Alternative Models of the Irish Supply Side

This paper is a product of the ongoing re-estimation of the Irish macro model. This is part of the EMI Multicountry Model. The paper is concerned with the estimation of a system of equations, which seek to capture the salient features of the supply-side of the Irish economy. Expressions are required for the marginal cost of production, long-run labour and capital demand. The estimated parameters from the system are then used to simulate the underlying production function thereby permitting the generation of key macroeconomic indicators such as the output gap and total factor productivity. A Cobb-Douglas approach is used initially to approximate the underlying technology within the economy. The associated factor demands with the Cobb-Douglas are easily derived and the functional form has the advantage of relative computational ease. Initial results from this approach yield very large measures of the output gap. Therefore, these results are then compared with the use of more flexible functional forms as a control or check. In particular, a translog production function approach is adopted and the consequent output gap is calculated. This output gap is then used as a benchmark for comparison. As a result, the Cobb-Douglas approach is re-visited and adjustments are made to the initial specification. The structural change witnessed by the Irish economy throughout the 1990’s is proxied for by the use of a number of different methods. It is found that by adopting a non-linear improvement in technology through time, the output gap achieved with the Cobb-Douglas approach correlates quite strongly with that from the more flexible translog form. This approach is then advocated for the macro model.

A Model of the Irish Housing Sector

This paper presents a model of the Irish housing sector which has been created to nest within the Irish block of the ESCB multi-country model which is maintained in the Economic Analysis Research and Publications Department. The model consists of a demand and supply side and results from it are used to examine for the presence of a bubble in the Irish housing market.

Dynamic Factor Demands in a Changing Economy: An Irish Application

In this paper, more advanced models of the Irish supply side are examined and applied. In particular, a specification of a flexible and dynamic model, which nests more traditional approaches, is adopted. The approach consists of a two-stage process. Firstly, a static translog cost function for the entire economy is specified and associated factor demands are estimated. Then a more flexible dynamic specification is presented which has as a special case the initial static specification. Standard Likelihood Ratio tests can examine the validity of the restrictions underpinning the relatively standard static specification. Estimating a dynamic flexible functional form specification of the supply side has a number of advantages over more traditional approaches such as the Cobb-Douglas. The elasticity of substitution between the factor inputs labour and capital can be determined by the data and not imposed by the researcher. Also the standard static approach to supply-side analysis assumes that producers respond instantaneously in their factor input decisions vis-à-vis changes in factor input prices. This assumption is rather unrealistic particularly given the nature of capital usage and investment. Also the differences in long and short run elasticities for factor demands are examined. The relationship between the two sets of elasticities in formalised in the Le Chatelier principle. The use of the more dynamic and flexible specification is justified in an Irish case. Input use adjustment is found to occur on a multi-period basis and not in the instantaneous fashion assumed by a static approach. The Le Chatelier principle is also observed meaning that long-run price elasticities of factor demands in absolute terms are greater than the short-run equivalents.

A pilot study to evaluate the usefulness of an innovative digital point-of-care information system for the management of multiple chronic conditions.

A major challenge for junior doctors is preparedness for clinical management of acutely ill patients with associated multiple chronic conditions. Digital point-of-care information systems (POCIS) using mobile phone apps have the potential to enhance preparedness for managing these patients by providing useful evidence-based information at the time of management. We evaluated the usefulness of a new and specifically designed digital POCIS (BMJ Best Practice Comorbidities Manager) by using a semi-structured online questionnaire in a cohort of recently qualified junior hospital doctors. We found that 85% of participants obtained useful information from the new resource and 95% participants considered that they could apply this information to provide evidence-based treatment. The usefulness of the resources was supported by free text comments. Our evaluation suggests that the BMJ Best Practice Comorbidities Manager has the potential to enhance the preparedness of junior doctors by providing useful information at the point of care

Biomarkers associated with delirium in critically ill patients and their relation with long-term subjective cognitive dysfunction; indications for different pathways governing delirium in inflamed and noninflamed patients

Introduction: Delirium occurs frequently in critically ill patients and is associated with disease severity and infection. Although several pathways for delirium have been described, biomarkers associated with delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is not well studied. We examined plasma biomarkers in delirious and nondelirious patients and the role of these biomarkers on long-term cognitive function.Methods: In an exploratory observational study, we included 100 ICU patients with or without delirium and with ("inflamed”) and without ("noninflamed”) infection/systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Delirium was diagnosed by using the confusion-assessment method-ICU (CAM-ICU). Within 24 hours after the onset of delirium, blood was obtained for biomarker analysis. No differences in patient characteristics were found between deliriousand nondelirious patients. To determine associations between biomarkers and delirium, univariate and multivariatelogistic regression analyses were performed. Eighteen months after ICU discharge, a cognitive-failure questionnaire was distributed to the ICU survivors.Results: In total, 50 delirious and 50 nondelirious patients were included. We found that IL-8, MCP-1, procalcitonin (PCT), cortisol, and S100-b were significantly associated with delirium in inflamed patients (n = 46). In the noninflamed group of patients (n = 54), IL-8, IL-1ra, IL-10 ratio Ab1-42/40, and ratio AbN-42/40 were significantly associated with delirium. In multivariate regression analysis, IL-8 was independently associated (odds ratio, 9.0; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8 to 44.0) with delirium in inflamed patients and IL-10 (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.1 to 5.9), and Ab1-42/40 (OR, 0.03; 95% CI, 0.002 to 0.50) with delirium in noninflamed patients. Furthermore, levels of several amyloid-b forms, but not human Tau or S100-b, were significantly correlated with self-reported cognitive impairment 18 months after ICU discharge, whereas inflammatory markers were not correlated to impaired longterm cognitive function.Conclusions: In inflamed patients, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8 was associated with delirium, whereas in noninflamed patients, antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10 and Ab1-42/40 were associated with delirium. This suggests that the underlying mechanism governing the development of delirium in inflamed patients differs from that in noninflamed patients. Finally, elevated levels of amyloid-b correlated with long-term subjective cognitive-impairment delirium may represent the first sign of a (subclinical) dementia process. Future studies must confirm these results

