Ecosystem Services, Agriculture and Trace Metals

Trace metals enter agroecosystems from many sources, but the use of organic by-products as fertilsers is the principle source. Trace metals added to soils in this way can cause toxicity to important organisms involved in the provision of ecosystem services. Whilst the use of sewage sludge is controlled to prevent the build up of trace metals in soils to damaging levels, the use of other organic by-products is not. In this paper, we examine the likelihood that the use of organic by-products other than sewage sludge can damage important constituents of agroecosystems. The results indicate that there is a lack of evidence and management of a potential serious threat to soil fertility and therefore fundamental ecosystem services such as food provision

Harnessing Marine Renewable Energy from Poole Harbour: Case Study

Global warming and its impact on our environment, society, economies and security is one of the fundamental concerns of our time. In response, the United Kingdom government has put in place a legally binding target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on 1990 levels by 2050. The United Kingdom will need to achieve a tenfold expansion of energy supply from renewable sources by 2020 to meet its share of the European Union renewable energy target. The marine and coastal environment’s renewable energy potential in Britain is high. It is estimated that it has 50% of the tidal energy, 35% of wave and 40% of wind resources in the European Union. Use of geothermal resources using heat pump technology is the least evolved sector, but in 2010 contributed to 0.7 TWh of energy and it is believed that non domestic heat pumps could contribute up to 22 TWh by 2020. In the Southwest of England, Poole Harbour has been recognised as a potential, highly predictable source of tidal and heat energy. Local groups are embarking on a feasibility study for harnessing this energy for the benefit of the community. The purpose of this article is to examine the potential conflict of interest between the laudable aims of promoting the use of renewable energy and of safeguarding ecosystems and their biodiversity. Using Poole Harbour as a case study, it will consider the environmental and economic costs and benefits of a Community Renewable Energy project (the Poole Tidal Energy Partnership) in the context of an area subject to a number of statutory and non-statutory designations to protect nationally and internationally important habitats and species. The paper identifies key environmental legislation, including spatial planning law and policy, which will facilitate exploring whether there is potential for reconciling what may be perceived as competing objectives for sustainable development

Clearing the Air: An Analysis of Atmospheric Protections and Pollutant Regulation in the United Kingdom Before, During, and After the EU

Air pollution is a severe issue in the United Kingdom. Legal and scientific efforts to combat the deleterious health effects arising from polluted air are wide-ranging but suffer a lack of enforcement. The issue of enforcement is a central theme within this paper; the most stringent or ambitious limits are meaningless without enforcement. Legal responses to specific pollutants and polluting industries are first explored to establish a narrative of the United Kingdom’s approach to air quality protection throughout the Industrial Revolution. Legal issues and regulatory methods during the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union are then discussed in juxtaposition to domestic historical approaches, acknowledging the United Kingdom’s utilisation of displacement methods and general failures to adhere to European Union law. Beyond 2020, the retention and function of EU-derived and domestic legislation is considered in light of Brexit. The United Kingdom faces – post-Brexit – an opportunity for improvement in its atmospheric quality. However, without the enforcement capabilities of the Court of Justice of the European Union there is a real possibility that atmospheric quality in the United Kingdom will face a severe and dangerous regression – becoming, once again, the “dirty man of Europe”

Bridging the Gaps between eTransforming SMEs and SME - ICT Providers

Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are struggling to find ICT Providers who could assist them when identifying and implementing adequate Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Based on this, we conducted a study with 30 SMEs from various industry sectors within Sydney metropolitan region to identify the type of ICT assistance eTransforming SMEs require. Furthermore, to better understand the struggles SMEs go through, we also studied eight ICT Providers. Our findings indicate that in order for the SMEs to successfully eTransform, select and implement appropriate ICT there is need for the ICT Providers to bridge the gaps and understand needs and requirements of the eTransforming companies taking into consideration a holistic view of what eTransforming SMEs need based on their current technology and future business requirements

Analysis of information quality for a usable information system in agriculture domain : a study in the Sri Lankan context

