bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Product-group-specific nutrient index as a nutritional functional unit for the Life Cycle Assessment of protein-rich foods
Authors: Kyttä Venla , Kårlund Anna , Pellinen Tiina , Pietiläinen Oona , Tuomisto Hanna L. , Kolehmainen Marjukka , Pajari Anne-Maria , Saarinen Merja
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Substitution of animal-source foods with plant-based alternatives requires product-specific information from both the environmental and nutritional perspectives. The use of nutrient indices as nutritional functional units (nFUs) in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of food products has been developed to integrate nutritional aspects into the method (nLCA). However, the methodological approaches vary because the execution of LCA always depends on context.

Methods

We present a methodological approach for the nLCA of protein-rich foods with a product-group-specific nFU, as update to earlier development work. We compared three strategies for selecting nutrients to be included in the nFU index for protein-rich foods in a national context, considering Finnish nutrition recommendations to different age groups, and the population’s dietary habits and nutrient intake. nFUs were demonstrated through cradle-to-plate LCA for foods made with beef, pork, broiler, trout, perch, chickpea, soya mince, and pulled oats as the main ingredients.

Results

The selected strategies to format the nFU have a marked impact on the results especially for fish- and plant-based food. The results of each population group, especially children, also differ. The choice of nutrients in the index, the type of food assessed, and the system boundaries of assessment have a considerable impact on the results.

Conclusion

The baseline nFU introduced in the study is valuable in producing sustainability information to support the aspiration to a sustainable dietary shift. The index used as the nFU should be formatted based on the study goal and scope, and vulnerable groups must be considered when interpreting the results.
The high-cyclic model for sand tested beyond the usual ranges of application
Authors: Knittel L. , Lamparter A. , Niemunis A. , Stutz H. H.
Published: September 2023

The high-cycle accumulation (HCA) model proposed by Niemunis et al. (Comput Geotech 32(4):245–263, 2005) predicts permanent deformations due cyclic loading with many small cycles (i.e. $$N \ge 10^4$$

N
≥

10
4

cycles of strain amplitudes $${\varepsilon }^{{\rm ampl}}\le 10^{-3}$$

ε

ampl

≤

10

-
3

). In the presented tests, the pressure range $$p^{{\rm av}}$$

p
av

is extended from 3 to 9 bar; the influence of the void ratio $$e \in (0.72, 0.95)$$

e
∈
(
0.72
,
0.95
)

and amplitudes of strains $$\varepsilon ^{{\rm ampl}} \in (0.1{\%}, 1{\%})$$

ε
ampl

∈

(
0.1
%
,
1
%
)

is tested in the extended range. Some empirical HCA functions could be confirmed and some require modifications. An interesting qualitative controversy pertains to the direction of circulation in the P–Q-plane for a validation of the polarization function $$f_\pi $$

f
π

, which does influence the rate of accumulation contrarily to the HCA assumption. The previous assumption that $$\dot{\varepsilon }^{{{\rm acc}}}$$

ε
˙

acc

remains constant above a certain pressure level, i.e. is independent of $$p^{{{\rm av}}}$$

p
av

, was experimentally refuted. Investigations on the cyclic preloading ($$\dot{f}_N$$

f
˙

N

) using 21 cyclic triaxial tests with varried monotonic strain paths between the cycle packages found a relationship of the direction of the monotonic strain path and the capacity to reduce cyclic preloading. This study’s findings deepen the understanding of how cyclic preloading is reduced, but the tests also highlight the need for future research in the area.
Oblique plate convergence along arcuate trenches on a spherical Earth. An example from the Western Sunda Arc
Authors: Guzmán-Speziale Marco
Published: September 2023

We propose a new definition of oblique plate convergence. Our model considers arc-trench curvature on a spherical Earth, and defines obliquity as the angle between the direction of plate convergence and the azimuth from the central point along the arc to the center of curvature of the arcuate trench. We also show how this model may be extended to multiple-arc trenches.

