University of Bath

About: University of Bath is a education organization based out in Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Photonic-crystal fiber. The organization has 15830 authors who have published 39608 publications receiving 1358769 citations. The organization is also known as: Bath University.

Attentional bias to pain-related information: A meta-analysis

Abstract: This meta-analysis investigated whether attentional bias, that is, the preferential allocation of attention to information that is related to pain, is a ubiquitous phenomenon. We also investigated whether attentional bias effects are related to the methodological quality of the study, to procedural differences in their measurement, or to individual differences in pain severity, pain-related fear, anxiety, and depression. Results indicated that individuals who experience chronic pain (n = 1023) display an attentional bias towards pain-related words or pictures, but this bias was of a small effect size (d = 0.134), and did not differ from that in control groups (d = 0.082; n = 1398). No evidence was found for an attentional bias towards pain-related words and pictures for acute pain (d = 0.049), procedural pain (d = 0.142), and experimental pain (d = 0.069). However, research in which attentional bias towards signals of impending experimental pain in healthy volunteers was investigated, revealed an attentional bias of medium effect size (d = 0.676). Moderator analyses in the chronic pain group identified important procedural variables that affected the presence and magnitude of an attentional bias towards pain-related words and pictures, that is, type and exposure time of pain-related information. None of the individual difference variables affected the magnitude of the attentional bias. Implications of current findings and future directions are discussed.

Engineering Solar Cell Absorbers by Exploring the Band Alignment and Defect Disparity: The Case of Cu‐ and Ag‐Based Kesterite Compounds

Abstract: The development of kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin-film solar cells is currently hindered by the large deficit of open-circuit voltage (Voc), which results from the easy formation of CuZn antisite acceptor defects. Suppressing the formation of CuZn defects, especially near the absorber/buffer interface, is thus critical for the further improvement of kesterite solar cells. In this paper, it is shown that there is a large disparity between the defects in Cu- and Ag-based kesterite semiconductors, i.e., the CuZn or CuCd acceptor defects have high concentration and are the dominant defects in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 or Cu2CdSnS4, but the AgZn acceptor has only a low concentration and the dominant defects are donors in Ag2ZnSnS4. Therefore, the Cu-based kesterites always show p-type conductivity, while the Ag-based kesterites show either intrinsic or weak n-type conductivity. Based on this defect disparity and calculated band alignment, it is proposed that the Voc limit of the kesterite solar cells can be overcome by alloying Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 with Ag2ZnSn(S,Se)4, and the composition-graded (Cu,Ag)2ZnSn(S,Se)4 alloys should be ideal light-absorber materials for achieving higher efficiency kesterite solar cells.

Chirality and Chiroptical Effects in Metal Nanostructures: Fundamentals and Current Trends

Abstract: Throughout the 19th and 20th century, chirality has mostly been associated with chemistry. However, while chirality can be very useful for understanding molecules, molecules are not well suited for understanding chirality. Indeed, the size of atoms, the length of molecular bonds and the orientations of orbitals cannot be varied at will. It is therefore difficult to study the emergence and evolution of chirality in molecules, as a function of geometrical parameters. By contrast, chiral metal nanostructures offer an unprecedented flexibility of design. Modern nanofabrication allows chiral metal nanoparticles to tune the geometric and optical chirality parameters, which are key for properties such as negative refractive index and superchiral light. Chiral meta/nano-materials are promising for numerous technological applications, such as chiral molecular sensing, separation and synthesis, super-resolution imaging, nanorobotics, and ultra-thin broadband optical components for chiral light. This review covers some of the fundamentals and highlights recent trends. We begin by discussing linear chiroptical effects. We then survey the design of modern chiral materials. Next, the emergence and use of chirality parameters are summarized. In the following part, we cover the properties of nonlinear chiroptical materials. Finally, in the conclusion section, we point out current limitations and future directions of development.

A meta-analysis of techniques to promote motivation for health behaviour change from a self-determination theory perspective

Abstract: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted of the techniques used to promote psychological need satisfaction and motivation within health interventions based on self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2017 Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness New York, NY: Guilford Press) Eight databases were searched from 1970 to 2017 Studies including a control group and reporting pre- and post-intervention ratings of SDT-related psychosocial mediators (namely perceived autonomy support, need satisfaction and motivation) with children or adults were included Risk of bias was assessed using items from the Cochrane risk of bias tool 2496 articles were identified of which 74 met inclusion criteria; 80% were RCTs or cluster RCTs Techniques to promote need supportive environments were coded according to two established taxonomies (BCTv1 and MIT), and 21 SDT-specific techniques, and grouped into 18 SDT based strategies Weighted mean effect sizes were computed using a random effects model; perceived autonomy support g = 084, autonomy g = 081, competence g = 063, relatedness g = 028, and motivation g = 041 One-to-one interventions resulted in greater competence satisfaction than group-based (g = 096 vs 028), and competence satisfaction was greater for adults (g = 095) than children (g = 011) Meta-regression analysis showed that individual strategies had limited independent impact on outcomes, endorsing the suggestion that a need supportive environment requires the combination of multiple co-acting techniques

Kinetics of light-driven oxygen evolution at alpha-Fe2O3 electrodes.

Abstract: The kinetics of light-driven oxygen evolution at polycrystalline alpha-Fe2O3 layers prepared by aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition has been studied using intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS). Analysis of the frequency-dependent IMPS response gives information about the competition between the 4-electron oxidation of water by photogenerated holes and losses due to electron-hole recombination via surface states. The very slow kinetics of oxygen evolution indicates the presence of a kinetic bottleneck in the overall process. Surface treatment of the alpha-Fe2O3 with dilute cobalt nitrate solution leads to a remarkable improvement in the photocurrent response, but contrary to expectation, the results of this study show that this is not due to catalysis of hole transfer but is instead the consequence of almost complete suppression of surface recombination.