Electro-oxidation of Ethanol on Carbon Supported PtSn and PtSnNi Catalysts

Even though platinum is known as an active electro-catalyst for ethanol oxidation at low temperatures (< 100 oC), choosing the electrode material for ethanol electro-oxidation is a crucial issue. It is due to its property which easily poisoned by a strong adsorbed species such as CO. PtSn-based electro-catalysts have been identified as better catalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation. The third material is supposed to improved binary catalysts performance. This work presents a study of the ethanol electro-oxidation on carbon supported Pt-Sn and Pt-Sn-Ni catalysts. These catalysts were prepared by alcohol reduction. Nano-particles with diameters between 2.5-5.0 nm were obtained. The peak of (220) crystalline face centred cubic (fcc) Pt phase for PtSn and PtSnNi alloys was repositioned due to the presence of Sn and/or Ni in the alloy. Furthermore, the modification of Pt with Sn and SnNi improved ethanol and CO electro-oxidation. Copyright © 2016 BCREC GROUP. All rights reserved Received: 10th November 2015; Revised: 1st February 2016; Accepted: 1st February 2016 How to Cite: Hidayati, N., Scott, K. (2016). Electro-oxidation of Ethanol on Carbon Supported PtSn and PtSnNi Catalysts. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 11 (1): 10-20. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.11.1.394.10-20) Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.11.1.394.10-2

Parental Substance Abuse and Foster Care: Evidence from Two Methamphetamine Supply Shocks

Foster care caseloads have almost doubled over the last two decades, but the cause of the growth is poorly understood. We study the role of parental methamphetamine (meth) use, which social workers have linked to recent growth in foster care admissions. To mitigate the impact of omitted variable bias, we take advantage of two significant, exogenous supply-side interventions in meth markets in 1995 and 1997, and find robust evidence that meth use has caused growth in foster care caseloads. Further, we identify the mechanisms by which increased meth use caused an increase in foster care caseloads. First, we find that treatment for meth abuse caused foster caseloads to fall in situations where a child was removed because of parental incarceration, suggesting that substance abuse treatment is a substitute for foster care services and more generally an effective demand-side intervention. Secondly, we find that parental meth use causes an increase in both child abuse and child neglect foster care cases. These results suggest that child welfare policies should be designed specifically for the children of meth-using parents.child welfare, illegal drugs, crime

ATCA HI Observations of the NGC 6845 Galaxy Group

We present the results of ATCA HI line and 20-cm radio continuum observations of the galaxy Quartet NGC 6845. The HI emission extends over all four galaxies but can only be associated clearly with the two spiral galaxies, NGC 6845A and B, which show signs of strong tidal interaction. We derive a total HI mass of at least 1.8 x 10^10 Msun, most of which is associated with NGC 6845A, the largest galaxy of the group. We investigate the tidal interaction between NGC 6845A and B by studying the kinematics of distinct HI components and their relation to the known HII regions. No HI emission is detected from the two lenticular galaxies, NGC 6845C and D. A previously uncatalogued dwarf galaxy, ATCA J2001-4659, was detected 4.4' NE from NGC 6845B and has an HI mass of about 5 x 10^8 Msun. No HI bridge is visible between the group and its newly detected companion. Extended 20-cm radio continuum emission is detected in NGC 6845A and B as well as in the tidal bridge between the two galaxies. We derive star formation rates of 15 to 40 Msun/yr.Comment: accepted, to be published in MNRAS, for more details and the full ps-file see http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/bkoribal/ngc684

Four econometric models and monetary policy: the longer-run view

Econometric models ; Monetary policy

Thoughts about a General Theory of Influence in a DIME/PMESII/ASCOP/IRC2 Model

The leading question of this paper is: “How would influence warfare (“iWar”) work and how can we simulate it?” The paper discusses foundational aspects of a theory and model of influence warfare by discussing a framework built along the DIME/PMESII/ASCOP dimension forming a prism with three axes. The DIME concept groups the many instruments of power a nation state can muster into four categories: Diplomacy, Information, Military and Economy. PMESII describes the operational environment in six domains: Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information and Infrastructure. ASCOPE is used in counter insurgency (COIN) environments to analyze the cultural and human environment (aka the “human terrain”) and encompasses Areas, Structures, Capabilities, Organization, People and Events. In addition, the model reflects about aspects of information collection requirements (ICR) and information capabilities requirements (ICR) - hence DIME/PMESII/ASCOP/ICR2. This model was developed from an influence wargame that was conducted in October 2018. This paper introduces basic methodical questions around model building in general and puts a special focus on building a framework for the problem space of influence/information/hybrid warfare takes its shape in. The article tries to describe mechanisms and principles in the information/influence space using cross discipline terminology (e.g. physics, chemistry and literature). On a more advanced level this article contributes to the Human, Social, Culture, Behavior (HSCB) models and community. One goal is to establish an academic, multinational and whole of government influence wargamer community. This paper introduces the idea of the perception field understood as a molecule of a story or narrative that influences an observer. This molecule can be drawn as a selection of vectors that can be built inside the DIME/PMESII/ASCOP prism. Each vector can be influenced by a shielding or shaping action. These ideas were explored in this influence wargame

