The impact of Scotland’s economy on the environment : a response

This is a short response to the paper by Moffatt et al (2005) which comments on some of our earlier work. Our work uses a specific Input-Output (IO) based technique, labelled a Neo-Classical Linear Attribution System (NCLAS), to measure the impact of domestic consumption on the domestic environment. We have presented this as an alternative to the currently popular Ecological Footprint approach

Construction of a multi-sectoral inter-regional IO and SAM database for the UK

The purpose of this paper is to explain the construction of the input-output (IO) and social accounting matrix (SAM) databases for the inter-regional computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the UK developed as part of the project 'An Analysis of National and Devolved Economic Policies' undertaken as part of the ESRC Devolution and Constitutional Change research programme. We identify four main regions of the UK: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. However, in Section 2, we begin by constructing a set of two-region accounts where we focus on Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland with the other aggregate 'region' labelled 'rest of the UK' or RUK. Then, in Section 3, we extend to a three-region framework where we identify Scotland, Wales and RUK. Finally, in Section 4, we extend further to construct the full 4-region IO and SAM

The Rebound Effect with Energy Production: A Partial Equilibrium Analysis

Rebound is the extent to which improvements in energy efficiency fail to translate fully into reductions in energy use because of the implicit fall in the price of energy, when measured in efficiency units. This paper discusses aspects of the rebound effect that are introduced once energy is considered as a domestically produced commodity. A partial equilibrium approach is adopted in order to incorporate both energy use and production in a conceptually tractable way. The paper explores analytically two interesting results revealed in previous numerical simulations. The first is the possibility that energy use could fall by more than the implied improvement in efficiency. This corresponds to negative rebound. The second is the finding that the short-run rebound value can be greater than the corresponding long-run value.Energy demand, energy efficiency, rebound, partial equilibrium

Grazing with heifers and sows alone or mixed: herbage quality, sward structure and animal weight gain

The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of mixed grazing (MI) by sows and heifers with alternate grazing (AL) or grazing heifers (HN) and sows (SN) alone on animal weight gain, sward structure, herbage quality and composition, and selection during grazing. Mixed or alternate grazing consistently improved the weight gain in both heifers and sows, compared with grazing one species alone, but the positive effect was statistically significant only for heifers. The herbage quality of the MI and AL systems was better compared with the SN system, but not clearly better compared with the HN system. The total animal weight gain (heifers+sows) and estimated herbage intake per hectare were also higher in the MI and AL systems compared with SN and HN systems. The sows grazed selectively as they preferred clover rather than grass and grass leaves rather than grass stem. Only few turnovers of the sward by the sows were observed. Animal behaviour was not systematically surveyed, but no adverse behaviour was observed between the two animal species. Herbage quality, proportion of rejected herbage and the load of gastro-intestinal nematodes in heifers could have positively influenced animal weight gain per day and hectare in the MI and AL systems in this study

To What Extent Will Industrial Energy Efficiency Reduce Energy Use across the Economy?

Industrial energy efficiency policy is typically targeted at the most energy intensive sectorsin the economy. Less energy intensive sectors that use a relatively high level of energy due to the scale of their activity may also be targeted. Either of these types of sectors may be targeted on the basis that large energy savings could be realised at industry-level. However, particularly where national energy use and emissions are a policy concern, there is a need to consider how changes in energy efficiency in one industry may impact throughout the wider economy

Long-term condition management in adults with intellectual disability in primary care: a systematic review

Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities have higher morbidity and earlier mortality than the general population. Access to primary health care is lower, despite a higher prevalence of many long-term conditions. Aim: To synthesise the evidence for the management of long-term conditions in adults with intellectual disabilities and identify barriers and facilitators to management in primary care. Design & setting: Mixed-methods systematic review. Method: Seven electronic databases were searched to identify both quantitative and qualitative studies concerning identification and management of long-term conditions in adults with intellectual disability in primary care. Both the screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, and the quality assessment were carried out in duplicate. Findings were combined in a narrative synthesis. Results: Fifty-two studies were identified. Adults with intellectual disabilities are less likely than the general population to receive screening and health promotion interventions. Annual health checks may improve screening, identification of health needs, and management of long-term conditions. Health checks have been implemented in various primary care contexts, but the long-term impact on outcomes has not been investigated. Qualitative findings highlighted barriers and facilitators to primary care access, communication, and disease management. Accounts of experiences of adults with intellectual disabilities reveal a dilemma between promoting self-care and ensuring access to services, while avoiding paternalistic care. Conclusion: Adults with intellectual disabilities face numerous barriers to managing long-term conditions. Reasonable adjustments, based on the experience of adults with intellectual disability, in addition to intervention such as health checks, may improve access and management, but longer-term evaluation of their effectiveness is required

