1,403 research outputs found
The Effect of Silage Harvester Type on Harvesting Efficiency
Choice of harvesting system can significantly influence production costs. Whether a tractor-powered or self-propelled forage harvester or a self-loading forage wagon system is used will depend on particular circumstances. However, in order to make an informed choice relevant information has to be available. A trial was commissioned by Landmec Pottinger (Ivybridge, UK) and Traynors (Clonmel, Ireland) at this Institute to investigate the performance of a self-propelled forage harvester system and a self-loading forage wagon system
What is the impact of public care on children's welfare? A review of research findings from England and Wales and their policy implications.
The outcomes for children in public care are generally considered to be poor. This has contributed to a focus on reducing the number of children in care: a goal that is made explicit in the provisions of the current Children and Young Persons Bill. Yet while children in care do less well than most children on a range of measures, such comparisons do not disentangle the extent to which these difficulties pre-dated care and the specific impact of care on child welfare. This article explores the specific impact of care through a review of British research since 1991 that provides data on changes in child welfare over time for children in care. Only 12 studies were identified, indicating a lack of research in this important area. The studies consistently found that children entering care tended to have serious problems but that in general their welfare improved over time. This finding is consistent with the international literature. It has important policy implications. Most significantly it suggests that attempts to reduce the use of public care are misguided, and may place more children at risk of serious harm. Instead, it is argued that England and Wales should move toward a Scandinavian system of public care, in which care is seen as a form of family support and is provided for more rather than fewer children and families
Dairy Cow Performance Associated with Two Contrasting Silage Feeding Systems
As a result of increasing labour costs, the lack of skilled labour, and the desire of many farmers to reduce their working hours, there is considerable interest in using simple feeding systems for dairy cows. A study was conducted to compare two silage feeding systems that differed in complexity
Measurement of the ΔS=-ΔQ Amplitude from K_(e3)^0 Decay
We have measured the time distribution of the π^+e^-ν and π^-e^+ν modes from initial K^0's in a spark-chamber experiment performed at the Bevatron. From 1079 events between 0.2 and 7 K_S^0 lifetime, we find ReX=-0.069±0.036, ImX=+0.108_(-0.074)^(+0.092). This result is consistent with X=0 (relative probability = 0.25), but more than 4 standard deviations from the existing world average, +0.14 -0.13i
Angular asymmetries in the reactions pp \to d\pi^+\eta and pn \to d\pi^0\eta and a_0-f_0 mixing
The reactions pp\to d\pi^+\eta and pn\to d\pi^0\eta are of special interest
for investigating the a_0(980) (J^P=0^+) resonance in the process NN \to da_0
\to d\pi\eta. We study some aspects of those reactions within a general
formalism and also in a concrete phenomenological model. In particular, it is
shown that the presence of nonresonant (i.e. without excitation of the a_0
resonance) contributions to these reactions yields nonvanishing values for
specific polarization observables, i.e. to effects like those generated by
a_0-f_0 mixing. An experimental determination of these observables for the
reaction pp\to d\pi^+\eta would provide concrete information on the magnitude
of those nonresonant contributions to \pi\eta production. We discuss also the
possibility of extracting information about a_0-f_0 mixing from the reaction pn
\to d\pi^0\eta with polarized proton beam.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure
Eta and eta-prime meson production in the reaction pn -> dM near threshold
The two-step model with pi-, rho- and omega- exchanges taken into account is
applied to investigate the reactions pn -> d eta and pn -> d eta-prime. The
existing experimental data on the reaction pn -> d eta are analysed and
predictions for the cross section of the reaction pn -> d eta-prime are
presented. It is found that pi- as well as rho exchange yield significant
contributions in both reactions. The effect of the final state interaction is
also studied.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure
Near-Threshold Production of omega Mesons in the pp -> pp omega Reaction
The total cross section for omega production in the pp -> pp omega reaction
has been measured at five c.m. excess energies from 3.8 to 30 MeV. The energy
