Female farmers in the Rwandan farming system: A study of the ruhengeri prefecture

The purpose of this paper has been to focus on two aspects of development—agricultural production in the small central African country of Rwanda, and the role of 1890 Land-Grant institutions in international development. While a discussion of female farmers in the Ruhengeri Prefecture of Rwanda represents the primary focus of this paper, the second focus is the means by which this and other such research is possible. The findings from the Rwandan study are in keeping with those found in other African countries, in that a struggle exists to produce sufficient quantities of food to sustain an ever increasing population. For Rwanda, constraints to production include not only severe over-population, but environmental conditions and gender bias as well. In arriving at potential solutions to these problems, this paper takes the position that one viable means of addressing the problem is to focus development efforts on the female farmer. Traditional thinking and behavior have excluded women from the planning and implementation of development activities, focussing instead on often less productive males. However, a survey of female farmers (N=192) in the Ruhengeri region of Rwanda, provides insight into the plight of agriculture from the female perspective. As a result, recommendations are offered for improving agricultural production that aim at better utilizing existing high levels of labor contributed by the female farmer. Recommendations include 1) encouraging families to limit the size of their family through family planning, 2) implementing soil erosion techniques that consider conditions specific to Rwanda, and feasible for female application, and 3) directing assistance to women away from household related activities to those related to farming.     

Surgical management of an aberrant left subclavian artery originating from a left patent ductus arteriosus in a dog with a right aortic arch and abnormal branching

An increase in the availability of advanced imaging modalities has led to improved recognition of cardiovascular anomalies. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) provides a non-invasive means of acquiring 3D images with a relatively short acquisition time thereby providing essential information in regards to patient anatomy and procedure planning. The dog in this report had a right aortic arch and abnormal branching with an aberrant left subclavian artery originating from the ampulla of a left patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) that was detected with CTA. The PDA was creating a volume overload to the left side of the heart as well as contributing to the vascular ring and compression of the esophagus. Therefore, ligation and transection instead of a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure was required. This aortic arch anomaly and surgical management have not been previously reported in dogs.     

Characterization of pea vicilin. 1. Denoting convicilin as the alpha-subunit of the Pisum vicilin family

Vicilin, a major globulin protein of pea that has been described as "extremely heterogeneous in terms of its polypeptide composition", was extracted from pea flour under alkaline conditions and subsequently fractionated by salt under acid conditions. This procedure induced the separation of vicilin into two fractions, which, after purification, were called vicilin 1 degrees and vicilin 2 degrees. Vicilin 2 degrees was seen on SDS-PAGE to contain the third globulin protein of pea, convicilin (a band at approximately 70 kDa). Vicilin fractions were thus characterized using gel electrophoresis, differential scanning calorimetry, circular dichroism, and pH-dependent solubility in order to determine whether the convicilin should in fact be considered as a third separate globulin protein of pea. On the basis of the results obtained it was concluded that this distinct polypeptide of the Pisum vicilin gene family should be further denoted as a subunit of the salt extractable protein vicilin. The definition of vicilin heterogeneity should therefore be extended to acknowledge the possible oligomeric inclusion of the 70 kDa polypeptide that is here denoted as the alpha-subunit.     

Synergistic use of very high-frequency radar and discrete-return lidar for estimating biomass in temperate hardwood and mixed forests

• Introduction   

Accurate estimation of aboveground biomass is essential to better understand the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems.     

Aortic thrombosis in dogs: Presentation,therapy, and outcome in 26 cases

ObjectivesThe pathogenesis and presentation of aortic thrombosis (AT) in dogs is not well characterized and an effective antithrombotic therapy for AT in dogs has not been identified. Our goal is to report the clinical presentation and results of therapies in dogs with AT.AnimalsTwenty-six client-owned dogs.MethodsRetrospective review of medical records of dogs diagnosed with AT between 2003 and 2010.ResultsTwenty-six dogs had an apparent primary mural aortic thrombus. None had structural heart disease at diagnosis. Twenty dogs were ambulatory with varying degrees of pelvic limb dysfunction. Duration of ambulatory dysfunction was 7.8 weeks (range 1 day–52 weeks). A majority of dogs (58%) had no concurrent conditions at diagnosis.Fourteen dogs were treated with a standard warfarin protocol for a median period of 22.9 months (range 0.5–53 months). Ambulatory function improved in all dogs treated with warfarin. Time until clinical improvement was 13.9 days (range 2–49 days). Dogs treated with warfarin did not become non-ambulatory, die or undergo euthanasia related to AT, or have a known serious hemorrhagic event.ConclusionsThe pathogenesis of AT in dogs is distinct from that of aortic thromboembolism (ATE) in cats. Aortic thrombosis in dogs is more likely to involve local thrombosis in the distal aorta with embolization to the arteries of the pelvic limb resulting in chronic progressive ambulatory dysfunction. Chronic warfarin administration is well-tolerated and appears to be an effective short-term and long-term therapy for dogs with AT.     

基于时序NDVI的露天煤矿区土地损毁与复垦过程特征分析

露天煤矿区是人类活动强扰动地区之一。该文以阿巴拉契亚煤田区韦恩县为研究区域,应用遥感时序分析法分析了像元尺度的土地损毁和复垦过程特征。得出结论:1984-2010年间,韦兹县露天开采扰动区域占采矿权范围的45.80%,其中植被恢复区域占开采范围的66.45%,开采时间越早,植被恢复像元比例越高;开采造成的地表无植被覆盖期时长中位数为6 a,均值为7 a;已充分复垦的区域,NDVI值恢复至采前水平的加权平均时长为12 a。基于像元变化轨迹的研究,除揭示土地损毁-复垦过程特征外,能较好地反映空间异质性,可以为土地复垦管理和相关政策决策提供科学依据。     

Early cell-mediated immune responses to Marek's disease virus in two chicken lines with defined major histocompatibility complex antigens

N2a and P2a chickens, resistant and susceptible to Marek's disease (MD), respectively, were used to examine relationships between major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK)-like cell activity with resistance to infection with Marek's disease virus (MDV). Ten-day-old chickens were infected with MDV and euthanatized at selected times to evaluate for NK cell and MHC-restricted cytotoxicity. The N2a MDV-infected chickens had an early cell-mediated immune response characterized by a sustained NK-like cytotoxicity that coincided with a measurable MHC-cytotoxicity that was lower than controls. Although MHC-restricted and NK cell cytotoxicity was demonstrated in P2a MDV-infected chickens at 8 dpi, both abruptly decreased and remained low for the remainder of the 20-day experiment. The critical time point that may determine the resistance to MD appears to be within the first 2 weeks post-infection. Improvement of the chicken NK cell activity may be a good candidate for both selection and immunomodulation MD control programs.