296 research outputs found
Worrall, Fred, WX5486
No full textThis record was harvested from a previous catalogue system and will be withdrawn in 2025. Information in this record may be superseded or incomplete. Visit this record in UMA's new catalogue at: https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/427263Surname: WORRALL. Given Name(s) or Initials: FRED. Military Service Number or Last Known Location: WX5486. Missing, Wounded and Prisoner of War Enquiry Card Index Number: 5312.250278
Item: [2016.0049.59524] "Worrall, Fred, WX5486
Epistemic Structural Realism and Poincare's Philosophy of Science
No full textRecent discussions of structuralist approaches to scientific theories have stemmed primarily from Worrall's (1989), in which he defends a position (since characterized `epistemic structural realism') whose historical roots he attributes to Poincare. In the renewed debate inspired by Worrall, it is thus not uncommon to find Poincare's name associated with various structuralist positions. However, Poincare's structuralism is deeply entwined with both his conventionalism and his idealism, and in this paper we explore the nature of these dependencies. What comes out in the end is not only a clearer picture of Poincare's position regarding structuralism, but also two arguments for versions of epistemic structuralism different in kind from that given by Worrall
How radioactive is fracking flowback water?
No full textSummary of the research paper "The flux of radionuclides in flowback fluid from shale gas exploitation" by Almond et al., 2014, led by Prof. Fred Worrall
Abandoned UK Wells: Do they leak?
No full textSummary of the research paper "Fugitive emissions of methane from abandoned, decommissioned oil and gas wells" by Boothroyd et al., 2016, led by Prof. Fred Worrall
Eritrean, Ethiopian, Somali and Sudanese Communities in Western Australia
No full textDepression has been identified as a significant global health problem. However, to date, there has been little research into the most appropriate strategies to use in the prevention of depression. There is even less research about the understanding that people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have of the conditions encompassed by the term ‘depression’, (or more culturally and linguistically specific representations of unhappiness) and of the ways in which these conditions may be prevented.
The Listening to Diverse Voices: multicultural mental health promotion research project, a collaboration between Murdoch University and the East Metropolitan Population Health Unit, funded by Healthway, investigated these issues within a number of minority communities and in consultation with service providers in Perth, Western Australia, during the period 2001-2004. The objectives of the research were to identify cultural differences in understandings and experiences of ‘depression’ and appropriate ways of dealing with such issues.
The research used focus groups and interviews to explore understandings of social and emotional well-being and of ‘depression’ among members of a number of communities in Perth. These included Sudanese, Somali, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Croatian, Bosnian and Chinese communities and also Indigenous Australians. The information in this document however pertains only to the Horn of Africa communities in the study. Service providers too were canvassed for their concerns and experiences. Participants came from a variety of ethnic and class backgrounds, and while some entered Australia under the ‘skilled migrant’ category, many came under the ‘humanitarian program’ and had experienced life in refugee camps in other parts of the world before coming to Australia. Over 200 people participated in the research.
Because of cultural sensitivities, separate focus groups were conducted with men, women and young people for some communities. Within the Sudanese community separate focus groups were conducted with North and South Sudanese and, within the Ethiopian community, separate focus groups were undertaken with Oromo men and women. In the Eritrean community Arabic speaking men and Tigre speaking men participated in separate focus groups. Most focus groups, apart from those with youth, were conducted by bilingual facilitators, in community languages, and were then transcribed verbatim and translated. Some focus groups and all interviews were conducted in English.
It is important to note that the use of such groupings does not imply internal homogeneity of individuals, experiences, perspectives or concerns.
All interviews and focus groups were undertaken using a semi-structured, standardised schedule. Interview and focus group questions were designed to elicit participants’ understandings of mental health, social and emotional well-being, depression, causes of depression and recommendations for appropriate treatments and/or interventions. Interviews and focus groups were taped, transcribed and translated, where necessary, and the transcripts studied for common themes. These themes were then taken back to the communities for comment, and the summaries adapted according to this further feedback. While it is not claimed that the participants are ‘representative’ of the communities of which they are members, the research team feels confident that the issues identified are among the most common concerns of these communities.
The most significant finding was that issues seen by communities as likely to cause emotional (or mental) distress, are social and settlement issues, rather than being biomedical in nature, or being seen as the result of pre-arrival trauma (although this was one factor identified). The result of this is that while some of the issues may be dealt with from within a ‘population health’ perspective and organisation, most are outside population health parameters. Therefore this information is being provided to a wider audience in the hope that other government departments, non-government organisations and individuals will also take action to address some of these issues.
