High Impulse Research Articles

Impulsivity and aggression as risk factors for internet gaming disorder among university students

Internet gaming addiction is a global problem, especially among young individuals. Exhibiting characteristics similar to other addictions, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is linked to adverse mental health outcomes. Identified as risk factors for dependence behaviors, the association of impulsivity and aggression with IGD is relatively under-researched in the student population. The present sample of 350 university students (Mage = 21.30 years, SDage = 4.96 years) from Najran university in Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire that included the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short-Form (IGDS9-SF), the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-15). Results indicated that impulsivity and aggression were positively associated with IGD severity and both personality traits explained 34.6% of the variance in IGD scores. Further bivariate analyses suggested that individuals spending 7 or more hours on internet gaming were more likely to exhibit high impulsivity and aggression, and had a relatively higher severity of IGD. These results suggest that individuals with these personality traits may be more vulnerable to developing an addiction to internet gaming. These findings need to be confirmed in future more robust studies; however, this exploratory study provides insights for potential programs to prevent IGD among young individuals.

New Method for Determining Azimuths of ELF Signals Associated With the Global Thunderstorm Activity and the Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption

AbstractA new method is proposed for deriving extremely low frequency (ELF) wave arrival azimuths using the wide range of signal amplitudes, contrary to previously applied high amplitude impulses only. The method is applied to observations from our new magnetic sensor in the Hylaty station with an 18 bit dynamic range and a 3 kHz sampling frequency. We analyzed a day of 15 January 2022, to test the procedure against the ability to extract ELF signals generated during the Hunga Tonga volcano eruption. With complementary filtering of power line 50 Hz signatures, precise azimuth information can be extracted for waves from a multitude of thunderstorms on Earth varying during the day at different azimuths. A phenomenon of successive regular variation—decay or activation—of thunderstorms activity with varying azimuth is observed, possibly due to passing over the solar (day/night) terminator, and signatures of azimuth direction change during this passage can be noted. We also show that the erupting Hunga Tonga volcano associated impulses dispersed due to a long propagation path are clearly revealed in the azimuth distribution with analysis using parameters fitted to measure slowly varying signals, but not for fast varying impulses. We show that the Hunga Tonga related signals arrive from the azimuth ≈10° smaller than the geographic great circle path. The discrepancy is believed to be due to propagation through the polar region and in the vicinity of the solar terminator.

Comparative environmental assessment of coated ferritic steels suited to steam turbines of coal-fired supercritical and ultra-supercritical power plants

Coated ferritic steels are the most common materials used for steam turbines construction in coal-fired power plants operating at supercritical and ultra-supercritical conditions of pressure and temperature because of their corrosion and oxidation resistance. However, the environmental implications associated to the steel-coating system have not been fully investigated to choose the best option in terms of sustainability.This work presents three types of ferritic steels as well as three coatings with its corresponding deposition technique, normally used in these environments. The designated materials are P91, P92 and VM12 ferritic steels, while the selected protective coatings are Ni50Cr applied by High-Velocity Oxi Fuel Spray (HVOF), CrN/NbN applied by High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) and slurry aluminide applied by painting and diffusion heat treatment. Taking these data as a starting point, comparative Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and economic analysis are performed.This work aims to contribute to better understanding of environmental damages as well as the importance of considering the technical and environmental assessment in the steel-coating selection. The results obtained indicated that the P92 ferritic steel coated with slurry aluminide had the best performance. On the other hand, CrN/NbN coating showed the greater impacts in all the categories studied.

Pramipexole restores behavioral inhibition in highly impulsive rats through a paradoxical modulation of frontostriatal networks

Impulse control disorders (ICDs), a wide spectrum of maladaptive behaviors which includes pathological gambling, hypersexuality and compulsive buying, have been recently suggested to be triggered or aggravated by treatments with dopamine D2/3 receptor agonists, such as pramipexole (PPX). Despite evidence showing that impulsivity is associated with functional alterations in corticostriatal networks, the neural basis of the exacerbation of impulsivity by PPX has not been elucidated. Here we used a hotspot analysis to assess the functional recruitment of several corticostriatal structures by PPX in male rats identified as highly (HI), moderately impulsive (MI) or with low levels of impulsivity (LI) in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). PPX dramatically reduced impulsivity in HI rats. Assessment of the expression pattern of the two immediate early genes C-fos and Zif268 by in situ hybridization subsequently revealed that PPX resulted in a decrease in Zif268 mRNA levels in different striatal regions of both LI and HI rats accompanied by a high impulsivity specific reduction of Zif268 mRNA levels in prelimbic and cingulate cortices. PPX also decreased C-fos mRNA levels in all striatal regions of LI rats, but only in the dorsolateral striatum and nucleus accumbens core (NAc Core) of HI rats. Structural equation modeling further suggested that the anti-impulsive effect of PPX was mainly attributable to the specific downregulation of Zif268 mRNA in the NAc Core. Altogether, our results show that PPX restores impulse control in highly impulsive rats by modulation of limbic frontostriatal circuits.

