Hours Of Operation Research Articles

Public health effectiveness of cooling centres in adverse hot weather events: a systematic review

Abstract Background The 2022 heatwave in England highlighted the need for effective public health interventions like cooling centres in temperate climates where built-in air conditioning is uncommon. Aim To determine the impacts of cooling centres on heat-related health outcomes for users in temperate climates, assessing their effectiveness and identifying barriers to usage. Methods This systematic review analysed literature sourced from MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar from January 2010 to February 2023. Criteria for inclusion focused on studies evaluating health outcomes related to cooling centre use. Screening and quality assessments were independently conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Results The review included six studies: three quantitative, three qualitative. Two were evidence synthesis of prior studies. No studies conclusively measured health and wellbeing outcomes directly after cooling centre use; instead, research emphasised user demographics, barriers, and facilitators. Common barriers included accessibility, operational hours, and public perceptions, which often misalign with user needs. Successful implementations were noted in centres integrated within community facilities like libraries or community centres. One modelling study suggested a number needed to treat to avoid one heat-related death of 1 million. The relevance of this is unclear as it was in a hotter climate with greater prevalence of air conditioning than in England. Conclusions While direct health benefits in cooler climates like England are poorly documented, cooling centres play an essential role in comprehensive heat response strategies. They offer potential social benefits and provide a cost-effective alternative to urban redesign. Future studies should aim to directly measure health outcomes and refine operational strategies to maximise benefits. Key messages • Cooling centres are crucial in comprehensive heat response strategies, yet direct evidence in cooler climates like England remains limited. • Integration with existing community services may significantly enhance cooling centre utilisation and effectiveness.

Growth Kinetics of Anhydrous Citric Acid Under Optimized Conditions in a Vibrated Batch Crystallizer

Objective: The aim of this paper is to investigate the crystallization of citric acid on a vibrated bed within a stainless-steel crystallizer, featuring a jacket and a trunk-conical shape, utilizing a constrained quantity of seed crystals. Theoretical Framework: This study assessed mass yield and characteristic dimensions in the crystallization of anhydrous citric acid using a vibrated bed batch crystallizer, employing a limited quantity of seed crystals. Method: Operational optimization of the process was conducted using central composite design (CCD), considering the independent variables: dimensionless vibration number, supersaturation level, and seed population. The operating temperature was set at 55°C. The condition yielding maximum mass was utilized to study the growth kinetics over a time range from 0.5 hours to 2 hours. Characteristic dimension and concentration were monitored as a function of crystallization time. Results and Discussion: In two hours of operation, the crystal mass increased by 157%, and the characteristic dimension increased to approximately 42%. Growth rates, overall mass transfer coefficient, and growth kinetics order were determined. Originality: This article consists of a contribution to the use of vibration to improve crystallization with the application of vibration to improve the transfer of heat and mass.

ERMƏNİSTANIN AZƏRBAYCANA QARŞI EKOLOJİ TERRORU

Since 1988, 20% of Azerbaijan's lands have been occupied as a result of the war waged by Armenia to pursue its territorial claims against Azerbaijan. After a long occupation, during the 44-day Patriotic War and 24-hour local anti-terrorist operations, our lands, which had been in the hands of the enemy for almost 30 years, were liberated by our brave Army. However, in the territories we liberated from occupation, the enemy left behind ruins and an environmental disaster. For almost 30 years, Armenia deliberately tried to destroy our nature, carried out environmental terrorism against Azerbaijan, spontaneously exploited natural resources, including our occupied territories, polluted drinking water reservoirs with industrial waste, and disrupted the ecological balance of the environment. During the occupation, the enemy committed the great¬est acts of vandalism on our lands; the occupying forces destroyed forests, national parks, nature reserves, valuable trees and other rare examples of biodiversity. The rivers that are the source of Azerbaijan's drinking water are contaminated with chemical, biologi¬cal and other radioactive waste flowing from the territory of Armenia. Over the past years, contamination of water sources flowing from the occupied territories has led to the death of valuable fish species and the depletion of fish stocks. 7 ecologically important relic lakes and 10 reservoirs in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan were subject to serious anthropogenic impact from the occupying Armenia.

