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Zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) are promising candidates for low-cost, intrinsically safe, and environmentally friendly energy storage systems. However, the anode is plagued with problems such as the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction, surface passivation, corrosion, and a rough metal electrode morphology that is prone to short circuits. One strategy to overcome these issues is understanding surface processes to facilitate more homogeneous electrodeposition of zinc by guiding the alignment of electrodeposited zinc. Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM), the charge transport rate on zinc metal anodes was mapped, demonstrating that manipulating electrolyte concentration can influence zinc electrodeposition and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation in ZMBs. Using XPS and Raman spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that an SEI is formed on zinc electrodes at neutral pH, composed primarily of a Zn4(OH)6SO4·xH2O species, its formation being attributed to local pH increases at the interface. This work shows that more extended high-rate cycling can be achieved using a 1 M ZnSO4 electrolyte and that these systems have a reduced tendency for soft shorts. The improved cyclability in 1 M ZnSO4 was attributed to a more homogeneous and conductive interface formed, rather than the bulk electrolyte properties. This experimental methodology for studying metal battery electrodes is transferable to lithium metal and anode-free batteries, and other sustainable battery chemistries such as sodium, magnesium, and calcium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for 'The effect of interface heterogeneity on zinc metal anode cyclability' by J. T. Simon et al., J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ta03165b. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Diabetes in young adulthood has been associated with poor outcomes. Self‐management is fundamental to good diabetes care, and self‐management interventions have been found to improve outcomes in older adults. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess the effectiveness of self‐management interventions in young adults (aged 15–39 years) with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Methods: We searched five databases and two clinical trial registries from 2003 to February 2019, without language restrictions. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of self‐management interventions with usual care or enhanced usual care in young adults. Outcomes of interest included clinical outcomes, psychological health, self‐care behaviours, diabetes knowledge and self‐efficacy. Pairwise meta‐analysis was conducted using a random effects model and quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) criteria. We followed Cochrane gold standard systematic review methodology and reported this systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines. The protocol was registered with PROSEPRO (CRD42018110868). Results: In total, 13 studies (1002 participants) were included. Meta‐analysis showed no difference between self‐management interventions and controls in post‐intervention HbA1c levels, BMI, depression, diabetes‐related distress, overall self‐care, diabetes knowledge and self‐efficacy. Quality of evidence ranged from very low to moderate due to study limitations, inconsistency and imprecision. Conclusions: Current self‐management interventions did not improve outcomes in young adults with diabetes. Our findings, which contrast with those from systematic reviews in older adults, highlight the need for the development of more effective interventions for young adults with diabetes. What's new?: Previous systematic reviews and meta‐analyses on self‐management interventions in type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been conducted in adults of a wide age range and have found improved glycaemic control.No systematic review and meta‐analysis has been conducted in young adults with diabetes.Our meta‐analysis found that existing self‐management interventions did not improve glycaemic control, self‐care behaviours, psychological well‐being, self‐efficacy or diabetes knowledge in young adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes when compared with controls.There is an urgent need for more effective self‐management interventions for young adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of deep levels in high purity semi-insulating 4H-SiC has been made using temperature dependent Hall effect (TDH), thermal and optical admittance spectroscopies, and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Thermal activation energies from TDH varied from a low of 0.55 eV to a high of 1.65 eV. All samples studied showed n-type conduction with the Fermi level in the upper half of the band gap. Fits of the TDH data to different charge balance equations and comparison of the fitting results with SIMS measurements indicated that the deep levels are acceptorlike even though they are in the upper half of the band gap. Carrier concentration measurements indicated that the deep levels are present in concentrations in the low 1015 cm-3 range, while SIMS results demonstrate nitrogen and boron concentrations in the low to mid-1015-cm-3 range. The results suggest that compensation in