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Design, development and characterization of a novel and innovative exhaust filter media for the global automotive industry
No full textThis paper discusses that three-dimensional (3D) warp knitted spacer structures offer significant attributes that create sustainable production advantages in dry exhaust systems for the automotive paint industry. The advantages that are offered include improved airflow and the potential to combine to a composite solution with a high paint holding capacity; this concept of filtration also offers the possibility of a durable filter capable of industrial cleaning and reuse numerous times. The paper describes the innovation of these 3D warp knitted spacer filters from theoretical and traditional filtration aspects, followed by an empirical characterization that justifies commercial trials within the industry
The training and development of Assistant Practitioners(AP): An action research project to develop a tool to evaluate the impact of the AP role in practice and inform service development within NHS and Non -NHS organisations
No full textThis research study looks at how resources can be produced to assist managers making decisions about developing the role of the Assistant Practitioner(AP). It investigates evaluations of the AP role to date and considers how an impact evaluation tool can be produced to inform practice. The tool looks at how a mixed methods approach can be utilised to create evidence that is both qualitative and quantitative in nature. The aims of the study are to provide managers with evidence based resources that can inform their decision making when contemplating the training and development of non-registered staff into the role of AP and develop a tool that will evaluate the impact of the AP role within a service area. The study examines the stages taken to develop a tool that can be applied to the AP role but is also generic in nature and can be utilised in any area considering role development within their team
An investigation into the impact of enterprise systems adoption and implementation after the Higher Education Institutions After the Introduction of Funding Cuts
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the behaviour of Higher Education Institutions in relation to the adoption of Enterprise Systems after the changes in the funding regime. It can be argued that funding cuts is the significant change the industry has witnessed in recent past. Since Enterprise Systems is becoming the lifeblood of an organisation, we would like to investigate how Higher Education Institutions have embraced the usage and adoption of Enterprise Systems after the funding cuts. In order to accomplish this objective, we begin our research on how industries in general are responding to external changes. The discussion will then move towards the changes in Higher Education and its impact. By undertaking systematic review of literature, we will investigate the changes introduced by Higher Education Institutions in relation to the adoption of EnterpriseSystems
An investigation into construction contracts in Malawi - turnkey versus traditional contracts.
No full textThis thesis provides results obtained from the study on an investigation in the construction contracts in Malawi with precision on management of turnkey and traditional contracts.To fulfil the objectives of the study, the researcher carried out a literature review of the same using the previously documented articles, periodicals, journals, books and dissertations. In addition to the same, survey questionnaires, interviews, focus groups and desk research were conducted to obtain localized data in Malawi.The data collection techniques of using questionnaires and interviews were designed in such a manner so as to meet the research’s objectives and test its hypothesis. The goal of the questionnaire was to analyse the importance of implementing projects using the turnkey approach. The questionnaire was developed to focus on the identification of benefits and drawbacks of the turnkey approach, the comparison of the turnkey approach against the traditional approach and proposal of areas where the turnkey approach can be improved. Interviews and focus groups on the other hand focused on validating information gathered from the survey questionnaire. Emphasis was made on obtaining views and opinions of the turnkey approach with respect to the Malawian society. With respect to the sample used in this research, it was envisaged that with the ongoing turnkey projects being implemented in Malawi and the historical experience in traditional contracts, different views and thoughts were gathered creating a remarkable outcome on the results obtained from the questionnaires and focus groups. Data was collected from fifty one respondents which were more than the sample required and was used for analysis.It was noted that the majority of the sample represent by seventy nine percent (79%) preferred turnkey contracts to traditional contracts as being effective in the implementation of mega construction projects (MCPs) in Malawi. Nonetheless, the study still identified challenges and shortfalls in the turnkey contract that required amendments in order to achieve the required effectiveness in the construction sector of Malawi. The study therefore concluded with the provision of recommendations on the resolving the shortfalls of turnkey contracts so as to improve their implementation effectiveness and adoption in the construction sector of Malawi
Axionic suppression of plasma wakefield acceleration
No full textContemporary attempts to explain the existence of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using plasma-based wakefield acceleration deliberately avoid non-standard model particle physics. However, such proposals exploit some of the most extreme environments in the Universe and it is conceivable that hypothetical particles outside the standard model have significant implications for the effectiveness of the acceleration process. Axions solve the strong CP problem and provide one of the most important candidates for cold dark matter, and their potential significance in the present context should not be overlooked. Our analysis of the field equations describing a plasma augmented with axions uncovers a dramatic axion-induced suppression of the energy gained by a test particle in the wakefield driven by a particle bunch, or an intense pulse of electromagnetic radiation, propagating at ultra-relativistic speeds within the strongest magnetic fields in the Universe
Managing expectations : an exploration of the issues, challenges and support systems relevant to international students in UK higher education.
