2,861 research outputs found
Implementation of viscoelastic Hopkinson bars
No full textIncludes bibliographical references (p. 107-112).The properties of soft, viscoelastic materials at high strain rates are important in furthering our understanding of their role during blast or impact events. Testing these soft or low impedance materials using metallic bars in a split Hopkinson pressure bar setup, poor signal to noise ratios and impedance mismatching occur. One solution is to use polymeric Hopkinson bars. In this dissertation, Polycarbonate, Polymethyl Methacrylate and Nylon are considered for use as Hopkinson bars. Conventional Hopkinson bar analysis cannot be used on the polymeric bars due to the viscoelastic nature of the bar material. As stress waves propagate along the length of the bars, viscoelastic effects result in dispersion and attenuation. The main topic of this dissertation is to account for this viscoelastic material effect
A garden of beliefs the memoirs and poetry of David Martin Hopkinson, [author and educationalist] 1914 - 2002
No full textMacmillan Research Unit Showcase: Helping people to live with cancer through treatment and beyond
No full textAims and objectives:
To provide an overview of ongoing research activity in the Macmillan Research Unit at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Southampton.Brief outline of the showcase:
The purpose of this showcase is to overview the ongoing activity in the Macmillan Research Unit [MRU]. The MRU sits within the Cancer Palliative and End of Life Care Research Group. The overall aim of the Unit is to develop a programme of research into issues of concern to people affected by cancer from the point of diagnosis, through treatment and beyond. We will present examples of ongoing work.
The Macmillan Listening Study: Listening to the views of people affected by cancer about cancer researchDavid Wright is leading this innovative study. By participating in this study cancer patients and carers have an opportunity to voice their own views about cancer research. The two aims of the study are:
• To explore the views people affected by cancer have about cancer research
• To identify the research priorities of people affected by cancer
Using focus groups, some 200 patients across the UK are participating in a study that is co-led by people affected by cancer and designed to elicit the priorities for research that people affected by cancer believe to be important. Patients from marginalised groups are being targeted to participate in a second phase of focus groups and include: patients from minority ethnic groups, older people, teenagers, people with advanced disease, and patients with cancer sites often excluded from studies.
Macmillan study of weight loss and eating difficulties in people with advanced cancer Jane Hopkinson is developing this important work. A systematic literature review (Phase I) and an exploratory study (Phase II) have revealed that weight loss and eating difficulties are experienced as troublesome by the majority of people with advanced cancer. However, little is known about how people can best be helped to live with these symptoms. Indeed, it is widely assumed that nothing can be done, as to date pharmacological and nutritional interventions have been found to be of limited value in arresting or reversing the symptoms. Yet the Phase II exploratory work found reasons for distress in consequence of weight loss and eating difficulties that may be amenable to intervention. The next stage of this work is to assess the value of a new approach, to include the support of self-action, in response to the very difficult problems of weight loss and eating difficulties in people with advanced cancer.
Supporting self management amongst adults with cancer
Using systematic review techniques a small body of work has been identified relating to supporting self management amongst cancer patients. None of the studies reviewed have directly addressed supporting self-management and related studies are of poor quality. There is a clear need for work to be developed in this area. Claire Foster is developing a multi-method study to explore the potential for developing strategies to support people living with the symptoms and other health changes experienced following a diagnosis of cancer. This study will explore the ‘self-action’ taken in response to symptoms and health changes that follow from the point of a cancer diagnosis. The purpose of this exploration would be to develop an understanding of what might help people affected by cancer to sustain or enhance their personal management of the challenges faced when living with cancer
Good death? An exploration of newly qualified nurses’ understanding of good death
No full textThe dominant professional understanding of good death is death where symptoms are controlled, the inevitability of death has been accepted and preparations have been made leading to peace for all involved. It seems surprising, in a pluralistic society, that there might be such a clear common understanding of good death. This study looks at the understandings of good death voiced by 28 staff nurses who were interviewed about their experiences of caring for dying people in hospital. The findings suggest that a nurse’s understanding of good death had elements that were shared with her colleagues, but also that there was a personal understandings of a good death. The concept of good death is perhaps a reduction that leads to an incorrect assumption of a shared understanding of the acceptable way to care for a dying person. The concept of ‘personally ideal death’ is proposed as a refinement of good death that recognises that the beliefs and values of each individual influences what they understand to be acceptable death
Book Review: Qualitative research practice
No full textThis is a book for researchers. I love it, but I'm a professional nurse-researcher!The book is an anthology. It is about putting research methodology and method into practice. Each chapter has a different author who presents an issue in their particular area of research expertise. Typically, the author explores the issue by drawing on examples of how it has been problematic in their own research and how they have found a pragmatic solution.For example, Chapter 6: Narrative Research, is written by four narrative researchers; Molly Andrews; Shelley Day Sclater; Corinne Squire; and Maria Tamboukou. Although they have worked closely together for years, they could not reach a consensus view on narrative research for the purpose of writing the chapter. They illustrate their lack of consensus by each presenting their own research story. This demonstrates that the many forms of narrative research can all generate useful and relevant insights.The book is full of authoritative voices from the world of qualitative research. It has utility for research students wanting to familiarise themselves with issues faced by practicing researchers. I can envisage it being referenced in many nursing doctoral theses in the future. It is also useful for people like me, who have to find solutions to these authors' challenges in my everyday working life as a nurse-researcher. I learned a lot from reading about how the contributors practice their craft.I found this textbook a really engaging read, although a little too big and heavy to carry around in a handbag
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An ode for the 4th of July 1788.
