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GASSM: global attention and state space model based end-to-end hyperspectral change detection.
Get PDFAs an essential task to identify anomalies and monitor changes over time, change detection enables detailed earth observation in remote sensing. By combining both the rich spectral information and spatial image, hyperspectral images (HSI) have offered unique and significant advantages for change detection. However, traditional hyperspectral change detection (HCD) methods, predominantly based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs), struggle with capturing long-range spatial-spectral dependencies due to their limited receptive fields. Whilst transformers based HCD methods are capable of modeling such dependencies, they often suffer from quadratic growth of the computational complexity. Considering the unique capabilities in offering robust long-range sequence modeling yet with linear computational complexity, the emerging Mamba model has provided a promising alternative. Accordingly, we propose a novel approach that integrates the global attention (GA) and state space model (SSM) to form our GASSM network for HCD. The SSM based Mamba block has been introduced to model global spatial-spectral features, followed by a fully connected layer to perform binary classification of detected changes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first to explore using the Mamba and SSM for HCD. Comprehensive experiments on two publicly available datasets, compared with eight state-of-the-art benchmarks, have validated the efficacy and efficiency of our GASSM model, demonstrating its superiority of high accuracy and stability in HCD
Analysis of UK repository platforms: who is using what and why?
No full textPrimarily focusing on the UK Higher Education sector, the author aims to investigate the variety of repository platforms currently in use based on available data from UKCORR. Through an analysis of the data, the author attempts to determine whether there are any particular trends - geographic, financial or otherwise - evident from the current spread of platforms across the sector. Additionally, the author draws on informal and anecdotal evidence from repository staff to begin exploring institutional decision-making behind switching repository platforms
Stitching urban vision (SUV): psychogeographic and visual content analysis in co-creating collaborative capacity among children. [Case study]
Get PDFThis case study explores the "Stitching Urban Vision" (SUV) method, which aims to help children develop negotiation skills with a view to achieving successful outcomes, rather than the delayed, unresolved or fragmented outcomes that can result from other negotiation methods. Studies in the use of SUV have demonstrated how disparate and self-drawn ideas can be stitched into an intelligible shared vision
What is the welfare state for?
No full textMost states in the world make some provision for the welfare of their citizens. Every state engages with health care provision, almost all provide education services, and, after an explosion of interest in recent years, a substantial majority now have national schemes in place for cash assistance. Welfare states matter for people's lives – but there is little agreement about what one is. What are these states trying to do, and why? The book discusses the institutions and methods that characterise welfare states around the world. It focuses on the aims, purposes and justifications for social welfare services in order to explain what the welfare state is for
Nothing so practical as a good prevention principle: lessons from the prevention principle in construction law.
No full textThe so called "prevention principle" in contract law operates differently in construction contracts compared with the wider law. This paper examines the prevention principle in construction law and within the wider developments of English contract law and its theoretical context. The Australian approach is also used as a helpful comparator
Design and optimal sizing of a hydrogen uninterruptable power supply (UPS) system for addressing residential power cutoffs.
Get PDFHydrogen (H2) offers a green medium for storing the excess from renewables production instead of dumping it, thus being crucial to decarbonisation efforts. Hydrogen also offers a storage medium for the grid's cheap electricity to be used during grid peak demand or grid power cutoffs. Funded by the Scottish Government's Emerging Energy Technologies, this paper presents the design and performance analysis of a hydrogen uninterruptible power supply (H2GEN) for Cygnas Solutions Ltd., which is intended to enable continuity of supply in the residential sector while eradicating the need for environmentally and health risky lead–acid batteries and diesel generator backup. This paper presents the design, optimal sizing and analysis of two H2Gen architectures, one powered by the grid alone and the other powered by both the grid and a renewable (PV) source. By developing a model of each architecture in the HOMER space and using residential location weather data, the home yearly load–demand profile, and the grid yearly power outages profile in the developed models, the optimal sizing of each H2Gen design was realised by minimising the costs while ensuring the H2Gen meets the home power demand during grid outages To enable HOMER to optimise its selection, the sizes, technical specifications and costs of all the market-available H2GEN components were added in the HOMER search space. Moreover, the developed models were also used in assessing the sensitivity of the simulation outputs to several changes in the modelled system design and settings. Using a residential home with frequent power outages in New Delhi, India as a case study, it was found that the optimal sizing of H2Gen Architecture 1 is comprised of a 2 kW electrolyser, a 0.2 kg type-I tank, and a 2 kW water-cooled fuel cell directly connected to the AC bus, offering an operational lifetime of 14.3 years. It was also found that the optimal sizing of Architecture 2 is comprised of a 1 kV PV utilised with the same 2 kW electrolyser, 0.2 kg type-I tank and 2 kW water-cooled fuel cell connected to the AC bus. While the second design was found to have a higher capital cost due to the added PV, it offered a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly architecture, which contributes to the ongoing energy transition. This paper further investigated the capacity expansion of each H2GEN architecture to meet higher load demands or increased grid power outages. From the analysis of the simulation results, it has been concluded that the most feasible and cost-effective H2GEN system expansion for meeting increased power demands or increased grid outages can be realised by using the developed models for optimally sizing the expanded H2Gen on a case-by-case basis because the increase in these profiles is highly time-dependent (for example, an increased load demand or increased grid outage in the morning can be met by the PV, while in the evening, it must be met by the H2GEN). Finally, this paper investigated the impact of other environmental variables, such as the temperature and relative humidity, on the H2GEN's performance and provided further insights into increasing the overall system efficiency and cost benefit through utilising the H2GEN's exhaust heat in the home space for heating/cooling and selling the electrolyser exhaust's O2 as a commodity
Understanding the lived experience of low-income UK parents’ and carers’, management of infant feeding challenges in the context of the current cost of living crisis: the Diet and Health Inequalities (DIO Food) project.
