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The Irish government has outlined plans for 10% of the national road fleet to be powered by electricity by 2020. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the potential reduction in road traffic related emissions due to commuting in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) under different electric vehicle market penetration scenarios. The results indicate that the introduction of electric vehicles offers the potential for reductions in all road traffic related emissions. However, the time required for electric vehicles to acquire a significant share of the fleet, suggests that they will have a limited impact on climate change and urban air quality for at least the next decade.

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Effective collaboration is associated with positive outcomes for students and is a key component of equitable educational opportunities. There are challenges to effective collaboration, however, as our understanding of it differs based on the various definitions in the literature. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the common constructs across definitions of collaboration as a means to develop a universal model that can be used in the schools. Through the development of a “building blocks” framework, we provide a common definition and identify the steps that must be taken before true collaboration can occur. This model highlights the iterative nature of the collaborative process and the importance of revisiting the foundational aspects of collaborative development. The systematic review focuses on using a common definition for research and the practice of collaboration.

Differences in ethical perceptions among individuals from varying cultures have been suggested as a source of concern for business firms involved in global activities. This study investigates a hypothesis based on the writings of Thorelli, that “lower” ethical perceptions exist among the residents of developing nations. This was accomplished by investigating the retail ethical perceptions of business students from a developing nation and comparing these perceptions with those of business students from a developed nation. The results suggest the retail ethical perceptions of students from different cultures attending collegiate institutions in their home countries differ, supporting the hypothesis. Implications are explored.

Accurate diagnosis and treatment planning for children with autism are a growing concern. This study sought to address two questions: (a) Which domains of the of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (2nd ed.) Teacher Rating Scales (BASC-TRS) are most effective in discriminating students diagnosed with higher functioning autism from children and youth who do not have a disability or psychiatric diagnosis? and (b) Are there noteworthy differences in BASC-TRS domain scores between children and adolescents with autism? The results indicated that children and adolescents with an educational diagnosis of autism were given significantly higher ratings in the domains of Developmental Social Disorders and Withdrawal and significantly lower ratings in Functional Communication. These scales appear to discriminate best between those students with autism and their nondisabled peers. In addition, the results suggest that the differences between students with autism and students without clinical problems may become less pronounced as they grow into adolescence.

Thermal lens calorimetry is applied to the measurement of infrared absorption of condensed phase samples. The unique trade offs encountered with longer wavelength lasers in thermal lens measurements are discussed. As a demonstration of the technique, the determination of hydrocarbons using a helium-neon laser operated at 3.39 μm is reported. The minimum detectable sample has an absorbance, A = 5 × 10−4, corresponding to 8 ng of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane within the beam volume in the sample. Interpretation of absorbance at the helium-neon laser transition is aided by the determination of functional group molar absorptivities from a series of normal, cyclic, and branched-chain hydrocarbons. The average specific absorption coefficient for hydrocarbons at this wavelength is found to be 2.09 (±0.09) 1 g−1 cm−1.