Economic feed utilization for dairy buffalo under intensive agricultural system

The national strategies for the irrigated intensive agricultural system in developing countries should focus upon Producing less expensive milk from dairy buffaloes that, efficiently, utilize the limited expensive produced feed resources. Therefore, planning for the least cost feeds combination is the most recommended approach to keep buffalo milk price at a competitive level and being low enough to make milk available for the major proportion of the low-income households, particularly “Vulnerable Groups”. Estimation of the least cost feed ration combination of the limited expensive feed resources were conducted from a recent farm survey of the dairy buffalo performances and the feed use pattern in Egypt. The estimated average production elasticity of fodder, concentrate feeds mix and straw, implies that their shares in generated buffalo milk income are 41.7%, 35%,and 23.3%, respectively.. The response of the human labor was of negative direction and statistically insignificant. This means that the labor used per dairy buffalo was beyond the economic level, that reflects the excess farm-family labor involved in such activity, because they have almost nil opportunity income of off farm work. The other capital inputs have small positive effect on milk production, The average marginal return from milk per onedollar expenditure reached $.1.08 for fodder,and$ 1.04 for concentrated feed mix, i.e. it isfeasible to expand the usage of fodder more than concentrates.The wheat straw has shown uneconomic efficiency. Therefore, it is recommended to limit its level in the ration. The least cost ration reduces feed cost of one ton of buffalo milk equivalent (4% fat) by 22%. The less costs of production will strength the competition of domestic supply either against in the international export market or against the dumping policies followed by exporters to the domestic market.Economic feed, Water buffalo, Intensive system.

Condensation of the atomic relaxation vibrations in lead-magnesium-niobate at T=T∗T=T^*

We present neutron diffraction, dielectric permittivity and photoconductivity measurements, evidencing that lead-magnesium niobate experiences a diffuse phase transformation between the spherical glass and quadrupole glass phases, in the temperature interval between 400 K and 500 K, with the quadrupole phase possessing extremely high magnitudes of dielectric permittivity. Our analysis shows that the integral diffuse scattering intensity may serve as an order parameter for this transformation. Our experimental dielectric permittivity data support this choice. These data are important for the aplications desiring giant dielectric responses, in a wide temperature intervals and not related to electron's excitations.Comment: 6 figure

MODAL METHOD BASED ON SUBSECTIONAL GEGEN- BAUER POLYNOMIAL EXPANSION FOR LAMELLAR GRATINGS: WEIGHTING FUNCTION, CONVERGENCE AND STABILITY

International audienceThe Modal Method by Gegenbauer polynomials Expan- sion (MMGE) has been recently introduced for lamellar gratings by Edee [8]. This method shows a promising potential of outstanding convergence but still suffers from instabilities when the number of polynomials is increased. In this work, we identify the origin of these instabilities and propose a way to remove them

Genetic variation in the interleukin-28B gene is associated with spontaneous clearance and progression of hepatitis C virus in Moroccan patients

Genetic variation in the IL28B gene has been strongly associated with treatment outcomes, spontaneous clearance and progression of the hepatitis C virus infection (HCV). The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of polymorphisms at this locus with progression and outcome of HCV infection in a Moroccan population. We analyzed a cohort of 438 individuals among them 232 patients with persistent HCV infection, of whom 115 patients had mild chronic hepatitis and 117 had advanced liver disease (cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma), 68 individuals who had naturally cleared HCV and 138 healthy subjects. The IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917 were genotyped using a TaqMan 5' allelic discrimination assay. The protective rs12979860-C and rs8099917-T alleles were more common in subjects with spontaneous clearance (77.9% vs 55.2%; p = 0.00001 and 95.6% vs 83.2%; p = 0.0025, respectively). Individuals with clearance were 4.69 (95% CI, 1.99-11.07) times more likely to have the C/C genotype for rs12979860 polymorphism (p = 0.0017) and 3.55 (95% CI, 0.19-66.89) times more likely to have the T/T genotype at rs8099917. Patients with advanced liver disease carried the rs12979860-T/T genotype more frequently than patients with mild chronic hepatitis C (OR = 1.89; 95% CI, 0.99-3.61; p = 0.0532) and this risk was even more pronounced when we compared them with healthy controls (OR = 4.27; 95% CI, 2.08-8.76; p = 0.0005). The rs8099917-G allele was also associated with advanced liver disease (OR = 2.34; 95% CI, 1.40-3.93; p = 0.0100). In the Moroccan population, polymorphisms near the IL28B gene play a role both in spontaneous clearance and progression of HCV infection