Spatiotemporal responses of ungulates to hunting in a fenced multi-use area

Context Human activities, such as tourism and hunting, affect the spatiotemporal behaviour of wildlife. For example, it is well documented that ungulates change their spatiotemporal behaviour as a response to hunting pressure, but less is known about ungulate responses to hunting in areas where human activity is common throughout the year and ungulates are constrained by fences. Aims In this camera-trap study, we analysed the change in spatiotemporal behaviour of wild ungulates (elk, Cervus canadensis (3519 events), moose, Alces alces (1153 events), and white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (2708 events)) in response to the hunting period in a recreational and fenced park, the Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Provincial Area, Canada. Methods We used general linear models to compare species-specific patterns of intensity of use, calculated as events per week, in response to changes in the nature of human disturbance, namely a shift from recreation to hunting activity. In particular, we compared intensity of use in and out of the hunting season to determine whether species engaged in spatial patterns of avoidance with respect to hunting. We used daily and seasonal patterns of activity to determine how ungulates shifted their temporal use in response to hunting activity and whether they became more nocturnal as a result. Key results We found that ungulates responded temporally to the hunting period by generally shifting their activity to more nocturnal hours, with white-tailed deer showing the biggest temporal shift, suggesting that the ungulates distinguish between consumptive and non-consumptive human activities. Nevertheless, temporal overlap between humans and all ungulate species increased during the hunting period as humans targeted times of increased ungulate activity. Spatially, the response was less distinctive and was species-specific. Elk showed little change in spatial behaviour in response to the hunting period. In contrast, moose decreased the use of trail areas and other areas frequented by humans, whereas deer, counterintuitively, increased the use of trail areas, albeit their use became much more nocturnal. Conclusions We have shown that responses of ungulates to hunting exceed those to non-consumptive recreational use, and whereas temporal responses (increased nocturnality) were consistent across ungulate species, spatial responses were species-specific. Implications Management in small fenced multi-use areas needs to account for shifts in the intensity of disturbance resulting from a change in human disturbance from recreational activity to hunting. Providing spatial opportunities for avoidance of humans is key for most species if hours of operation in these areas already limit the timing of human activity.

Divergent rhythms of motherhood. Patterns of paid and unpaid work and domestic outsourcing among mothers in the United Kingdom and Western Germany

Objective: This article investigates class differences in mothers’ daily organization of paid and unpaid work, and how they are associated with domestic outsourcing in the United Kingdom and Western Germany. Background: Operating hours of schools and daycare facilities often conflict with long working hours in high-skilled jobs and nonstandard working hours in low-skilled jobs. However, little is known on whether advantaged mothers rely on domestic outsourcing to resolve such scheduling conflicts, and how disadvantaged mothers reconcile their daily care responsibilities with paid work, depending on the welfare state context. Method: The study uses sequence and cluster analyses on time-use data to identify typical patterns of paid and unpaid work (N=1,947). Regression models predict how these patterns differ by the mothers’ education and household income, and how they are associated with outsourcing housework and childcare. Results: In both contexts, disadvantaged mothers were more likely to have unpaid workdays rather than nonstandard workdays. However, British advantaged mothers were considerably more likely to outsource childcare to pursue standard workdays. By contrast, the pattern of partial workdays in the morning, combined with more unpaid work allocation, prevailed among Western German mothers. Conclusion: In the United Kingdom, more market-oriented as opposed to conservative family policies, stronger labor market deregulation, and more consistent policy incentives for domestic outsourcing seem more effective than in Western Germany in promoting advantaged mothers’ careers. However, this comes at the expense of greater class differences in how mothers organize their time.

