Evaluation of control and surveillance strategies for classical swine fever using a simulation model

Classical swine fever (CSF) outbreaks can cause enormous losses in naïve pig populations. How to best minimize the economic damage and number of culled animals caused by CSF is therefore an important research area. The baseline CSF control strategy in the European Union and Switzerland consists of culling all animals in infected herds, movement restrictions for animals, material and people within a given distance to the infected herd and epidemiological tracing of transmission contacts. Additional disease control measures such as pre-emptive culling or vaccination have been recommended based on the results from several simulation models; however, these models were parameterized for areas with high animal densities. The objective of this study was to explore whether pre-emptive culling and emergency vaccination should also be recommended in low- to moderate-density areas such as Switzerland. Additionally, we studied the influence of initial outbreak conditions on outbreak severity to improve the efficiency of disease prevention and surveillance. A spatial, stochastic, individual-animal-based simulation model using all registered Swiss pig premises in 2009 (n=9770) was implemented to quantify these relationships. The model simulates within-herd and between-herd transmission (direct and indirect contacts and local area spread). By varying the four parameters (a) control measures, (b) index herd type (breeding, fattening, weaning or mixed herd), (c) detection delay for secondary cases during an outbreak and (d) contact tracing probability, 112 distinct scenarios were simulated. To assess the impact of scenarios on outbreak severity, daily transmission rates were compared between scenarios. Compared with the baseline strategy (stamping out and movement restrictions) vaccination and pre-emptive culling neither reduced outbreak size nor duration. Outbreaks starting in a herd with weaning piglets or fattening pigs caused higher losses regarding to the number of culled premises and were longer lasting than those starting in the two other index herd types. Similarly, larger transmission rates were estimated for these index herd type outbreaks. A longer detection delay resulted in more culled premises and longer duration and better transmission tracing increased the number of short outbreaks. Based on the simulation results, baseline control strategies seem sufficient to control CSF in low-medium animal-dense areas. Early detection of outbreaks is crucial and risk-based surveillance should be focused on weaning piglet and fattening pig premises.

Paper-like electronic displays: Large-area rubber-stamped plastic sheets of electronics and microencapsulated electrophoretic inks

Electronic systems that use rugged lightweight plastics potentially offer attractive characteristics (low-cost processing, mechanical flexibility, large area coverage, etc.) that are not easily achieved with established silicon technologies. This paper summarizes work that demonstrates many of these characteristics in a realistic system: organic active matrix backplane circuits (256 transistors) for large (≈5 × 5-inch) mechanically flexible sheets of electronic paper, an emerging type of display. The success of this effort relies on new or improved processing techniques and materials for plastic electronics, including methods for (i) rubber stamping (microcontact printing) high-resolution (≈1 μm) circuits with low levels of defects and good registration over large areas, (ii) achieving low leakage with thin dielectrics deposited onto surfaces with relief, (iii) constructing high-performance organic transistors with bottom contact geometries, (iv) encapsulating these transistors, (v) depositing, in a repeatable way, organic semiconductors with uniform electrical characteristics over large areas, and (vi) low-temperature (≈100°C) annealing to increase the on/off ratios of the transistors and to improve the uniformity of their characteristics. The sophistication and flexibility of the patterning procedures, high level of integration on plastic substrates, large area coverage, and good performance of the transistors are all important features of this work. We successfully integrate these circuits with microencapsulated electrophoretic “inks” to form sheets of electronic paper.

1992 census of manufactures.

Mode of access: Internet.

Modern cookery in all its branches : embracing a series of plain and simple instructions to private families and others, for the careful and judicious preparation of every variety of food as drawn from practical observation and experience /

Publisher's advertisements at end.

1987 census of manufactures.

Mode of access: Internet.

Oevvre de la diversite des termes, dont on vse en architecture,

Signatures: A-K⁴.

The little handbook; a buyer's guide for stampings and tank heads, with certain useful mathematical tables and formulae.

Book No. 2.

History of Weymouth, Massachusetts. Published by the Weymouth historical society, Howard H. Joy, president. Under direction of the town.

Specially bound in red moracco with gold stamping on covers and spine.

How plants are trained to work for man /

Green publishers cloth binding with blind stamping on front and back cover, gilt on spine, and pictorial endpapers depicting [Demeter?] distributing produce from a cornucopia into a field.

Análise do uso de escalas nas simulações de processos de estampagem

The purpose of using software based on numerical approximations for metal forming is given by the need to ensure process efficiency in order to get high quality products at lowest cost and shortest time. This study uses the theory of similitude in order to develop a technique capable of simulating the stamping process of a metal sheet, obtaining results close to the real values, with shorter processing times. The results are obtained through simulations performed in the finite element software STAMPACK®. This software uses the explicit integration method in time, which is usually applied to solve nonlinear problems involving contact, such as the metal forming processes. The technique was developed from a stamping model of a square box, simulated with four different scale factors, two higher and two smaller than the real scale. The technique was validated with a bending model of a welded plate, which had a high simulation time. The application of the technique allowed over 50% of decrease in the time of simulation. The results for the application of the scale technique for forming plates were satisfactory, showing good quantitative results related to the decrease of the total time of simulation. Finally, it is noted that the decrease in simulation time is only possible with the use of two related scales, the geometric and kinematic scale. The kinematic scale factors should be used with caution, because the high speeds can cause dynamic problems and could influence the results of the simulations.

