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Quasistatic mechanical properties of Inconel 718 Triply Periodic Minimal surfaces: Effect of standard heat treatments on compressive strength and energy absorption
No full textTriply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) structures fabricated from Inconel 718 (In718) via selective laser melting (SLM) found their potential applications in the aviation and energy industries owing to their excellent anticorrosive properties and thermal stability. However, the SLM process induces micro-segregation, anisotropic mechanical properties, and detrimental phases (Laves, δ) which degrade its mechanical properties. Although heat treatment has shown promising results for bulk In718 material, its impact on TPMS structures has received very limited attention. This research investigates the impact of standard heat treatments, including stress relieving (SR), homogenization plus ageing (HSA), and direct ageing (DA), on the properties of diamond and gyroid TPMS structures. The quasistatic compression tests were conducted in an Instron machine, and material characterization was conducted in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). HSA treatment has led to maximum improvement; the compressive strength and yield strength of diamond TPMS were improved by 58.55 % and 93.5% respectively, due to the precipitation of strengthening phases (γ' and γ'') and dissolution of detrimental phases. HSA and DA treatments led to stretch dominated deformation and higher energy absorption capacity. Conversely SR treatment has shown bending dominated deformation behaviour and degraded mechanical properties in contrast to the previous studies on tensile samples
Climate-driven physiological changes in Mahseer (Tor tambroides) juveniles
No full textClimate change, characterized by rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and increasing global temperatures, poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems. This study examines the impact of elevated CO2 concentrations and water temperature on the growth, survival, and hematological condition of mahseer juveniles. A controlled experiment was conducted to analyze growth parameters, including specific growth rate (SGR), relative growth rate (RGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and hematological indices across varying CO2 and temperature conditions. The findings indicate that CO2 levels significantly influence fish weight, with higher concentrations promoting growth up to a threshold. Elevated temperature negatively affects fish weight gain, particularly at extreme levels. Hematological responses suggest that prolonged exposure to high CO2 and temperature alters blood parameters, indicating physiological stress. The interaction between CO2 and temperature suggests that optimal growth occurs at high CO2 and moderate temperatures, whereas excessive warming exacerbates metabolic stress and mortality. These results provide essential insights for sustainable aquaculture practices and conservation strategies in the face of climate change. The significance of these findings extends to aquaculture industries aiming to optimize fish production under changing environmental conditions
Tropical seagrass restoration: novel approaches for challenging environments
No full textSeagrass meadows are prominent coastal and estuarine habitats that provide essential ecosystem services worldwide. The proximity of nearshore seagrass meadows to terrestrial inputs, coastal development, and their sensitivities to light and eutrophication make seagrass susceptible to significant losses. Once lost, seagrass recovery is often slow (> 10 years) or, in extreme cases may not occur at all leading to hysteresis. Seagrass restoration is becoming an increasingly effective tool to remediate such losses and accelerate seagrass recovery. In temperate waters seagrass restoration is becoming increasing effective and widespread. In tropical systems however, seagrass restoration is in its infancy, due to a range of factors including poor knowledge of seagrass life history and distribution, extreme weather events (floods, cyclones and heatwaves), and restricted site access for safety (e.g. crocodiles, stingers) and logistical (isolation, muddy sediment) reasons. These challenges are being met by developing species specific and location-based approaches to tropical seagrass restoration. These include optimizing individual anchors for surface fragment deployment, boat-based seagrass collection and dispersal, nursery development and remote monitoring. We present examples of approaches that are leading to safe, effective seagrass restoration strategies in tropical Australia and highlight successes, challenges and pathways to broad adoption and scaling up
The impact of financial literacy on financial inclusion
No full textUsing survey data of owners of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), we investigate the nexus between financial literacy (FL) and financial inclusion (FI). Further, we examine whether the FL_FI nexus is different by gender. Our results show that FL has statistically significant positive effects on all three dimensions of FI (access, usage, and quality). Our findings highlight policy implications for countries desiring to enhance FI by improving the financial literacy and education levels of MSME owners. Furthermore, our findings suggest that targeted financial education programs result in better outcomes
Drivers of willingness to pay among scuba divers in the Great Barrier Reef
No full textMarine reserves are effective tools for protecting marine resources and ecosystems. However, financing their establishment and maintenance remains a challenge for many locales. Tourists and scuba divers are known to place a premium on pristine ecological conditions typically found inside marine reserves, which can be monetized in some cases by introducing a user fee. Here, we conducted a willingness-to-pay (WTP) study with a survey of 170 scuba divers who visited the Great Barrier Reef. We tested scuba divers' WTP for differing ecological conditions, as well as the protection status of dive sites. Using the contingent valuation method for five key ecological attributes of a hypothetical dive site - coral cover, coral diversity, fish diversity, fish abundance, and fish size - we found that divers' WTP was highest when all five attributes were present at high levels. Divers also placed a premium on the marine reserve's protection status and were willing to pay A$14.5 to dive in a marine reserve even if its conditions were identical to those in a fished zone. Finally, we found that 85 % of divers were willing to pay a user fee if the purpose of the fee (e.g., protection and management) was explicitly stated. Our results suggest that revenue can be generated from upgrading the protection status of dive sites, which can be used to support their restoration and maintenance
