An investigation of dynamic instability of stiffened rectangular plates

Boundaries of regions of parametric instability of simply supported stiffened rectangular plat

An investigation of the parametric resonance of rectangular plates reinforced with closely spaced stiffeners

Parametric resonance and structural stability model of uniformly reinforced flat plate

Journalism Education: Journalism Reporting Field Trips and internationalisation of the curriculum

A program organised by the writer for journalism students to do practical work overseas has seen small groups experiencing inter-cultural learning and working as foreign correspondents for campus-based media outlets. Since 2000, 52 students have joined eight tours of 14 – 21 days, in nine Asian and European countries. They obtain credit for a full elective unit ... A main aspect of the project is its adaptation of professional practice and early experience to the demands and ambiance of globalised media industries, which will encompass, (a) high satisfaction in the range, import and colour of news and other materials to be dealt with, (b) the stimulus of cultural learning, and (b) awareness-building through exposure to the stress of isolation and security issues in unfamiliar places. In more directly pedagogical terms the project’s rationale is that while practice focuses the mind on essential communication tasks, practice in distant and unfamiliar settings intensifies the experience – hence learning. An “industry standard” experience, it replicates journalistic practice of overseas correspondents ... This practice dovetails with increasing curriculum internationalisation. A literature has been consulted identifying principal pedagogical arguments for study abroad, and present-day demands on the academy, e.g. preparation of professionals needing to work in their profession anywhere in a “world community”... The paper assesses documentation kept on field trip itineraries; observations made by staff when the students were accompanied; students’ diaries on inter-cultural experiences; costs, overwhelmingly but not exclusively met by the students themselves; and the output of news, features or special programs. Outcomes list student products and feed-back, marks obtained against usual GPA performances, and students’ later achievements. Most participants are motivated to strive in all fields and later have a strong jobs record. Special features are considered, e.g. language learning in contemporary journalism; the program’s popularity among postgraduate students. The investigation concludes such programs have a valuable place in core curricula; relate to increasing demand for “real world” learning, and internationalisation; and can be integrated into degree structures without undue strain on resources. It is proposed that applied learning towards meeting the demands of internationalised journalism is helpful to entry level journalists and stands to assist them to turn out quality products

The development of fatigue during match-play tennis

Data describing the activity profile and physiological characteristics of tennis match-play are extensive. However, these data have generally provided descriptive accounts of the one-off match-play of amateur or lowly ranked professional players lasting 5 h. Furthermore, there is a distinct lack of evidencebased insight regarding the manifestation of fatigue within and between tennis matches, notwithstanding that skeletal muscle function has been reported to reduce following prolonged match-play. Moreover, it is evident that match-play evokes pronounced and prolonged physiological, neuromuscular and psychological perturbations that may be exacerbated with consecutive days of match-play. Separate to these internal load responses, a collection of non-uniform movement and technical performance changes are reported, though rarely from match-play data. Consequently, direct or causal links between altered physiological or muscle contractile function and subsequent match-play outcomes are lacking. Indeed, emerging evidence seems to infer that players adjust their game strategy, and the resultant execution of stroke play, to accommodate any such deterioration in physiological function. The purpose of this review was to discuss the available literature in terms of the physiological, mechanical and psychological responses that occur during prolonged match-play in the context of their likely effect on match-play performance

Postural Control Responses to Different Acute and Chronic Training Load Profiles in Professional Rugby Union.

Troester, JC and Duffield, R. Postural control responses to different acute and chronic training load profiles in professional rugby union. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2019-The current investigation identified the response of postural control (PC) measures of single-leg balance and landing to different accumulated training load profiles representing normal, higher, and spiked loads. Twenty-two professional rugby union players performed single-leg balance and landing tests on a 1,000-Hz force plate on the first training day of 24 weeks across the season after 36 hours of recovery. Internal (session rating of perceived exertion training load) and external (total and high-speed running distance) load measures were monitored during all training sessions and matches. Calculations of acute (7-day rolling average), chronic (28-day rolling average), and acute-to-chronic workload ratio were determined. Three-week load profiles were identified that represented normal, spike, and higher load profiles to determine the effect on PC, which were analyzed using 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. A significant effect of load profile on landing impulse on the dominant (p = 0.005) and nondominant legs (p = 0.001) was identified, with significantly greater impulse measures in the spike and higher load profiles (p = 0.001-0.041) compared with the normal load profile. Significant load profile × week interactions (p 0.05) were identified for load profile changes in single-leg balance sway velocity or single-leg landing time to stabilization. The respective landing responses may indicate altered movement strategies under spike and higher load profiles resulting from neuromuscular fatigue in response to the accumulated load

Monitoring residual 36 h post-match neuromuscular fatigue in rugby union; a role for postural control?

© 2019, © 2019 European College of Sport Science. The present study investigated single-leg balance and landing measures, respectively, at the beginning of a weekly micro-cycle 36 h after a match compared to 48 h rest without any match load. Twenty-seven professional rugby union players performed balance and landing tests on a 1000 Hz force plate across three in-season micro-cycles either with or without match loads in the prior 36 h. Participants were further sub-divided into higher and lower match load groups to investigate changes in balance and landing variables. Differences between rested and 36 h post-match single-leg balance sway velocity were trivial in all cases, except for the higher-load group on the dominant leg, which were possibly impaired 36 h post-match (ES ± 90% CL = 0.68 ± 0.66). Differences between rested and 36 h post-match single-leg landing measures of relative impulse on the non-dominant leg were possibly lower (0.36 ± 0.34), with possible impairment observed on both legs in the higher load group 36 h post-match (0.39 ± 0.33; 0.49 ± 0.42). Differences in landing measures of peak force and time to stabilisation were mainly trivial (ES < 0.20). Postural control measures at 36 h post-match are comparable to a rested state; though impairment of sway velocity on the dominant leg and landing impulse may indicate residual neuromuscular fatigue resulting from increased match exposure

Casualisation of the nursing workforce in Australia: driving forces and implications.

This article provides an overview of the extent of casualisation of the nursing workforce in Australia, focusing on the impact for those managing the system. The implications for nurse managers in particular are considerable in an industry where service demand is difficult to control and where individual nurses are thought to be increasingly choosing to work casually. While little is known of the reasons behind nurses exercising their preference for casual work arrangements, some reasons postulated include visa status (overseas trained nurses on holiday/working visas); permanent employees taking on additional shifts to increase their income levels; and those who elect to work under casual contracts for lifestyle reasons. Unknown is the demography of the casual nursing workforce, how these groups are distributed within the workforce, and how many contracts of employment they have across the health service--either through privately managed nursing agencies or hospital managed casual pools. A more detailed knowledge of the forces driving the decisions of this group is essential if health care organisations are to equip themselves to manage this changing workforce and maintain a standard of patient care that is acceptable to the community