Fluidic flow delay by ionogel passive pumps in microfluidic paper-based analytical devices

[EN] A new concept for fluid flow manipulation in microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (m-PADs) is presented by introducing ionogel materials as passive pumps. m-PADs were fabricated using a new doubleside contact stamping process and ionogels were precisely photopolymerised at the inlet of the m-PADs.The ionogels remain mainly on the surface of the paper and get absorbed in the superficial paper-fibers allowing for the liquid to flow from the ionogel into the paper easily. As a proof of concept the fluid flowand mixing behaviour of two different ionogels mPADs were compared with the non-treated mPADs.It was demonstrated that both ionogels highly affect the fluid flow by delaying the flow due to their different physical and chemical properties and water holding capacities.

La Blockchain: aspetti crittografici e applicazioni

La Blockchain è un deposito di dati distribuito costituito da una lista di record (in continua crescita) resistente a modifiche e revisioni, anche da parte degli operatori dei nodi (computer) su cui risiede. I dati sono sicuri anche in presenza di partecipanti non affidabili o disonesti alla rete. Una copia totale o parziale della blockchain è memorizzata su tutti i nodi. I record contenuti sono di due tipi: le transazioni, che sono i dati veri e propri, e i blocchi, che sono la registrazione di quanto ed in quale ordine le transazioni sono state inserite in modo indelebile nel database. Le transazioni sono create dai partecipanti alla rete nelle loro operazioni (per esempio, trasferimento di valuta ad un altro utente), mentre i blocchi sono generati da partecipanti speciali, i cosiddetti “miners”, che utilizzano software e a volte hardware specializzato per creare i blocchi. L’attività dei miners viene ricompensata con l’assegnazione di “qualcosa”, nel caso della rete Bitcoin di un certo numero di unità di valuta. Spesso negli esempi si fa riferimento alla Blockchain di Bitcoin perché è la catena di blocchi implementata per prima, e l'unica ad avere una dimensione consistente. Le transazioni, una volta create, vengono distribuite sui nodi con un protocollo del tipo “best effort”. La validità di una transazione viene verificata attraverso il consenso dei nodi della rete sulla base di una serie di parametri, che variano secondo l’implementazione specifica dell’architettura. Una volta verificata come valida, la transazione viene inserita nel primo blocco libero disponibile. Per evitare che ci sia una duplicazione delle informazioni l’architettura prevede un sistema di time stamping, che non richiede un server centralizzato.

Long-term assessment of wild boar harvesting and cattle removal for bovine tuberculosis control in free ranging populations

Wild boar is a recognized reservoir of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in the Mediterranean ecosystems, but information is scarce outside of hotspots in southern Spain. We describe the first high-prevalence focus of TB in a non-managed wild boar population in northern Spain and the result of eight years of TB management. Measures implemented for disease control included the control of the local wild boar population through culling and stamping out of a sympatric infected cattle herd. Post-mortem inspection for detection of tuberculosis-like lesions as well as cultures from selected head and cervical lymph nodes was done in 745 wild boar, 355 Iberian ibexes and five cattle between 2004 and 2012. The seasonal prevalence of TB reached 70% amongst adult wild boar and ten different spoligotypes and 13 MIRU-VNTR profiles were detected, although more than half of the isolates were included in the same clonal complex. Only 11% of infected boars had generalized lesions. None of the ibexes were affected, supporting their irrelevance in the epidemiology of TB. An infected cattle herd grazed the zone where 168 of the 197 infected boars were harvested. Cattle removal and wild boar culling together contributed to a decrease in TB prevalence. The need for holistic, sustained over time, intensive and adapted TB control strategies taking into account the multi-host nature of the disease is highlighted. The potential risk for tuberculosis emergence in wildlife scenarios where the risk is assumed to be low should be addressed.

Proyecto de Emprendimiento Unicornio

La idea de negocio consiste en la fabricación y venta al público de maletines personalizables, que el cliente pueda escoger su el color, material, forma e inclusive su estampado, cuántos bolsillos debería tener y dónde los debe tener. Lo que hace que el proyecto sea sostenible en el tiempo consiste en los diseños creativos e innovadores, además del hecho de que la producción no se va realizar en masa y cada diseño va ser pensado en su dueño gracias a las características que el cliente pone en el diseño y también en el proceso de interacción con el cliente, de manera que se le aplicará un cuestionario que nos diga más de para qué lo usa y cómo espera que sea. Así pues la gran ventaja la hace el capital humano y la especialización del producto y sus accesorios a unas necesidades puntuales. El proyecto está en estado de creación aún, sin embargo se ha dialogado con posibles proveedores, entre ellos el fabricante de maletines “ZAKbolsos” quien ha expresado poder hacer posible la voluntad de fabricar bajo pedido sin número de unidades determinada de un modelo específico modelo que es similar al que actualmente aplican que es fabricación sobre pedido del cliente y venta en punto físico, con más de 5 años de experiencia en el sector, y además con experiencia en producción para empresas. En cuanto aliado se tiene a la empresa de David Vargas, llamada Guio quien tiene la experiencia en pauta de mercadeo, desarrollo de producto y posicionamiento del mismo. David Vargas tiene la profesión de diseñador industrial, y finalmente el emprendedor (yo), quien es administrador de negocios internacionales. La inversión se va poder recuperar en 36 meses, puesto que la inversión de capital en el primer periodo es intensivo y esto se calcula con la venta de 14 maletines al mes, lo cual es aceptable teniendo en cuenta que el mercado crece a cifras del 12% anual. El margen de contribución es del 43% y la TIR es de 38%. Adicionalmente la flexibilidad financiera es grande puesto que no hay mayores costos fijos aparte del sueldo del emprendedor. La empresa va crecer a través de posicionamiento de marca y diferenciación de diseños con la competencia que en general tiende a llegar al cliente corporativo en vez de al cliente final con esta propuesta de personalización. Las ventajas competitivas van a ser sustentadas en la orientación al cliente, en hacerle percibir al mismo una calidad superior y una propuesta que se base en la diferenciación y el posicionamiento de marca.