Are we there yet? Insights to support the use of reflective practice methods for explorative practice-led doctoral research into real-world design problems

This paper concerns the use of design thinking in practice-led doctoral design research. It examines methodological appropriateness for research through design. Much practice-led design research begins with the aim of improving knowledge and understanding for design practitioners involved in real-world problem-solving. However this can be compromised in both its applicability and/or relevance as the context of the practice or the articulation of the theory/practice relationship becomes esoteric to those other than design theorists. It is our observation, as supervisors and examiners of Design PhD students, that practice-led design researchers often get caught up in a research paradigm and process that reduces their project to a post-hoc rationalisation of the problem, the methodology and resulting knowledge; creating an output that alienates the intended primary audience. This paper examines methodological appropriateness for practice-led design research. It is based on a correlation of critical literature and reflection on several practice-led doctoral design projects. It considers the theoretical frameworks and research processes to support exploratory practice-led design research by expert designers. It argues that for this type of research the research question(s) and research design should co-evolve in order to generate new insight and understanding of future design directions; documenting this evolution forms a vital element of the research content

Secondary resurfacing of the patella in total knee arthroplasty

Anterior knee pain following primary total knee arthroplasty is common and can be difficult to treat satisfactorily. We reviewed 28 consecutive patients (29 knees) who underwent secondary resurfacing of the patella for persistent anterior knee pain and report on the results. Mean follow-up was 28 months (range12-61) with no cases lost to follow-up. Oxford knee scores, range of motion, the patient's assessment of outcome and overall satisfaction were recorded. Seventeen out of 19 (59%) felt their knee was better following patellar resurfacing, 10 out of 29 (34%) felt it was the same and two out of 29 (7%) felt it was worse. There was a significant improvement in Oxford knee scores (p < 0.001) and significant increase in patient satisfaction (p < 0.001) following secondary resurfacing. While secondary resurfacing of the patella does not provide the solution for every case of anterior knee pain following total knee joint replacement, in greater than 50% of cases it can be effective at relieving symptoms and in this series carries a low risk of worsening symptoms or complications

Everybody Loves My Baby : But My Baby Don\u27t Love Nobody But Me

Contains advertisements and/or short musical examples of pieces being sold by publisher.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/6868/thumbnail.jp

Customer Concentration of Targets in Mergers and Acquisitions

We study how customer base concentration at a target firm impacts the occurrence and structure of M&A deals. We hypothesize that customer concentration increases information asymmetry and adverse selection between bidders and targets, such that (1) firms with greater customer concentration are less likely to receive a bid and (2) bidders for targets with greater customer concentration share the risk by using more stock payment in their offer. Using data on customer concentration and M&A deals from 1985 to 2016, we find consistent evidence supporting our predictions. Our findings extend the literature by systematically documenting an important factor in M&A decisions and by quantifying the economic consequences of customer concentration

Effects of Interval Training on Memory Function, in College Students

The purpose of this study was to further investigate if exercise in the form of moderate intensity interval training influences memory function. While past studies have shown cognitive function improvements prior to both acute continuous moderate intensity exercise and high intensity interval training, no studies have been conducted to explore the effects of high intensity interval training on cognitive function. These previous studies also used a different method of measurement, a Stroop test, to measure cognitive function. This method is significantly different than the word recall test used in this study, which was designed to specifically assess cognitive function in a way that is more applicable to a specific population sample representative of college students. The population sample included a total of 20 participants. During the conduction of this study, participants engaged in both experimental and controlled conditions. During the controlled condition the participants were given three minutes to memorize a list of 15 words, followed by 15 minutes in a controlled environment, after which the participants were allowed three minutes’ to recall as many words as they could remember. The experimental portion of this study included the same methodology as the controlled apart from 15 minutes of interval training rather than a controlled environment. This study found no statistical significance between moderate intensity interval training and cognitive function, specifically short term memory. Therefore, this study failed to confirm that moderate intensity interval training evokes cognitive function benefits equivalent to those demonstrated in the previous studies