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A New Cooling-Rate-Dependent Machine Learning Feature for the Design of Thermally Sprayed High-Entropy Alloys
Get PDFHighly accurate machine learning (ML) approaches rely heavily on the quality of data and the design features that are used as inputs to the model. The applicability of these methods for phase formation predictions is questionable when it comes to the design of thermally sprayed high-entropy alloy (HEA) coatings using gas or water atomized powders as feedstock material. Phase formation from liquid state depends on the cooling rate during atomization which is several orders of magnitude higher when compared to arc-melted as-cast HEAs. In addition, during plasma spray the powder melts in the flame and re-solidifies under different cooling rates during deposition. To our knowledge, almost all ML algorithms are based on available datasets constructed from relatively low cooling rate processes such as arc melting and suction casting. A new approach is needed to broaden the applicability of ML algorithms to rapid solidification manufacturing processes similar to gas and water atomization by making use of existing data and theoretical models. In this study the authors introduce a cooling-rate-dependent design feature that can lead to accurate predictions of the HEA powder phase formation and the subsequent phases found in the spray coated materials. The model is validated experimentally and also by comparing the predictions with existing coating related data in the literature
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Informal Caregivers of People with Parkinson’s Disease Residing in the UK: A Qualitative Study
Get PDFInformal caregivers can experience various demands when providing care and support for People with Parkinson’s disease (PwP) in their own homes. The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 and public health strategies employed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 have presented challenges to the general populace on a global basis. The present study used a qualitative research design to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted informal caregivers in their role of providing care for PwP in their own homes. A series of 1:1 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 informal caregivers of PwP (M age = 72.64 years, SD = 8.94 years). A thematic analysis indicated that 1) vulnerabilities to COVID-19, 2) home maintenance & activities of daily living and 3) engagement with healthcare services were 3 themes that provided indications on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted informal caregivers of PwP. The present study provides illustrations of how being an informal caregiver of PwP and being identified as high risk to COVID-19 can present challenges to the process of caring for loved ones who are also vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2. The results of the present study highlights the necessity to develop strategies to ensure that informal caregivers have the necessary resources to provide care for PwP in their homes and also maintain their own well-being in the post COVID-19 era
NH4Cl-assisted preparation of single Ni sites anchored carbon nanosheet catalysts for highly efficient carbon dioxide electroreduction
Get PDFSingle-atomic transition metal-nitrogen codoped carbon (M-N-C) are efficient substitute catalysts for noble metals to catalyze electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction. However, the uncontrolled aggregations of metal and serious loss of nitrogen species constituting the M-Nx active sites are frequently observed in the commonly used pyrolysis procedure. Herein, single-atomic nickel (Ni)-based sheet-like electrocatalysts with abundant Ni-N4 active sites were created by using a novel ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)-assited pyrolysis method. Spherical aberration correction electron microscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure analysis clearly revealed that Ni species are atomically dispersed and anchored by N in Ni-N4 structure. The addition of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) optimized the mesopore size to 7-10 nm, and increased the concentrations of pyridinic N (3.54 wt) and Ni-N4 (3.33 wt) species. The synergistic catalytic effect derived from Ni-N4 active sites and pyridinic N species achieved an outstanding CO2RR performance, presenting a high CO Faradaic efficiency (FECO) up to 98 and a large CO partial current density of 8.5 mA·cm−2 at a low potential of -0.62 V vs. RHE. Particularly, the FECO maintains above 80 within a large potential range from -0.43 to -0.73 V vs. RHE. This work provides a practical and feasible approach to build highly active single-atomic catalysts for CO2 conversion systems
Self-reported memory and executive function in adult non-clinical hoarders
Get PDFHoarding is the excessive acquisition of, and failure to discard of, large numbers of items, leading to personal distress. Impairments on memory and executive functions have been systematically associated with hoarding behavior, predominantly focusing upon clinical (mainly middle-aged-elderly) patients with hoarding and/or PTSD. We were interested in hoarding-related memory and executive problems in younger non-clinical hoarders or non-hoarders, based on their Saving Inventory-Revised scores. In total, 113 young adults (aged 18–35 years) were assigned to either a hoarder group (N = 40) or non-hoarder group (N = 73) determined by their scores on the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R). Working memory (WM) and inhibition control (IC) were measured using the Adult Executive Functioning Inventory (ADEXI) and the Dysexecutive Questionnaire Revised (DEX-R) measured general executive function (EF). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale measured anxiety and depression. After controlling for gender and anxiety, the analysis revealed that the hoarders reported significantly more problems than the non-hoarders on both the IC and general EF. There was no significant between-group difference on the WM sub-scale ADEXI. Self-reported deficits in IC and EF are associated with hoarding behavior. The IC deficits cold explain hoarders’ inability to resist urges to buy, and general EF deficits suggest other domains are involved
Biting Back: A Green-Cultural Criminology of Animal Liberation Struggle as Constructed Through Online Communiqués