Disentangling associations between impulsivity, compulsivity, and performance monitoring.

Disorders marked by high levels of impulsivity and compulsivity have been linked to changes in performance monitoring, specifically the error-related negativity (ERN). We investigated the relationship between performance monitoring and individual differences in impulsivity and compulsivity. A total of 142 participants were recruited into four groups, each with different combinations of impulsivity and compulsivity, and they performed a flanker task to assess error-related brain activity. We defined error-related brain activity as ERN amplitude and theta power. Single-trial regression was employed to analyze the amplitude differences between incorrect and correct trials within the ERN time window. The findings revealed that impulsivity, compulsivity, and different measures of response processing exhibited distinct interactions, which were influenced by the configuration of impulsivity and compulsivity, but also depended on the measure of response processing. Specifically, high compulsivity predicted larger ERN amplitudes in individuals with low impulsivity, whereas high impulsivity had no significant effect on ERN amplitude in individuals with low compulsivity. Furthermore, when both impulsivity and compulsivity were high, no significant increase in ERN amplitude was observed; instead, there was a reduced difference between incorrect and correct trials. No significant differences were found for theta power. While the association between error-related brain activity and transdiagnostic markers or psychopathology may be smaller than generally assumed, considering the interaction between different transdiagnostic markers and their facets can enhance our understanding of the complex associations that arise during the investigation of neural correlates of performance monitoring, specifically the ERN.

Thermal decomposition kinetics and compatibility of NH3OHN5

AbstractHydroxylammonium cyclo‐pentazolate (NH3OHN5), as one of the poly‐nitrogen compounds, has a broad prospect in the field of energetic materials, due to its high specific impulse, high detonation velocity, and the pollution‐free products. In this paper, the thermal decomposition behavior of NH3OHN5 was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) using four heating rates (2, 5, 8, 10 °C min−1). The apparent activation energy (EK,O=114.31 kJ mol−1), the pre‐exponential factor (AK=4.78×1011 s−1) and the critical temperature of the thermal explosion (Tb=108.08 °C) of NH3OHN5 were calculated by Kissinger and Ozawa method under non‐isothermal heating conditions. The compatibility of NH3OHN5 with 1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazacyclohexane (RDX), 1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7‐tetraazacyclooctane (HMX), 2,4,6,8,10,12‐hexanitro‐2,4,6,8,10,12‐hexaza‐isowurtzitane (CL‐20), ammonium perchlorate (AP), and hydroxy‐terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) were tested and judged based on a standard agreement (STANAG‐4147). The DSC results showed that NH3OHN5/HMX, NH3OHN5/RDX, NH3OHN5/CL‐20, NH3OHN5/AP and NH3OHN5/HTPB had good compatibility.

Crystal phase control of copper oxide thin films by process pressure during high power impulse magnetron sputtering

High-performance P-type cuprous oxide (Cu2O) film was prepared at room temperature by high power impulse magnetron sputtering. Optical emission spectra revealed that the ratio of Cu radicals/ions in the plasma significantly decreased with increasing process pressure due to the reduction of sputtering yield as the Cu target surface was oxidized by the increased oxygen radicals/ions. In addition, the increase of self-sputtering yield for Cu cations with increasing process pressure reduced the arrival ratio of Cu species at the substrate surface. As a result, the film crystal phase transformed from Cu2O to Cu4O3 and CuO with increasing process pressure. X-ray photoelectron spectra and Hall effect test results revealed that the oxygen vacancy defects in the films were passivated by the increased oxygen species at higher process pressure, leading to the inhibition of electron background and the emergence of net hole concentration. A mobility of 37.3 cm2/V·s was achieved, which is very high for room-temperature-deposited Cu2O film and comparable to high-temperature (300–600 °C) deposited/post-annealed Cu2O film. Finally, Cu2O thin film transistors (TFTs) exhibited reasonable switching characteristics with a low off-current of 0.3 nA without post-annealing treatment, showing an advantage in low-temperature preparation.

