EQ3/6 geochemical modeling task plan for Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI)

This task plan outlines work needed to upgrade the EQ3/6 geochemical code and expand the supporting data bases to allow the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations (NNWSI) to model chemical processes important to the storage of nuclear waste in a tuff repository in the unsaturated zone. The plan covers the fiscal years 1984 to 1988. The scope of work includes the development of sub-models in the EQ3/6 code package for studying the effects of sorption, precipitation kinetics, redox disequilibrium, and radiolysis on radionuclide speciation and solubility. The work also includes a glass/water interactions model and a geochemical flow model which will allow us to study waste form leaching and reactions involving the waste package. A special emphasis is placed on verification of new capabilities as they are developed and code documentation to meet NRC requirements. Data base expansion includes the addition of elements and associated aqueous species and solid phases that are specific to nuclear waste (e.g., actinides and fission products) and the upgrading and documentation of the thermodynamic data for other species of interest

‘Like I said about culture. You don't talk about mental health’: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experience of first-episode psychosis in South Asian individuals

Background There is strong evidence of inequalities in mental healthcare access, experiences and outcomes for service users belonging to Black and Asian Minority Ethnic groups experiencing psychosis. Clinicians and academics have speculated that cultural variation in conceptualisations of psychosis, alongside inequitable service provision may explain disparities. There is, however, a dearth of literature exploring this in a South Asian population, despite this ethnic group being the second largest in the United Kingdom. The present study aimed to explore how people from this minority group have experienced and made sense of first-episode psychosis (FEP). Methods A qualitative approach was used to explore the lived experience and sense-making of South Asian individuals experiencing FEP and accessing early intervention services. Eight people were interviewed using a semi-structured format. The data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results Three superordinate themes were identified in the group analysis: (1) Disconnection from self and others (2) Doubt and dispute (3) Power and shame. Conclusions Distinctive ethnic, cultural and systemic influences were strongly evident in how people conceptualized their experiences, how they managed their sense-making and where they sought support. Experiences were discussed in the context of power and shame, and this research proposes that socio-cultural context and racialised discourses have an impact on self-concept, the experiences of help-seeking (formal and informal), and fundamentally how services help individuals from marginalized communities

A tunable amorphous p-type ternary oxide system:the highly mismatched alloy of copper tin oxide

The approach of combining two mismatched materials to form an amorphous alloy was used to synthesise ternary oxides of CuO and SnO2. These materials were analysed across a range of compositions, and the electronic structure was modelled using density functional theory. In contrast to the gradual reduction in optical band gap, the films show a sharp reduction in both transparency and electrical resistivity with copper contents greater than 50%. Simulations indicate that this change is caused by a transition from a dominant Sn 5s to Cu 3d contribution to the upper valence band. A corresponding decrease in energetic disorder results in increased charge percolation pathways: a “compositional mobility edge.” Contributions from Cu(II) sub band-gap states are responsible for the reduction in optical transparency