2,296 research outputs found
Essential elements and heavy metal concentrations in a small area of the Castlecomer Plateau, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland: Implications for animal performance.
No full textpeer-reviewedMany ruminants are solely or mostly dependant for their nutrients, including essential
elements, on the forage available to them, either in its natural state or conserved as
hay or silage. A soil and herbage survey was carried out in April and September 2007,
in a 3.1 km × 3.0 km grid, incorporating 106 and 46 sampling points, respectively, on
the Castlecomer Plateau, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland. The aim was to determine the nutrient
and heavy metal status of soil and herbage in the sampling area, and to examine the
concentrations observed for their potential to impact on animal performance. Low soil
pH and high soil lime requirements were identified within the sampling area. The concentrations
of Ca, Cu, Se and Zn were low in both soil and herbage. These conditions
are similar to those found on other farms in Ireland. Fluoride was detected in 61 of
the 97 herbage samples in April 2007, but only four exceeded 40 mg/kg dry matter, the
maximum tolerable level for cattle. Mineral imbalances (Ca, Cu, Se and Zn) observed
in pastures caused by low soil mineral status, exacerbated by low soil pH, could impair
animal performance in the area studied
Pathways to a renewable gas industry in Ireland
No full textThe use of renewable gas produced via the anaerobic digestion of biodegradable material has been mooted as a source of renewable energy in Ireland. The production of renewable gas in power to gas systems could also allow for the storage of significant quantities of excess renewable electricity in the form of methane gas, while demand driven biogas systems could act as a source of controllable and dispatchable renewable electricity. This work aims to assess the scale of these resource in Ireland. The total theoretical resource of biomethane which could be produced via the anaerobic digestion of waste streams was found to be 12.5PJ equivalent to 6-7% of final energy consumption in transportation and final energy consumption in heat production. Most of this potential resource arose from cattle slurry and was concentrated in the southern and north-eastern regions of Ireland. Initial biomethane plants processing waste streams should use source separated household organic waste and should locate in regions where this resource is highest. Biomethane plants processing waste streams could produce 3.4-3.8 PJ of energy. The total theoretical resource of biomethane associated with grass silage was found to be 128.4PJ, equivalent to 64% of energy consumption in transport and 72% of energy thermal energy consumption. The majority of the potential grass silage resource is located in western regions of Ireland. Biomethane plants processing grass silage and cattle slurry could provide 12.2PJ of energy. Plant scale, feedstock type, feedstock mixture, gate fees, feedstock price, and incentive value strongly influenced the quantity of biomethane that could be produced. The use of decentralised anaerobic digestion systems can reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the anaerobic digestion of wet feedstocks such as pig slurry by 21-22% and 18-19% respectively compared to a centralised anaerobic digestion system. This could increase the greenhouse gas emissions savings of biogas, allowing it to meet future stringent sustainability criteria. Advanced sources of renewable gas such as microalgae (used in anaerobic digestion) and power to gas systems (converting excess renewable electricity into methane gas using biogenic sources of CO2) could theoretically provide 1.8PJ and 1.4PJ of renewable gas respectively. These systems are technically less advanced, however, power to gas systems present an interesting opportunity for energy storage. Feeding regimes for a demand driven biogas system to generate electricity at times of high demand, and biomethane outside of these periods were developed using lab scale trials and could inform the operation of full scale plants
The synthesis of monodisperse alkanes with long chains
No full textThis thesis discusses reasons for the interest in monodisperse long chain alkanes and describes attempts, past and present, to synthesise such molecules. Chapter 1 discusses why the synthesis of such molecules are important and the objectives of this project. Chapter 2 reviews the methods previous groups have devised to prepare pure samples of long chain alkanes. In particular, work carried out by Whiting et al. at Bristol, whose scheme formed the basis of the early work in Durham. Chapter 3 describes the work in Durham and improvements which were made to Whiting's method, allowing the synthesis of longer chain lengths and greater quantities of materials to be achieved. Chapter 4 provides a summary of the practical work carried out by the author. Chapter 5 gives experimental details of the work described in Chapter 4
Microstructure Development during Solidification of Aluminium Alloys
No full textThis Thesis demonstrates studies on microstructure development during the solidification of aluminium alloys. New insights of structure development are presented here. Experimental techniques such as quenching and in-situ High-brilliance X-ray microscopy were utilized to study the microstructure evolution during solidification.Materials Science and EngineeringMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin
Estimating the Impact of Immigration on Wages in Ireland
No full textWe estimate the impact of immigration on the wages of natives in Ireland applying the technique proposed by Borjas (2003). Under this method, the labour market is divided into a number of skill cells, where the cells are defined by groups with similar levels of experience and education (or experience and occupation). Regression analysis is then employed to assess whether the average wages of natives across skill cells is affected by the share of immigrants across cells. When the cells are based on education/experience, our results suggest a negative relationship between native wages and immigrant shares. However, the opposite appears to hold when the cells are based on occupation/experience. These contradictory findings suggest that care should be exercised when applying this method as inaccurate impressions of the impact of immigration on wages may arise.wages, immigration, Ireland