Human exposure to air contaminants under the far-UVC system operation in an office: effects of lamp position and ventilation condition

The far-UVC (222 nm) system has emerged as a solution for controlling airborne transmission, yet its effect on indoor air quality, particularly concerning positioning, remains understudied. In this study, we examined the impact of far-UVC lamp position on the disinfection and secondary contaminant formation in a small office. We employed a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to integrate UV intensity fields formed by different lamp positions (ceiling-mounted, wall-mounted, and stand-alone types) along with the air quality model. Our findings reveal that the ceiling-mounted type reduces human exposure to airborne pathogens by up to 80% compared to scenarios without far-UVC. For all the lamp positions, O3 concentration in the breathing zone increases by 4–6 ppb after one hour of operation. However, it should be noted that a high concentration zone (> 25 ppb) forms near the lamp when it is turned on. Moreover, ventilation plays a crucial role in determining human exposure to airborne pathogens and secondary contaminants. Increasing the ventilation rate from 0.7 h−1 to 4 h−1 reduces airborne pathogen and secondary contaminant concentrations by up to 90%. However, caution is warranted as higher ventilation rates can lead to elevated O3 indoors, especially under conditions of high outdoor O3 concentrations.

Effect of Guanidinium Salt for Stress-Relaxation and Interfacial Engineering in Antisolvent Free Perovskite Solar Cells Fabricated Under Air Ambient.

In perovskite solar cells, the presence of stress and defects at interfaces promotes performance degradation and poor stability of the devices. The formation of these defects is more prominent in two-step antisolvent-free perovskite film fabrication. This study addresses these challenges by introducing guanidine sulfate (Gua-S) at the tin oxide/formamidinium lead iodide perovskite interface, fabricated without antisolvent under ambient air. Interfacial Gua-S enhanced morphology by forming bonds between uncoordinated Pb2+ ions and I- vacancies at the interface and showed improvement in the crystallinity and quality of the perovskite film. Microstructural stress analysis indicated a substantial reduction in stress, decreasing from 50.6 to 20.72 MPa with the application of Gua-S. Moreover, the Gua-S treated solar cells showed significant improvements and achieved an open circuit voltage of 1.08 V and 22.34% efficiency. Further, electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis showed improved built-in potential, carrier lifetime, and charge recombination lifetime for treated devices. The devices retained over 87% of the initial power conversion efficiency after 2000 hours of operation. This comprehensive study addresses the fundamental issues of interfacial stress and defects in perovskite solar cells and demonstrates the efficacy of Gua-S salt in enhancing both the structural and functional aspects of the antisolvent-free device fabrication process.

Advanced Two-Stage Nanocomposite Membrane System for Methane and Carbon Dioxide Separation from Atmospheric Air

This paper presents an advanced two-stage nanocomposite membrane system designed to efficiently separate and capture methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from atmospheric air and water sources. The membrane system comprises a CO2-selective primary membrane and a CH4-selective secondary membrane, utilizing a hierarchical nanomaterials and polymers structure. The proposed system demonstrates unprecedented versatility, operating effectively across an extensive range of gas concentrations (>20% to <0.02%) and reducing CH4 levels from 100-500 ppm to 5-10 ppm in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Performance metrics specify CO2 permeances of 200-2000 GPU and CO2/N2 selectivities of 30-500 at 57 °C and 1 atm feed pressure, surpassing the Robeson upper bound for traditional polymer membranes. The CH4-selective membrane achieves 500-2000 GPU permeances with CH4/CO2 selectivities >50. Furthermore, experimental validation over 1000 hours of continuous operation demonstrated 92% methane capture efficiency under challenging conditions (55 tons/hour methane content at 30 °C). The system's energy consumption of 0.3 kWh/kg of CH4 captured underscores its efficiency compared to traditional methods. This innovative membrane technology offers a promising solution for addressing critical ecological and industrial challenges associated with greenhouse gas emissions in the 21st century.

Long-term stability in perovskite solar cells through atomic layer deposition of tin oxide.

