Short knowledge transfer partnerships in the East Midlands low carbon sector

The East Midlands Regional Development Agency (emda) has been working with Further Education Colleges in the East Midlands for over three years on a number of projects designed to expand FE’s provision of low carbon skills. As part of this set of initiatives a proposal was made to introduce Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) to the FE sector specifically targeted at low carbon sector projects. This report identifies the stages in the project, the processes and experiences of the project, identifies its successes and problems and makes recommendations regarding future technology/knowledge transfer strategies for FE Colleges

Racing start safety: head depth and head speed during competitive starts into a water depth of 1.22 m

From the perspective of swimmer safety, there have been no quantitative 3-dimensional studies of the underwater phase of racing starts during competition. To do so, 471 starts were filmed during a meet with a starting depth of 1.22 m and block height of 0.76 m. Starts were stratified according to age (8 & U, 9–10, 11–12, 13–14, and 15 & O) and stroke during the first lap (freestyle, breaststroke, and butterfly). Dependent measures were maximum head depth, head speed at maximum head depth, and distance from the wall at maximum head depth. For all three variables, there were significant main effects for age, F(4, 456) = 12.53, p < .001, F(4, 456) = 27.46, p < .001, and F(4, 456) = 54.71, p < .001, respectively, and stroke, F(2, 456) = 16.91, p < .001, F(2, 456) = 8.45, p < .001, and F(2, 456) = 18.15, p < .001, respectively. The older swimmers performed starts that were deeper and faster than the younger swimmers and as a result, the older swimmers may be at a greater risk for injury when performing starts in this pool depth

Design and sustainable development: what is the contribution that design can make? A case study of the Welsh Woollen Industry

This paper reports on ongoing research examining the contribution that design can make to sustainable development, that is: '… development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs' (WCED, 1987, p. 43) It outlines the need for global sustainable development and its adoption into global and governmental policies. Both of the key concepts of design and sustainable development are discussed, as is the relationship between them (Spangenberg 2001, Walker 2006). The contradictions between design as a stimulator of consumption and its potential contribution to sustainable development are examined. The context of the research is Wales, one of the few nations to have a legal commitment to sustainable development (Welsh Assembly Government 2004a), and a selected part of the textile industry there. The policy background and the measurement of sustainable development in Wales are discussed. A background is given to the selected part of the textile industry, that is the Welsh Woollen Industry and a classification of it into ‘old’ and ‘new’ sectors is proposed. The methodology of the study is outlined, having a social constructionist philosophy, informed by feminism and interpretivism. The methods developed to explore this relationship are principally qualitative (Rossman and Rallis 1998) within which a case study approach is taken (Langrish 1993, Yin 2003). Analysis of data collected indicate that the use of design as a recognised activity is uneven, some producers using design strategically to give their work unique appeal and others not using it in a conscious way. In other contexts a design input does not contribute to economic sustainability as might be expected (Lorenz 1986). Further work is outlined including concepts and tools to be used. More data will be collected from producers in urban areas in order to gain further insights and from key people working in both design and sustainable development at an institutional level. Keywords: Design; Sustainable Development; Wales; Welsh textile industry; rural producers</p

The Toilet Paper Research Newsletter

Latest issue of the Toilet paper research newsletter detailing progress on the TACT3 and RATs research project

Notes on optimality conditions using Newton diagrams and sums of squares

We consider relationships between optimality conditions using Newton diagrams and sums of squares of polynomials and power series.Comment: Corrected version of the article [Serdica Math. J.(2015) 41, pp. 431-456

An efficient hardware architecture for a neural network activation function generator

This paper proposes an efficient hardware architecture for a function generator suitable for an artificial neural network (ANN). A spline-based approximation function is designed that provides a good trade-off between accuracy and silicon area, whilst also being inherently scalable and adaptable for numerous activation functions. This has been achieved by using a minimax polynomial and through optimal placement of the approximating polynomials based on the results of a genetic algorithm. The approximation error of the proposed method compares favourably to all related research in this field. Efficient hardware multiplication circuitry is used in the implementation, which reduces the area overhead and increases the throughput

Te Ahurei a Rangatahi sexual health programme: An evaluation

The Maori and Psychology Research Unit was engaged in August 2001 to evaluate a sexual health programme delivered by Te Ahurei a Rangatahi. Established in 1997, Te Ahurei a Rangatahi is a community based charitable trust that delivers a variety of programmes to Rangatahi

The Politics of Voter Fraud

The purpose of this report is to disentangle the myth from the reality and to separate the politics of voter fraud from legitimate administrative concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. To make the argument, we present a usable definition of voter fraud, discuss the problem of evidence, and explain how and why the dynamics of electoral competition drive the use of baseless fraud claims in American politics. We present several contemporary examples to illustrate how poor election administration and voter mistakes are misleadingly labeled "fraud." Recent allegations against voter registration campaigns highlight the need for an analysis sensitive to the partisanship and race and class issues just beneath the surface of most voter fraud claims. The last section of the report makes policy recommendations for improving public understanding and removing the canard of voter fraud from the election reform debate. The appendix discusses what to look for in evaluating voter fraud allegations