Engineering High-Performance Hypergolic Propellant by Synergistic Contribution of Metal-Organic Framework Shell and Aluminum Core.

Hypergolicity is a highly desired characteristic for hybrid rocket engine-based fuels because it eliminates the need for a separate ignition system. Introducing hypergolic additives into conventional fuels through physical mixing is a feasible approach, but achieving highly reliable hypergolic ignition and energy release remains a major challenge. Here, the construction of core-shell Al@metal organic framework (MOF) heterostructures is reported as high-performance solid hypergolic propellants. Upon contact with the liquid oxidizer the uniformly distributed hypergolic MOF (Ag-MOF) shell can induce the ignition of hypergolic-inert fuel Al, resulting in Al combustion. Such a synthetic strategy is demonstrated to be favorable in hotspot generation and heat transfer relative to a simple physical mixture of Al/Ag-MOF, thus producing shorter ignition delay times and more efficient combustion. Thermal reactivity study indicated that the functionalization of the Ag-MOF shell changes the energy release process of the inner Al, which is accompanied by a thermite reaction. The synergistic effect of implantation of hypergolic MOF and high energy Al contributes to high specific impulses of 230-270 s over a wide range of oxidizer-to-fuel ratios.

Experimental study on the discharge of a xenon-assisted krypton Hall thruster

The theoretical specific impulse of Hall thrusters using a krypton propellant is much higher than that of those using xenon. However, the actual benefits of this improvement are limited by the difficulty in achieving krypton atom ionization, and its efficiency is much lower than that of xenon. In this study, the anode specific impulse and anode efficiency of Hall thrusters using krypton propellant were improved by adding a small quantity of xenon. A dual-channel supply of xenon and krypton was achieved by optimizing the discharge channel structure based on the design of the aft-loaded magnetic field. The effects of the xenon and krypton supply method and xenon fraction on the discharge characteristics of the Hall thruster were investigated by conducting discharge experiments using the mixed propellant. The results indicated that injecting a small quantity of xenon significantly improved the ionization of krypton, improved the ionization and acceleration efficiency of the thruster, and fully utilized the high specific impulse characteristics of krypton. Furthermore, the addition of a small quantity of xenon also significantly increased the upper limit of the discharge voltage for stable operation using krypton from 500 V. At the maximum tested xenon fraction, the maximum discharge voltage was loaded to 900 V. At a discharge voltage of 800 V, the optimal anode efficiency and anode specific impulse increased by 4.5 % and 534 s, respectively, compared with those for pure xenon propellant (with an anode efficiency of 54 % and anode specific impulse of 3034 s). The results of this study are of great significance for the design of high-efficiency, high-specific-impulse, and low-cost Hall thrusters.

Fabrication of TiN coatings using superimposed HiPIMS and MF technique: Effect of target poisoning ratios and MF/HiPIMS pulse on-time ratio

The commercial application of high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is hindered by its low deposition rate in thin film and coating industries. This study proposes an effective method to enhance the deposition rate of TiN films by superimposing middle-frequency (MF) pulses during the off-time of HiPIMS pulsing. The impact of Ti target poisoning ratios (ranging from 30 % to 70 %) controlled by the plasma emission monitoring (PEM) feedback control system and MF/HiPIMS pulse on-time ratios (ranging from 1.5 to 24) on the structural, morphological, and mechanical properties of thin films was investigated. Increasing the target poisoning ratio and the ratio of MF/HiPIMS on-time pulses up to 6 resulted in increased peak current and peak power density of HiPIMS for the superimposed TiN films. Compared to TiN films grown solely using HiPIMS, all the superimposed TiN films exhibited improved deposition rates ranging from 3.89 to 6.36 nm/kW·min. Analysis of crystallographic and chemical composition confirmed the formation of single-phase stoichiometric TiN films with a smooth columnar microstructure. The TiN film grown at a 60 % target poisoning ratio and an MF/HiPIMS pulse on-time ratio of 1.5 displayed the highest hardness of 34.4 GPa and elastic modulus of 485 GPa, surpassing the values obtained for pure HiPIMS-grown, MF-grown, and DC-grown films. Moreover, TiN film deposited at target poisoning ratios of 50 % and a 6 times MF/HiPIMS pulse on-time ratio exhibited a high hardness of 30.3 GPa and a high deposition rate of 5.94 nm/min/kW, which was 2.15 times higher than that of pure HiPIMS. Additionally, the formation of stoichiometric TiN films led to relatively lower electrical resistivity. Overall, the superimposition of HiPIMS and MF pulses presents a promising approach to overcome the limitations of HiPIMS and enhance the deposition rate of TiN films. The findings of this study highlight the potential of TiN films grown by the superimposed HiPIMS-MF and PEM feedback control technique for various industrial applications.