Robust contact schemes that boost stability and simplify the production process are needed for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). We codeposited perovskite and hole-selective contact while protecting the perovskite to enable deposition of SnOx/Ag without the use of a fullerene. The SnOx, prepared through atomic layer deposition, serves as a durable inorganic electron transport layer. Tailoring the oxygen vacancy defects in the SnOx layer led to power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of >25%. Our devices exhibit superior stability over conventional p-i-n PSCs, successfully meeting several benchmark stability tests. They retained >95% PCE after 2000 hours of continuous operation at their maximum power point under simulated AM1.5 illumination at 65°C. Additionally, they boast a certified T97 lifetime exceeding 1000 hours.

Engineering Spacer Conjugation for Efficient and Stable 2D/3D Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules

Incorporating 2D perovskite in 3D perovskite absorber holds great potential to improve the stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the bulky‐cation‐based 2D structures often exhibit poor charge transport and are prone to formation of charge‐extraction barrier that impedes efficient device operation. We address these issues by introducing aromatic spacers with enhanced molecular conjugation. Among our tested aromatic spacers, the pyrenylbutanamine (PyBA) spacer was shown to endow 2D perovskites with superior charge transport properties and efficient charge extraction from the bulk perovskite in 2D/3D PSCs, due to the highest degree of conjugation. As a result, we achieved a power conversion efficiency of up to 25.3% in a 0.16‐cm2 single cell and 21.0% in a 24.8‐cm2 module. Moreover, the incorporated PyBA substantially raised the resistance of 2D/3D PSCs against moisture and ion migration, resulting in enhanced environmental, thermal, and operational stability. Notably, the PyBA‐based devices retained over 90% of their initial efficiency after 2000 hours at 25 ℃ and 80% relative humidity, or 1000 hours at 85 ℃ and 85% humidity, or 3000 hours of operation under continuous 1‐Sun illumination at 40 ℃, showcasing their enhanced stability compared to previously reported 2D/3D PSCs.

Engineering Spacer Conjugation for Efficient and Stable 2D/3D Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules.

Incorporating 2D perovskite in 3D perovskite absorber holds great potential to improve the stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the bulky-cation-based 2D structures often exhibit poor charge transport and are prone to formation of charge-extraction barrier that impedes efficient device operation. We address these issues by introducing aromatic spacers with enhanced molecular conjugation. Among our tested aromatic spacers, the pyrenylbutanamine (PyBA) spacer was shown to endow 2D perovskites with superior charge transport properties and efficient charge extraction from the bulk perovskite in 2D/3D PSCs, due to the highest degree of conjugation. As a result, we achieved a power conversion efficiency of up to 25.3% in a 0.16-cm2 single cell and 21.0% in a 24.8-cm2 module. Moreover, the incorporated PyBA substantially raised the resistance of 2D/3D PSCs against moisture and ion migration, resulting in enhanced environmental, thermal, and operational stability. Notably, the PyBA-based devices retained over 90% of their initial efficiency after 2000 hours at 25 ℃ and 80% relative humidity, or 1000 hours at 85 ℃ and 85% humidity, or 3000 hours of operation under continuous 1-Sun illumination at 40 ℃, showcasing their enhanced stability compared to previously reported 2D/3D PSCs.

Design Development and Performance Evaluation of Solar Operated Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) Pruner

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) is a vital grain legume known for its contribution to food security and soil fertility. However, pruning, which enhances plant architecture and yield, remains a significant challenge in its cultivation, especially in large-scale operations. Manual pruning is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly, which has led to the need for mechanized alternatives, a solar-operated pruner was developed at IGKV, Raipur, to reduce labour, time, and costs. This study focuses on the design, development, and performance evaluation of a solar-operated pruner tailored specifically for pigeon pea. The pruner integrates key components such as a cutting blade, DC motor, solar panel, battery, and charge controller. A 12 V DC motor, generating 10.53 N of force and operating at 8500 RPM, ensures efficient pruning. The motor is powered by a 7.2 Ah battery, which can be charged in 4 hours using an AC adaptor or 8 hours via a 10 W solar panel. The battery allows for 4-6 hours of continuous operation. The pruner's lightweight PVC frame makes it portable and user-friendly, while the protective blade guard ensures operator safety. Performance evaluation of the pruner indicated a field efficiency of 81% and pruning efficiency of 76%. The actual field capacity was measured at 0.097 ha/h, with a walking speed of 1.2 km/h. Losses due to half-cut stems were calculated at 9.04%. The pruner demonstrated its ability to reduce labor costs, improve pruning efficiency, and promote sustainable agriculture through its solar-powered operation. This study highlights the economic and environmental benefits of adopting solar-operated pruners for pigeon pea cultivation.

