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The paper describes some associative aspects of various biochemical-genetic markers with the reproduction activity in ewes of the Botosani Karakul breed. The two most important reproduction parameters (fecundity and prolificacy) were analyzed according to the genotypes or phenotypes of polymorph systems (haemoglobin, transferrin, albumin and blood potassium) of females. The relationship between reproduction data and genetic markers in ewes was quantified both for each genotype (phenotype) and for each mating couple type made up depending on the genotype (phenotype) of the couple partners (homozygous x homozygous, homozygous x heterozygous or heterozygous x heterozygous). All these associative aspects and their results are discussed for each polymorph genetic system. The ewes which are heterozygous at different genetic marker loci are more fertile and more prolific than the ewes which are homozygous at the levels of these loci. The highest conception and lambing rates resulted from the mating couples in which both partners were heterozygous and the least lambs were obtained from the mating couples in which both partners were homozygous; the fertility and prolificacy had intermediate values in heterogeneous mating couples (heterozygotes x homozygotes) but they were nearer to the case in which both mating couple partners were heterozygous. The sheep breeding field can benefit by the contribution of biochemical-genetic markers to optimize the selection criteria with a view to increasing the reproduction capacity of this species.

In the last ten years the milk lambs were very demanded on the west European market, especially at the beginning of December and early spring. In this researches was followed the growing speed evolution on crossbreed Charollais x Merinos de Transilvania lambs, from lambing to weaning (70 days). Mother sheep were well prepared before get trough a normal nutrition, depending on the phase of gestation and adequate sheltering conditions. At lambing, sheep had a very good condition and a normal milk production. Crossbreed lambs had maternal milk on ad libitum and from the age of 10 days got in separated enclosures, quality after-grass and granulated combined feeder with 14% PDI in the first 30 days and 12% between 30- 70 days. After the evaluation of the growing speed it was determined that lambs from single lambing, both sexes (F-female, M-male), realize a growing speed, between lambing to weaning (70 days) superior (370g/day), the ones from twin lambing (F-F couple 286g/day, F-M couple 299g/day, M-M couple 302g/zi). The growing speed is significantly higher (p < 0.01) in 30-70 days period, compared with 10-30 days period, both in lambs from single and twin lambing. On the base of this study, we suggest that for obtaining milk lambs with a higher body weight and quality meat, realization of crossbreed lambs between breeds Charollais and Merinos de Transilvania, is opportune. This should be raised with maternal milk and strong feeder, at least until the age of 70 days.

The paper presents experimental results concerning the age importance of the first freshening of the ewes belonging to the Botosani Karakul breed. Some females were mated at an early age (8-9 months old) and others at the normal physiological age (16-18 months old). The influence of early pregnancy and of the one in due time on the production parameters (body weight, body growth and milk production and their evolution, bodily dimensions, lamb pelt features) and reproduction indicators (heat apparition rhythm, their manifestation rate, freshening number in order to the pregnancy be installed, fecundity, prolificacy) was yearly pursued next to 3.5-4 years old. The experimental results point out that the age of the first freshening in the Botosani Karakul sheep (early mating or mating at normal physiological age) does not influence or unsignificantly influences the morpho-production parameters and reproduction indices of the adult animal. But, forwarding the reproduction activity of ewes with an year, a gain of lamb number and of milk production is obtained on the whole productive period of ewes, thus contibuting to streamlining the economic situation of sheep farms specializated for the lamb pelt production.

The paper proposes a simplified formula to estimate the milk production in sheep. The formula is based on using the polynomial of Hermite interpolation of 0 degree. The result constitutes a control value for the milk production parameter. This value is well correlated with the correctly calculated value by a polynomial interpolation of superior degree.

To assist electric utilities to overcome limitations of centralized billing and encourage distributed production of solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity, this study designs and assesses a novel open-source autonomous virtual utility to monitor users and enable peer-to-peer trading. This study provides system design and software implementation of the concept using blockchain technology written in Solidity and Truffle. A set of smart contracts adds users to a system and monitors their demand, PV generation, and facilitates transactions between users on an hourly basis when one user has PV-generated excess electricity, and another has demand. Unit tests for each of the contracts’ methods are developed in Solidity, and data on gas usage and costs is collected. Once the contracts have been written and evaluated, a JavaScript simulation is developed to use the contracts on real load and PV generation data for one year on an hourly basis. The results of two case studies are quantified: 1) true peers, where all houses are prosumers with rooftop PV, and 2) intermittent transition case, where PV deployment and demand are more varied. The results found that with ten users in the system, the true peers case study resulted in an uneconomic number of exchanges, but the intermittent transition case study resulted in more than a factor of twenty increases in exchanges and net cost savings. The savings more than doubles for both cases when time of use pricing is in effect. The system utility increases with more variability of PV production across participating users and is recommended for utilities targeting increases in distributed generation during the energy transition.

Background: Some myopathies can lead to dropped head or bent spine syndrome (DH/BS). The significance of this symptom has not been studied in inflammatory myopathies (IM)., Objectives: To assess the significance of DH/BS in patients with IM., Methods: Practitioners from five IM networks were invited to report patients with IM suffering from DH/BS (without other known cause than IM). IM patients without DH/BS, randomly selected in each participating centre, were included as controls at a ratio of 2 to 1., Results: 49 DH/BS-IM patients (DH: 57.1%, BS: 42.9%) were compared with 98 control-IM patients. DH/BS-IM patients were older (65 years vs 53 years, p<0.0001) and the diagnosis of IM was delayed (6 months vs 3 months, p=0.009). Weakness prevailing in the upper limbs (42.9% vs 15.3%), dysphagia (57.1% vs 25.5%), muscle atrophy (65.3% vs 34.7%), weight loss (61.2% vs 23.5%) and loss of the ability to walk (24.5% vs 5.1%) were hallmarks of DH/BS-IM (p≤0.0005), for which the patients more frequently received intravenous immunoglobulins (65.3% vs 34.7%, p=0.0004). Moreover, DH/BS-IM patients frequently featured signs and/or complications of systemic sclerosis (SSc), fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology criteria for this disease in 40.8% of the cases (vs 5.1%, p<0.0001). Distribution of the myopathy, its severity and its association with SSc were independently associated with DH/BS (p<0.05). Mortality was higher in the DH/BS-IM patients and loss of walking ability was independently associated with survival (p<0.05)., Conclusion: In IM patients, DH/BS is a marker of severity and is associated with SSc (scleromyositis)., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)