We apply this definition to the Western Sunda Arc, which has been traditionally considered the prime example of oblique plate convergence, particularly the segment corresponding to Sumatra. We define eight arc-like segments along this arc-trench system. Obliquity angles on these arc-like segments vary from 92° in the northernmost (Burmese) arc to 7° offshore the Sunda strait (between Sumatra and Java). The angle of obliquity offshore Sumatra is 31°, almost within the definition of slightly oblique convergence. Given the low angle of obliquity, partitioning along the Sumatran fault, in the southern portion of the Western Sunda Arc, is difficult to explain by oblique plate convergence alone. We suggest that the entire segment (or forearc) inboard of the Western Sunda Arc be dragged from the Burmese arc, where overriding and subducting plates are completely coupled and oblique plate convergence is high.
Insect pollination and pollinator supplementation enhances fruit weight, quality, and marketability of avocado (Persea americana)
Authors: Sagwe Rose Nyakemiso , Peters Marcell K. , Dubois Thomas , Steffan-Dewenter Ingolf , Lattorff H. Michael G.
Published: September 2023

Avocado is a pollinator-dependent crop rich in fiber, monounsaturated oils, vitamins, and minerals, which is seeing an increase in global demand. While some studies have shown that insect pollination improves avocado fruit set, the effects of pollinators on fruit quality and the nutritional profile remain unclear. Furthermore, it remains untested whether a potential pollination deficit can be compensated by the supplementation of farms with extra pollinators. We quantified the contribution of insect pollination on fruit and seed weight, and oil, protein, carbohydrate, and phytochemical (flavonoid and phenolics) contents, and assessed if the supplementation of pollinators on farms can improve fruit parameters. The experiment was conducted in 36 smallholder avocado farms of which 18 farms were supplemented with two Apis mellifera bee hives, while 18 were used as controls. Four manipulative pollination treatments were conducted: hand, open, self- and wind pollination. We observed that avocado fruit weight was significantly higher (213.7 g) for insect pollinated flowers than in case of wind- (107.8 g) or self-pollination (95.1 g).

Insect pollination resulted in heavier seeds (29.5 g) as well as higher oil contents, clearly showing that insect pollination was required to reach a high seed yield and quantity of oil. Honey bee supplementation on farms enhanced the avocado fruit weight by 18%, and increased avocado oil content by 3.6%. As the marketability of avocado directly depends on fruit size and oil content, a sustainable management of bee communities may be of key importance for the long-term profitability of avocado agriculture.
How well do building energy performance certificates predict heat loss?
Authors: Meles Tensay Hadush , Farrell Niall , Curtis John
Published: September 2023

This paper evaluates the predictive power of building energy performance certificates on home heat loss. Improving the insulative capacity of residential properties is a policy priority in many markets, with building energy performance certificates serving as a benchmark. We exploit a rich panel dataset of high-frequency thermostat readings, coupled with data detailing weather and building characteristics, to identify an ex-post metric of heat loss. Our results show a significant effect of building energy performance rating on indoor temperature, a proxy for home heat loss. However, we do not find evidence of a distinct gradient in performance between building energy rating categories, as suggested by ex-ante estimates of home heat loss. The finding highlights that directly linking policy targets to a particular energy performance certificate standard can lead to an outcome that deviates significantly from what is anticipated.
Standing the test of time: total aortic remodeling 13 years after TEVAR for acute type B aortic dissection
Authors: Hagedorn Matthias Niklas , Meisenbacher Katrin , Skrypnik Denis , Bischoff Moritz Sebastian , Böckler Dittmar
Published: September 2023

Long-term outcome after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) of acute type B aortic dissection (aTBAD) is still underreported in current literature. This case report shows persistence of aortic remodeling without secondary complication or need of reintervention 13 years after TEVAR. A 45-year-old woman was referred to the emergency room with aTBAD. Due to early diameter progression in combination with therapy-refractory pain and uncontrolled hypertension, TEVAR was performed. Hereafter, the patient showed complete remodeling of the descending thoracic aorta without persistent false lumen perfusion in this segment and with stable true and false lumen diameter in the untreated abdominal segment for a 13-year period. No aortic-related reintervention was needed. With contemporary devices and adapted therapy, TEVAR seems able to treat complex thoracic disease. Long-term follow-up (FU) is mandatory to monitor the efficacy and durability of endovascular treatment in aortic disease.
Exploring ideological differences in Taiwanese perceptions of cross-strait relations
Authors: Chen Rong , Kironská Kristína , Čeněk Jiri
Published: September 2023