A low heat release cladding pump coupler

Few-mode erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (FM-EDFAs) have opened up the possibility of realizing the next generation of high-capacity, high-rate communication systems. However, the leakage of pump light during continuous operation of the FM-EDFA is likely to cause the temperature of the cladding pump coupler to be too high and thus destabilize the amplifier. In this work, a low heat release cladding pump coupler was designed and the corresponding FM-EDFA was constructed. The cladding pump coupler in the 8 hours of continuous operation of the FM-EDFA is at 27.8 °C for maximum, 23.7 °C for minimum, and 26 °C for average temperatures, respectively, which are in a low-temperature safe transmission state. The FM-EDFA performance test was performed on this basis, and the results show that when the input pump power is 7 W, the maximum gain fluctuation of each mode of FM-EDFA at 1550 nm in 0∼8 hours is only 1.5 dB, the gain of all modes is greater than 23 dB and the differential mode gain (DMG) is less than 2 dB. In addition, the FM-EDFA still has good performance in the C-band after 8 hours of continuous operation. The gain for all modes is greater than 21 dB, DMG is less than 2 dB, and wavelength flatness is 3.6 dB. The low heat release cladding pump coupler is conducive to the stable amplification transmission of FM-EDFA, which is of great significance to achieving the upgrading and expansion of the communication system.

Water Electrolysis using fluorine-free, reinforced Sulfo-Phenylated Polyphenylene Membranes

Fluorinated proton-exchange membranes (PEMs), such as Nafion™, which is the current state-of-the-art polymer, present environmental challenges, driving the need for more sustainable alternatives for proton-exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) systems. However, fluorine-free membranes like sulfo-phenylated polyphenylene biphenyl ones (sPPB-50) often suffer from mechanical instability, excessive swelling, and limited cell durability, which hinder their practical applications. This study explores reinforced fluorine-free sulfo-phenylated polyphenylene membranes (Pemion™) with thicknesses of 15 µm (Pemion-15) and 40 µm (Pemion-40) as a potential solution to these issues. Pemion membranes were compared with both sPPB-50 and Nafion™ 112 (N112), focusing on key properties such as water uptake, dimensional swelling, proton conductivity, and durability in PEMWE applications. The results show that Pemion-reinforced membranes exhibit good performance for PEMWE allowing high current densities at lower voltages. Pemion-40 exhibited a low hydrogen gas crossover compared to sPPB-50 and N112. Under a constant current of 1 A cm−2, Pemion-40 exhibited a voltage loss rate of 1.46 mV h−1 over 100 hours of operation. This study highlights the importance of structural reinforcement in enhancing the stability and efficiency of fluorine-free membranes, providing a promising route for sustainable alternatives in PEMWE systems.

A Stochastic Energy-Efficient Robust Simulation-Based Truck Dispatching Optimization for Simultaneous GHG Mitigation and Operational Excellence in Open-Pit Mines

Almost all currently active large open-pit mines across the globe heavily rely on fleet of shovels and haul trucks for material handling. This material handling system has a significant contribution not only to the production cost of the mine (+50%), but also to its energy consumption (+41%) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (+37%). However, traditionally, operation management in general and truck dispatching, in particular, focused primarily on production targets and operational efficiency, neglecting environmental considerations in open-pit mines. Nowadays, growing awareness of climate change and responsible resource extraction has shifted, however, the focus towards sustainable practices throughout the mining industry, open-pit mining not excluded. The significant contribution of this study lies in the development of an integrated simulation and optimization framework that simultaneously accounts for anthropogenic GHG emissions resulting from energy (fuel) consumption and enhances the operational efficiency of the material handling system, thus yielding direct economic and environmental benefits. The paper fulfills its goals with the aim of simultaneous achievement of four interdependent objectives: minimizing the deviations from target production rates set by strategic plans, minimizing the shovel idle time, minimizing the truck wait time, and minimizing the truck fuel consumption. The performance and the robustness of the proposed framework has been evaluated in a case study at Gol-E-Gohar mine in Iran, demonstrating a successful achievement of up to 6% reduction in fuel consumption per tonne of production leading to a significant overall decrease of up to 20,000 liters in fuel consumption, equivalent to 61,000 carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, in a 10-day operation with 12 hours of operation per day.

