Intrinsic galaxy shapes and alignments II: Modelling the intrinsic alignment contamination of weak lensing surveys

Intrinsic galaxy alignments constitute the major astrophysical systematic of forthcoming weak gravitational lensing surveys but also yield unique insights into galaxy formation and evolution. We build analytic models for the distribution of galaxy shapes based on halo properties extracted from the Millennium Simulation, differentiating between early- and late-type galaxies as well as central galaxies and satellites. The resulting ellipticity correlations are investigated for their physical properties and compared to a suite of current observations. The best-faring model is then used to predict the intrinsic alignment contamination of planned weak lensing surveys. We find that late-type galaxy models generally have weak intrinsic ellipticity correlations, marginally increasing towards smaller galaxy separation and higher redshift. The signal for early-type models at fixed halo mass strongly increases by three orders of magnitude over two decades in galaxy separation, and by one order of magnitude from z=0 to z=2. The intrinsic alignment strength also depends strongly on halo mass, but not on galaxy luminosity at fixed mass, or galaxy number density in the environment. We identify models that are in good agreement with all observational data, except that all models over-predict alignments of faint early-type galaxies. The best model yields an intrinsic alignment contamination of a Euclid-like survey between 0.5-10% at z>0.6 and on angular scales larger than a few arcminutes. Cutting 20% of red foreground galaxies using observer-frame colours can suppress this contamination by up to a factor of two.Comment: 23 pages, 14 figures; minor changes to match version published in MNRA

Using overhead images to determine volume and ground cover of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Non-Peer Reviewe

Concurrent Sessions B: Fish Physiology and Fishway Passage Success - Olfactory Gene Regulation in a Regulated River: Understanding the Effects of Altered Flow Patterns on Sockeye Salmon Homing

Pacific salmon use olfactory cues to locate their spawning grounds. Past homing research has explored various aspects of the olfactory system, such as the imprinting process, but the mechanisms through which olfaction drives homing remain largely unknown. Genomics studies provide a novel approach to homing research, allowing us to investigate how olfaction and alterations to flow regimes that result from hydroelectric development mediate homing from a molecular level. Olfactory receptors (ORs) located in the olfactory epithelia detect odorants in the external environment. These receptors initiate the olfactory process, and expression of OR genes therefore strongly influences route selection during the spawning migration. We examined the expression of OR genes in a population of early summer Fraser River sockeye at the site of a hydroelectric dam. Due to diversions caused by the dam, chemical cues originating from the natal tributary are diluted by water that enters the system from a different watershed. We held sockeye in the river containing their home stream water and in the river that originates from the different watershed. We then used quantitative PCR to determine whether the absence of natal chemical cues alters olfactory gene expression. In addition, we analyzed olfactory gene expression of sockeye exposed to an artificial stressor event, to determine whether stressful events such as fishway passage or blocked waterways affect olfactory gene expression

Seed coat colour development in black beans

Non-Peer ReviewedDry beans come in a wide variety of seed coat patterns and colours and the quality and value of the bean crop is largely determined by appearance and condition of the seed, particularly colour uniformity and stability. In western Canada, black bean is a significant portion of the crop. For some black bean varieties, the seed coat colour does not fully develop until the pod is mature. This may be the result of genotype, or environment, or both. In these cases, harvesting at plant maturity rather than at seed maturity can lead to a non-uniform crop sample in which the black beans are mixed with beans that have a purple or gray tinge. Full expression of seed coat colour is economically important as variable colour development may result in a 2-4 cent per pound discount. Seed coat colour is determined by the presence of anthocyanins and condensed tannins. In this experiment, we examined the timing of pigment deposition in the seed coat in relation to pod maturity for 5 black bean varieties (CDC Expresso, CDC Nighthawk, CDC Jet, AC Black Diamond, and T39) to determine if there is genetic variation for timing of seed coat colour development. If it is under genetic control, we will be able to breed for earlier colour development to ensure full colour expression at plant maturity

Determinants of Artificial Insemination Use by Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Lemu-Bilbilo District, Ethiopia

Despite Ethiopia possessing the highest number of livestock in Africa, its benefit to the country and smallholder farmers is small as more than 99% of the cattle are indigenous breeds with low yield. Though the government introduced Artificial Insemination (AI) technology to improve this condition, the adoption rate by smallholder farmers is still low. The objectives of the study were to determine factors affecting adoption and the extent of adoption of among smallholder dairy farmers in Lemu-Bilbilo district of Ethiopia. Data from 196 smallholder dairy farmers was collected using semi-structured questionnaire. The study utilized double-hurdle model for analysis where the two stages were run separately as Probit and truncated regression, respectively. Contacts with extension agents, access to credit, income from milk sales, feeding concentrate to cows and family size influenced the probability of adoption without affecting the extent of adoption. While membership in dairy cooperatives and off-farm income positively affected the probability and extent of AI adoption, distance from AI station and access to crossbred bull services influenced both variables negatively. Education level and efficiency of AI service had positive impact on the extent of AI use; whereas experience in keeping cross-breeds and years of using AI had negative influence on same. Much work should be done to improve the accessibility of AI service by expanding AI stations throughout the district, by training more AI technicians and by encouraging private involvement. Adult education and education in farmers training centres can be the way forward to improve educational status of farmers. Bureau of Agriculture must work to improve access to credit and extension services; established dairy cooperatives have to be strengthened and more need to be established. Keywords: adoption, artificial insemination, double hurdle mode

