Academisch proefschrift--Utrecht. / "Literatuur": p. 141-144.

No description available.

Thesis--Valladolid. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [445]-478).

Recently, the European Union published regulations regarding the welfare of horses during transport requiring that horses be transported in individual stalls separated by partitions. The objective of this study was to determine if concentrations of cortisol, corticosterone, or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) differed among horses with no prior transport experience when transported in individual stalls versus loose groups. Twenty na�ve yearlings were assigned to either individual stalls or a loose group, then transported for 6 hours. Ten horses were transported per day (5 in stalls and 5 in a loose group) over a two day trial. The experiment was replicated with a second trial 35 days later, and utilized a switchback design where the horses exchanged treatments between trials. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for cortisol, corticosterone, and DHEA concentrations at pre-transport, 2, 4, and 6 h of transport, and at 2 and 4 h after unloading. After Trial 2, the horses? changed housing from group paddocks to stalls and a follow-up experiment was conducted. The data were analyzed using a mixed model repeated measures ANOVA with the animal as the subject, with trial, treatment, sample time, and treatment-sample time interaction in the model with unstructured covariance (SAS 9.1). Differences between sample times within each trial, and pre-transport concentrations between trials, were analyzed using paired t-tests (SPSS 12.0.1). No significant differences were found in hormone concentrations for horses transported in individual stalls versus in loose groups. Horses exhibited a significant elevation in cortisol and corticosterone during transport which returned to pre-transport concentrations by 2 hr after transport (P < 0.01). Mean pre-transport cortisol concentrations rose significantly in Trial 3 (7.87 ng/ml) from Trials 1 (2.71 ng/ml) and 2 (2.84 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). Pre-transport concentrations of DHEA in Trials 1 (482 pg/ml) and 2 (392 pg/ml) also rose significantly in Trial 3 (1607 pg/ml) (P < 0.01). Changes in cortisol and DHEA indicated that transportation was a significant stressor for horses, however, being transported in a loose group versus individual stalls was not different. Also, housing changes from paddocks to stalls resulted in significant increases in pre-transport concentrations of stress-related compounds.

Recently, the European Union published regulations regarding the welfare of horses during transport requiring that horses be transported in individual stalls separated by partitions. The objective of this study was to determine if concentrations of cortisol, corticosterone, or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) differed among horses with no prior transport experience when transported in individual stalls versus loose groups. Twenty na�ve yearlings were assigned to either individual stalls or a loose group, then transported for 6 hours. Ten horses were transported per day (5 in stalls and 5 in a loose group) over a two day trial. The experiment was replicated with a second trial 35 days later, and utilized a switchback design where the horses exchanged treatments between trials. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for cortisol, corticosterone, and DHEA concentrations at pre-transport, 2, 4, and 6 h of transport, and at 2 and 4 h after unloading. After Trial 2, the horses? changed housing from group paddocks to stalls and a follow-up experiment was conducted. The data were analyzed using a mixed model repeated measures ANOVA with the animal as the subject, with trial, treatment, sample time, and treatment-sample time interaction in the model with unstructured covariance (SAS 9.1). Differences between sample times within each trial, and pre-transport concentrations between trials, were analyzed using paired t-tests (SPSS 12.0.1). No significant differences were found in hormone concentrations for horses transported in individual stalls versus in loose groups. Horses exhibited a significant elevation in cortisol and corticosterone during transport which returned to pre-transport concentrations by 2 hr after transport (P < 0.01). Mean pre-transport cortisol concentrations rose significantly in Trial 3 (7.87 ng/ml) from Trials 1 (2.71 ng/ml) and 2 (2.84 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). Pre-transport concentrations of DHEA in Trials 1 (482 pg/ml) and 2 (392 pg/ml) also rose significantly in Trial 3 (1607 pg/ml) (P < 0.01). Changes in cortisol and DHEA indicated that transportation was a significant stressor for horses, however, being transported in a loose group versus individual stalls was not different. Also, housing changes from paddocks to stalls resulted in significant increases in pre-transport concentrations of stress-related compounds.

Inaug.-diss.--Bonn. / Vita.

Background: Recent stalls in fertility decline have been observed in a few countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and so far no plausible common reason has been identified in the literature. This paper develops the hypothesis that these fertility stalls could be associated with stalls in the progress of education among the women of the relevant cohorts, possibly resulting partly from the Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) of the 1980s. Methods: We descriptively link the change in the education composition of successive cohorts of young women in sub-Saharan Africa and the recent fertility stalls. We use reconstructed data on population by age, gender, and level of education from www.wittgenstein centre.org/dataexplorer, and fertility rates from the United Nations. Results: In most sub-Saharan African countries, we observe that the same countries that had fertility stalls had a stall in the progress of education, particularly for young women who were of primary school age during the 1980s, when most of the countries were under structural adjustment. Conversely, stalls in fertility are less common in countries that did not have an education stall, possibly in relation to SAPs. Conclusions: The results point to the possibility of a link between the recent fertility stalls and discontinuities in the improvement of the education of the relevant cohorts, which in turn could be related to the SAPs in the 1980s. This descriptive finding now needs to be corroborated through more detailed cohort-specific fertility analysis. If the education-fertility link can be further established, it will have important implications for the projections of population growth in affected countries.