this material is a complex process involving multiple deep levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic levels of vanadium in semi-insulating 4H- and 6H-SiC have been reinvestigated using temperature dependent Hall effect and resistivity measurements at temperatures up to 1000 K in conjunction with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and optical absorption measurements which were used to identify the charge state of vanadium in the material. Two distinct thermal activation energies were found for each polytype. The shallower of the two levels correlated with the presence of both V3+ and V4+ in the EPR and absorption experiments, demonstrating that this level is the vanadium acceptor level while the deeper level is the donor level for which the V4+ charge state was observed. The results for the V4+/5+ donor level, EC-1.57±0.09 eV for 4H-SiC and EC-1.54±0.06 eV for 6H-SiC, are in agreement with the generally accepted values. However, the results for the V3+/4+ acceptor level, EC-0.85±0.03 eV in 6H-SiC and EC-1.11±0.08 eV in 4H-SiC, are significantly higher than previously assumed. Variations in crystal quality and purity may explain the differences in the previously reported values for the donor and acceptor levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature dependent Hall effect (TDH), low temperature photoluminescence (LTPL), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), optical admittance spectroscopy (OAS), and thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurements have been made on 6H-SiC grown by the physical vapor transport technique without intentional doping. n- and p-type as well semi-insulating samples were studied to explore the compensation mechanism in semi-insulating high purity SiC. Nitrogen and boron were found from TDH and SIMS measurements to be the dominant impurities that must be compensated to produce semi-insulating properties. The electrical activation energy of the semi-insulating sample determined from the dependence of the resistivity was 1.0 eV. LTPL lines near 1.00 and 1.34 eV, identified with the defects designated as UD-1 and UD-3, were observed in all three samples but the intensity of the UD-1 line was almost a factor of 10 more in the n-type sample than in the the p-type sample with that in the semi-insulating sample being intermediate between those two. OAS and TSC experiments confirmed the high purity of this material. The results suggest that the relative concentrations of a dominant deep level and nitrogen and boron impurities can explain the electrical properties in this material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrational Raman, infrared absorption, and infrared circular dichroism (VCD) spectra were measured for methylthiirane. Ab inito vibrational frequencies were calculated with a 6-31G basis, and vibrational assignments were suggested by comparing the experimental and theoretical data. These assignments were used for the interpretation of the experimental VCD spectrum of (R)-methylthiirane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Positive self‐care behaviours are more likely in young people who engage with allergy support groups, but reasons for this association are not well understood. Objectives: This study explored how and why young people engage with allergy support groups to identify what activities and resources are beneficial. Methods: In‐depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with young people aged 12‐21 years who reported engaging with allergy support groups (in person or online). Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic content analysis. Results: The 21 participants had a range of allergies; initially, most joined support groups on suggestion of their parent/carer although older participants sought groups independently. Feeling included and sharing experiences with people with similar problems/challenges were highly valued. Through membership, young people reported improved self‐esteem and confidence in both managing their allergies and lives generally. Information, such as allergy alerts and hard‐hitting video campaigns, were reported to positively influence adherence to self‐care behaviours such as carrying medication. Participants wanted greater availability of allergy support groups, and higher profiles in health care and educational settings, as well as through social media. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Participants valued the psychological and practical support of networking with others with allergies, and described how membership improved their confidence. This study also provides insight into the ways support groups improve young people's adherence to medical advice and positive self‐care behaviours; participants responded well to hard‐hitting video campaigns which appeared to emphasize the severity and susceptibility of anaphylaxis. Participants identified the need for more active promotion of support groups amongst young people and their clinicians, as well as making them available in more localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The UK population is ageing and we can expect more referrals to allergy clinics for this age group. 16% of patients to our clinic are aged >60. Compared to younger patients, 3 times as many referrals were for angioedema. Overall, allergy was excluded in 79% of cases. 