The effect of synthetic grass sports surfaces on the thermal environment: A systematic review

There are concerns regarding high surface temperatures on synthetic grass sports surfaces influencing the surrounding thermal environment, potentially increasing heat stress and impacting athlete safety. As such, studies have investigated changes to the thermal environment surrounding synthetic grass surfaces in comparison to both natural grass, and synthetic surfaces with different features, but this body of research has not been systematically reviewed. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to (i) determine if there are differences in the thermal environment surrounding synthetic grass surfaces compared with natural grass surfaces, and (ii) determine if there are differences in the thermal environment between different types of synthetic grass surfaces. A systematic review adhering to the PRISMA guidelines was performed. The eligibility criteria required investigations to report at least one of the following environmental parameters on or directly above both a synthetic surface and a comparator group of either natural grass or an alternative synthetic grass surface used in sport: Air temperature, mean radiant temperature, humidity, wind velocity, unified heat stress indices (i.e. wet-bulb-globe temperature and heat index) and/or surface temperature. Twenty-three studies were identified. The only parameters that were consistently higher on synthetic grass compared to natural grass were the air temperature (range: 0.5–1.2 °C) and surface temperature (range: 9.4–33.7 °C), while the mean radiant temperature, humidity, wind velocity and wet-bulb-globe temperature remained similar or required more data to determine if any differences exist. Synthetic grass surfaces consisting of styrene butadiene rubber infill or a shock pad had increased surface temperatures, whereas surfaces with thermoplastic elastomer infill, Cool climate turf fibres or HydroChill had lower surface temperatures. This systematic review has demonstrated that air and surface temperatures can be increased on synthetic sports surfaces, compared to natural grass surfaces. However, it is uncertain whether the differences are enough to increase an individual’s heat stress risk and cause concern for athlete safety. While modifications to the turf infill or fibres can reduce synthetic surface temperatures, the effect of these features on the thermal environment as a whole is unclear. This review was prospectively registered with the Open Science Framework (Open Science Framework registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/BTKGE)

Thermal properties of engine oils through the integration of graphene nanoparticles: A greener approach for sustainable mechanical systems

Tribology is a high demand mechanical system with friction and wear. Mechanical systems lose efficiency as a result. One answer for this issue is to utilize an oil that can limit contact and wear, bringing about improved effectiveness. The advancement of effective lubricating added substances for tribological properties improvement and improved thermal conductivity has gotten huge modern and scholarly consideration. By and large, nano-sized particles scattered in lubricants, referred to as nano-based lubricant, are utilized in mechanical structures to lessen heat and forces of frictions. Moreover, new guidelines will empower the utilization of greener lubrication advancements in oils. To resolve this issue, lubricants should satisfy guidelines while able to give exceptional oil characteristics. As another green material, this research will investigate the dissolving of Graphene nanoparticles in lubricants. The objective of this study is to perceive what Graphene added 10W40 motor oil means for the thermal properties and tribological characteristics. Graphene, which was added to 10W40 lubricant, was used to study the best design. Graphene nanoparticles were distributed in baseline engine oil in a two-step process. In the preparation of Graphene-based motor oil with a low volume mixture in the scope of 0.01% to 0.07% was used. Thermal conductivity and viscosity are estimated for all volume mixtures. Testing uncovered that Graphene added 10W40 motor oil were steady all through the review, with very little deposits in the following 30 days. The thermal conductivity of Graphene in SAE 40 motor oil expanded as the volume mixture is added

A time headway control scheme for virtually coupled heavy haul freight trains

Virtual coupling of railway trains is an emerging technology that has the potential to significantly increase railway operational efficiency by reducing the train following distance from absolute braking distances to relative braking distances. Current research in this topic is mainly focused on passenger trains and uses distance-based headways. This paper studied virtual coupling for heavy haul freight trains and demonstrated that the distance headway scheme was challenging and sometimes impractical for heavy haul trains to achieve virtual coupling. A time-based headway scheme was then proposed to set the follower train to be a certain time behind the schedule of the leader train rather than a distance headway. The time-based headway required the follower train to reproduce the leader train’s operational status at the same track location. This also allowed the follower train to copy any optimized train driving strategies from the leader train. Demonstrative simulations were carried out without the consideration of communication errors and train localization errors. The results show that a conventional distance headway simulation had maximum distance and speed errors of 716 m (36%, reference 2 km) and 24 km/h (66%, reference 36 km/h), respectively. A time-based headway simulation reduced the maximum distance and speed errors to 0.07 m (0%, reference 2 km) and 0.1 km/h (9%, reference 1.18 km/h), respectively

How do brassinosteroids fit in bud outgrowth models?

