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The effect of work related mechanical stress on the peripheral temperature of the hand
Get PDFThe evolution and developments in modern industry have resulted a wide range of
occupational activities, some of which can lead to industrial injuries. Due to the activities of
occupational medicine, much progress has been made in transforming the way that operatives
perform their tasks. However there are still many occupations where manual tasks have become
more repetitive, contributing to the development of conditions that affect the upper limbs.
Repetitive Strain Injury is one classification of those conditions which is related to overuse of
repetitive movement. Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome is a subtype of this classification directly
related to the operation of instruments and machinery which involves vibration.
These conditions affect a large number of individuals, and are costly in terms of work
absence, loss of income and compensation. While such conditions can be difficult to avoid, they can
be monitored and controlled, with prevention usually the least expensive solution. In medico-legal
situations it may be difficult to determine the location or the degree of injury, and therefore
determining the relevant compensation due is complicated by the absence of objective and
quantifiable methods.
This research is an investigation into the development of an objective, quantitative and
reproducible diagnostic procedure for work related upper limb disorders. A set of objective
mechanical provocation tests for the hands have been developed that are associated with vascular
challenge. Infrared thermal imaging was used to monitor the temperature changes using a well
defined capture protocol. Normal reference values have been measured and a computational tool
used to facilitate the process and standardise image processing.
These objective tests have demonstrated good discrimination between groups of healthy
controls and subjects with work related injuries but not individuals, p<0.05, and are reproducible. A
maximum value for thermal symmetry of 0.5±0.3ºC for the whole upper limbs has been established
for use as a reference.
The tests can be used to monitor occupations at risk, aiming to reduce the impact of these
conditions, reducing work related injury costs, and providing early detection. In a medico-legal
setting this can also provide important objective information in proof of injury and ultimately in
objectively establishing whether or not there is a case for compensation
The design and evaluation of a valid dysphagia screening tool for acute stroke patients
Get PDFScreening acute stroke patients for dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) is recommended within 24 hours due to risks of morbidity and mortality. A review of the international literature identified no universal consensus for a valid method of screening. This thesis describes a multi-method Action Research (AR) programme of study focused on the design, development and evaluation of a reliable and valid dysphagia screening tool (the ‘Head Dysphagia Screen for Stroke’ or HeDSS) for use by Registered General Nurses (RGNs).
As a component of the assessment phase of the AR programme, a survey of dysphagia screening practices in England and Wales highlighted widely varied screening practices. Many of these practices were based on limited research evidence, reflecting the lack of consensus for valid dysphagia screening criteria reported in the literature. The design phase of the AR programme involved the development of the HeDSS tool, which centred on the use of research-based screening criteria. Focus group activity determined nurses’ perceptions of the design and subsequent refinement of the HeDSS tool. The intervention and evaluation phases of the AR programme followed three empirical stages. Stage one established the inter-rater reliability of the Speech and Language Therapist Researcher’s (SLTR’s) clinical dysphagia assessment, which acted as a reference standard against which the validity of the HeDSS tool was to be measured. Clinical judgements for the presence and absence of dysphagia in the same 30 referred patients were compared between the SLTR and a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) of equivalent experience. Inter-rater reliability was substantial (k = .71). The second empirical stage established inter-rater reliability of the HeDSS measurement outcomes (indicative signs of dysphagia and appropriateness of referral for SLT clinical dysphagia assessment) when employed by two RGNs compared against the SLTR when screening two samples of 20 acute stroke patients. Rater agreement was substantial (k = .71 and k = .79, for detection of signs of dysphagia and k = .79 and k = .87 for appropriateness of referral). The final empirical stage evaluated the concurrent validity of the HeDSS tool measurement outcomes when employed by a second sample of two RGNs compared with the SLTR’s clinical dysphagia assessment outcomes in a sample of 100 acute stroke patients. The HeDSS tool measurement outcomes correlated highly with the clinical dysphagia assessment outcomes (sensitivity .88 - .96 and specificity .85 - .88 for detection of dysphagia; sensitivity .90 - .96 and specificity .84 - .88 for determining patients appropriate for assessment). Correlation coefficient measures confirmed high concurrent validity for the HeDSS tool (Phi ranged between .76 - .82).
