An Adjoint Method to Determine the Effective Material Properties of an Ablator

The determination of the effective thermal properties of a material from thermocouple data has always been very labour intensive. Similarly determining the Arrhenius parameters for a decomposition model from thermo-gravimetric analysis is also very time-consuming. There is little formalisation of the procedures used to determine the material properties. Despite the fact that some effort has been devoted to this topic in the literature, it is not clear whether comparable effective material properties data would result if several groups used the same experimental data. The FGE Ablation code FABL has been written in an adjoint form and has successfully been used to efficiently determine the effective material properties from experimental data. The method provides a formalised procedure where the iterative aspect of this process has been automated

BURO: A Bespoke Repository for the UK Research Excellence Framework & Beyond

BURO (Bournemouth University Research Online), a bespoke repository for the university’s research publications is an essential part of a wider change agenda aimed at embedding research into the core activities of Bournemouth University. BURO will be a crucial piece of this jigsaw as the university prepares for the UK’s forthcoming Research Excellence Framework (REF) and beyond. BURO is the 11th largest multidisciplinary institutional repository in the UK and 232nd in the Web of World Repositorie

Left handers are less lateralized than right handers for both left and right hemispheric functions

Many neuroscientific techniques have revealed that more left- than right-handers will have unusual cerebral asymmetries for language. After the original emphasis on frequency in the aphasia and epilepsy literatures, most neuropsychology, and neuroimaging efforts rely on estimates of central tendency to compare these two handedness groups on any given measure of asymmetry. The inevitable reduction in mean lateralization in the left-handed group is often postulated as being due to reversed asymmetry in a small subset of them, but it could also be due to a reduced asymmetry in many of the left-handers. These two possibilities have hugely different theoretical interpretations. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging localizer paradigms, we matched left- and right-handers for hemispheric dominance across four functions (verbal fluency, face perception, body perception, and scene perception). We then compared the degree of dominance between the two handedness groups for each of these four measures, conducting t-tests on the mean laterality indices. The results demonstrate that left-handers with typical cerebral asymmetries are less lateralized for language, faces, and bodies than their right-handed counterparts. These results are difficult to reconcile with current theories of language asymmetry or of handedness

Representing miners in arrangements for health and safety in coalmines: a study of current practice

This article explores the operation of regulatory provisions for worker occupational health and safety (OHS) representation in coalmining in Australia. Using data on inspections, combined with qualitative interviews, it looks at what occurs in a generally hostile labour relations climate and what supports or constrains representation in this scenario. It finds evidence of the engagement of worker representatives with serious risks in coalmining. By using the various means with which they are provided by regulatory measures, they make a significant contribution to the operation of the regulatory strategy of enforced self-regulation of OHS management. They are successful in doing so despite the unsupportive climate of labour relations in which they are frequently situated. However, the study poses questions concerning the fit of this approach with increasingly dominant versions of OHS management pursued by large and globally active corporations and discusses some implications of this for policy and further study

Low Back Injuries in Male Ballet Dancers: A Review of the Literature

TITLE: Low Back Injuries in Male Ballet Dancers: A Review of the Literature ABSTRACT BODY: Purpose: Repetitive practice of motions that can require extremes for hip and lumbar spine range of motion increase injury risk for dancers. Male dancers have increased risk of lost dancing days from injury related to lifts of female dancers. This is a review of the available literature examining spine injuries in male dancers. Methods: A literature search was performed using the keywords: male, dancer, ballet, pain, injury, and low back pain. The following databases were used: Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Pubmed, and PEDro. To expand our search, we examined references of our target papers for further relevant research. Studies were deemed relevant if they were about spine injuries and ballet dancers. Results: There are very few studies that investigate the types and frequency of injuries in male ballet dancers. For the studies that examine male ballet dancer spine injuries, they do not provide evidence for prevention of such injuries. Overall, there are very few studies on this topic with only one systematic review in 2008. We recommend that future research focus on rehabilitation and injury prevention in male ballet dancers. Conclusions: Despite spine injuries being common in dancers, there is no evidence based way to identify those at risk for injury and how to prevent reinjury. Future studies are needed to provide high-quality evidence for identifying those at risk for spine injuries, and on effective interventions for ballet dancers. Clinical Relevance: As with other athletes, dancers can experience the negative effects of physical injury to their personal lives. To date, athletic injury research is mostly focused on professional sports such as football, baseball, etc despite dancers experiencing similar work participation issues with injury. This paper provides a starting point for future research into injury detection and rehabilitation in dancers. Authors: Steere KB, Duncan A, Johnstone K, Lux E. References: 1. Ramkumar PN, Farber J, Arnouk J, Varner KE, McCulloch PC. Injuries in a Professional Ballet Dance Company. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. 2016;20(1):30-37. 2. d’Hemecourt PA, Luke A. Sport-Specific Biomechanics of Spinal Injuries in Aesthetic Athletes (Dancers, Gymnasts, and Figure Skaters). Clinics in Sports Medicine. 2012;31(3):397-408. doi:10.1016/j.csm.2012.03.010. 3. Allen N, Nevill A, Brooks J, Koutedakis Y, Wyon M. Ballet Injuries: Injury Incidence and Severity Over 1 Year. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2012;42(9):781-A1. doi:10.2519/jospt.2012.3893. 4. Gottschlich LM, Young CC. Spine Injuries in Dancers. Current Sports Medicine Reports (American College of Sports Medicine). 2011;10(1):40-44. 5. Hincapié CA, Morton EJ, Cassidy JD. Musculoskeletal Injuries and Pain in Dancers: A Systematic Review. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2008;89(9):1819-1829. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2008.02.020

A study of the role of workers' representatives in health and safety arrangements in coal mines in Queensland

Coal mining is a dangerous industry which demands a strong emphasis on ensuring the protection of miners' health, safety and well being. This study investigates the role and effectiveness of health & safety reps in Queensland Coal Mines and was undertaken by the Cardiff Work Environment Research Centre at Cardiff University in Wales, UK. The aim of the study is to contribute further knowledge of the effectiveness of the role of worker reps in managing those risks. Early mining disasters resulting in the deaths of many mineworkers highlighted the need for unions to take a proactive role in ensuring their own safety. Originally known as check inspectors, they were first appointed by unions in the Hunter Valley in the 1870s, and in Queensland they gained statutory recognition in 1915. The study, which can be downloaded as the full report or in summary form, is specifically focused on the experience of representative participation in Queensland coal mines