Immigration et alimentation à Montréal aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles : essai d’interprétation à partir d’analyses isotopiques sur des populations archéologiques

Afin d’étudier l’influence de la migration sur l’alimentation à Montréal aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, 64 individus de la collection du cimetière Notre-Dame, daté de 1691 à 1796, ont fait l’objet d’analyses ostéologiques et isotopiques. Les analyses isotopiques ont portées sur le carbone (d13C) et l’azote (d15N) du collagène des os, ainsi que sur le d13C et l’oxygène (d18O) du carbonate de l’apatite des os et des dents (prémolaires et troisièmes molaires). Le d18O des dents a permis de définir approximativement trois régions d’origine (région de Montréal, région enrichie en 18O (i.e. Acadie, Louisiane, Nouvelle-Angleterre, France, Antilles et Afrique) et région appauvrie en 18O (intérieur des terres et plus au nord) pour 58 individus, et sept possibles parcours migratoire (N=27). Plus de la moitié de l’échantillon est composé d’individus possiblement natifs de Montréal (55 %). De plus, les résultats indiquent que les gens étaient peu mobiles avant l’âge de 16 ans. Toutefois, 12 individus ont entrepris des déplacements entre 7 et 16 ans, majoritairement d’un environnement enrichi vers Montréal (N=5) ou de Montréal vers une région appauvrie (N=5). L’âge de recrutement des mousses sur les navires, la traite de la fourrure, la coupe du bois et possiblement aussi l’esclavage pourraient expliquer cette « jeune » migration. Sur le plan alimentaire, les végétaux de type C3, la viande nourrie aux ressources C3 et le poisson faisaient partie du menu montréalais. Les plantes C4 (majoritairement maïs mais aussi sucre de canne [rhum]) étaient consommées en quantité variable. La question de l’influence de la migration sur l’alimentation n’a pu être explorée en profondeur en raison de contraintes liées à la contamination du d18O du carbonate des os. La combinaison des données ostéologiques et isotopiques à la distribution spatiale des sépultures, a permis d’étudier un aspect de l’archéologie funéraire à l’échelle individuelle (identité possible), sans toutefois fournir de résultats probants, à l’échelle du cimetière et de son organisation globale.

Influence Of Additives On The Drain Down Characteristics Of Stone Matrix Asphalt Mixtures

In Kerala highways, where traditional dense graded mixtures are used for the surface courses, major distress is due to moisture induced damages. Development of stabilized Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) mixtures for improved pavement performance has been the focus of research all over the world for the past few decades. Many successful attempts are made to stabilize SMA mixtures with synthetic fibres and polymers. India, being an agricultural economy produces fairly huge quantity of natural fibres such as coconut, sisal, banana, sugar cane, jute etc.. Now- a -days the disposal of waste plastics is a major concern for an eco- friendly sustainable environment. This paper focuses on the influence of additives like coir, sisal, banana fibres (natural fibres), waste plastics (waste material) and polypropylene (polymer) on the drain down characteristics of SMA mixtures. A preliminary investigation is conducted to characterize the materials used in this study. Drain down sensitivity tests are conducted to study the bleeding phenomena and drain down of SMA mixtures. Based on the drain down characteristics of the various stabilized mixtures it is inferred that the optimum fibre content is 0.3% by weight of mixture for all fibre mixtures irrespective of the type of fibre. For waste plastics and polypropylene stabilized SMA mixtures, the optimum additive contents are respectively 7% and 5% by weight of mixture. Due to the absorptive nature of fibres, fibre stabilizers are found to be more effective in reducing the drain down of the SMA mixture. The drain values for the waste plastics mix is within the required specification range. The coir fibre additive is the best among the fibres investigated. Sisal and banana fibre mixtures showed almost the same characteristics on stabilization.

