Value Chain Analysis of Bamboo Production: The Case of Bule Woreda, Gedeo Zone, Snnprs

Bamboo plays very important role socially, economically and ecologically. Despite the fact that bamboo play important role in improving the livelihood of the local community it has an insignificant contribution due to the products are at a very rudimentary level and inexistence of well established bamboo industry. These situations hampered the opportunity of the potential of bamboo that will improve the poor living standards and hence sustainable utilization of the resources. This study was initiated to analyze the existing bamboo market chain in Bule Woreda Gedeo Zone, Southern Nations Nationalities and Regional State. The focus of the study was to  analyze the determinants of marketable supply of Bamboo, identify actors involved in the processes and what do they actually do, investigate the costs incurred by each participants and the benefits driven by each. The data were collected by using a semi-structured questionnaires together with secondary data gathered from agricultural bureau offices and other unpublished sources. Robust Ordinary least square regression econometric model was used to analyze the determinants of market supply of bamboo. The results from this analysis indicates that price of bamboo culm, educational level of producers, distance to the nearest market, and access to market information were found to be  significant variables influencing bamboo supply to the market. A significant amount (70.16%) of bamboo produced is channeled through producers- traders- processors- consumers chain. The concentration ratio of two firms measures of market structure indicated there exist  super tight oligopolistic nature of bamboo market. Moreover, marketing margins also indicate that the producers get much lower benefit than any other market chain actors. The major problems of the production identified by bamboo producers in the study area arised from road infrastructure and market information. Therefore improving road infrastructure, provision of formal education and market information,  and improving the existing chain through creating appropriate market linkage are recommended. Keywords: Value chain, value chain analysis, structure- conduct- performance, concentration ratio, marketing channel and marketing margin

Shot peening of a sintered Ni-Cu-Mo steel produced by diffusion bonded powders

The influence of the mechanical properties of a diffusion bonded Ni-Cu-Mo sintered steel on the residual stressesand the plastic deformation promoted by both steel and ceramic shot peening was investigated. While steel shotsdeform the surface more extensively than ceramic ones, leading to a thicker surface densification, ceramic shotsare more effective in terms of maximum compressive residual stresses. The increase in the yield strength of thebase material enhances residual stresses and reduces plastic deformation. The strain induced transformation ofNi-rich austenite in martensite causes a slight decrease of tensile elongation and of impact energy in specimenssintered at low temperature

Densidade de estocagem no crescimento, composição e perfil lipídico corporal do jundiá.

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento, a composição e o perfil lipídico corporal de jundiás criados em diferentes densidades de estocagem (DE: 4,2; 6,4; 8,6 e 10,8kg m-3) em sistema com recirculação de água. Durante 120 dias, 420 peixes (peso inicial=182,95±2,96g) foram alimentados uma vez ao dia, até a saciedade aparente, com dieta peletizada formulada. Observou-se que, quanto maior a DE utilizada, menor é o peso individual dos peixes, entretanto a biomassa por tanque aumentou (P<0,05). Melhor conversão alimentar (1,69) e maior quantidade de gordura intraperitoneal (3,92) foram observadas nos peixes submetidos à densidade 4,2kg m-3. A proteína corporal foi afetada pelas DEs. Ocorreu diminuição dos ácidos graxos saturados e aumento dos insaturados nos peixes de acordo com o aumento das DEs. Conclui-se que a densidade de estocagem influência no peso final e na produtividade por volume do jundiá

The role of the osteoplastic flap in the endoscopic era : a retrospective multicentre experience on revision surgery

Objective. To retrospectively review the experience of five tertiary-care university hospitals on frontal sinus revision surgery with osteoplastic flap (OPF). Methods. Descriptive analysis of patients who underwent frontal sinus surgery with OPF after one or more endoscopic procedures for benign and inflammatory pathologies from 2000 to 2022. Clinical charts were reviewed for demographics, indications, clinical presen-tation, previous frontal procedures, OPF technique and outcomes. Results. Of the 124 patients who underwent an OPF procedure, 33 met inclusion criteria. With a mean of 2.1 previous endoscopic surgeries, Draf III was the most common former procedure. In 30 (91%) cases OPF was part of a combined procedure. The most common indications were inverted papilloma (61%), mucocele (9%) and chronic rhinosinusitis (6%). Frontal outflow stenosis (36%) and mucocele (9%) were the most frequent complications observed. Improvement of overall symptoms and patient satisfaction after the OPF procedure were recorded. Conclusions. Even in the endoscopic era, OPF still represents a paramount procedure that should be included in the rhino-surgeon’s armamentarium, in particular in patients with challenging pathologies and anatomy when previous endoscopic endonasal attempts have failed

