Dairy farming in Uganda. Production Efficiency and Soil Nutrients under Different Farming Systems

Prior to the 1980s, milk production in Uganda occurred largely in two contrasting production systems. In the wetter parts of the country, especially in the southwest, there were a few large, mostly government-owned commercial dairy farms on which exotic and cross-bred dairy cattle were kept in paddocks and grazed on improved or natural pastures. In the drier eastern and northeastern parts of the country, pastoralists kept large numbers of local cattle breeds, notably the Small East African Zebu (SEAZ), under traditional extensive management systems. Although the pastoralists marketed some milk, most was consumed by the household. Cattle were also valued as an expression of cultural prestige and a means of accumulating capital and meeting planned and emergency expenses. Smallholders, who tended to keep a few low yielding indigenous cattle as well as growing crops, made little contribution to the nation’s marketed milk and were primarily subsistence-oriented

Categorisation of dairy production systems: A strategy for targeting meaningful development of the systems in Uganda

Dairy production is a major contributor towards national economies and household food security and incomes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Milk production in the region is estimated at 1.27 million metric tonnes year-1. However, this level of milk production is inadequate for the existing human population who would require 103 million metric tonnes year-1. In Uganda, milk production only meets approximately 20% of the population's nutritional requirements. As such, methods need to be sought to increase milk production in the region. Research efforts have made strides in identifying the causes of the production-demand gap in the SSA region and a spectrum of interventions to bolster the productivity. Unfortunately, these efforts have by far yielded insignificant results. First and foremost, for exploiting the full potential of the dairy cattle population in the region, among the critical elements often overlooked in research and development processes is the recognition of systematic parametric variations within the sector, which if considered could provide entry-points for targeting intervention efforts. One such high potential entry-point is the recognition of the existence of a dairy intensification "vector" across a country or region, along which exist sections with sequentially marked nuclei of fairly uniform socio-economic and biophysical dairy sub-systems features. To enhance the process of targeting research and development in the Ugandan dairy sector, dairy production systems in the country were categorised on basis of level of intensification of production. Data were collected from 300 households in Mbarara, Masaka and Jinja districts in Uganda. The major variables derived from the data for the categorisation process were those related with milk production, expenditure, income, land area and cattle herds. The data was subjected to a cluster analysis which although produced 16 groups only five had prominent membership (above 5% of the farms). The five major clusters were selected as representative of the dairy production systems. A ranking system was used to develop an intensification continuum for the 5 systems. Herding-on own and communal land (cluster 9) was the least intensive, this was followed by Herding-mainly on own land (cluster 12) and Fenced (cluster 8) respectively. Semi-Zero Grazing (cluster 15) and Zero Grazing (cluster 13) were the most intensive dairy production systems with the latter being at the highest end of the continuum

Curvature induced toroidal bound states

Curvature induced bound state (E < 0) eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for a particle constrained to move on the surface of a torus are calculated. A limit on the number of bound states a torus with minor radius a and major radius R can support is obtained. A condition for mapping constrained particle wave functions on the torus into free particle wave functions is established.Comment: 6 pages, no figures, Late

Abnormalities in circadian blood pressure variability and endothelial function: pragmatic markers for adverse cardiometabolic profiles in asymptomatic obese adults

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, although perceived to be high, is often difficult to demonstrate in disease free (healthy) obese adults. HYPOTHESIS: Changes in circadian blood pressure variability (CBPV) and endothelial function (EF) may be early correlates of cardiometabolic disorders. METHODS: Asymptomatic men and women in 3 groups: normal weight (n = 10), overweight (n = 10) and obese (n = 15) were evaluated. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded over 7 days: every 30 minutes during the day and every 60 minutes during the night, by automatic ambulatory monitoring. Resting EF was assessed in a fasting state between 8-10 AM by brachial ultrasound. Anthropometric and cardiometabolic indicators were measured and correlations with CBPV and EF were investigated. RESULTS: The 3 groups had (Mean(SD)) BMI: 22.6(1.6), 27(3) and 34(5) kg/m(2), respectively, weight: 64(16), 79(14), 95(16) kg and waist circumference: 79(9), 93(10), 107(13) cm. None in normal-weight or overweight groups had abnormal CBPV, while 8 of 15 obese adults had one or more CBPV abnormities (p < 0.05). Obese adults with CBPV abnormalities had elevated hs-CRP (15.3(9.3) mg/L), fibrinogen (593(97) mg/dl), fasting serum glucose (102(16) mg/dL), and cardiac risk ratios (Total-C/HDL-C: 5.2(1.9), LDL-C/HDL-C: 3.1(1.4)). Adults in the 3 respective groups who did not have CBPV abnormalities had flow-mediated brachial artery dilatation (FMD) of 0.22(0.06); 0.20(0.04), 0.23(0.02) mm over resting diameter. Obese participants with CBPV abnormalities (Mesor-hypotension, circadian hyper amplitude tension, elevated pulse pressure), had attenuated FMD at 78, 52, and 56% of resting reference diameter (means 0.18(0.07), 0.12(0.08), and 0.13(0.05) mm; p < 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic obese adults with abnormal CBPV and EF exhibit unfavorable cardiometabolic profiles