Studies On Strength Characteristics Of Soil Mixed With Bio-Waste

Researches are always in quest for finding innovative methods for ground improvement using sustainable and environmental friendly solutions. Theproduction of large quantity of biowastes all over the world faces serious problems of handling and disposal. Coir pith is a biowaste from coir industry and sugarcane baggase is another biowaste obtained after extractingjuice from sugar cane. So the present study is an investigation into the effect of coir pith and sugarcane baggase on some geotechnical properties of red earth. The investigation includes study on variation of properties such as O.M.C, maximum dry density, C.B.R. values,unconfined compressive strength and permeability when these materials are included in soil. Several conclusions are arrived at, on the basis of the experiments conducted and it may be helpful for predicting the behavior of such soil matrix

Studies on Landfill Leachate Transportation and Its Impact on Soil Characteristics

Leachate from an untreated landfill or landfill with damaged liners will cause the pollution of soil and ground water. Here an attempt was made to generate knowledge on concentrations of all relevant pollutants in soil due to municipal solid waste landfill leachate and its migration through soil and also to study the effect of leachate on the engineering properties of soil. To identify the pollutants in soil due to the leachate generated from municipal solid waste landfill site, a case study on an unlined municipal solid waste landfill at Kalamassery has been done. Soil samples as well as water samples were collected from the site and analysed to identify the pollutants and its effect on soil characteristics. The major chemicals in the soil were identified as Ammonia, Chloride, Nitrate, Iron, Nickel, Chromium, Cadmium etc.. Engineering properties of field soil samples show that the chemicals from the leachate of landfill may have effect on the engineering properties of soil. Laboratory experiments were formulated to model the field around an unlined MSW landfill using two different soils subjected to a synthetic leachate. The Maximum change in chemical concentration and engineering property was observed on soil samples at a radial distance of 0.2 m and at a depth of 0.3 m. The pollutant (chemicals) transport pattern through the soil was also studied using synthetic leachate. To establish the effect of pollutants (chemicals) on engineering properties of soil, experiments were conducted on two types soils treated with the synthetic chemicals at four different concentrations. Analyses were conducted after maturing periods of 7, 50, 100 and 150 days. Test soils treated with maximum chemical concentration and matured for 150 days were showing major change in the properties. To visualize the flow of pollutants through soil in a broader sense, the transportation of pollutants through soil was modeled using software ‘Visual MODFLOW’. The actual field data collected for the case study was used to calibrate the modelling and thus simulated the flow pattern of the pollutants through soil around Kalamassery municipal solid waste landfill for an extent of 4 km2. Flow was analysed for a time span of 30 years in which the landfill was closed after 20 years. The concentration of leachate beneath the landfill was observed to be reduced considerably within one year after closure of landfill and within 8 years, it gets lowered to a negligible level. As an environmensstal management measure to control the pollution through leachate, permeable reactive barriers are used as an emerging technology. Here the suitability of locally available materials like coir pith, rice husk and sugar cane bagasse were investigated as reactive media in permeable reactive barrier. The test results illustrates that, among these, coir pith was showing better performance with maximum percentage reduction in concentration of the filtrate. All these three agricultural wastes can be effectively utilized as a reactive material. This research establishes the influence of leachate of municipal solid waste landfill on the engineering properties of soil. The factors such as type of the soil, composition of leachate, infiltration rate, aquifers, ground water table etc., will have a major role on the area of influence zone of the pollutants in a landfill. Software models of the landfill area can be used to predict the extent and the time span of pollution of a landfill, by inputting the accurate field parameters and leachate characteristics. The present study throws light on the role of agro waste materials on the reduction of the pollution in leachate and thus prevents the groundwater and soil from contamination

Salinity-induced changes in the microbial use of sugarcane filter cake added to soil

