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Bone mineral density varies throughout the skeleton of athletes dependent on their sport: allometric modelling identifies the "effective" forces associated with body mass.
Get PDFBone mineral density (BMD) varies throughout the skeleton with the differences influenced by the type of sport, body mass and participant's age. What is not so well understood is how body mass influences BMD across different sites. Proportional allometric modelling on cross-sectional data. Male athletes (n = 106) from 8 different athletic groups and controls (n = 15) were scanned by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and analysed for total body composition and BMD of the ribs, arms, thoracic spine, lumber spine, pelvis and legs. ANOVA identified significant differences in BMD between "sites", "sports" and site-by-sport interaction (all p < 0.001). By introducing body mass and age as covariates, the "sites" differences disappeared. The explanation is due to the systematic difference in body-mass exponents (ki), with lowest positioned sites (e.g. legs) having the steepest slopes, and the elevated sites (e.g. arms having the shallowest slopes). To illustrate, the arm-mass exponent was approximately 0.33 indicating that for a 75 kg male, arm BMD responds to forces associated with body mass = (75)0.33 = 5 kg. For the same individual, the leg-mass exponent was closer to 0.66 suggesting that leg BMD responds to forces associated with body mass = (75)0.66 = 25 kg. The model for BMD identified that (body mass)ki plays a crucial role in determining the effective forces (both gravitational/ground reaction and compressional forces) operating throughout the skeleton, where ki systematically increases where the lower the bone is situated, a mechanism that also explains why activities involving running benefit the leg BMD compared with weight-supported activities (e.g., rowing)
Application of magnetic resonance imaging in CO2 storage systems: a review.
Get PDFMagnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques are increasingly being recognized as indispensable tools in advancing the study of carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). MRI enables non-invasive, high-resolution imaging of fluid distributions and interactions within porous media, offering valuable insights into two-phase flow dynamics. This review presents a comprehensive synthesis of recent advancements in the application of MRI for visualizing and quantifying multiphase flow behaviour, pore structure characteristics, wettability alterations, capillary trapping phenomena, CO2 leakage assessment, and hydrate dynamics in porous media. The paper critically analyzes experimental methodologies such as core flooding systems and advanced imaging sequences like low-field and high-field NMR techniques, highlighting their advantages and current limitations in simulating field-relevant reservoir conditions. It also explores recent innovations, including diffusion-weighted imaging and low-field MRI adaptations, which are expanding the scope of MRI applications in geosciences. Comparative assessments of relevant studies reveal how MRI-derived data support real-time visualization of fluid distributions, saturation changes, and pore-scale interactions across multi-phase systems such as CO₂–brine–oil. Despite their promising role, MRI techniques face challenges related to scale-up, resolution constraints in heterogeneous rock samples, and operational complexity under reservoir pressures. To overcome these, the review emphasizes future directions such as integrating machine learning for data interpretation, scaling up MRI systems with lab measurements for field deployment, and incorporating experimental insights into predictive reservoir models. This work contributes to the ongoing development of accurate monitoring and verification tools essential for the success of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) initiatives
Repurposing offshore gas pipeline for hydrogen transport: a case study of the North Sea.
Get PDFThe global push to reduce carbon emissions and achieve net-zero by 2050 has accelerated the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources like hydrogen. With numerous hydrogen projects developing across Western Europe, critical infrastructure is needed to safely transport hydrogen fuel. The extensive network of offshore gas pipelines in the North Sea offers a cost-effective solution by repurposing them for hydrogen transport. However, this poses significant challenges as these pipelines were not originally designed for hydrogen. Using the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation (SAGE) pipeline (off the coast of Scotland) as a case study, this paper presents a flow assurance analysis for repurposing offshore gas pipelines for hydrogen transport, identifying risks to ensure safety and reliability. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study simulated the transportation of varying hydrogen concentrations (0%, 15%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%) under steady-state conditions. It investigated effects on flow velocity, temperature, pressure variations, and fluid density to identify risks such as erosion corrosion, hydrate formation, and hydrogen embrittlement. The analysis showed that increasing hydrogen concentration led to higher fluid velocity, with 100% hydrogen having a velocity profile 8.5 times that of 0% hydrogen. Transporting hydrogen concentrations above 25% increased the risk of wall thinning due to erosion corrosion. A sub-cooling effect near the pipe wall raised concerns about hydrogen-induced hydrate formation. Additionally, higher hydrogen concentrations increased the risk of hydrogen embrittlement due to decreased fluid density and increased gas diffusivity
Embedding sustainability in built environment curricula: opportunities and challenges.