Short stature crops were developed during the green revolution mainly due to their resistance to falling over (lodging), improved crop harvestability and management, and a greater proportion of biomass in the grains, leading to superior yield. These crops were disrupted in the gibberellin (GA) pathway, which caused the reduced height (Gao and Chu, 2020). GA disruption can introduce unwanted effects in other important traits such as fertility, leaf expansion, seed quality, and stress response (Gao and Chu, 2020). Hence, there are currently efforts to uncouple negative side effects of GA-related short stature or utilize alternative dwarfing pathways, such as brassinosteroids (BRs)

Study on thinking styles

A 15-item survey study on thinking styles and behaviours associated with thinking styles</p

Understanding parenting behavior in junior rugby league in Australia

Parents are key actors in all aspects of children’s involvement in organized sport. Further, parental behavior can have both adverse and positive effects on children’s enjoyment and retention in sport. In this study we collected epidemiological information to better understand parental behavior at junior sport and to identify the family, contextual, and sporting-related factors that contribute to parental reactions at children’s sporting events. Parents (N = 1418) of Australian Junior Rugby League players (aged 8–16 years) completed an anonymous online survey comprising questionnaire measures of parental spectator behavior and emotional reactions, parenting practices, emotional wellbeing and child behavior. Fathers (N = 401) were more likely than mothers (N = 1016) to report engaging in inappropriate spectator behavior and to have negative emotional reactions at their child’s rugby league games. Fathers also identified more highly with rugby league as a sport, placed more importance on winning and had more competitive attitudes, compared to mothers. Results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that ineffective and controlling parenting, parental emotional wellbeing, and competitive attitudes were key predictors of mothers’ inappropriate spectator behavior and their negative emotional reactions. For fathers, controlling parenting, competitive attitudes, and beliefs about winning, independently predicted their spectator behavior, while their emotional wellbeing and investment in rugby league were additional independent predictors of negative emotional reactions. These findings have important implications for designing intervention strategies that maximize positive parental involvement in junior sport, including the development of sports policy and universal interventions to address disruptive and counterproductive parental behavior

Navigating the impact of artificial intelligence on our healthcare workforce

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become highly topical, finding application in many aspects of life, including healthcare, to support screening, diagnostics, treatment planning, surgery, patient care, education and research. Artificial intelligence can increase work efficiencies, streamline processes, and analyse large global datasets quickly, accurately and cheaply. However, ethical, legal and professional concerns exist, including inherent biases, lack of transparency, and data confidentiality issues (Rowe et al., 2022). As with many emerging technologies, opinions are divided, with some believing AI will create new employment opportunities and relieve skills shortages, while others view AI as a threat to their privacy, job security, workplace autonomy, and professional identity (Aquino et al., 2023; Gillespie et al., 2023; Rowe et al., 2022)

Experimental analysis on the performance, combustion/emission characteristics of a DI diesel engine using hydrogen in dual fuel mode

Among alternative fuels, hydrogen has significant promise as both a fuel and a carrier of energy. Hydrogen is projected to be a key alternative fuel in the near future to meet stringent pollution standards. Internal combustion (IC) engines, gas turbine, and aerospace industries use hydrogen as a fuel because it is non-toxic, odorless with high calorific value (CV), and combustible across a wide temperature range while also being a long-term renewable and less polluting energy source. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of using different hydrogen rations on combustion behaver, engine performance, and emission characteristics in a dual fuel compressed ignition (CI) diesel engine. The tests were performed at speeds of 1500, 2000, and 2500 rpm at difference operating conditions. Hydrogen was introduced at flow rates of 21.4, 28.5, 36.2, 42.8, and 49.6 L per minute for each load. The findings reveal that hydrogen flow rate of 21.4 l/min and 42.8 l/min gives significant impact to engine coefficient of variation (COV) and the performance of the engine. In addition, the emissions level of CO, CO2 and smoke were improved at the same flow rate. Moreover, the break thermal efficiency (BTE) has shown significant improvement at 21.4 l/min of hydrogen flow rate due to the reduction in combustion length and the movement of the combustion phasing toward the ideal phase. The use of hydrogen as alternative energy has important role as a future green energy source

