Assessment of Structural Traits and Management Related to Dairy Herds in the Peri-urban Area of Bobo Dioulasso (South West of Burkina Faso)

To define mean herd size, structural traits, animal sourcing and use, management and aspects related to the milk production, 118 dairy herds, involved in a FAO dairy development project were studied. The mean herd size after allocation to clusters: Small (≤38 heads), Medium (>38, ≤61 heads) and Large (>61 heads) was 52.8±25.8, ranging from 7 to 134 heads of cattle. The following genotypes: Cross bred (CR) 58.8%, Zebu (ZB) 23.2% and Taurine cattle (TA) 18.0% which were not uniformly distributed neither across nor within herds were identified. Sex ratio was two thirds of females (70.6%), one third of males (28.1%) and a low proportion (1.3%) of castrated males. No mature TA males compared to 53.3% of the male ZB and 31.4% of the male CR, were indicated as potential sires. Investments in purchase of animals were higher in Small than in Medium and Large herds; of all purchased sires 53.8% were found in Small herds vs. 28.2% and 18.0% in Medium and Large. Herd property was equally distributed between single (56.8%) and multi property (43.2%). There was more manpower available per 100 cows in Small, being almost double and triple than in Medium and Large herds. Although milk extracted, was similar in all clusters averaging 2.4±0.5 litres/day/cow, milk off take rate, due to higher proportion of lactating cows, appeared higher in Small herds

Generation of synthetic wide-band electromagnetic time series

The estimation of the earth transfer functions in MT prospecting method poses the greatest difficulty. As in the seismic prospecting method this task requires the development of advanced processing techniques. In order to assess the performance of each technique, controlled synthetic data and different noise types, which simulate the observed signals, are required. This paper presents a procedure to generate a wide-band noise-free electromagnetic field to be used both for magnetotelluric and audio-magnetotelluric studies. Furthermore, an effort was made to extend the simulation procedures to generally stratified and simple inhomogeneous earth structures. The discrete-time magnetic field values are generated through the inverse Fourier transform of a continuous amplitude spectrum and a sampling procedure. The electric field time series are obtained by the convolution of the magnetic field time series, calculated in the interested frequency band, with a non-causal impedance impulse response. Polarized fields, which are important when inhomogeneous media are considered, are also generated

Hydraulic Properties of Baled Switchgrass and Miscanthus

This study characterized the hydraulic properties within baled switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L., variety Alamo) and miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), thereby enabling a better understanding of moisture changes in baled biomass during on-farm storage and/or high-solids bioconversion. Fully saturated bales were drained by gravity, and the moisture content was determined over 60 h. The average initial moisture content ranged between 55.9% and 71.9% (w.b.) for switchgrass and between 60.5% and 73.9% (w.b.) for miscanthus bales depending on the dry bale density. As the bale drained by gravity, rapid leaching of water was observed within the first 0.1 h, with a reduction in moisture content of 7.3 and 7.0 percentage points (w.b.) for switchgrass and miscanthus, respectively. Leaching then continued at a steady rate until termination of the experiment, with further reductions of 4.3 and 4.4 percentage points (w.b.) for switchgrass and miscanthus, respectively. Final moisture contents after 60 h ranged from 45.8% to 58.3% for switchgrass and from 48.7% to 60% for miscanthus, with the higher moisture contents observed in the lowest density bales. Hydraulic conductivity tests were carried out with bales of switchgrass and miscanthus with a constant head system. The average saturated hydraulic conductivity ranged between 0.103 and 0.616 cm s-1 for baled switchgrass and between 0.219 and 0.658 cm s-1 for baled miscanthus depending on the bale density. The matric suction of baled switchgrass was also assessed at variable densities and moisture contents using the contact filter paper method. The van Genuchten parameters were found to range between 0.235 and 0.270 m-1 for α and between 5.415 and 10.345 for n, depending on the density. Infiltration tests were also carried out on baled switchgrass at variable densities and moisture contents using a minidisk infiltrometer. The curve-fitting parameters of Philip‘s two-term equation ranged between 0.086 x 10-6 and 0.779 x 10-6 cm s-1 for C1 and between 0.200 and 5.805 x 10-6 cm s-1/2 for C2, depending on the density and moisture content. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity ranged between 0.019 and 0.272 cm s-1, while sorptivity ranged between 0.048 and 2.103 cm s-1/2, depending on the density and moisture content. These results provide data required to evaluate water flow through variable-density rectangular bales and indicate a potential to remove end-products of biomass conversion from baled biomass

Generation of synthetic wide-band electromagnetic time series

The estimation of the earth transfer functions in MT prospecting method poses the greatest difficulty. As in the seismic prospecting method this task requires the development of advanced processing techniques. In order to assess the performance of each technique, controlled synthetic data and different noise types, which simulate the observed signals, are required. This paper presents a procedure to generate a wide-band noise-free electromagnetic field to be used both for magnetotelluric and audio-magnetotelluric studies. Furthermore, an effort was made to extend the simulation procedures to generally stratified and simple inhomogeneous earth structures. The discrete-time magnetic field values are generated through the inverse Fourier transform of a continuous amplitude spectrum and a sampling procedure. The electric field time series are obtained by the convolution of the magnetic field time series, calculated in the interested frequency band, with a non-causal impedance impulse response. Polarized fields, which are important when inhomogeneous media are considered, are also generated

