Biogas from manure – a new technology to close the nutrient and energy circuit on-farm

The Biodynamic Research Institute in Järna developed a two-phase on-farm biogas plant. The plant digests manure of dairy cattle and organic residues originating from the farm and the surrounding food processing units containing 17.7-19.6 % total solids. A new technology for continuously filling and discharging the hydrolysis reactor was developed and implemented. The output of the hydrolysis reactor is separated into a solid and liquid fraction. The solid fraction is composted. The liquid fraction is further digested in a methane reactor and the effluent used as liquid fertiliser. Initial results show that anaerobic digestion followed by aerobic composting of the solid fraction improves the nutrient balance of the farm compared to mere aerobic composting. Composted solid fraction and effluent together contain about 70.8 % of total input nitrogen and 93.3 % of input NH4. The manure that was merely aerobic digested contained about 51.3 % of total input nitrogen and 3.9 % of input NH4. Additionally anaerobic digestion improves the energy balance of the farm producing up to 269 l biogas kg-1 volatile solids or 1.7 kWh heat kg-1 volatile solids

The Impact of Exchange Rate and Unemployment Rate on the Real Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate in Ghana

Unemployment Rate and Exchange Rate are perhaps the two most important challenges that face the Ghanaian economy in recent time. This study seeks to examine the effect of the Exchange Rate and Unemployment Rate on the Real Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate in Ghana. The study used secondary data collected from World Bank, International Labour Organization and International Monetary Fund covering the period 1999–2018. Real Exchange Rate and Unemployment Rate were the independent variables whilst Real Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate was the dependent variable. The findings of the study were arrived at using the quantitative research method. The extent and nature of relationship between the various variables under study were identified using Pearson correlation, regression and hypotheses. The study found out that Unemployment Rate exhibited insignificant negative relationship towards Real Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate, while Real Exchange Rate was positive and also insignificant relationship on Real Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate. Based on the linearity of the multiple linear regression model, the independent variables contribute to 15.0% of the overall LN_GDP. The study then concludes that based on the effect of Exchange Rate and Unemployment Rate on RGDPGR in the findings, Government and other stakeholders should take steps such as creating new local industries and factories, and invest in existing ones to increase domestic produce which will in turn decrease Unemployment Rate and increase Exchange Rate. Keywords: Gross Domestic Product, Unemployment Rate, Exchange Rate, Pearson correlation, Linear Regression. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-18-15 Publication date:September 30th 201

Growth, carcass and meat characteristics of local breed of rabbits fed diets containing soaked and dried mango (Mangifera indica) seed kernel meal

This study was conducted to find substitutes for dietary maize in rabbit rations, to minimize competition between humans and livestock over the commodity. Mango seed kernel meal (MSKM) was used to substitute up to 20% of maize in rabbit rations, to assess its effects on growth, carcass and meat characteristics. Fresh mango seeds were obtained, husks were removed and seeds soaked in fresh potable water for 48 hours. The seeds were then dried to a moisture content of about 15 %, and then milled for use. Three experimental diets were formulated, where T1 (control, had no MSKM), T2 (10% of maize was replaced with MSKM) and T3 (20% of maize was replaced with MSKM). A total of 48 six-week old rabbits of indeterminate breeds (24 males and 24 females) were assigned to the three dietary treatments (16 rabbits per treatment), and were fed ad-libitumfor 6 weeks, to determine feed intake and growth rates of the rabbits. Water was however provided ad-libitum. At the end of the feeding trial, 24 rabbits were randomly selected (8 from each treatment, equal number of males and females) and were slaughtered humanely after a 12-hour feed withdrawal, for carcass and proximate analyses of the meat. Results from the study indicate that, feed intake and growth rates of the animals reduced significantly (p<0.05) when dietary maize replacement with MSKM increased beyond 10% inclusions. However, crude protein, phosphorus,potassium and zinc contents of the meat increased significantly (p<0.05) as MSKM inclusions increased. That notwithstanding, carcass parameters and organ weights were not affected by substituting up to 20% of maize with MSKM (p>0.05). It can be concluded that MSKM can efficiently be used to substitute up to 20% of maize in rabbit rations, for reduced feed cost, improved crude protein, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc contents of the meat

Information seeking behaviour of faculty: The case of the College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

