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Psychosocial problems, including social isolation and loneliness, are prevalent in rural communities and can impact the use of health services and health outcomes. Current approaches to managing patients with predominantly psychosocial issues may not be the most appropriate. Social prescribing (SP) is a relatively new way of linking patients with sources of non-medical support within the community. Emerging literature suggests that community-based, non-medical activities are an effective and preferred approach to managing psychosocial problems. However, there is little evidence describing the attitudes of general practitioners (GPs) towards formal SP pathways.

This research will occur in a general practice in a rural area of Tasmania, Australia. The project will deliver an education module to rural GPs to highlight the benefits of SP and provide a streamlined pathway for referring patients to community support hubs. Existing community organisations will act as “link workers” to connect patients with suitable community activities. GPs will complete a baseline and follow-up survey to measure their perception of SP and the acceptability, feasibility and appropriateness of such an intervention.

The acceptability, feasibility and appropriateness of the pathway will be assessed using published measures. Free-text responses to open-ended questions will be used to complement the quantitative data. A hybrid effectiveness-implementation method will be used to gather information about the rate of uptake and quality of the SP referral process and identify barriers and facilitators of the process in a real-world setting.

While qualitative data for SP programmes is predominantly positive, quantitative data is lacking. Although the planned project is relatively short, it will provide a basis for future SP programme implementation and guide the approach to data collection and implementation assessment.

The barriers to and facilitators of introducing a SP programme in a rural general practice setting may be used to guide the development and implementation of future large-scale SP interventions. This research is both timely and relevant as the problem of social isolation and loneliness, especially in rural areas of Australia, is becoming more well-recognised as a driver of poor health and unnecessary health service usage.

Using SP to address psychosocial risks may reduce healthcare burden and costs. Few SP programmes have been delivered and formally assessed in Australia, and the best way to implement SP locally remains unclear. By delivering a SP intervention in a rural setting and assessing GPs’ responses, future SP projects will be better able to design and integrate social and medical care services.

Studies on this topic have shown the remarkable lubricating properties, viz. friction-reducing and anti-wear, of certain nanoparticles. This makes them potential candidates for replacing the lubrication additives currently used in automobile lubricants, especially because the latter is known to be pollutants and less efficient in some specific conditions. This has not gone unnoticed to professionals in the sector, including those commercializing these additives, the oil companies and the car industry, all of whom are following this burgeoning research area with keen interest. All of them are faced with the problem of providing lubricants that meet the needs of the technological evolution of engines while respecting ever-stricter environmental norms.

The impact of copper oxide (CuO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on the tribological properties of the SAE-40 pure diesel oil is studied in this paper. The two nanoparticles are not oxide or deteriorate with the base oil. The average size of CuO and ZnO nanoparticles is 40 and 20 nm, respectively. Nanoparticle concentrations of 0.1 Wt.%, 0.2 Wt.%, 0.3 Wt.%, 0.4 Wt.% and 0.5 Wt.% are tested using a pin-on-disk tribometer to evaluate their impact on friction and wear. The test is carried out at different loads and rotating speeds of 58.86 N and 300 rpm, 39.24 N and 500 rpm and 78.48 N and 900 rpm at room temperature, respectively.

The obtained results of the nanolubricants are compared with those of pure diesel oil in terms of % improvement in tribological properties. However, it is observed that an increase in the nanoparticle concentrations does not guarantee to enhance the tribological properties. Similarly, increasing the applied load and the rotating speed does not lead to improving the anti-friction and anti-wear properties. The results obtained revealed that the optimal improvements in the anti-friction and anti-wear properties of the pure oil are 69% and 77% when CuO nanoparticle concentrations of 0.3 Wt.% and the ZnO nanoparticle concentrations of 0.1 Wt.% are used, where the applied load and rotating speed are 39.24 N and 500 rpm, respectively. It has also been noticed that the CuO nanolubricants have a significant impact on the anti-friction property compared with ZnO nanolubricants.

All these nanoparticles have been the subject of detailed investigation in this research and many key issues have been tackled, such as the conditions leading to these properties, the lubrication mechanisms coming into play, the influence of parameters such as size, structure and morphology of the nanoparticles on their tribological properties/lubrication mechanisms and the interactions between the particles and the lubricant co-additives. To answer such questions, state-of-the-art characterization techniques are required, often in situ, and sometimes an extremely complex set up. Some of these can even visualize the behavior of a nanoparticle in real time during a tribological test. The research on this topic has given a good understanding of the way these nanoparticles behave, and we can now identify the key parameters to be adjusted when optimizing their lubrication properties.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-08-2022-0234/

The purpose of this paper is to present the stages for manufacturing a low‐cost miniaturized prototype device, which observes the restrictions of implantable medical devices. The device measures the electrocardiography. The power for the implant is received passively as the same magnetic field as data is transferred to the reader device.