Determinants of the Uptake of Financial Derivatives by Listed Firms in the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). A Survey of Listed Companies in Kenya

The purpose of the study was the analyse determinants of the uptake of financial derivatives by listed firms in the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya. The study was guided by the following objective; to evaluate the effect of investment on the uptake of financial derivatives by listed firms on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The study adopted portfolio theory, financial theory and the efficient market hypothesis theory in the theoretical framework. The study applied a descriptive survey research design.  The target population was 65 listed companies in the NSE and a sample size of 52finance managers drawn from this listed companies.  Questionnaire administration was employed to collect the required primary data. A pilot study done to test the reliability and validity of the data collection instruments. Data collected was analyzed in the light of the objectives of the study with the aid of SPSS for Data analysis. Multiple regression analysis was applied to test the effect of one variable to the other. Based on the findings, it was recommended that there should be a diversified investment in certain industries makes listed companies diversify their risks by dealing in financial derivatives. The global financial markets should invest in ICT to make it easy for companies to cross border trade in the derivatives? the government of Kenya should  invest enough resources to enable the smooth running of the financial derivatives trade.  The capital market should be efficient enough to facilitate the global flow of investment between investors. Trade derivatives should be viewed to be a factor in determining the capital investment of a listed entity in the Nairobi Securities.  The study is significant to the policy makers at the Nairobi Securities Exchange and also to finance scholars who would want to understand the reasons why there is a slow uptake of financial derivatives at the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Keywords: Financial derivatives, investments

Moving pulse crop breeding into the 21st century

Non-Peer Reviewe

Spatial, seasonal and climatic predicitve models of Rift Valley Fever disease across Africa

Understanding the emergence and subsequent spread of human infectious diseases is a critical global challenge, especially for high-impact zoonotic and vector-borne diseases. Global climate and land-use change are likely to alter host and vector distributions, but understanding the impact of these changes on the burden of infectious diseases is difficult. Here, we use a Bayesian spatial model to investigate environmental drivers of one of the most important diseases in Africa, Rift Valley fever (RVF). The model uses a hierarchical approach to determine how environmental drivers vary both spatially and seasonally, and incorporates the effects of key climatic oscillations, to produce a continental risk map of RVF in livestock (as a proxy for human RVF risk). We find RVF risk has a distinct seasonal spatial pattern influenced by climatic variation, with the majority of cases occurring in South Africa and Kenya in the first half of an El Niño year. Irrigation, rainfall and human population density were the main drivers of RVF cases, independent of seasonal, climatic or spatial variation. By accounting more subtly for the patterns in RVF data, we better determine the importance of underlying environmental drivers, and also make space- and time-sensitive predictions to better direct future surveillance resources. This article is part of the themed issue ‘One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being’

Integrated HPAI control in kampong chicken in Indonesia—An overview on ILRI's research and lessons learned

poultry in Indonesia in 2003. HPAI affected all production systems from parent stocks to village (kampong) chickens. The island of Java hosts 60% of the poultry population of the country. Avian influenza in poultry is considered to be endemic and fatal cases in humans are sporadic since its introduction. In an attempt to support the Indonesian government in making decisions to limit the spread of HPAI while minimising its impact on different socio-economic groups, research by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has focused on two main areas: (a) village chicken vaccination and (b) risk reduction strategies suitable for pro-poor households with backyard chicken. The vaccination component, supported by the World Bank, the Indonesian government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), used an operational research approach, with the objective to determine the efficacy of backyard mass vaccination by testing alternative regimes under field conditions. The mass vaccination carried out between 2007 and 2009 in 16 districts of Java was supported by targeted studies such as, the value of booster vs. non-booster vaccination, the effect of single dosage (antigen content) vs. double dosage vaccine formulations and a cost-benefit analysis of backyard vaccination. Research on pro-poor HPAI risk reduction strategies, jointly carried out from 2007–2011 with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and supported by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), followed an integrated research design with four main components: disease risk, institutional analysis, livelihood impacts, and synthesis (risk mitigation analysis). Within the components a number of focused studies from epidemiology, to socio-economic and livelihood impacts were implemented focusing on the districts of Bogor and Bogor Kota. Key results indicate the need for an avian influenza booster vaccination with a quarterly re-vaccination schedule due to high population turnovers in kampong chicken. Risk assessment demonstrated the value of an appropriate biosecurity and visitor’s control