This study is the first in the UK to establish a reliable and valid dysphagia screening tool for use with acute stroke patients and has significantly advanced the professional knowledge base within this domain of practice. It is recommended that a multi-centred programme of research be undertaken to replicate this study with a larger nurse and patient sample
Children solving analogical problems: insights from a cross sectional and microgenetic study using video analogues
Get PDFThe present study examined young children’s analogical performance and strategy use in both classical and problem analogies in an attempt to bridge the gap between children’s strategy use across both types of analogy. There were three studies in all; the classical analogy tasks monitored sixty-four, 3, 4 and 5-year-olds’ performance on two separate occasions, six months apart; study 2 monitored thirty-four, 3 and 4-year-olds’ strategy use on problem analogies, at week one and week 30; and the microgenetic study followed thirty, 4 and 5-year-olds strategy use over a 30 week period, at weekly intervals.
The results revealed that children relied on a number of strategies and their choices varied over the 30 week period. The microgenetic methodology provided us with a chance to monitor intra- and inter-individual changes. The problem analogies raised awareness of a number of performance factors that affect children’s strategy choices. These included relational knowledge, relational difficulty, practice and transfer. Children’s ability to use analogy improved over time with practice, and some children showed consistency in their use of analogy over certain tasks, but often regressed to less effective strategies on subsequent tasks
The use of individual case studies provided an in depth account of children’s patterns of behaviour over the observation period. This allowed us to explore children’s rate of change, path and breadth in strategy choices and what affected these changes. The case studies provided strong evidence for a gradual wave-like change in children’s analogical development. The theoretical and educational implications of this were discussed. It can be concluded that preschool children continue to find analogy difficult and the findings of strategic variability highlights the fact that 4- and 5-year-olds are in a period of transition in the development of analogical reasoning
Media exposure, policy agenda setting and risk communication in Sub-Saharan Africa: a case study of Nigeria's Niger Delta region
Get PDFMy research investigated the extent to which the Nigerian media have alerted the public and key opinion formers to risk-related issues / conflict in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region in order to shape the Nigerian public policy sphere as a response to the reoccurring [1958-2009] conflict between the government, oil host communities and independent multinational oil companies operating in the Nigeria’s Niger Delta region over economic embarrassment due to underdevelopment and environmental degradation. Drawing on the recent academic literature on policy agenda-setting, risk communication and trust communication, my research explored Research Questions on risk communication and risk perception linking policy agenda-setting that would be of great benefit for the Nigerian policy-makers, and indeed oil companies to understand. The researcher addressed these Research Questions through a survey [1,200 questionnaires] of Nigerians and interviews [10] with key people in Nigeria. These Research Questions are very timely and penetrating, in what has been, to date, a very under-researched area – namely, investigating the flows and impacts of trust-risk communication in agenda setting in a less-developed country. The researcher used three states in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region namely, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers for the purpose of this research because conflict and risk issues is most pronounced in the aforementioned states due to oil exploration / exploitation and underdevelopment. Findings from this research revealed that the Nigerian media-policy-public agendas face specific problems in influencing one another on environmental risk issues and other facet of the conflict in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. These specific problems which reflect gaps in knowledge in the Niger Delta conflict have now been outlined, so needing further attention and work by stakeholders in the public policy field with regards to the Niger Delta conflict. To this end, areas in need of research focus were outlined and several recommendations were made by the researcher which if adopted by the Nigerian government / policy makers, the media, oil companies and other stakeholders will help douse Nigeria’s Niger Delta conflict
An investigation into the effectiveness of the Higher Colleges of Technology Quality Programme in the United Arab Emirates
Get PDFThis study focused on quality management at the HCT. The HCT implements a quality programme, the Program Quality Assurance (PQA). Based on the Baldrige’s Education Criteria for Performance Excellence, which comprises seven Criteria, the study added an eighth Criterion, that is, Organisational Culture, to investigate whether or not the added Criterion has any impact on the implementation of the quality programmes. Both quantitative (using questionnaires) and qualitative (using interviews and content analysis of the PQA) approaches were used to identify the influence of Organisational Culture on the seven Baldrige Criteria and on the implementation of the quality programmes by the HCT. A questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL methodology was also employed to identify the extent of satisfaction of the HCT students with the quality of services and programmes offered to them by the HCT.
Quantitative Research findings indicated that Strategic Planning is related to Leadership and MAKM, Staff Focus is related to Leadership and MAKM, Process Management is related to Strategic Planning, Staff Focus and MAKM, Process Management and Leadership are indirectly related through Strategic Planning and Staff Focus, Staff Focus is related to Strategic Planning, Student Focus and MAKM, Student Focus and Leadership are indirectly related through Strategic Planning and Staff Focus, Results is related to Process Management and Student Focus, Results and Leadership are indirectly related through Strategic Planning, Process Management, Staff Focus and Student Focus, and There is a relationship between Organisational Culture and the MBNQA seven Criteria.