Critical thinking in psychology: Dispositions, cognitive insights, and research skills
No full textThis book provides a practical framework for developing critical thinking in psychology, combining key dispositions, cognitive insights, and research skills. Through theory, real-world examples, and structured methods like the OBSERVE framework, it equips readers to recognise biases, evaluate evidence, and apply rigorous reasoning to psychological research and everyday decision-making
Dementia Risk Reduction Education Programs and Resources for Indigenous Peoples of Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, United States of America and Australia: A Scoping Review
No full textEducational health promotion programs and resources support people to make informed decisions and change their behaviours. Dementia, a name for a group of degenerative brain diseases, affects over 55 million people across the globe. Currently, dementia risk reduction (DRR) is a global health priority as dementia has no known cure. Consequently, educational programs and resources that focus on DRR respond to the global health priority by targeting potentially modifiable risk factors. A project currently being undertaken by the research team is focussed on supporting DRR in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ primary care settings in Queensland, Australia. One strategy adopted by the research team is to identify safe and appropriate DRR programs and resources that could be integrated into primary care settings. Consequently, the aim of this scoping review was to identify and determine the quality of DRR programs or resources that have been developed or used with Indigenous peoples of Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, the United States of America, and Australia. The Joanna Briggs method for scoping reviews was used to identify programs and resources developed with, for and by Indigenous peoples of the target countries. Appropriate databases including CINAHL and Medline as well as Google searches for grey literature published in English since 2010 were used to identify sources. Eleven sources were identified. One source was a published article, the other ten resources were videos (n = 5), websites (n = 2) and electronic written resources (n = 3). Given the paucity of evidence of DRR programs and resources currently available for Indigenous peoples the following recommendations are made for future development. They need to: (1). Be firmly grounded in Indigenous health promotion principles and theoretical frameworks and co-designed with, by and for Indigenous peoples. (2). Provide information about how dementia risk can be reduced; and (3). Linked with chronic disease interventions
Critical Issues Facing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Organizations and Society
No full textThe discussion of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the context of the West is uniquely complex. AAPIs are often held up as “model minorities,” resulting in exclusion from many equity conversations. The lack of attention focusing on the experiences of AAPI communities in organizations and society suggests a need for us to remedy this. In this special issue, we curated a collection of eight papers that tackle a broad range of issues that advance conversations of AAPI communities and diasporas. We contend that it may be particularly beneficial to take a critical perspective (using Asian Critical Theory or AsianCrit) to bring to light and challenge systemic issues faced by AAPI communities in Western workplaces and societies. We also call for a post-model minority narrative, which has the potential to mitigate the adverse impacts that the notion of a model minority has on both intragroup and intergroup relations and well-being
Coffee culture unravelled: exploring the coffee shop experience model in the Vietnamese context
No full textAmidst the captivating realm of the coffee shop experience, this study contributes to its significance across various literature streams and diverse forms. More specifically, the study focuses on the concept of the ‘ideal coffee shop experience’ from the perspectives of consumers and coffee shop owners/managers in Vietnam, drawing upon the experience economy and experience co-creation literature. The investigation takes place in Vietnam, a country renowned for its coffee exports and thriving coffee shop industry. Through qualitative data collected via interviews and an online questionnaire, the study uncovers divergent preferences between the supply and demand sides regarding the coffee shop's physical environment, product quality and variety, service staff performance/traits, and location or parking availability. Building on these findings, the study proposes the ‘supplier and consumer coffee shop experience’ model, which offers a comprehensive understanding of coffee shop experiences and provides valuable insights for practitioners and researchers in the relevant fields
Evaluating the factor structure and measurement invariance of the 20-item short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale across multiple countries, languages, and gender identities
No full textThe UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Model and the various psychometric instruments developed and validated based on this model are well established in clinical and research settings. However, evidence regarding the psychometric validity, reliability, and equivalence across multiple countries of residence, languages, or gender identities, including gender-diverse individuals, is lacking to date. Using data from the International Sex Survey (N = 82,243), confirmatory factor analyses and measurement invariance analyses were performed on the preestablished five-factor structure of the 20-item short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale to examine whether (a) psychometric validity and reliability and (b) psychometric equivalence hold across 34 country-of-residence-related, 22 language-related, and three gender-identity-related groups. The results of the present study extend the latter psychometric instrument’s well-established relevance to 26 countries, 13 languages, and three gender identities. Most notably, psychometric validity and reliability were evidenced across nine novel translations included in the present study (i.e., Croatian, English, German, Hebrew, Korean, Macedonian, Polish, Portuguese—Portugal, and Spanish—Latin American) and psychometric equivalence was evidenced across all three gender identities included in the present study (i.e., women, men, and gender-diverse individuals)