Using a Cognitive Mapping Approach to Frame the Perceptions of Water Users About Managing Water Resources: A Case Study in the Australian Capital Territory

In complex socio-ecological systems, such as managing natural resources, human frames and mental models play a central role in deriving the system’s behaviour. Differences in stakeholder views and perceptions may impede the design and implementation of collective policies. Understanding stakeholder views and mental models is a pre-requisite for understanding decision making, improving communication, and eventually developing management policies that cater to the diversity of values and interests. Motivated by this premise, this research uses a cognitive mapping approach to examine the frames used by a group of water users with regard to managing available water resources. We focus on the Australian Capital Territory as a case study. Two different frames have emerged from the results: hard and soft. Differences in frames embody various perceptions about the problem definition, its causes, effective management strategies, and hence, responsibility attribution. The paper describes both frames and highlights those perceptions that may stand as barriers against sustainable management. These findings can be transferred to other arid and semi-arid areas.     

Performance enhancement with supplements: incongruence between rationale and practice

Background  

Athletes are expected to consider multiple factors when making informed decision about nutritional supplement use. Besides rules, regulations and potential health hazards, the efficacy of different nutritional supplements in performance enhancement is a key issue. The aim of this paper was to find evidence for informed decision making by investigating the relationship between specific performance-related reasons for supplement use and the reported use of nutritional supplements.     

Modernizing liner-equipped molds for continuous casters

In a collaboration with the Moldavian Metallurgical Plant, VNIIMETMASh has used the results of studies of the design elements of continuous-caster molds to develop and succesfully produce a new liner for such molds — the VM-sinus. The main feature of this liner is the presence of convexity on the central sections of its walls. The convexity makes it possible to center the solidifying skin of the casting inside the liner when the skin is just beginning to form. Gradual straightening of the sinusoidal sections of the skin miminizes the size of the gas-filled gap between the skin and the walls of the liner. Gap size is minimized not only along the surfaces of the liner, but also at the corners. The new liners are being made at the pilot plant operated by VNIIMETMASh.     

Introduction of a system for quickly changing tundish nozzles at the Moldavian Metallurgical Plant

A recent increase in the percentage of high-quality grades of steel being cast on continuous casters at lower speeds has lengthened the casting operation, with casting time now approaching the average amount of time it takes to make a heat of steel. This development has also led to more downtime for arc steelmaking furnaces, since the casters are not ready to receive newly made steel. Thus, it has become necessary to increase the productivity of the casters. The system MNC was introduced at the Moldavian Metallurgical Plant. This system makes it possible to increase caster productivity, stabilize the casting process, and increase the output of useable metal by replacing the tundish nozzles without any interruption in casting operations.