Five laboratory incubation experiments were carried out to assess the salinity-induced changes in the microbial use of sugarcane filter cake added to soil. The first laboratory experiment was carried out to prove the hypothesis that the lower content of fungal biomass in a saline soil reduces the decomposition of a complex organic substrate in comparison to a non-saline soil under acidic conditions. Three different rates (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0%) of sugarcane filter cake were added to both soils and incubated for 63 days at 30°C. In the saline control soil without amendment, cumulative CO2 production was 70% greater than in the corresponding non-saline control soil, but the formation of inorganic N did not differ between these two soils. However, nitrification was inhibited in the saline soil. The increase in cumulative CO2 production by adding filter cake was similar in both soils, corresponding to 29% of the filter cake C at all three addition rates. Also the increases in microbial biomass C and biomass N were linearly related to the amount of filter cake added, but this increase was slightly higher for both properties in the saline soil. In contrast to microbial biomass, the absolute increase in ergosterol content in the saline soil was on average only half that in the non-saline soil and it showed also strong temporal changes during the incubation: A strong initial increase after adding the filter cake was followed by a rapid decline. The addition of filter cake led to immobilisation of inorganic N in both soils. This immobilisation was not expected, because the total C-to-total N ratio of the filter cake was below 13 and the organic C-to-organic N ratio in the 0.5 M K2SO4 extract of this material was even lower at 9.2. The immobilisation was considerably higher in the saline soil than in the non-saline soil. The N immobilisation capacity of sugarcane filter cake should be considered when this material is applied to arable sites at high rations. The second incubation experiment was carried out to examine the N immobilizing effect of sugarcane filter cake (C/N ratio of 12.4) and to investigate whether mixing it with compost (C/N ratio of 10.5) has any synergistic effects on C and N mineralization after incorporation into the soil. Approximately 19% of the compost C added and 37% of the filter cake C were evolved as CO2, assuming that the amendments had no effects on the decomposition of soil organic C. However, only 28% of the added filter cake was lost according to the total C and d13C values. Filter cake and compost contained initially significant concentrations of inorganic N, which was nearly completely immobilized between day 7 and 14 of the incubation in most cases. After day 14, N re-mineralization occurred at an average rate of 0.73 µg N g-1 soil d-1 in most amendment treatments, paralleling the N mineralization rate of the non-amended control without significant difference. No significant net N mineralization from the amendment N occurred in any of the amendment treatments in comparison to the control. The addition of compost and filter cake resulted in a linear increase in microbial biomass C with increasing amounts of C added. This increase was not affected by differences in substrate quality, especially the three times larger content of K2SO4 extractable organic C in the sugarcane filter cake. In most amendment treatments, microbial biomass C and biomass N increased until the end of the incubation. No synergistic effects could be observed in the mixture treatments of compost and sugarcane filter cake. The third 42-day incubation experiment was conducted to answer the questions whether the decomposition of sugarcane filter cake also result in immobilization of nitrogen in a saline alkaline soil and whether the mixing of sugarcane filter cake with glucose (adjusted to a C/N ratio of 12.5 with (NH4)2SO4) change its decomposition. The relative percentage CO2 evolved increased from 35% of the added C in the pure 0.5% filter cake treatment to 41% in the 0.5% filter cake +0.25% glucose treatment to 48% in the 0.5% filter cake +0.5% glucose treatment. The three different amendment treatments led to immediate increases in microbial biomass C and biomass N within 6 h that persisted only in the pure filter cake treatment until the end of the incubation. The fungal cell-membrane component ergosterol showed initially an over-proportionate increase in relation to microbial biomass C that fully disappeared at the end of the incubation. The cellulase activity showed a 5-fold increase after filter cake addition, which was not further increased by the additional glucose amendment. The cellulase activity showed an exponential decline to values around 4% of the initial value in all treatments. The amount of inorganic N immobilized from day 0 to day 14 increased with increasing amount of C added in comparison to the control treatment. Since day 14, the immobilized N was re-mineralized at rates between 1.31 and 1.51 µg N g-1 soil d-1 in the amendment treatments and was thus more than doubled in comparison with the control treatment. This means that the re-mineralization rate is independent from the actual size of the microbial residues pool and also independent from the size of the soil microbial biomass. Other unknown soil properties seem to form a soil-specific gate for the release of inorganic N. The fourth incubation experiment was carried out with the objective of assessing the effects of salt additions containing different anions (Cl-, SO42-, HCO3-) on the microbial use of sugarcane filter cake and dhancha leaves amended to inoculated sterile quartz sand. In the subsequent fifth experiment, the objective was to assess the effects of inoculum and temperature on the decomposition of sugar cane filter cake. In the fourth experiment, sugarcane filter cake led to significantly lower respiration rates, lower contents of extractable C and N, and lower contents of microbial biomass C and N than dhancha leaves, but to a higher respiratory quotient RQ and to a higher content of the fungal biomarker ergosterol. The RQ was significantly increased after salt addition, when comparing the average of all salinity treatments with the control. Differences in anion composition had no clear effects on the RQ values. In experiment 2, the rise in temperature from 20 to 40°C increased the CO2 production rate by a factor of 1.6, the O2 consumption rate by a factor of 1.9 and the ergosterol content by 60%. In contrast, the contents of microbial biomass N decreased by 60% and the RQ by 13%. The effects of the inoculation with a saline soil were in most cases negative and did not indicate a better adaptation of these organisms to salinity. The general effects of anion composition on microbial biomass and activity indices were small and inconsistent. Only the fraction of 0.5 M K2SO4 extractable C and N in non-fumigated soil was consistently increased in the 1.2 M NaHCO3 treatment of both experiments. In contrast to the small salinity effects, the quality of the substrate has overwhelming effects on microbial biomass and activity indices, especially on the fungal part of the microbial community.