This is an exploratory research that seeks to investigate how ideology predicts Taiwanese perceptions of cross-strait relations, including attitudes toward Taiwan independence, perceptions of mainland China and Chinese people, Chinese invasion of Taiwan, and Chinese democracy. We took an inductive approach to left-right differences in Taiwan to offer a more systematic empirical understanding of ideology beyond the West. To do so, we conducted a nationally representative survey among adult Taiwan citizens (N = 1,350). Findings revealed that those who identified with the Left (vs. Right) tended to demonstrate more negative perceptions of cross-strait relations. Specifically, the political left is more negative about the outlook of Chinese democracy while favoring Taiwan independence, than the political right. Furthermore, the political left perceives both mainland China and the Chinese people more negatively than the political right. These findings underscore the role of ideology for a full comprehension of cross-strait relations, as they indicated a fundamental difference between the political left vs. right in terms of perceptions of cross-strait relations. The present research extends existing political psychology literature on ideology and international relations, particularly in the East Asian context.
A QGIS -plugin for gully erosion modeling
Authors: Khan Saad , Omran Adel , Schröder Dietrich , Sommer Christian , Hochschild Volker , Märker Michael
Published: September 2023

Gully erosion affects the landscape and human life in many ways, including the destruction of agricultural land and infrastructures, altering the hydraulic potential of soils, as well as water availability. Due to climate change, more areas are expected to be affected by gully erosion in the future, threatening especially low-income agricultural regions. In the past decades, quantitative methods have been proposed to simulate and predict gully erosion at different scales. However, gully erosion is still underrepresented in modern GIS-based modeling and simulation approaches. Therefore, this study aims to develop a QGIS plugin using Python to assess gully erosion dynamics. We explain the preparation of the input data, the modeling procedure based on Sidorchuk’s (Sidorchuk A (1999) Dynamic and static models of gully erosion. CATENA 37:401–414.) gully simulation model, and perform a detailed sensitivity analysis of model parameters. The plugin uses topographical data, soil characteristics and discharge information as gully model input. The plugin was tested on a gully network in KwaThunzi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The results and sensitivity analyses confirm Sidorchuck’s earlier observations that the critical runoff velocity is a main controlling parameter in gully erosion evolution, alongside with the slope stability threshold and the soil erodibility coefficient. The implemented QGIS plugin simplifies the gully model setup, the input parameter preparation as well as the post-processing and visualization of modelling results. The results are provided in different data formats to be visualized with different 3D visualization software tools. This enables a comprehensive gully assessment and the derivation of respective coping and mitigation strategies.
Environmental sustainability in sport federations: a Swiss case study of environmental policy genesis
Authors: Piller Sarah , Nagel Siegfried
Published: September 2023

Since national sport federations (NSFs) represent sport clubs and engage in sport policy issues, they could play a crucial role in establishing measures to ensure the environmental sustainability of sport. Several Swiss sport federations have already launched such programmes. However, sport federations are primarily committed to the interests of their member clubs and the sport as their core business and environmental sustainability is generally not their primary issue. With regard to the usually limited resources, their environmental engagement does not appear to be evident. Therefore, this study investigated the extent to which environmental policies are generated by NSFs and which factors are relevant for policy genesis (agenda setting and decision coupling). We conducted an in-depth case study of the Swiss Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association based on the multiple streams approach with two coupling phases. The findings showed that whereas agenda setting of policies regarding biodiversity and access to nature primarily occurs through national regulations, climate protection policies are mainly pushed by engaged policy entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, member interests, functional issues (as opposed to normative arguments) and the practices of similar federations were found to be crucial for all environmental policies. Because decisions regarding environmental policies require knowledge that does not necessarily belong to the core topics of the board of management, the support of environmental officers is key for the decision coupling of such. An understanding of environmental policy genesis is essential because it is prerequisite for the subsequent implementation of such policies and their effects.
Upcycling of easy separated Casuarina equisetifolia fruit waste as a biosorbent: tailoring the surface modification to enhance selective removal of cationic dye or simultaneously removal of cationic and anionic dyes
Authors: Radwan Emad K. , Omar Rehab A. , Marey A.
Published: September 2023