Comparative Study of Zinc Sulfide, Tin Selenide, and Their Composite Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction: Towards Efficient and Stable Water Splitting

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are critical processes in electrochemical water splitting, driving demand for efficient and durable electrocatalysts. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of water splitting performance of ZnS@SnSe2 nano–composite in 1.0 M KOH solution. With ZnS nanoparticles decorated on SnSe2, exhibited remarkable catalytic activity for both HER and OER. ZnS@SnSe₂ composite demonstrated an low overpotential of 22 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm-2, outperforming ZnS (245 mV) and SnSe2 (280 mV). Furthermore, it achieved a Tafel slope of 25 mV dec-1 and a charge transfer resistance (Rct) of 5.2 Ω, reflecting its enhanced kinetics compared to ZnS (101 mV dec-1, Rct = 35 Ω) and SnSe2 (230 mV dec-1, Rct = 7.5 Ω). These results are even competitive with benchmark Pt/C catalyst (30 mV overpotential, 46 mV dec-1, and 2.2 Ω Rct), highlighting efficiency of composite for hydrogen production. For OER, ZnS@SnSe2 composite required an overpotential of 234 mV to reach 10 mA cm⁻², a substantial improvement over ZnS (361 mV) and SnSe2 (375 mV). Composite showcased a low Tafel slope of 48 mV dec-1 and an Rct of 1.5 Ω, comparable to commercial RuO2 catalyst (44 mV dec-1, Rct = 2.2 Ω), further underscoring its superior oxygen evolution capabilities. In practical device configuration, ZnS@SnSe₂/NF electrode achieved a Tafel slope of 21.335 mV dec-1 for HER and 58.028 mV dec-1 for OER, demonstrating its bifunctional efficiency in a two-electrode system. The device exhibited exceptional long-term stability over 50 hours of continuous operation, highlighting its potential for scalable and sustainable water splitting applications.

Prediction of Progressive Erosion Characteristics of Centrifugal Pump Blades Based on Dynamic Boundaries

Abstract The conventional method of fixed boundaries for predicting erosion inadequately reflects the erosion characteristics of centrifugal pumps under realistic operating conditions. In this research, we employ the dynamic boundary method, considering the influence of changes in wall morphology due to erosion on the flow field. We utilize the Euler-Lagrange approach and the E/CRC erosion model, incorporating a dynamic boundary geometry reconstruction strategy, to predict the erosion characteristics of the IS80-50-315 single-stage single-suction centrifugal pump. Solid-liquid two-phase flow calculations are conducted on the pump to predict erosion characteristics under varied operating conditions. The results show that the dynamic boundary-based progressive erosion prediction method realistically forecasts the erosion characteristics of the overflow wall and captures the evolution of blade morphology with erosion time. Erosion intensity on the blade suction surface significantly surpasses that on the pressure surface, guided by particle distribution characteristics in the centrifugal pump flow channel. Particle diameter primarily influences the erosion position of centrifugal pump blades; smaller particles induce erosion in the middle region of the blade, while an increase in particle diameter shifts the severe erosion position towards the impeller outlet direction. At a consistent particle diameter, higher particle concentrations correspond to elevated erosion rates in the blade area. We establish a relationship between the blade mass loss rate and erosion time during 2500 hours of pump operation at the design condition, introducing the blade mass loss rate for convenient assessment and prediction of blade damage in the centrifugal pump.