15% were diagnosed with previously unrecognised allergies, while allergic disease was confirmed in 6%, enabling optimised management. While the differential diagnosis of allergic conditions is wider in older people, assessment in the allergy clinic is helpful and adds value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bladder perforation is a serious complication of transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT). One of the risk factors is an “obturator jerk”, caused by stimulation of the obturator nerve, causing powerful adduction of the leg. As almost half of all bladder tumours are located on the lateral wall and 55–100% of resections on the lateral wall can result in obturator jerk; this is not an insignificant risk. Patients: We have introduced regional anaesthetic nerve block of the anterior branch of the obturator nerve in patients with known lateral wall tumours undergoing TURBT. Methods: This procedure was performed by two consultant anaesthetists in our unit. Patients are positioned supine with the leg slightly abducted and laterally rotated. Ultrasound (US) is used to identify the anterior branch of the adductor longus, brevis and magnus muscles in the medial thigh, 2–3 cm inferior to the inguinal crease. The obturator nerve is situated in the plane between adductor longus and adductor brevis, medial to pectineus. An insulated needle is passed under US guidance and a nerve stimulator is used to elicit a twitch. Levobupivicaine is used to infiltrate the anterior branch of the obturator nerve to achieve motor block of the adductor brevis, adductor longus and gracillis muscles. TURBT is then performed. Results: This prospective pilot series includes 18 TURBT procedures. These were performed under spinal anaesthetic (n=16) or general anaesthetic without muscle relaxant (n=2). Tumours characteristics were; large flat areas of re-resection (n=5), flat bladder lesions (n=1) or exophytic lesions (n=12). There were no incidences of obturator jerk observed during TURBT (0/18). There were no intra or post-operative complications. Conclusion: This simple technique can be easily applied to patients undergoing TURBT. Larger studies are required, but our series supports the use of this technique to reduce obturator jerk, which is an important risk factors for bladder perforation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The concept of a General Practitioner with Special Interest (GPwSI) was first proposed in the 2000 National Health Service Plan, as a way of providing specialised treatment closer to the patient's home and reducing hospital waiting times. Given the patchy and inadequate provision of allergy services in the UK the introduction of GPwSIs might reduce the pressure on existing specialist services. Objectives: This study assessed what proportion of referrals to a specialist allergy clinic could be managed in a GPwSI allergy service with a predefined range of facilities and expertise (accurate diagnosis and management of allergy; skin prick testing; provision of advice on allergen avoidance; ability to assess suitability for desensitisation). Methods: 100 consecutive GP referrals to a hospital allergy clinic were reviewed to determine whether patients could be seen in a community-based clinic led by a general practitioner with special interest (GPwSI) allergy. The documentation relating to each referral was independently assessed by three allergy specialists. The referrals were judged initially on the referral letter alone and then re-assessed with the benefit of information summarised in the clinic letter, to determine whether appropriate triage decisions could be made prospectively. The proportion of referrals suitable for a GPwSI was calculated and their referral characteristics identified. Results: 29% referrals were judged unanimously appropriate for management by a GPwSI and an additional 30% by 2 of the 3 reviewers. 18% referrals were unsuitable for a GPwSI service because of the complexity of the presenting problem, patient co-morbidity or the need for specialist knowledge or facilities. Conclusions and clinical relevance: At least a quarter, and possibly half, of allergy referrals to our hospital-based service could be dealt with in a GPwSI clinic, thereby diversifying the patient pathway, allowing specialist services to focus on more complex cases and reducing the waiting time for first appointments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the Spitzer Wide-area InfraRed Extragalactic Legacy Survey (SWIRE) to explore the specific star formation activity of galaxies and their evolution near the peak of the cosmic far-infrared (FIR) background at 70 and 160 μm. We use a stacking analysis to determine the mean FIR properties of well-defined subsets of galaxies at flux levels well below the FIR catalogue detection limits of SWIRE and other Spitzer surveys. We tabulate the contribution of different subsets of galaxies to the FIR background at 70 and 160 μm. These long wavelengths provide a good constraint on the bolometric obscured emission. The large area provides good constraints at low z and in finer redshift bins than previous work. At all redshifts we find that the specific FIR luminosity decreases with increasing mass, following a trend with . This is a more continuous change than expected from the De Lucia & Blaizot semi-analytic model suggesting modifications to the feedback