An experience sensitive approach to care with and for autistic children and young people in clinical services

Many support schemes in current autism clinical services for children and young people are based on notions of neuro-normativity with a behavioural emphasis. Such neuro-disorder approaches gradually undermine a person, restrain authentic self-expression, and fail to address the impact of a hostile world on autistic wellbeing. Furthermore, such approaches obscure attention from a fundamental challenge to conceptualise an alternative humanistic informed framework of care for staff working with diagnosed or undiagnosed autistic children and young people. In this paper, we offer an appreciation of the lifeworld-led model of care by Todres, Galvin, & Holloway, (2009). We discuss how mental health practitioners can adopt an experience sensitive framework of healthcare by incorporating the eight dimensions of care into practice. This neuroinclusive approach creates a culture of respect, honours the sovereignty of the person, prioritises personalisation of care based on collaborative decision-making, and enables practitioners to support wellbeing from an existential, humanistic view, grounded in acceptance of autistic diversity of being. Without a fundamental shift towards such neurodivergence-affirming support with practitioners being willing to transform their understanding, real progress cannot happen to prevent poor mental health outcomes for autistic people across the lifespan. This shift is needed to change practice across research, clinical, and educational contexts

Effect of different cleaning procedures on water use and bacterial levels in weaner pig pens

peer reviewedPork is one of the most globally eaten meats and the pig production chain contributes significantly to the water footprint of livestock production. However, very little knowledge is available about the on-farm factors that influence freshwater use in the pig production chain. An experiment was conducted to quantify the effect of three different washing treatments on freshwater use, bacterial levels [(total bacterial counts; TBC), Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus] and cleaning time in washing of pens for weaning pigs. Three weaner rooms were selected with each room having 10 pens and a capacity to hold up to 14 pigs each. Pigs were weaned and kept in the pens for 7 weeks. Finally, the pens were cleaned before the next batch of pigs moved in. The washing treatments used were power washing and disinfection (WASH); presoaking followed by power washing and disinfection (SOAK), and presoaking followed by detergent, power washing and disinfection (SOAK + DETER). A water meter was used to collect water use data and swab samples were taken to determine the bacterial levels. The results showed that there was no overall effect of washing treatments on water use. However, there was an effect of treatment on the washing time (p<0.01) with SOAK and SOAK+DETER reducing the washing time per pen by 2.3 minutes (14%) and 4.2 minutes (27%) compared to WASH. Nonetheless, there was an effect of sampling time (before or after washing) (p<0.001) on the levels of TBC and Staphylococcus, but no effect was seen on Enterobacteriaceae levels. Thus, the washing treatments used in this study had no effect on the water use of the pork production chain. Although there was no difference in both water use and bacterial load, from a producer perspective, presoaking and detergent use can save time and labour costs, so this would be the preferred option

Human Neutrophil Peptides Mediate Endothelial-Monocyte Interaction, Foam Cell Formation, and Platelet Activation

Objective—Neutrophils are involved in the inflammatory responses during atherosclerosis. Human neutrophil peptides (HNPs) released from activated neutrophils exert immune modulating properties. We hypothesized that HNPs play an important role in neutrophil-mediated inflammatory cardiovascular responses in atherosclerosis. Methods and Results—We examined the role of HNPs in endothelial-leukocyte interaction, platelet activation, and foam cell formation in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated that stimulation of human coronary artery endothelial cells with clinically relevant concentrations of HNPs resulted in monocyte adhesion and transmigration; induction of oxidative stress in human macrophages, which accelerates foam cell formation; and activation and aggregation of human platelets. The administration of superoxide dismutase or anti-CD36 antibody reduced foam cell formation and cholesterol efflux. Mice deficient in double genes of low-density lipoprotein receptor and low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein (LRP), and mice deficient in a single gene of LRP8, the only LRP phenotype expressed in platelets, showed reduced leukocyte rolling and decreased platelet aggregation and thrombus formation in response to HNP stimulation. Conclusion—HNPs exert proatherosclerotic properties that appear to be mediated through LRP8 signaling pathways, suggesting an important role for HNPs in the development of inflammatory cardiovascular diseases