GRB Observed by IBIS/PICsIT in the MeV Energy Range

We present the preliminary results of a systematic search for GRB and other transients in the publicly available data for the IBIS/PICsIT (0.2-10 MeV) detector on board INTEGRAL. Lightcurves in 2-8 energy bands with time resolution from 1 to 62.5 ms have been collected and an analysis of spectral and temporal characteristics has been performed. This is the nucleus of a forthcoming first catalog of GRB observed by PICsIT.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. Poster presented at COSPAR 2008. Advaces in Space Research, accepted for publicatio

Shallow to intermediate resistivity features of the Colfiorito Fault System inferred by DC and MT survey

Over the last decade electromagnetic (EM) measurements have provided new constraints on the upper-crustal structure of the major fault zones in the world, both when they act as conduit and as a barrier, due to strong sensitivity of resistivity to fluids circulation and mineralization. On the track of a high impact magnetotelluric (MT) study performed across the San Andreas Fault, high resolution EM data were collected in the Colfiorito epicentral area along profiles crossing some main fault lineaments. Being the study focussed both on shallow that on intermediate resistivity distribution in the brittle upper-crust, a MT profile was integrated by several electrical resistivity tomographies (ERT). The latter were successful in locating faults even where the structures are buried by a wide covering of Quaternary deposits and in the recognition of different electrical signatures of the faults. MT resistivity model crossing Mt. Prefoglio normal fault clearly imaged the typical thrust structures of the area and a high conductive zone spatially related to the fault. Seismicity seems to be located outside such conductive area, whose behaviour suggests a fluidised and altered zone incapable of supporting significant stress internally

Effect of slaughter age on meat qualitative traits of veals calves

Scopo del presente lavoro è stato quello di verificare alcune caratteristiche organolettiche e chimico bromatologhe della carne di 15 vitelli di razza Frisona. I vitelli sono stati macellati a 140, 160 e 190 giorni. I parametri analizzati non sono stati significativamente influenzati dall'età di macellazione se non per una riduzione del tenore proteico della sostanza secca a 160 giorni. Pertanto la scelta dell'età di macellazione, per il periodo studiato, può essere fatta sulla base di criteri di natura economica piuttosto che riferita ad aspetti qualitativi della carn

Group-specific business process improvements via a port community system: the case of Rotterdam

The Port Community System is a type of digital platform that offers several benefits and improvements to the operations and supply chain of an increasing number of ports worldwide. However, prior literature does not explain in detail how these various types of benefits and business process improvements spread within a port and are obtained by its main groups of stakeholders (agents, terminal operators, and so on). The article fills this literature gap by analysing the distribution of benefits and improvements among the main types of port actors in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) after the introduction of the ‘Portbase’ platform. The results show that PCS effectively improves port stakeholders’ business processes only if the platform is the core element of a port digital transformation strategy, and if it offers a large portfolio of smart IT solutions that (a) directly improve the system quality, information quality and service quality, and (b) are properly targeted for the business processes that are carried out by the different groups of port stakeholders

Effect of dietary supplementation with insect fats on growth performance, digestive efficiency and health of rabbits

Background: The present work aimed at evaluating the effect of the dietary replacement of soybean oil (S) by two types of insect fats extracted from black soldier fly larvae (H, Hermetia illucens L.) and yellow mealworm larvae (T, Tenebrio molitor L.) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, intestinal morphology and health of growing rabbits. Methods: At weaning, 200 crossbred rabbits (36 days old) were allotted to five dietary treatments (40 rabbits/group): a control diet (C) containing 1.5% of soybean oil and four experimental diets where soybean oil was partially (50%) or totally (100%) substituted by H (H50 and H100) or T (T50 and T100) fats. Total tract digestibility was evaluated on 12 rabbits per treatment. The growth trial lasted 41 d and, at slaughtering (78 days old), blood samples were collected from 15 rabbits per treatment, morphometric analyses were performed on duodenum, jejunum and ileum mucosa, and samples of liver, spleen and kidney were submitted to histological evaluation. Results: No difference was observed between the control and the experimental groups fed insect fats in terms of performance, morbidity, mortality and blood variables. The addition of H and T fats did not influence apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, protein, ether extract, fibre fractions and gross energy. Gut morphometric indices and organ histopathology were not affected by dietary inclusion of H and T fats. Conclusions: H and T fats are suitable sources of lipid in rabbit diets to replace soybean oil without any detrimental effect on growth performance, apparent digestibility, gut mucosa traits and health

Biology of bone sarcomas and new therapeutic developments

Bone sarcomas are tumours belonging to the family of mesenchymal tumours and constitute a highly heterogeneous tumour group. The three main bone sarcomas are osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma each subdivided in diverse histological entities. They are clinically characterised by a relatively high morbidity and mortality, especially in children and adolescents. Although these tumours are histologically, molecularly and genetically heterogeneous, they share a common involvement of the local microenvironment in their pathogenesis. This review gives a brief overview of their specificities and summarises the main therapeutic advances in the field of bone sarcoma