This document contains brief summaries of the various issues identified by the Horn of Africa communities as leading to what Westerners might call ‘depression’ and their suggestions for solutions. Our commitment to hearing the voices of these communities themselves is reflected in our use of direct quotations taken from the interviews and focus groups. We also provide profiles of the communities, including historical and cultural information and a brief history of arrival in Western Australia. This document provides information about the new and emerging communities from the Horn of Africa. Horn of Africa. The opinions expressed are from research participants and do not necessarily represent the views of the authors. For information about the findings from all other communities, see the East Metropolitan Population Health Unit Website: http://www.health.wa.gov.au/home/ or Murdoch University Website: http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au
Measuring the effectiveness of information technology management: a comparative study of six UK local authorities
No full textEvaluating and managing the effective delivery of IT services is an issue which has been brought into sharper relief recently. This has been particularly prevalent in the UK public sector where the growing emphasis on formalised client-contractor relationships, outsourcing and benchmarking (both between local authorities and between local authorities and private sector organisations) has meant that the definition of service standards and agreeing performance criteria has attracted considerable practitioner attention. This research is based on 300 interviews conducted in six UK local authorities. The investigation used both gap analysis and perceptual mapping techniques to develop an understanding of the aspects of IT service delivery that users' value most in conjunction with an assessment of how well they perceive their IT department is performing on these criteria. The paper exposes considerable differences in the relative performance of the six local authorities from both the gap analysis and the perceptual mapping elements of the investigation. The methodology is shown to provide an effective way of identifying key performance issues from the user perspective and benchmarking service performance across organisations
Reconstructing the late nineteenth century landscape and natural habitats of south west Accrington using the artwork of Thomas Frederick Worrall (1872–1957)
No full textIn the late nineteenth century, the south western edge of Accrington in Lancashire was mainly rural with a few pockets of industrial activity. Using contemporary paintings and sketches by semi-professional artist Thomas Frederick Worrall and other primary sources including maps, censuses and newspaper reports, the author uses microhistorical techniques to recreate the landscape. These reveal that rich and multifarious habitats for wildlife were present but comparisons with later sources show that many of those features have gone. A depleted environment has been left which could be restored to an extent by using the findings here as a template. The article is a new approach to landscape analysis that adds to the nature writing of authorities including Richard Mabey, Mark Cocker and Robert McFarlane.</p
"The mad", "the bad", "the victim" : gendered constructions of women who kill within the criminal justice system
No full textWomen commit significantly fewer murders than men and are perceived to be less violent. This belief about women’s non-violence reflects the discourses surrounding gender, all of which assume that women possess certain inherent essential characteristics such as passivity and gentleness. When women commit murder the fundamental social structures based on appropriate feminine gendered behaviour are contradicted and subsequently challenged. This article will explore the gendered constructions of women who kill within the criminal justice system. These women are labelled as either mad, bad or a victim, by both the criminal justice system and society, depending on the construction of their crime, their gender and their sexuality. Symbiotic to labelling women who kill in this way is the denial of their agency. That is to say that labelling these women denies the recognition of their ability to make a semi-autonomous decision to act in a particular way. It is submitted that denying the agency of these women raises a number of issues, including, but not limited to, maintaining the current gendered status quo within the criminal law and criminal justice system, and justice both being done, and being seen to be done, for these women and their victims
Reconstructing the late nineteenth century landscape and natural habitats of south west Accrington using the artwork of Thomas Frederick Worrall (1872–1957)
No full textIn the late nineteenth century, the south western edge of Accrington in Lancashire was mainly rural with a few pockets of industrial activity. Using contemporary paintings and sketches by semi-professional artist Thomas Frederick Worrall and other primary sources including maps, censuses and newspaper reports, the author uses microhistorical techniques to recreate the landscape. These reveal that rich and multifarious habitats for wildlife were present but comparisons with later sources show that many of those features have gone. A depleted environment has been left which could be restored to an extent by using the findings here as a template. The article is a new approach to landscape analysis that adds to the nature writing of authorities including Richard Mabey, Mark Cocker and Robert McFarlane.</p
Contrasting mechanisms of peat formation between blanket and raised bogs
No full textWorrall et al. (2016, 2017, 2018) have determined the processes of organic matter transfer, transition and peatformation through and into a blanket bog at Moor House, UK (N54:41:18, W2:22:45 – altitude 580 m asl; MAT5.8 deg C; rainfall 2012 mm/yr). These examinations indicated a transition from plant material to superficial anddeeper peat that became thermodynamically limited around 40 cm depth with a continuous increase in the degreeof unsaturation of the organic matter. However, it is not clear whether the same processes observed at Moor Houseare ultimately a universal pattern of peat formation and organic matter transitions or are site–specific. Therefore,to test theories developed at Moor House, peat formation and organic matter transitions were examined at acontinental raised bog (Pürgschachen Moor, Austria, N47:34:53, E14:20:48 – altitude 632 m asl; MAT 7.3 deg C;rainfall 1248 mm/yr).To test our developed theories the following were sampled: vegetation (Sphagnum, cotton grass and pine);dissolved organic carbon (DOC); and peat samples between 0 and 100 cm depth. Samples were dried, ground, andanalysed by elemental analysis (for CHN and O), bomb calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis.Results show that the pattern of a continuously rising degree of unsaturation from superficial to deeper peatdoes not prevail at the raised bog. At Pürgschachen Moor, the degree of unsaturation does not change betweenvegetation and superficial and deeper peat. Furthermore, thermodynamic limitation at the raised bog occurs inthe top 10 cm of the peat profile. However, DOC at both sites show signs of strong alteration compared to peatsamples. DOC export is an important pathway at Moor House (blanket bog) but not at Pürgschachen Moor (raisedbog) in Austria. Therefore, we deduce that the immobile DOC and the lack of pore water movement lead to aclosed system and a rapid preservation of the peat in the raised bog. In contrast, mobile DOC and the fluvial exportpromotes a relatively open pore water system that drives further chemical reaction in the organic matter.Our research indicates that, depending on relief and rainfall, there are distinctly different pathways of peatformation in blanket bogs compared to raised bogs. Furthermore, this provides direct chemical evidence of whyhigh and static water tables preserve organic matter in raised bogs leading to higher relative carbon sequestrationrates
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