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Of rodents and foxes: faunal activity and scavenging at carcasses in a Central European (Swiss) forest
Get PDFVertebrate activity can significantly affect forensic investigations. Trauma interpretation is impaired when vertebrates scavenge on injuries and inflict damage, and scavengers can hinder the recovery of human remains through dispersal. However, forensic scavenging research is scarce in Europe and lacking for Switzerland. We conducted a 2‐month baseline study followed by a 5‐month experiment with six domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) carcasses in a Swiss forest during summer through fall. We monitored each three caged and uncaged carcasses with camera traps and documented vertebrate activities and taphonomic signatures on the remains and calculated the scavenging rate. Rodents (Apodemus sylvaticus, A. flavicollis, and Myodes glareolus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) scavenged and dispersed the remains. All carcasses and ca. 4% of the recovered bones exhibited scavenging marks, including wet bone scavenging (rodents) mainly on small bones and protruding features, and scoring (red fox) on a rib. The presence of a carcass, decomposition stage, sun exposure, and use of cages significantly influenced the number of vertebrate visits at the plots. Rodents preferentially scavenged caged, skeletonized remains at tree‐covered plots and modified perimortem wounds beyond recognition. The few carnivore sightings focused on uncaged specimens. The generally low scavenger participation was likely season‐related, due to the rapid maggot infestation, or human presence. Future studies should evaluate the influence of these variables, including sun exposure. Our study informs forensic casework by highlighting the importance of rodents and to a lesser degree foxes as vertebrate scavengers and dispersal agents in central European temperate forests.Journal of Forensic Science
Like Drinking Water After Being in the Desert’: Social-Symbolic Work of Sustainable Procurement Professionals
No full text12th EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains Foru
Thermo‐mechanical evaluation of novel composite propellant formulations based on styrene‐ethylene/butylene‐styrene block copolymer
No full textTwo novel composite propellant formulations have previously been produced from a binder consisting of the thermoplastic elastomer styrene‐ethylene/butylene‐styrene (SEBS) and a solid filler, either ammonium perchlorate (AP) or 1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazinane (RDX). The binder, being a commercially available off‐the‐shelf polymer, has many advantages over a typical bespoke binder, particularly cost and risk of obsolescence. The thermal and hazard properties have shown potential for these formulations. This paper addresses the mechanical properties over a range of service and storage temperatures, which is important in the safety and durability of a propellant. The glass transition temperatures, as determined by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), were found to be influenced by the type of filler and the solids loading. The lower glass transition was seen to increase slightly from −41°C for unfilled SEBS to −39°C (AP/SEB 84/16) with AP as a filler; conversely, it decreased to −45°C (RDX/SEBS 80/20) with RDX. The upper glass transition was found to have decreased from 102°C to around 91°C for all formulations tested. Use of DMA—time temperature superpositioning found that the filler influenced the frequency dependency of the mechanical behaviour. Compared to typical AP composite propellants, both the storage modulus (E’) from DMA and Young's modulus (E) from tensile testing were substantially greater. Tensile testing also showed that the strain at maximum stress (εm) was significantly less. However, the maximum stress (σmax) was similar. SEBS has shown potential as a binder for a stiffer composite propellant (higher modulus).UK Secretary of State for DefencePropellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnic
Evaluation of fibre optic sensing techniques for helicopter rotor blades during ground run and whirl tower test
No full textThe BladeSense data is partly available at https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-665X/ac736c, while the data from the WTT cannot be made available due to commercial restrictions.Optical fibre strain and shape measurement sensors were deployed on two bearingless main rotor systems, Airbus Helicopters H135 and Airbus Helicopters H145 (or BK117 D-3) during ground runs with controlled pilot inputs and during a whirl tower test. The sensing capabilities of two optical fibre-based strain sensing techniques, optical fibre Bragg grating (FBG) and fibre segment interferometry (FSI), and direct fibre optic shape sensing (DFOSS), a shape measurement based on the FSI approach, were benchmarked against conventional strain gauge measurements. Signal-to-noise ratios and modal properties were determined from the collected strain and displacement signatures using an improved operational modal analysis suitable for the removal of amplitude-modulated rotor harmonics and large rotor speed variations. It was shown not only that all fibre-optic based sensing techniques provide detailed understanding into the dynamic properties of the blade, but the measurements also offer insights into couplings from the airframe to the rotor and couplings from the drive train to the rotor. Results and discussions of the analysis of the measurements from the DFOSS system highlight its benefits over strain gauges or of the FBG strain sensing approach.The authors acknowledge support from Innovate UK via the Aerospace Technology Institute under ATI (102381), and from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UK) (EP/N002520 and EP/V020218/1).CEAS Aeronautical Journa