Motion Hub, the implementation of an integrated end-to-end journey planner

© AET 2018 and contributorsThe term “eMobility” and been brought into use partly to encourage use of electric vehicles but more especially to focus on the transformation from electric vehicles as products to electrified personal transport as a service. Under the wider umbrella of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) this has accompanied the growth of car clubs in general. The Motion Hub project has taken this concept a step further to include not just the car journey but the end-to-end journey. The booking of multifaceted journeys is well established in the leisure and business travel industries, where flights, car hire and hotels are regularly booked with a single transaction on a website. To complete an end-to-end scenario Motion Hub provides integration of public transport with electric vehicle and electric bike use. Building on a previous InnovateUK funded project that reviewed the feasibility of an integrated journey management system, the Motion Hub project has brought together a Car Club, a University, and EV infrastructure company, a bicycle hire company with electric bicycle capabilities and a municipality to implement a scheme and test it on the ground. At the heart of the project has been the development of a website that integrates the public transport booking with the hire of electric vehicles or bicycles. Taking the implementation to a fully working system accessible to members of the public presents a number of significant challenges. This paper identifies those challenges, details the progress and success of the Motion Hub and sets out the lessons learnt about end-to-end travel. The project was fortunate to have as its municipal partner the Council of a sizeable South East England town, Southend-on-Sea. With a population of 174,800 residents with good road, rail and air links there is considerable traffic in and out of the town. The Council has already shown its commitment to sustainable transport. In the previous six years it had installed a number of electric vehicle charging points for use by the public and latterly had trialled car club activity. An early challenge in the project was the location of physical infrastructure in an already crowded municipal space in order to provide the local ‘spokes’ of the system. In addition to its existing charging points, Southend now has four locations where electric cars can be hired, five where electric bikes are available and the local resources to maintain these assets. Combining a number of web-based services and amalgamating their financial transactions is relatively straightforward. However, introducing the potential for public transport ticketing as well raises additional security, scale and financial constraints. The project has engaged with major players and regulators across the public transport industry.Peer reviewe

Monetary aggregates as monetary indicators

Money supply

Words For A Wired World: Cybersecurity As Communicative Art

In this paper I propose to examine the Snowden affair as a cultural and communicative phenomenon, looking at the ways in which the discussions around it have been framed and presented by his supporters, his detractors, and by Snowden himself. Drawing on a range of texts, but focusing primarily on the 2014 graphic novel "Beyond Edward Snowden", Snowden’s 2014 TED talk and the response to this by NSA deputy director Richard Ledgett, I will seek to present a study which, drawing on Critical Discourse Analysis, corpus linguistics and Lakoff’s theories of “frames”, allows us to better understand the ways in which this event has been “read” by the various sides. The Snowden case exemplifies the challenge faced by those working within cybersecurity to present their activities (above all those which involve the monitoring of the general public and the capture of data concerning them) in a way which appears reasonable and truthful, and which is expressed in a way which matches the vision of the world held by the intended audience. In a climate of ever-growing distrust of officialdom and government in general, there is a desperate need to find a more effective manner of stating the case against the actions of individuals such as Snowden, Manning, and Assange (to say nothing of the activities of groups such as Anonymous). The metaphor of cybersecurity as a war is both powerful and valid, but it is a conflict where the weapons must be both technical and verbal

Phobic Cartography: a Human-Centred, Communicative Analysis of the Cyber Threat Landscape

This paper outlines the first stages of a research project mapping the cyber threat landscape. The proliferation and interconnection of networked devices and the ever-growing numbers of users able to damage (accidentally or deliberately) the integrity of this system of systems leads to cyber security adopting a reactive and defensive stance, in which we devise policy on the basis of what has happened, rather than what may happen, or what we pray will never happen. Simultaneously, the growth of the domain leads to silo thinking, and a lack of communication between public and private, civilian and military sectors; there is a need for a synoptic examination of the field, pooling the knowledge of practitioners from across the discipline. This paper will present the development of the initial proof of concept study, outlining: a. use of a blended methodology, combining automated quantitative analysis (via Corpus Linguistics tools) with qualitative study (via Critical Discourse Analysis); b. ethical issues involved in obtaining, storing, and handling of the data; c. a discussion of initial hypotheses; d. the intended plan of campaign for moving the project from pilot stage to its full scope; e. proposals as to how this project may act as a driver for innovation and greater resilience in devising effective cyber security policy. Mediaeval maps often contained blank space, labelled 'Terra Incognita' and 'Here Be Monsters'; this project will develop a more detailed cartography of the threat landscape of the cyber domain, filling in the blanks and identifying the 'monsters' we fear. This is an innovative project, examining empirical data drawn from respondents across the discipline, and offers a new way of examining the challenges we face. It allows us to develop a more accurate picture of the threat landscape, and to evaluate what risks we may be ignoring