Opportunities and constraints of peri-urban buffalo and dairy cattle systems in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

In the big cities of Pakistan, peri-urban dairy production plays an important role for household income generation and the supply of milk and meat to the urban population. On the other hand, milk production in general, and peri-urban dairy production in particular, faces numerous problems that have been well known for decades. Peri-urban dairy producers have been especially neglected by politicians as well as non-government-organizations (NGOs). Against this background, a study in Pakistan’s third largest city, Faisalabad (Punjab Province), was carried out with the aims of gathering basic information, determining major constraints and identifying options for improvements of the peri-urban milk production systems. For data collection, 145 peri-urban households (HH) engaged in dairy production were interviewed face to face using a structured and pretested questionnaire with an interpreter. For analyses, HH were classified into three wealth groups according to their own perception. Thus, 38 HH were poor, 95 HH well off and 12 HH rich (26.2%, 65.5% and 8.3%, respectively). The richer the respondents perceived their HH, the more frequently they were actually in possession of high value HH assets like phones, bank accounts, motorbikes, tractors and cars. Although there was no difference between the wealth groups with respect to the number of HH members (about 10, range: 1 to 23), the educational level of the HH heads differed significantly: on average, heads of poor HH had followed education for 3 years, compared to 6 years for well off HH and 8 years for rich HH. About 40% of the poor and well off HH also had off-farm incomes, while the percentage was much higher - two thirds (67%) - for the rich HH. The majority of the HH were landless (62%); the rest (55 HH) possessed agricultural land from 0.1 to 10.1 ha (average 2.8 ha), where they were growing green fodder: maize, sorghum and pearl millet in summer; berseem, sugar cane and wheat were grown in winter. Dairy animals accounted for about 60% of the herds; the number of dairy animals per HH ranged from 2 to 50 buffaloes (Nili-Ravi breed) and from 0 to 20 cows (mostly crossbred, also Sahiwal). About 37% (n=54) of the HH did not keep cattle. About three quarters of the dairy animals were lactating. The majority of the people taking care of the animals were family workers; 17.3% were hired labourers (exclusively male), employed by 11 rich and 32 well off HH; none of the poor HH employed workers, but the percentages were 33.7% for the well off and 91.7% for the rich HH. The total number of workers increased significantly with increasing wealth (poor: 2.0; well off:2.5; rich: 3.4). Overall, 69 female labourers were recorded, making up 16.8% of employed workers and one fourth of the HH’s own labourers. Apparently, their only duty was to clean the animals´ living areas; only one of them was also watering and showering the animals. Poor HH relied more on female workers than the other two groups: 27.1% of the workers of poor HH were women, but only 14.8% and 6.8% of the labour force of well off and rich HH were female. Two thirds (70%) of the HH sold milk to dhodis (middlemen) and one third (35%) to neighbours; three HH (2%) did doorstep delivery and one HH (1%) had its own shop. The 91 HH keeping both species usually sold mixed milk (97%). Clients for mixed and pure buffalo milk were dhodis (78%, respectively 59%) and neighbours (28%, respectively 47%). The highest milk prices per liter (Pakistani Rupees, 100 PKR @ 0.8 Euro) were paid by alternative clients (44 PKR; 4 HH), followed by neighbours (40 PKR, 50 HH); dhodis paid lower prices (36 PKR, 99 HH). Prices for pure buffalo and mixed milk did not differ significantly. However, HH obtaining the maximum price from the respective clients for the respective type of milk got between 20% (mixed milk, alternative clients) and 68% (mixed milk, dhodi) more than HH fetching the minimum price. Some HH (19%) reported 7% higher prices for the current summer than the preceding winter. Amount of milk sold and distance from the HH to the city center did not influence milk prices. Respondents usually named problems that directly affected their income and that were directly and constantly visible to them, such as high costs, little space and fodder shortages. Other constraints that are only influencing their income indirectly, e.g. the relatively low genetic potential of their animals due to neglected breeding as well as the short- and long-term health problems correlated with imbalanced feeding and insufficient health care, were rarely named. The same accounts for problems accompanying improper dung management (storage, disposal, burning instead of recycling) for the environment and human health. Most of the named problems are linked to each other and should be addressed within the context of the entire system. Therefore, further research should focus on systematic investigations and improvement options, taking a holistic and interdisciplinary approach instead of only working in single fields. Concerted efforts of dairy farmers, researchers, NGOs and political decision makers are necessary to create an economic, ecological and social framework that allows dairy production to serve the entire society. For this, different improvement options should be tested in terms of their impact on environment and income of the farmers, as well as feasibility and sustainability in the peri-urban zones of Faisalabad.

