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Modeling and Performance Assessment of a NeWater System Based on Direct Evaporation and Refrigeration Cycle
No full textAt present, the global shortage of water resources has led to serious challenges, and traditional water production technologies such as seawater desalination and atmospheric water harvesting have certain limitations due to inflexible operation and environmental conditions. This study proposes a novel water production system (called “NeWater” system in this paper), which combines saline water desalination with atmospheric water-harvesting technologies to simultaneously produce freshwater from brackish water or seawater and ambient air. To evaluate its performance, an integrated thermodynamic and mathematical model of the system was developed and validated. The NeWater system consists of a vapor compression refrigeration unit (VRU), a direct evaporation unit (DEU), up to four heat exchangers, some valves, and auxiliary components. The system can be applied to areas and scenarios where traditional desalination technologies, like reverse osmosis and thermal-based desalination, are not feasible. By switching between different operating modes, the system can adapt to varying environmental humidity and temperature conditions to maximize its freshwater productivity. Based on the principles of mass and energy conservation, a performance simulation model of the NeWater system was developed, with which the impacts of some key design and operation parameters on system performance were studied in this paper. The results show that the performances of the VRU and DEU had a significant influence on system performance in terms of freshwater production and specific energy consumption. Under optimal conditions, the total freshwater yield could be increased by up to 1.9 times, while the specific energy consumption was reduced by up to 48%. The proposed system provides a sustainable and scalable water production solution for water-scarce regions. Optimization of the NeWater system and the selection of VRUs are beyond the scope of this paper and will be the focus of future research
Standalone DC Microgrids: Planning, Operation and Uncertainty Management
No full textStandalone power systems in remote areas have traditionally relied on continuously operating fossil fuel generators, leading to high operational costs, reduced efficiency, and substantial carbon emissions. Standalone direct current (DC) microgrids have emerged as a promising alternative due to their lower conversion losses, improved integration of renewable energy sources (RES), and enhanced compatibility with modern DC-native loads and storage technologies. Despite these advantages, the planning, operation, and uncertainty management of standalone DC microgrids remain technically challenging. Intermittent RES generation, stochastic load behaviour, lack of mature standards, and complex control requirements introduce significant design and operational challenges. While numerous studies have proposed methods to address issues in sizing, optimisation, control, energy management, and uncertainty management, a comprehensive and structured review that connects these aspects across the full lifecycle of DC microgrid development is still lacking. This article addresses this gap by providing a systematic review of the state-of-the-art in planning methodologies, operational strategies, and uncertainty management techniques for standalone DC microgrids. The review synthesises theoretical frameworks and practical implementations, critically evaluates existing approaches by identifying their strengths and limitations, and highlights the interdependencies among planning, real-time operation, and uncertainty mitigation. Finally, the article outlines key research challenges and future opportunities to support the reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable deployment of standalone DC microgrids. The novelty of this study lies in its integrated perspective spanning planning, operational control, and uncertainty management, offering valuable guidance for researchers, system designers, and practitioners
“I can remember thinking, like almost wishing, that the injuries would have been worse, because then I wouldn’t be questioned”: A Qualitative Study on Women’s Experience of Accessing Healthcare for Intimate Partner Violence-related Brain Injury
No full textBackground/Objectives: To identify the barriers and facilitators to accessing healthcare following intimate partner violence (IPV)-related brain injury (BI). Methods: Sixteen adult women participated in interviews about their experience of accessing healthcare following IPV-related BI. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the interpretative descriptive (ID) approach to identify themes and subthemes in the data. Results: Two themes, each with six subthemes related to healthcare seeking for IPV-related BI were identified: Theme 1—Deciding to seek and ability to access healthcare, comprising (a) severity of injury; (b) impact of injury; (c) ability to access medical services; (d) self-blame, fear, shame, and guilt; (e) contextual influences on healthcare seeking; and (f) previous negative interactions; and Theme 2—Complexity in identifying IPV-related BI, comprising (a) trauma can affect recall of events; (b) inability to distinguish IPV-related trauma or aging outcomes from BI sequelae; (c) the importance of trust in disclosure; (d) healthcare professionals need to ask the right questions and respond in the right way; (e) the complex nature of disclosure creates challenges for diagnosis; and (f) fear of being dismissed or judged. Conclusions: Many context-related factors influence whether women can seek treatment for IPV-related BIs. These factors need to be understood by first responders and medical professionals to improve the likelihood and speed of treatment seeking. Furthermore, challenges and fears associated with disclosure of IPV prevent women from seeking proper treatment. IPV training could be helpful in ensuring women feel safe with disclosure
