The applied ethics aid political philosophy of world poverty and famine

In essence, this thesis is concerned with whether manifest gross inequalities in wealth and evidence of 15,000 deaths each day attributable to poverty are consistent with the concept of a morally just world, and, if not, whether the affluent and those in a position of power are morally obliged to challenge the status quo and provide food and security for all. At the centre of the debate lies an examination of the nature of justice. A survey of utilitarian and Kantian theory lead to the conclusion that neither provide a satisfactory basis upon which to base one's moral principles and thus properly address the problem of poverty and famine. Despite a failure to discuss the specific problem of world poverty in any detail, John Rawls' doctrine of "justice as fairness" is found to provide a more adequate description of justice, reconciling liberal and egalitarian traditions, and forming the theoretical basis from which is derived an overriding obligation to bring about global redistribution to end poverty and guarantee basic standards of liberty and material wealth for the whole of humanity. The debate about world poverty and famine not surprisingly centres around redistributive justice and this raises many questions within the sphere of political philosophy. Significantly, given the important influence which the basic structure of society plays in determining the outcome of our lives, Rawlsian justice is shown to have considerable implications for the reform of contemporary social, political and economic institutions. While a blueprint for the eradication of poverty is beyond the scope of this work, it is clear that a solution is at hand given the necessary political and moral will. In conclusion global government, Itself under an obligation to strive for justice, far from being a humanistic pipedream, is seen to be an end that humanity is under an obligation to achiev

Regulatory practice and transport modelling for nitrate pollution in groundwater

This report forms the first deliverable of a project jointly funded by BGS and the Environment Agency to consider the potential for incorporating the outputs from the BGS unsaturated zone travel time work in assessing the risks to water from nitrate. This is to help to inform the nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs) designation process. In England, the Environment Agency advises Defra on identifying areas for designation as NVZs. Over time, the designation process has developed and become more complex since the first round of designations in 1996. The designation process for groundwater initially used only public supply monitoring data and the associated source catchment area. In December 2000, the European Court of Justice held that the UK had failed to designate sufficient NVZs for the protection of all waters, not just for drinking water sources. This resulted in the development of revised methodologies for the designation of NVZs which separately address surface waters, groundwater and waters at risk of eutrophication. This was implemented in 2002. Further reviews have been carried out in 2008 and 2012 and as a result, modifications and improvements to methods have been made at each designation round. For groundwater the Environment Agency developed a numerical risk assessment procedure that uses a range of risk factors including both nitrate concentration data and nitrate-loading data to assess the risk of nitrate pollution. The loading data is based on farm census returns made to Defra and combined using the NEAP-N methodology developed by ADAS (Lord and Anthony, 2000). The overall risk assessment considers both current observed concentrations and predicted future concentrations as well as current loadings. However, this approach has a number of disadvantages including a lack of a specific term for the time of travel to the water table and emergence of pollutant both into groundwater and to groundwater discharge points that support surface water features. Instead, these issues are considered at the conceptual level in workshops with local EA hydrogeologists. A key question for Defra and the Agency is how long it will take for nitrate concentrations to peak and then stabilise at an acceptable, lower level, in response to existing and future land management control measures. This is most important for soils, for aquifers, for lakes and for groundwater-fed wetland systems that respond less quickly to changes in loading. Groundwater and lake catchment numerical models can provide first-order estimates of likely response times, but can be difficult and costly to set-up for many different situations and are difficult to apply consistently at the national scale. A previous review of nitrate vulnerable zones suggests a range of further needs: • to understand the recent developments in nitrate pollution simulation and particularly the potential to understand/characterise past nitrate loading from changing land management practices and correlate these with observed nitrate concentrations over time; • to evaluate the retention of nitrate in catchments, particularly in the unsaturated zone of soils and aquifers; • to simulate the recent and future anticipated decreases in nitrate loading by sectors within the UK; • to understand the likely time taken for nitrate concentrations to peak and then stabilise at an acceptable, lower level, in response to existing and future control measures. Without evidence of how long it may take systems to recover it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of existing measures or decide whether additional measures are necessary. The aim of this project is to investigate the use of new models to inform decision-making on nitrate pollution in groundwater and the potential for incorporating unsaturated zone processes in future NVZ designations. The work described here forms the first task of this project and aims to review NVZ methodology and recent designation experience. As part of this we will: • collate information from the Agency on the recent application of the methodology; • provide case study examples of designation in different time-lag settings and/or where these are not corroborated by water quality