Inflammatory profiles in women with eating disorder: Linking inflammatory biomarkers to clinical phenotypes

IntroductionEating disorders (ED) represent a group of very complex and serious diagnoses characterized by emotional dysregulation and impulsivity. New approaches are necessary to achieve effective diagnosis and treatments. Shifting biomarker research away from the constraints of diagnostic categories may effectively contribute to a dimensional differentiation across disorders according to neurobiology (e.g., inflammatory biomarkers). Thus, the aim of our study was to identify inflammatory profiles in patients with ED. MethodsA sample of 100 women with an ED (23.4 ± 8.55 years) and 59 healthy controls (HC) (20.22 ± 4.18 years) was used. K-means cluster analysis was followed to identify inflammatory clusters considering seven blood biomarkers (iNOS, TNFα, COX2, p38, ERK, TBARS and PPARγ). Moreover, a wide assessment of clinical features was conducted. ResultsTwo distinct clusters were identified. Cluster 1 patients were characterized by higher inflammatory levels of TNF-α, COX2, p38, and ERK, and had more restrictive anorexia diagnosis than cluster 2. Cluster 2 participants showed higher inflammatory levels of iNOS and were older than cluster 1 and controls and had lower BMI than HC. In addition, they had higher levels of bulimic symptoms than those from the cluster 1 and HC, and higher impulsivity than HC. All ED patients (regardless of cluster) showed higher ED symptoms and more trauma than HC. ConclusionsOur study revealed that inflammatory dysfunction may be linked with clinical endophenotypes in ED, one more restrictive (cluster 1) with an inflammation/oxidative endophenotype more cytokine and MAPK/ERK mediated, and the other more impulsive, with more bulimic symptoms (cluster 2) with NO free radical high output source iNOS. Trauma seems to be a vulnerability factor for both endophenotypes.

Comparison of opioid use disorder patients with and without problematic internet use in terms of impulsivity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

To investigate attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and impulsivity among individuals diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD) who also exhibit symptoms of problematic internet use (PIU). The study involved the participation of 360 patients with OUD enrolled at an alcohol and drug addiction treatment center (ADATC) from October to December 2022. Various assessment tools were administered, including Young's Internet Addiction Scale (YIAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), and Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). PIU was identified by YIAS scores equal to or exceeding 50. Most participants diagnosed with OUD had comorbid PIU, with high levels of depression, anxiety, and ADHD symptoms. Both BDI and BAI scores were significantly increased in the PIU group compared to the non-PIU group (p < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in BIS Motor Impulsivity, Attentional Impulsivity, and total scores, indicating higher impulsivity in the PIU group (all p < 0.001). Additionally, higher ASRS scores were found in the PIU group (p < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of addressing PIU and comorbidities in OUD treatment. Interventions targeting ADHD symptoms and emotional well-being may benefit PIU management.

Disentangling the “crypto fever”: An exploratory study of the psychological characteristics of cryptocurrency owners

Cryptocurrencies are innovative digital assets that became significantly popular in recent years. Despite their popularity, literature about cryptocurrencies is still lacking. Specifically, little is known about the psychological profile of cryptocurrency owners. The present paper aims to investigate the role of financial literacy, self-efficacy, risk tolerance, and impulsivity in cryptocurrency ownership in a representative sample of 1,153 Italian consumers. In particular, a Latent Profile Analysis was performed on cross-sectional data to identify different psychological profiles of consumers, and test which of these profiles is more likely to hold cryptocurrencies. Results indicate the presence of six different psychological profiles and that the psychological profile that best describes those who hold cryptocurrencies is characterized by high levels of financial literacy, risk tolerance, and self-efficacy in investment domains. Instead, a configuration of low financial literacy and high self-efficacy, risk appetite, and impulsivity scores is mostly associated with having owned cryptocurrencies in the past. These findings would suggest that psychological characteristics play a key role in cryptocurrency ownership.

Research progress on the catalytic and thermal decomposition of ammonium dinitramide (ADN).