This study aimed at the valorization of the abundant and underutilized Casuarina equisetifolia fruit waste (CEFW) biomass as an intact easily separable biosorbent for the treatment of dye-polluted water. The intact CEFW was chemically modified to improve its selective biosorption of MB, or to simultaneously remove MB and MO. H2O2 treatment increased the surface functional groups, created pores, and enhanced the selective biosorption of MB. CTAB treatment introduced quaternary ammonium groups and enabled the simultaneously removal of MB and MO. The biosorption of MB by H2O2-treated CEFW was optimum at pH 6 and increased with the mass of the biosorbent. The pH can be adjusted to enhance the biosorption efficiency of the CTAB-treated CEFW toward MB or MO. pH 6 achieves balanced simultaneous removal of MB and MO. The kinetic and isotherm studies revealed that electrostatic interactions and chemisorption dominate the biosorption process which has multilayer character. The single and binary isotherm studies demonstrated that the co-existence of MB and MO enhances their removal. Overall, the modification of the CEFW can be tuned to remove anionic, cationic dyes or both simultaneously and synergistically. The low-cost and easy separation nominate the application of the intact CEFW for dyes removal from polluted water.
Reconstruction and Validation of Arterial Geometries for Computational Fluid Dynamics Using Multiple Temporal Frames of 4D Flow-MRI Magnitude Images
Authors: Black Scott MacDonald , Maclean Craig , Barrientos Pauline Hall , Ritos Konstantinos , Kazakidi Asimina
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Segmentation and reconstruction of arterial blood vessels is a fundamental step in the translation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to the clinical practice. Four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging (4D Flow-MRI) can provide detailed information of blood flow but processing this information to elucidate the underlying anatomical structures is challenging. In this study, we present a novel approach to create high-contrast anatomical images from retrospective 4D Flow-MRI data.

Methods

For healthy and clinical cases, the 3D instantaneous velocities at multiple cardiac time steps were superimposed directly onto the 4D Flow-MRI magnitude images and combined into a single composite frame. This new Composite Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Angiogram (CPC-MRA) resulted in enhanced and uniform contrast within the lumen. These images were subsequently segmented and reconstructed to generate 3D arterial models for CFD. Using the time-dependent, 3D incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, the transient aortic haemodynamics was computed within a rigid wall model of patient geometries.

Results

Validation of these models against the gold standard CT-based approach showed no statistically significant inter-modality difference regarding vessel radius or curvature (p > 0.05), and a similar Dice Similarity Coefficient and Hausdorff Distance. CFD-derived near-wall hemodynamics indicated a significant inter-modality difference (p > 0.05), though these absolute errors were small. When compared to the in vivo data, CFD-derived velocities were qualitatively similar.

Conclusion

This proof-of-concept study demonstrated that functional 4D Flow-MRI information can be utilized to retrospectively generate anatomical information for CFD models in the absence of standard imaging datasets and intravenous contrast.
Application of the Time–Temperature Superposition Principle to Predict Long-Term Behaviour of an Adhesive for Use in Shipbuilding
Authors: Souto-Silvar Daniel A. , Álvarez-García A. , Díaz-Díaz A. , Rodríguez-Dopico Francisco J. , López-Beceiro Jorge
Published: September 2023

The use of adhesives in the marine sector is rather limited at the time being, but their use in specific areas of the ship would be an advantage due, among other things, to their low weight and low stress concentration along the bonding joint. The aim of this work is to predict the long-term behaviour of the material, as this is a critical factor when using adhesive as a bonding method in ships, since its durability must be guaranteed throughout a previously defined life cycle. This can be predicted by applying the time–temperature superposition principle (TTS), which involves carrying out a test at different temperatures for each specimen, considerably reducing the test time. Two types of experiments have been carried out according with operation modes in dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA): a dynamic frequency sweep and a stationary creep test under constant stress, to check the behaviour of the adhesive under both dynamic and sustained loading. The master curve for the frequency study will be constructed in such a way as to cover the whole range of relevant vibrations that can occur on the vessel, while that for the creep test the curve obtained covers a range of 25 years, which is usually used as the minimum service life in shipbuilding. For both, a temperature range from room temperature to the maximum operating temperature of the material established by the manufacturer shall be studied.
A Scoping Review of Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcome Measures for Children and Young People: Implications for Children in Out-of-home Care
Authors: Jacobs Paula , Power Luke , Davidson Gavin , Devaney John , McCartan Claire , McCusker Pearse , Jenkins Ruth
Published: September 2023

Purpose

One of the challenges for mental health research is the lack of an agreed set of outcome measures that are used routinely and consistently between disciplines and across studies in order to build a more robust evidence base for how to better understand young people’s mental health and effectively address diverse needs.

