Broadband characterisation of in-duct acoustic sources using an equivalent source approach

This paper is concerned with the development of an experimental method capable of independently characterising low Mach number, in-duct fluid machines, such as pumps, fans, etc. The aim is to propose and test a source characterisation method that is suitable for acoustic simulation and the construction Virtual Acoustic Prototypes. Such a requirement demands that the source characterisation be (a) independent, so that components can be virtually (re)combined within different assemblies and (b) valid over a wide frequency range so as to enable the output of a virtual assembly to be auralised. In this regard, standard methods based on sound power are not suitable. An equivalent source approach is proposed, based on a two-stage measurement procedure in which source strengths are obtained by solving an inverse problem. The experimental application of the procedure is illustrated as part of a case study where a high speed compressor unit is independently characterised and the resulting source data used to predict the operational response in a new assembly. Three frequency ranges are identified based on plane wave, modal and statistical behavior within the duct. The same measured data is used within each regime but subject to different processing according to different assumptions. Predictions are shown to be in good agreement with the directly measured response over a broad frequency range (100 Hz–10 kHz)

Effective information dissemination to a community in crisis

In 1998 a village in Northumberland was at the centre of a suspected TB infection. This thesis describes a research project that aimed to characterise and evaluate the dissemination of information to the community during the crisis. The context within which the incident occurred is discussed, and the main areas of research within which this project is located are reviewed. The following objectives were set for the project — 1. To determine existing evidence of effective information dissemination 2. To determine the criteria for dissemination in the specific context of the crisis 3. To identify and develop research methods that reflect the cross-disciplinary nature of the topic. The project employed a broadly qualitative methodology and was firmly grounded in information science. A qualitative systematic review of research literature identified the existing evidence of effective information dissemination. The technique was adapted from systematic reviews conducted in health research. Twenty relevant studies were identified and their results synthesised and analysed using a meta-ethnographic approach. From this analysis the elements of effective dissemination were extracted, and when combined produced a model of effective information dissemination. Interviews conducted with key informants ascertained the criteria specific to the TB incident. The information providers for the information dissemination process set three explicit criteria during the TB incident. These criteria were underpinned by a set of assumptions about the audience for the information. A questionnaire survey of respondents in the community was conducted to incorporate their perspective in the evaluation. Analysis of the survey and interview data shows that, whilst the criteria set for the dissemination process were mostly achieved, the assumptions underpinning the dissemination process were not wholly correct. The research data was compared to the model of effective information dissemination. Additional elements were identified and a model of effective information dissemination in a crisis was produced. Further research is required to test the validity of this model. It is proposed, however, that extracting the elements from the unique situation enables translation of the research findings to other crisis situations.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceArts & Humanities Research BoardGBUnited Kingdo

Foot orthoses for adults with flexible pes planus: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Foot orthoses are widely used in the management of flexible pes planus, yet the evidence to support this intervention has not been clearly defined. This systematic review aimed to critically appraise the evidence for the use of foot orthoses for flexible pes planus in adults. METHODS: Electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Web of science, SportDiscus, Embase) were systematically searched in June 2013 for randomised controlled, controlled clinical and repeated measure trials where participants had identified flexible pes planus using a validated and reliable measure of pes planus and the intervention was a rigid or semi-rigid orthoses with the comparison being a no-orthoses (shoes alone or flat non-posted insert) condition. Outcomes of interest were foot pain, rearfoot kinematics, foot kinetics and physical function. RESULTS: Of the 2,211 articles identified by the searches, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria; two were randomised controlled trials, one was a controlled trial and 10 were repeated measure studies. Across the included studies, 59 relevant outcome measures were reported with 17 calculated as statistically significant large or medium effects observed with use of foot orthoses compared to the no orthoses condition (SMD range 1.13 to -4.11). CONCLUSIONS: No high level evidence supported the use of foot orthoses for flexible pes planus. There is good to moderate level evidence that foot orthoses improve physical function (medial-lateral sway in standing (level II) and energy cost during walking (level III)). There is low level evidence (level IV) that foot orthoses improve pain, reduce rearfoot eversion, alter loading and impact forces; and reduce rearfoot inversion and eversion moments in flexible pes planus. Well-designed randomised controlled trials that include appropriate sample sizes, clinical cohorts and involve a measure of symptom change are required to determine the efficacy of foot orthoses to manage adult flexible pes planus.Helen A Banwell, Shylie Mackintosh and Dominic Thewli

Consensus-based recommendations of Australian podiatrists for the prescription of foot orthoses for symptomatic flexible pes planus in adults

Background: Foot orthoses are commonly used for symptomatic flexible pes planus in adults. However, there are no clinical guidelines for the prescription of customised foot orthoses that are specific to this population. The aim of this study was to investigate prescription habits of Australian podiatrists for customised foot orthoses for symptomatic flexible pes planus in adults and to develop consensus-based practice recommendations for the prescription of these foot orthoses. Methods: A four round Delphi survey was undertaken with 24 podiatric experts to establish current use and rationale for individual prescription variables of customised foot orthoses for symptomatic flexible pes planus in adults. Round one determined prescription use (consensus) and rounds two, three and four determined the rationale for use (agreement) of prescription variables across the rearfoot, midfoot, forefoot, as well as accommodation and materials used. For consensus and agreement to be accepted, 70% of the respondents were required to use or agree on the rationale for use of individual prescription variables. Results: Consensus was reached in round one for two variables, choice of shell material (polyolefin) and when to prescribe a forefoot post balanced to perpendicular. In rounds two, three and four, agreement was reached for 52 statements related to the rationale for use of individual prescription variables, including when to prescribe: an inverted cast pour [heel in an inverted position], an inverted rearfoot post, a medial heel (Kirby) skive, minimal/maximum arch fill, a medial flange, a forefoot post and common orthotic accommodations. Conclusion: This study found consensus or agreement for the use of several prescription variables for customised foot orthoses for symptomatic flexible pes planus in adults. The findings were used to develop the Foot orthosis Prescription Recommendations for symptOmatic flexible Pes planus in adults (FootPROP) proforma, to guide clinicians and researchers in the prescription of customised foot orthoses for this population.Helen A Banwell, Shylie Mackintosh, Dominic Thewlis, and Karl B Landor

