Wheel material wear mechanisms and transitions

In order to develop more durable wheel materials to cope with the new specifications being imposed on wheel wear, a greater understanding is needed of the wear mechanisms and transitions occurring in wheel steels, particularly at higher load and slip conditions. In this work wear assessment of wheel materials is discussed as well as wear rates, regimes and transitions. Twin disc wear testing, used extensively for studying wear of wheel and rail materials, has indicated that three wear regimes exist for wheel materials; mild, severe and catastrophic. These have been classified in terms of wear rate and features. Wear rates are seen to increase steadily initially, then level off, before increasingly rapidly as the severity of the contact conditions is increased. Analysis of the contact conditions in terms of friction and slip has indicated that the levelling off of the wear rate observed at the first wear transition is caused by the change from partial slip to full slip conditions at the disc interface. Temperature calculations for the contact showed that the large increase in wear rates seen at the second wear transition may result from a thermally induced reduction in yield strength and other material properties. Wear maps have been produced using the test results to study how individual contact parameters such as load and sliding speed influence wear rates and transitions. The maps are also correlated to expected wheel/rail contact conditions. This improved understanding of wheel wear mechanisms and transitions and will help in the aim of eventually attaining a wear modelling methodology reliant on material properties rather than wear constants derived from testing

A systematic review of techniques and effects of self-help interventions for tinnitus: application of taxonomies from health psychology

Objective: Self-help interventions are followed by people independently with minimal or no therapist contact. This review aims to assess the effectiveness of self-help interventions for adults with chronic tinnitus and systematically identify the self-help techniques used. Design: Systematic review and application of health psychology taxonomies. Electronic database searches were conducted, supplemented by citation searching and hand-searching of key journals. Prospective controlled trials, which used measures of tinnitus distress, functional management, anxiety, depression, and quality of life, were included. Michie et al’s behaviour change techniques (BCTs) taxonomy and Taylor et al’s PRISMS taxonomy of self-management components were applied to describe interventions. Study sample: Five studies were included, providing low-to-moderate levels of evidence. Results: Randomized controlled trial studies were too few and heterogeneous for meta-analysis to be performed. Studies comparing self-help interventions to therapist-guided interventions and assessing non tinnitus-specific psychosocial outcomes and functional management were lacking. Fifteen BCTs and eight self-management components were identified across interventions. Conclusions: A lack of high-quality and homogeneous studies meant that confident conclusions could not be drawn regarding the efficacy of self-help interventions for tinnitus. Better reporting and categorization of intervention techniques is needed for replication in research and practice and to facilitate understanding of intervention mechanisms

The development of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence: Amnesia and Déjà Vu

Scotland’s new Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) has been widely acknowledged as the most significant educational development in a generation, with the potential to transform learning and teaching in Scottish schools. In common with recent developments elsewhere, CfE seeks to re-engage teachers with processes of curriculum development, to place learning at the heart of the curriculum and to change engrained practices of schooling. This article draws upon well-established curriculum theory (notably the work of both Lawrence Stenhouse and A.V. Kelly) to analyse the new curriculum. We argue that by neglecting to take account of such theory, the curricular offering proposed by CfE is subject to a number of significant structural contradictions which may affect the impact that it ultimately exerts on learning and teaching; in effect, by ignoring the lessons of the past, CfE runs the risk of undermining the potential for real change

A Longitudinal Analysis of Positive Psychological Constructs and Emotions on Stress, Anxiety, and Well-Being

Two studies were conducted including one involving a longitudinal research design to understand better the influential role of the positive psychological capacities of hope, efficacy, optimism, resilience, as well as positive emotions on individual stress, anxiety, and well-being. Study 1 (N = 1,316) was conducted to validate a hypothesized relationship between the positive capacities and well-being. Next, in Study 2 (N = 172), data were collected from participants at 12 points in time over 4 months and random coefficient modeling was used to test hypotheses between variables in a cognitive mediational theoretical framework. Results suggest positive psychological capacities can be a source of positive emotions. In addition, positive emotions and stress mediate the relationship between positive psychological capacities and well-being. A discussion of implications and future research conclude the article

A study to develop the scope for monitoring landscape-scale biodiversity impacts of agri-environment schemes in England. Final report for LM0457

Agri-environment schemes (AES) are the most significant mechanism to deliver environmental policy within England, and include the new Countryside Stewardship (CS) AES launched in 2016. Previous studies of AES have found mixed evidence for effects on biodiversity, and have largely focussed on responses of wildlife taxa within individual AES options or agreements, with a few assessments of effects at the landscape or national scale where possible. Here, we present the findings of a study to scope approaches to monitoring biodiversity responses to AES at a landscape scale in England, specifically considering impacts beyond farm or agreement boundaries. The objectives of this study were to: 1) Review the evidence for key species groups, focussing on landscape-scale studies where available, to collate information on (i) the strength and type of evidence for responses to AES (ii) field survey techniques, (iii) habitat and landscape variables shown to influence the response of taxa to AES interventions and (iv) existing monitoring schemes that could contribute to landscape-scale AES monitoring. 2) Consult stakeholders on: (i) which species groups to include in the evidence review, (ii) the relevant spatial and temporal scales for monitoring a range of taxa, (iii) appropriate field survey techniques, (iv) the use of volunteers for AES monitoring and (iv) broader comments around landscape-scale monitoring of AES effects. 3) Develop a score for level of AES intervention on potential study units within National Character Areas (NCAs), and test the use of NCAs as landscape units for landscape-scale monitoring. 4) Design a species monitoring strategy, including detailed field survey protocols, a framework to assess AES implementation, estimates of the replication required and indicative costs for landscape-scale monitoring of AES effects. 5) Scope analytical approaches to quantify the relationship between the extent of AES intervention and the responses of taxa at local and landscape scales, and including AES implementation success and key habitat variables. Consider the possible role of predictive modelling to scale up beyond those landscape areas monitored for responses to AES