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Article
Publication date: 1 April 1973

D.G. CLEWS

THE SYSTEM is a joint design and manufacturing responsibility of Marconi‐Elliott Avionic Systems Ltd, a GEC‐Marconi Electronics company, and SFENA (Société Française d'Equipements…

Abstract

THE SYSTEM is a joint design and manufacturing responsibility of Marconi‐Elliott Avionic Systems Ltd, a GEC‐Marconi Electronics company, and SFENA (Société Française d'Equipements pour la Navigation Aérienne).

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 45 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Article
Publication date: 1 June 1941

The factories are instructed as to what kinds of pack they are to produce, and their product is controlled by samples sent at specified times to the research laboratory. With…

Abstract

The factories are instructed as to what kinds of pack they are to produce, and their product is controlled by samples sent at specified times to the research laboratory. With greater and less attention to detailed steps the whole of agriculture and the food industry in Italy is so controlled. In Germany can be noted as an example the development on a large scale of the fishing industry in the Baltic—the scrapping of the privately‐owned small fishing boats in that sea—the launching of large vessels with their factory vessels in attendance— the keenness with which every step in the development of fish preservation has been followed—the official tests on such methods as the American Birdseye Quick Freezing, the German Heckerman process, the English Z process, and the building and the equipping of the large factories where the whole of the waste fish products are worked up into edible and useful products. This last is the keynote of the German system : waste nothing. The recovery of waste fats has been practised in Germany in an intensive fashion for several years. There have been in Germany other changes of a more subtle character, and not so obvious to the outside world. The food laws of Germany were such that the nation could be justly proud of them, but for some time there has been a distinct slackening of the control—as for example in the use of preservatives. These were strictly limited in kind and number—but even before the present phase the blind eye of the official had often been turned towards the use of disallowed preservatives and I am given to understand that certain chemicals, erstwhile forbidden, can now be used officially. It may be policy for our Ministry of Health to aid in the present critical situation by relaxing some of the regulations at present in force. Those preservatives to be released would not in any way lower the nutritional value of the foods, nor would there be allowed any of those preservatives against which a case has been made in respect of their physiological action. The impetus given to research work by totalitarian states should be an inspiration to the democracies. One of the first things the Italian Government took in hand after their conquest of Abyssinia was a scientific survey of the natural products of the country. A recent issue of Nature states that the first number of a new official Italian journal contains the results of the first three years' work on the fish of the inland waters of the former Ethiopia. As Nature points out, the far greater areas of British Eastern Africa have been subjected simply to spasmodic and short‐termed scientific examinations, chiefly resulting from the initiative of private individuals or of institutions. It is to be stressed, however, that the stimulus given to scientific studies of food production and manufacture both in Germany and Italy was activated by abnormal conditions. In neither the one nor the other can it be said that the development was a natural one—in both it was originated by the desire of the government to make the country as self‐sufficient as possible in case of war, and therefore the whole idea was abnormal and biased. In this country and in the United States the development has followed much sounder lines. In this country the standard of living has become remarkably high, although perhaps somewhat lop‐sided. One might quote the example of bread. The loaf as we know it to‐day is made almost wholly from wheat flour, derived from that portion of the wheat kernel which gives the whitest flour. The Ministry of Health has, I think, been very properly concerned to maintain our high standard and has looked with disfavour on flours which, in order to simulate that particular white portion of the wheat grain, have been bleached. America is the only other country in the world where the people demand white loaves of such delicate and even texture. There much be something very attractive to the public in this type of loaf: some of us remember the fiasco of the standard bread, and members of the bakery trade know what a small proportion of their sales are concerned with brown loaves. The general character of the bread in continental European countries is very different; even the delightful loaves of France, generally well baked, are dark in comparison, although in no sense “ brown ” or “ whole‐meal.” In most countries flours other than wheat are incorporated. We may have to incorporate potato‐flour, but if this is done in any large quantity the resultant loaf has an entirely different texture. It is obvious that the dividing line between the scope of agriculture and that of the food industry is essentially ill‐defined. The importance, however, of the pre‐industrial treatment is such that it is really impossible to dissociate the scientific work of the agriculturalist from that of the industrialist. To quote examples :— Under the aegis of the Food Investigation Board a study has been made of the production of bacon in this country, with remarkably successful results to the farmer, to the bacon‐curer and to the consumer. Similarly the extensive series of experiments carried out by the Food Investigation Board on the storage of fruit has had great success, and the economic effect on the fruit trade, not only here, but also in the Dominions and Colonies cannot be estimated at the moment. An agricultural study of great importance to the housewife was undertaken by the Potato Marketing Board; this was concerned with the blackening of potatoes and was unfortunately not concluded when the war brought a sudden halt to the work. The problem of obtaining “ figures ” for characteristics of food is the most difficult with which the chemist has to deal. There is no method by which palatability can be registered, for it is compounded of many factors which themselves are not possible of measurement. Flavour, appearance and edibility are all concerned. It is comparatively simple to connect softness on the palate of a cream centre of a chocolate with the size of the grain of the sugar crystals, or the smoothness of an ice cream with the size of the ice‐crystals, but to express the texture of a cake in terms measuring the reaction of the palate, or the toughness or tenderness of a beef‐steak are far more difficult. This last example has been considered in some detail. Much work has been done at the Low Temperature Station at Cambridge on methods of judging the tenderness of meat. There is no simple method of reproducing the complicated movement of the jaws in mastication—but the consumer of the steak judges the tenderness by the reactions of his jaws to the muscle fibre, and the problem is complicated by the fact that the judgment of a person with a denture is entirely different from that of a person with his natural teeth; it has been estimated, for example, that the pressure which can be applied during mastication is only, even by those with the most perfect denture, one tenth that of normal. A somewhat complicated instrument has been designed and constructed at the Research Station at Karlsruhe in order to make possible investigations on the problem of the toughness of meat. Sufficient data have not yet been accumulated to pass judgment on its efficiency but it appears to be the most satisfactory attempt yet made to enable definite measurements of the toughness of meat to be determined. These are but examples of the general trend of scientific work in food production and manufacture, examples of the range of subjects and problems being attacked with an ever increasing vigour.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 43 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Book part
Publication date: 17 March 2017

