Increased recognition of the business case for managing corporate impacts on the environment has helped drive increasingly detailed and quantified corporate environmental goals. Foremost among these are goals of no net loss (NNL) and net positive impact (NPI). We assess the scale and growth of such corporate goals. Since the first public, company-wide NNL/NPI goal in 2001, 32 companies have set similar goals, of which 18 specifically include biodiversity. Mining companies have set the most NNL/NPI goals, and the majority of those that include biodiversity, despite the generally lower total global impact of the mining industry on biodiversity compared to the agriculture or forestry industries. This could be linked to the mining industry's greater participation in best practice bodies, high-profile impacts, and higher profit margins per area of impact. The detail and quality of present goals vary widely. We examined specific NNL/NPI goals and assessed the extent to which their key components were likely to increase the effectiveness of these goals in benefiting biodiversity and managing business risk. Nonetheless, outcomes are more important than goals, and we urge conservationists to work with companies to both support and monitor their efforts to achieve increasingly ambitious environmental goals.

Surveying and declaring disease freedom in wildlife is difficult because information on population size and spatial distribution is often inadequate. We describe and demonstrate a novel spatial model of wildlife disease-surveillance data for predicting the probability of freedom of bovine tuberculosis (caused by Mycobacterium bovis) in New Zealand, in which the introduced brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is the primary wildlife reservoir. Using parameters governing home-range size, probability of capture, probability of infection and spatial relative risks of infection we employed survey data on reservoir hosts and spillover sentinels to make inference on the probability of eradication. Our analysis revealed high sensitivity of model predictions to parameter values, which demonstrated important differences in the information contained in survey data of host-reservoir and spillover-sentinel species. The modelling can increase cost efficiency by reducing the likelihood of prematurely declaring success due to insufficient control, and avoiding unnecessary costs due to excessive control and monitoring.

There is increasing epidemiological evidence linking sub-optimal vitamin D status with overweight and obesity. Although increasing BMI and adiposity have also been negatively associated with the change in vitamin D status following supplementation, results have been equivocal. The aim of this randomised, placebo-controlled study was to investigate the associations between anthropometric measures of adiposity and the wintertime serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) response to 15 μg cholecalciferol per d in healthy young and older Irish adults. A total of 110 young adults (20–40 years) and 102 older adults ( ≥ 64 years) completed the 22-week intervention with >85 % compliance. The change in 25(OH)D from baseline was calculated. Anthropometric measures of adiposity taken at baseline included height, weight and waist circumference (WC), along with skinfold thickness measurements to estimate fat mass (FM). FM was subsequently expressed as FM (kg), FM (%), FM index (FMI (FM kg/height m2)) and as a percentage ratio to fat-free mass (FFM). In older adults, vitamin D status was inversely associated with BMI (kg/m2), WC (cm), FM (kg and %), FMI (kg/m2) and FM:FFM (%) at baseline (r − 0·33, − 0·36, − 0·33, − 0·30, − 0·33 and − 0·27, respectively, all P values < 0·01). BMI in older adults was also negatively associated with the change in 25(OH)D following supplementation (β − 1·27, CI − 2·37, − 0·16, P = 0·026); however, no such associations were apparent in younger adults. Results suggest that adiposity may need to be taken into account when determining an adequate wintertime dietary vitamin D intake for healthy older adults residing at higher latitudes.

A bacteriological survey on the distribution and occurrence of coliforms and pathogenic indicators of pollution within the surf-zone and near-shore waters along a section of the Natal coast before the use of submarine outfalls was reported previously. In that report more than half the beaches in the region were found to be of Class IV or III quality. After the submarine outfalls became operational, ten further sampling runs were made. A considerable improvement in the sea-water quality was apparent, most of the beaches being regraded to Class II or I, notably in the bathing areas.

A bacteriological survey was made on the distribution and occurrence of coliforms and pathogenic indicators of pollution within the surf-zone and near-shore waters along a section of the Natal Coast, prior to the use of submarine outfalls. The distance covered measured approximately 47 miles. The waters sampled and assessed ranged from ‘clean’ beaches to heavily polluted areas; a single short run off an Eastern Cape coastal region was included for comparative purposes. In all cases, the bacteriological picture was related to sanitary features on the shore. The method is based on Escherichia coli I counts, parasite units, staphylococci, salmonellas and salinity, and provides an objective approach to the assessment of any future changes in water quality consequent on development.