Get PDFAs the cost-of-living crisis continues, food charities report increased demand from families with young children and babies, suggesting, infants in low-income UK households are amongst the most food insecure of our citizens. This is concerning, firstly, due to the nutritional requirements during pregnancy and breastfeeding and secondly, because the first 1000 days of life are recognised as a critical period in child development and a time when good nutrition is essential. For families choosing to bottle feed, the high cost of infant formula presents an additional challenge, especially food banks don't typically provide formula due to UNICEF breastfeeding guidelines. While much has been done to track and monitor household level food insecurity in the UK recently, maternal and infant food insecurity is poorly characterised and understood. Qualitative investigation of low-income parents infant feeding intentions and practices in the UK as part of the UKRI-funded DIO-Food Project. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eligible parents or carers living in Scotland and England between December and June 2024. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Seven key themes were identified: 1. The struggle to afford food and formula in the face of reduced income reflects the challenge faced by parents trying to feed more mouths on reduced income or benefits; 2. Hard work and sacrifice: parents actions to secure food for their baby relates to strategies used and compromises made by parents to ensure their baby is fed; 3. Don't ask, don't tell; conversations with health professionals highlights the lack of discussion with healthcare professionals around parents financial situation and strained conversations surrounding bottle feeding; 4. Acknowledging breastfeeding benefits but encountering challenges; 5. Earning but struggling: not eligible for financial assistance specifically focuses on financial challenges experienced by parents in work; 6. Income shortfall struggles: the essential support of family and the 3rd sector to meet needs highlights the role of family and third sector organisations in alleviating parents' financial shortfall; 7. Stigma and guilt accessing and receiving support relates to the mental and emotional toll parents experience when accessing support to provide for their baby. Parents use agency to secure food for themselves and their families on a limited budget. Feeding related challenges may be exacerbated by a lack of conversations between healthcare professionals and new parents on their financial situation and creates a missed opportunity to ensure new parents and infants have the financial support they are entitled to. Open and honest discussions around both breast and bottle feeding may be necessary to support parents feeding intentions. Family and third sector organisations play a crucial role in the provision of instrumental support for new parents
Unassisted photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction by employing III–V photoelectrode with 15% solar‐to‐fuel efficiency.
Get PDFSolar-driven carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) provides an opportunity to produce value-added chemical feedstocks and fuels. However, achieving efficient and stable photoelectrochemical (PEC) CO2RR into selective products is challenging owing to the difficulties associated with the optical and the electrical configuration of PEC devices and electrocatalyst properties. Herein, we construct an efficient, concentrated sunlight-driven CO2RR setup consisting of InGaP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction cell as a photoanode and oxide-derived Au (Ox-Au) as a cathode to perform the unassisted PEC CO2RR. Under one-sun illumination, a maximum operating current density of 11.5 mA cm–2 with an impressive Faradaic efficiency (FE) of ~98% is achieved for carbon monoxide (CO) production, leading to a solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency of ~15%. Under concentrated intensity of 10 sun, the photoanode records a maximum current density of ~124 mA cm–2 and maintains ~60% of FE for CO production. The results demonstrate crucial advancements in using III–V based photoanodes for concentrated PEC CO2RR
Assessment of surface water quality using chemometric tools: a case study of Jabi Lake, Abuja, Nigeria.
Get PDFWater pollution has become a growing threat to human society and natural ecosystems in recent decades. It increases the need to understand surface water quality assessment better using chemometric tools within aquatic systems. This study sampled the water quality of 21 parameters at multiple sampling points in Jabi Lake during wet and dry seasons (August–December 2021) using various statistical methods including cluster analysis, principal component analysis/factorial analysis, discriminant analysis, and box plot analysis. These samples were examined for physicochemical parameters employing standard techniques. The study revealed significant seasonal variations in water quality. During the wet season, key measurements included total dissolved solids (100.40 mg/l), dissolved oxygen (13.72 mg/l), and electrical conductivity (97.14 µs/cm). The dry season showed higher levels of most parameters, with total dissolved solids at 137.91 mg/l and electrical conductivity at 230.93 µs/cm. Statistical analysis identified strong correlations between various parameters, notably between phosphate and total hardness in the wet season (r = 0.978, α = 0.05) and between pH and temperature in the dry season (r = 0.995, α = 0.05). The study identified four principal components explaining 98.5–100% of the variance, representing various pollution sources including organic waste, domestic sewage, and natural factors. The findings indicated that dry season water samples were more polluted, with some parameters exceeding World Health Organisation standards, suggesting potential health risks. The research demonstrated the effectiveness of multivariate statistical techniques in analysing complex water quality data and provided valuable insights for water resource management, particularly regarding seasonal variations' impact on water quality
What we know about high-growth firms, and what we do not: a systematic review.
Get PDFHigh-growth firms are at the forefront of academic research and policymaking in support of job creation. This article provides an overview of what we know about these firms and what we do not. It is based on a systematic review of 159 papers published in higher-ranked academic journals from 1985 to 2022, supplemented by key papers published subsequently. The growing volume of research is channelled along what are becoming well-worn paths. It has entered a phase of diminishing returns before reaching any consensus on two pivotal questions: What are the antecedents of a high-growth episode, and why are these so short-lived? There is also growing scepticism among scholars on the feasibility and merit of having high-growth firms as a policy focus. It concludes by assessing the field and suggesting new research approaches and methods
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