Eco-friendly and facile nanomanufacturing of amorphous Co-Ce-Fe trimetallic molybdates composites for accelerated anodic oxygen evolution in alkaline water electrolysis: Evaluation of active sites performance

Currently, endeavors to scale up the production of amorphous catalysts are still impeded by intricate synthesis conditions. Here, we have prepared a series of metal-based molybdate via one-step coprecipitation method. After ingredient optimization, amorphous Co2CeFe2-MoO4 was identified as exhibiting the highest intrinsic activity among its counterparts. Modulation of electron structure enables Co2CeFe2-MoO4 to balance the adsorption behavior towards reactive intermediates. Ultimately, the obtained Co2CeFe2-MoO4 molybdate demonstrated a captivating OER performance, showcasing a low overpotential of 230 mV at 10 mA cm-2. Moreover, the alkaline electrolyzer employing the Co2CeFe2-MoO4 anode exhibited a low cell voltage of 1.50 V for water splitting and underwent an acceptable attenuation of 4.99% after 165 hours of continuous operation, demonstrating its favorable catalytic activity and durability. This work provides a facile and eco-friendly synthesis pathway for crafting cost-effective and durable earth-abundant OER electrocatalysts tailored for water splitting to produce clean hydrogen.

The Effect of Electrolyte pH and Impurities on the Stability of Electrolytic Bicarbonate Conversion.

Electrolytic bicarbonate conversion holds the promise to integrate carbon capture directly with electrochemical conversion. Most research has focused on improving the faradaic efficiencies of the system, however, the stability of the system has not been thoroughly addressed. Here, we find that the bulk electrolyte pH has a large effect on the selectivity, where a higher pH results in a lower selectivity. However, the bulk electrolyte pH has no effect on the stability of the system. A decrease in CO selectivity of 30% was observed within the first three hours of operation in an optimized system with 3 M KHCO3 and gap between the membrane and electrode. Single-pass electrolyte experiments at various constant pH values (8.5, 9.0, 9.5, and 10.0), show that only at a pH of 10 the CO selectivity was stable during three hours, reaching a faradaic efficiency toward CO of only 18% as compared to an initial 55% at pH 8.5. Trace metal impurities present in the electrolyte were found to be the cause of the decrease in stability as these deposit on the electrode surface. By complexing the trace metal ions with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), the metal deposition was avoided and a stable CO selectivity was obtained.

Proximal Humerus Fractures In The Older Adult: A Retrospective Review Of Proximal Humerus Fractures In The Emergency Department

Abstract Background This study aimed to describe the epidemiology and outcomes of older adults diagnosed with proximal humeral fractures (PHFs) in an Irish adult emergency department (ED). Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients (>65) who had a diagnosis of a PHF, in 2022 within an ED of a large suburban academic teaching hospital in Dublin. Assessment by the Frailty at the Front Door (FFD) team (older adults >75) for those with a PHF was also analysed. Results A total of 53 older adults (>65) were identified within the study period with a PHF while 43 patients (<65) were identified. In the >65 group, seventy-nine percent (N=42) were female. The mean age was 75.6 years of age (Range 65-95). Only 21% (N=11) had operative management. Two-thirds of PHFs in the >65 group required admission to hospital (N=24) (P<0.001). The mean length of stay (LOS) was 12.9 days compared to only 4.5 days in those under the age of 65 (P= 0.14). There were 26 older adults (>75) diagnosed with a PHF. The FFD team assessed 49% (N=11) of older adults (>75) with a PHF. Only 31% (N=8) presented to ED within FFD team operational hours. The average Clinical Frailty Sale was 5 (N=11). The FFD team completed 22 inpatient MDT referrals, four HSCP community referrals, one Public Health Nurse Referral and one application for increase in home care package. Conclusion PHFs tended to occur in older female patients. The majority of PHFs in older adults do not have operative treatment and were associated with higher LOS. FFD teams can play a pivotal role in the assessment and treatment of older adults with a PHF. This may represent opportunities to develop integrated care pathways to maximize an individuals’ independence, to support people at home with PHFs.