In terms of student satisfaction with the services provided by the HCT, the majority of respondent students agreed with all items of the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The Tangible dimensions were the utmost concern by HCT students, followed by the Assurance dimensions.
The HCT’s organisational culture was also found to have substantial influence of the outcomes of the other seven categories of the MBNQ
Numerical modelling of photonic crystal based switching devices
Get PDFIn the last few years research has identified Photonic Crystals (PhCs) as
promising material that exhibits strong capability of controlling light propagation in a
manner not previously possible with conventional optical devices. PhCs, otherwise
known as Photonic Bandgap (PBG) material, have one or more frequency bands in
which no electromagnetic wave is allowed to propagate inside the PhC. Creating
defects into such a periodic structure makes it possible to manipulate the flow of
selected light waves within the PhC devices outperforming conventional optical
devices. As the fabrication of PhC devices needs a high degree of precision, we have
to rely on accurate numerical modelling to characterise these devices.
There are several numerical modelling techniques proposed in literature for
the purpose of simulating optical devices. Such techniques include the Finite
Difference Time Domain (FDTD), the Finite Volume Time Domain (FVTD), and the
Multi-Resolution Time Domain (MRTD), and the Finite Element (FE) method
among many others. Such numerical techniques vary in their advantages,
disadvantages, and trade-offs. Generally, with lower complexity comes lower
accuracy, while higher accuracy demands more complexity and resources.
The Complex Envelope Alternating Direction Implicit Finite Difference Time
Domain (CE-ADI-FDTD) method was further developed and used throughout this
thesis as the main numerical modelling technique. The truncating layers used to
surround the computational domain were Uniaxial Perfectly Matched Layers
(UPML). This thesis also presents a new and robust kind of the UPML by presenting
an accurate physical model of discretisation error.
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This thesis has focused on enhancing and developing the performance of PhC
devices in order to improve their output. An improved and new design of PhC based
Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) devices is presented. This is achieved
using careful geometrical design of microcavities with respect to the coupling length
of the propagating wave. The nature of the design means that a microcavity
embedded between two waveguides selects a particular wavelength to couple from
one waveguide into the adjacent waveguide showing high selectivity.
Also, the Terahertz (THz) frequency gap, which suffers from a lack of
switching devices, has been thoroughly investigated for the purpose of designing and
simulating potential PhC based switching devices that operate in the THz region.
The THz PhC based switching devices presented in this thesis are newly
designed to function according to the variation of the resonant frequency of a ring
resonator embedded between two parallel waveguides. The holes of the structures are
filled with polyaniline electrorheological fluids that cause the refractive index of the
holes to vary with applied external electric field. Significant improvements on the
power efficiency and wavelength directionality have been achieved by introducing
defects into the system
An analysis of innovation programmes in Wales along a ‘hard – soft’ policy continuum – a case study approach
Get PDFThe thesis context is a Welsh innovation policy continuum. The research is primarily located in three innovation programmes representative of innovation policy in Wales. The representative programmes are: the Technium network; Innovation Network Partnership; and Communities First project. The Technium network is considered to be at the hard/tangible end of the policy continuum whilst Communities First is at the softer, more intangible pole of the continuum.
The aim of this thesis is to ascertain the influence social capital may have upon levels of innovation across the innovation policy continuum. To achieve the aim, the existence and extent of forms of innovation, forms of social capital, and cooperation and collaboration are considered through a positivist and interpretivist analysis. The resultant data has been further exposed to a correlation analysis, undertaken to ascertain whether or not the presence and form of social capital has an association with forms of innovation.
The three programmes each have a pan-Wales presence. The programmes all originate from Welsh Assembly Government innovation policy initiatives between 2001 and 2003. For each programme a case study has been produced. The case studies have been constructed using data from survey, interviews and participant observation. The survey was completed via an on-line questionnaire by representative individuals and groups from each innovation policy continuum programme. Further data was collected by interviews held with individuals representative of roles typically undertaken at each programme. Participant observation undertaken at each programme also informed the creation of the case studies.
Literature in this field of study is typically limited to a comparatively narrow investigation of traditionally measured innovation. For social capital and cooperation and collaboration, research usually has a macro scale cynosure. This study has an innovation programme locale in Wales which may be considered unique in terms of innovation and social capital research.