Mitigation of voltage imbalance in power distribution system using MPC-controlled packed-U-cells converter

Delivering high power quality in single-phase distribution has witnessed more challenges especially with the increased penetration of single-phase distributed generation (DG). This paper proposes a smart solid-state-based transformer, which aims to replace traditional ones, for single-phase distribution laterals, and provide load balancing and protection to the three-phase main feeders, that is based on connecting the single-phase lateral to the three-phase main feeder through a power electronics converter. This converter transfers balanced power from and to the three-phase feeder while automatically regulating the lateral single-phase voltage, hence, assuring high power quality without requiring any transformer on-load tap changer. A 7-level packed-U-cells (PUC) single-phase inverter topology was used to deliver single-phase regulated sinusoidal voltage to the AC loads, and at the same time, it is able to deliver DC power to DC loads. The simulation and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) results have shown that the proposed topology delivers high power quality for both AC and DC loads under different operating scenarios. Moreover, the converter can play the role of a solid-state protection device coordinated with other up- and downstream protective devices. Finally, this system can be integrated within the smart grid allowing more flexibility for automation and efficient control of the grid. - 2019 The Authors. Energy Science & Engineering published by the Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.This work was made possible by Qatar University Internal Grant no. QUCP?CENG?EE?15/16?4

Ultimate decoherence border for matter-wave interferometry

Stochastic backgrounds of gravitational waves are intrinsic fluctuations of spacetime which lead to an unavoidable decoherence mechanism. This mechanism manifests itself as a degradation of the contrast of quantum interferences. It defines an ultimate decoherence border for matter-wave interferometry using larger and larger molecules. We give a quantitative characterization of this border in terms of figures involving the gravitational environment as well as the sensitivity of the interferometer to gravitational waves. The known level of gravitational noise determines the maximal size of the molecular probe for which interferences may remain observable. We discuss the relevance of this result in the context of ongoing progresses towards more and more sensitive matter-wave interferometry.Comment: 4 page

Economic feed utilization for dairy buffalo under intensive agricultural system

The national strategies for the irrigated intensive agricultural system in developing countries should focus upon Producing less expensive milk from dairy buffaloes that, efficiently, utilize the limited expensive produced feed resources. Therefore, planning for the least cost feeds combination is the most recommended approach to keep buffalo milk price at a competitive level and being low enough to make milk available for the major proportion of the low-income households, particularly “Vulnerable Groups”. Estimation of the least cost feed ration combination of the limited expensive feed resources were conducted from a recent farm survey of the dairy buffalo performances and the feed use pattern in Egypt. The estimated average production elasticity of fodder, concentrate feeds mix and straw, implies that their shares in generated buffalo milk income are 41.7%, 35%,and 23.3%, respectively.. The response of the human labor was of negative direction and statistically insignificant. This means that the labor used per dairy buffalo was beyond the economic level, that reflects the excess farm-family labor involved in such activity, because they have almost nil opportunity income of off farm work. The other capital inputs have small positive effect on milk production, The average marginal return from milk per onedollar expenditure reached $.1.08 for fodder,and$ 1.04 for concentrated feed mix, i.e. it isfeasible to expand the usage of fodder more than concentrates.The wheat straw has shown uneconomic efficiency. Therefore, it is recommended to limit its level in the ration. The least cost ration reduces feed cost of one ton of buffalo milk equivalent (4% fat) by 22%. The less costs of production will strength the competition of domestic supply either against in the international export market or against the dumping policies followed by exporters to the domestic market

Enhanced transmission beyond the cut-off through sub-Lambda Annular Aperture Arrays