No full textThe emergence of international education in UK higher education is seen as a mutually beneficial arrangement for both students and institutions. Higher education institutions benefit through the financial gain of recruiting and retaining international students. International students benefit and are attracted to study in the UK through various ‘pull and push’ factors. This paper explores the expectations and experiences of international students whilst undertaking a UK university degree. It seeks to identify how international students’ expectations and experiences correspond with the expectations, systems and cultures of their chosen university. This examination is underpinned by a review of both the key barriers to learning faced by international students and the support systems the university has in place to combat these problems. A study of first year international students from different countries studying business and management courses at a post’92 university in northern England has examined the key issues. The findings show a convergence and divergence of student expectations, needs and actual reality at the university. The study notes that a failure to communicate or manage this possible gap can be problematic for both the student and the institution, resulting in a possible ‘culture’ or ‘academic’ shock for the learner. The aim of this study is to examine the key motivators and barriers relevant to international students in the UK with a view to providing examples of effective teaching and support strategies at the university
Health-related quality of life in schizophrenia: Health policy and resource allocation
No full textThis chapter investigates the impact of the quality of life (QoL) construct on mental health policy and resource allocation, with a focus on the care and treatment of people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or other functional psychoses. We review the many approaches that have been taken towards QoL and the impact of schizophrenia on the individual, family and society. The role of QoL in public policy in general and in particular the salience of specific measures of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is discussed. A brief analysis of recent mental health policy documents from seven Anglophone documents is presented – from which it is concluded that QoL is losing out to the rhetoric of ‘recovery’. We end with a discussion of the real-world drivers for resource allocation and the often tenuous link between policy and practice
Practice and Research in Education : University of Bolton Education research student journal. Issue 3
No full text"Here we have again a very wide selection of educational research, all written by students, but note the main theme, all are concerned with teaching and learning and it perhaps here that we ought to evaluate quality rather than via contrived and arbitrary national measures. Bolton is informed by a policy of ‘teaching led, research informed’ and here are many examples. I hope you enjoy reading them." David Kitchener - Professor of Inclusion and Diversity and the journal edito
The use of a new computer-based intervention to aid facial emotion recognition in children with high functioning autism.
No full textChildren with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC) experience difficulties in critical areas of social communication and facial emotion recognition (FER) deficits are argued to underlie these social impairments. Currently available interventions to teach FER to ASC children see gains that are often limited to improved recognition of emotions from taught stimuli only (faces used in the interventions). These interventions fail to resolve the problem of enabling distant generalisation (the transference of acquired skills to real life situations) in ASC. This thesis enabled the design and evaluation of an innovative serious game, Emotiquest, to improve the basic FER abilities of young ASC children. Emotiquest uniquely capitalises on three known preferences and strengths of people with ASCs (i.e., the synthetic (cartoon) face advantage, hyper-discrimination ability and hyper-systemising cognitive style) in order to remove a potential barrier to learning (training solely with human faces) and apply a potential facilitator to learning by incorporating discrimination and categorisation training strategies.The pre-post intervention evaluation study investigated the effect of using Emotiquest for 12 weeks by comparing the FER scores of ASC children who played the game with ASC children who did not. Results demonstrated improved FER for children who played the game compared to the ASC control group. Furthermore, generalisation of acquired FER skills to faces not included in the game was evident. Results suggest that the combination of discrimination training strategies and a tri-stimulus approach (training with synthetic and human faces) via a serious game, collectively improves FER in ASC children. The study’s limitations are discussed along with suggestions for future work
Blitzer and the graminivorous quadruped: Oddities, myths and mysteries of the average and the normal
No full textIntroductory paper for the third issue of 'Practice and Research in Education' the University of Bolton education research student journa