GENETIC CONTROL OF TEST-DAY MILK YIELD IN SAHIWAL CATTLE

Heritabilities of test-day (TD) and 305-day milk yield were estimated using performance records of 780 first lactation Sahiwal cows, following two models. In the first model, estimated 305-day lactation milk yields were analyzed through an individual animal model with period-season of calving as fixed effect and additive genetic effect as random factor. The second model was a repeatability model where monthly milk yield records were analyzed using period-season of calving as fixed effect and additive genetic effect and permanent environmental effect as random factors. The age at calving, ratio of days in milk to 305-day (as linear and quadratic components) and their reciprocal logs were used as covariables. The heritability estimates for 305-day and TD milk yields were 0.082 and 0.024, respectively. Heritability estimates of individual TDs ranged from 0 to 0.274. The relative proportion of permanent environment variance to total variance was 0.498. Heritability of individual test-day milk yield was highest in the mid-lactation (TD6-TD8). Lower genetic control of test day and lactation milk yield in the present study needs validation using larger data sets with accurate pedigree recording

Synthesis of Schiff bases derived from 2-hydroxy-1- naphth- aldehyde and their tin(II) complexes for antimicribial and antioxidant activities

The current studies were designed to prepare tin(II) complexes of various Schiff base derivatives of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde (HN) with L-histidine and sulfamethazine have been prepared and characterized by different physiochemical studies such as elemental analysis, atomic absorption, UV-Vis spectra, FTIR spectra, 1H–NMR, 13C-NMR and conductance studies. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were also calculated. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by the agar-well diffusion method. Two Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli) and three Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus subtilis) bacterial strains were used. Antifungal activity was resolute against three fungal strains (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Alternaria solani) by using the agar tube dilution method. The antioxidant activity of ligands and their complexes was measured on the basis of the radical scavenging effect of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH)-free radical activity. Ligand HNSM exhibited excellent activities as antibacterial activity (22 mm), antifungal activity (55%) and antioxidant activity (119 ppm).               KEY WORDS: Schiff base, 2-Hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde, L-Histidine and sulfamethazine, Tin(II) complexes, Antimicrobial activities, Antioxidant activities Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2017, 31(3), 445-456. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v31i3.

Current Rural Drug Use in the US Midwest

The nature and challenge of illicit drug use in the United States continues to change rapidly, evolving in reaction to myriad social, economic, and local forces. While the use of illicit drugs affects every region of the country, most of our current information about drug use comes from large urban areas. Data on rural drug use and its harms justify greater attention. Record overdose rates, unexpected outbreaks of HIV, and a dearth of treatment facilities point to a rapidly worsening health situation. While health sciences have made considerable progress in understanding the etiology of drug use and uncovering the link between drug use and its myriad associated harms, this promising scientific news has not always translated to better health outcomes. The scope of the problem in the Central Plains of the US is growing, and can be estimated from available sources. Clear remedies for this rising level of abuse are available, but few have been implemented. Suggestions for short-term policy remedies are discussed

Current Rural Drug Use in the US Midwest

The nature and challenge of illicit drug use in the United States continues to change rapidly, evolving in reaction to myriad social, economic, and local forces. While the use of illicit drugs affects every region of the country, most of our current information about drug use comes from large urban areas. Data on rural drug use and its harms justify greater attention. Record overdose rates, unexpected outbreaks of HIV, and a dearth of treatment facilities point to a rapidly worsening health situation. While health sciences have made considerable progress in understanding the etiology of drug use and uncovering the link between drug use and its myriad associated harms, this promising scientific news has not always translated to better health outcomes. The scope of the problem in the Central Plains of the US is growing, and can be estimated from available sources. Clear remedies for this rising level of abuse are available, but few have been implemented. Suggestions for short-term policy remedies are discussed

Mitigation of slivers using a new propellant grain design to improve propulsion systems