No full textThis book offers a comprehensive collection of best practices, gathered from classrooms across the globe, aimed at actively engaging students in sustainability. These tried and tested methods, presented within its pages, provide educators with valuable tools that can be easily adopted or tailored to their own academic environments. Moreover, this book serves as resource for policymakers, shedding light on the fundamental drivers and formidable challenges associated with integrating sustainability principles within higher education institutions. As an added bonus, researchers will find an overview of the cutting-edge literature currently available, as well as valuable suggestions for future research
Scheduling techniques that accommodate complexity: industrial practices and new approaches.
Get PDFComplexity is a recognized factor that impacts project performance, yet quantifying this impact remains elusive. The Newtonian certainty of breaking down a project's schedule through a work breakdown structure into discrete activities fails to acknowledge the interwoven nature, iterative behaviour, and emergent state that arises when dealing with complexity. To understand the impact of complexity on a project's schedule, it is essential to identify, assign, and quantify complexity traits relative to the project's network. Through the research supporting the thesis, a comprehensive literature search has identified a set of complexity traits, and further research has isolated discrete complexity strings within project schedule networks. Assigning these complexity traits to these strings unveils the DNA of complexity within any given project schedule. A two-stage Delphi Method is employed to allocate the identified complexity traits to the discrete complexity strings. The two stages involve initially assigning traits to specific strings and subsequently recognizing the complexity strings with the most profound impact. A Forced Ranking Scale is then utilised to assess the effects of these complexity traits on the identified complexity strings. This method facilitates the determination of the impact of any set of traits on a specific complexity string, ultimately leading to the calculation of a revised makespan. The resulting affected schedule vividly demonstrates the discrete consequences of these traits within the determined complexity strings while also aiding in identifying activities directly and indirectly affected by the traits. The thesis offers methods for identifying and associating complexity strings with distinct complexity traits. Furthermore, it outlines a procedure for calculating and substantiating the influence of these complexity traits on a project's schedule makespan
Grow with your tree: nurturing young health and mind: tackling climate change.
Get PDFThis document summarises the HelpKIDS project workshop called "Grow with your tree", held 6th September 2025 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The aim of the workshop was to give children from low-income families hands-on experience of planting and cultivating trees, to encourage them to take responsibility for their environment and to contribute to a healthier urban ecosystem as they grow up
Acoustic emission wave propagation in pipeline sections and analysis of the effect of coating and sensor location.
Get PDFThis paper presents an experimental investigation in which acoustic emission (AE) wave was generated through a pencil lead break (PLB) as a point source on two pipeline sections made of mild steel and titanium. The pipelines (bare, epoxy phenolic coated) were of same length but had two different diameters and wall thicknesses. The investigation included an analysis of the effects of coating, pipeline materials, pipe wall thicknesses and significance of sensor placement on monitoring. The recorded AE signals were analysed using time and frequency domain signals, energy levels and wavelet transform (WT) to explore time-frequency features for the identification of wave-modes. It is concluded that the damping behaviour of coating restricts the peaks of waves, and decreases the decay time of waves, and reduces the energy level in the coated pipeline. Based on the sensor location-based results, it is concluded that monitoring of coated pipeline wave propagation could be done effectively with sensor placement directly on the pipeline surface compared to sensor placement on the coating surface. A high wall thickness of pipeline results in a higher number of reflected waves and increases the decay time of waves. The coating on pipeline resists wave propagation, and different density of coating layer and pipeline affects the velocity of the wave. These findings could be useful to providing a greater understanding of recorded data, improving the current abilities to identify, locate, and characterise degradation occurring in single and multilayer conditions. Particularly, this experimental work and its results advancing toward designing a potential alternative way to monitor changes in coated pipeline structure, for example, in corrosion under insulation (CUI) applications
Effects of resistance exercise, collagen ingestion and circulating oestrogen concentration on collagen synthesis in a female athlete: a case report.
