Synchronization of ovulation in beef herds: improved conception rate after and interrupted course of progesterone administration

Die bronstigheidsiklusse van vleisraskoeie en/of verse is in ses kuddes deur binnespierse progesterooninspuitings gesinkroniseer. Om die koeie wat met die aanvang van die behandeling in die laat fase van 'n siklus verkeer en wat dikwels gedegenereerde ova na sinkronisasie vrystel uit te skakel is die behandeling in twee fases verdeel. Eers is vier 48-uurlikse inspuitings van 50 mg progesteroon in propileenglikol toegedien, dan is 'n periode van 8 dae oorgeslaan voordat die tweede reeks van ses 48-uurlikse progesterooninspuitings hervat is. Met hierdie metode is uiters bevredigende resultate met inseminasie tydens die eerste gesinkroniseerde bronstigheid verkry in 4 uit die 6 kuddes. Konsepsiesyfers wat tussen 69 en 86 % gevarieer het is behaal wat goed vergelyk met die gemiddelde van ongeveer 70%vir eerste inseminasie sonder sinkronisasie en 'n groot verbetering is op die gemiddelde besettingsyfer van 47%(36 tot 58%)wat voorheen na progesterooninspuitings behaal is.The oestrous cycles of cows and/or heifers were synchronized in six herds by the intramuscular administration of progesterone. In order to exclude those cows that were in the latter third of their cycles at the onset of treatment, the herds were first presynchronized by four 48-hourly injections of 50 mg of progesterone in propylene glycol and after an interval of eight days, treatment was resumed by giving them 6 more such 48-hourly injections. Conception figures varying from 69 to 86 % were attained in 4 of the 6 trials during the synchronized oestrus. These compare favourably with normal first insemination figures uncomplicated by synchronization and represent a marked improvement onthe average figure of 47% (36 to 58%) previously experienced after synchronization with progesterone

Reconstructing nonparametric productivity networks

Network models provide a general representation of inter-connected system dynamics. This ability to connect systems has led to a proliferation of network models for economic productivity analysis, primarily estimated non-parametrically using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). While network DEA models can be used to measure system performance, they lack a statistical framework for inference, due in part to the complex structure of network processes. We fill this gap by developing a general framework to infer the network structure in a Bayesian sense, in order to better understand the underlying relationships driving system performance. Our approach draws on recent advances in information science, machine learning and statistical inference from the physics of complex systems to estimate unobserved network linkages. To illustrate, we apply our framework to analyze the production of knowledge, via own and cross-disciplinary research, for a world-country panel of bibliometric data. We find significant interactions between related disciplinary research output, both in terms of quantity and quality. In the context of research productivity, our results on cross-disciplinary linkages could be used to better target research funding across disciplines and institutions. More generally, our framework for inferring the underlying network production technology could be applied to both public and private settings which entail spillovers, including intra-and inter-firm managerial decisions and public agency coordination. This framework also provides a systematic approach to model selection when the underlying network structure is unknown

Vertical consolidation and financial sustainability: evidence from English local government

Proponents of the vertical consolidation of lower-tier units into a smaller number of single-tier local governments suggest that it improves the financial sustainability of governments by generating economies of scale and scope. However, critics suggest that such structural change is beset with disruptive and unanticipated costs that outweigh any potential efficiency savings. I investigate the validity of these contrasting arguments by analysing the expenditure and fiscal health of English county councils before and after the consolidation of the lower-tier units within several counties that took place in 2009. Levels of financial sustainability are modelled using a difference-in-difference estimator for the years 2003–2012. The results suggest that in the short run the consolidated governments have been able to realize administrative economies, but their fiscal health has weakened. These findings appear to be robust to the possibility of selection effects. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Isolation of ‘Candidatus Nitrosocosmicus franklandus’, a novel ureolytic soil archaeal ammonia oxidiser with tolerance to high ammonia concentration

Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Mr Kevin Mackenzie and Mrs Gillian Milne (University of Aberdeen) for technical support with scanning electron microscopy, and Dr Robin Walker for access to the Woodlands Field experimental plots at the SRUC,Craibstone Estate, Aberdeen. Funding This work was financially supported by Natural Environmental Research Council (standard grants NE/I027835/1 and NE/L006286/1 and fellowship NE/J019151/1), EC Marie Curie ITN NORA, Grant Agreement No. 316472, the AXA Research Fund and the Centre for Genome Enabled Biology and Medicine, University of Aberdeen.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Devolution dynamics of Spanish local government

Over the last few years, ther has been a devolutionary tendency in many developed and developing countries. In this article we propose a methodology to decompose whether the benefits in terms of effciency derived from transfers of powers from higher to municipal levels of government "the "economic dividend" of devolution) might increase over time. This methodology is based on linear programming approaches for effciency measurement. We provide anapplication to Spanish municipalities, which have had to adapt to both the European Stability and Growth Pact as well as to domestic regulation seeking local governments balanced budget. Results indicate that efficiency gains from enhaced decentralization have increased over time. However, the way through which these gains accrue differs across municipalities -in some cases technical change is the main component, whereas in others catching up dominates

Western Pacific atmospheric nutrient deposition fluxes, their impact on surface ocean productivity

The atmospheric deposition of both macronutrients and micronutrients plays an important role in driving primary productivity, particularly in the low-latitude ocean. We report aerosol major ion measurements for five ship-based sampling campaigns in the western Pacific from similar to 25 degrees N to 20 degrees S and compare the results with those from Atlantic meridional transects (similar to 50 degrees N to 50 degrees S) with aerosols collected and analyzed in the same laboratory, allowing full incomparability. We discuss sources of the main nutrient species (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and iron (Fe)) in the aerosols and their stoichiometry. Striking north-south gradients are evident over both basins with the Northern Hemisphere more impacted by terrestrial dust sources and anthropogenic emissions and the North Atlantic apparently more impacted than the North Pacific. We estimate the atmospheric supply rates of these nutrients and the potential impact of the atmospheric deposition on the tropical western Pacific. Our results suggest that the atmospheric deposition is P deficient relative to the needs of the resident phytoplankton. These findings suggest that atmospheric supply of N, Fe, and P increases primary productivity utilizing some of the residual excess phosphorus (P*) in the surface waters to compensate for aerosol P deficiency. Regional primary productivity is further enhanced via the stimulation of nitrogen fixation fuelled by the residual atmospheric iron and P*. Our stoichiometric calculations reveal that a P* of 0.1 mu mol L-1 can offset the P deficiency in atmospheric supply for many months. This study suggests that atmospheric deposition may sustain similar to 10% of primary production in both the western tropical Pacific