Social participation and social capital in South Yorkshire Coalfield Communities

This article draws on responses from a 2004 survey of 3771 residents in nine South Yorkshire coalfield communities to explore levels of social participation and the relationship between social participation and social capital. The survey provides a relatively unusual data source as, in addition to collecting information about levels of participation, it elicits the type(s) of groups residents are involved with. The article provides two key messages for policy-makers and practitioners. The first relates to the findings and indicates that particular components of social capital are associated with particular types of social participation. The second relates to the survey methodology and demonstrates the importance of establishing the type(s) of groups that residents are involved with when examining levels of social participation.</p

Monitoring vegetation cover on mine dumps with ERTS-1 imagery: Some initial results

ERTS-1 imagery is being used in an attempt to differentiate between mine dumps having varying degrees of vegetative cover. At this stage it is clear that the various mine dumps can be located and identified. Differences in vegetative cover can be seen and measured. Patterns of vegetative growth, some characteristic to particular dumps, can also be seen. It is therefore tentatively concluded that mine dumps can be differentiated with respect to their vegetative cover on the imagery received to date. Subsequent imagery showing seasonal variations should facilitate this program

Growth and decline of vegetation on mine dumps

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Comparison of Eulerian hydrodynamic models with non-intrusive X-ray measurements in pressurized dense gas-fluidised beds

The objective of much fluidisation research has been the prediction of industrial beds, which are often large and operated at high pressure and temperature. This may be achieved through the use of Eulerian two-fluid models. Two such models have been compared with experimental results of the structure of a jet in a bubbling fluidised bed. In the first two-fluid model the particles are treated as a Newtonian fluid with a constant viscosity; in the second, kinetic theory for granular flow is used to describe the rheological properties of the particulate phase. The experiments were examined non-intrusively using X-ray equipment. The comparison of the experiments with the models revealed significant and systematic differences. These are described and the implications they have for the modelling and scaleup of bubbling fluidised beds are discussed

Spin and magnetotransport properties of narrow gap semiconductors

Imperial Users onl

Virtual reality microscope versus conventional microscope regarding time to diagnosis: an experimental study.

Aims:  To create and evaluate a virtual reality (VR) microscope that is as efficient as the conventional microscope, seeking to support the introduction of digital slides into routine practice. Methods and results:  A VR microscope was designed and implemented by combining ultra-high-resolution displays with VR technology, techniques for fast interaction, and high usability. It was evaluated using a mixed factorial experimental design with technology and task as within-participant variables and grade of histopathologist as a between-participant variable. Time to diagnosis was similar for the conventional and VR microscopes. However, there was a significant difference in the mean magnification used between the two technologies, with participants working at a higher level of magnification on the VR microscope. Conclusions:  The results suggest that, with the right technology, efficient use of digital pathology for routine practice is a realistic possibility. Further work is required to explore what magnification is required on the VR microscope for histopathologists to identify diagnostic features, and the effect on this of the digital slide production process