Get PDFThis article conceptualises animal liberation direct action in green-cultural criminological terms. To do this, it draws on Johnston and Johnston’s methodological approach and undertakes qualitative content analysis of animal liberation communiqués published on the website, Bite Back. Whilst a significant body of scholarly literature has discussed animal liberation struggles, this article develops an understanding of these often-criminal acts and events within a cultural criminological context. Findings from this analysis reveal three themes. First, activists variously resist and embrace the state and media’s ‘terrorisation’ and discursive delegitimating of animal liberation struggle. Activists wilfully play on the framing of themselves as terrorists. Second, activists are also able to re-contextualise what might otherwise be seen as minor, apolitical events into a much broader liberation struggle. Third, animal liberation activism is frequently and explicitly connected to other emancipatory struggles. To conclude, the article argues that animal liberation activists engage in direct action on a local level, and strategically promote hyper localised instances of direct action globally through online communiqués. In doing so, animal liberation activists engage in a ‘prefigurative integration’ of what might otherwise be dismissed as isolated hyper local ‘petty events’ within a global struggle against violence, exploitation and oppression
Influence of mass ratio and calcination temperature on physical and photoelectrochemical properties of ZnFe-layered double oxide/cobalt oxide heterojunction semiconductor for dye degradation applications
Get PDFA visible light-active photoelectrocatalyst, ZnFe-layered double oxide (LDO)/cobalt(II,III) oxide (Co3O4) composites were obtained by calcining the Co loaded ZnFe-layered double hydroxide (LDH) prepared by a hydrothermal and microwave hydrothermal method. The morphological studies revealed that the ZnFe-LDO/Co3O4 composites exhibited a flower-like structure comprising Co3O4 nanowires and ZnFe-LDO nanosheets. Further, when the mass ratio of Co(NO3)2·6H2O/LDH was 1:1.8 and the calcination temperature was 550 °C, the ZnFe-LDO/Co3O4 composite exhibited 93.3% degradation efficiency for methylene blue (MB) at the applied voltage of 1.0 V under visible light after 3 h. Furthermore, the Mott-Schottky model experiments showed that the formation of a p-n heterojunction between ZnFe-LDO and Co3O4 could effectively inhibit the recombination of electrons and holes in the photoelectrocatalytic process. Meanwhile, free radical scavenging experiments showed that the active radicals of ⋅OH played an important role in the degradation of MB. Therefore, the photoelectrocatalytic effect of ZnFe-LDO/Co3O4 provides a simple and effective strategy for the removal of organic pollutants
'Magnificence of Promises': novelty instruments in concert in Britain, c1750–1800
Get PDFIn this article I explore the occurrence and use of novelty musical instruments in the latter half of the eighteenth century, arguing that these instruments were used as a means of self-promotion for the performer, and in some cases were intrinsically linked with their identity as immigrant musicians in Britain. I start by outlining music marketing in the eighteenth century, followed by what novelty means in the context of musical performance. I then move to consider, firstly, imported musical instruments which existed in reasonable numbers in Britain, focussing on the mandolin, English guittar and viola d’amore; and secondly, the more fleeting inventions to grace British concert rooms and theatres, and draw attention to the sociocultural forces which may have encouraged their development. I conclude this article with a tangential look at the inventions of Charles Clagget, and surmise that even with the best marketing and inventions, the majority of novelty instruments were only ever destined for public performance as promotional tools, and not to be brought into the home for domestic music-making
The impact of briefly observing faces in opaque facial masks on emotion recognition and empathic concern
Get PDFSince the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019, there have been global public health initiatives that have advocated for the community use of face masks to reduce spread of the virus. Although the community use of facial coverings has been deemed essential for public health, there have been calls for enquiries to ascertain how face masks may impact non-verbal methods of communication. The present study aimed to ascertain how the brief observations of faces in opaque facial coverings could impact facial emotion recognition. It was also an aim to ascertain if there was an association between levels of empathic concern and facial emotion recognition when viewing masked faces. An opportunity sample of 199 participants, who resided in the UK, were randomly assigned to briefly observe either masked (n = 102) or unmasked (n = 97) faces. Participants in both conditions were required to view a series of facial expressions, from the Radboud Faces Database, with models conveying the emotional states of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprised. Each face was presented to participants for a period of 250ms in the masked and unmasked conditions. A 6 (emotion type) x 2 (masked/unmasked condition) mixed ANOVA revealed that viewing masked faces significantly reduced facial emotion recognition of disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprised. However, there were no differences in the success rate of recognising the emotional state of anger between the masked and unmasked conditions. Furthermore, higher levels of empathic concern were associated with greater success in facially recognising the emotional state of disgust. The results of the present study suggest that significant reductions in emotion recognition, when viewing faces in opaque masks, can still be observed when people are exposed to facial stimuli for a brief period of time
What's the Time, Anna Wulf? Crisis, Temporality and Feminist Untimeliness in Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook
Get PDFWhen Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook was first published in 1962, it was instantly lauded as a timely novel. In this essay, I investigate what is timely about The Golden Notebook through an analysis of the novel's complex temporality. Taking the book's phenomenal critical legacy as a signal indication that its timeliness is yet to be exhausted, I explore how Lessing's provocative figurations of time illuminate the ideological and representational structures that confine Lessing and her characters. In doing so, I also gesture, speculatively, toward how these structures might be subverted in the future
Universities and innovation strategies in rural regions: The case of the greater Lincolnshire innovation programme (UK)
Get PDFThere is limited experience with innovation policies in rural areas, often based on a one-size-fits-all approach. However, rural businesses have diverse needs and there is difficulty in applying smart specialisation approaches for the use of European Union Cohesion funding in rural areas. A key resource in rural areas is the local university, and universities face increased demands to support local firms. This paper examines one particular case of a university in a rural region and its use of the European Regional Development Fund to support innovation activities. The challenges of working with rural businesses are explored, as is the focus on one-to-one support rather than the more collective smart specialisation approach. Universities need to take a pragmatic approach to ensure that the needs of firms can be balanced with the capacities of rural universities which are often smaller and more specialised than urban universities