Social networking for online learning

Three case studies of successful use of educational technology are presented. In each, students' usage of the technology was not what had been expected by the course designers. Theoretical ideas from the sociology of technology are used to illuminate the disparity between expectation and reality. The paper concludes that students' use of educational technology is not wholly predictable from the technology itself; and that the notion of an 'affordance' in relation to educational technology is not straightforward

TOWARD MEANINGFUL CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN LEGISLATIVE REFORM

Civic engagement, with its focus on involving citizens and civil society organizations in thedevelopment of policy and legislation to address matters of public concern, is one vehicle topromote active citizenship and more responsive legislation. In this respect governmentsconsciously seek the views of citizens and social groups and have a genuine interest inachieving outcomes that incorporate their perspectives. Examples of civic engagement are:participation in elections, public policy/legislative processes, public consultations, advocacy,and participation in local community-level decision-making structures

An analysis of key governance domains affecting environment outcomes and their social and economic consequences in the Great Barrier Reef: core data tables

The intended outcomes of governance for the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are made clear in the Reef Long Term Sustainability Plan (LTSP). At its broadest level, the vision for future outcomes in the GBR under the LTSP is "to ensure the Great Barrier Reef continues to improve on its Outstanding Universal Value every decade between now and 2050 to be a natural wonder for each successive generation to come" (Commonwealth of Australia, 2015). The Plan goes on to outline a range of quite specific water quality and reef health targets that it intends to achieve by 2050. This vision and associated outcomes are broadly agreed across the Australian and Queensland Governments and among key sectors with GBR interests. These outcomes are also implicitly supported internationally through recent decisions regarding the future status of the GBR taken by the United Nations Educations, Sciences and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, 2015). This document consists of a number of rapid assessment tables that examine the risk of systemic failure of key governance domains and subdomains that majorly influence outcomes in the GBR. In doing so, we apply the Governance Systems Analysis (GSA) framework tested in Dale et al. (2013). Table 3 provides a description and summary of the results of all the rapid assessments contained in this document. The rapid assessment tables below are organised based on their alignment with the overarching governance themes of Economic Development, Social Development, and Environmental Management. Within all themes, some governance domains are broken down into more distinct subdomains. Most rapid assessment tables in this document describe and assess the governance systems within domains and subdomains in the Environmental Management Theme. Each rapid assessment table consists of a short description of the domain or subdomain, followed by the identification and explanation of the key structural and functional components of each. Based on this, the likelihood and consequences of the each domain's or subdomain's governance system failing are identified. Each table also consequently contains a score for the likelihood of systemic failure and the consequence of systemic failure. Finally, a cumulative risk rating is then derived from the multiplication of each of the aforementioned scores. The rapid assessment tables conclude with the identification of possible or suggested areas for governance reform. The standardised scores described in Table 1 and Table 2 are used throughout this document to indicate the likelihood and consequences of systemic failure of the governance system. The use of standard criteria enables benchmarking of the target governance system over time and repeatability of the assessment/s. The multiplication of the likelihood and consequence scores provides an indication of the risk of failure of the governance system being analysed. Overview References: Commonwealth of Australia. (2015). Reef 2050 long-term sustainability plan. Canberra: Department of the Environment. Retrieved from http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/long-term-sustainability-plan Dale, A., Vella, K., Pressey, R., Brodie, J., Yorkston, H., & Pott, s. R. (2013). A method for risk analysis across governance systems: a Great Barrier Reef case study. Environmental Research Letters, 8(1), 1-16. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015037 UNESCO (2015). Decision: 39 COM 7B.7. Great Barrier Reef (Australia) (N 154). Retrieved from http://whc.unesco.org/archive/2015/whc15-39com-19-en.pd

Eosinophilic Mucosal Infiltrate in Infants with Congenital Gastrointestinal Obstruction

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72246/1/j.1572-0241.1994.tb03185.x.pd