dependence is easily understood in terms of a strong proton-proton final state
interaction combined with a smearing over the width of the state. The ratio of
near-threshold phi and omega production is consistent with the predictions of a
one-pion-exchange model and the degree of violation of the OZI rule is similar
to that found in the pi-p -> n omega/phi reactions.Comment: Report in LaTeX2e. 12 pages with 2 eps figure
The role of primary healthcare professionals in oral cancer prevention and detection
AIM: To investigate current knowledge, examination habits and preventive practices of primary healthcare professionals in Scotland, with respect to oral cancer, and to determine any relevant training needs. SETTING: Primary care. METHOD: Questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 357 general medical practitioners (GMPs) and 331 dental practitioners throughout Scotland. Additionally, focus group research and interviews were conducted amongst primary healthcare team members. RESULTS: Whilst 58% of dental respondents reported examining regularly for signs of oral cancer, GMPs examined patients' mouths usually in response to a complaint of soreness. The majority of GMPs (85%) and dentists (63%) indicated that they felt less than confident in detecting oral cancer, with over 70% of GMPs identifying lack of training as an important barrier. Many practitioners were unclear concerning the relative importance of the presence of potentially malignant lesions in the oral cavity. A high proportion of the GMPs indicated that they should have a major role to play in oral cancer detection (66%) but many felt strongly that this should be primarily the remit of the dental team. CONCLUSION: The study revealed a need for continuing education programmes for primary care practitioners in oral cancer-related activities. This should aim to improve diagnostic skills and seek to increase practitioners' participation in preventive activities
Why is there no queer international theory?
Over the last decade, Queer Studies have become Global Queer Studies, generating significant insights into key international political processes. Yet, the transformation from Queer to Global Queer has left the discipline of International Relations largely unaffected, which begs the question: if Queer Studies has gone global, why has the discipline of International Relations not gone somewhat queer? Or, to put it in Martin Wight’s provocative terms, why is there no Queer International Theory? This article claims that the presumed non-existence of Queer International Theory is an effect of how the discipline of International Relations combines homologization, figuration, and gentrification to code various types of theory as failures in order to manage the conduct of international theorizing in all its forms. This means there are generalizable lessons to be drawn from how the discipline categorizes Queer International Theory out of existence to bring a specific understanding of International Relations into existence
Recombinant Fibrinogen Studies Reveal That Thrombin Specificity Dictates Order of Fibrinopeptide Release
During cleavage of fibrinogen by thrombin, fibrinopeptide A (FpA) release precedes fibrinopeptide B (FpB) release. To examine the basis for this ordered release, we synthesized A'beta fibrinogen, replacing FpB with a fibrinopeptide A-like peptide, FpA' (G14V). Analyses of fibrinopeptide release from A'beta fibrinogen showed that FpA release and FpA' release were similar; the release of either peptide followed simple first-order kinetics. Specificity constants for FpA and FpA' were similar, demonstrating that these peptides are equally competitive substrates for thrombin. In the presence of Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro, an inhibitor of fibrin polymerization, the rate of FpB release from normal fibrinogen was reduced 3-fold, consistent with previous data; in contrast, the rate of FpA' release from A'beta fibrinogen was unaffected. Thus, with A'beta fibrinogen, fibrinopeptide release from the beta chain is similar to fibrinopeptide release from the alpha chain. We conclude that the ordered release of fibrinopeptides is dictated by the specificity of thrombin for its substrates. We analyzed polymerization, following changes in turbidity, and found that polymerization of A'beta fibrinogen was similar to that of normal fibrinogen. We analyzed clot structure by scanning electron microscopy and found that clots from A'beta fibrinogen were similar to clots from normal fibrinogen. We conclude that premature release of the fibrinopeptide from the N terminus of the beta chain does not affect polymerization of fibrinogen
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