Technology and home economics

This research is an investigation into the changes taking place within Home Economics, as it moves into Technology in the National Curriculum. Its objectives are to investigate: the concept of Technology in Home Economics; existing practice in schools (1989-90); the planning and preparation undertaken for the delivery of Technology; classroom practice; evaluation of materials produced; resources. There are 12 schools in seven LEA's involved in the Project, three primary and nine secondary. The main focus has been year 7, although work in year 1, year 6 and year 10 has also been looked at. The work has consisted mainly of classroom observations. It is hoped this will lead to findings which show the factors which support curriculum change, and how these can be encouraged. The observations continue until December 1991. The work is funded by the All Saints Educational Trust and based at Sheffield City Polytechnic. This project started in January 1989, funded for three years by the All Saints Educational Trust, a London-based trust which provides financial assistance to projects in religious education and Home Economics. The main purposes of the Project are to investigate the development of Home Economics, following the introduction of National Curriculum Technology, and to support teachers during this time of change. It is a curriculum development project as well as a research one

influence of microstructure on the ductile to brittle transition and fracture behaviour of HVOF NiCoCrAlY coatings determined via small punch tensile testing

The development of new thermal barrier coatings (TBC’s) capable of increasing the efficiency of gas-powered turbines requires an understanding of how the tensile behavior and ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of MCrAlY bond coats are influenced by the coating microstructure. High velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying was used to manufacture free-standing coatings from two NiCoCrAlY alloys that have potential as new bond coat alloys, referred to as coatings BC1 and BC2. The coatings were vacuum heat treated at 1100 °C for 2 hours and characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD). Both coatings comprised a BCC β-NiAl matrix with FCC γ-Ni and TCP σ-Cr2Co as secondary phases. Coating BC2 also contained FCC γ’-Ni3Al. Small punch tensile (SPT) tests were conducted on the coatings between RT and 750 °C. The DBTT’s of coatings BC1 and BC2 were found to be 600-700 °C and 650-750 °C respectively. Lower phase fractions of γ-Ni were shown to increase the DBTT. The main mode of crack propagation in both coatings was intergranular fracture along the grain boundaries of differing phases. The influence of coating microstructure on the fracture behavior of both coatings was discussed using schematic models

Real estate stock selection and attribute preferences

The majority of studies that explore property portfolio construction and management strategies utilise highly aggregated ex-post data, but stock selection is known to be a significant determinant of portfolio performance. Thus, here we look at stock selection, focusing on the choices faced by investors, necessitating the collection and analysis of primary data, carried out utilising conjoint analysis. This represents a new step in property research, with the data collection undertaken using a simulation exercise. This enables fund managers to make hypothetical purchase decisions, viewing properties comprising a realistic bundle of attributes and making complex contemporaneous trade-offs between attributes, subject to their stated market and economic forecasts and sector specialism. In total 51 fund managers were surveyed, producing 918 purchase decisions for analysis, with additional data collected regarding fund and personal characteristics. The results reveal that ‘fixed’ property characteristics (location and obsolescence) are dominant in the decision-making process, over and above ‘manageable’ tenant and lease characteristics which can be explicitly included within models of probabilities of income variation. This reveals investors are making ex-ante risk judgements and are considering post acquisition risk management strategies. The study also reveals that behavioural factors affect acquisition decisions

Transverse self-fields within an electron bunch moving in an arc of a circle

As a consequence of motions driven by external forces, self-fields (which are different from the static case) originate within an electron bunch. In the case of magnetic external forces acting on an ultrarelativistic beam, the longitudinal self-interactions are responsible for CSR (Coherent Synchrotron Radiation)-related phenomena, which have been studied extensively. On the other hand, transverse self-interactions are present too. At the time being, existing theoretical analysis of transverse self-forces deal with the case of a bunch moving along a circular orbit only, without considering the situation of a bending magnet with a finite length. In this paper we propose an electrodynamical analysis of transverse self-fields which originate, at the position of a test particle, from an ultrarelativistic electron bunch moving in an arc of a circle. The problem will be first addressed within a two-particle system. We then extend our consideration to a line bunch with a stepped density distribution, a situation which can be easily generalized to the case of an arbitrary density distribution. Our approach turns out to be also useful in order to get a better insight in the physics involved in the case of simple circular motion and in order to address the well known issue of the partial compensation of transverse self-force.Comment: 23 pages, 14 figure

Neutron matter with a model interaction

An infinite system of neutrons interacting by a model pair potential is considered. We investigate a case when this potential is sufficiently strong attractive, so that its scattering length tends to infinity. It appeared, that if the structure of the potential is simple enough, including no finite parameters, reliable evidences can be presented that such a system is completely unstable at any finite density. The incompressibility as a function of the density is negative, reaching zero value when the density tends to zero. If the potential contains a sufficiently strong repulsive core then the system possesses an equilibrium density. The main features of a theory describing such systems are considered.Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX. In press, Eur. Phys. J.