Ammonium dinitramide (NH4N(NO3)2, ADN) is regarded as a promising oxidizer due to its low signature and high specific impulse. Generally, ADN undergoes exothermic decomposition above 140 °C accompanied by the byproduct of ammonium nitrate (AN). The inevitable endothermic decomposition of AN decreases the overall heat release, and so there is a need to develop efficient catalysts to guide ADN decomposition along desired pathways with a lower decomposition temperature and higher heat release. A suitable catalyst should be able to withstand the harsh conditions in a thruster to achieve a stable thrust force, which poses a huge obstacle for manufacturing a stable and active catalyst. This review gives a comprehensive summary of the thermal and catalytic decomposition pathways of ADN for the first time, which is expected to deepen the understanding of its reaction mechanism and provide useful guidance for designing prospective catalysts toward efficient ADN decomposition.

Plasma characteristics in deep oscillation magnetron sputtering of chromium target

A global model for deep oscillation magnetron sputtering (DOMS) discharge is established to investigate the plasma characteristics in the ionization region. Target voltage and current waveforms with micropulse on-time &lt;i&gt;τ&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;on&lt;/sub&gt; of 2–6 μs and charging voltage of 300–380 V are acquired and used as an input of the proposed model. The effects of micropulse on-time and charging voltage on the plasma are investigated. At &lt;i&gt;τ&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;on&lt;/sub&gt; = 2 μs, the DOMS plasma density oscillates with the discharge current waveform. The plasma is mainly composed of Ar&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; ions though the ionization fraction of Ar is only 2%. The proportion of Cr&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; ions is lower but has a relatively high ionization fraction of 12%, and Cr&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; ions are negligible. The peak plasma density increases from 1.34×10&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;–3&lt;/sup&gt; at &lt;i&gt;τ&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;on&lt;/sub&gt; = 2 μs to 2.64×10&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;–3&lt;/sup&gt; at &lt;i&gt;τ&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;on&lt;/sub&gt; = 3 μs and the metal ionization fraction increases to 20%. Further increasing the on-time leads the peak density and ionization fraction to slightly change. When the charging voltage increases from 300 V to 380 V at &lt;i&gt;τ&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;on&lt;/sub&gt; = 6 μs, the peak plasma density increases linearly from 2.67×10&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;–3&lt;/sup&gt; to 3.90×10&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;–3&lt;/sup&gt;, and the metal ionization fraction increases from 21% to 28%. The gas rarefaction occurs in the ionization region for DOMS discharge. The gas density oscillates in the initial stage of macropulse, and 5–6 micropulses later it reaches dynamic equilibrium. The Ar density dynamics shows that the Ar consumption is mainly caused by electron impact ionization, followed by electron impact excitation, and the consumption rate caused by sputter wind is about 10% of the electron impact ionization. The typical metal self-sputtering phenomenon of high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) also appears in the DOMS discharge. The peak value of self-sputtering parameter increases linearly with the peak power density rising. This suggests that the peak power density is one of the important parameters to manipulate the metal self-sputtering process in the DOMS discharge. The peak value of self-sputtering parameter reaches up to 0.20, indicating that a certain degree of metal self-sputtering occurs. The plasma density and the ionization fraction of the depositing flux are improved, which relieves the shadowing effect during conventional magnetron sputtering as a result of low ionization degree of sputtered metal.

Magnetohydrodynamic simulation and test of compression arc-extinguishing device under icing condition

When the weather is cold and wet, the insulator and the transmission line components often undergo icing. In order to study the inhibition effect of the compression arc-extinguishing device with icing on the recovery of arc plasma conductivity and air disruptive strength, this paper will verify it through simulation and test. In the simulation part, a two-dimensional geometric model is established, and the magnetohydrodynamic equation group is used as the control equation group. The breakdown characteristics of the device with and without icing are compared, and the dynamic characteristics of the arc are studied in terms of temperature and conductivity. The results show that the temperature of the arc plasma can be reduced to 3000 K within 1 ms, and the conductivity can be reduced to 0 within 250 µs. In the test part, the suppression effect on arc current amplitude after the device with icing is subjected to high current impact is verified, and the coupling triggering method of impulse voltage and power frequency voltage is adopted to further verify the arc extinguishing condition of the device when the power frequency current continues. The results show that the amplitude of the arc produced by high current impulse decreases from 67 to 35 kA and to 0 within 1 ms after passing through the device with icing, and the current amplitude can still drop to 0 at 2.5 ms after adding the power frequency voltage. It is proved that the device with icing can inhibit the recovery of arc plasma conductivity and air disruptive strength.