In creating a usable Information System (IS), the quality of information is crucial for making the right decisions. Although, many Information Quality (IQ) features have been identified in a broader context, only certain IQ features would become applicable for each domain from the usability perspective. This study focuses on a theoretical analysis to identify the IQ features which would be significant to produce a usable agricultural information system with respect to the developing countries. Accuracy, Credibility, Context-specific, Completeness and Timeliness are identified as the essential features of the IQ for IS in agriculture which was substantiated through the preliminary analysis of user reviews on the agriculture mobile applications

Analysis of fingermark constituents: a systematic review of quantitative studies

Fingermark identification has significance in forensic science, particularly in the processing of crime scene evidence. The majority of literature focused on physical interpretation of fingermarks with limited studies relating to chemical analysis. This systematic review investigated prospective studies dealing with the analysis of latent fingermark constituents. Studies included were those concerned with the analysis of intrinsic organic constituents present in latent fingerprints. Studies with no clear procedure were excluded. Data from the studies were exported into SPSS v22 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) where descriptive statistics were applied. The data extraction yielded 19 studies related to identification of lipids (n = 66) and/or amino acids (n =27) in latent fingermarks. The primary lipid identified was squalene and the major amino acids included: alanine, glycine, leucine, lysine, and serine. For identification of the aforementioned constituents both chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques of which the main technique was gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Prior to analysis, the majority of studies involved collection of fingermarks from both hands at room temperature. Deposition was done on different substrates of which the main were glass, Mylar strips, aluminium sheets or paper. In conclusion, chemical analysis of latent fingermarks enabled identifying key biomarkers of individual that could serve as complementary evidence in crime scene investigation

New Psychoactive Substances in the Homeless Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in the United Kingdom

The last few years have seen the emergence of new psychoactive substance among the homeless population, specifically synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists. The purpose of this study is to investigate the knowledge and experiences of new psychoactive substances amongst users from the homeless population. An explanatory research design was applied using a semi-structured questionnaire with the focus on gaining insights on the prevalence, motivations and effects. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling from support organisations and charities UK-wide. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were applied to analyse the data obtained from participant surveys. A total of 105 participants met the inclusion criteria and were in the age range of 18 to 64 years old. Almost 70% consumed new psychoactive substance products, which “Spice” was the most prevalent substance. Homeless users had consumed new psychoactive substance to escape reality and to self-treat themselves and stopped consumption due to the adverse effects. Adverse events were reported from the majority of the participants and led to more than 20% of the participants requiring medical treatment following hospitalisation. Findings from this study can contribute to the development of guidelines and policies that specifically address the needs of the homeless population who use new psychoactive substances

Deliberate concealment

Purpose – Welwyn Hatfield Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2009] EWHC 966 (Admin), Welwyn Hatfield Council v. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2010] EWCA Civ 26 and Welwyn Hatfield Council v. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2011] UKSC 15 (Beesley hereafter) and Fidler v. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2010] EWHC 143 (Admin), Fidler v. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2011] EWCA civ 1159 (Fidler hereafter) are two recent cases concerning deliberately concealed breaches of planning control. The defendants engaged in dishonest and misleading conduct, in an attempt to rely on a loophole within Section 171B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (T&CPA). This study aims to critically analyse two solutions which were created to close the loophole; in addition, this study analyses various alternative remedies that have been suggested, and finally, whether the present law has been sufficient to remedy the situation. Design/methodology/approach – The T&CPA is a key piece of legislation regulating planning controls; Section 171A-C provides the time limits for taking enforcement action against a breach of planning control. To achieve the above purpose, an evaluation of those provisions will be undertaken in detail. Subsequently, this study will analyse two solutions which were created to close the loophole; firstly, the Supreme Court (SC) decision (Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council v. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2011] UKSC 15) and, secondly, the governments’ decision to amend the T&CPA without awaiting the SC’s decision[1]. Findings – This research concludes that the government should have awaited the SC’s decision before amending statute to prohibit reliance upon the expiration of time where there is an element of deliberate concealment. Additionally, this study suggests that the statutory amendments were not required in light of the SC’s solution in Beesley. As a result of the governments’ ill-considered decision, uncertainty has permeated through the conveyancing process, causing ambiguity, delays and additional expense in transactions at a time when a precarious property market needs anything but uncertainty. Research limitations implications – The scope of this research is limited to deliberate concealment of breaches of planning control and the four-year enforcement period; whilst considering the consequences of the solutions proposed, this study does not provide a detailed overview of the planning system, but rather assumes prior knowledge. Originality/value – This study offers a unique assessment of the law relating to the deliberate concealment of planning breaches and offers a thorough criticism of the law with recommendations for reform. Additionally, a variety of alternative solutions are considered. Both legal academics, planning professionals and those interested in planning law will find the paper a thought-provoking digest

