Domestic and International Pressures for European Agricultural Adjustment and Their Implications

General economic forces acting upon structural change in agriculture dominate the impacts of changes in agricultural policy. Particular factors are: (1) High demand for land for nonagricultural purposes. (2) High demand for residences in rural areas. (3) Demand for leisure space. (4) Changing occupational expectations and a move away from physical labour. Structural adjustment in agriculture is a steady process, driven by the enlargement of commercial farms and by the marginalisation of large numbers of smaller farms whose managers increasingly rely on off farm income and part-time operation. The most heavily commercial sector is becoming less dependent upon traditional support and more heavily influenced by the integrated contracts with downstream processors. The rate and direction of farm structure adjustment in the EU is unlikely to change as a consequence of any likely reforms in agricultural policy. The separation of EU farming into commercial and lifestyle/part-time operations lends itself to a two-track policy, with conservation and amenity output policy concentrated on the latter.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Silver-palladium braze alloy recovered from masking materials

Method for recovering powdered silver-palladium braze alloy from an acrylic spray binder and rubber masking adhesive used in spray brazing is devised. The process involves agitation and dissolution of masking materials and recovery of suspended precious metal particles on a filter

Gaining from Improved Dairy Cow Nutrition: Economic, environmental and animal health benefits

A majority of UK dairy herds have the potential to increase profitability by improving the ration of their cows. This paper reports that gains averaging around £100 per cow have been made within one year of adopting the Keenan Hi-Fibre ration by 239 UK herds in 2006 and 2007. Larger gains have been made by herds in France. The key performance indicator underlying these gains is Feed Conversion Efficiency, whereby the same, or even a smaller amount of Dry Matter Intake generates higher yields per cow. Importantly, the gains are associated with large improvements in animal health and reductions in greenhouse gases per litre of milk produced.Feed conversion efficiency, cattle nutrition, greenhouse gas emissions, animal health., Livestock Production/Industries,

IrSr_2Sm_{1.15}Ce_{0.85}Cu_{2.175}O_{10}: A Novel Reentrant Spin-Glass Material

A new iridium containing layered cuprate material, IrSr_2Sm_{1.15}Ce_{0.85}Cu_{2.175}O_{10, has been synthesized by conventional ambient-pressure solid-state techniques. The material's structure has been fully characterized by Rietveld refinement of high resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction data; tilts and rotations of the IrO_6 octahedra are observed as a result of a bond mismatch between in-plane Ir-O and Cu-O bond lengths. DC-susceptibility measurements evidence a complex set of magnetic transitions upon cooling that are characteristic of a reentrant spin-glass ground-state. The glassy character of the lowest temperature, Tg=10 K, transition is further confirmed by AC-susceptibility measurements, showing a characteristic frequency dependence that can be well fitted by the Vogel-Fulcher law and yields a value of \Delta_(T_f)/[T_f \Delta log({\omega})] =0.015(1), typical of dilute magnetic systems. Electronic transport measurements show the material to be semiconducting at all temperatures with no transition to a superconducting state. Negative magnetoresistance is observed when the material is cooled below 25 K, and the magnitude of this magnetoresistance is seen to increase upon cooling to a value of MR = -9 % at 8 K

Sequence variation in the haemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene of human parainfluenza virus type 3 isolates in the UK

The sequence variation in a 934 base-pair region of the gene encoding the haemagglutinin-neuraminidase of five human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3) isolates was determined together with that of a prototype UK strain. All of the clinical isolates were from the Manchester area of the UK and were obtained in 1990. 1991 and 1993. The gene segment was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using HPIVB-specific oligonucleotide primers. The nucleotide homology of the strains was high, around 99% and specific differences in the UK sequences when compared with that of the US prototype strain were identified. In addition, a number of isolate-specific differences were seen. No correlation was detected between the observed nucleotide mutations and the year of isolation, which supports the hypothesis that HPIV3 shows cocirculation of a heterogeneous population of viruses rather than varying with time in a linear fashion. However, the data suggested that geographically-defined genetic lineages of HPIV3 may exist

Adenosine 5'-(2-bromoethyl)-phosphate. A new affinity label for adenine nucleotide sites in proteins

A new adenosine analogue adenosine 5'-(2-bromoethyl)-phosphate has been synthesized. The reactive moiety, a bromoalkyl group, has the ability to react with the nucleophilic side chains of several amino acids. This compound reacts with NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from pig heart, causing inactivation. Addition of the allosteric regulator ADP to the reaction mixture protects the enzyme from loss of activity. A second adenosine analogue has been synthesized, adenosine 5'-(n-propyl)-phosphate, which is used to assess any effects that might arise from the noncovalent interaction of adenosine 5'-(2-bromoethyl)-phosphate with the enzyme. It is proposed that adenosine 5'-(2-bromoethyl)-phosphate reacts with an adenine nucleotide site on isocitrate dehydrogenase and that this compound may have general applicability as an affinity label of catalytic and regulatory adenine nucleotide sites in proteins

Research and development of high-performance light-weight fuel cell electrodes final report, nov. 1, 1963 - oct. 31, 1964

High performance light weight fuel cell electrode developmen