Metallurgy of armour exhibited at the Palace Armoury, Valletta, Malta

The metallurgy of ten armour pieces from the Palace Armoury Collection in Malta was examined. Results showed that out of ten artefacts examined, six were produced in low carbon steel, one from a high carbon steel and three were made from wrought iron. One of the wrought iron armour pieces was fabricated from a phosphoric iron, an unusual material for these artefacts. All the steel artefacts exhibited a ferrite-pearlite microstructure. In their manufacture, no attempts had been made at producing martensite by full or slack quenching. All metal fragments contained slag inclusions. The elongated nature of the latter suggested that these artefacts were forged into shape.peer-reviewe

Changes in hedgerows in Britain between 1984 and 1990

1. This report summarises the results of work on changes in hedgerows which was commissioned by the Directorate of Rural Affairs, DOE, as part of the analysis of data collected during 'Countryside Survey 1990'. 2. The primary purpose of the report is to present data on change, and to provide descriptions of the methods used to obtain them. Discussion of results, and especially their relevance to countryside policy matters, is minimal although a short comment section is included to cover research and methodological aspects

The United Kingdom market for fresh exotic fruit (ODNRI Bulletin No. 13)

This bulletin examines the nature and structure of the United Kingdom market for fresh exotic fruit. Its findings relate primarily to six exotic fruit- avocados, pineapples, mangoes, paw paws, lychees and passion fruit - which are assumed to be a representative cross section of exotics in general. The major determinants of the level of exotic fruit consumption are analysed. Particular attention is focused upon the influence of prices and incomes and an attempt is made to obtain estimates of price and income elasticities of demand. The marketing channels through which imported fruit passes between importation and retailing are described, and the nature and functions of firms involved at each marketing stage are examined. Price formation and the transmission of information through the marketing chain between retailers, wholesalers, importers and exporters are discussed. The overall objective of the study is to provide information which will assist developing country exporters in identifying profitable trading opportunities within the market, and give some guidance for the design of their production and marketing strategies such that foreign exchange earnings are maximized

Eating behaviours and food cravings; influence of age, sex, BMI and FTO genotype

Previous studies indicate that eating behaviours and food cravings are associated with increased BMI and obesity. However, the interaction between these behaviours and other variables such as age, sex, BMI and genetics is complex. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between eating behaviours and food cravings, and to examine the influence of age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) genotype on these relationships. A total of 475 participants (252 female, 223 male, BMI: 25.82 ± 6.14 kg/m², age: 30.65 ± 14.20 years) completed the revised 18-question version of the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R18) to assess cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating, and the Food Cravings Inventory (FCI) to assess cravings for fatty food, sweet food, carbohydrates and fast food. DNA samples were genotyped for the rs9939609 polymorphism in the obesity-linked gene FTO. Questionnaire data was analysed for associations between the TFEQ-R18 and FCI subscales for the whole study group, and the group divided by sex, genotype and age (≤25 years versus >25 years). Finally, mediation analysis was used to explore the relationships between BMI, cognitive restraint and food cravings. FTO AA + AT genotype was associated with increased BMI, but not with differences in eating behavior scores or food craving scores; age was associated with increased BMI and decreases in food craving scores in which this effect was stronger in women compared to men. Increased cognitive restraint was associated with decreased food craving scores in the ≤25 years group. Mediation analysis demonstrated that in this group the association between BMI and reduced food cravings was mediated by cognitive restraint indicating that in this age group individuals use cognitive restraint to control their food cravings. The positive correlation between age and BMI confirms previous results but the findings of this study show that age, sex, FTO genotype and BMI have an influence on the relationships between eating behaviours and food cravings and that these variables interact

The European Union preferential trade with developing countries. Total trade restrictiveness and the case of sugar

Preferential trade agreements are a central issue in the multilateral trade liberalization process. The extent to which such agreements are effective in improving market access for developing and developed countries is important because trade liberalization results in eroding their value to the beneficiary countries, expressed as export revenue. This paper focuses on the estimation of a theoretically founded bilateral aggregated measure of trade restrictiveness, the Mercantilistic Trade Restrictiveness Index, by means of a general equilibrium model, in order to measure the effectiveness of preferences granted by the European Union. We also develop an empirical model structure, comprising a partial equilibrium model for the sugar market and a gravity model, in order to replicate least developed countries bilateral trade with Europe, and to estimate the erosion in the value of preferences granted to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and to least developed countries brought about by changes in the Common Market Organization for sugar and the Everything but Arms initiative. The results highlight the importance of sugar in determining the degree of trade restrictiveness faced by developing countries. Sugar sector policy reform in Europe is expected to result in a significant reduction in the African Caribbean and Pacific countries’ export revenue, whilst the initial impact on least developed countries may be limited, but increasing in the medium run.preferential trade, sugar, policy reform

Does learning to play an instrument have an impact on change in attainment from age 11 to 16?