Diseño de un plan de mejoramiento para el sector panelero en el municipio de Santana - Boyacá

El siguiente trabajo de grado se desarrolla para el sector panelero en el municipio de Santana – Boyacá, ubicado en la Hoya del Río Suárez, lugar en donde la producción de panela constituye la actividad económica más importante de la región. El objetivo del trabajo es la formulación de una estrategia que permita el fortalecimiento de dicho sector, de tal manera que se pueda mejorar la situación actual del mismo. A lo largo del estudio se analizan diferentes factores que recaen en la situación actual del sector; después de utilizar las herramientas del Modelo Matricial y realizar diversas encuestas a paneleros y consumidores, se plantea y evalúa la alternativa que conlleve a la implementación de formas de cooperativismo como solución. Se define el cooperativismo como oportunidad de mejora, ya que por medio del trabajo en equipo y la consolidación de esfuerzos se conseguirían grandes beneficios para el sector; tales como: reconocimiento de marca, mejores condiciones laborales, estabilidad en precios y grandes oportunidades de innovación. La solución propuesta de unificar productores paneleros se compone del establecimiento de un fondo panelero, encargado de mantener precios estándar para los productores y protegerlos de la volatilidad que los caracteriza. La cooperativa organizaría a los productores, además de asegurar la comercialización e incentivar el consumo de panela en el municipio de Santana-Boyacá.

Propuesta de comercialización de panela desde Chitaraque Boyacá, hacia Estados Unidos

En Colombia la producción de panela es básicamente artesanal, por lo cual no se registra un gran volumen de exportaciones. Este producto es comúnmente conocido como sustituto del azúcar y dentro del país su consumo es casi igual a su producción. A pesar de lo anterior, con el presente proyecto estamos buscando abrir espacios de comercialización de la panela hacia el exterior, más específicamente con destino a la ciudad de New York – Estados Unidos, dirigido a la población latina que se encuentra en dicha ciudad. Para incentivar las ventas de nuestro producto, haremos énfasis en los beneficios nutricionales y medicinales de la panela, que aún no son conocidos por el mercado objetivo. Además, según el estudio de mercados realizado, las presentaciones con mayor acogida por los consumidores son: panela granulada y panela en cubitos, que se comercializarán en frascos plásticos y en cajas de cartón respectivamente. Para ambas referencias las presentaciones serán identificadas con el logo de la empresa, además de la bandera de nuestro país. El empaque en su etiqueta mostrará la tabla nutricional como su forma de preparación, la etiqueta estará en los dos idiomas: inglés y español. Finalmente, el término de negociación utilizado será FOB puerto colombiano, con medio de pago carta de crédito ya que brinda la confianza y seguridad de llevar a feliz término el acuerdo pactado en una negociación de comercio exterior.

Importación de panela en polvo y en sobres de sabores de Colombia hacia Argentina estudio realizado desde Buenos Aires - Argentina

Con el nacimiento de la globalización y su idea de integración de naciones para crear un solo mercado, se crea la necesidad en las empresas de expandir sus productos hacia nuevas fronteras para crear así empresas multiculturales que se adapten a los cambios constantes del entorno. Es allí donde nace el concepto de Unidad Estratégica de Negocio (UEN), la cual se puede definir como una subdivisión de una empresa, es una unidad de la empresa que tiene misión y objetivos aparte que se pueden planear con independencia de los demás negocios de la empresa1 . La panela es un producto Colombiano que nace de la extracción del jugo de la caña de azúcar, se consume fría o caliente de acuerdo a la preferencia del consumidor; hoy en día Doña panela, una de las empresas productoras de panela más grande del país, ha sacado al mercado una presentación de panela instantánea en cubos y sobres de diferentes sabores. Doña panela es una empresa que cuenta con todos los estándares legales establecidos para exportar y desde hace algunos años exporta hacia países como Corea del sur, ecuador y Estados Unidos; Siendo así, y gracias a la experiencia vivida en Argentina, se establece la idea de crear una Unidad Estratégica de Negocio de Doña panela en el bello país de Argentina.