Farmland birds and the field boundary evaluation and grading system in Ireland
No full textField boundaries are important habitats for birds within the agricultural landscape. In this study, bird surveys
were carried out during the winter and breeding season on nine farms in the east and south-east of
Ireland and field boundaries at each site were assessed using the Field Boundary Evaluation and Grading
System (FBEGS). Poisson regression demonstrated that FBEGS scores were a good predictor of both winter
and breeding bird species richness and diversity within the field boundaries studied. We interpret these
preliminary results with caution since our sample size was relatively small (compared to the wide variety
of field boundary types found in Ireland) and no single combination of field boundary attributes is likely
to be optimum for all bird species. However, our results suggest that FBEGS may be a useful surrogate
indicator of overall field boundary bird diversity and we discuss the consequent implications for agri-environmental
policy, and for the possible adaptation and use of FBEGS as a tool to monitor the impact of
changing farm management practice.Author has checked copyrigh
An act of the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens of the City of Dublin [electronic resource] : in a General Assembly held at New- Hall the 14th day of May 1681. and publish'd by order. [Animadverting on a pamphlet, entitled "Ireland's sad lamentation"].
No full textCaption title.Imprint from colophon.Reproduction of original in: Society of Antiquaries of London Library.Wing, D.G. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America, and of English books printed in other countries, 1641-1700 (2nd ed. 1994),English short title catalogue,Electronic reproduction
Control of ovulation rate in beef cattle
No full textAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:1876. 2592(no 54) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo
The association between church attendance and psychological health in Northern Ireland : a national representative survey among adults allowing for sex differences and denominational difference
No full textThis study extends previous research concerning the association between religion and psychological health in six ways: (1) by focusing clearly on religious attendance (church attendance); (2) by employing a robust measure of psychological distress (GHQ-12); (3) by studying a highly religious culture (Northern Ireland); (4) by taking sex differences into account (male or female); (5) by taking denominational differences into account (Catholic or Protestant); (6) and by obtaining a national representative sample (N = 4,281 adults aged 16 and above). Results from a 2 (sex) by 2 (denomination) ANCOVA demonstrated that Catholics recorded significantly lower levels of psychological health compared to Protestants, and that females showed significantly lower levels of psychological health compared to males. In addition, females reported higher frequency of religious service attendance than males, and Catholics reported higher attendance rates than Protestants. A significant positive association was found between frequency of religious attendance and GHQ-12 scores, and this association was moderated by sex and denomination. In conclusion, the results suggest that there may be sex and denominational differences in further understanding the relationship between frequency of religious attendance and psychological health
Pressure groups and government policy on education, 1800 - 1839.
No full textThis study examines the roles of the principal groups and individuals,
who, during the years 1800-1839, promoted the education of the poor
and pressurised governments with the notion that the state ought to
ac ept responsibility for the formation of a nationa1 system. Their
m tives were primarily religious, philanthropic or political with a
degree of self-interest in the desire to preserve order in society.
The religious interests are examined mainly through the work of
the British and Foreign Sch ol Society, which served the Dissenter
traditi ns, and the Nati nal S ciety which defended the prerogative of
the Establi h d Church t superintend the education of the people. The
tilitarians and Radicals were imp rtant for the practica1 expression
f their philos phical and political ideas led them to make a considerable
c ntributi n to the provision schools. They also had the inspiration
and organising ability of Jam s Mill and Francis Place.
The ideas of Robert Owen are considered because he was a pressure
figure for a few years, but his work also sowed the seeds of Co-operation
and w rking-cla s movements, which made an impact during the 1830's. As the
populati n slowly improved in standard of learning, the development of
Mechanics' Institutes, the Society for the Difflision of Useful Knowledge
and the foundation of University College are viewed as part of a strategy
for the general promotion of adult education1
The dominant personality of Henry Brougham is evident in much of
this study. He instituted the Charity Commissions in 1819, was spokesman
(iv)
for education in Parliament for many years, anj was a link between
the different groups because of his involvement in so many.
During the 1830's the new science of statistics emerged and the
Statistical Societies were important for their presentation of data
on education1 The existence of a National Board of Education in Ireland
after 1831 placed the province ahead of England and the influences
from this experiment, mediated to Parliament by Thomas Wyse and others,
all helped to pressurise the governments of the day, whose policy had
been to encourage voluntary effort and to avoid the imposition of central
administrative control
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