Nonlinear Supersymmetry as a Hidden Symmetry

Ver abstrac

Transyears Competing with the Seasons in Tropical Malaria Incidence

Communicable and non‐communicable diseases show coperiodisms (shared cycles) with the sun\u27s and earth\u27s magnetism. About 11‐year cycles and components with periods a few weeks or a few months longer than one year (near‐ and far‐transyears, respectively) are the cases in point. Published data on the incidence of malaria in Burundi, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand are analysed by the linear‐nonlinear cosinor to assess the relative prominence of transyears versus the calendar year. An about 2.3‐year component characterizes malaria incidence in Burundi and Papua New Guinea (Thailand data were only sampled yearly). Long‐term trends cannot be distinguished from the presence of an about 11‐year cycle found in a 100‐year long record from Chizhevsky on mortality from cholera in Russia, albeit its second harmonic is statistically significant in Burundi’s data. Whereas far‐ and near‐transyears characterize malaria incidence in Burundi more prominently than the calendar year, only a candidate near‐transyear of small amplitude is barely detected in Papua New Guinea, where the calendar year is most prominently expressed. Both regions are located near the equator. Selectively‐assorted geographic differences such as these, observed herein for a communicable disease, have been previously observed for non‐communicable conditions, such as sudden cardiac death

Adipocyte-specific protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B deletion increases lipogenesis, adipocyte cell size and is a minor regulator of glucose homeostasis

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Late gastrointestinal tissue effects after hypofractionated radiation therapy of the pancreas

Background To consolidate literature reports of serious late gastrointestinal toxicities after hypofractionated radiation treatment of pancreatic cancer and attempt to derive normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) parameters using the Lyman-Kutcher-Burman model. Methods Published reports of late grade 3 or greater gastrointestinal toxicity after hypofractionated treatment of pancreatic cancer were reviewed. The biologically equivalent dose in 1.8 Gy fractions was calculated using the EQD model. NTCP parameters were calculated using the LKB model assuming 1–5 % of the normal tissue volume was exposed to the prescription dose with α/β ratios of 3 or 4. Results A total of 16 human studies were examined encompassing a total of 1160 patients. Toxicities consisted of ulcers, hemorrhages, obstructions, strictures, and perforations. Non-hemorrhagic and non-perforated ulcers occurred at a rate of 9.1 % and were the most commonly reported toxicity. Derived NTCP parameter ranges were as follows: n = 0.38–0.63, m = 0.48–0.49, and TD50 = 35–95 Gy. Regression analysis showed that among various study characteristics, dose was the only significant predictor of toxicity. Conclusions Published gastrointestinal toxicity reports after hypofractionated radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer were compiled. Median dose was predictive of late grade ≥ 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. Preliminary NTCP parameters were derived for multiple volume constraints

Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Disruption: Causes, Metabolic Consequences and Countermeasures.

Circadian (∼ 24 hour) timing systems pervade all kingdoms of life, and temporally optimize behaviour and physiology in humans. Relatively recent changes to our environments, such as the introduction of artificial lighting, can disorganize the circadian system, from the level of the molecular clocks that regulate the timing of cellular activities to the level of synchronization between our daily cycles of behaviour and the solar day. Sleep/wake cycles are intertwined with the circadian system, and global trends indicate that these too are increasingly subject to disruption. A large proportion of the world's population is at increased risk of environmentally-driven circadian rhythm and sleep disruption, and a minority of individuals are also genetically predisposed to circadian misalignment and sleep disorders. The consequences of disruption to the circadian system and sleep are profound and include myriad metabolic ramifications, some of which may be compounded by adverse effects on dietary choices. If not addressed, the deleterious effects of such disruption will continue to cause widespread health problems; therefore, implementation of the numerous behavioural and pharmaceutical interventions that can help restore circadian system alignment and enhance sleep will be important