Using financial data to identify changes in bank condition

An empirical study using an early-warning bank failure prediction model and call-report data to predict deterioration in a bank's condition.Bank supervision ; Bank failures

Forecasting The South African Business Cycle Using Fourier Analysis

A Fourier transform analysis is proposed to determine the duration of the South African business cycle, measured using log changes in nominal gross domestic product (GDP). The most prominent cycle (two smaller, but significant, cycles are also present in the time series) is found to be 7.1 years, confirmed using Empirical Mode Decomposition. The three dominant cycles are used to estimate a 3.5 year forecast of log monthly nominal GDP and these forecasts compared to observed (historical) data. Promising forecast potential is found with this significantly-reduced number of cycle components than embedded in the original series. Fourier analysis is effective in estimating the length of the business cycle, as well as in determining the current position (phase) of the economy in the business cycle

The potential of Ascophyllum nodosum to accelerate green waste composting

Millions of tonnes of green waste are produced annually in the UK. Composting usually extends to more than two months as well as producing greenhouse gases that can affect the environment if not optimised. We proposed a potential approach to use the algal extract from Ascophyllum nodosum as a compost accelerator. Seaweed-based treatments offer an economical and effective biological solution that activates and stabilises organic matter decomposition, promoting better carbon sequestration. Reducing both the cost and time associated with widely used composting approaches. The seaweed was collected from the Scottish coastline, extracted, and formulated to enhance application. Its effects on the timeline of the composting process were systematically investigated through physical, biological, and observational quantification. The emission of gases, the pH, temperature, humidity, consistency, and microbial growth of the compost were studied. Interestingly, the results showed that the compost reached a stable state within six weeks, with lower ammonia and carbon dioxide production. The use of this formulation can minimise expense, reduce resources used, and also lower the levels of harmful volatile organics. This approach is economically beneficial and environmentally crucial in compost formation, controlling contamination, and carbon sequestration optimisation

Interstellar medium disruption in the Centaurus A group

We present the results of a 21 cm neutral hydrogen (HI) line detection experiment in the direction of 18 low luminosity dwarf galaxies of the Centaurus A group, using the Australia Telescope National Facility 64m Parkes Radio Telescope and the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Five dwarfs have HI masses between M_HI=4x10^5 to M_HI=2.1x10^7 Msol and 0.04<M_HI/L_B<1.81 Msol L_{sol, B}^-1. The other 13 have upper-limits between M_HI<5x10^5 and M_HI<4x10^6 Msol (M_HI}/L_B<0.24 Msol L_{sol, B}^-1). Two of the mixed-morphology dwarfs remain undetected in HI, a situation that is in contrast to that of similar Local Group and Sculptor group objects where all contain significant amounts of neutral gas. There is a discontinuity in the HI properties of Centaurus A group low luminosity dwarfs that is unobserved amongst Sculptor group dwarfs. All objects fainter than M_B=-13 have either M_HI>10^7 Msol or M_HI<10^6 Msol. This gap may be explained by the ram pressure stripping mechanism at work in this dense environment where all galaxies with M_HI<10^7 Msol have been stripped of their gas. The required intergalactic medium density to achieve this is ~10^-3 cm^-3.Comment: 7 figures, 2 table

The brown seaweeds of Scotland, their importance and applications

More than 50% of the UK coastline is situated in Scotland under legislative jurisdiction; therefore, there is a great opportunity for regionally focused economic development by the rational use of sustainable marine bio-sources. We review the importance of seaweeds in general, and more specifically, wrack brown seaweeds which are washed from the sea and accumulated in the wrack zone and their economic impact. Rules and regulations governing the harvesting of seaweed, potential sites for harvesting, along with the status of industrial application are discussed. We describe extraction and separation methods of natural products from these seaweeds along with their phytochemical profiles. Many potential applications for these derivatives exist in agriculture, energy, nutrition, biomaterials, waste treatment (composting), pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and other applications. The chemical diversity of the natural compounds present in these seaweeds is an opportunity to further investigate a range of chemical scaffolds, evaluate their biological activities, and develop them for better pharmaceutical or biotechnological applications. The key message is the significant opportunity for the development of high value products from a seaweed processing industry in Scotland, based on a sustainable resource, and locally regulated

Thin film properties by blister tests

With the measured geometry morphologies of telephone cord blisters (TCBs), that is, the local blister width and height, and the global wavelength, a mechanical model is built to determine the residual compressive stress in thin films and interface adhesion toughness. This model is based on the hypothesis that pockets of energy concentration (PECs) drive the nucleation and growth of TCBs in thin films under the constant residual stress. The model is validated with independent experimental measurements and shows the strong potential to guide the fabrication of micro-patterns on thin films

On spallation of EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings on turbine blades

Room temperature blistering and spallation failures reduce the life time of thermal barrier coatings (TBC). Based on the theory of pockets of energy concentration, a mechanical model for the multilayer circular blister is presented, considering the variable material properties through the coating thickness. Con-ditions are revealed analytically for nucleation, propagation and the spallation of TBC blisters. The predictions from the mechanical model on radii for TBC blister unstable growth and spallation are in good agreement with experimental results. Furthermore, this model is beneficial to determine the interface fracture tough-ness and the residual stress in the coating system

A new spallation mechanism of thermal barrier coatings on aero-engine turbine blades

Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the spallation behaviour of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) on aero-engine turbine blades manufactured by the electron-beam physical vapour deposition technique (EB-PVD). Intact blades were heated at temperature 1135°C in a furnace for certain time and then cooled to the room temperature in the laboratory condition. It was found that no spallation occurred during cooling, but spallation happened at constant room temperature after cooling. The spallation mechanism is studied by using the mechanical model developed by Wang, Harvey et al. (2017a, 2017b), which are based on the hypothesis of pockets of energy concentration (PECs). Some observations of the spallation behaviour are well predicted by the model

Determination of mode I and II adhesion toughness of Monolayer thin films by circular blister tests

Mechanical models are developed to determine the mode I and II adhesion toughness of monolayer thin films using circular blister tests under the pressure load. The interface fracture of monolayer thin film blisters is mode I dominant for linear bending with small deflection while it is mode II dominant for membrane stretching with large deflection. By taking the advantage of the large mode mixity difference between these two limiting cases, the mode I and II adhesion toughness are determined in conjunction with a linear failure criterion. Thin films under membrane stretching have larger adhesion toughness than thicker films under bending. Experimental results demonstrate the validity of the method