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The findings reveal the existence of forms of innovation, social capital, and cooperation and collaboration at each case study. However, there are differences in terms of the extent of such phenomenon along the innovation policy continuum. For instance, there appears to be an increased likelihood of traditionally measured innovation at the Technium network. Social innovation is more likely to be present at the Communities First project. Similarly, forms of social capital are more likely to be found at Communities First partnerships than at other programmes along the continuum. The correlation analysis applied to the case study survey data discloses a number of, mainly positive statistically significant associations between explanatory social capital, and cooperation and collaboration variables and dependent innovation variables.
Propositions resultant of the findings, are likely to be of use to policymakers. For instance, forms of social capital appear to be positively related to traditionally measured, hidden and social innovation. Policymakers considering the design of programmes to boost levels of innovation may be advised to include means of increasing levels of social capital, cooperation and collaboration in their policy and programme proposals and evaluation criteria
Identifying the benefits and disbenefits of clinical genetics services : a framework for economic evaluation
No full textA number of methodological considerations have been discussed in the area of economic evaluation of Clinical Genetic Services (CGSs) including the limited knowledge of psychosocial consequences of these services. This study aims to address this gap by identifying tangible and intangible benefits and disbenefits of CGSs and presenting these within a framework to assist in the design of a comprehensive welfarist economic evaluation.
Mixed methods of data collection were adopted and a UK medical genetics service was used as a case study. Face-to-face interviews with genetic service providers were undertaken in Phase One to explore patient pathways and the perceived role of the service. Focus groups and face-to-face interviews with service users explored the perceived benefits and disbenefits of the CGS in Phase Two. Phase Three comprised a pilot study of using Audience Response Systems (ARSs) for exploring stakeholder preferences and tackled issues of respondent validation and transferability.
Both process-related attributes and psychosocial outcomes emerged as utility-bearing for service users. Patient pathways i.e. patient experience, were found to be influenced by factors associated with the genetic condition and with individual patient/family characteristics and needs. The overall (dis)benefits of the service however were found to be common across conditions. The concept of Perceived Familial Control is proposed as a suitable outcome which encompasses the psychosocial dimension of CGSs.
This study has demonstrated the use of qualitative methods in the context of health economics and economic evaluation. It has specifically demonstrated the use of various levels of qualitative analysis for obtaining attributes and outcomes of CGSs and has incorporated these within a framework directed towards the design of a welfarist economic evaluation. The use of ARSs was also tested for their usefulness as a method of establishing preferences and exploring the opinions of CGS stakeholders.
Further research is required to establish whether the emerging (dis)benefits represent the experiences of users of other UK clinical genetic centres. Subsequently, user preferences for the identified (dis)benefits could be explored as a step towards the design of a welfarist economic evaluation. Further research is also required to develop the concept of Perceived Familial Control into an appropriate outcome measure for CGSs
Modelling and characterisation of the pyrolysis of secondary refuse fuel briquettes and biomass materials
Get PDFThis research was established due to an increase of interest in renewable energy
sources and utilisation of various wastes and biomass. Gasification is currently one of
the most promising thermal-chemical conversion techniques for recovering energy
from waste, and the pyrolytic behaviour of secondary refuse fuel (SRF) briquettes and
biomass-derived fuels is the starting point for the process. The purpose of this study
was to evaluate the pyrolytic characteristics of SRF briquettes and biomass materials,
suggest a kinetic model for simulating the pyrolytic process and obtaining the kinetic
parameters, and then predict the yield of volatile products in pyrolysis.
Knowledge of the chemical composition, the thermal behaviour and the reactivity of
SRF briquettes and their blends with other materials, such as biomass and plastic
during pyrolysis is very important for the effective design operation of gasification
units. The kinetics of the pyrolysis of simulated SRF briquettes, SRF briquettes and
pulverised biomass samples was successfully modelled by a scheme consisting of two
independent general order parallel reactions of the main components which were
hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and plastic. The kinetic parameters estimated through
the model were comparable with those reported in the literature. In this research,
activation energy values varied between 30 – 70 kJ/mol for lignin pyrolysis, 96 – 137 kJ/mol for hemicellulose and cellulose pyrolysis, and about 260 kJ/mol for plastic
pyrolysis.
Biomass has a very high volatile content. Adding biomass into SRF briquettes could
increase the volatile yield. Increasing the plastic content of SRF briquettes could
increase the volatile yield, the derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) peak height and
the repeatability of pyrolysis. Inorganic component could shift the cellulose pyrolysis
to a lower temperature and cause the hemicellulose pyrolysis and the cellulose
pyrolysis highly overlapped, but it could have a positive effect by acting as catalysts
and lower the activation energy in the pyrolysis of hemicellulose and cellulose.