The article sought to find the information seeking behaviour of faculty members of the College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. The survey method was employed. Questionnaire instrument was used to collect data on method of selectinginformation, type of information sought, purpose for seeking information, types of tools used and problems involved in seeking information. Seventy out of 110 responded. A little over half of the respondents sought information through reviewing articles; close to the same proportionconsulted the Internet; about four out of five of the respondents sought information for doing research work; and over three out of five sought information for preparing lecture notes. Majority of the respondents consulted textbooks for information while half consulted periodicals;and almost all the respondents used Google search engine to access information on the Internet. Sciencedirect and Ebscohost were the most used online journals. The commonest problems faced by respondents were unavailability of information, abstract instead of full-text documentsand very old textbooks in the library. Involvement of faculty members in the selection of textbooks and purchase of full-text documents by the library on behalf of faculty members among others were recommended to address these problems

The growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) fed on diets containing RE3™ probiotics

The increasing abuse of antibiotics in production of food animals has led to development of resistant strains of bacteria (and other microbiota) which are responsible for several infectious diseases in animals and in humans. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of RE3TM, a third-generation probiotic used in place of a conventional antibiotics (to minimise incidence of antimicrobial resistance in livestock and human consumers), on growth performance and some carcass characteristics of guinea fowls. One hundred and twenty guinea fowl keets of mixed sexes with an average weight of 28.3±0.364g were used for the study conducted in a Completely Randomised Design. There were 4 treatments in which RE3TM was incorporated at; 0.0ml/kg feed (Diet 1; Control), 1.0ml/kg feed (Diet 2) ,1.5ml/kg feed (Diet 3) and 2.0ml/kg feed (Diet 4); each treatment had 30 birds. The feeding trial covered the entire meat production phase (starter, grower and finisher) which lasted for 84 days. Feed and water were given ad libitum. At maturity (12 weeks old), a total of thirty-six (36) birds (9 from each treatment, comprising 5 males and 4 females across the treatments) were selected, weighed and slaughtered. Carcass and viscera weights were taken, carcasses were then sectioned into primal cuts after 24-hour chilling at 4°C. Breast muscles from sampled carcasses were grilled for sensory evaluation by a trained panel, whilst the thigh muscles were subjected to proximate analyses. Data obtained were analysed for statistical significance using the one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Test, of the GenStat Statistical Package (Discovery Edition, VSN, 2012). Results obtained showed higher (p < 0.05) growth rates and lower feed conversion ratio for birds on the diets with 1.0 ml of RE3TM per Kg feed The carcass and body parts characteristics assessed however, showed no significant differences (p > 0.05), except for the thighs which were heavier (p < 0.05) in birds on the RE3TM supplemented diets, compared with those on the control diets. The use of RE3™ probiotics, up to 2.0ml/kg feed for guinea fowls, had no adverse effects on the growth of the birds, but it reduced the cost of providing medication for the birds. Fat content in the meat reduced, as inclusions of RE3TM increased in the diets. It is recommended that relevant Government authorities and other stakeholders should aid in promoting the use of probiotics, instead of antibiotics in livestock production to minimise possible antibiotic residue in meat

Seeking Abraham: A Report of Furman University\u27s Task Force on Slavery and Justice

After more than a year of study, the Furman University Task Force on Slavery and Justice presents its findings in this report. The report includes the Task Force’s values and process, a presentation of the history of Furman’s early ties to slavery, a number of short vignettes by individual Task Force members, and a number of recommendations for the university to address. Members of the Task Force represent diverse students and alumni, as well as faculty and staff. The report is the result of commissioning a history, activating student research projects, hosting scholars who consulted with the Task Force, creating oral histories and curating viewpoints, and attending Universities Studying Slavery, a consortium headquartered at the University of Virginia with more than 40 international colleges and universities. The university has made a commitment to serious consideration of the entire report

Seeking Abraham: A Report of Furman University\u27s Task Force on Slavery and Justice. Second Edition

This second edition of the Seeking Abraham Report includes additional appendices, such as Appendix B, the Special Committee on Slavery and Justice’s Report to the Board of Trustees. The Special Committee’s recommendations were accepted unanimously by the Board, meaning that the university will begin to implement a version of the key campus grounds recommendations of the report in the 2019-2020 academic year

SETDB2 and RIOX2 are differentially expressed among renal cell tumor subtypes, associating with prognosis and metastization