The experience of providing young people attending general practice with an online risk assessment tool to assess their own sexual health risk

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Targeted chlamydia screening has been advocated to reduce chlamydia associated reproductive sequelae. General practitioners are well positioned to play a major role in chlamydia control. The primary aim of this pilot study was to measure the effect of offering an online sexual health assessment tool, <it>Youth Check Your Risk</it>, on chlamydia testing rates among young people attending general practices. The secondary aim was to test the acceptability of the tool among general practitioners and young people.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>General practitioners at three practices in Melbourne, Australia, referred patients aged 16 to 24 years to <it>Youth Check Your Risk </it><url>http://www.checkyourrisk.org.au</url> for use post-consultation between March to October 2007. The proportion of young people tested for chlamydia before and during the implementation of the tool was compared. Acceptability was assessed through a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire with general practitioners, and anonymous online data provided by <it>Youth Check Your Risk </it>users.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The intervention did not result in any significant increases in the proportion of 16 to 24 year old males (2.7% to 3.0%) or females (6.3% to 6.4%) tested for chlamydia. A small increase in the proportion of 16 to 19 year old females tested was seen (4.1% to 7.2%). Of the 2997 patients seen during the intervention phase, 871 (29.1%) were referred to <it>Youth Check Your Risk </it>and 120 used it (13.8%). Major reasons for low referral rates reported by practitioners included lack of time, discomfort with raising the issue of testing, and difficulty in remembering to refer patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Offering an online sexual risk assessment tool in general practice did not significantly increase the proportion of young people tested for chlamydia, with GPs identifying a number of barriers to referring young people to <it>Youth Check Your Risk</it>. Future interventions aimed at increasing chlamydia screening in general practice with the aid of an online risk assessment tool need to identify and overcome barriers to testing.</p

Prevalence and risk factors for impaired kidney function in the district of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional population-representative survey in those at risk of chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology

BACKGROUND: Over the last 20 years there have been reports of a form of chronic kidney disease of unknown cause (CKDu) affecting rural communities in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. Valid prevalence estimates, using a standardised methodology, are needed to assess the burden of disease, assess secular trends, and perform international comparisons. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional representative population survey in five study areas with different expected prevalences of CKDu. We used a proxy definition of CKDu involving a single measure of impaired kidney function (eGFR< 60 mL/min/1.7m2, using the CKD-Epi formula) in the absence of hypertension, diabetes or heavy proteinuria. RESULTS: A total of 4803 participants (88.7%) took part in the study and 202 (6.0%; 95% CI 5.2-6.8) had a low eGFR in the absence of hypertension, diabetes and heavy proteinuria and hence met the criteria for proxy CKDu. The proportion of males (11.2%; 95% CI 9.2-13.1) were triple than the females (3.7%; 95% CI 2.9-4.5). Advancing age and history of CKD among parents or siblings were risk factors for low GFR among both males and females while smoking was found to be a risk factor among males. CONCLUSIONS: These data, collected using a standardised methodology demonstrate a high prevalence of impaired kidney function, not due to known causes of kidney disease, in the selected study areas of the Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka. The aetiology of CKDu in Sri Lanka remains unclear and there is a need for longitudinal studies to describe the natural history and to better characterise risk factors for the decline in kidney function