Queensland Dairy Accounting Scheme 2004 Results and Analysis

This paper provides an overview of the operation of the Queensland Dairy Accounting Scheme (QDAS) and the results and analysis of the 2003-04 data. QDAS is a voluntary scheme providing dairy farmers with an analysis of their dairy business. Key indictors measure performance and the results are then compared against benchmarks and personal targets. Analysis of data has shown that the profit drivers on the most profitable farms in QDAS, are production per cow, herd size, use of homegrown feeds and use of nitrogen fertiliser.Benchmarking, diary business analysis, comparative analysis, Agricultural Finance, Livestock Production/Industries,

Polar exploration (University Focus) Research into Smart Materials Continues at the University of Dublin with the Development of Methods to Record and Present Data to Demonstrate the Magnetorheological Effect When a Magnetic Field is Applied to a MR Elastomer Sample

Research into methods to record and present data to demonstrate the Magnetorheological effect when a magnetic field is applied to a Magnetorheological Elastomer sample. By Dave Gorman, Niall Murphy and Ray Ekins, Technological University Dublin, Republic of Ireland A Magnetorheological Elastomer (MRE) is an example of a smart material as it undergoes a change in its physical properties when in the presece of an external magnetic field. This change in properties is known as the Magnetorheological (MR) effect and the manner in which it is achieved and reported, is of critical importance to the future development of MRE-based components. To gain a full understanding of the MR effect, detailed information on the applied magnetic field is required (Gorman et al. 2016) as well as the physical strain applied to the MRE sample (Gorman et al. 2017)

Pandemic, Retail Sales and Local Economies: Evidence from Northeast Oklahoma

Early post-COVID pandemic studies focused on the macroeconomic impacts of that event on employment, income, healthcare costs, food security, etc. Yet there has been little emphasis on how changes in consumption spending patterns resulting from the pandemic affected retail sales and revenues, each of which are major contributors of growth for local economies. This study investigates these relationships by implementing retail pull and sales gap analyses to determine how non-metropolitan rural regions responded to consumption expenditures and retail sales before and after the pandemic. Using three cities of northeastern Oklahoma as a case study, retail pull factors at the city level and sales gap coefficients at the industry level are determined for food stores, apparel, and restaurant industries. While all three cities share some socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, this study observes differences in gap coefficients among them, thus indicating variation in their ability to attract retail shoppers

High-mobility solution-processed copper phthalocyanine-based organic field-effect transistors

© 2011 National Institute for Materials ScienceSolution-processed films of 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octakis(hexyl) copper phthalocyanine (CuPc6) were utilized as an active semiconducting layer in the fabrication of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) in the bottom-gate configurations using chemical vapour deposited silicon dioxide (SiO2) as gate dielectrics. The surface treatment of the gate dielectric with a self-assembled monolayer of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) resulted in values of 4×10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1 and 106 for saturation mobility and on/off current ratio, respectively. This improvement was accompanied by a shift in the threshold voltage from 3V for untreated devices to −2V for OTS treated devices. The trap density at the interface between the gate dielectric and semiconductor decreased by about one order of magnitude after the surface treatment. The transistors with the OTS treated gate dielectrics were more stable over a 30-day period in air than untreated ones.Technology Strategy Board, UK (Project No: TP/6/EPH/6/S/K2536J)

UN peacekeeping in Lebanon and Somalia: international and national legal perspectives

The initial focus of the thesis is on Ireland, a small militarily neutral state, but one with a long tradition of contributing to peacekeeping operations. Despite its significant contribution to peace support operations to date, there is little research on the past and future implications of this for Ireland. This thesis seeks to address some of the key legal and political issues confronting Ireland, and to provide a unique perspective on the dilemmas and problems confronting many small states of the UN in the post cold war era. The thesis uses two case studies, Somalia and Lebanon, to conduct a comparative analysis of traditional peacekeeping and that of peace enforcement The conduct of UN forces in Somalia, and the outcome of the UN mandated operations there, had a profound effect on the willingness of states to support UN peace support operations in the post cold war period. UNOSOM II was one of the most ambitious and controversial multidimensional operations ever mounted by the UN. It reflected the optimism associated with the dawn of a 'new world order' and an effective Security Council. The UN operation in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in contrast, was a less ambitious traditional peacekeeping mission, but it too was controversial and the Force encountered serious difficulties implementing the apparently more straightforward mandate. Both operations show that whatever the nature of a peace support operation, its role and effectiveness is dependent upon support from the Security Council. Without political support and adequate resources, especially at the time of its establishment, a UN force remains at the mercy of the parties to the conflict. Both operations also highlighted serious difficulties that arise in the command and control of UN peace support operations, although the larger more complex UNOSOM II mission presented significantly more serious dilemmas in this regard. These problems are often exacerbated by deficiencies in the municipal laws and domestic political concerns of contributing states. An important distinguishing feature between traditional peacekeeping operations and that of more robust peace enforcement operations is the policy regarding the use of force. Nevertheless, both Lebanon and Somalia presented remarkably similar difficulties regarding devising and adopting appropriate rules of engagement, and the differing interpretations of what action justified the resort to, and the degree of force deemed appropriate in a UN multi-national operation. The thesis seeks to draw lessons from the experiences of UNIFIL and UNOSOM in regard to these and related issues. The matter of the applicability of international humanitarian law to UN forces was also relevant to both sets of operations. Despite the recent adoption of the Convention on the Protection of UN Personnel, and a Secretary-General's bulletin on the applicability of humanitarian law to UN forces, the situation remains unsatisfactory