A Benchmark of Expert-level Academic Questions to Assess AI Capabilities
No full textBenchmarks are important tools for tracking the rapid advancements in large language model (LLM) capabilities. However, benchmarks are not keeping pace in difficulty: LLMs now achieve more than 90% accuracy on popular benchmarks such as Measuring Massive Multitask Language Understanding1, limiting informed measurement of state-of-the-art LLM capabilities. Here, in response, we introduce Humanity’s Last Exam (HLE), a multi-modal benchmark at the frontier of human knowledge, designed to be an expert-level closed-ended academic benchmark with broad subject coverage. HLE consists of 2,500 questions across dozens of subjects, including mathematics, humanities and the natural sciences. HLE is developed globally by subject-matter experts and consists of multiple-choice and short-answer questions suitable for automated grading. Each question has a known solution that is unambiguous and easily verifiable but cannot be quickly answered by internet retrieval. State-of-the-art LLMs demonstrate low accuracy and calibration on HLE, highlighting a marked gap between current LLM capabilities and the expert human frontier on closed-ended academic questions. To inform research and policymaking upon a clear understanding of model capabilities, we publicly release HLE at https://lastexam.ai
Understanding Drivers of Early Life Course Arts, Culture and Recreation Participation in Aotearoa New Zealand
No full textBackground
Participation in arts, culture and recreation activities (ACRs) supports youth wellbeing, however little is known about the drivers of participation across the life course. Longitudinal approaches provide nuanced insights into patterns of access and engagement, identifying where additional support is needed to sustain engagement in ACRs over time.
Methods
This study examines ACR participation from ages 8 to 12 in Aotearoa New Zealand, across Sports, Creative Arts and Community-based activities. Data came from the 8-year wave (2017–2019) and 12-year wave (2021–2022) of the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal cohort study (N = 3,738). We assessed participation pathways (sustained, increasing, decreasing or disengaged), and analysed associations with identity (gender, ethnicity, disability) and sociodemographic factors (deprivation, household structure, rurality), using chi-squared tests of independence and standardised residuals analyses.
Results
Participation in all three activity types increased from ages 8 to 12. Identity and sociodemographic characteristics were significantly associated, but not rurality. Across participation pathways, engagement was not evenly distributed across the population, with structural, geographic, and cultural influences contributing to complex patterns of access and continuity. For example, children in extended family households showed higher increasing Creative Arts participation and higher sustained Community activity participation, highlighting the positive impacts of support from family.
Conclusions
Findings highlight both persistent inequities and promising enabling factors in access to ACRs amongst youth. Targeted, equity-focused interventions are needed to ensure all young people in Aotearoa can sustain meaningful participation in ACRs across the life course
The IASB Standard-setting Literature: A Survey of Evidence and Future Research Opportunities
No full textThis paper provides a systematic review of the evidence regarding the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)’s standard-setting behavior and constituent participation in its standard-setting process. This broad objective is broken down into specific research questions based on the phases of the IASB’s formal standard-setting process, and the review is structured around these questions. The sample comprises 75 research studies published from 2002 through 2023. The private interest theory informs the analysis of the evidence. The findings suggest that the IASB’s standard-setting practices and constituent participation behavior are aligned with this theory. The results indicate that three broad areas attracted the most scholarly attention: changes in the IASB’s governance and due process, constituent participation in the IASB’s standard-setting process, and constituent influence on the IASB’s standard-setting. However, several areas remain relatively underexplored, including agenda-setting, constituent positions on IASB proposals and their determinants, the arguments and language choices in comment letters, the IASB’s internal process, the arguments and language choices in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and post-implementation reviews. The evidence reviewed in this paper suggests that the IASB largely maintained its independence in standard-setting and obtained legitimacy from its constituents. Finally, the paper identifies opportunities for further enriching the literature
AI Integration in the IT Professional Workplace: A Scoping Review and Interview Study with Implications for Education and Professional Competencies
No full textAs Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues transforming workplaces globally, particularly within the Information Technology (IT) industry, understanding its impact on IT professionals and computing curricula is crucial. This research builds on joint work from two countries, addressing concerns about AI's increasing influence in IT sector workplaces and its implications for tertiary education. The study focuses on AI technologies such as generative AI (GenAI) and large language models (LLMs). It examines how they are perceived and adopted and their effects on workplace dynamics, task allocation, and human-system interaction.
