness than the communities in the U.S.A. Unusually high evenness values of Korean subcortical arthropods were due to extremely low population densities of all component species.

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Environmental Condition for the Oyster Culture in the Nicoya Gulf of Costa Rica (코스타리카국의 니코야만에 있어서의 굴양식을 위한 환경에 관하여)

  • PYEN Choong-Kyu
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.143-150
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    • 1984
  • A field survey and experiment on aquaculture in Costa Rica including Nicoya Gulf was carried out for a month, December $2{\sim}28$, 1981. 1) Air temperature was $27{\sim}32^{\circ}C$, water temperature, $28{\sim}29.5^{\circ}C$ and salinity, $20{\sim}28.5\%$ both in the surface and 5 m layer on December 22, 1981. 2) Dissolved oxygen plentiful, $7.3{\sim}9.95\;ml/l$. 3) Mean precipitation for the past ten years in Nicoya Gulf area was $1298.6{\sim}2196.3$ mm near Puntarenas area and rainy days a year was 137.7, Most rainfalls was concentrated from May to November, the rainy season. 4) Precipitation in main oyster farms near Chungmu, Korea was 1836.0mm a year and it was similar to that of Costa Rica. 5) Diatoms were 16 species belonged to 13 genera and dinoflagellates, 3 species belonged to 2 genera. Standing crops was $639{\sim}130,211\;cells/l$ and dominant species were Chaeteocros curvisetus, Chaetoceros decipiens, Nitzschia serata. Thalassiothrix mediterranca, a tropical esturary species, was found. 6) Nicoya Gulf has the good environmental factors in the water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and planktons, and it is desirable to experiment and culture the oyster (Crassostrea rhrizophorae).

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