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A representation of a finite group G on a finite dimensional vector space V is called unisingular if every g ∈ G has 1 as an eigenvalue in its action on V. In this paper we show that certain unisingular representations can be realized as mod 2 representations of hyperelliptic Jacobians over Q. We additionally identify new unisingular representations of the symmetric and alternating groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing attention on study abroad programmes in higher education. However, there is little evidence on how participation might impact students' academic performance on return. Using administrative data from Ireland and a range of regression models and matching estimators, we find no independent association between study abroad and subsequent academic performance on average. However, we do find some evidence of heterogeneity in the relationship, notably across the performance distribution and for language students. In particular, study abroad is independently associated with better (worse) performance for higher (lower) performing students and in language subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing rates of mental ill-health among students in higher education has led to rising demand for campus counselling services and longer waiting times, while considerable unmet need also exists. To design more effective services, it is important to understand what aspects of service provision are most valued by students. We present results from a choice experiment using a survey of over 5,000 students in Ireland. Waiting time is the most important attribute for students, which has implications for the funding of services and we discuss ways in which this could be addressed. We also find considerable preference heterogeneity for attributes across students and we consider how this can be incorporated in the design of effective services. Finally, we address the issue of how any changes in the provision of campus counselling services might be financed, which is a particularly important issue within resource-constrained education sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous extension efforts promote climate smart agriculture (CSA) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The need to focus on gender disparity within CSA is widely understood. Given the prominence of female agriculturalists in Malawi, such focus can make a large impact on the country's rural sustainable development. This study quantifies the impact of extension techniques, including lead farmers, NGO trainers, and farmer clubs, on men and women farmers in Malawi by applying ordered logistic regression to data concerning post-extension increases in self-assessed CSA knowledge. Male and female farmers achieved increases in knowledge through traditional extension (NGO trainers and farmer clubs). However, these gains were less for female farmers. The interaction of female farmers with lead farmers (i.e. community members trained to train others) made increases in knowledge more likely. The impact of lead farmers was lessened by limited mobility and availability. Based on the study findings, we advocate for innovative approaches to CSA extension that aim to increase understanding of differing needs and preferences of female farmers. A failure to include women farmers in design from the outset misses a key opportunity to develop understanding of related societal challenges, increasing the likelihood of nominal participation and uneven outcomes among participating farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease has been a site of medicalisation, as demonstrated by the significant increase in the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins, over the last thirty years. While this is welcomed by many in the medical community, others have criticised the expansion of statin use to low-risk people. In the context of this debate, the aim of this article is to present a broad scoping review of the literature on how preventative health, risk and 'candidacy' for statin treatment are perceived and negotiated by clinicians and patients. We examine how evidence and knowledge about cardiovascular risk reduction is produced, interpreted and communicated and how patients' gender, socio-demographic and cultural differences may impact patterns of statin use. We found that few studies differentiated between the use of statins in those with and those without established cardiovascular disease, despite the fact that the majority of statin users, and women in particular, fall into the primary prevention category. In this context, the process of medicalisation is predicated on healthy individuals being subject to medical surveillance of risk factors, which have acquired the status of disease in their own right. Central to this process has been the heuristic that identifies elevated cholesterol as a medical problem warranting statin treatment, as well as the difficulties encountered by doctors and patients in understanding, interpreting and communicating risk. This individualised construction of risk and disease has largely ignored the supposedly widely recognised social and political determinants of health and illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We utilise a dataset of students in their final year of upper secondary education in Ireland to provide a detailed examination of the preferences of prospective students for higher education institutions (HEIs). Our analysis is based upon a discrete choice experiment methodology with willingness to pay estimates derived for specific HEI attributes and compensating surplus estimated for different bundles of attributes. The results suggest that course reputation and work placement are the most valued attributes. We also find strong evidence of preference heterogeneity, with those from lower socio-economic backgrounds more averse to higher levels of fees. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Spatial Economic Analysis is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents, for the first time, comprehensive measures of geographic accessibility to higher education both within and between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Using geographic information system techniques, we find high levels of geographic accessibility to higher education in both jurisdictions. However, when we differentiate by type of higher education institution, we find that overall accessibility to universities in the Republic of Ireland is poor relative to Northern Ireland. Using data on enrolment and mobility rates, we find evidence that these geographic inequalities in accessibility may play a role in determining the type of higher education an individual pursues in the Republic of Ireland. Our analysis also explores the potential accessibility implications of recently announced changes to the structure of the higher education system in the Republic of Ireland. These changes are shown to result in an improvement in geographic accessibility to a university education in the south-west and south-east, with the north-west remaining at a disadvantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Regional Studies is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Spatial microsimulation models typically match census of population data with survey data in order to simulate synthetic populations of individuals and households within small-scale geographic areas. For most spatial microsimulation applications this level of spatial precision is satisfactory. For others, more precise information on the location of simulated units may be required. To this end this paper develops a continuous space representation of a simulated population. It presents a statistical matching approach for assigning simulated households from a spatial microsimulation model to unique spatially-referenced residential locations. The allocation is based on a random assignment after splitting the simulated households into two groups: those predicted to reside in apartments and those predicted to reside in houses. The resulting 'geohouseholds' have a range of potential applications in economic and spatial analysis. Creation d'une representation spatiale continue d'une population stimulee Resume Les modeles de microsimulation spatiale assortissent generalement les donnees de recensement de la population a des donnees de sondages, afin de simuler des populations synthetiques de particuliers et de foyers au sein de regions geographiques a echelle restreinte. Dans la plupart des applications de microsimulation spatiale, ce niveau de precision spatiale est satisfaisant. Dans d'autres, des informations plus precises sur l'emplacement d'unites simulees pourront s'averer necessaires. A cette fin, la presente communication cree une representation spatiale continue d'une population simulee. Elle presente une methode de correspondance statistique permettant d'affecter des foyers simules, issus d'un modele de microsimulation spatiale a des lieux residentiels unique a reference spatiale. Cette allocation est basee sur une affectation aleatoire apres la subdivision des foyers simules en deux groupes : ceux dont on prevoit qu'ils resideront en appartement, et ceux dont on prevoit qu'ils resideront dans un maison. Les « geofoyers » resultants presentent toute une serie d'applications potentielles pour les analyses economiques et spatiales. Desarrollo de una representacion espacial continua de una poblacion simulada Extracto Tipicamente, los modelos de microsimulacion espacial emparejan el censo de datos de la poblacion con datos de encuestas, con objeto de simular poblaciones sinteticas de individuos y hogares dentro de areas geograficas a pequena escala. Para la mayoria de las aplicaciones de microsimulacion espacial este nivel de precision espacial es satisfactorio. Para otras, podria requerirse informacion mas precisa sobre la ubicacion de unidades simuladas. Con este objetivo, este trabajo desarrolla la representacion espacial continua de una poblacion simulada. Presenta un planteamiento de emparejamiento estadistico para asignar hogares simulados procedentes de un modelo de microsimulacion espacial a ubicaciones residenciales unicas referenciadas espacialmente. La colocacion se basa en una asignacion al azar despues de dividir los hogares simulados en dos grupos: los que se predice que residiran en apartamentos y los que se predice que residiran en casas. Los 'geohogares' resultantes ofrecen una gama de aplicaciones en potencia en el analisis economico y espacial. [image omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]