Milking the data: Measuring milk off-take in extensive livestock systems. Experimental evidence from Niger

Milk is an important source of cash and nutrients for many households in developing countries. Yet, our understanding of the role of dairy production in livelihoods and nutritional outcomes is hindered by the lack of decent quality household survey data. Data on milk off-take for human consumption are difficult to collect in household surveys for a number of reasons which make accurate recall challenging for the respondent (continuous production and seasonality among others), introducing possibly severe biases in the computation of full household incomes and farm sales, as well as in the estimation of the contribution of livestock (specifically dairy) production to agricultural value added and the livelihoods of rural households.This paper presents results from a validation exercise implemented in Niger, where alternative survey instruments based on recall methods were administered to randomly selected households, and compared to a 12-month system of physical monitoring and recording of milk production. The results of the exercise show that reasonably accurate estimates via recall methods are possible, and provide a clear ranking of questionnaire design options that can inform future survey operations

Pontiac fever: an operational definition for epidemiological studies

BACKGROUND: Pontiac fever is usually described in epidemic settings. Detection of Pontiac fever is a marker of an environmental contamination by Legionella and should thereby call for prevention measures in order to prevent outbreak of Legionnaire's disease. The objective of this study is to propose an operational definition of Pontiac fever that is amenable to epidemiological surveillance and investigation in a non epidemic setting. METHODS: A population of 560 elderly subjects residing in 25 nursing homes was followed during 4 months in order to assess the daily incidence of symptoms associated, in the literature, with Pontiac fever. The water and aerosol of one to 8 showers by nursing home were characterized combining conventional bacterial culture of Legionella and the Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) technique that used oligonucleotides probes specific for Legionellaceae. A definition of Pontiac fever was devised based on clinical symptoms described in epidemic investigations and on their timing after the exposure event. The association between incidence of Pontiac fever and shower contamination levels was evaluated to test the relevance of this definition. RESULTS: The proposed definition of Pontiac fever associated the following criteria: occurrence of at least one symptom among headache, myalgia, fever and shivers, possibly associated with other 'minor' symptoms, within three days after a shower contaminated by Legionella, during a maximum of 8 days (minimum 2 days). 23 such cases occurred during the study (incidence rate: 0.125 cases per person-year [95% CI: 0.122–0.127]). A concentration of Legionella in water equal to or greater than 10(4).L(-1 )(FISH method) was associated with a significant increase of incidence of Pontiac fever (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Once validated in other settings, the proposed definition of Pontiac fever might be used to develop epidemiological surveillance and help draw attention on sources of Legionella

Strategien f\ufcr die regionale Zusammenarbeit im Bereich des lebenslangen Lernens : Eine umfassende Strategie f\ufcr den n\ue4chsten europ\ue4ischen Planungszeitraum entwickeln

This document is the written declaration of principles of the project "Strategien f\ufcr die Zusammenarbeit im Bereich lebenslanges Lernen" (Strategies for Cooperation in Lifelong Learning). It has been developed by the University of Florence, Department of Culture and Education (Agreement No. 2008-11294) with the participation of the Government of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya), the Regional Government of Andalusia (Junta de Andaluc\ueda), the Regional Administration of Tuscany (Regione Toscana), the Welsh Assembly Government, the administration of the J\ue4mtland Region in Sweden, the England and Wales-based adult Learning and Work Institute NIACE Dysgu Cymru, the Provincia di Livorno Sviluppo Srl and the subcontractor Melius Srl (www.mutual-learning.eu). The paper was approved on February 16, 2010 in Brussels by the General Assembly of the European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning EARLALL. The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training CEDEFOP has contributed to the quality of work with the active advice and suggestions of Steven Bainbridge.Dieses Dokument ist das Grundsatzpapier des Projekts "Strategien f\ufcr die Zusammenarbeit im Bereich lebenslanges Lernen", welches unter der Federf\ufchrung der Universit\ue4t Florenz, Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaften, Kultur und Bildung (Abkommen Nr. 2008-11294) mit Beteiligung der Regierung der autonomen Region Katalonien (Generalitat de Catalunya), der Regierung der autonomen Region Andalusien (Junta de Andaluc\ueda), der Regionalregierung Toskana (Regione Toscana), der walisischen Landesregierung (Welsh Assembly Government), der Regierung der schwedischen Region J\ue4mtland, der in England und Wales ans\ue4ssigen Organisation f\ufcr Erwachsenenbildung NIACE Dysgu Cymru, der Provincia di Livorno Sviluppo Srl und des Unterauftragnehmers Melius Srl realisiert wurde (www.mutual-learning.eu). Das Papier wurde am 16. Februar 2010 in Br\ufcssel von der Generalversammlung der Europ\ue4ischen Vereinigung der regionalen und lokalen Beh\uf6rden f\ufcr lebenslanges Lernen EARLALL gebilligt. Das Europ\ue4ische Zentrum f\ufcr die F\uf6rderung der Berufsausbildung CEDEFOP hat mit den aktiven Ratschl\ue4gen und Vorschl\ue4gen von Steven Bainbridge zur Qualit\ue4t der Arbeit beigetragen

Politiche per la COoperazione REgionale nel settore dell\u27Apprendimento Permanente : Costruire una strategia ad ampio raggio per il prossimo periodo di programmazione europea

This document represents the Policy Paper of the Precoll project, a pilot project on policies of Co-operation between Regions within the framework of lifelong learning, with lead partner being the University of Florence – Dipartimento di Scienze dell\u27Educazione e dei Processi Culturali e Formativi (Agreement no. 2008-11294), in partnership with Generalitat de Catalunya, Junta de Andaluc\ueda, Regione Toscana, Welsh Assembly Government, J\ue4mtland County Council, NIACE Dysgu Cymru-National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, Provincia di Livorno Sviluppo Srl, subcontractor Melius Srl (www.mutual-learning.eu). This document was approved by the General Assembly of Earlall held in Brussels on 16 February 2010. Moreover the quality of the work has been supported by Cedefop, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training through the contribution of Steven Bainbridge. Questo documento rappresenta il Policy Paper del progetto Precoll, progetto pilota sulle Politiche di Cooperazione tra Regioni nell\u27ambito dell\u27Apprendimento lungo tutto l\u27arco della vita, con capofila l\u27Universit\ue0 degli Studi di Firenze – Dipartimento di Scienze dell\u27Educazione e dei Processi Culturali e Formativi (Accordo nr 2008-11294), in partenariato con Generalitat de Catalunya, Junta de Andaluc\ueda, Regione Toscana, Welsh Assembly Government, J\ue4mtland County Council, NIACE Dysgu Cymru-National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, Provincia di Livorno Sviluppo Srl, subappaltatore Melius Srl (www.mutual-learning.eu). Questo documento \ue8 stato approvato dall\u27Assemblea Generale di Earlall tenutasi a Bruxelles il 16 febbraio 2010. Inoltre, il Centro Europeo per lo Sviluppo della Formazione Professionale Cedefop ha sostenuto la qualit\ue0 del lavoro grazie al contributo di Steven Bainbridge