Damping characterisation for 3D-printed polymeric structure with different geometric parameters
No full textThis paper presents an experimental investigation into the influence of infill patterns and geometric angles on the damping properties of polymeric structures fabricated using fused deposition modelling (FDM). It quantitatively modelled the impact of geometric attributes of infill patterns on structural damping behaviours for the first time. The application of FDM highlights the ability to artificially control material damping without changing structural dimensions. Therefore, it has the potential to be used to fabricate customised polymer structures for energy absorption and vibration suppression applications. In the presented research, impact tests were conducted to assess the fundamental damping ratios of 3D-printed Polylactic acid (PLA) cantilever beams featuring various infill patterns (grid, triangle, and hexagon) and geometric angles. Notably, the triangle infill pattern with a filament angle of 60° exhibited the highest damping ratio, reaching up to 0.0163. Furthermore, an empirical model was developed and validated to establish a relationship between infill angles and fundamental damping ratios. The grid and hexagon patterns demonstrated promising results during the model validation phase.Journal of Vibration and Contro
Real‐time CO2 monitoring for early detection of grain spoilage and mycotoxin contamination
No full textBACKGROUND
This study aimed to compare the use of real‐time CO2, temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) sensors as indicators of stored grain quality management, specifically for early detection of mould activity and mycotoxin contamination. Initial experiments were conducted using mini‐silos containing naturally contaminated wheat grain (1.5 kg) stored at different moisture contents of 15–30% (water activity, aw = 0.78 to 0.98), to evaluate their effects on grain respiration.
RESULTS
Respiration rates and dry matter losses increased with grain moisture content. A larger‐scale, nine‐month study was then conducted using two pilot‐scale silos (2.5 t; 1400 cm diameter; 2050 cm height) equipped with ATEX‐compliant CO2/RH/T sensors. A ‘wet pocket’ was simulated by introducing water to a localised area to mimic a water ingress event. This led to a rapid rise in CO2 levels while T remained relatively stable. Mycotoxin analyses of the affected and unaffected regions showed a clear increase in the concentration and diversity of mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, deoxynivalenol, deoxynivaenol‐3‐glucoside and moniliformin, in the wet pocket area.
CONCLUSION
Real‐time CO2 monitoring provided a faster and more sensitive indication of spoilage and mycotoxin risk compared to T and RH measurements. This highlights the potential for developing early‐warning systems for stored grain management based predominantly on continuous CO2 monitoring.This research was funded by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation pro-gramme under grant agreement no. 678012-Mytoolbox project.Journal of the Science of Food and Agricultur
Cavity impact on the base flow unsteadiness for a high-speed exhaust system
No full textFuture propulsion systems could enable high-speed flight and routine space access. Such concepts employ base-embedded nozzles and cavities to allow space for nozzle gimballing, thus altering the flow dynamics at the base in comparison to contemporary launch vehicles. This article presents a numerical investigation on the impact of a cavity on the base flow unsteadiness for a sub-scale, high-speed exhaust at over-expansion. The delayed detached eddy simulation approach is used to investigate the base flow. The configuration featuring the cavity is compared to a baseline apparatus, where the cavity is removed, thus allowing for its impact to be identified. The computational approach is validated against experimental data. Results show that the cavity region can reduce the base pressure fluctuations by up to 20% and acts in a damping-like manner for the base flow unsteadiness. The total energy of the base pressure fluctuations spectrum can be reduced by up to 38% compared to the baseline configuration. Finally, the cavity has a notable effect on the nozzle side loads, which are reduced by an order of magnitude compared to the baseline case. This indicates that the cavity could reduce undesirable off-axis loads.The authors would like to express their gratitude to Reaction Engines Ltd. and the Cranfield Air and Space Propulsion Institute (CASPI) for funding this project and granting permission to publish the findings. The support of Dr. Marco Debiasi and Dr. Mark Finnis during the experimental campaign is greatly acknowledged.Journal of Turbomachiner
From contamination to remediation: understanding the toxicity, risk assessment, and degradation pathways of triphenyl phosphate and related organophosphate flame retardants in water and soil
