Experimental determination of the electrical resistivity of beef

 A. K. Mahapatra, B. L. Jones, C. N. Nguyen, G. Kannan(Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA) Abstract: Electrical resistivity properties of beef were investigated.  The resistivity behavior under three frequencies of 1, 10 and 100-kHz, different temperatures (5, 10, 15, and 20℃), different length and cross-sectional areas (width: 7 cm, two depths:  3 and 5 cm, and four lengths: 7, 11, 15, and 19 cm) were determined.  The electrical series circuit was found to be adequate to measure the resistivity properties of beef.  Samples with warmer temperatures offered much less resistance and the resistivity values obtained at temperatures 5℃ and below were not consistent.  Increasing temperature had a significant effect on the resistivity values of beef (p<0.05).  Increase in frequency did not have any significant effect on the resistivity properties of beef (p>0.05).  It was observed that resistivity was higher across the myofiber axes than along the myofiber axes.  However, there was no significant difference between the fiber directions in terms of resistivity (p>0.05).  The mean resistivity of beef at 20℃ for across the myofiber and along the myofiber directions was found to be 365.42 Ohms.cm and 346.67 Ohms.cm, respectively.Keywords: electrical resistivity, beef, anisotropy Citation: Mahapatra A. K., B. L. Jones, C. N. Nguyen, and G. Kannan.  Experimental determination of the electrical resistivity of beef.  Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal, 2010, 12(3): 124-128. &nbsp

Developing a satellite-based combined land degradation index for monitoring environmental change: A case study in Tana-Beles watershed, Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia

Land degradation is one of the most pressing environmental challenges due to its effect on the people and ecosystem. Early detection of land degradation could help to avoid further deterioration and work on reversing the trend. This would require an integrated approach combining indicators such as vegetation condition, soil health (i.e., soil salinity), and soil exposure (i.e., albedo) to characterize land degradation comprehensively. Therefore, this study aims at developing a satellite image-based combined land degradation index to monitor the spatial extent of land degradation in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. In addition, the study also evaluates the environmental change associated with land degradation across the Tana-Beles watershed. The combined land degradation index (CLDI) was developed by integrating multiple indicators, including normalized vegetation Index (NDVI), salinity index (SI), and albedo, for two periods spanning between 1990 and 2000 (1990s) and 2010 to 2020 (2010s). The individual indicators were combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) by assigning weights to the individual indicators. The analysis indicated that, in the 2010s, the vegetation condition deteriorated over 98.5% of the study area, while soil salinity and albedo increased by 82% and 97% in the 1990s, respectively. The combined land degradation index developed with the PCA indicated in the 2020s a fraction of the study area ∼2% is extremely degraded, while 18%, 43%, 27%, and 10% of the site is strongly, moderately, slightly, and not degraded, respectively. Monitoring land degradation is important for countries like Ethiopia, where most of the county are occupied by semi-arid and arid climate zones

Determinants and impact of farmers’ participation in social media groups: Evidence from irrigated areas of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

The spread of information and communications technology (ICT) in Central Asia has reached a point where most farmers use smartphones with mobile internet access, providing an opportunity for a cost-effective and timely access to agricultural information and extension services. When extension service provision is poor and does not reflect farmers’ immediate needs, farmers often seek other sources of informaton, such as exchanging knowledge with their peers via social media groups in instant messaging applicatons (apps). Using the findings of a farm-level survey conducted in 2022 in irrigated areas of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, we study behavior and attitudes of farmers in terms of participation in smartphone-based social media groups and its impact of farm performance. We find that in the two country contexts, underlying reasons for participation in social groups differ. In Kazakhstan, participation decisions are made by those who have better access to a mobile internet connection, are younger, have agriculture-related education, have a wider communication circle on phone with more than four individuals, cultivate fewer crops, have lands with low soil quality and poor irrigation water access, as well as located in remote areas. In Uzbekistan participation decisions are made by those who see the relevance of mobile internet for their farm business, have their own agronomic knowledge, are open to new things, care less about the opinion of other farmers, have higher perception about freedom in crop choice, have of-farm work, as well as poor irrigation water access. These fndings suggest farmers' participation in agricultural information-sharing groups (AISG) is influenced less by the type of cultivated crops or farm size, but by their institutional environment. The findings are relevant for developing private strategies and public policies to spread digital technologies among Central Asia’s farmers. When introducing smartphone-based digital advisory services policymakers are recommended to start scaling up with younger and more educated farmers who rely on their own knowledge and are more open to embracing new ways of farming and interaction. Farmers’ decision-making autonomy will be crucial for converting digital transformation in agriculture into farm benefits

Фермерские группы в социальных сетях для повышения качества услуг по распространению знаний и консультаций

Распространение информационно-коммуникационных технологий (ИКТ) в Центральной Азии достигло уровня, при котором большинство фермеров получают необходимую им своевременную и доступную информацию и консультационные услуги непосредственно из Интернета, используя смартфоны. В настоящее время фермеры активно ищут альтернативные источники информации в условиях, когда качество официальных служб распространения сельскохозяйственных знаний не отвечает спросу. Например, фермеры используют соцсети, такие как Telegram и WhatsApp, для обмена сообщениями и знаниями в тематических группах. Исследование фермерских хозяйств, проведенное в Казахстана и Узбекистана в 2022 году, выявило, что участие фермеров в онлайн-группах по обмену информацией в основном обуславливается возможностью быстрого доступа к необходимой информации. В то же время вид возделываемых культур или площадь земель фермерского хозяйства имеют меньшее значение. Результаты исследования актуальны для разработки стратегий частного сектора и государственной политики по распространению цифровых технологий среди фермеров Центральной Азии с комплексным планом цифровой трансформации. При широком внедрении цифровых технологий на основе смартфонов и интернета рекомендуется делать ставку на молодых и технологически подкованных фермеров, которые, с одной стороны, полагаются на собственные знания, а с другой – более отзывчивы к внедрению новых подходов ведения сельского хозяйства и взаимодействия c другими фермерами. Самостоятельность фермеров в принятии решений является одним из важных факторов в цифровой трансформации сельского хозяйства региона. "English title: Farmers' social media groups for better extension and advisory services