Decoding the Fast Fashion Phenomenon in Vietnam: A Multidimensional Analysis of Impulse Buying Dynamics and Price Sensitivity in Consumer Purchase Behavior

This study investigates the factors influencing impulse buying behavior in fast fashion consumption, focusing on the roles of fashion involvement, perceived value, store environment, and price sensitivity. Employing a mixed-method approach, we combined structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to analyze data collected from 412 fast fashion consumers. The SEM results reveal that fashion involvement, perceived value, and store environment positively influence impulse buying behavior, with fashion involvement exhibiting the strongest effect. Price sensitivity moderates the relationships between fashion involvement and impulse buying, as well as between perceived value and impulse buying. The fsQCA findings complement these results by identifying multiple configurations of factors leading to high impulse buying behavior. Our research contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive model of impulse buying in the fast fashion context, integrating multiple factors and their interactions. The use of both SEM and fsQCA methodologies offers a more nuanced understanding of the complex relationships among the variables. Furthermore, our findings on the moderating role of price sensitivity add to the growing body of literature on individual differences in consumer behavior. These insights have practical implications for fast fashion retailers in developing effective marketing strategies and enhancing the shopping experience to encourage impulse purchases.

Understanding the Co-occurrence of Gambling Disorder and Problematic Pornography Use: Exploring Sociodemographic and Clinical Factors.

The co-occurrence between gambling disorder (GD) and problematic pornography use (PPU) has not yet been explored. Therefore, the present study compared (a) sociodemographic variables, (b) GD-related factors, (c) substance use, (d) psychopathology, (e) personality features, (f) impulsivity, and (g) emotion regulation between individuals with GD (GD group) and those with co-occurring GD and PPU (GD+PPU group). The sample consisted of 359 treatment-seeking individuals with GD: n = 332 individuals had GD only (GD group) and n = 37 individuals had GD and co-occurring PPU (GD+PPU group). GD severity, impulsivity, psychopathology, personality, emotion regulation, and other sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed. No between-group differences in sociodemographic measures were observed. The GD+PPU group demonstrated greater GD severity and a higher likelihood of substance use compared to those without PPU. Furthermore, the presence of PPU was associated with worse psychopathology, higher impulsivity (except for lack of premeditation and positive urgency), more difficulties in emotion regulation (except for non-acceptance of emotions and limited access to emotions), and a personality profile characterized by lower levels of self-directedness and cooperativeness. The co-occurrence of GD and PPU seems associated with a more dysfunctional clinical profile.

Data Science and Machine Learning Processes for IoT Based Pulsed Plasma Thruster Research

Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPT) are very high specific impulse but low efficient electric propulsion engine which are being used as primary or secondary propulsion mechanism for spacecrafts (cube, micro, nano or pico satellites). PPTs are used in academic and/or industrial research from decades, but its experimental data collection methods are normally offline, analysis methods are conventional, and data interpretation lies in electromagnetic, physical, and chemical domain. It is inadequate to explain PPT generated data in few specific domains only and it may prone to inadequate explanations which can hide vast insights of data. Actually, PPT generated data are usually big data. It is essential to analyze and explain PPT data in data science and machine learning domain to get keen insights from the data. To this date no such complete solution exists for PPT either in industrial arena or academia to use all these three technologies. To meet the gap, we propose and implement an Internet of Things (IoT) based architecture for PPT experimental facility to collect, accumulate, and process PPT data intelligently. This architecture yields some machine learning (ML) models with prediction accuracy above 93%. This architecture is a complete IoT and big data based Artificial Intelligence (AI) implementation on PPT data through data science and ML processes. This architecture is capable to contribute in both academic as well as industrial research, development and deployment.

Development of a Novel High Head Impulse Hydro Turbine

The Pelton turbine has been widely regarded as the most efficient hydro turbine for high-head applications. However, the Pelton turbine buckets, especially the area commonly referred to as the ‘splitter’, are highly susceptible to erosion, drastically reducing efficiency over prolonged periods of time. This paper demonstrates a novel turbine idea that has been validated through both computational and experimental methods. This turbine addresses the issues associated with the erosion of the splitter through a redesign of the Pelton turbine to remove the need for a splitter and therefore potentially reducing downtime due to maintenance. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results show that the turbine is capable of efficiencies greater than 82% with room for further improvement. The practical experimental results also show efficiencies within 6% of an optimized Pelton turbine. The results from this study indicate that through further optimization this turbine design could provide a means to produce power outputs similar to conventional Pelton turbines, with the added benefit of lower maintenance costs.