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Spintronic devices, such as spin Hall oscillators (SHOs) and spin transfer torque oscillators, have become popular candidates for use as the reservoir in the reservoir computing (RC) architecture. The memory capacity of a reservoir quantifies the amount of information retained at any given time, indicating its significance for different RC tasks. In this work, we consider an SHO, consisting of a bilayer structure of platinum/Permalloy, as the reservoir. Using micromagnetic simulations, we evaluate the change in memory capacity of the SHO system as the magnetization dynamics varies from transient state oscillations to limit cycle oscillations. We also perform a three-bit parity task to study the performance of the oscillator in carrying out a nonlinear task. A time series prediction task, namely, the nonlinear auto regressive moving average (NARMA)2 task, is also performed. The results of both tasks confirm a correlation between the evaluated memory capacity of the reservoir and its efficiency in performing temporal tasks. The best performance in RC tasks is observed when the output magnetization dynamics of the oscillator consists of both transient state and limit cycle oscillations.

The impurity incorporation in host high spin-orbit coupling materials like platinum (Pt) has shown improved charge-to-spin conversion efficiency by modifying the up-spin and down-spin electrons trajectories via bending or skewing them in opposite directions. This enables efficient generation, manipulation, and transport of spin currents. In this study, we irradiated the Pt thin films with pulsed hot dense oxygen plasma in non-focus mode operation and analyzed the spin Hall angle of the oxygen plasma irradiated Pt films using spin torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR). Our results demonstrate a 2.4 times enhancement in the spin Hall angle after transient oxygen plasma treatment of Pt as compared to pristine Pt. This improvement might be because of the introduction of disorder and defects in the Pt lattice due to transient oxygen plasma processing, which enhanced the spin-orbit coupling and leads to more efficient charge-to-spin conversion without breaking the spin-orbit torque symmetries. Our findings offer a new method of dense plasma focus device-based modification of material for the development of advanced spintronic devices based on Pt and other heavy metals.

Although the Labour government has repeatedly pledged its commitment to the NHS, its latest reforms pave the way for multiple providers of health care The Health and Social Care (Community [...]

Urban renewal in Atlanta was begun with Jimmy Carter's Atlanta Project (TAP), geared to improving social and economic life in Atlanta, where deep social divisions mean there are problems of homelessness, crime, infant mortality and poor school attendance. Loans are sought from the private sector, with TAP officials speeding up the process of govt decision making. There is a need for greater integration of poorer people into the labor market, and there are limits to what can be achieved without investment in Atlanta's inner city areas.

Species invasions in marine ecosystems pose a threat to native fish communities and can disrupt the food webs that support valuable commercial and recreational fisheries. In the Gulf of Mexico, densities of invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish, Pterois volitansand P. miles, are among the highest in their invaded range. In a workshop setting held over a 2-week period, we adapted an existing trophic dynamic model of the West Florida Shelf, located in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, to simulate the lionfish (both species) invasion and community effects over a range of harvest scenarios for both lionfish and native predators. Our results suggest small increases in lionfish harvest can reduce peak biomass by up to 25% and also that reduced harvest of native reef fish predators can lead to lower lionfish densities. This model can help managers identify target harvest and benefits of a lionfish fishery and inform the assessment and management of valuable reef fish fisheries.

In England, several organisations, generically known as 'infrastructure' bodies, provide advice and technical support to the voluntary and community sector. They typically maintain listings of their members and of other contacts both within the voluntary sector and beyond. This article presents an analysis of what can be learned from such listings. In particular, there is a discussion of the characteristics of the organisations (including unregulated third sector organisations) that appear on these listings, of variations between infrastructure bodies in the kind of information they capture and of differences between the kinds of regulated third sector organisations that appear on the listings and the ones that do not. The article discusses the implications of these findings for research that uses the listings as source material to investigate the activities of the infrastructure bodies or the characteristics of the local voluntary and community sector they serve.

IN a previous paper we reported on the extent of district health authority (DHA) variability in mortal ity from coronary heart disease in England. In this paper we discuss two issues: possible methods for setting target levels of mortality for individual DHAs, and the implications of the variations for action by those involved in health education and health pro motion. We are not suggesting that targets should be 'top down', but that districts should be able to assess an appropriate contribution to a national target, tak ing account of local circumstances. In addition, local targets should not be an excuse for inaction at national level. A commitment is required, not least from central government, in pursuing progressive public health measures, including issues of food pol icy and strict price and advertising control of smok ing.

The 1979 election of the Conservative Government in Britain was not followed by the demolition of the welfare state. However, a variety of policy initiatives were introduced both to restructure National Health Service (NHS) expenditure, and to facilitate private provision of health services. This article considers the effects of such policies on the existing and future distribution of health care resources. A historical introduction discusses the main thrusts of conservative welfare policy. This is followed by an examination of the current financial situation of NHS authorities, at the regional and sub-regional scales; the political response to the 1983 manpower reductions is also considered. Events in the NHS are then contrasted with the deregulation of the private sector. The emergence and distribution of commercial acute hospitals are examined, as are other initiatives designed to transfer some of the financial burden of welfare provision away from the state. A concluding section compares and contrasts these developments and considers prospects for the future form of health care provision in Britain.

This paper reviews evidence concerning the recent growth of volunteerism among college students in the USA. It describes the various pressures to expand such activities and outlines steps being taken to promote them. Reforms of student financial aid can be used to facilitate service among students who would otherwise have to engage in substantial paid work to afford education, while educational institutions are taking numerous steps, most notably through integrating community service and academic study, to promote such involvement. The more general issues raised by all this are: the likely impacts on servers and served of this activity; whether education-based community service has demonstrable educational benefits; its impact on higher education institutions; and the wider impacts in terms of political attitudes and behaviour.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles published in previous issues including "Horsepower High" and "Roddin' at Random" published in the May 2007 and "Gearhead Life," published in the April 2007 issue.

Opinion. Argues that President Bill Clinton's plan to engage youth in socially useful national service can be a cause for political abuse. British politician's call for some form of compulsory community service; Danger that national service could be a coercive part of a workfare agenda; Educational arguments for national service; More.