Culture Clash— or a Class in Culture?

Understanding local context and realities may help animal welfare advocates oversea

Enabling long journeys in electric vehicles:design and demonstration of an infrastructure location model

This research develops a methodology and model formulation which suggests locations for rapid chargers to help assist infrastructure development and enable greater battery electric vehicle (BEV) usage. The model considers the likely travel patterns of BEVs and their subsequent charging demands across a large road network, where no prior candidate site information is required. Using a GIS-based methodology, polygons are constructed which represent the charging demand zones for particular routes across a real-world road network. The use of polygons allows the maximum number of charging combinations to be considered whilst limiting the input intensity needed for the model. Further polygons are added to represent deviation possibilities, meaning that placement of charge points away from the shortest path is possible, given a penalty function. A validation of the model is carried out by assessing the expected demand at current rapid charging locations and comparing to recorded empirical usage data. Results suggest that the developed model provides a good approximation to real world observations, and that for the provision of charging, location matters. The model is also implemented where no prior candidate site information is required. As such, locations are chosen based on the weighted overlay between several different routes where BEV journeys may be expected. In doing so many locations, or types of locations, could be compared against one another and then analysed in relation to siting practicalities, such as cost, land permission and infrastructure availability. Results show that efficient facility location, given numerous siting possibilities across a large road network can be achieved. Slight improvements to the standard greedy adding technique are made by adding combination weightings which aim to reward important long distance routes that require more than one charge to complete

Impact of driver behaviour on availability of electric vehicle stored energy for STOR

As take up of low carbon vehicles increase, there is interest in using the energy stored in the vehicles to help maintain system frequency through ancillary services on the electricity grid system. Research into this area is generally classed as vehicle-to-grid research. In theory, the energy available from electric vehicles could be directly correlated to the vehicle's state of charge (SoC) and battery capacity during the time the car is parked and plugged in. However, not all the energy in the vehicle may be used, as some capacity is required by the driver for their next journey. As such, this paper uses data captured as part of a large scale electric vehicle trial to investigate the effect of three different types of driver routine on vehicle-to-grid availability. Each driver's behaviour is analysed to assess the energy that is available for STOR, with follow on journey requirements also considered

An investigation of the skin barrier restoring effects of a cream and lotion containing ceramides in a multi-vesicular emulsion in people with dry, eczema-prone, skin: The RESTORE study phase 1

Introduction The replenishment of skin lipids depleted in the dry skin state is a desirable therapeutic target to restore skin moisturization; however, there is limited evidence demonstrating the success of this approach through the use of topical emollients. The purpose of this study was to provide evidence of the benefits of a cream and equivalent lotion containing skin lipids in a multi-vesicular emulsion for the management of dry skin. The hypothesis was that the test cream and test lotion could sustain skin moisturization for longer than traditional emollients by sustainably delivering skin lipids. Methods A double-blind intra-subject vehicle-controlled single open-application test on the lower legs in people with dry, atopic dermatitis (atopic eczema)-prone, skin was conducted. There were six treatment sites, three per lower leg in each participant, which were treated with the test cream, the test lotion, three reference creams commonly prescribed in the UK and no treatment as a control. After baseline measurements of skin hydration, 100 μl of the test/reference creams was applied to each of the relevant treatment sites (random site allocation). Following treatment, measurements of skin hydration and scoring of visual dryness was conducted at timed intervals (3, 6, 12 and 24 h post-product application). Results The test cream and lotion both significantly increased skin hydration and reduced skin dryness for at least 24 h following a single application compared to a no treatment control site. Compared to three reference emollient creams the test cream and test lotion were the only products capable of sustaining clinically meaningful improvements in skin moisturization for 24 h. Conclusion The sustained moisturization imparted by the test products reduces the need for frequent emollient application, often requiring 3–4 applications per day for traditional emollients, and should reduce the high burden of managing dry skin conditions like atopic dermatitis

The effect of an emollient containing urea, ceramide NP, and lactate on skin barrier structure and function in older people with dry skin

