The effect of Holstein-Friesian genotype and feeding system on selected performance parameters of dairy cows on grass-based systems of milk production in Ireland

End of project reportThe overall objective of this project was to assess, the effect of strain of Holstein-Friesian dairy cow, pasture-based feed system (FS) and their interaction on animal performance in terms of milk productivity and lactation profile, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), feed intake and energy balance (EB), reproductive performance and overall economic profitability

A survey of AGN and supermassive black holes in the COSMOS Survey

The Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) is an HST/ACS imaging survey of 2 square degrees centered on RA = 10:00:28.6, Dec = + 02:12:21 (J2000). While the primary goal of the survey is to study evolution of galaxy morphology and large scale structure, an extensive multi-wavelength data set allows for a sensitive survey of AGN. Spectroscopy of optical counterparts to faint X-ray and radio sources is being carried out with the Magallen (Baade) Telescope and the ESO VLT. By achieving 80 redshift completeness down to I AB = 3, the eventual yield of AGN will be 1100 over the whole field. Early results on supermassive black holes are described. The goals of the survey include a bolometric census of AGN down to moderate luminosities, the cosmic evolution and fueling history of the central engines, and a study of AGN environments on scales ranging from the host galaxy to clusters and supercluster

Dependence of Star Formation Activity On Stellar Mass and Environment From the Redshift One LDSS-3 Emission Line Survey (ROLES)

Using the sample from the \it Redshift One LDSS3 Emission line Survey \rm (ROLES), we probe the dependence of star formation rate (SFR) and specific star formation rate (sSFR) as a function of stellar mass $M_*$ and environment as defined by local galaxy density, in the CDFS field. Our spectroscopic sample consists of 312 galaxies with $K_{AB}<24$, corresponding to stellar mass \log(M_*/M_{\sun})>8.5, and with [OII] derived star-formation rates SFR>0.3M_{\sun}/yr, at $0.889\leq z \leq 1.149$. The results have been compared directly with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 sample at $0.032\leq z \leq 0.05$. For star-forming galaxies, we confirm that there is little correlation between SFR and density at $z\sim 0$. However, for the lowest mass galaxies in our $z\sim 1$ sample, those with \log(M_*/M_{\sun})<10, we find that both the median SFR and specific SFR {\it increase} significantly with increasing local density. The "downsizing" trend for low mass galaxies to be quenched progressively later in time appears to be more pronounced in moderately overdense environments. Overall we find that the evolution of star-formation in galaxies is most strongly driven by their stellar mass, with local galaxy density playing a role that becomes increasingly important for lower mass galaxies.Comment: MNRAS accepte

FIRE (facilitating implementation of research evidence) : a study protocol

Research evidence underpins best practice, but is not always used in healthcare. The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework suggests that the nature of evidence, the context in which it is used, and whether those trying to use evidence are helped (or facilitated) affect the use of evidence. Urinary incontinence has a major effect on quality of life of older people, has a high prevalence, and is a key priority within European health and social care policy. Improving continence care has the potential to improve the quality of life for older people and reduce the costs associated with providing incontinence aids

Six of the best: priorities for continuing professional development (CPD) of academics

This article reports on a small-scale study at NU to determine which development activities " formal and informal " staff had found most influential in their CPD. The formal involves such activities as attending workshops, formal training sessions and conferences, consulting experts, undertaking research, getting published, keeping a reflective journal and designing curriculum, teaching materials and teaching strategies. The informal involves reading, conversations with colleagues, receiving informal feedback from colleagues and students and networking. It was hoped that, as a result of the study, we might identify, and further build upon, those formal events which most impacted on that development

Teagasc submission made in response to the Consultation Paper on Interim Review of Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation 2019

Teagasc SubmissionSubmission to governmentThis submission was made in response to the consultation process run jointly by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (DHPCLG) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) inviting views and comments on proposals for the Interim Review of Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation Programme in 2019. It has been prepared by Teagasc’s Water Quality Working Group in consultation with the Gaseous Emissions Working Group. These working groups have members drawn from both the Knowledge Transfer and Research Directorates of Teagasc. It was prepared following consultation with colleagues across Teagasc using their collective knowledge and expertise in agri-environmental science and practice and the implementation of the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and Nitrates Derogation Regulations.https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2019/teagasc-submission-made-in-response-to-the-consultation-paper-on-interim-review-of-irelands-nitrates-derogation-2019.ph

Reconstruction of primary vertices at the ATLAS experiment in Run 1 proton–proton collisions at the LHC

This paper presents the method and performance of primary vertex reconstruction in proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment during Run 1 of the LHC. The studies presented focus on data taken during 2012 at a centre-of-mass energy of √s=8 TeV. The performance has been measured as a function of the number of interactions per bunch crossing over a wide range, from one to seventy. The measurement of the position and size of the luminous region and its use as a constraint to improve the primary vertex resolution are discussed. A longitudinal vertex position resolution of about 30μm is achieved for events with high multiplicity of reconstructed tracks. The transverse position resolution is better than 20μm and is dominated by the precision on the size of the luminous region. An analytical model is proposed to describe the primary vertex reconstruction efficiency as a function of the number of interactions per bunch crossing and of the longitudinal size of the luminous region. Agreement between the data and the predictions of this model is better than 3% up to seventy interactions per bunch crossing