Coherent radiation reaction effects in laser-vacuum acceleration of electron bunches

The effects of coherently enhanced radiation reaction on the motion of subwavelength electron bunches in interaction with intense laser pulses are analyzed. The radiation reaction force behaves as a radiation pressure in the laser beam direction, combined with a viscous force in the perpendicular direction. Due to Coulomb expansion of the electron bunch, coherent radiation reaction effects only occur in the initial stage of the laser-bunch interaction while the bunch is still smaller than the wavelength. It is shown that this initial stage can have observable effects on the trajectory of the bunch. By scaling the system to larger bunch charges, these effects may be increased to such an extent that they can suppress the radial instability normally found in ponderomotive acceleration schemes, thereby enabling the full potential of laser-vacuum electron bunch acceleration to GeV energies.Comment: 31 pages, 4 figure

The application of the small punch tensile test to evaluate the ductile to brittle transition of a thermally sprayed CoNiCrAlY coating

Thermally sprayed MCrAlY bond coats are important elements of thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems which are applied to the surface of gas turbine components to protect them in high temperature environments. Knowledge of their mechanical properties is essential in preventing TBC failure which can have catastrophic consequences. However, limited data on modulus, strength and ductility are available for such coatings. In this work, the ductile to brittle transition behaviour of a CoNiCrAlY coating has been investigated via the small punch tensile test (SPTT). Displacement controlled tests were carried out on free standing coatings at room temperature (RT) and between 400-750 °C at a rate of 1 μms-1. At low temperatures there was evidence of elastic-brittle behaviour and at high temperatures there was clear evidence of yielding and plastic deformation. The ductile to brittle transition temperature was found to be between 500-750 °C. The yield stress ranged from 1000-1500 MPa below 600 °C to less than 500 MPa above 650 °C. The elastic modulus was found to be approximately 200-230 GPa at 500 °C and 55 GPa above 700 °C. At room temperature the fracture surface showed flat, smooth features indicating brittle failure whereas at 700 °C there was evidence of ductile tearing

Exercise training and weight loss, not always a happy marriage: single blind exercise trials in females with diverse BMI

Individuals show high variability in body weight responses to exercise training. Expectations and motivation towards effects of exercise on body weight might influence eating behaviour and could conceal regulatory mechanisms. We conducted two single-blind exercise trials (4 weeks (study 1) and 8 weeks (study 2)) with concealed objectives and exclusion of individuals with weight loss intention. Circuit exercise training programs (3 times a week (45-90 min), intensity 50-90% VO2peak, for 4 and 8 weeks) were conducted. 34 females finished the 4 weeks intervention and 36 females the 8 weeks intervention. Overweight/obese (OV/OB) and lean (L) female participants´ weight/body composition responses were assessed and fasting and postprandial appetite hormone levels (PYY, insulin, amylin, leptin, ghrelin) were measured pre and post intervention for understanding potential contribution to individuals’ body weight response to exercise training (study 2). Exercise training in both studies did not lead to a significant reduction of weight/BMI in the participants’ groups, however, lean participants gained muscle mass. Appetite hormones levels were significantly (p<0.05) altered in the OV/OB group affecting fasting (-24%) and postprandial amylin (-14%) levels. Investigation of individuals’ BMI responses using multiple regression analysis revealed that levels of fasting leptin, postprandial amylin increase, and BMI were significant predictors of BMI change explaining about 43% of the variance. In conclusion, tested exercise training did not lead to weight loss in female participants, while a considerable proportion of variance in body weight response to training could be explained by individuals’ appetite hormone levels and BMI

Terrane accretion and dispersal in the northern Gondwana margin. An Early Paleozoic analogue of a long-lived active margin

If reconstruction of major events in ancient orogenic belts is achieved in sufficient detail, the tectonic evolution of these belts can offer valuable information to widen our perspective of processes currently at work in modern orogens. Here, we illustrate this possibility taking the western European Cadomian–Avalonian belt as an example. This research is based mainly on the study and interpretation of U–Pb ages of more than 300 detrital zircons from Neoproterozoic and Early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks from Iberia and Brittany. Analyses have been performed using the laser ablation–ICP–MS technique. The U–Pb data record contrasting detrital zircon age spectra for various terranes of western Europe. The differences provide information on the processes involved in the genesis of the western European Precambrian terranes along the northern margin of Neoproterozoic Gondwana during arc construction and subduction, and their dispersal and re-amalgamation along the margin to form the Avalonia and Armorica microcontinents. The U–Pb ages reported here also support the alleged change from subduction to transform activity that led to the final break-up of the margin, the birth of the Rheic Ocean and the drift of Avalonia. We contend that the active northern margin of Gondwana evolved through several stages that match the different types of active margins recognised in modern settings

The high temperature creep properties of a thermally sprayed CoNiCrAlY coating via small punch creep testing

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC’s) protect superalloy components from excessively high temperatures in gas turbines. TBC’s comprise of a ceramic top coat, a metallic bond coat and a thermally grown oxide (TGO). The creep behaviour of the MCrAlY bond coat, which is sensitive to the composition and the method of deposition, has a significant effect on the life of the TBC. High velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying is a popular deposition method for MCrAlY bond coats however the creep properties of HVOF MCrAlY coatings are not well documented. The creep behaviour of a HVOF thermally sprayed CoNiCrAlY coating has been determined by small punch creep (SPC) testing. Tests were conducted between an equivalent uniaxial stress range of 37-80 MPa at 750 °C on two different SPC rigs and between 30-49 MPa at 850 °C on a single SPC rig. The measured steady-state creep deformation rates at 750 °C were consistent across the two rigs. A comparison with previous work demonstrated that the creep behaviour of HVOF CoNiCrAlY coatings is not sensitive to the manufacturing variability associated with HVOF thermal spraying. The CoNiCrAlY coating exhibited typical SPC deformation at 750 °C. At 850 °C the CoNiCrAlY coating showed significantly different creep behaviour which could be attributed to the onset of superplasticity