No full textTriphenyl Phosphate (TPhP), a widely used organophosphate flame retardant (OPFR), has been increasingly detected in the environment via soil and water matrices, due to its persistence and potential toxicity. While numerous studies have investigated its behavior and remediation in aquatic environments, limited attention has been paid to study the TPhP occurrence and treatment in soil. This disparity is attributed to the inherent complexity and heterogeneity of soil, a dynamic matrix composed of diverse mineral particles, organic matter, and microbial populations. Unlike water, soil conditions are difficult to replicate in controlled environments, and factors such as adsorption to organic matter and restricted oxygen diffusion can significantly impede degradation processes. These limitations result in prolonged persistence and delayed remediation in terrestrial settings. This review aims to bridge the knowledge gap in OPFR remediation and promote sustainable solutions for mitigating TPhP and other OPFR-related contaminants from the environment. Remediation strategies, including biological, chemical, and substance-based natural approaches, are discussed, with an emphasis on their degradation mechanisms and removal efficiencies. Despite the limited research on TPhP degradation in aquatic environments, remediation strategies for soil and sediments remain largely unexplored, underscoring the need for further research in this area. In addition, this review explores the toxicity, global distribution, and bioaccumulation risks of TPhP and related OPFRs in both water and soil environments. The paper concludes by addressing key challenges and outlining strategic approaches and potential solutions for the effective remediation and risk management of TPhP and related OPFRs in environmental systems.This study was supported through the AMRITA Seed Grant (Proposal ID: ASG2022146).Science of The Total Environmen
Islam and early-stage entrepreneurial activity in Indonesia: religion is not the opium of entrepreneurship
No full textPurpose
Our research examines the impact of Islamic religiosity, exploring the role of religious actors, religious ideas (knowledge-based religiosity) and religious practice, on the involvement in early-stage entrepreneurial activity at the provincial level in Indonesia.
Design/methodology/approach
We rely on the survey conducted by Global Entrepreneurship Monitoring in Indonesia, spanning from 2013 to 2017. The dataset comprises responses from 21,279 individuals. We use probit regression, and the main independent variable, Islamic religiosity, is measured using one factor that incorporates knowledge-based religiosity (extracted relying on Islamic schools, Mosques and Islamic seminaries) and practice-based religiosity (extracted relying on Halal products and Hajj applications). To further explore the role of individual variables, we also estimate the probit regression entering religiosity variables one by one. Our results are robust to endogeneity issues.
Findings
We find that areas characterised by stronger Islamic religiosity in terms of the presence of actors that disseminate religious ideas and in terms of religious practice have more people involved in early-stage entrepreneurial activity.
Originality/value
Irrespective of the growing interest in exploring the impact of religiosity on entrepreneurship, there is limited discussion on the impact of Islamic religiosity on entrepreneurial activity.Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Developmen
Human factors in digital manufacturing technology adoption: a workforce perspective
No full textThe UK is the twelfth-largest manufacturing nation globally, yet its adoption of digital manufacturing technologies (DMTs) lags behind other European countries. In an era where industrial automation and digital transformation are essential for maintaining competitiveness, understanding the human factors influencing the acceptance and implementation of these technologies is critical. This study examines the perceptions of 313 UK manufacturing employees regarding the usefulness, ease of use, and workplace impact of DMTs. Findings indicate that while employees recognise the potential benefits of DMTs such as increased productivity, improved product quality, and enhanced competitiveness, concerns remain regarding ease of use, workforce upskilling, and physical interaction with new technologies. Notably, employees with lower educational qualifications expressed greater scepticism about the applicability of DMTs. Furthermore, those working in companies that had already implemented digital technologies reported more positive perceptions compared to non-users, emphasising the role of experience in shaping attitudes. The study highlights the need for targeted training and change management strategies to facilitate smoother workforce adaptation to digital advancements. These findings provide insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and system designers aiming to integrate human-centric approaches in the transition to Industry 4.0 and beyond.This research was funded by EPSRC, DigiTOP project, grant number EP/R032718/1 and by the Horizon Europe project AI-PRISM, grant number 101058589.The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technolog