A comparison of the limitations and accuracy of both obstructed prism and obstructed non-prism measurements

Whether it be through the implementation of either prism based measurements, or non-prism based measurements, when an obstruction is introduced into the equation, and a clear unobstructed view between the instrument and target no longer exists, there is a strong possibility of a distortion of some magnitude being introduced into any recorded data. The aim of this report is to compare and contrast both the limitations and accuracies of obstructed prism based (both ATR and manual pointing) and obstructed non-prism based field measurements and to derive the reliability as well as the repeatability of such measurements. The instruments being tested in this project include the Topcon DS-203AC Total Station, the Leica TPS1103 Total Station and the Trimble SPS930 DR+ Total Station. A series of physical obstructions were placed at different distance intervals between these instruments and targets so that the view to the target from the instrument was obstructed. These distance intervals between the instrument/ target and the obstruction were altered in proximity to both the instrument and target in order to best simulate a variety of field conditions. The overall distance between the instrument and the target were also varied to simulate different situations. Results obtained from this investigation indicated clear trends amongst the instruments through all of the obstructions. Whilst some obstructions had little impact on the accuracy of the instrument readings, other obstructions introduced some significant and intolerable errors. After all of the results had been analysed, a set of recommendations was compiled from the analysed data that indicate the accuracy and repeatability of each of the different methods of measurement through different obstructions and how the resulting errors can best be mitigated and minimised

An investigation to determine how the introduction of outdoor education supports learning in Key Stage One

This study focuses upon the effectiveness of outdoor education on primary school pupils in Key Stage One; regarding their engagement and behaviour. In addition to this, this study will consider to pedagogical strategies that are adopted by the teacher during the delivery of outdoor lessons. Mixed methods of qualitative data collection were employed to evaluate the aim of this research. The findings of this study support the view that pupils can benefit from a different learning environment in obtaining group work skills, a difference in behaviour, more enthusiasm and a higher motivation. The strongest outcome of this research depicts that common misconceptions of outdoor education from practitioners are often what hinders pupil engagement in lessons taken outside. If teachers lack an understanding of how to promote effective outdoor lessons, it raises the question of whether this approach of education is beneficial at all

Totalitarianism and geography: L.S. Berg and the defence of an academic discipline in the age of Stalin

In considering the complex relationship between science and politics, the article focuses upon the career of the eminent Russian scholar, Lev Semenovich Berg (1876–1950), one of the leading geographers of the Stalin period. Already before the Russian Revolution, Berg had developed a naturalistic notion of landscape geography which later appeared to contradict some aspects of Marxist–Leninist ideology. Based partly upon Berg's personal archive, the article discusses the effects of the 1917 revolution, the radical changes which Stalin's cultural revolution (from the late 1920s) brought upon Soviet science, and the attacks made upon Berg and his concept of landscape geography thereafter. The ways in which Berg managed to defend his notion of geography (sometimes in surprisingly bold ways) are considered. It is argued that geography's position under Stalin was different from that of certain other disciplines in that its ideological disputes may have been regarded as of little significance by the party leaders, certainly by comparison with its practical importance, thus providing a degree of ‘freedom’ for some geographers at least analogous to that which has been described by Weiner (1999. A little corner of freedom: Russian nature protection from Stalin to Gorbachev. Berkeley: University of California Press) for conservationists. It is concluded that Berg and others successfully upheld a concept of scientific integrity and limited autonomy even under Stalinism, and that, in an era of ‘Big Science’, no modernizing state could or can afford to emasculate these things entirely

Interventions to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages or increase water intake: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis

A systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of interventions to reduce sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) or increase water intakes and to examine the impact of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) in consumption patterns. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials published after January 1990 and until December 2016 reporting daily changes in intakes of SSB or water in volumetric measurements (mL d¯¹) were included. References were retrieved through searches of electronic databases and quality appraisal followed Cochrane principles. We calculated mean differences (MD) and synthesized data with random-effects models. Forty studies with 16 505 participants were meta-analysed. Interventions significantly decreased consumption of SSB in children by 76 mL d¯¹ (95% confidence interval [CI] −105 to −46; 23 studies, P < 0.01), and in adolescents (−66 mL d¯¹, 95% CI −130 to −2; 5 studies, P = 0.04) but not in adults (−13 mL d¯¹, 95% CI −44 to 18; 12 studies, P = 0.16). Pooled estimates of water intakes were only possible for interventions in children, and results were indicative of increases in water intake (MD +67 mL d¯¹, 95% CI 6 to 128; 7 studies, P = 0.04). For children, there was evidence to suggest that modelling/demonstrating the behaviour helped to reduce SSB intake and that interventions within the home environment had greater effects than school-based interventions. In conclusion, public health interventions – mainly via nutritional education/counselling – are moderately successful at reducing intakes of SSB and increasing water intakes in children. However, on average, only small reductions in SSBs have been achieved by interventions targeting adolescents and adults. Complementary measures may be needed to achieve greater improvements in both dietary behaviours across all age groups