No full textJuly 4, 1788 Ode for the 4th of July for the Philadelphia Procession, written by Francis Hopkinson. Of note, Hopkinson signed the Declaration of Independence, designed Continental money, was a federal judge, as well as being an author and composer
单脉冲加载的Hopkinson扭杆装置
No full text分析了反复加载现象及其对变形微结构的影响,介绍了对现有标准Hopkinson扭杆的改进。改进后的新型Hopkinson扭杆是具有特殊设计的加载头和传动器的四杆系统。它完全消除了应力波的反复加载效应。实现了过程的单脉冲加载。改进前后的实验波形和变形局部化微结构形态的比较证实了改进的有效性
A modified split hopkinson torsional bar in studying shear localization
No full textA modified split Hopkinson torsional bar (SHTB) is introduced to eliminate the effect of the loading reverberation of the standard SHTB on the study of evolution of shear localization. The effect, the cause and the method by which to eliminate loading wave reverberation are carefully analysed and discussed. By means of the modified apparatus, the post-mortem observation of tested specimens can provide data on actual evolution of micro-structure and micro-damage during shear localization. Some test results of shear banding conducted with this apparatus support the use of the modified design. Moreover, the modification makes possible the correlation of evolving micro-structures to the transient shear stress-strain recording
Book review: Focus on solutions, by Kidge Burns
No full textThe book is about solution focused brief therapy (SFBT): a talking intervention intended to support patients in finding their own solutions to problems. It is written for practitioners, including nurses.The author is a speech and language (SLT) therapist in the United Kingdom. The majority of examples of delivering SFBT are taken from her own practice and are persuasive in illustrating how it can complement traditional SLT interventions for speech problems. The book begins with an account of SFBT, which draws on sources written by the pioneers of the therapy. The titles of chapters 2 and 3 imply that they explore the application of the intervention in acute and home care settings, respectively. These chapters do give examples of using SFBT in acute and home care settings, but also include other interesting but tangential information. For example, chapter 2 'Clients in the acute setting', includes a section about training students. Chapters 4 and 5 are the most valuable. These chapters provide transcripts of therapeutic encounters between the author and clients. The transcripts are supported by a description of the SFBT techniques illustrated through the dialogue and how these were therapeutic. The final chapters look at the use of SFBT with groups, as opposed to individuals. Throughout the book, a limitation is its signposting. I read from beginning to end, then I tried to return to those topics that interested me most. This book is difficult to navigate.Traditional health care provides solutions for clients' problems. Solution focused therapy takes a different approach. It is based on the assumption that the client has the solution to their problem, but needs help to discover it. The emphasis is on empowerment. Integrating this approach with traditional service delivery presents many challenges. These challenges include a cultural shift in the understanding of what a healthcare professional does. Integrating SFBT with biomedical interventions and traditional care is not simple. It is disappointing that the book does not include a discussion of the contextual obstacles to delivering SFBT and how these have been overcome in the author's experience.This text is a brave attempt to disseminate an innovation in SLT practice. I am uncertain that it would enable a nurse to practice SFBT, but it could ignite interest in the approach and provide impetus for similar innovation in general nursing practice
Tips on eating for patients with advanced cancer: findings from an exploratory study
No full textBackground: Internationally there is interest in supporting self-management, as a way ofhelping people to live with illness. One way of supporting self-management is to offerinformation that can widen choices available to patients. Yet little research based evidence isavailable to underpin information made available to people with advanced cancer who areexperiencing eating difficulties.Method: The primary research was an in-depth multi-method exploration of weight loss andeating difficulties in people with advanced cancer. The patient participants were receivingpalliative home care in the South of England in 2003. Methods of data collection includedsemi-structured interviews with 30 purposively selected patients. A topic explored was changein food preferences and what patients found helpful when living with these changes. Asecondary content and thematic analysis was conducted on this data about food intake.Findings: The 30 patients described many changes in their food intake as problematic.Difficulties arose in consequence of change in, ‘the desire to eat’, ‘taste’, ‘texture’ and ‘smell’.Collectively the patients were able to suggest different ways of adapting to and living withaltered preferences for food. This paper will present these as ‘tips on eating for patients withadvanced cancer’.Conclusions: The research has collated patient experiences to develop the first package oftips on eating for people with advanced cancer. Further research is needed to find out if thisinformation, when offered as support to patients, helps them to self-manage any eatingdifficulties they experience
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