J. P. Vergne and Gautam Swain

Bitcoin is difficult to categorize and indeed has been associated with 112 different labels in the British media (e.g., “private money,” “commodity”) – most of which poorly…

Abstract

Bitcoin is difficult to categorize and indeed has been associated with 112 different labels in the British media (e.g., “private money,” “commodity”) – most of which poorly describe bitcoin. Specifically, our analyses of 674 media articles, focusing on the relationship between labeling and categorization, identify classification inconsistencies at three levels: within clusters of labels, between labels and categories, and between category attributes. These inconsistencies hamper categorization based on attribute similarity, audience goals, and causal models, respectively. We identify four factors that nurture this categorical anarchy and conclude with a call for research on the socioeconomic revolution heralded by blockchain technology.

Details

From Categories to Categorization: Studies in Sociology, Organizations and Strategy at the Crossroads
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78714-238-1

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1977

MALCOLM STEVENSON

For a field approaching a critical period of reappraisal and rethinking of methods, user education is well served by secondary material. A definitive history of training in the…

Abstract

For a field approaching a critical period of reappraisal and rethinking of methods, user education is well served by secondary material. A definitive history of training in the use of the library by Bonn in 1960 has been followed by a steady flow of review articles on the subject. Tidmarsh in 1968 concentrated on instruction in the use of academic libraries. After briefly tracing the historical background in Britain and America she went on to describe developments in Britain in theory and practice following the proposals of the Library Association University and Research Section in 1949 for a three‐stage user education programme. She concluded her review with a discussion of the three main problems that were then, and to a certain extent still are, hampering the spread of user education—inadequate finance, lack of timetabled time, and indifference of academic staff. Mews reviewing developments in teaching the use of books and libraries, again with reference to British academic libraries for the period 1966–70, examined courses reported during that period paying particular attention to instruction for new students and undergraduates. Trends she noted included a move to the use of audio‐visual aids and to the appointment of information officers, bringing new opportunities for person‐to‐person enquiries. Surveying current practice in 1970 Pugh noted many difficulties faced by library instruction programmes at the time. These problems were taken up by Scrivener in a significant article describing instruction in library use as a persisting problem. ‘The welter of writing shows clearly the extent of interest in the subject and equally clearly that it is a problem (or complex of problems) to which no generally accepted solutions have been found.’ In America the approaches to teaching library skills to college students have been studied by Dudley, a study which included descriptions of two accredited courses at the Berkeley and Los Angeles campuses of the University of California. More recently Givens after discussing the history of the role of the library in user education studied the educational developments of the ‘sixties and the libraries’ response. He discussed the componsnets of a user education programme and the rethinking and reorganization that would be required to achieve that programme.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 33 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Book part
Publication date: 19 March 2024

Graham S. Steele

Cryptocurrency arose, and grew in popularity, following the financial crisis of 2008 built upon a promise of decentralizing money and payments. An examination of the history of…

Abstract

Cryptocurrency arose, and grew in popularity, following the financial crisis of 2008 built upon a promise of decentralizing money and payments. An examination of the history of money and banking in the United States demonstrates that stable money benefits from strict controls and commitments by a centralized government through chartering restrictions and a broad safety net, rather than decentralization. In addition, financial crises happen when the government allows money creation to occur outside of official channels. The US central bank is then forced into a policy of supporting a range of money-like assets in order to maintain a grip on monetary policy and some semblance of financial stability.