Modelling the groundwater nitrate legacy

This report details the findings of a project jointly funded by the British Geological Survey (BGS)and Defra through the Environment Agency. The overall aim of the work was to investigate the use of new models to inform decision-making on nitrate pollution in groundwater and the potential for incorporating unsaturated zone processes into the model currently used by the Environment Agency to delineate Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs). The potential application as supporting evidence for the Water Framework Directive has also been considered as nitrate pollution of groundwater remains the most significant reason for failure of WFD environmental objectives across England. The background to the nitrate legacy in groundwater and to the approaches to NVZ designation is described in Stuart et al. (2016). A series of developments to the BGS Nitrate Time Bomb (NTB) model have been made to improve a number of areas and approaches used in the first version of the model. The improvements included a spatially and temporally distributed nitrate input function, improved unsaturated zone thickness estimation, travel time attribution using a 1:250,000 geological map, estimating nitrate velocity in the unsaturated zone using groundwater recharge and aquifer properties, and introducing nitrate transport processes in low permeability superficial deposits and the saturated zones. These now allow the model to be applied at sub national scale. Using the improved model we have also made the first estimate of the mass of nitrate stored within the unsaturated zone and how this will change over time to improve UK nitrate budget estimates. The new version of the BGS NTB approach was applied in three case studies at different scales which compared its outcomes to the results from other modelling to demonstrate that the model can be benchmarked against the other nitrate modelling approaches: • For a basin-scale model of the Thames Chalk (Howden et al., 2010 & 2011). The NTB model gave comparable results to the original study back to 1925 provided that the same nitrate input function was used. Both models failed to predict nitrate concentrations in the Thames after the mid-1980s. • At the multi-borehole scale in the Permo-Triassic. A similar approach was used to the BGS model in the Eden Valley. This replicated the existing model for the area used by the Environment Agency both in terms of trend assessment and in the lack of dilution available within the aquifer block for blending purposes. • At the single borehole scale in the Chalk of the South Downs. The existing Environment and National Park model constructed by AMEC treated the unsaturated zone very similarly to the NTB model. This model provided a good fit to observed concentrations and confirmed the importance of estimating unsaturated zone delays. The assessment of modelled travel time from different areas of the catchment clearly illustrated the arable areas that would give a relatively rapid respond to changes in nitrate management. To illustrate the potential application of the BGS NTB model to support the Environment Agency’s NVZ designation methodology, areas of England were identified where unsaturated zone lags may be significant and where there is uncertainty in the NVZ designation. A major advantage of the BGS NTB model is that it covers the whole of England (and Wales) in a consistent way. A national overview of areas of designation uncertainty identified large areas of England, in particular the chalk outcrop of southern and eastern England. These were compared to areas with significant unsaturated zone travel time indicating where travel time may be contributing to designation uncertainty. The results suggest that the model may be useful both for identifying currently impacted groundwater which reflects legacy fertilizer application and also where additional designation could be needed as impacts have not yet emerged. Application of the model to support implementation of the WFD has also been considered and whilst no quantitative analysis has yet been carried out there are a number of ways that the model could be of significant benefit. For example, the model could be used to estimate when trend reversal would be expected to occur as a result of measures (at a specific location or across a groundwater body) and the time required to achieve good chemical status (alternative objective setting). A further application could be for scenario testing such as evaluating the effects of different land use/management measures as part of cost benefit analysis or considering the long term impacts of climate change through changing fertiliser use and/or recharge

Multifunctional performance of carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoplatelets reinforced PEEK composites enabled via FFF additive manufacturing

The study is focused on multifunctional performance of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and Graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) reinforced PEEK composites enabled via fused filament fabrication (FFF) additive manufacturing (AM) utilizing in-house nanoengineered filaments. Thermo-physical, mechanical and wear characteristics of electro-conductive PEEK nanocomposites are reported. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is found to decrease by 26% and 18% with the incorporation of 5 wt% GNP and 3 wt% CNT into PEEK polymer, respectively. The decrease in CTE provides better dimensional stability to resulting nanocomposite structures. Due to uniform dispersion of CNT and GNP in the PEEK matrix, the crystallization temperature and degree of crystallinity are both increased. The 3D printed PEEK nanocomposites reveal interfacial voids between the beads and intra-bead pores and thus exhibit lower density compared to that of the 3D printed neat PEEK. Young's and storage moduli are found to increase by 20% and 66% for 3 wt% CNT loading and by 23% and 72% for 5 wt% GNP loading respectively. However, the PEEK nanocomposites exhibit similar tensile strength to that of neat PEEK. The coefficient of friction obtained from fretting wear tests is found to decrease by 67% and 56% for 1 wt% CNT and 3 wt% GNP loaded PEEK nanocomposites, respectively and the decrease is attributed to reduced hardness and increased porosity. Multifunctional performance of carbon nanostructures reinforced AM-enabled PEEK composites demonstrated here makes them suitable for a range of applications such as orthopedics, oil and gas, automotive, electronics and space