A cascaded structure of annular aperture arrays perforated in silver films is shown to act as a high quality Fabry-Pérot interferometer (quality factor up to 200). The transmission of a single nanostructured layer exhibits a cut-off wavelength beyond which there is no transmission. It is demonstrated, here, that the double structure permits to overcome this cut-off. It is also found that transmission is enhanced by a factor of 150 for certain wavelengths. This kind of cascaded nanostructured metallic layers offers many promising applications as well as for optical wavelengths than for THz-waves because this effect still exists for perfect metals. It opens up the path for the conception of a new generation of integrated components based on metallo-dielectric structures that can be easily tailored as tunable devices

Etude du comportement de ponte du carpocapse (Cydia pomonella L.) (Lepidoptera ; Tortricidae) sur deux varietes de pommier (Malus domestica BORKH.)

Le carpocapse, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae) figure parmi les principaux ravageurs des pommes et des poires dans la région de  Batna (Algérie). Le présent travail montre la première étude, à l’échelle nationale, sur le comportement de ponte de ce ravageur. La souche  utilisée a été récupérée d’un verger situé dans la région de Tazoult  (Batna). Le choix de deux variétés de pommier (Golden Delicious et Starkrimson), du point de vue de la ponte en conditions naturelles et le choix de la région de Tazoult, réside dans le fait que dans cette région, ces deux variétés sont sensibles au carpocapse. L’observation du comportement de ponte du carpocapse sur arbre, en milieu naturel et en conditions de non-choix dans la région de Limbiridi (Batna), confirme que la variété Golden Delicious est plus sensible à la ponte que la variété Starkrimson. Différentes étapes comportementales sont observées sur les deux variétés étudiées : atterrissage à la surface du pommier, visite des différents sites, examen du site et l’acceptation de ponte. La ponte est accompagnée par l’examen du site par balayage de l’ovipositeur.Mots-clés : Lepidoptera, Cydia pomonella, Golden Delicious, Starkrimson, comportement de ponte. The codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae) is the major pest of apples and pears in the region of Batna (Algeria). This work is the first nationally study about codling moth egg-laying behavior.  Insects used in the study have been collected from the region of Tazoult (Batna). Counting eggs on the two apple tree varieties (Golden Delicious and Starkrimson) in choice conditions in the region of Tazoult (Batna) showed that both varieties are susceptible to codling moth egg-laying, with a slight preference of Golden Delicious. The observation of egg-laying behavior of codling moth on trees in natural and non-choice conditions in the region of Limbiridi (Batna), confirmed that Golden Delicious variety is more preferred for egg-laying than Starkrimson. Different behavioural steps are observed on both studied varieties : landing on the surface of apple tree, visiting different sites, site examination and acceptance of egg-laying. The egglaying is accompanied by an examination of the site by scanning of the ovipositor.Key words : Lepidoptera, Cydia pomonella, Codling moth, Golden  Delicious, Starkrimson, egg-laying behavior

Process Mining IPTV Customer Eye Gaze Movement Using Discrete-time Markov Chains

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research has extensively employed eye-tracking technologies in a variety of fields. Meanwhile, the ongoing development of Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) has significantly enriched the TV customer experience, which is of great interest to researchers across academia and industry. A previous study was carried out at the BT Ireland Innovation Centre (BTIIC), where an eye tracker was employed to record user interactions with a Video-on-Demand (VoD) application, the BT Player. This paper is a complementary and subsequent study of the analysis of eye-tracking data in our previously published introductory paper. Here, we propose a method for integrating layout information from the BT Player with mining the process of customer eye movement on the screen, thereby generating HCI and Industry-relevant insights regarding user experience. We incorporate a popular Machine Learning model, a discrete-time Markov Chain (DTMC), into our methodology, as the eye tracker records each gaze movement at a particular frequency, which is a good example of discrete-time sequences. The Markov Model is found suitable for our study, and it helps to reveal characteristics of the gaze movement as well as the user interface (UI) design on the VoD application by interpreting transition matrices, first passage time, proposed ‘most likely trajectory’ and other Markov properties of the model. Additionally, the study has revealed numerous promising areas for future research. And the code involved in this study is open access on GitHub