In addition, this chapter argues that cryptocurrency as a form of shadow money shares many of the problematic attributes of both the privately issued bank notes that created instability during the “free banking” era and the “shadow banking” activities that contributed to the 2008 crisis. In this sense, rather than being a novel and disruptive idea, cryptocurrency replicates many of the systemically destabilizing aspects of privately issued money and money-like instruments.

This chapter proposes that, rather than allowing a new, digital “free banking” era to emerge, there are better alternatives. Specifically, it argues that the Federal Reserve (Fed) should use its tools to improve public payment systems, enact robust utility-like regulations for private digital currencies and limit the likelihood of bubbles using prudential measures.

Details

Technology vs. Government: The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Object
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83867-951-4

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1959

F. Wormwell

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has been responsible for investigations on the corrosion of metals since 1924, when a Corrosion Research Committee was set up…

Abstract

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has been responsible for investigations on the corrosion of metals since 1924, when a Corrosion Research Committee was set up with the late Dr. G. D. Bengough as its first senior investigator. In 1927 research on atmospheric corrosion directed by Dr. W. H. J. Vernon was taken over by D.S.I.R. and in 1928 the Group was transferred from the Royal School of Mines in London to the then Chemical Research Laboratory at Teddington. This establishment had been inaugurated several years previously as a separate D.S.I.R. station situated in the same grounds as the National Physical Laboratory. Quite recently it has achieved the status of National Chemical Laboratory; but the ‘C.R.L.’ (now the ‘N.C.L.’) has always derived great benefit from its proximity to its much larger and older sister station.

Details

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, vol. 6 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0003-5599

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1981

John Clews

Early in 1980, a survey was made to determine the degree of overlap between each of seven major lists of serials used in checking requests for serial titles not held by the…

Abstract

Early in 1980, a survey was made to determine the degree of overlap between each of seven major lists of serials used in checking requests for serial titles not held by the British Library Lending Division. Previously reported surveys have examined what happens to serial requests satisfied outside the Lending Division, but have not distinguished between requests for which the Lending Division holds other issues of the serial in question and requests for titles the Lending Division does not hold at all. The majority of requests not satisfied from Lending Division stock are in the former category. However, failures due to absence of titles require a similar number of staff, because the likelihood of finding a location is less in such cases, and because more work is required to verify the titles.

Details

Interlending Review, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0140-2773

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1968

A. ROSS THOMAS

Bureaucratic theory, systems theory and a review of research on innovation, provide a conceptual framework on which seven predictions are posited. The predictions relate to the…

Abstract

Bureaucratic theory, systems theory and a review of research on innovation, provide a conceptual framework on which seven predictions are posited. The predictions relate to the innovative behaviour of a bureaucratic education system throughout a period of twenty years. An innovation is defined as a new structure or process that appeared for the first time in the education system. One hundred and sixty four innovations are identified and classified. The predictions are tested and the implications discussed.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 6 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 8 June 2021

Alessandro Laureani and Jiju Antony

Abstract

Details

Leading Lean Six Sigma
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80071-065-8

Article
Publication date: 29 May 2019

Xue Ping Wang, He Ma and Jun Zhang

The increasing demands of high-speed railway transportation aggravate the wheel and rail surface wear. It is of great significance to repair the worn wheel timely by predicting…

Abstract

Purpose

The increasing demands of high-speed railway transportation aggravate the wheel and rail surface wear. It is of great significance to repair the worn wheel timely by predicting the wheel and rail surface wear, which will improve both the service life of the wheel and rail and the safe operation of the train. The purpose of this study is to propose a new prediction method of wheel tread wear, which can provide some reference for selecting proper re-profiling period of wheel.

Design/methodology/approach

The standard and worn wheel profiles were first matched with the standard 60N rail profile, and then the wheel/rail finite element models (FEMs) were established for elastic-plastic contact calculation. A calculation method of the friction work was proposed based on contact analysis. Afterwards, a simplified method for calculating wheel tread wear was presented and the wear with different running mileages was predicted.

Findings

The wheel tread wear increased the relative displacement and friction of contact spots. There was obvious fluctuation in the wheel tread friction work curve of the worn model. The wear patterns predicted in the present study were in accordance with the actual situation, especially in the worn model.

Originality/value

In summary, the simplified method based on FEM presented in this paper could effectively calculate wheel tread wear and predict the wear patterns. It would provide valuable clews for the wheel repair work.

Details

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, vol. 71 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0036-8792

Keywords

1 – 10 of 63