prescriptions. We see an increase in the specific FIR luminosity by about a factor of ∼100 from and find that the specific FIR luminosity evolves as with for galaxies with . This is considerably steeper than the De Lucia & Blaizot semi-analytic model ( ). When separating galaxies into early and late types on the basis of the optical/IR spectral energy distributions we find that the decrease in specific FIR luminosity with stellar mass is stronger in early-type galaxies ( ), while late-type galaxies exhibit a flatter trend ( ). The evolution is strong for both classes but stronger for the early-type galaxies. The early types show a trend of decreasing strength of evolution as we move from lower to higher masses while the evolution of the late-type galaxies has little dependence on stellar mass. We suggest that in late-type galaxies we are seeing a consistently declining specific star formation rate through a common phenomenon, for example, exhaustion of gas supply, i.e. not systematically dependent on the local properties of the galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive the properties of dusty tori in active galactic nuclei from the comparison of observed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of SDSS quasars and a precomputed grid of torus models. The observed SEDs comprise SDSS photometry, Two-Micron All-Sky Survey J, H and K data, whenever available, and mid-infrared (mid-IR) data from the Spitzer Wide-area InfraRed Extragalactic Survey. The adopted model is that of Fritz, Franceschini & Hatziminaoglou. The fit is performed by standard -minimization; the model, however, can be a multicomponent comprising a stellar and a starburst component, whenever necessary. Models with low equatorial optical depth, τ9.7, were allowed as well as ‘traditional’ models with , corresponding to and the results were compared. Fits using high optical depth tori models only produced dust more compactly distributed than in the configuration where all τ9.7 models were permitted. Tori with decreasing dust density with the distance from the centre were favoured while there was no clear preference for models with or without angular variation of the dust density. The computed outer radii of the tori are of some tens of parsecs large but can reach, in a few cases, a few hundreds of parsecs. The mass of dust, MDust, and IR luminosity, LIR, integrated in the wavelength range between 1 and 1000 μm, do not show significant variations with redshift, once the observational biases are taken into account. Objects with 70-μm detections, representing 25 per cent of the sample, are studied separately and the starburst contribution (whenever present) to the IR luminosity can reach, in the most extreme but very few cases, 80 per cent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the rest-frame optical and infrared colours of a complete sample of galaxies from the Spitzer Wide-Area Infrared Extragalactic (SWIRE) Legacy Survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We discuss the optical and infrared colours of our sample and analyse in detail the contribution of dusty star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN) to optically selected red sequence galaxies. We propose that the optical colour and infrared colour of galaxies in our sample are determined primarily by a bulge-to-disc ratio. The colour is found to be sensitive to the bulge-to-disc ratio for disc-dominated galaxies, whereas the colour is more sensitive for bulge-dominated systems. We identify ∼18 per cent (195 sources) of our sample as having red optical colours and infrared excess. Typically, the infrared luminosities of these galaxies are found to be at the high end of star-forming galaxies with blue optical colours. Using emission-line diagnostic diagrams, 78 are found to have an AGN contribution and 117 are identified as star-forming systems. The red colour of the star-forming galaxies could be explained by extinction. However, their high optical luminosities cannot. We conclude that they have a significant bulge component. The number densities of optically red star-forming galaxies are found to correspond to ∼13 per cent of the total number density of our sample. In addition, these systems contribute ∼13 per cent of the total optical luminosity density, and 28 per cent of the total infrared luminosity density of our SWIRE/SDSS sample. These objects may reduce the need for ‘dry mergers’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of a morphological analysis of a small subset of the Spitzer Wide-Area Infrared Extragalactic survey (SWIRE) galaxy population. The analysis is based on public Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) data taken inside the SWIRE N1 field, which are the deepest optical high-resolution imaging available within the SWIRE fields as of today. Our reference sample includes 156 galaxies detected by both ACS and SWIRE. Among the various galaxy morphologies, we disentangle two main classes, spheroids (or bulge-dominated galaxies) and disc-dominated ones, for which we compute the number counts as a function of flux. We then limit our sample to objects with Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) fluxes brighter than 10 μJy, estimated ∼90 per cent completeness limit of the SWIRE catalogues, and compare the observed counts to model predictions. We find that the observed counts of the spheroidal