2821 research outputs found
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‘A place where I am always welcome’: A thematic analysis of what belonging to Alcoholics Anonymous means to its members.
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to explore what belonging to Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA) means to its international membership. The aim is to gain a
collective view of the opinions held by those accessing the services offered by AA
globally. This paper focuses on the study of AA entirely from the perspective of its
members, without being attentive to the AA approach to recovery, or the 12-step
programme it advocates. An online survey was distributed as a link on Facebook
groups accessed by members of AA. Responses (N=182) were received from members
accessing AA services in 11 different countries. These were analysed using thematic
analysis. The findings convey a positive message for what belonging to AA means,
demonstrating that members accomplish more than sobriety and sustained abstinence.
They develop a positive outlook, feel connected and accepted into a unique community,
that offers a platform for achieving personal and spiritual growth
Numerical investigation of FRCM-strengthened corroded RC beams under cathodic protection
Get PDFFibric reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composites have been used to improve the mechanical performance of reinforced concrete beams subjected to degradation in the past decades. Recently, dual-functional carbon fibres have been explored to provide both structural strengthening to RC beams and cathodic protection to reinforcement bars. This paper investigates the loading responses and structural behaviour of RC beams subjected to different levels of corrosion, protected by impressed current cathodic protection and structurally strengthened by external bonded FRCM. A numerical model is developed for the corroded RC beams under impressed current cathodic protection and structural strengthening by the FRCM composite. Upon validation against experimental results collected from the literature, the finite element model is then used for parametric study. A number of numerical results are generated to analyse the effects of key parameters, including the corrosion rate, degradation level of interfacial bonding properties due to anode acidification, and end anchorage, followed by detailed discussions. It is found that the significance of the corrosion of steel reinforcement bars significantly affects the load-carrying capacity of the beams. Increasing the corrosion rate from 0 to 40% reduces the load-carrying capacity of un-strengthened beams to 45% of the original capacity. Therefore, the cathodic protection provided by the C-FRCM plate is important to the reinforcement bars as it can avoid the cross-section area reduction of reinforcement bars and, thus, the main loading capacities of the beams. In this study, the degradation of the bonding properties at the interface of carbon fibre and the cementitious matrix due to anode acidification during impressed current cathodic protection is also considered. It is found that the bond strength of the C-FRCM plate has a slight effect on the load-carrying capacity of the beam. In addition, the application of end anchorage can significantly enhance both the load-carrying capacity and ductility of the beams. The rates of enhancement, if compared to the beams with no end anchorage, can reach up to 60%
Construction of hydrophobic fire retardant coating on cotton fabric using a layer-by-layer spray coating method.
Get PDFMultifunctional cotton fabric was prepared through a two-step layer-by-layer spray coating method, where the first layer of the coating comprising chitosan and ammonium phytate provided fire retardancy, and the second one with PDMS-ZnO composite imparted hydrophobicity to the fabric. A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study was carried out to calculate interfacial adhesion of different components of the coating, based on which the sequencing of the coating layers was determined and used to prepare coated samples. The coated fabric demonstrated a significant improvement in fire retardancy through an increase in LOI from 18 % in control to 30 %, a reduction in char length from 30 cm to 7 cm, and a decrease in peak and total heat release rate values by 75 % and 33 %, respectively. The hydrophobicity of coated fabric was tested via water drop test where coated sample maintained a contact angle of 148° for up to 120 s, while the control sample showed 0°. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Characterization of aerosolized particles in effluents from carbon fibre composites incorporating nanomaterials during simultaneous fire and impact
Get PDFThis work investigates the aerosols emitted from carbon fibre-reinforced epoxy composites (CFC) incorporating nanomaterials (nanoclays and nanotubes), subjected to simultaneous fire and impact, representing an aeroplane or automotive crash. Simultaneous fire and impact tests were performed using a previously described bespoke testing methodology with the capability to collect particles released from the front/back faces of the impacted composites plus the effluents. In this work the methodology has been further developed by connecting the Dekati Low Pressure Impactor (DLPI) and Mini Particle Sampler (MPS) sampling system in the extraction chimney. The aerosols emitted have been characterized using various devices devoted to the analysis of aerosols. The influence of the nanoadditives in the matrix on the number concentration and the size distribution of airborne particles produced, was studied with a cascade impactor in the 5 nm–10 µm range. The morphology of the separated soot fractions was examined by SEM. The measurement of aerodynamic size of particles that can deposit in human respiratory tract indicate that 75% of the soot and particles released from CFC could deposit in the lungs reaching the bronchi region at a minimum. There was however, a minimal difference between the number particle concentrations or particle-size mass distribution of particles from CFC and CFC containing nanoadditives. Moreover, no fibres were found in the effluents
The impact of liquidity and credit risks on financial performance: a case study of Islamic banks in Africa
Get PDFIslamic banks in Africa have been trying to grow and compete with their conventional counterparts in Africa for more than 20 years considering the large number of Muslim population (47%) in the region. However, Africa has major issues and challenges peculiar to the region which have affected the Islamic banking industry over the years. The issues and challenges influence the major risks faced by Islamic banks. Thus, bringing a different dynamic into how Islamic banks in Africa manage these risks as compared to Islamic banks in other regions.
As liquidity risk and credit risk are two of the most important risks faced by Islamic banks, this research examines the influence both risks have on the profitability of these banks. The research investigates the factors that influence liquidity risks and credit risks in Islamic banks in Africa before examining the impact of both risks on the financial performance of Islamic banks in Africa between 2014 to 2019. The research is conducted using 34 Islamic banks in 11 African countries, developing four empirical models through fixed effects regression model with respect to the identified research aims and objectives.