Optoelectronics with electrically tunable PN diodes in a monolayer dichalcogenide

One of the most fundamental devices for electronics and optoelectronics is the PN junction, which provides the functional element of diodes, bipolar transistors, photodetectors, LEDs, and solar cells, among many other devices. In conventional PN junctions, the adjacent p- and n-type regions of a semiconductor are formed by chemical doping. Materials with ambipolar conductance, however, allow for PN junctions to be configured and modified by electrostatic gating. This electrical control enables a single device to have multiple functionalities. Here we report ambipolar monolayer WSe2 devices in which two local gates are used to define a PN junction exclusively within the sheet of WSe2. With these electrically tunable PN junctions, we demonstrate both PN and NP diodes with ideality factors better than 2. Under excitation with light, the diodes show photodetection responsivity of 210 mA/W and photovoltaic power generation with a peak external quantum efficiency of 0.2%, promising numbers for a nearly transparent monolayer sheet in a lateral device geometry. Finally, we demonstrate a light-emitting diode based on monolayer WSe2. These devices provide a fundamental building block for ubiquitous, ultra-thin, flexible, and nearly transparent optoelectronic and electronic applications based on ambipolar dichalcogenide materials.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

A simulation toolkit for electroluminescence assessment in rare event experiments

A good understanding of electroluminescence is a prerequisite when optimising double-phase noble gas detectors for Dark Matter searches and high-pressure xenon TPCs for neutrinoless double beta decay detection. A simulation toolkit for calculating the emission of light through electron impact on neon, argon, krypton and xenon has been developed using the Magboltz and Garfield programs. Calculated excitation and electroluminescence efficiencies, electroluminescence yield and associated statistical fluctuations are presented as a function of electric field. Good agreement with experiment and with Monte Carlo simulations has been obtained

Journeying from “I” to “we”: assembling hybrid caring collectives of geography doctoral scholars

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in "Journal of Geography in Higher Education" on 15 June 2017, available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03098265.2017.133529

E-readiness in construction (ERiC) : self-assessment framework for UK small and medium enterprise building services providers

The construction industry’s ability to innovate in order to improve its practices has been widely debated. As organisations in other sectors globally are addressing technology challenges, is the UK construction industry e-ready? Of particular concern is the plethora of small and medium enterprises (SME) that constitute over 80% of the UK construction industry. There are noticeable SME laggards in the uptake of new processes and technologies. This paper aims to assess the e-readiness levels of UK SME building services provider in order to leverage the advantages of technology opportunities in the future. The resultant self-assessment ERiC framework enables SMEs to quantify and measure e-readiness from an organisation, technical and process perspective

Nuclear Receptors and the Warburg effect in cancer

In 1927 Otto Warburg established that tumours derive energy primarily from the conversion of glucose to lactic acid and only partially through cellular respiration involving oxygen. In the 1950’s he proposed that all causes of cancer reflected different mechanisms of disabling cellular respiration in favour of fermentation (now termed aerobic glycolysis). The role of aberrant glucose metabolism in cancer is now firmly established. The shift away from oxidative phosphorylation towards the metabolically expensive aerobic glycolysis is somewhat counter-intuitive given its wasteful nature. Multiple control processes are in place to maintain cellular efficiency and it is likely that these mechanisms are disrupted to facilitate the shift to the reliance on aerobic glycolysis. One such process of cell control is mediated by the nuclear receptor superfamily. This large family of transcription factors plays a significant role in sensing environmental cues and controlling decisions on proliferation, differentiation and cell death for example, to regulate glucose uptake and metabolism and to modulate the actions of oncogenes and tumour suppressors. In this review we highlight mechanisms by which nuclear receptors actions are altered during tumorigenic transformation and can serve to enhance the shift to aerobic glycolysis. At the simplest level, a basic alteration in NR behaviour can serve to enhance glycolytic flux thus providing a basis for enhanced survival within the tumour micro-environment. Ameliorating the enhanced NR activity in this context may help to sensitize cancer cells to Warburg targeted therapies and may provide future drug targets

Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Schottky Diodes That Use Aligned Arrays of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes

We present theoretical and experimental studies of Schottky diodes that use aligned arrays of single walled carbon nanotubes. A simple physical model, taking into account the basic physics of current rectification, can adequately describe the single-tube and array devices. We show that for as grown array diodes, the rectification ratio, defined by the maximum-to-minimum-current-ratio, is low due to the presence of m-SWNT shunts. These tubes can be eliminated in a single voltage sweep resulting in a high rectification array device. Further analysis also shows that the channel resistance, and not the intrinsic nanotube diode properties, limits the rectification in devices with channel length up to ten micrometer.Comment: Nano Research, 2010, accepte