Análisis de las repercusiones de los subsidios agrícolas en Estados Unidos, sobre los precios internacionales del azúcar

A lo largo de los años, los subsidios agrícolas han desestabilizado el mercado internacional, por ello varios miembros de la OMC (Organización Mundial del Comercio) se han visto en la necesidad de poner en marcha planes y reformas a sus políticas comerciales las cuales tienen que ver generalmente con la liberación de barreras comerciales y la lucha contra los subsidios impuestos por países como Estados Unidos, Japón, Canadá y la Unión Europea. Estos subsidios afectan sobre todo a países en vías de desarrollo que tienen un carácter de productores, y los cuales están recurriendo a la importación de alimentos gracias a estos subsidios. Por las razones anteriores, este trabajo de investigación se centró en realizar un análisis de los efectos que tienen los subsidios agrícolas, otorgados por Estados Unidos, en el sector de la caña de azúcar en Colombia. En este sentido se analizará hasta que punto estos subsidios afectarán al sub-sector y se demostrará que la sobreproducción que generan los subsidios tiene una incidencia directa en la caída de los precios internacionales Para desarrollar este problema, se analizarán las distintas leyes agrícolas que ha tenido Estados Unidos en los últimos años, sobre todo la última que firmó el Presidente Barack Obama (Agriculture Act 2014) y cómo estas han venido inquietando cada vez más el comercio internacional, afectando sobre todo los precios internacionales de varios productos agrícolas. Además se analizará cuáles son las consecuencias que va a traer esta ley para el sub-sector de la caña de azúcar en Colombia.

Proyecto de prefactibilidad para un plan de negocios en la diversificación de productos de la panela en una finca productora de caña de azúcar

Estudiar la viabilidad dentro de un alcance de pre-factibilidad la diversificación de productos de origen de la caña de azúcar para el mercado colombiano y posibles mercados de exportación, principalmente hacia países con que se han firmado tratados de libre comercio, a través del desarrollo de un Plan de Negocio, que permita la evaluación de alternativas que facilite la toma de decisiones tanto para los inversionistas actuales respecto al presente y futuro de la explotación agrícola de la finca, en este renglón de tradición en la zona.

Estudio del impacto ambiental del uso del bagazo como fuente de energía en centrales azucareros en Cuba. Estudio de caso "Melanio Hernández"

This work was carried out to study the environmental impacts produced by power generation from biomass (bagasse) in sugar mills in Cuba. For this purpose, with the collaboration of the Center for Energy and Industrial Processes (CEEPI), the University Center of Sancti Spiritus and using different research methods and techniques, conducted an environmental survey of the area. Gaseous emissions were characterized and the suspended solid particles, allowing knowing that these concentrations do not exceed the maximum emission limit set by the cubana Standard. In addition, the dispersion model applied DISPER allowed us to obtain information in crisis conditions of air emissions from sugar mill and distillery associated and concluded that emissions from the distillery are the pollutants that contribute more the atmosphere. The correlating emissions with respiratory diseases, (acute respiratory infections or subacute (IRA) and ASMA), concurrent Asthma Crisis (CAB) is the most affected. The calculated costs associated in these diseases, amounting to $ 119 599.23 per year. In order to minimize the negative alternatives are proposed to be implemented in industry and community.

Museu da Abolição, “The Museum That We Want”

Museu da Abolição [Abolition Museum] was inaugurated in 1983 in the city of Recife, one of the largest cities of north-eastern Brazil, located in the state of Pernambuco. This state has a special place in the history of the country: it dates back to the colonization efforts, to the first interactions between Europeans and native peoples and the exploration of sugar cane production. Today, the region embodies not only Brazilian cultural wealth and diversity, but also the great social challenges of contemporary Brazil. The name of the museum is a reference to the Abolition of black slavery in Brazil at the end of the 19th century. A museum addressing abolition means more than addressing a historic fact. It means dealing with ideas on slavery, freedom, resistance, injustice. There are no museums isolated from society, whatever their social function. For a museum such as this one, which was created with the responsibility for a theme that echoes so strongly in the lives of men and women, the challenge of finding its place in the world has always been present.

