Fed Cattle Forward Contract Volume and Basis Relationship

The poster covers analysis and models of forward contracting during the contracting period. A conceptual model is presented to explain how contracting patterns relate to industry factors and negotiation power of buyers and sellers. Time series techniques are used to model basis, weekly volume, and total volume. Forecasting models are also presented.cattle, forward contract, basis, negotiation, placements, Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, Livestock Production/Industries,

Phenotypic and Allelic Distribution of the ABO and Rhesus Blood Groups among students at Hawassa University, Ethiopia

A prior information on the distribution of ABO and Rh groups is important for management of blood bank and transfusion, genetic counseling, anthropological studies, to study the association of blood groups and diet; to investigate the association between blood and diseases. This study aimed to determine the frequency of ABO and Rh bloods and investigate gene diversity at both loci among students in Ethiopia.  A descriptive cross-sectional survey was employed involving randomly selected two thousand thirty nine (2039) university students (1054 males and 985 females) with an age range of 18–29 years. Blood groups were determined based on agglutination reaction. The most common blood group was found to be O (42.47%), followed by A (27.86%), B (21.87%), and AB (7.80 %). The frequency of Rh+ and Rh- were 90.88% and 9.12 %, respectively. The combined blood types showed O+, A+, B+ and AB+ were: 38.60 %, 25.20%, 20.10%  and 7.00%, respectively. A slightly different distribution pattern of ABO blood group was observed among females from Amhara region (O> B> A>AB). The distribution of ABO phenotypes from Addis Ababa and Amhara did not differ significantly from those expected under the Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium. A high level of gene diversity was observed for both loci. In general, the O blood type is most frequent and followed by A, B and AB. A similar pattern of distribution of the ABO and Rh blood groups was found in male and female study subjects. The present study will generate baseline data that could be used in blood bank management and transfusion, genetic counseling, population genetic and anthropological studies, and for disease management

Clinical performance of emergency surgical officers in southern Ethiopia

Background: Serious shortage of gynecologists and surgeons for several decades leading to a three-year masters level training was initiated in 2009. However, systematic analysis was not done to assess the graduates’ performance. The purpose of this study was to assess improvement in access to emergency surgical and obstetrical care services.Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to assess the competence of emergency surgical officers (ESOs) in their decision making and surgical skills in eight hospitals between 2012 and 2014. Anesthesia time, post-operative hospital stay and change in hemoglobin level were, among others, used as proxy indicators of their surgical skills.Results: A total of 4075 obstetric and surgical operations was performed in the study hospitals. Of which, 93% were done on emergency base. Of the total emergency procedures, 3570(94%) were done by ESOs. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of all the emergency operations were cesarean sections, which were done by ESOs. Out of 239 uterine ruptures, hysterectomy was done for 58%. The proportion of cesarean and instrumental deliveries over the total deliveries were 13% and 0.7%, respectively. Explorative laparotomies and appendectomies were the majority of the non-obstetric emergency operations. Interviewed staff in the respective hospitals stated that ESOs’ clinical decision making, surgical skill and commitment to discharge their responsibilities were in the best possible.Conclusions: The study showed that deployment of ESOs made the emergency surgery services accessible to the majority, and their clinical decision making and surgical skills were remarkable.Keywords: decision making, emergency surgical officer, Ethiopia, surgical skil

Tourism Potential & Challenges for Islamic Monastery Heritage Sites in Ethiopia: Tiru Sina Mosque

The main intent of this study is to investigate unusual Islamic monastery heritage sites by focusing on the potential resources and challenges for religious tourism development at Tiru Sina Mosque. To meet this objective a qualitative approach was utilised and data were collected through interviews with elderly religious fathers in addition to culture and tourism officers. Additional focus groups, discussions and deep personal observations were conducted. As the findings reveal, Tiru Sina Mosque is a unique Islamic monastic site with great potential for religious tourism development. This unique Islamic monastery heritage site has socio-cultural, economic, historical, religious and aesthetic values. The study also confirmed, even though the area is rich in cultural heritage, there are serious challenges that affect its development. The major problems are lack of awareness, poor handling systems for heritage, lack of infrastructural development, absence of coordination among stakeholders, shortage of skilled professionals, lack of cooperation and partnership among different stakeholders, heritage destruction and lack of conservation, and lack of risk management