IT professionals, noted as early adopters of AI, offer valuable insights into the interplay between AI and work engagement, highlighting the significant competencies required for digital workplaces. This study employs a dual-method approach, combining a systematic and multi-vocal literature review and qualitative research methods. These included a thematic analysis of a set of 47 interviews conducted between March and May of 2024 with IT professionals in two countries (New Zealand and Sweden). The research aimed to understand the implications for computing students, education curricula, and the assessment of emerging professional competencies.
The literature review found insufficient evidence addressing comprehensive AI practice methodologies, highlighting the need to both develop and regulate professional competencies for effective AI integration. Key interview findings revealed diverse levels of GenAI adoption, ranging from individual experimentation to institutional integration. Participants generally expressed positive attitudes toward the technology and were actively pursuing self-learning despite some concerns. The themes emerging from the interviews included AI's role in augmenting human tasks, privacy and security concerns, productivity enhancements, legal and ethical challenges, and the evolving need for new competencies in the workplace.
The study underscores the critical role of competency frameworks in guiding professional development and ensuring preparedness for an AI-driven environment. Additionally, it highlights the need for educational institutions to adapt curricula to address these emerging demands effectively
Navigating Complexity in Design for Health Internships to Enhance Student’s Real-World Learning
No full textIn this paper, we reflect on two internship-based learning opportunities at a New Zealand-based university for design students to engage in authentic, real-world experiences in a design for health context. We present three hospital-based case studies as examples of the projects offered to students through Work Integrated Learning (WIL) internships and Summer Studentships (SS); a medication information leaflet, an information resource for women interrupting a pregnancy due to medical reasons, and a patient journey video and oral health resources for a children’s community dental service. Facilitating these real-world opportunities for design students has challenges, including building and maintaining connections and relationships with healthcare staff, careful selection of projects appropriate in scope and scale, managing and navigating expectations, and advocating for the value of design and implementation of students’ design solutions. Despite these challenges, both internships offer design students an opportunity to engage in the rich and complex healthcare context, while working on meaningful design projects that challenge them to consider the value and impact of their design practice. It highlights the benefits of engaging design students in different ways to better prepare them for an industry that asks designers to navigate tricky contexts and deliver design solutions to complex issues
ChatGPT Personalized and Humorous Recommendations
No full textThis study examines the impact of personalized and humorous responses generated by ChatGPT on the acceptance of and satisfaction with travel recommendations. Studies 1A, 1B, and 1C consistently indicate that visit intention and recommendation satisfaction were significantly higher when ChatGPT provided personalized rather than humorous responses. Study 2 investigates the effects of response type on visit intention and finds that recommendation satisfaction was not significant when participants were informed that the recommendation agent was human. Study 3 indicates that participants' usage experience with ChatGPT moderated the effects and that participants' need for cognition influenced their acceptance of personalized responses. Study 4 demonstrates different personalization methods from various sources, including preference-matching and tailored recommendation styles
Accelerated Secondary Frequency Regulation and Active Power Sharing for Islanded Microgrids with External Disturbances: A Fully Distributed Approach
No full textIslanded microgrids face some challenges in maintaining stable frequency and sharing proper power among distributed generators (DGs) in the presence of external disturbances. This paper develops a novel fully distributed approach to achieve accelerated secondary frequency regulation (FR) and active power sharing (APS) in islanded microgrids, which enhances system performance and robustness against external disturbances. The proposed control strategy combines advanced consensus algorithms with distributed secondary control loops, eliminating the requirement for a central control unit thereby improving the scalability. Particularly, the fully distributed feature of the proposed control strategy can be understood from two aspects. On one hand, the controller itself is not using global information of (1) communication topology, such as the second smallest eigenvalue of its Laplacian matrix; and (2) the total number of DGs in the microgrid. On the other hand, the estimated settling time is independent of the aforementioned global information. Therefore, the proposed fully distributed control scheme has the potential of becoming a promising solution for the resilient and efficient management of large-scale islanded microgrids. The effectiveness of the designed controllers is validated through numerical examples, demonstrating superior performance in terms of FR, APS, and transient response under various operating conditions