Coordinating Unions, Wages and Employment

In this paper we consider a two-sector economy in which individual unions are affiliated into a federation of unions. We analyze the consequences of two different types of wage setting. Firstly, individual unions set wages in their own sector without taking into account the effect of their wages on the employment level in the other sector. There may be positive as well as negative externalities. A positive (negative) externality may exist if a higher (lower) wage in one sector implies a higher level of employment in the other sector. Both cases may occur in our model. Secondly, wages in the two sectors are set by the federation of unions. We show that in this case higher (lower) wages result than in the first case if a positive (negative) externality exists

Expression of soluble, active fragments of the morphogenetic protein SpoIIE from Bacillus subtilis using a library-based construct screen

SpoIIE is a dual function protein that plays important roles during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. It binds to the tubulin-like protein FtsZ causing the cell division septum to relocate from mid-cell to the cell pole, and it dephosphorylates SpoIIAA phosphate leading to establishment of differential gene expression in the two compartments following the asymmetric septation. Its 872 residue polypeptide contains a multiple-membrane spanning sequence at the N-terminus and a PP2C phosphatase domain at the C-terminus. The central segment that binds to FtsZ is unlike domains of known structure or function, moreover the domain boundaries are poorly defined and this has hampered the expression of soluble fragments of SpoIIE at the levels required for structural studies. Here we have screened over 9000 genetic constructs of spoIIE using a random incremental truncation library approach, ESPRIT, to identify a number of soluble C-terminal fragments of SpoIIE that were aligned with the protein sequence to map putative domains and domain boundaries. The expression and purification of three fragments were optimised, yielding multimilligram quantities of the PP2C phosphatase domain, the putative FtsZ-binding domain and a larger fragment encompassing both these domains. All three fragments are monomeric and the PP2C domain-containing fragments have phosphatase activity

Economic crisis and the construction of a neo-liberal regulatory regime in Korea

A consistent theme of the literature on the ontology of the 1997 South Korean crisis is the key role played by regulatory failures and the growing weakness of the state. This paper seeks to briefly highlight both the insights and the limitations of this approach to understanding the crisis. Having done so, we shall set out the argument that the crisis created an opportunity for reformist Korean élites to advance their longstanding, but previously frustrated, project to create a comprehensive unambiguously neo-liberal regulatory regime. This paper will also seek to highlight the implications of our reading of the development of the Korean political economy for broader debates on economic liberalisation, crisis and the future of the developmental state

A comparison of fragmenting lead-based and lead-free bullets for aerial shooting of wild pigs

In response to the health threats posed by toxic lead to humans, scavenging wildlife and the environment, there is currently a focus on transitioning from lead-based to lead-free bullets for shooting of wild animals. We compared efficiency metrics and terminal ballistic performance for lead-based and lead-free (non-lead) bullets for aerial shooting of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in eastern Australia. Ballistic testing revealed that lead-based and lead-free bullets achieved similar performance in precision and muzzle kinetic energy (E-0) levels (3337.2 J and 3345.7 J, respectively). An aerial shooting trial was conducted with wild pigs shot with one type of lead-based and one type of lead-free bullets under identical conditions. Observations were made from 859 shooting events (n = 430 and 429 respectively), with a sub-set of pigs examined via gross post-mortem (n = 100 and 108 respectively), and a further sub-set examined via radiography (n = 94 and 101 respectively). The mean number of bullets fired per pig killed did not differ greatly between lead-based and lead-free bullets respectively (4.09 vs 3.91), nor did the mean number of bullet wound tracts in each animal via post-mortem inspection (3.29 vs 2.98). However, radiography revealed a higher average number of fragments per animal (median >300 vs median = 55) and a broader distribution of fragments with lead-based bullets. Our results suggest that lead-based and lead-free bullets are similarly effective for aerial shooting of wild pigs, but that the bullet types behave differently, with lead-based bullets displaying a higher degree of fragmentation. These results suggest that aerial shooting may be a particularly important contributor to scavenging wildlife being exposed to lead and that investigation of lead-free bullets for this use should continue