Trader Behaviour and Performance in Live Animal Marketing in Rural Ethiopian Markets

In this paper, performance of a sample of 131 livestock traders in 38 rural Ethiopian highland markets was analysed in terms of their costs and margins, how these were influenced by their assets and trading practices, and the implications of the findings for policy were outlined. The paper is divided into three main sections: description of the profiles of traders, their assets, trading behaviour and practices; estimates of costs and margins for a set of recent transactions; and econometric analysis of the factors explaining differences in performance with a particular focus on transaction costs. Most traders used own capital as access to credit, especially formal credit, was limited. The livestock market was characterised by non-standardised products and lack of information in the public domain about supply, demand and prices. Consequently, livestock trading was largely a personalised business though brokers and regular buyers and sellers, a form of social capital, were sometimes used for gathering information, searching buyers/sellers, price negotiation, contract enforcement. Business relationships with these intermediaries were principally based on trust, without strong ethnic, religious or family ties. Although most transactions were conducted in physical presence of parties, contract violations were common, which were settled mainly through informal means as formal legal systems were either absent or time consuming. Estimated costs and margins of case transactions showed low returns, and losses in some cases. Market levies, transport, travel, and feeds were major items of variable cost, with some variation between cattle and shoats. Multiple regression analysis showed that traders' financial and human capital and trading practices like use of brokers and regular suppliers and customers had varying effects on margins and costs of cattle and shoat trade. Unstable price, multiple taxes, non-transparent tax system, limited access to credit and weak demand for the quality of the products traded were perceived by traders as major problems of marketing. All the problems were amenable to public policy for improving the market environment and marketing efficiency.Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing, D4, L1, O1, Q13,

Conformal Field Theories in Fractional Dimensions

We study the conformal bootstrap in fractional space-time dimensions, obtaining rigorous bounds on operator dimensions. Our results show strong evidence that there is a family of unitary CFTs connecting the 2D Ising model, the 3D Ising model, and the free scalar theory in 4D. We give numerical predictions for the leading operator dimensions and central charge in this family at different values of D and compare these to calculations of phi^4 theory in the epsilon-expansion.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures - references updated - one affiliation modifie

Subcutaneous Fat Necrosis Following Induced Hypothermia

A necrose gorda do tecido celular subcutâneo do recém-nascido está associada a asfixia neonatal, aspiração de mecónio, convulsões ou hipotermia. A hipercalcemia é a complicação mais frequente, podendo em alguns casos ser grave e exigir terapêutica específica. Relata-se o caso de um recém-nascido de cesariana emergente por sofrimento fetal, tendo sido submetido a protocolo de hipotermia induzida. Foi diagnosticado com necrose gorda do recém-nascido ao 11º dia de internamento. No 23º dia identificou-se hipercalcemia, tendo iniciado terapêutica com pamidronato, com consequente diminuição gradual da calcemia. Sublinha-se a necessidade da identificação rápida de necrose gorda, possibilitando antecipar a hipercalcemia e iniciar terapêutica precoce

Solving the 3D Ising Model with the Conformal Bootstrap

We study the constraints of crossing symmetry and unitarity in general 3D Conformal Field Theories. In doing so we derive new results for conformal blocks appearing in four-point functions of scalars and present an efficient method for their computation in arbitrary space-time dimension. Comparing the resulting bounds on operator dimensions and OPE coefficients in 3D to known results, we find that the 3D Ising model lies at a corner point on the boundary of the allowed parameter space. We also derive general upper bounds on the dimensions of higher spin operators, relevant in the context of theories with weakly broken higher spin symmetries.Comment: 32 pages, 11 figures; v2: refs added, small changes in Section 5.3, Fig. 7 replaced; v3: ref added, fits redone in Section 5.

Autenticidad de salchichas de carne de ovino y caprino

The aim of this work was to contribute to the fabrication of a new of product, a fresh sausage based on meat from culled sheep and goat animals as a way to give added value to animals with very low marketing price. A total of 280 animals, 140 ewes and 140 goats were slaughtered, during seven months. The fabrication of sausages was carried out at a local industry and two samples of goat and sheep sausages were taken every month. Laboratory analyses of all parameters were made by triplicate. Concerning the fatty acids profile, it was checked that the main fatty acids (oleic acid (C18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0) and linolenic acid (C18:2)), influenced the different fractions which characterize them (monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), saturated fatty acids (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Fatty acids profile could be also used as authentication tools for further monitoring and fraud detection in this kind of traditional food product

PosterVote:expanding the action repertoire for local political activism

Online and digital technologies support and extend the action repertoires of localized social movements. In this paper we examine the ways by which digital technologies can support ‘on-the-ground ’ activist communities in the development of social movements. After identifying some of the challenges of deploying conventional voting and consultation technologies for activism, we examine situated political action in local communities through the design and deployment of a low-cost community voting prototype, PosterVote. We deploy PosterVote in two case studies with two local community organizations identifying the features that supported or hindered grassroots democratic practices. Through interviews with these communities, we explore the design of situated voting systems to support grassroots democratic practices and participation within an ecology of social action. Author Keywords Democracy; activism; participation; e-votin

Caracterización de la producción de mantas de carne salada y seca de ovinos y caprinos en ambiente preindustrial

Food safety it’s crucial for our life and this study has the purpose to characterize some microbiologic parameters in a pre-industrial company when producing salted and cured meat Meat from sheep and goat was transformed in a semi-industrial local and traditional firm to produce a salted and dried meat product, called as manta. In this work was assemble the total number of mesophyll and psychrophiles bacteria (ufc/g), Staphylococcus aureus, yeasts and molds, sulphite reducing clostridia (NMP/g), total coliforms, E. coli and the presence of Salmonela spp. With exception to Salmonella spp. in all determinations the achieved scores in the production of manta in pre-industrial environment had more countable microorganisms than laboratorial essay. These results showed that the company must have a higher control in the hygienic conditions in all the processes, also forewarn the employees to a better person hygienic stat

Exurban Noir Research Workshop

This workshop is a unique congtribution to research for its method combining anthropolgical techniques with Architectural spatial awareness and ubiquitous computing technoligies. The workshop was a creative event involving a multidisciplinary team and participants, unique to ubicomp work

Caracterización sensorial de salchichas frescas de ovino y caprino

The main objective of this work was the sensory characterization of fresh sausages from 140 culled Serrana goats and 140 culled Churra Galega Bragançana ewes, to improve the added value of this animals. Species and type of preparation effects were studied. Odour intensity, presence of strange odour, flavour intensity, presence of strange flavour, toughness, juiciness, stringiness, spicy intensity, sweet intensity and overall acceptability were evaluated by a taste panel. Taste, spicy taste, texture and overall appreciation were evaluated by a consumers’ panel. Taste panel data were analysed by a Gerenalised Procrustes Analysis and a characterization of the product. Consumers’ panel data were analysed by Preference Maps. The first 2 factors explained 86,7% of total variation. Different sausages samples were perfectly differentiated by assessors. Goats sausages have been considered more tough and fibrous and the sheep’s most succulent. The panelists felt that sheep sausages without paprika had greater intensity of flavour, taste spicy, and strange smell, while sheep sausages with paprika were the most well accepted by the tasters. As to consumers, there is no preference for any type of sausage, meaning that all types of sausages have market opportunity