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Leader-laggard synchronization of polarization chaos in mutually coupled free-running VCSELs
Get PDFWe systematically study the leader-laggard synchronization of polarization chaos in mutually coupled free-running vertical cavity surface emitting semiconductor lasers in two cases of parallel and orthogonal injection. Specifically, we quantitatively investigate the effect of critical external parameter mismatch such as the coupling intensity and frequency detuning on the leader-laggard relationship utilizing the cross-correlation function. When the difference between two main cross-correlation peak values exceeds 0.1, the leader-laggard relationship can be viewed to be stable. Our results demonstrate that compared with the coupling strength, the frequency detuning is the dominant factor in determining the stability of the leader-laggard relationship. The exchange of the leader-laggard role occurs within a frequency detuning region from -5 GHz to 5 GHz for both parallel and orthogonal injection. Once the leader-laggard relationship is stable, the difference between the two cross-correlation values can reach 0.242 for negative frequency detuning, but the corresponding value is only 0.146 under positive frequency detuning
A study to explore the feasibility of using a social return on investment approach to evaluate short breaks
Get PDFShort breaks help maintain caring relationships, enabling people to remain living in their own homes and contributing significant economic benefit to public services. However, relatively little is known about the added social value generated by community-based short breaks. To address this evidence gap, we explored the feasibility of using a Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation to explore a day support service in North Wales for people living with dementia and their unpaid carers. Following good practice for evaluating complex interventions, we developed a logic model based on the literature and interviews to understand the mechanisms and outcomes of the day support service. Using questionnaires, we quantified outcomes for the current service cohort, which included people living with dementia, unpaid carers, and paid companions. Seven people living with dementia, three unpaid carers and four companions completed questionnaires. Through following the SROI analysis approach, three key learning points were identified. The first was around ways to capture outcomes from all stakeholder sub-groups expected to experience material change. The second concerned the importance of collecting longitudinal data. This included the need to consider how to adapt the SROI method to work with small populations. The third concerned how to value ‘maintenance’ of wellbeing as well as improved wellbeing
Inspire and Create: Unveiling the Potential of VisDice in Visualization Design
Get PDFVisualization is a powerful tool for presenting complex data, but challenges of inspiration and ideation can hinder the creative process of designing compelling visualizations. We developed VisDice, a novel tool for stimulating creative thought and inspiring alternative design ideas to address this. By introducing randomness, VisDice prompts designers to explore uncharted territories and consider unconventional visualization solutions. This paper investigates VisDice's role in enhancing the creative process, drawing from psychological theories of inspiration. We explore how VisDice stimulates innovative thinking, leading to visually compelling designs. Our findings contribute to understanding the psychology behind creativity in visualization, offering practical insights for designers seeking to enhance their practices. Embracing the possibilities offered by VisDice unlocks new avenues for designing impactful visualizations
Forest carbon offsets are failing
Get PDFConserving tropical forests is of utmost importance for the future of humanity and biodiversity. Changes in land use, mostly deforestation in the tropics, emit 5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually—second only to fossil fuel use, which emits 35 billion tons (1). Reducing emissions to net zero is necessary to stabilize global temperatures (2). One controversial approach to tackle fossil-fuel emissions from private companies, individuals, and governments has been to “offset” them by investing in projects to either stop emissions that would have otherwise occurred, such as by reducing deforestation, or by investing in carbon uptake projects, such as forest restoration. On page 873 of this issue, West et al. (3) show that offsetting through paying projects to reduce emissions by conserving tropical forests is not reducing deforestation as claimed and is worsening climate change
Increasing concentration of pure micro- and macro-LDPE and PP plastic negatively affect crop biomass, nutrient cycling, and microbial biomass
Get PDFOver the last 50 years, the intense use of agricultural plastic in the form of mulch films has led to an accumulation of plastic in soil, creating a legacy of plastic in agricultural fields. Plastic often contains additives, however it is still largely unknown how these compounds affect soil properties, potentially influencing or masking effects of the plastic itself. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pure plastics of varying sizes and concentrations, to improve our understanding of plastic-only interactions within soil-plant mesocosms. Maize (Zea mays L.) was grown over eight weeks following the addition of micro and macro low-density polyethylene and polypropylene at increasing concentrations (equivalent to 1, 10, 25, and 50 years mulch film use) and the effects of plastic on key soil and plant properties were measured. We found the effect of both macro and microplastic on soil and plant health is negligible in the short-term (1 t
Evolutionary patterns of archaea predominant in acidic environment
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Archaea of the order Thermoplasmatales are widely distributed in natural acidic areas and are amongst the most acidophilic prokaryotic organisms known so far. These organisms are difficult to culture, with currently only six genera validly published since the discovery of Thermoplasma acidophilum in 1970. Moreover, known great diversity of uncultured Thermoplasmatales represents microbial dark matter and underlines the necessity of efforts in cultivation and study of these archaea. Organisms from the order Thermoplasmatales affiliated with the so-called "alphabet-plasmas", and collectively dubbed "E-plasma", were the focus of this study. These archaea were found predominantly in the hyperacidic site PM4 of Parys Mountain, Wales, UK, making up to 58% of total metagenomic reads. However, these archaea escaped all cultivation attempts.RESULTS: Their genome-based metabolism revealed its peptidolytic potential, in line with the physiology of the previously studied Thermoplasmatales isolates. Analyses of the genome and evolutionary history reconstruction have shown both the gain and loss of genes, that may have contributed to the success of the "E-plasma" in hyperacidic environment compared to their community neighbours. Notable genes among them are involved in the following molecular processes: signal transduction, stress response and glyoxylate shunt, as well as multiple copies of genes associated with various cellular functions; from energy production and conversion, replication, recombination, and repair, to cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis and archaella production. History events reconstruction shows that these genes, acquired by putative common ancestors, may determine the evolutionary and functional divergences of "E-plasma", which is much more developed than other representatives of the order Thermoplasmatales. In addition, the ancestral hereditary reconstruction strongly indicates the placement of Thermogymnomonas acidicola close to the root of the Thermoplasmatales.CONCLUSIONS: This study has analysed the metagenome-assembled genome of "E-plasma", which denotes the basis of their predominance in Parys Mountain environmental microbiome, their global ubiquity, and points into the right direction of further cultivation attempts. The results suggest distinct evolutionary trajectories of organisms comprising the order Thermoplasmatales, which is important for the understanding of their evolution and lifestyle.</p
Should it come with the territory? Experiences and discourses of two groups of professionals.
Get PDFHow did we get here; a historical and social exploration of the construction of English FA coach education
Get PDFFormal coach education, such as courses experienced by coaches, is part of a wider education system, constructed by policy developers, course designers and coach educators. To date, research has explored the complex micro-pedagogical interactions between coach educators and coaches on courses, yet there is little understanding of the historical and social influences on the development of these systems. In response, this study analyses the social construction of The English FA’s coach education system over 50 years (1967–2019). Specifically, this study aimed to (1) identify ‘social architects’ who influenced the development of FA coach education and (2) analyse the wider social, economic, and political influences on these architects and their development of FA coach education over time. To do so, this work re-examines data from 16 semi-structured interviews (with participants who have held significant roles within The FA e.g. Head of Coaching) and 47 policy documents (e.g. course materials). Through a deductive crystallisation process the findings recognise (1) the military’s influence in positioning the coach educator as powerful, (2) how insights from PE and education have informed FA coach education development and (3) how economic opportunities from the 1990s and onward prompted an expansion of FA coach education provision. This important contribution provides a platform for further research to explore the historical social construction of coach education systems