The depletion of more attractive thicker and easily accessible coal seams in the central Appalachia will direct attention towards the extraction of coal seams thinner than 28 in. This thesis investigates the feasibility of an integrated mining and backfilling system applicable to thin seams. Two conceptual mining systems, namely Auger mining and Self Advancing Miner, have been proposed for this purpose. Both these systems are designed to remotely mine coal from the seams. Several attempts were made in the past to mine coal in a similar fashion but were not very successful due to several problems inherent to thin seams. The lack of effective steering techniques, accurate coal/rock interface and pillar thickness detection techniques were the main shortcomings of the systems. These problems were addressed in the proposed conceptual mining systems. Several coal/rock interface and rib thickness detection techniques currently available in the market or in the prototype stage have been discussed. Recent developments in coal/rock interface detection and direction sensing techniques have good potential in alleviating the previously encountered problems. Sensitivity analyses have been performed to assess the of effect critical mining parameters on the production potential of these systems. The self advancing miner has been found to be more promising than auger mining. Conceptual panels and face layouts for both systems have been included. Two types of filling methods namely pneumatic and hydraulic are considered applicable under thin seam conditions. A backfilling technique using rubber hoses for fill placement can be applied with both methods. Sensitivity analysis have been performed to establish the relationship between face operation cost, filling cost per ton and development cost per foot. Resulting analyses indicate that panel cost per short ton of coal is more sensitive to filling cost than on development cost. / Master of Science

The objectives of this research were to compare lying time, milk yield, rumination time, hock score, stall cleanliness, and stall temperature for 97 cows (Holsteins (n = 71), Jerseys (n = 10), and crossbreds (n = 16)) housed on Dual Chamber Cow Waterbeds™ (DCCW, Advanced Comfort Technology, Reedsburg, WI) or conventional rubber mattresses (MAT). This study was conducted at the University of Kentucky Coldstream Research Dairy Farm from January 18, 2012 to May 3, 2013. Lying times were longer (P < 0.01) for cows housed on the DCCW (10:32 ± 0:13) compared to cows housed on the MAT (9:47 ± 0:15). Milk yield was not different (P ≥ 0.05) between cows housed on the DCCW or MAT. Rumination times were greater (P = 0.03) for cows housed on MAT (6:44 ± 0:08) compared to cows housed on DCCW (6:29 ± 0:08). Hock scores were lesser (P = 0.02) for cows housed on DCCW (1.86 ± 0.03) compared to cows housed on MAT (1.97 ± 0.04). Stall cleanliness was not different (P ≥ 0.05) between the DCCW and the MAT. The DCCW stall temperature was warmer (P < 0.01) (13.29 ± 0.21 ⁰C) than the MAT (10.52 ± 0.21 ⁰C).

Les points de vente de la presse écrite, encore appelés kiosques à journaux, sont le théâtre d’activités humaines au quotidien. Le passant qui traverse les grands carrefours de Yaoundé ou de Douala est attiré par les nombreuses personnes attroupées devant les kiosques à journaux où elles tiennent des discussions « interminables ». Pour les populations urbaines, il s’agit d’un passe-temps pour ceux qui s’y adonnent. Pourtant, la pratique est renouvelée au quotidien devant ces espaces de commerce. La présence de personnes devant les kiosques à journaux à longueur de journée traduit-elle une certaine oisiveté de leur part ou alors l’expression d’un réel intérêt pour les journaux ? Cette thèse analyse les logiques qui structurent le phénomène d’attroupement devant les kiosques à journaux et interroge la place des discussions qui y émergent. Les pratiques observées, ainsi que les entretiens menés au cours de l’enquête, montrent que la recherche des informations contenues dans la presse écrite est fondamentalement l’objet d’attraction des populations vers ces points d’approvisionnement. Les différents acteurs déploient des stratégies variées pour accéder à l’information. En effet, la vente directe des journaux comme seule source de revenus des kiosquiers relèverait d’une utopie. Face à la conjoncture qui sévit dans le secteur de la presse, les commerçants de journaux ne sont pas épargnés. La chute des ventes suscite le besoin de réajustements, dont le but est de combler le manque à gagner. Dans un contexte global dominé par la précarité, le consommateur n’est pas en reste. Désormais, parcourir les titres de journaux suffit pour se faire une idée de l’actualité. De cette exploration approximative émergent de manière instantanée des débats sur les sujets relayés dans les médias. Pour les protagonistes de ces échanges, la possibilité d’exprimer leur point de vue représente une forme de liberté d’expression, symbole de la démocratie, laquelle apparaît comme un élément structurant majeur dans la construction de l’espace public. / The newspaper stall constitutes an environment for daily human interactions. As one passes by the Yaounde and Douala major crossroads, it’s impressive to see the crowds gathered around the newspaper stalls. For many people, it has become a daily appointment for endless debates.The question is: Why do people spend so much of their time around those newspaper stalls? Is it because they are idlers? Or is it because they are truly interested in newspapers?Our thesis dissertation is aimed at analyzing the logics that structure the phenomenon of crowds around the newspaper stalls, and questioning the nature and content of the discussions resulting from peoples’ interactions in those places.From our observations on the field, and from the interviews carried out, it appears that the main reason why people gather around the newspapers stall is their search for information. Because of the economic crisis many people can’t afford to buy a newspaper. Therefore, they are often contempted with reading the titles on the front pages and when possible, gathering supplementary information from those who may have had the privilege to read the articles. Within this framework, spontaneous discussions and debates merge, which give the protagonists the opportunity to say their mind, and thus feel as if they are expressing their right to free speech, which symbolizes democracy and as such stands as a fundamental element in the public space.