Inelastic neutron scattering is applied for the first time to monitor directly the concentration of calcium hydroxide formed during the hydration of tricalcium silicate. Results taken between 10 and 40 °C show that the onset of calcium hydroxide formation is delayed at lower temperatures but that the final quantity formed appears to be converging to a temperature-independent value. At 20°C, the 28 day value is 1.3 moles per mole of tricalcium silicate. Combining these results with previous measurements of the free water index made using quasielastic neutron scattering reveals that the hydrogen content of the C–S–H gel decreases significantly at increased curing temperature.

Estimates of food consumption and macronutrient intake were obtained from a randomly selected population sample (2%) of 1015 adolescents aged 12 and 15 years in Northern Ireland during the 1990/1991 school year. Dietary intake was assessed by diet history with photographic album to estimate portion size. Reported median energy intakes were 11.0 and 13.1 MJ/d for boys aged 12 and 15 years respectively and 9.2 and 9.1 MJ/d for girls of these ages. Protein, carbohydrate and total sugars intakes as a percentage of total energy varied little between the age and sex groups and were approximately 11, 49 and 20 % respectively of daily total energy intakes. Median dietary fibre intakes were approximately 20 and 24 g/d for boys aged 12 and 15 years respectively and 18 and 19 g/d for girls of these ages. Major food sources of energy (as a percentage of total energy intakes) were bread and cereals (15–18 %), cakes and biscuits (12–14%), chips and crisps (13–14%), dairy products (9-ll%), meat and meat products (9–11%) and confectionery (9%). Fruit and vegetable intakes were low at about 2.5% and 1.5% respectively of total energy intakes. Median fat intakes were high at 39% of total daily energy intakes. Major food sources of fat as a percentage of total fat intakes were from the food groupings: chips and crisps (16–19%), meat and meat products (14–17%), fats and oils (14–16%), cakes and biscuits (13–16%) and dairy products (12–15%). Median intakes of saturated fatty acids were also high at approximately 15% of daily total energy intake while intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids averaged 12% of daily total energy intake. Median polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intakes were low, comprising 5.2 and 5.5 % of daily total energy intake for boys aged 12 and 15 years respectively and were lower than the PUFA intakes (59 and 6.3% of daily total energy intake) for girls of these ages. About 1.3 % for boys and 1.4 % for girls of daily total energy intake was in the form of n-3 PUFA. Ca and Mg intakes were adequate for both sexes. Based on these results, some concern about the dietary habits and related health consequences in Northern Ireland adolescents appears justified.

Ti-Cr alloys near the TiCr2 composition have been studied to determine the single-phase Laves field and the associated defects accompanying off-stoichiometry. A combination of metallography, x-ray diffraction, lattice parameter measurements, density measurements and electron microprobe analysis have been used to establish a narrow single-phase region extending towards Ti-rich compositions. All three Laves crystal structures (C14, C36 and C15) were found to exist at different temperatures. Hardness and fracture toughness values determined by Vickers microindentation were studied as a function of alloy composition. Effects of adding Fe, Nb, Mo, and V to TiCr2 on lattice parameter, crystal structure, hardness and fracture toughness are reported.

MgNi2 and MgCu0.4Zn1.6, two C36 Laves phases, were plastically deformed at elevated temperatures, and, the deformation-induced defects were studied by TEM. Extensive faulting was observed, consistent with the low stacking-fault energy of the C36 structure. HREM revealed multi-layer faults with a variety of stacking sequences.

Transmission electron microscopy of two-phase V-Hf-Nb and V-Hf-Nb-Ti alloys plastically deformed at room temperature shows that {111} (112) twinning is a major deformation mode for the HfV2-based Laves phase. Bands of concentrated shear are also observed. Possible approaches to enhance low-temperature deformability in other Laves phases are discussed.

The technology leading to very large aperture telescopes and their optics has progressed well in the period since 1984 and plans for many new large aperture telescopes have been made. Focal plane instrumentation continues to become more sophisticated or more efficient: multi-object capabilities, automatic instrument control and operation, and increasing use of CCDs are examples of areas to which this applies. The proportion of time devoted to observations using two-dimensional photoelectronic detectors has grown substantially at many observatories, particularly with telescopes of moderate aperture; and the use of high quantum efficiency array detectors is now being extended into the infrared spectral region. Important advances have also been made in instrumentation and techniques for ground-based high angular resolution interferometry.

Prototype Laves Phases MgCu2 and MgZn2 have been deformed in compression at various temperatures and strain rates, and dislocations produced by deformation have been characterized by TEM. Ternary cubic Laves phases Mg(Cu,M)2, where M-Al, Ni, Si, and Zn, have also been deformed, and substantial solution hardening was observed

Although light microscopy is commonly used to characterize high-temperature superconductors, few details have appeared in the literature. This paper discusses light-microscopy observations on secondary phases, grain structure, twinning, microhardness, and texture in sintered compacts of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x (123).