Xerosis affects up to 75% of older people and develops as a result of a skin barrier defect. Emollients are widely used to treat xerosis; however, there is limited understanding of the differences between them and their effects on the skin barrier in older people. This study aimed to compare the effect of a commercially available emollient containing 5% urea, ceramide NP and lactate (test emollient) to an alternative emollient without these additives (control emollient) on the properties of the skin barrier in older people. Two cohorts of 21 volunteers aged 60+ years with dry skin were recruited. The first applied the test emollient to one forearm and no treatment to the other for 28-days. The second compared the test emollient to the control emollient observing the same parameters. Effects on the skin barrier were determined by measuring skin barrier function, hydration, skin surface pH and by analyzing FTIR spectra before and after treatment. A third cohort of 6 young adults was recruited to investigate the effect of a single treatment with the test emollient on the molecular structure of the skin barrier at greater depths by employing the tape-stripping technique. The test emollient hydrated the skin to a significantly greater extent and for a longer period of time compared to the control emollient, an effect associated with a significant elevation of carboxylate groups (a marker of NMF content) within the stratum corneum. Furthermore, the test emollient imparted additional benefits to the structure and function of the skin barrier not exhibited by the control emollient. In conclusion the test emollient addressed the pathological features of xerotic aged skin, supporting its use as first-line therapy for xerotic skin conditions in this population

Isotropic atomic layer etching of GaN using SF₆ plasma and Al(CH₃)₃

GaN is an enabling material for light emitting diodes, advanced radio frequency, and power semiconductor devices. However, fabrication of GaN devices often relies on harsh etch processes, which can leave an etch damage layer, limiting final device performance. In this work, an isotropic atomic layer etching (ALE) process involving SF6 plasma and trimethylaluminium [Al(CH3)3] is presented for the controlled etching of GaN, which reduces oxygen and carbon contamination while smoothing the surface. The ALE chemistry was first examined with density functional theory. A comparison between proposed thermal and plasma-driven reactions is made by implementing Natarajan-Elliott analysis, highlighting that the plasma process is a good candidate for GaN ALE. Saturation was experimentally confirmed for both ALE half-cycles at 150 and 300 °C, with etch rates of 0.31 ± 0.01 and 0.40 ± 0.02 nm/cycle, respectively. Analysis of the films post-ALE shows that the RMS roughness of the films decreases from 2.6 ± 0.1 to 1.9 ± 0.1 nm after 25 nm of etching at 300 °C, in agreement with a previously developed curvature-dependent smoothing model. Taken together, this ALE process enables accurate GaN thickness tuning, surface cleaning, and surface smoothing, allowing for further development of GaN devices.</p

Quantification of natural moisturizing factors at the skin surface using a portable infrared spectrometer device: a pilot, calibration model

Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a useful technique for the molecular analysis of surfaces, including the skin, with promising translational clinical potential. Skin‐surface levels of natural moisturizing factor (NMF) are a biomarker of filaggrin (FLG) status (both inherited and acquired) and skin dryness. FLG‐related atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with more severe and persistent disease. The objective of this study was to combine FTIR with chemometric analysis to generate a pilot calibration model for the in vivo quantification of NMF at the skin surface using a portable FTIR device. This study was performed in a climate‐controlled, skin barrier suite located at the University of Sheffield, U.K. patients with either healthy skin or AD were recruited from the local Sheffield community, and informed consent was obtained prior to enrolment in the study. A diagnosis of AD was made using the U.K. working party criteria, and disease severity was classified by the Eczema Area and Severity Index score. Genotyping for the five most common European loss‐of‐function FLG mutations was performed from buccal swabs. FTIR spectra of 4‐cm−1 resolution were collected from the volar forearm and antecubital fossa in conjunction with tape strips for the quantification of NMF components by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and o‐phthaldialdehyde derivatization. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and stratum corneum hydration (SCH) measurements were collected as an assessment of barrier function. Ethical permission for this study was granted by the National Health Service Trent research ethics committee. Partial least‐squares regression modelling of absorbance in the mid infrared spectral region (1710–1185 cm−1) with skin‐surface NMF components determined by HPLC generated a predictive r2 value of 0.90. Modelling was superior on the antecubital fossa compared with the forearm, presumably due to the increased FTIR signal obtained from this site. Predicted NMF values correlated with FLG status, TEWL and SCH. FTIR combined with chemometric analysis is a suitable technique for the instantaneous in vivo quantification of NMF at the skin surface. The use of a portable FTIR device makes this methodology suitable for any clinical setting, with the potential to inform long‐term treatment strategies in AD