Loss and heat generation in piezoelectric transducers

Issued as final reportUnited States. NavyUnited States. Naval Undersea Warfare Cente

Causation in Occupational Disease: Balancing Epidemiology, Law and Manufacturer Conduct

Drs. Lynch & Henefin examine evolution of disease causation theory and its impact on public health, as well as how these relate to the courtroom admissibility of expert opinion evidence

Context dependent learning: its value and impact for workplace education

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how a management development programme based on situated learning theory resulted in change for individuals, organisational culture and performance. The case study illustrates how new understandings about learning in the workplace and in higher education points towards the need to take account of the context in which learners utilise their knowledge and skills. Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative and qualitative strategies were used to provide an evaluation of the impact of a management development programme in a group of companies. A questionnaire, focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data on three cohorts of supervisors and middle managers at different stages of the programme. A triangulated approach was adopted towards data analysis that illuminated a broad and deep change process. Findings – Positive cultural change was a significant benefit to the host organisation from the training programme. It was apparent that training can move beyond individual development to bring about organisational gains. Research limitations/implications – Future research might adopt a longitudinal design and facilitate a co-researcher approach using students’ learning logs of workplace experiences. Practical implications – Situated approaches to learning in higher education and the workplace need to be developed further to enhance workplace performance. A proposal is made for “learning consultants” to move between the two environments and facilitate knowledge exchange and improve understanding of the variety of learning contexts in business and educational settings.</p

Art therapy for people experiencing psychosis

Research on art therapy and psychosis has typically focused on individuals who have experienced psychotic symptoms for many years. This study used a grounded theory methodology to explore how service users experience art therapy following their first diagnosis of a psychotic disorder, and the possible mechanisms through which art therapy might be helpful for such individuals. Eight participants were interviewed, with two participants being interviewed twice. A preliminary theory was created and seven categories were constructed from the data, namely unpressured atmosphere, pleasure and engagement in art-making, expression and communication, connecting with others, changing emotional experience and experience of self, supporting recovery and continuation of art, and barriers. Participants reported that through the atmosphere of art therapy, art-making, and communication, they were able to build relationships, connect with others, experience a sense of commonality, absorption, sense of freedom and discover alternative perspectives and different understandings. Whilst this study suffered from some limitations, the results build on the current research base by suggesting possible processes and mechanisms through which art therapy is helpful, and focusing on a previously under-represented population. The findings are considered alongside existing research and theoretical perspectives. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are also highlighted

Effects of husbandry and low-dose lipopolysaccharide challenge on the acute phase response of young pigs

End of project reportIn recent years, concern has grown for the welfare of domesticated animals in different production systems (Appleby and Hughes, 1997). Poor welfare can result in poor performance and productivity. However, the consumers are also requesting more welfare-friendly systems, as reflected by the importance that ‘organic’ and ‘free-range’ products have gained in our markets. Furthermore, there are ethical reasons for safeguarding the welfare of animals in our care. Thus, it is scientists’ task to be able to develop methods and techniques that can help to assess the welfare objectively. Traditionally, welfare assessment relied on the study of behaviour and the measurement of endocrine parameters. Acute phase response mediators and products, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins, emerged recently as potential indicators of infection and herd health status (Eckersall, 2000; Petersen et al., 2004). Thus, investigating the effects of husbandry and low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge on the acute phase response of young pigs can give valuable information on the use of these immune parameters as health and welfare indicators in pigs.Teagasc acknowledges the support of National Development Programme Funds (NDP) in the financing of this research projec

Three-photon resonant four-photon ionization of H_2 via the C^1 ∏_u state

Ab initio calculations are presented for the vibrational branching ratios in three-photon resonant four-photon ionization of H_2 via the C^1Π_u state. Energy and internuclear distance dependences of the boundfree electronic transition matrix element are explicitly included to estimate deviations from the Franck-Condon approximation. While our calculated branching ratios confirm certain important trends seen experimentally, some differences remain