Episioplasty In The Broodmare

Episioplasty or plastic repair of the vulvo-perineal region is indicated in the case of the barren broodmare whose infertility is due to faulty conformation in this region or to vulvar defects. By means of this relatively simple operation, otherwise useless mares may be returned to the ranks of valuable producers

Virtual Pilgrimage in a Time of Pandemic: Lessons from the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham

The COVID-19 pandemic has already cost billions to those in the tourist industry. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), this pandemic is ‘by far the worst crisis that international tourism has faced since records began’ in 1950. People who rely on the pilgrim trade are similarly suffering. In this short exploration, I argue that the success of virtual pilgrimage and the history of pilgrimage’s adaptability suggest that people’s appetite for pilgrimage will experience a resurgence once local and national governments lift travel restrictions. In order to assess the future of pilgrimage, I will consider the popularity of virtual pilgrimage (including participation in virtual walks and viewing of religious rituals online). I will use history as evidence, arguing that pilgrimage has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to changing circumstances including plague and war, and that virtual pilgrimage is not a new concept. I will focus in particular on the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, arguing that, if virtual interest in the Shrine gives us any indication, pilgrimage will recover despite the strains placed on it by the pandemic. More importantly, however, the experience of virtual pilgrimage might actually add a new and exciting component of inclusion to traditional pilgrimage

Characterization of Alkali Metal Dispensers and Non-Evaporable Getter Pumps in Ultra-High Vacuum Systems for Cold Atomic Sensors

A glass ultrahigh vacuum chamber with rubidium alkali metal dispensers and non-evaporable getter pumps has been developed and used to create a cold atomic sample in a chamber that operates with only passive vacuum pumps. The ion-mass spectrum of evaporated gases from the alkali metal dispenser has been recorded as a function of dispenser current. The efficacy of the non-evaporable getter pumps in promoting and maintaining vacuum has been characterized by observation of the Rb vapor optical absorption on the D2 transition at 780 nm and vacuum chamber pressure rate of rise tests. We have demonstrated a sample of laser-cooled Rb atoms in this chamber when isolated and operating without active vacuum pumps

Quantifying rainfall-runoff relationships on the Mieso Hypo Calcic Vertisol ecotope in Ethiopia

Published ArticleDroughts are common in the semi-arid areas of Ethiopia and adversely influence the wellbeing of many of the 80% of the population involved in agriculture. The introduction of any strategy that could increase crop yields would therefore be advantageous. The objective of the study was to attempt to assess the benefit that the in-field rainwater harvesting (IRWH) crop production technique would have, compared to conventional tillage, on increasing soil water, and therefore the yield of a crop, on a semi-arid ecotope at Mieso. The mean annual rainfall at Mieso is 738 mm. The soil is a Hypo Calcic Vertisol with a high clay and silt content and is very susceptible to crusting. To achieve the objective of the study, rainfall-runoff measurements were made during 2003 and 2004 on 2 m x 2 m plots provided with a runoff measuring system, and replicated 3 times for each treatment. There were 2 treatments: conventional tillage (CT) that simulated the normal local CT; and a flat surface simulating the no-till IRWH technique (NT). Rainfall intensity was measured at 1-min intervals and runoff was measured after each storm. The Morin and Cluff runoff model was calibrated and validated using measured rainfall-runoff data. Appropriate values for final infiltration rate (If), surface storage (SD) and the crusting parameter (ã) were found to be: 10 mm.hr-1; 2 mm for NT and 5 mm for CT; 0.4 mm-1; respectively. The runoff (R)/rainfall (P) ratio (R/P) gave values of 0.43 and 0.34 for the NT and CT treatments, respectively. There was a statistical difference between the runoff on the 2 treatments. The first estimated yield benefit of IRWH compared to CT is 455 kg.ha-1. Based on the average long-term maize yield of 2 000 kg.ha-1 at Melkassa, this is an estimated yield increase of 23

Quantifying rainfall-runoff relationships on the Melkassa Hypo Calcic Regosol ecotope in Ethiopia

Droughts, resulting in low crop yields, are common in the semi-arid areas of Ethiopia and adversely influence the wellbeing of many people. The introduction of any strategy that could increase yields would therefore be advantageous. The objective of this study was to attempt to assess the influence of in-field rainwater harvesting (IRWH), compared to conventional tillage, on increasing the amount of water available to a crop like maize on a semi-arid ecotope at Melkassa situated in the eastern part of the Rift Valley. To achieve the objective of the study rainfall-runoff measurements were made during 2003 and 2004 on 2 m x 2 m plots provided with a runoff measuring system and replicated 3 times for each treatment. There were 2 treatments: conventional tillage (CT) on which hand cultivation was practised in a way that simulated the normal local CT; and a flat surface simulatingthe no-till, undisturbed surface of the IRWH technique (NT).Rainfall-runoff measurements were made over 2 rainy seasons during which there were 25 storms with > 9 mm of rain. From the 25 storms, only the 2nd season storms (8 storms) had runoff measurements. These storms were used for calibration and validation of the Morin and Cluff (1980) runoff model (MC Model). Appropriate values for final infiltration rate (If), surface storage (s) and for the crusting parameter (ã) were found to be: 6 mm.h-1; 1.0 mm for NT and 6.0 mm for CT;0.6 mm-1, respectively. The measured runoff (R) for the 2004 rainy season expressed as a fraction of the rainfall during the measuring period (P), i.e. R/P, gave values of 0.59 and 0.40 for the NT and CT treatments, respectively. There was a statistical differencebetween the runoff on the 2 treatments. Selected results from 7 years of field experiments with IRWH at Glen in South Africa were used together with measured maize yields and climate data over 16 seasons on the nearby Melkassa Experiment Station to estimate the yield benefits of IRWH compared to CT on the ecotope studied. The results ranged between 35 and 1 437 kg with a mean of 711 kg.ha-1 over the 16 years. At Melkassa this was an estimated yield increase ranging from 13% to 49%. The mean increase was 33%

Soil - water relationships in the Weatherley catchment, South Africa

Soil water content is influenced by soil and terrain factors, but studies on the predictive value of diagnostic horizon type for the degree and duration of wetness seem to be lacking. The aim of this paper is therefore to describe selected hydropedological soil-water relationships for important soils and diagnostic horizons in the Weatherley catchment. Daily soil water content was determined for 3 horizons in 28 profiles of the Weatherley catchment. These data were used to calculate annual duration of water saturation above 0.7 of porosity (ADs>0.7), which was correlated against other soil properties. Significant correlations (α = 0.05) were obtained between average degree of water saturation per profile and slope (R2 = 0.24), coarse sand content (R2 = 0.22), medium sand content (R2 = 0.23), fine silt content (R2 = 0.19), and clay content (R2 = 0.38). ADs>0.7 per diagnostic horizon ranged from 21 to 29 d•yr-1 for the red apedal B, yellow brown apedal B, and neocutanic B horizons; 103 d•yr-1 for the orthic A horizons; and from 239 to 357 d•yr-1 for the soft plinthic B, unspecified material with signs of wetness, E, and G horizons. A regression equation to predict ADs>0.7 from diagnostic horizon type (DH), clay to sand ratio (Cl:Sa), and underlying horizon type (DHu) gave: ADs>0.7 = -26.31 + 41.64 ln(Cl:Sa) + 35.43 DH + 13.73 DHu (R2 = 0.78). Results presented here emphasise the value of soil classification in the prediction of duration of water saturation.Keywords: diagnostic horizon, model, slope, soil texture, water saturatio