Get PDFWe investigated the effects of resistance exercise (RE), hydrolysed collagen (HC) ingestion and circulating oestrogen concentration on collagen synthesis in a naturally menstruating female CrossFit athlete. In a double-blind, randomised cross-over design, the participant (36 years; height 1.61 m; mass 82.6 kg) consumed 0 or 30 g HC prior to performing back-squat RE when endogenous circulating oestrogen concentration was low (onset of menses, OM) and high (late follicular phase, LF) during two consecutive menstrual cycles. Ten 5-mL blood samples were collected during each of the four interventions to analyse concentrations of serum 17β-oestradiol, and biomarkers of type I collagen turnover, that is serum procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP, a biomarker of collagen synthesis) and plasma β-isomerised C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (β-CTX, a biomarker of collagen breakdown), as well as the serum concentration of 18 collagen amino acids. 17β-Oestradiol concentration was 5-fold higher at LF (891 ± 116 pmol L−1) than OM (180 ± 13 pmol L−1). The PINP concentration × time area under the curve (AUC) was higher in the 30 g HC OM intervention (201 μg L−1 h) than the 30 g HC LF (144 μg L−1 h), 0 g HC OM (151 μg L−1 h) and 0 g HC LF (122 μg L−1 h) interventions. β-CTX concentration decreased 1.4-fold from pre-RE to 6 h post-RE in all interventions. Thus, high circulating oestrogen concentration was associated with lower collagen synthesis following RE in this female athlete. Ingesting 30 g HC, however, augmented the collagen synthesis response at LF and particularly at OM. Highlights: What is the central question of this study? Does resistance exercise-induced collagen synthesis vary according to circulating oestrogen concentration in a naturally menstruating female athlete, and if so, does hydrolysed collagen ingestion have any impact? What is the main finding and its importance? Exercise-induced collagen synthesis was low when circulating oestrogen concentration was high and vice versa. However, ingesting 30 g hydrolysed collagen prior to exercise reduced the negative effect of oestrogen on collagen synthesis. As high circulating oestrogen has been associated with greater injury risk in females, supplementing exercise with hydrolysed collagen may help protect these tissues from injury
Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness following exercise training prescribed relative to traditional intensity anchors and physiological thresholds: a systematic review with meta-analysis of individual participant data.
Get PDFIt is unknown whether there are differences in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) response when prescribing intensity relative to traditional (TRAD) anchors or to physiological thresholds (THR). The present meta-analysis sought to compare: a) mean change in VO2max; b) proportion of individuals increasing VO2max beyond a minimum important difference (MID); and c) response variability in VO2max between TRAD and THR. Electronic databases were searched, yielding data for 1544 individuals from 42 studies. Two datasets were created, comprising studies with a control group ('controlled' studies), and without a control group ('non-controlled' studies). A Bayesian approach with multi-level distributional models was used to separately analyse VO2max change scores from the two datasets and inferences were made using Bayes factors (BF). The MID was predefined as one metabolic equivalent (MET; 3.5 mL∙kg-1∙min-1). In controlled studies, mean VO2max change was greater in THR compared to TRAD (4.1 vs 1.8 mL∙kg-1∙min-1, BF>100) with 64% of individuals in THR experiencing an increase in VO2max >MID, compared to 16% of individuals taking part in TRAD. Evidence indicated no difference in standard deviation of change between THR and TRAD (1.5 vs 1.7 mL∙kg-1∙min-1, BF=0.55), and greater variation in exercise groups relative to non-exercising controls (1.9 vs 1.3 mL∙kg-1∙min-1, BF=12.4). In non-controlled studies, mean VO2max change was greater in THR vs TRAD (4.4 vs 3.4 mL∙kg-1∙min-1, BF=35.1) with no difference in standard deviation of change (3.0 vs 3.2 mL∙kg-1∙min-1, BF=0.41). Prescribing exercise intensity using THR approaches elicited superior mean changes in VO2max and increased the likelihood of increasing VO2max beyond the MID compared to TRAD. Future exercise training studies should thus consider the use of THR approaches to prescribe exercise intensity where possible. Analysis comparing interventions with controls suggested the existence of intervention response heterogeneity, however, evidence was not obtained for a difference in response variability between THR and TRAD. Future primary research should be conducted with adequate power to investigate the scope of inter-individual differences in VO2max trainability, and if meaningful, the causative factors
Exploring the dynamics of socio-technical transitions: advancing grid-connected wind and solar energy adoption in Nigeria.
Get PDFGlobally, countries are transitioning their national electricity grid system to meet the obligations of the Paris Agreement. National grid-connected renewable electricity provides an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, in a developing country like Nigeria, renewable energies such as solar and wind power can play a critical role not only in transitioning away from fossil-fuel based electricity systems but also to address prevalent energy security challenges, electricity supply deficit and gaps in energy access. Policies, plans, and strategies to ensure grid-connected renewable energy have been put in place, but these measures have proved ineffective. Likewise, there are limited studies that investigate these transition problems, including drivers and enablers from a developing country perspective. This research fills that gap in knowledge by investigating these transition dynamics through a qualitative approach applying the multi-level perspective framework. Thirty-one (31) key energy and non-energy actors were interviewed, and the transcripts thematically analysed. Findings indicate that there is prospect for Nigeria to transform its electricity system. However, there are major deterrents including institutional, infrastructural, incumbent electricity system instability and economic barriers. The paper highlights that there is a level of regime stability/instability that will enable renewable energy development. In addition, practical and policy insights are offered to overcome identified challenges towards accelerating electricity system transformation. Future studies should also explore the degree of instability, stability and change in developing country settings necessary for energy transition to occur. Finally, this paper advances debates in energy transition and socio-technical system studies
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