population agree with the expectations of a hierarchical model while a monolithic scenario predicts steeper counts. Both scenarios, however, underpredict the number of late-type galaxies. These observations show that the large majority (close to 80 per cent) of the 3.6- and 4.5-μm galaxy population, even at these moderately faint fluxes, is dominated by spiral and irregular galaxies or mergers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical solution processing of Gd2Zr2O7 (GZO) thin films via sol-gel and metalorganic decomposition (MOD) precursor routes have been studied on textured Ni-based tape substrates. Even though films processed by both techniques showed similar property characteristics, the MOD-derived samples developed a high degree of texture alignment at significantly lower temperatures. Both precursor chemistries resulted in exceptionally dense, pore-free, and smooth microstructures, reflected in the cross-sectional and plan-view high-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies. On the MOD GZO buffered Ni-3at.% W (Ni-W) substrates with additional CeO2/YSZ sputtered over layers, a 0.8-µm-thick YBa2Cu3O7-8 (YBCO) film, grown by an ex situ metalorganic trifluoroacetate precursor method, yielded critical current, Ic (77 K, self-field), of 100 A/cm width. Furthermore, using pulsed-laser deposited YBCO films, a zero-field superconducting critical current density, Jc (77 K), of 1 x 106 A/cm² was demonstrated on an all-solution, simplified CeO2(MOD)/GZO(MOD)/Ni-W architecture. The present study establishes GZO buffers as a candidate material for low-cost, all-solution coated conductor fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present multi-epoch observations of Arp 220 with the VLBA and focus on the continuum emission from the luminous radio supernovae (RSNe) whose 1.6-GHz light curves are shown. The supernovae seem to be generally stable or only slowly decaying in flux with time, a result which deviates from the model of Type IIn RSNe. Hints of new eruptions confirm that they are indeed new sources and not supernova remnants, which could be several hundred years old. The slow decay of the sources for which monitoring data were available forces us to reconsider the starburst model for Arp 220 and adopt a more modest value of 0.7 yr−1 for the supernova rate based on these new eruptions. The starburst efficiency should also be modified accordingly which gives rise to the issue of an active nucleus once more. The question is raised whether it is the starburst which creates this active nucleus, something which could affect the evolution of starburst galaxies as a group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We present MERLIN observations of the continuum (both 1.6 and 5 GHz) and OH maser emission towards Arp 220. The correct spatial configuration of the various components of the galaxy is revealed. In the eastern component the masers are shown to be generally coincident with the larger-scale continuum emission; in the west, the masers and continuum do not generally arise from the same location. A velocity gradient [(0.32 ± 0.03) km s[sup -1] pc[sup -1]] is found in the eastern nuclear region on MERLIN scales; this gradient is three times smaller than that seen in Hiand implies that the OH gas lies inside the Hi. A re-analysis of previously presented global very long baseline interferometry data reveals a very high velocity gradient [(18.67 ± 0.12) km s[sup -1] pc[sup -1]] in one component, possibly the site of a heavily obscured active galactic nucleus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of a muramidase-released protein (MRP) and extracellular factor (EF) vaccine in preventing infection and disease in pigs challenged either with a homologous or a heterologous serotype 2 strain (MRP+EF+) was compared with the efficacy of a vaccine containing formalin-killed bacterin of serotype 2 (MRP+EF+). The enhancement of the immune response by different adjuvants (a water-inoil emulsion [wo] and an aluminium hydroxide-based adjuvant [AHJ) and their side effects were also studied. The MRP and EF were purified by affinity chromatography. Pigs were vaccinated twice at three weeks and six weeks of age and challenged intravenously with virulent serotype 2 strains (MRP+EF+) at eight weeks of age. At challenge, the pigs vaccinated with MRP+EF/WO had high anti-MRP and anti-EF titres and were protected as effectively as pigs vaccinated with wo-formulated vaccines with bacterin. Eight of the nine pigs survived the challenge and almost no clinical signs of disease were observed. The titres obtained with the MRP+EF/AH vaccine were low and only two of the five pigs were protected. Pigs vaccinated with either MRP or EF were less well protected; three of the four pigs died after challenge but the clinical signs of disease were significantly less severe than those observed in the placebo-vaccinated pigs. The protective capacity of the bacterin/AH vaccine was very low, and the mortality among these pigs was as high as in the placebovaccinated pigs (80 per cent). Postmortem histological examination revealed meningitis, polyserositis and arthritis in the clinically affected pigs. The results demonstrate that a subunit vaccine containing both MRP and EF, formulated with the wo adjuvant, protected pigs against challenge with virulent type 2 strains. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]