The research work addresses mathematical modelling and computational analysis of novel solid propellant grain configuration. The aviation industry is working on propulsion systems as well. For high thrust in rockets, space ships, and even in aircraft, solid propellant grains can be used as fuel. Grain design is a vital and integral part of solid propellant design. The designer has many options available for selecting grain configuration. Several design parameters – volumetric loading fractions, web fraction, length to diameter ratio, and port area – are normally tailored to mission demands. The star grain configuration has been a mainstay in this industry since 1935. The star grain configuration does however have a long-standing drawback, namely the formation of slivers. In this paper we present a new grain configuration, the “rose petal”, which overcomes the drawback of the traditional star grain design. The configuration is modelled using relevant internal ballistic relations. The design computation is executed in MATLAB. Thrust and time and burn area time curves are generated for a prescribed port area. Comparisons are drawn between the two configurations, clearly revealing that the new configuration obviates the occurrence of unwanted slivers otherwise generated in the old star design, which lowers the efficiency of all those propulsion systems in which solid propellants are used

Export Destination, Skill Utilization and Skill Premium in Chinese Manufacturing sector

This paper analyzes the link between export destination, skill utilization and skill premium. We develop the mechanism behind these links: the difference in quality valuation of the product across exporting destinations and the distribution of level of skill among the skilled workers in the labor market. Theory suggest that the consumers in the high income countries value the quality of the same product more than their counterparts in middle or low income countries. To produce a higher quality product, a firm needs not only more skilled workers but also higher quality skilled workers. To attract and keep the higher quality worker, firm needs to incentivize her by providing higher wage as compared to the firms that would be exporting to middle or low income countries. We test this theory using cross-section of more than 160,000 single product Chinese Manufacturing firms survey data, of which nearly 22,000 are exporting to more than 200 countries across the world. We find that firms exporting to high income countries pay higher average wages, hire more skilled workers, defined by education level, and pay higher skill premium as compared to firms exporting to middle or low income countries or selling domestically. Similar to the recent literature, we also didn’t find the impact of exporting per se on the proportion of skilled workers or the skill premium in the firm

Export Destination, Skill Utilization and Skill Premium in Chinese Manufacturing sector

This paper analyzes the link between export destination, skill utilization and skill premium. We develop the mechanism behind these links: the difference in quality valuation of the product across exporting destinations and the distribution of level of skill among the skilled workers in the labor market. Theory suggest that the consumers in the high income countries value the quality of the same product more than their counterparts in middle or low income countries. To produce a higher quality product, a firm needs not only more skilled workers but also higher quality skilled workers. To attract and keep the higher quality worker, firm needs to incentivize her by providing higher wage as compared to the firms that would be exporting to middle or low income countries. We test this theory using cross-section of more than 160,000 single product Chinese Manufacturing firms survey data, of which nearly 22,000 are exporting to more than 200 countries across the world. We find that firms exporting to high income countries pay higher average wages, hire more skilled workers, defined by education level, and pay higher skill premium as compared to firms exporting to middle or low income countries or selling domestically. Similar to the recent literature, we also didn’t find the impact of exporting per se on the proportion of skilled workers or the skill premium in the firm

Higher-order q-derivatives and their applications to subclasses of multivalent Janowski type q-starlike functions

In the present investigation, with the help of certain higher- order q-derivatives, some new subclasses of multivalent q-starlike functions which are associated with the Janowski functions are defined. Then, certain interesting results, for example, radius problems and the results related to distortion, are derived. We also derive a sufficient condition and certain coefficient inequalities for our defined function classes. Some known consequences related to this subject are also highlighted. Finally, the well-demonstrated fact about the (p, q)-variations is also given in the concluding section

A Compact 16-Port Fractal Shaped Slot Antenna Array for 5G Smart Phone Communications

In this manuscript, a 16-port compact multi-antenna array for fifth generation (5G) communications is presented. The proposed antenna offers high data rate communication, by using MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) wireless technology. Efficient bandwidth enhancement techniques are used to achieve wider bandwidth response i.e., 3.4-3.8 GHz within sub-6GHz. This system is realized over low-cost FR-4 laminate having dimensions of 64mm × 131mm. The fractal shape slotted radiators and open-ended square ring (OESR) isolating structures achieves at least 25dB isolations among antenna pairs while maintaining wideband response. The optimum isolation, low-cost design profile, matched scattering parameters without compromising compactness and acceptable specific absorption rate (SAR) makes this system a suitable candidate for 5G smart phone communications