New trends in rehabilitation of children with ENT disorders

Negli ultimi 20 anni il miglioramento dellassistenza neonatale ha determinato un progressivo aumento dei bambini che sopravvivono in presenza di gravi malformazioni o patologie congenite. Questi bambini richiedono una riabilitazione prolungata, talora multidisciplinare e complessa. Purtroppo, unorganizzazione adeguata alla riabilitazione della disfagia, dei disturbi della comunicazione e della respirazione non è sempre disponibile, non è sempre coordinata in equipe multidisciplinari che operino sia negli ospedali che sul territorio e non è facile mantenere tutte le figure professionali coinvolte al passo con le sempre più rapide innovazioni. Scopo del presente lavoro è presentare un aggiornamento su alcuni aspetti tuttora controversi della riabilitazione in età pediatrica

Self-perceived normality in defecation habits

Background: Available information on normal bowel habits was mainly gathered by means of telephone interviews or mailed questionnaires. Aims: We undertook a prospective study to evaluate the defecatory habits in subjects perceiving themselves as normal concerning this function. Subjects and Methods: A questionnaire (4-week diary with "yes-no" daily answers to six questions concerning bowel habits) was distributed to 204 subjects perceiving their defecation behaviour as normal. Results: The completed questionnaire was returned by 140 subjects. No significant differences were found between sexes or age groups for any variable, even though straining at stool and feeling of incomplete and/or difficult evacuation showed a trend to increase with age. No subject had less than three bowel movements per week or more than three per day. The percentage of symptoms linked to an abnormal defecatory behaviour was well below 10%. Fifty-five percent of subjects reported at least one parameter of abnormal functioning; the most frequent was straining at stool and the rarer was the manual manoeuvres to help defecation. Conclusions: In normal subjects the prevalence of symptoms considered in Rome II criteria as part of an abnormal defecatory behaviour (in more than 25% of defecations) is well below 10%, manual manoeuvres are almost never used to help defecation, and the frequency of defecations is at least three per week. © 2005 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l

Lethal effect of high concentrations of Parecoxib and Flunixin meglumine on the in vitro culture of bovine embryos

Abstract Since cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors have been pointed out as potential treatments to increase pregnancy rates after embryo transfer, the present experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of flunixin meglumine (FM) and parecoxib (P), a COX-1 and 2 or COX-2 specific inhibitor, respectively, on the development of bovine embryos until the hatched blastocyst stage. In vitro produced bovine embryos were cultured in media with different concentrations of FM (0.14; 1.4; 14; 140 or 1400 µg/ml) or P (0.09; 0.9; 9; 90 or 900 µg/ml) and the production rates were evaluated. Concentrations of FM ≤14 µg/ml and P ≤90 µg/ml did not impair embryo development, although compiled data from non-lethal FM concentrations (≤14 µg/ml) indicated a toxic effect enough to decrease the hatching rate of blastocysts. Concentrations of FM at 140 and 1400 µg/ml and P at 900 µg/ml were lethal as no cleavage was detected on presumptive zygotes

Reprogramming of hepatic fat accumulation and 'browning' of adipose tissue by the short-chain fatty acid acetate

Background/Objectives: Short-chain fatty acids, produced by microbiome fermentation of carbohydrates, have been linked to a reduction in appetite, body weight and adiposity. However, determining the contribution of central and peripheral mechanisms to these effects has not been possible. Subjects/Methods:C57BL/6 mice fed with either normal or high-fat diet were treated with nanoparticle-delivered acetate, and the effects on metabolism were investigated. Results:In the liver, acetate decreased lipid accumulation and improved hepatic function, as well as increasing mitochondrial efficiency. In white adipose tissue, it inhibited lipolysis and induced 'browning', increasing thermogenic capacity that led to a reduction in body adiposity. Conclusions:This study provides novel insights into the peripheral mechanism of action of acetate, independent of central action, including ‘browning’ and enhancement of hepatic mitochondrial function