Correlation between cohesive energy and mixing rate in ion mixing of metallic bilayers

We have compared the mixing rate of several 5d-4d metal bilayers which form ideal solutions. We observe a strong correlation between the mixing rate and the average cohesive energy of each bilayer. A model based on the thermal spike concept is proposed to explain this behavior. The model leads to a general expression describing mixing rates in metallic bilayers

Influence of chemical driving forces in ion mixing of metallic bilayers

The effective interdiffusion coefficient of metallic bilayers under ion irradiation has been correlated with the heat of mixing of corresponding binary alloys. The results are interpreted according to Darken's theory of chemically enhanced diffusion

Student experiences of learning how to teach primary physical education during the Covid-19 pandemic

This paper offers a snapshot into the unexpected and yet positive results of a small-scale survey about learning to teach Physical Education within initial teacher education and school-based settings. It shares data from four institutions about how pre-service teachers explained their learning and teaching experiences within Physical Education during the COVID-19 pandemic, often working within a number of social and physical restrictions and teaching within enforced bubbles

The effect of neural adaptation of population coding accuracy

Most neurons in the primary visual cortex initially respond vigorously when a preferred stimulus is presented, but adapt as stimulation continues. The functional consequences of adaptation are unclear. Typically a reduction of firing rate would reduce single neuron accuracy as less spikes are available for decoding, but it has been suggested that on the population level, adaptation increases coding accuracy. This question requires careful analysis as adaptation not only changes the firing rates of neurons, but also the neural variability and correlations between neurons, which affect coding accuracy as well. We calculate the coding accuracy using a computational model that implements two forms of adaptation: spike frequency adaptation and synaptic adaptation in the form of short-term synaptic plasticity. We find that the net effect of adaptation is subtle and heterogeneous. Depending on adaptation mechanism and test stimulus, adaptation can either increase or decrease coding accuracy. We discuss the neurophysiological and psychophysical implications of the findings and relate it to published experimental data.Comment: 35 pages, 8 figure

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Fit2Learn motor sensory integration programme on children’s capacity to learn

BACKGROUND Many children in the UK are trying to cope with the demands of the schooling system without full sensory integration. The includes: 1. Motor skills: postural control and bi-lateral integration of motor skills, which should be in place by 7 years old, are absent 2. 80% of children under 5 years old experience an inner ear infection (Berman, 1994) which suppresses the inner ear’s ability to process sound. This sound processing abilities are not checked or on the national agenda despite the impact on global development via the vestibular system 3. Binocular vision and visual processing skills are not checked or on anyone’s agenda 4. With the retention of primitive reflexes, a child may never reach their full cognitive potential (Berne, 2006). These are the foundation of proprioception (i.e. the sense of where one is in space) which can increase anxiety and sense of well-being. PURPOSE We worked with a small group of young people in alternative provision and secondary school settings who were recognised to be at risk from poor emotional and mental wellbeing, to improve their development and confidence, and subsequently, their capacity to learn. Within this project, the young people took part in a range of specific activities designed by Fit2Learn in school to help their motor-sensory development. By providing this targeted support to young people, this program was intended to improve their future opportunities by providing them with the readiness to learn, and improve their movement competence, self-confidence and motivation to make more positive life choices, influencing their future education and employment. The Fit 2 Learn program has proven to be successful in supporting children to overcome motor skill deficiencies and improve their sensory system. This has enabled the children to become more functional learners and engage better within a mainstream learning environment. RESEARCH AIMS The research objectives are three-fold: 1. Examine the relationship between completing the Fit2Learn program and children's readiness to learn. 2. Examine how completing the Fit2Learn program influences children's engagement in the classroom. 3. Evaluate the feasibility of the Fit2Learn program being implemented in school by teachers

SLIMS—a user-friendly sample operations and inventory management system for genotyping labs

Summary: We present the Sample-based Laboratory Information Management System (SLIMS), a powerful and user-friendly open source web application that provides all members of a laboratory with an interface to view, edit and create sample information. SLIMS aims to simplify common laboratory tasks with tools such as a user-friendly shopping cart for subjects, samples and containers that easily generates reports, shareable lists and plate designs for genotyping. Further key features include customizable data views, database change-logging and dynamically filled pre-formatted reports. Along with being feature-rich, SLIMS' power comes from being able to handle longitudinal data from multiple time-points and biological sources. This type of data is increasingly common from studies searching for susceptibility genes for common complex diseases that collect thousands of samples generating millions of genotypes and overwhelming amounts of data. LIMSs provide an efficient way to deal with this data while increasing accessibility and reducing laboratory errors; however, professional LIMS are often too costly to be practical. SLIMS gives labs a feasible alternative that is easily accessible, user-centrically designed and feature-rich. To facilitate system customization, and utilization for other groups, manuals have been written for users and developers