Internal and international migration and the mental health of “left-behind” older parents

Despite evidence of the impact of adult children's migration on left-behind older parents, the comparison of left-behind older parents’ mental health and psychological well-being between internal and international migration is limited. This article examines how the relationship between adult children's migration and parent's mental health differs according to the migrant's destination — only internal migration, only international migration, or hybrid migration (at least one child who migrated internally and at least one child who migrated internationally). Drawing on a 2019 cross-sectional population-based survey of 697 left-behind older adults (≥ 60 years) in Nepal, we assessed the mental health of older parents, using the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and a range of socio-demographic, health, lifestyle, and child-related characteristics. Multilevel mixed-method linear regression was performed to examine the effect of adult children's migration on left-behind older parents’ depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Results showed that parents whose children had all migrated internationally were at higher risk of mental health problems, particularly anxiety and stress, compared to parents whose children had all migrated internally. Older parents from the hybrid group (having both internal and international migrant adult children) had higher levels of anxiety, compared to parents whose children had all migrated internally, with no significant difference in depression and stress symptoms. Further, mothers of internationally migrated children were at higher risk of mental health symptoms than fathers. Interventions aiming to improve left-behind older parents’ mental health and psychological well-being should specifically target parents whose children have migrated internationally

Horses and Humans: The Role of Horse Welfare and Human Motivation in Rider Safety and Rider Satisfaction

The horse industry is facing unprecedented scrutiny in relation to horse welfare, and its social licence to operate is under threat. The industry’s record of severe rider injuries and deaths add to the threat. Typically, the industry dismisses horse welfare concerns as being misinformed and stresses the inherent and intractable dangers of horse riding due to the unpredictable nature of horses. This thesis challenges this narrative, reframing horse behaviour as predictable and an indicator of horse welfare, and rider safety as a problem that can largely, but not entirely, be addressed through improving horse welfare. Central to this thesis is ridden horse welfare, how it is conceptualised and its assessment. The thesis begins with a critical literature review examining horse behaviour deemed undesirable or inconvenient by owners but may indicate a welfare issue. The review demonstrates most equine welfare research is conducted using traditional reductionist science within individual disciplines. Using the undesirable behaviour of crib-biting as an exemplar, the review highlights many solutions proposed in the literature are anthropocentric short-term ‘fixes’ that lack context and further diminish horse welfare. An alternative scientific paradigm, systems thinking, is then applied to crib-biting, and the respective strengths and weaknesses of both scientific approaches discussed. Research based on systems thinking is suggested as one way to increase interdisciplinarity and identify new solutions to complex horse welfare issues (Section 4.1). The new systems thinking approach is then applied in Section 4.2, where the relationship between rider knowledge of learning theory and ridden horse welfare is investigated. From this study a new approach to horse training, that embeds learning theory principles within an overarching systems thinking framework, is proposed. ii Despite growing concern, no validated welfare assessment scale exists that covers all aspects of a ridden horse’s life, including (crucially) when a horse is ridden. Addressing this gap, a prototype horse welfare assessment scale was developed based on the Five Domains Model and the published literature. Using this scale, survey items were developed, and participants’ responses were used to calculate a relative horse welfare score for each study horse. Significant relationships between the relative horse welfare score and hyperreactive horse behaviour, rider safety and rider satisfaction were found (Chapters 5 and 6). Riding horses with a bit (a device placed in the horse’s mouth and used to control the horse) is the norm, however, their use is increasingly questioned on welfare grounds. This study found horses ridden bit-free had significantly better relative welfare scores, performed fewer hyperreactive behaviours and had more satisfied riders (Chapter 7). Rider safety did not differ between horses ridden with or without a bit. These findings accord with the literature. Continuing the central theme of horse welfare and its assessment, a rich understanding of equestrians’ conceptualisation of horse welfare and the motivations underlying their practices was sought (Chapters 8 and 9). This qualitative research identified equestrians generally equate horses’ physical health with welfare, which does not align with the Five Domains Model. Moreover, this research identified where there is tension between human needs and horse needs, human needs are generally prioritised. Insights garnered from this research have the potential to overcome prevailing attitudes that horse riding is inevitably dangerous. The thesis also highlights opportunities to develop solutions that meaningfully address the challenge of poor human safety by addressing the fundamental problem threatening the future of all equestrian sport, poor horse welfare