Farmers’ social media groups for better extension and advisory services

The spread of information and communications technology (ICT) in Central Asia has reached a point where most farmers use smartphones with mobile internet access providing an opportunity for a low-cost and timely access to agricultural information and advisory services. When extension service is poor and does not cater to the farmers’ needs, farmers seek other sources of information, such as exchanging knowledge with their peers and engaging in social media groups using instant messaging applications (apps) such as Telegram and WhatsApp. Analysis of a farm-level survey conducted in 2022 in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, suggests that farmers’ participation in online groups for information exchange is influenced by the enabling environment rather than by the type of cultivated crops or farm size. The findings are relevant for developing private sector strategies and public policies to spread digital technologies among Central Asia’s farmers with a holistic plan for a digital transformation. When introducing smartphone- or web-based digital technologies, policymakers are recommended to start scaling up with younger and more technologically-savvy farmers who on the one hand rely on their own knowledge but on the other hand are more open to embracing new ways of farming and interaction. Decision-making autonomy is an important factor to facilitate digital transformation in agriculture in the Central Asian context

The sequel to COVID-19: the antithesis to life

The pandemic of COVID-19 has afflicted every individual and has initiated a cascade of directly or indirectly involved events in precipitating mental health issues. The human species is a wanderer and hunter-gatherer by nature, and physical social distancing and nationwide lockdown have confined an individual to physical isolation. The present review article was conceived to address psychosocial and other issues and their aetiology related to the current pandemic of COVID-19. The elderly age group has most suffered the wrath of SARS-CoV-2, and social isolation as a preventive measure may further induce mental health issues. Animal model studies have demonstrated an inappropriate interacting endogenous neurotransmitter milieu of dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, and opioids, induced by social isolation that could probably lead to observable phenomena of deviant psychosocial behavior. Conflicting and manipulated information related to COVID-19 on social media has also been recognized as a global threat. Psychological stress during the current pandemic in frontline health care workers, migrant workers, children, and adolescents is also a serious concern. Mental health issues in the current situation could also be induced by being quarantined, uncertainty in business, jobs, economy, hampered academic activities, increased screen time on social media, and domestic violence incidences. The gravity of mental health issues associated with the pandemic of COVID-19 should be identified at the earliest. Mental health organization dedicated to current and future pandemics should be established along with Government policies addressing psychological issues to prevent and treat mental health issues need to be developed.   References World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. 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WP 5: Scaling innovation and digital tools for climate resilient food value chains

From Fragility to Resilience in Central and West Asia and North Africa (F2R CWANA) WP 5: Scaling innovation and digital tools for climate resilient food value chains Inception Workshop Morocco May 17, 202

Use of thiopurines in inflammatory bowel disease : an update

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), once considered a disease of the Western hemisphere, has emerged as a global disease. As the disease prevalence is on a steady rise, management of IBD has come under the spotlight. 5-Aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents and biologics are the backbone of treatment of IBD. With the advent of biologics and small molecules, the need for surgery and hospitalization has decreased. However, economic viability and acceptability is an important determinant of local prescription patterns. Nearly one-third of the patients in West receive biologics as the first/initial therapy. The scenario is different in developing countries where biologics are used only in a small proportion of patients with IBD. Increased risk of reactivation of tuberculosis and high cost of the therapy are limitations to their use. Thiopurines hence become critical for optimal management of patients with IBD in these regions. However, approximately one-third of patients are intolerant or develop adverse effects with their use. This has led to suboptimal use of thiopurines in clinical practice. This review article discusses the clinical aspects of thiopurine use in patients with IBD with the aim of optimizing their use to full therapeutic potential.Peer reviewe

Towards Climate Change Preparedness in the MENA’s Agricultural Sector

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) represents a substantial area of the terrestrial landmass encompassing several countries and ecosystems. This area is generally drier and warmer compared to the rest of the world, and has extreme resource limitations that are highly vulnerable to a changing climate, geopolitical instability and land degradation. This paper will first identify the nature of climate change in the region by analyzing a downscaled climate data and identifying the hotspots of climate change in MENA. It was found that the climate vulnerability is quite high, with the mean annual temperature increasing by as much as 4–6 degrees towards the end of the century. The nature precipitation under climate change is quite speculative, with the Maghreb region showing the highest vulnerability. Based on these results, five action points are postulated that may be implemented to rapidly progress our understanding of climate vulnerability and enhance the climate change preparedness in MENA’s agri-food sector, to take necessary actions to adapt to a changing climate with a systemic resilience perspective. These include working towards: (1) enhancing the sustainability of the rainfed-desert transitional belt (Rangelands) in the MENA; (2) enhancing the sustainability of agri-food systems in the food baskets of MENA and (3) working towards fostering a collective intelligence to support climate change research in the MENA. (4) The need for foresight advice on resilient food systems under climate change and (5) the need for transformative policies for stabilization and reconstruction under climate change