Increasing detection of small renal masses by imaging techniques entails the need for accurate discrimination between benign and malignant renal cell tumors (RCTs) as well as among malignant RCTs, owing to differential risk of progression through metastization. Although histone methylation has been implicated in renal tumorigenesis, its potential as biomarker for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) progression remains largely unexplored. Thus, we aimed to characterize the differential expression of histone methyltransferases (HMTs) and histone demethylases (HDMs) in RCTs to assess their potential as metastasis biomarkers. We found that SETDB2 and RIOX2 (encoding for an HMT and an HDM, respectively) expression levels was significantly altered in RCTs; these genes were further selected for validation by quantitative RT-PCR in 160 RCTs. Moreover, SETDB2, RIOX2, and three genes encoding for enzymes involved in histone methylation (NO66, SETD3, and SMYD2), previously reported by our group, were quantified (RT-PCR) in an independent series of 62 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) to assess its potential role in ccRCC metastasis development. Additional validation was performed using TCGA dataset. SETDB2 and RIOX2 transcripts were overexpressed in RCTs compared to renal normal tissues (RNTs) and in oncocytomas vs. RCCs, with ccRCC and papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) displaying the lowest levels. Low SETDB2 expression levels and higher stage independently predicted shorter disease-free survival. In our 62 ccRCC cohort, significantly higher RIOX2, but not SETDB2, expression levels were depicted in cases that developed metastasis during follow-up. These findings were not apparent in TCGA dataset. We concluded that SETDB2 and RIOX2 might be involved in renal tumorigenesis and RCC progression, especially in metastatic spread. Moreover, SETDB2 expression levels might independently discriminate among RCC subgroups with distinct outcome, whereas higher RIOX2 transcript levels might identify ccRCC cases with more propensity to endure metastatic dissemination.This study was funded by research grants from Research Center of Portuguese Oncology Institute - Porto (CI-IPOP 4-2012 and CI-IPOP 27) and from Associacao Portuguesa de Urologia (APU-2010). ASP-L was supported by FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia fellowship (SFRH/SINTD/94217/2013). CSG is supported by FCT- Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia PhD fellowships (SFRH/BD/92786/2013) and BMC is funded by FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (IF/00601/2012).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Residents' support for tourism development: The role of residents' place image and perceived tourism impacts

Drawing on the triple bottom line approach for tourism impacts (economic, socio-cultural and environmental) and adopting a non-forced approach for measuring residents' perception of these impacts, this study explores the role of residents' place image in shaping their support for tourism development. The tested model proposes that residents' place image affects their perceptions of tourism impacts and in turn their support for tourism development. The results stress the need for a more flexible and resident oriented measurement of tourism impacts, revealing that more favorable perceptions of the economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts lead to greater support. Moreover, while residents' place image has been largely neglected by tourism development studies, the findings of this study reveal its significance in shaping residents' perception of tourism impacts as well as their level of support. The practical implications of the findings for tourism planning and development are also discussed

Not All Street Food Is Bad: Low Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella enterica in Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Meats in Ghana Is Associated with Good Vendors’ Knowledge of Meat Safety

Foodborne infections due to the consumption of meat is a significant threat to public health. However, good vendor and consumer knowledge of meat safety could prevent meat contamination with and transmission of foodborne pathogens like Salmonella. Thus, this study investigated the vendor and consumer perception, knowledge, and practices of meat safety regarding ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and how this affected the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of Salmonella enterica in RTE meats in the streets of Ghana. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain the demographics, knowledge, and practices of meat safety data from RTE meat vendors (n = 300) and consumers (n = 382). Salmonella enterica detection was done according to the United State of America (USA)-Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual. The disk diffusion method was used for antibiotic resistance testing. The results revealed that most of the respondents had heard of meat safety (98.3% vendors, 91.8% consumers) and knew that meat could be contaminated by poor handling (100.0% vendors, 88.9% consumers). The respondents knew that regular hand washing reduced the risk of meat contamination (100.0% vendors, 94.0% consumers). Responses to the practices of meat safety by vendors were generally better. A very low Salmonella enterica prevalence was observed in the samples, ranging between 0.0 and 4.0% for guinea fowl and beef, respectively. However, the six isolates obtained were resistant to five of the nine antibiotics tested, with all isolates displaying different resistance profiles. Overall, the good knowledge and practice of meat safety demonstrated by the respondents corroborated the negligible prevalence of Salmonella in this study, reiterating the importance of vendor meat safety knowledge. However, the presence of resistant Salmonella enterica in some of the meat samples, albeit in a very low prevalence, warrants stricter sanitary measures and greater meat safety awareness in the general population to prevent meat-borne infections and potential transmission of drug-resistant bacteria to humans