Comparison of energy evaluation systems and a mechanistic model for milk production by dairy cattle offered fresh grass-based diets

Grass-based diets are of increasing social-economic importance in dairy cattle farming, but their low supply of glucogenic nutrients may limit the production of milk. Current evaluation systems that assess the energy supply and requirements are based on metabolisable energy (ME) or net energy (NE). These systems do not consider the characteristics of the energy delivering nutrients. In contrast, mechanistic models take into account the site of digestion, the type of nutrient absorbed and the type of nutrient required for production of milk constituents, and may therefore give a better prediction of supply and requirement of nutrients. The objective of the present study is to compare the ability of three energy evaluation systems, viz. the Dutch NE system, the agricultural and food research council (AFRC) ME system, and the feed into milk (FIM) ME system, and of a mechanistic model based on Dijkstra et al. [Simulation of digestion in cattle fed sugar cane: prediction of nutrient supply for milk production with locally available supplements. J. Agric. Sci., Cambridge 127, 247-60] and Mills et al. [A mechanistic model of whole-tract digestion and methanogenesis in the lactating dairy cow: model development, evaluation and application. J. Anim. Sci. 79, 1584-97] to predict the feed value of grass-based diets for milk production. The dataset for evaluation consists of 41 treatments of grass-based diets (at least 0.75 g ryegrass/g diet on DM basis). For each model, the predicted energy or nutrient supply, based on observed intake, was compared with predicted requirement based on observed performance. Assessment of the error of energy or nutrient supply relative to requirement is made by calculation of mean square prediction error (MSPE) and by concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). All energy evaluation systems predicted energy requirement to be lower (6-11%) than energy supply. The root MSPE (expressed as a proportion of the supply) was lowest for the mechanistic model (0.061), followed by the Dutch NE system (0.082), FIM ME system (0.097) and AFRCME system(0.118). For the energy evaluation systems, the error due to overall bias of prediction dominated the MSPE, whereas for the mechanistic model, proportionally 0.76 of MSPE was due to random variation. CCC analysis confirmed the higher accuracy and precision of the mechanistic model compared with energy evaluation systems. The error of prediction was positively related to grass protein content for the Dutch NE system, and was also positively related to grass DMI level for all models. In conclusion, current energy evaluation systems overestimate energy supply relative to energy requirement on grass-based diets for dairy cattle. The mechanistic model predicted glucogenic nutrients to limit performance of dairy cattle on grass-based diets, and proved to be more accurate and precise than the energy systems. The mechanistic model could be improved by allowing glucose maintenance and utilization requirements parameters to be variable. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative response of the longevity of seed of twelve crops to temperature and moisture in hermetic storage

Seeds of 39 seed lots of a total of twelve different crops were stored hermetically in a wide range of air-dry environments (2-25% moisture content at 0-50 degrees C), viability assessed periodically, and the seed viability equation constants estimated. Within a species, estimates of the constants which quantify absolute longevity (K-E) and the relative effects on longevity of moisture content (C-W) and temperature (C-H and C-Q) did not differ (P >0.05 to P >0.25) among lots. Comparison among the 12 crops provided variant estimates of K-E and C-W (P< 0.01), but common values of C-H and C-Q (0.0322 and 0.000454, respectively, P >0.25). Maize (Zea mays) provided the greatest estimate of K-E (9.993, s.e.= 0.456), followed by sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) (9.381, s.e. 0.428), pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides) (9.336, s.e.= 0.408), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) (8.988, s.e.= 0.387), African rice (Oryza glaberrima) (8.786, s.e.= 0.484), wheat (Triticum aestivum) (8.498, s.e.= 0.431), foxtail millet (Setaria italica) (8.478, s.e.= 0.396), sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) (8.454, s.e.= 0.545), finger millet (Eleusine coracana) (8.288, s.e.= 0.392), kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) (8.138, s.e.= 0.418), rice (Oryza sativa) (8.096, s.e.= 0.416) and potato (Solanum tuberosum) (8.037, s.e.= 0.397). Similarly, estimates of C-W were ranked maize (5.993, s.e.= 0.392), pearl millet (5.540, s.e.= 0.348), sorghum (5.379, s.e.=0.365), potato (5.152, s.e.= 0.347), sugar beet (4.969, s.e.= 0.328), sugar cane (4.964, s.e.= 0.518), foxtail millet (4.829, s.e.= 0.339), wheat (4.836, s.e.= 0.366), African rice (4.727, s.e.= 0.416), kodo millet (4.435, s.e.= 0.360), finger millet (4.345, s.e.= 0.336) and rice (4.246, s.e.= 0.355). The application of these constants to long-term seed storage is discussed.