The first empirical model is linked to the second objective of the study which aims to determine the factors that influence liquidity risk in Islamic banks in Africa. The result indicates that liquidity risk has a significant positive relationship with non-performing loans and bank size, while it has a negative significant relationship with asset quality ratio, unemployment rates and GDP growth rate. Thus, indicating the major determinants of liquidity risks in Islamic banks are asset quality ratio, bank size, non-performing loans, unemployment, and GDP growth. The second empirical model is linked to the third objective of the study which aims to determine the factors that influence credit risk in Islamic banks in Africa. The result indicates that Islamic bank rates, capital adequacy, GDP growth and unemployment rates in African countries significantly influence liquidity risk in Islamic banks in Africa.
The third empirical model is linked to the fourth objective of the study which aims to understand the impact of liquidity risk on the financial performance of the Islamic banks in Africa. The result indicates that liquidity proxied with liquidity ratio has a positive relationship with financial performance in Islamic banks in Africa. The fourth empirical model is linked to the fifth objective of the study which aims to understand the impact of credit risk on the financial performance of the Islamic banks in Africa. The result indicates that credit risk as proxied with loan loss provision, and non-performing loans have a negative relationship with the profitability of Islamic banks in Africa.
Based on the findings, recommendations were further inferred for Islamic banks in Africa, the governments, and for future research
Positive psychology pioneers: Ed Diener's power and potential to influence mental health nursing
No full textThis article is the third in a series that celebrates the work of positive psychologists and how their work has the power and potential to influence mental health nursing practice. Focusing on the contribution of Professor Ed Diener (1946–2021), and his work on subjective wellbeing, will help bring interest and understanding to this exciting and developing area of mental health nursing practice
Positive psychology pioneers: Ryan Niemiec's power and potential to influence mental health nursing
No full textThis article is the fourth in a series that celebrates the work of positive psychologists and how their work has the power and potential to influence mental health nursing practice. This article discusses Professor Ryan Niemiec and his work on character strengths. The practical activities provided will help the reader increase their own awareness of character strengths to develop their use and transferability within their own life
The use of chatbots as supportive agents for people seeking help with substance use disorder: a systematic review.
No full textThe use of chatbots in healthcare is an area of study receiving increased academic interest. As the knowledge base grows, the granularity in the level of research is being refined. There is now more targeted work in specific areas of healthcare, for example, chatbots for anxiety and depression, cancer care, and pregnancy support. The aim of this paper is to systematically review and summarize the research conducted on the use of chatbots in the field of addiction, specifically the use of chatbots as supportive agents for those who suffer from a substance use disorder (SUD). A systematic search of scholarly databases using the broad search criteria of ("drug" OR "alcohol" OR "substance") AND ("addiction" OR "dependence" OR "misuse" OR "disorder" OR "abuse" OR harm*) AND ("chatbot" OR "bot" OR "conversational agent") with an additional clause applied of "publication date" ≥ January 01, 2016 AND "publication date" ≤ March 27, 2022, identified papers for screening. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used to evaluate eligibility for inclusion in the study, and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was employed to assess the quality of the papers. The search and screening process identified six papers for full review, two quantitative studies, three qualitative, and one mixed methods. The two quantitative papers considered an adaptation to an existing mental health chatbot to increase its scope to provide support for SUD. The mixed methods study looked at the efficacy of employing a bespoke chatbot as an intervention for harmful alcohol use. Of the qualitative studies, one used thematic analysis to gauge inputs from potential users, and service professionals, on the use of chatbots in the field of addiction, based on existing knowledge, and envisaged solutions. The remaining two were useability studies, one of which focussed on how prominent chatbots, such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant can support people with an SUD and the other on the possibility of delivering a chatbot for opioid-addicted patients that is driven by existing big data. The corpus of research in this field is limited, and given the quality of the papers reviewed, it is suggested more research is needed to report on the usefulness of chatbots in this area with greater confidence. Two of the papers reported a reduction in substance use in those who participated in the study. While this is a favourable finding in support of using chatbots in this field, a strong message of caution must be conveyed insofar as expert input is needed to safely leverage existing data, such as big data from social media, or that which is accessed by prevalent market leading chatbots. Without this, serious failings like those highlighted within this review mean chatbots can do more harm than good to their intended audience. [Abstract copyright: © 2022 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Inclusivity and sustainability within Ghana: enhancing awareness and utilisation of social enterprise and entrepreneurship for all
No full textReport commissioned by the British Council.
In Ghana, youth unemployment is high, and there is a lack of awareness and understanding of social enterprise despite it being a possible resolution to the employment of young Ghanaians. Social enterprises have great potential to reduce youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa. The social enterprise approach can achieve this partly because it relies less on public sector and donor funding, unlike other conventional business approaches
Unravelling entrepreneurship and innovation within the hospitality industry: a case study of selected hotels in Cyprus
No full textHotels have experienced competitive pressures, customer preferences and unpredictable economic changes on account of challenges linked to the pandemic. In view of these changes, the hotel industry has been forced to adopt new strategies, resulting in a diverge execution and performance, in order to stay afloat. This has necessitated hotel managers to indulge in innovative entrepreneurship decisions and new approaches to sustain their businesses. This chapter examines the innovative entrepreneurship environment in the Cyprus hotel industry. Consideration is given to managers’ ability, skills and ingenuity to operate during the hard times brought about by the pandemic. Research findings from semi-structured interviews with hotel managers reveal the use of soft and hard skills to bring about innovation. The selected hotels have been able to create organisational cultures that are atypical for Cyprus standards. In this respect, novel entrepreneurship practices have supported business optimisation during the economic crises