Molasses used as a binder could improve the DTG peak height and restrain the curve
shifting effect of inorganic component on the hemicellulose and cellulose pyrolysis,
but couldn’t restrain the lignin pyrolysis at low temperatures during the hemicellulose and cellulose pyrolysis. Molasses could restrain the effect of the lignin pyrolysis at
high temperatures on the plastic pyrolysis. Mechanical biological treatment (MBT)
process could highly improve the volatile yield and improve the DTG peak height of
SRF briquettes.This research was established due to an increase of interest in renewable energy
sources and utilisation of various wastes and biomass. Gasification is currently one of
the most promising thermal-chemical conversion techniques for recovering energy
from waste, and the pyrolytic behaviour of secondary refuse fuel (SRF) briquettes and
biomass-derived fuels is the starting point for the process. The purpose of this study
was to evaluate the pyrolytic characteristics of SRF briquettes and biomass materials,
suggest a kinetic model for simulating the pyrolytic process and obtaining the kinetic
parameters, and then predict the yield of volatile products in pyrolysis.
Knowledge of the chemical composition, the thermal behaviour and the reactivity of
SRF briquettes and their blends with other materials, such as biomass and plastic
during pyrolysis is very important for the effective design operation of gasification
units. The kinetics of the pyrolysis of simulated SRF briquettes, SRF briquettes and
pulverised biomass samples was successfully modelled by a scheme consisting of two
independent general order parallel reactions of the main components which were hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and plastic. The kinetic parameters estimated through
the model were comparable with those reported in the literature. In this research,
activation energy values varied between 30 – 70 kJ/mol for lignin pyrolysis, 96 – 137
kJ/mol for hemicellulose and cellulose pyrolysis, and about 260 kJ/mol for plastic
pyrolysis.
Biomass has a very high volatile content. Adding biomass into SRF briquettes could
increase the volatile yield. Increasing the plastic content of SRF briquettes could
increase the volatile yield, the derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) peak height and
the repeatability of pyrolysis. Inorganic component could shift the cellulose pyrolysis
to a lower temperature and cause the hemicellulose pyrolysis and the cellulose
pyrolysis highly overlapped, but it could have a positive effect by acting as catalysts
and lower the activation energy in the pyrolysis of hemicellulose and cellulose.
Molasses used as a binder could improve the DTG peak height and restrain the curve
shifting effect of inorganic component on the hemicellulose and cellulose pyrolysis, but couldn’t restrain the lignin pyrolysis at low temperatures during the hemicellulose and cellulose pyrolysis. Molasses could restrain the effect of the lignin pyrolysis at
high temperatures on the plastic pyrolysis. Mechanical biological treatment (MBT)
process could highly improve the volatile yield and improve the DTG peak height of
SRF briquettes
Software component testing : a standard and the effectiveness of techniques
Get PDFThis portfolio comprises two projects linked by the theme of software component testing, which is also
often referred to as module or unit testing. One project covers its standardisation, while the other
considers the analysis and evaluation of the application of selected testing techniques to an existing
avionics system. The evaluation is based on empirical data obtained from fault reports relating to the
avionics system.
The standardisation project is based on the development of the BC BSI Software Component Testing
Standard and the BCS/BSI Glossary of terms used in software testing, which are both included in the
portfolio. The papers included for this project consider both those issues concerned with the adopted
development process and the resolution of technical matters concerning the definition of the testing
techniques and their associated measures.
The test effectiveness project documents a retrospective analysis of an operational avionics system to
determine the relative effectiveness of several software component testing techniques. The methodology
differs from that used in other test effectiveness experiments in that it considers every possible set of
inputs that are required to satisfy a testing technique rather than arbitrarily chosen values from within
this set. The three papers present the experimental methodology used, intermediate results from a failure
analysis of the studied system, and the test effectiveness results for ten testing techniques, definitions for
which were taken from the BCS BSI Software Component Testing Standard.
The creation of the two standards has filled a gap in both the national and international software testing
standards arenas. Their production required an in-depth knowledge of software component testing
techniques, the identification and use of a development process, and the negotiation of the
standardisation process at a national level. The knowledge gained during this process has been
disseminated by the author in the papers included as part of this portfolio. The investigation of test
effectiveness has introduced a new methodology for determining the test effectiveness of software
component testing techniques by means of a retrospective analysis and so provided a new set of data that
can be added to the body of empirical data on software component testing effectiveness