The extent of farmer participation in the rural environment protection scheme – what habitats are actually being protected?

This paper modelled the participation decision of Irish farmers in an agri-environmental scheme. It also uses the sub sample of farmers in the National Farm Survey actively participating in the scheme in 2007 to model the various biodiversity options undertaken as a function of farmer demographic characteristics, farm characteristic and habitat variables. The results of the analysis demonstrate that younger, married farmers with larger farms are more likely to participate in REPS and that the voluntary aspect of REPS can mean that not all habitat types are equally likely to be covered by the scheme. Farmers with internationally important habitats on their farm, like intact peatlands or semi-natural grasslands are more likely to participate in REPS. However, there is evidence to suggest that these farmers are choosing to participate in REPS because they view their land as having low economic value rather than having high ecological value. Farmers with water or wetland and forest are less likely to participate in REPS, which indicates that some important ecosystems may not be included in the scheme. The 1 biodiversity options undertaken by the farmers are found to facilitate the management of the system of farming on the holing rather than the type of habitats on the land.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Evaluation of an Ag85B Immunosensor with Potential for Electrochemical Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Diagnostics

Tuberculosis remains a major global health concern, especially in the developing world, and monitoring/early detection of the disease relies on low cost technologies that provide rapid and accurate results. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the responsible bacterial pathogen and it is currently estimated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), that one quarter of the world’s population, mainly in the developing world, is infected with TB. The overall aim of this work was to advance a screening electrochemical sensor for label free detection of Ag85B, a member of the Antigen 85 complex - major secretary protein of M. Tuberculosisand biomarker for disease. An indirect ELISA Ag85B assay was optimised with capture antibody and antigen levels determined via a checkerboard titration (0.625μg.ml-1 and 2.5 μg.ml-1 respectively). Following assay development, crosslinking of the bioreceptor Anti-Ag85B onto electrochemically deposited gold nanoparticle (AuNP) modified carbon electrodes was achieved and Ag85B binding successfully evaluated electrochemically via cyclic voltammetry. Following each modification step, ΔEp of a redox probe was monitored and overall results show that GCE/AuNP/anti-Ag85B electrochemical transducers are a viable method for Ag85B detection, capable of measuring antigen levels \u3c 2.5 μg.mL-1

A study to assess the prevalence of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in inter-county hurling

Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB) is an acute, transient airway narrowing occurring after exercise which may impact athletic performance. Studies report 10% of the general population and up to 90% of asthmatics experience EIB. Ninety-two players from three elite hurling squads underwent a spirometric field-based provocation test with real-time heart rate monitoring and lactate measurements to ensure adequate exertion. Players with a new diagnosis of EIB and those with a negative field-test but with a previous label of EIB or asthma underwent further reversibility testing and if negative, methacholine challenge. Eight (8.7%) of players had EIB, with one further athlete having asthma with a negative field test. Interestingly, only three out of 12 players who had previously been physician-labelled with EIB or asthma had their diagnosis objectively confirmed. Our study highlights the role of objective testing in EIB

Copper-modified carbon nano-onions as electrode modifiers for the electroanalysis of the antiretroviral drug Efavirenz

The high prescription and consumption rate of antiretroviral drugs (ARV) such as Efavirenz (EFV) in South Africa for the treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has resulted in its presence in wastewater and surface water. Herein we report the electroanalysis of EFV at oxidised boron-nitrogen doped carbon nano-onions (oxi-BNCNO) and microscale branched copper cluster (CuC) modified glassy carbon electrodes. Potentiostatic electrodeposition of CuC on the oxi-BNCNO/GCE platform resulted in a stable and electrocatalytic surface that accelerated electron transfer between the analyte and the CuC/oxi-BNCNO/GCE surface, making quantification efficient. The electroactive surface area of CuC/oxi-BNCNO/GCE was estimated as being 3 times higher than bare GCE and twice that of oxi-BNCNO/GCE. The electrooxidation of EFV on a CuC/oxi-BNCNO/GCE sensor resulted in a pH-dependant anodic peak in the potential range of 0.8 to 1.2 V vs Ag/AgCl (3M KCl). The EFV voltammetric signal increased linearly with increasing concentration of EFV in the linear dynamic range (LDR) of 0.01 – 1.0 µM and 0.5 – 20 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 1.2 and 3.97 nM, respectively. Moreover, the sensor had a sensitivity of 23 µA • cm− 2 • µM− 1 and was selective to 100-fold of interferents including heavy metal ions and other ARVs with the exception of high concentrations of nevirapine. The developed electroanalytical method was successfully applied for the determination of EFV in real samples such as wastewater influent and effluent, drinking/tap water, and a pharmaceutical formulation with recovery ranging from 97.8% to 109.5%

The Nice Treaty and the Irish Referendum: What Values are at Stake?

The purpose of this paper is primarily to highlight the issue of values in the European Union (EU) in terms of its practices as opposed to official rhetoric. The debate surrounding the Treaty of Nice, the context in which the Irish referendum took place and the political reaction to its rejection by the Irish electorate, all raise challenging questions about the conduct of meaningful democracy within the EU.peer-reviewe

Minimum Wages and Employment: a critical appraisal of two theoretical frameworks

This paper addresses the theoretical fallout from empirical studies published in the 1990s that showed no negative relationship between the introduction of minimum wages and employment. The theoretical developments have proved to be very meagre and this, it is alleged, is due to the unwieldy neo-classical framework which can only accommodate such an anomalous relationship in circumstances where employers face positive labour supply curves and for a small increase in wages. It fails to explain why more generalised minimum wages did not adversely affect unemployment. An earlier debate on the effects of minimum wages occurred in the 1940s and 1950s which provoked a dialogue between Neo-classical theorists and their Institutional critics as to the nature of economic research. Since then the framework of analysis has narrowed considerably, with only explanations consistent with the neo-classical view of optimisation by rational agents in a world of diminishing returns being theoretically acceptable. This has led to the impoverishment of economics and can partially explain the crisis in the profession when real world phenomena are at variance with the predictions of idealised models.peer-reviewe

Estimation of the impact of CAP reform on the structure of farming in the disadvantaged areas of Ireland

In this paper the Johansen model was used to examine the impact of CAP Reform on the structure of farming in the Disadvantaged Areas of Ireland. The model is essentially a policy impact model using an elasticity set. Application of the model requires information on all relevant elasticities of outputs and inputs with respect to all output and input prices. These elasticities were estimated directly for a translog profit function from a combination of cross section and time series data. In order to test the usefulness of the model, a validation exercise was undertaken for the period 1992-1995. The model performed reasonably well in that the predicted direction of change in the volume of outputs and inputs was generally in the same direction as actual volume changes in outputs and inputs over the period tested.peer-reviewe