Much previous international research has demonstrated links between general school attainment and active engagement with music. The research reported here compared the change in examination outcomes in English and mathematics in national examinations at ages 11 and 16 of instrumentalists and non-instrumentalists. Data from 701 pupils showed statistically significant differences in examination outcomes between instrumentalists and non-instrumentalists, which was also related to the duration of learning and the instrument played. Instrumentalists had greater change scores in mathematics, but not English, although instrumentalists of lower socio-economic status showed greater change in both subjects. The implications for music education are discussed

VibCo Live Bottom Bin Internal Vibratory Fixture

Early in the Fall semester, JBE Industries presented one of their current challenges inside their facility. Their indoor cultivation facility has an issue with the control and mitigation of pests and diseases. The use of pesticides on medicinal plants is heavily regulated because these plants are mainly ingested through combustion, sublimation, and inhalation (smoking). Within JBE’s facility, they have implemented a CO2 fumigation system in the flower room to optimize pest mitigation and plant growth. Fumigation is classified as pumping gas (in this case CO2) into an enclosed volume at high concentrations for an extended period of time. JBE has challenged the engineering team to design a test box that will be able to hold test plants (clones) and fumigate said plants at different concentrations for specific set amounts of time. The purpose for this is to prove the hypothesis that the CO2 fumigation will be successful in fumigating the pests while not damaging the plant. Proving this on a small scale before the installation of a fumigation system at the JBE facility will decrease the risk of the hypothesis not being correct and therefore wasting excess money on the large scale fumigation system. In order to design the small scale fumigation device, the engineering team has utilized engineering techniques and analysis to determine a design that fulfills all the specifications required by JBE and even incorporates parameters that were not originally considered. A few things that must be taken into control when constructing this box other than CO2 concentration level include humidity, temperature, and pressure. The engineering team was successful in achieving the fumigation parameters JBE set forth, multiple CO2 tests took place during the spring semester in which the team was successful in reaching and maintaining the level of CO2 JBE desired. More detailed testing notes and matrices can be found under the testing section of this report. The engineering team is planning on doing a live fumigation test with plants and pests to prove the fumigation hypothesis. Within this report, the engineering teams research, analysis, design, and proof of concept (POC) are presented in a concise manner that encompasses all the work completed throughout the Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 semesters

An Object Oriented Simulation Framework For Steady-State Analysis Of Vapor Compression Refrigeration Systems And Components

Thermo fluid energy system simulation has shown to be a useful tool for engineers; encompassing component design, system design and with increasing interest, system optimization. Thermo fluid energy systems, be they for comfort cooling, comfort heating, power generation, or any other purpose typically possess a unique composition and function. This has resulted in simulations for individual rather narrowly defined energy systems, each customized for the particular system of interest. However, it is impossible to ignore that the majority of thermo fluid energy systems share, among others, the common characteristics of fluid flow, mechanical work input/output and energy input/output via heat transfer. This dissertation exploits this similarity, and develops an object oriented methodology for modeling components and solving systems created from such components, operating in steady-state. The technique is novel in that it discriminates between systems, and their sub-systems, referred to as components. This methodology serves as a functional starting point which will appeal to the objectives of individual research groups, such as industrial sponsors, academic professionals, and students. The dissertation then presents several examples highlighting the major points in the analysis, and a complex example that demonstrates where such a tool may be usefulness in a product design environment. Lastly, the dissertation presents a component based, user-friendly interface specifically for vapor compression refrigeration systems. Several examples are used to validate the component models, reproducing experimental data reasonably well within a range of 5% for most performance variables

‘They’re much more willing to be violent’: exploring risk within the views and experiences of frontline officers

This study investigated the views and experiences of frontline officers. It aimed to explore: 1. Motivations for working on the frontline; 2. Factors influencing job satisfaction; 3. Communication and change; 4. Factors effecting operational performance and 5. Partnership working across the different participating agencies engaged in the criminal justice system. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 26 frontline officers working in a range of departments and roles. Qualitative data obtained via interviews were analysed thematically, using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six steps of thematic data analysis (1. Familiarisation; 2. Generation of initial codes; 3. Searching for themes; 4. Reviewing themes; 5. Defining and naming themes; 6. Write-up). The focus of this poster is the presentation of findings relating to the assumption of risk within incidents responded to by frontline officers. While risk exposure is a central and consistent aspect of being a frontline officer, the analysis suggests that the nature of risk on the frontline was changing, epitomised through an increase in violence. An important aspect of this was a decreasing sense of safety and security on working on frontline, which is related to resource limitations (including human, financial and equipment). Alongside exposure to risk, participants described being placed into ‘impossible situations’ where they have to decide what the ‘least worst’ option is. The poster will present implications for the management of frontline officers by senior officers and call for a renewed focus on improving the wellbeing and safety of officers on the frontline

Commonwealth government agency libraries review: Literature review

Ongoing financial, administrative, and technological changes present significant challenges and opportunities for government libraries in delivering services to their clients. Determining how government library and information services might best confront these challenges and take advantage of new opportunities is crucial for the future of the sector. The Australian Government Libraries Information Network (AGLIN) has commissioned a review of service delivery models in Commonwealth Government libraries. As an initial step in the project, a literature review was undertaken in order to consider the issues which impact directly on government library service provision today. The literature review builds on and updates the review prepared for the Queensland Government Agency Libraries Review (QGALR) five years ago