University of Wollongong

About: University of Wollongong is a education organization based out in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Graphene. The organization has 15674 authors who have published 46658 publications receiving 1197471 citations. The organization is also known as: UOW & Wollongong University.

Does obesity influence foot structure and plantar pressure patterns in prepubescent children

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of obesity on plantar pressure distributions in prepubescent children. DESIGN: Field-based, experimental data on BMI (body mass index), foot structure and plantar pressures were collected for 13 consenting obese children and 13 non-obese controls. SUBJECTS: Thirteen obese (age 8.1±1.2 y; BMI 25.5±2.9 kg/m2) and 13 non-obese (age 8.4±0.9 y; BMI 16.9±1.2 kg/m2) prepubescent children, matched to the obese children for gender, age and height. MEASUREMENTS: Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI. Static weight-bearing footprints for the right and left foot of each subject were recorded using a pedograph to calculate the footprint angle and the Chippaux–Smirak index as representative measures of the surface area of the foot in contact with the ground. Right and left foot plantar pressures were then obtained using a mini-emed® pressure platform to calculate the force and pressure experienced under each child's foot during static and dynamic loaded and unloaded conditions. RESULTS: Obese subjects displayed significantly lower footprint angle (t=4.107; P=<0.001) values and higher Chippaux–Smirak index values (t=−6.176; P=<0.001) compared to their non-obese counterparts. These structural foot changes were associated with differences in plantar pressures between the two subject groups. That is, although rearfoot dynamic forces generated by the obese subjects were significantly higher than those generated by the non-obese subjects, these forces were experienced over significantly higher mean peak areas of contact with the mini-emed® system. Therefore, rearfoot pressures experienced by the two subject groups did not differ. However, the mean peak dynamic forefoot pressures generated by the obese subjects (39.3±15.7 N·cm−2; q=3.969) were significantly higher than those generated by the non-obese subjects (32.3±9.2 N·cm−2). CONCLUSIONS: It is postulated that foot discomfort-associated structural changes and increased forefoot plantar pressures in the obese foot may hinder obese children from participating in physical activity and therefore warrants immediate further investigation.

Microstructure, corrosion and tribological behaviour of plasma immersion ion-implanted austenitic stainless steel

Abstract: The surface modification of AISI 316 stainless steel by plasma immersion ion implantation (PI3) has been investigated over a range of treatment temperatures. Below 250°C the results are similar to those obtained by conventional ion beam implantation of nitrogen, but the depth of nitrogen penetration increases dramatically with temperature. Up to 450 °C a nitrogen-expanded austenite phase is formed which is shown to have improved corrosion performance over the untreated material. At 520 °C chromium nitride is precipated and the expanded austenite transforms to martensite, leading to a reduction in corrosion resistance. Pin-on-disc testing indicates improved wear resistance at all temperatures, with reduction in the wear volume by factors of several hundred at high loads. This can be attributed to the formation of an oxide layer which prevents the initiation of severe metallic wear.

Estimating global and North American methane emissions with high spatial resolution using GOSAT satellite data

Abstract: . We use 2009–2011 space-borne methane observations from the Greenhouse Gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) to estimate global and North American methane emissions with 4° × 5° and up to 50 km × 50 km spatial resolution, respectively. GEOS-Chem and GOSAT data are first evaluated with atmospheric methane observations from surface and tower networks (NOAA/ESRL, TCCON) and aircraft (NOAA/ESRL, HIPPO), using the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model as a platform to facilitate comparison of GOSAT with in situ data. This identifies a high-latitude bias between the GOSAT data and GEOS-Chem that we correct via quadratic regression. Our global adjoint-based inversion yields a total methane source of 539 Tg a−1 with some important regional corrections to the EDGARv4.2 inventory used as a prior. Results serve as dynamic boundary conditions for an analytical inversion of North American methane emissions using radial basis functions to achieve high resolution of large sources and provide error characterization. We infer a US anthropogenic methane source of 40.2–42.7 Tg a−1, as compared to 24.9–27.0 Tg a−1 in the EDGAR and EPA bottom-up inventories, and 30.0–44.5 Tg a−1 in recent inverse studies. Our estimate is supported by independent surface and aircraft data and by previous inverse studies for California. We find that the emissions are highest in the southern–central US, the Central Valley of California, and Florida wetlands; large isolated point sources such as the US Four Corners also contribute. Using prior information on source locations, we attribute 29–44 % of US anthropogenic methane emissions to livestock, 22–31 % to oil/gas, 20 % to landfills/wastewater, and 11–15 % to coal. Wetlands contribute an additional 9.0–10.1 Tg a−1.

Advertising corporate social responsibility initiatives to communicate corporate image: Inhibiting scepticism to enhance persuasion

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a set of research propositions concerned with how the alignment between socially responsible corporate image and corporate identity might be enhanced through the reduction of scepticism by considering diagnostic dimensions of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) image advertising claim.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews corporate image advertising, the tool investigated for informing about the firm's CSR record, discusses the scepticism construct and theoretical explanations of why this communication approach might induce scepticism, considers extant empirical findings that lend support to these theories, and describes several elements of CSR advertising claims considered to be diagnostic and capable of inhibiting scepticism responses to CSR image advertisements among consumers. Research propositions are advanced and discussed.Findings – The paper provides conceptual insights into reducing consumer scepticism toward CSR‐based corporate id...