Public Attitudes to Health and Personal Social Services in Northern Ireland, 2004 - Final Report

Public Attitudes to Health and Personal Social Services in Northern Ireland, 2004 - Final Report

Anaesthetics, Pain Relief and Critical Care Services in Northern Ireland - Regional Summary (May 2002)

Anaesthetics, Pain Relief and Critical Care Services in Northern Ireland - Regional Summary (May 2002) Pages 1 to 7 (PDF 276 KB)åÊ Pages 8 to 14 (PDF 392 KB)åÊ Pages 15 to 20 (PDF 265 KB)

Health and Social Care: Comparative Data for Northern Ireland and other Countries - May 2004 (PDF 121 KB)

Health and Social Care: Comparative Data for Northern Ireland and other Countries - May 2004

Northern Ireland's Fire and Rescue Service - Consultation Paper

Northern Ireland's Fire and Rescue Service - Consultation

Quinquennial Review of the Fire Authority of Northern Ireland Stage II Report

Quinquennial Review of the Fire Authority of Northern Ireland Stage II Report

Northern Ireland Hospital Statistics 1998/1999 to 2003/2004 (pdf 169 kb)

Key Points

Review of the Freeing Order Processes in Northern Ireland (pdf 369 kb)

Review of the Freeing Order Processes in Northern Ireland

Tackling Violence at Home - The Government's Proposals on Domestic Violence in Northern Ireland (October 2003)

Tackling Violence at Home - The Government's Proposals on Domestic Violence in Northern Ireland

Voluntary Organisations Represented on the Northern Ireland Cancer Forum (PDF 141 KB)

Mission statement: åÊ To save lives of those at risk of developing cancer and enhance the quality of life of those living with cancer in Northern Ireland. åÊ Services include: - Women’s early detection service åÊ – mammography, cervical screening and breast awareness (including a mobile clinic) åÊ - Awareness campaigns on breast, cervical, prostate and testicular cancer åÊ - Counselling and complementary therapy for cancer patients and their families åÊ - Health promotion in schools, workplaces and communities åÊ - Funding for cancer research and the Regional Cancer Genetics Servic åÊ

Disparity in the timing of vertebrate diversification events between the northern and southern hemispheres.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Climatic oscillations throughout the Quaternary had profound effects on temperate biodiversity, but the extent of Quaternary climate change was more severe in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere than in the southern hemisphere. We sought to determine whether this geographic disparity differentially influenced the timing of intraspecific diversification events within ectothermic and endothermic vertebrate species. Using published phylogenetic hypotheses, we gathered data on the oldest intraspecific diversification event within mammal, bird, freshwater fish, amphibian, and reptile species from temperate-zone areas. We then tested whether the timing of diversification events differed between hemispheres. RESULTS: Our analyses provide strong evidence that vertebrates from temperate regions of the northern hemisphere are younger than those from the southern hemisphere. However, we find little evidence to suggest that this relationship differs between endotherms versus ectotherms, or that it varies widely across the five classes of vertebrates that we considered. In addition, we find that on average, endothermic species are much younger than ectothermic species. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that geographic variation in the magnitude of climatic oscillations during the Quaternary led to substantial disparity in the timing of intraspecific diversification events between northern and southern hemisphere vertebrates, and that the magnitude of this divergence is largely congruent across vertebrate taxa.

Metazoan parasite fauna of the bigeye flounder, Hippoglossina macrops, from Northern Chile. Influence of host age and sex

The metazoan parasite fauna of Hippoglossina macrops (n = 123) from northern Chile (30°S) is quantitatively described for the first time, and the role of host age and sex was evaluated. Twelve parasite species were recovered, including 5 ectoparasites (2 Monogenea, 2 Copepoda and 1 Piscicolidae) and 7 endoparasites (1 Digenea, 3 Cestoda, 2 Acanthocephala, and 1 Nematoda). The copepod Holobomolochus chilensis, the monogenean Neoheterobothrium sp., the adult acanthocephalan Floridosentis sp. and the hirudinean, Gliptonobdella sp. are new geographical and host records. The most prevalent ectoparasitic species were the monogenean, Neoheterobothrium sp. and the copepod, H. chilensis. Among endoparasites, the acanthocephalans Floridosentis sp. and Corynosoma australe were most prevalent and abundant. Prevalence and mean intensity of infection for most parasitic species were not affected by host sex, however the prevalence of Floridosentis sp. was significantly greater in males. Intensity of infection was positively correlated with host age for Neoheterobothrium sp., and negatively correlated for Floridosentis sp. and H. chilensis. The helminth species richness of the host H. macrops was lower compared to related flatfishes from the Northern Hemisphere. The relationship of the helminth fauna of H. macrops, its feeding habits and ecological habitats are discussed.

Northern Ireland Framework Specification for the Degree in Social Work (PDF 213 KB)

Northern Ireland Framework Specification for the Degree in Social Work

A Better Future - 50 Years of Child Care in Northern Ireland

A Better Future - 50 Years of Child Care in Northern Ireland 1950 to 2000