Beliefs, motives and gains associated with physical activity in people with osteoarthritis

ObjectivesOsteoarthritis (OA) affects approximately 8.75 million people in the United Kingdom. Physical activity is recommended as a core treatment, yet 44% of people with OA are inactive. Motivation and self‐efficacy for exercise are considered to be key factors contributing to sustained engagement with physical activity. The aim of this study was to explore the beliefs, motives (what an individual aims to attain through participating in physical activity) and gains (what people feel they might get from participation) associated with physical activity engagement in a group of people with OA.Design and methodThis study adopted a cross‐sectional survey research design, using two validated questionnaires: the Exercise Motives and Gains Inventory and the Exercise Self‐Efficacy Scale.ResultsData were gathered from 262 people with OA between August 2015 and January 2016.Those who were most active reported higher levels of both motivation and self‐efficacy and were active for enjoyment, to avoid negative health, and for health and fitness reasons. A comparison of motives and gains revealed higher gain scores for social engagement and enjoyment, compared with associated motive scores.ConclusionThis study provides evidence of the central role that motives, gains and self‐efficacy play in facilitating engagement with physical activity in this population. Future interventions should aim to foster increased self‐efficacy for physical activity and promote autonomous forms of motivation by emphasising the importance of choosing activities which are enjoyable, as well as highlighting the value of social engagement

Water requirements of floodplain rivers and fisheries: existing decision support tools and pathways for development

Fisheries / Rivers / Flood plains / Hydrology / Ecology / Models / Decision support tools / Environmental impact assessment / Methodology / Databases

Mapping out the landscape of literature on assessment in engineering education

Over recent decades, literature on assessment in higher education has intensified generating a wealth of frameworks to inform practice. Generic frameworks for assessment practice are sometimes perceived as missing subject-specific considerations. This literature review proposes to (a) map the current landscape of assessment in engineering education and to (b) help drive the field forwards by identifying elements of assessment that require discipline-specific consideration as a foundation to formulate good practice. Sources were identified using a broad set of keywords related to assessment in engineering education. Inclusion criteria considered papers about university-level education and were published, in English, between 2012 and 2018. The review establishes that much literature has focused on design, accreditation and marking with much less literature on key concerns in practice such as workplace assessment, student engagement and programme level design. Based on the results, recommendations are made for research areas where greater focus is needed to advance further engineering specific insights

Effect of Injector Exit Geometry on Atomization of a Liquid-Liquid Double Swirl Coaxial Injector using Non-Invasive Laser, Optical, and X-ray Techniques

The spray characteristics of a liquid-liquid double swirl coaxial injector were studied using non-invasive optical, laser, and X-ray diagnostics. Phase Doppler interferometry was used to characterize droplet statistics and non-dimensional droplet parameters over a range of inlet conditions and for various fluids allowing for a study on the role of fluid properties on atomization. Based on the atomization statistics and observed trends from high-speed images, a description of breakup regimes over a range of Reynolds and Weber numbers was created. Next, X-ray computed tomography scans revealed that the spray cone was distinctively non-uniform and comprised of several pockets of increased mass concentration which varied with injection pressure. Finally, a parametric study of injector exit geometry demonstrated that spray breakup time, breakup type, and sheet stability could be controlled with exit geometry. Implications for these data on injector stability and atomization efficiency are discussed considering the desired performance characteristics of liquid-liquid rocket injectors

Performance of lyotropic liquid crystal-based photoelectrochemical capacitors for solar-to- electrical energy conversion

Regenerative photoelectrochemical capacitors, adapted from a experimental system previously reported (J. E. Halls, J. D. Wadhawan, Energy Environ. Sci., 2012, 5, 6541) and based on the doping of a lamellar lyotropic liquid crystal with visible light sensitizer tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II), N-methylphenothiazine, zinc(II) ions and potassium chloride (as electrolyte) are examined in this work. The two dye species, by virtue of similarity in redox potentials and difference in size and lipophilicity, allow for electron transfer cascades to occur under illumination, which can be harnessed in a power-generating device through the use of a sacrificial counter electrode. In operation as a solar cell, a maximum light-to-electrical power conversion efficiency is reported as being ~5.0% under green light (530 nm centreband, 30 nm bandwidth, 2.2 mW cm-2 intensity), which extrapolates to the opportunistic value of 1% under one Sun conditions. The electrical characteristics of the devices under illumination afford specific capacitances of ca. 0.5-1.0 F g-1 and have fill factors ~20% which are close to the 25% expected for a perfect photogalvanic cell. The time constants of the reported devices (~1.5 s) are consistent with the notion of electroporation of the surfactant lamellae. The advantages of these mid-ranging photoelectrochemical capacitors are suggested as being their low cost and versatility afforded by their flexible liquid framework that appears to realign itself under conditions of open circuit

Vector-borne and other pathogens of potential relevance disseminated by relocated cats

Large populations of unowned cats constitute an animal welfare, ecological, societal and public health issue worldwide. Their relocation and homing are currently carried out in many parts of the world with the intention of relieving suffering and social problems, while contributing to ethical and humane population control in these cat populations. An understanding of an individual cat’s lifestyle and disease status by veterinary team professionals and those working with cat charities can help to prevent severe cat stress and the spread of feline pathogens, especially vector-borne pathogens, which can be overlooked in cats. In this article, we discuss the issue of relocation and homing of unowned cats from a global perspective. We also review zoonotic and non-zoonotic infectious agents of cats and give a list of practical recommendations for veterinary team professionals dealing with homing cats. Finally, we present a consensus statement consolidated at the 15th Symposium of the Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum in 2020, ultimately to help veterinary team professionals understand the problem and the role they have in helping to prevent and manage vector-borne and other pathogens in relocated cats