In this manufacturing technique, only easily attachable commercial available components are used, etching is used to simply produce a low‐cost double‐sided flexible printed circuit board which is converted to 3D by folding.

The circuit board was folded into the final shape after component attachment and the final result was a compact 3D package within the specifications determined by the electronics designer. The miniaturized prototype device was successfully tested both in vitro and in vivo.

The manufacturing technique of the sensing device can be readily adapted to other devices that need to be miniaturized. The coatings used for electrical insulation and chemical protection and the type of adhesives used for folded packages are easily utilized in similar miniaturization prototypes. By using bare chips, the final product would have been even smaller but for prototyping it is cheaper and faster to use easily acquired and attached components. In the case of mass production, the whole new design, where bare chips with flip chip attachments, integrated passives and/or stacked 3D packages with design considerations such as electrical, thermal and mechanical engineering is justified.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of Ni₃Al coating for boilers and other power plant equipment, which suffer severe erosion-corrosion problems resulting in substantial losses. Currently, superalloys are being used to increase the service life of the boilers. Although the superalloys have adequate mechanical strength at elevated temperature, they often lack resistance to erosion-corrosion environments.

In this paper, the erosion-corrosion performance of plasma-sprayed nickel aluminide (Ni₃Al) coating on nickel- and iron-based superalloys have been evaluated by exposing them to the low temperature primary superheater zone of the coal-fired thermal power plant at the temperature zone of 540^°C for ten cycles of 100 h duration. The exposed products were analysed along the surface and cross-section using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron micro probe analysis (EPMA).

The XRD, SEM and EPMA analyses have shown the formation of mainly NiO, NiAl₂O₄ and indicated the presence of Ni₃Al, Ni and Al₂O₃. In the boiler environment, Ni₃Al coating partially oxidizes and acts as a perfect barrier against erosion-corrosion of superalloys. The partially oxidised Ni₃Al coating remains intact even after 1,000 h cycle exposure.

The probable mechanism of attack for the plasma-sprayed Ni₃Al coating in the given boiler environment is presented.

Taking advantage of the breakdown of formal social control directly following Hurricane Andrew in Miami, Florida this paper conducts a naturally occurring breaching experiment to examine the deeper structure of values about policing and police practices. Both citizens of the damaged neighborhoods and the attending police were interviewed to determine the degree of consensus/dissensus concerning ideal and actual priorities of policing during the crisis period. The findings reveal a remarkable degree of consensus among citizens and the police. The implications for a consensus versus a conflict view of policing are discussed.

This paper considers vernacular roofing practices for natural slate within the Lake District National Park and looks at the application of traditional techniques within the environmentally‐sensitive area. The paper examines the geology of the Lake District, slate production, methods of re‐slating and specific techniques and details. The paper uses case studies of recent roofing projects to illustrate good practice.

Briefly reviews previous literature by the author before presenting an original 12 step system integration protocol designed to ensure the success of companies or countries in their efforts to develop and market new products. Looks at the issues from different strategic levels such as corporate, international, military and economic. Presents 31 case studies, including the success of Japan in microchips to the failure of Xerox to sell its invention of the Alto personal computer 3 years before Apple: from the success in DNA and Superconductor research to the success of Sunbeam in inventing and marketing food processors: and from the daring invention and production of atomic energy for survival to the successes of sewing machine inventor Howe in co‐operating on patents to compete in markets. Includes 306 questions and answers in order to qualify concepts introduced.

GEAR oil testing is an enterprise involving large numbers of people and equipment and costing millions of dollars per year. It is used as a guide in the development of new gear lubricants (or even new machines) and also serves broad quality control purposes. Since the gear oil business is a multimillion dollar area and since it is serving a multibillion dollar automotive and industrial investment around the world, spending for gear oil testing can be well worth the costs. However, as in every other aspect of business, cost reduction in gear oil testing is becoming more and more a demand of the times. It is therefore important to take a critical look at the expenses incurred in this area, and decide if some of the tests can be eliminated without detrimental effects.

The following classified, annotated list of titles is intended to provide reference librarians with a current checklist of new reference books, and is designed to supplement the RSR review column, “Recent Reference Books,” by Frances Neel Cheney. “Reference Books in Print” includes all additional books received prior to the inclusion deadline established for this issue. Appearance in this column does not preclude a later review in RSR. Publishers are urged to send a copy of all new reference books directly to RSR as soon as published, for immediate listing in “Reference Books in Print.” Reference books with imprints older than two years will not be included (with the exception of current reprints or older books newly acquired for distribution by another publisher). The column shall also occasionally include library science or other library related publications of other than a reference character.