Methods

This study involved a scoping review of reviews on consensus of the use of mental health and wellbeing measures with children and young people. We were particularly interested to identify if there are differences in measures that are recommended for children and young people with care experience including those with developmental disabilities.

Findings

We identified 41 reviews, of which two had a focus on child welfare settings, three on childhood trauma and 14 focused on children and young people with developmental disabilities. Overall, our review highlights a lack of consensus and a diversity of measures within the field. We identified 60 recommended measures, of which only nine were recommended by more than one review.

Conclusions

Our review highlights the need for greater agreement in the use of mental health outcome measures. While our review highlights that there is value in identifying measures that can be used with any child or young person, researchers need to take into account additional considerations when working with children and young people with care experience and those with developmental disabilities, to ensure measures are accessible and sensitive to their life experiences.
Fully Dynamic Contraction Hierarchies with Label Restrictions on Road Networks
Authors: Chen Zi , Feng Bo , Yuan Long , Lin Xuemin , Wang Liping
Published: September 2023

In the real world, road networks with weight and label on edges can be applied in several application domains. The shortest path query with label restrictions has been receiving increasing attention recently. To efficiently answer such kind of queries, a novel index, namely Contraction Hierarchies with Label Restrictions (CHLR), is proposed in the literature. However, existing studies mainly focus on the static road networks and do not support the CHLR maintenance when the road networks are dynamically changed. Motivated by this, in this paper, we investigate the CHLR maintenance problem in dynamic road networks. We first devise a baseline approach to update CHLR by recomputing the potential affected shortcuts. However, many shortcuts recomputed in baseline do not change in fact, which leads to unnecessary overhead of the baseline. To overcome the drawbacks of baseline, we further propose a novel CHLR maintenance algorithm which can only travel little shortcuts through an update propagate chain with accuracy guarantee. Moreover, an optimization strategy is presented to further improve the efficiency of index maintenance. Considering the frequency of edge changes, we also propose a batch index maintenance algorithm to handle batch edge changes which can process a large number of edge changes at once. Furthermore, a parallel method is proposed to further accelerate calculations. Extensive and comprehensive experiments are conducted on real road networks. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed algorithms.
Inclusive random sampling in graphs and networks
Authors: Novick Yitzchak , Bar-Noy Amotz
Published: September 2023

It is often of interest to sample vertices from a graph with a bias towards higher-degree vertices. One well-known method, which we call random neighbor or RN, involves taking a vertex at random and exchanging it for one of its neighbors. Loosely inspired by the friendship paradox, the method is predicated on the fact that the expected degree of the neighbor is greater than or equal to the expected degree of the initial vertex. Another method that is actually perfectly analogous to the friendship paradox is random edge, or RE, where an edge is sampled at random, and then one of the two endpoint vertices is selected at random. Obviously, random sampling is only required when full knowledge of the graph is unattainable. But, while it is true in most cases that knowledge of all vertices’ degrees cannot be obtained, it is often trivial to learn the degree of specific vertices that have already been isolated. In light of this, we suggest a tweak to both RN and RE, inclusive random sampling. In inclusive random neighbor (IRN) the initial vertex and the selected neighbor are considered, in inclusive random edge (IRE) the two endpoint vertices are, and in both cases, we learn the degree of each and select the vertex of higher degree. This paper explores inclusive random sampling through theoretical analysis and experimentation. We establish meaningful bounds on IRN and IRE’s performances, in particular in comparison to each other and to their exclusive counterparts. Our analyses highlight differences of the original, exclusive versions as well. The results provide practical insight for strategizing a random sampling method, and also highlight graph characteristics that impact the question of which methods will perform strongly in which graphs.
Jianghan plain, the locale of China’s Great Flood four thousand years ago
Authors: Guo Li-Xin , Hsieh Meng-Long , Gorodetskaya Olga , Fan Zi-Hao , Chiu Shih-Ying
Published: September 2023

The Yellow River Plain (YRP), being regarded as the cradle of Chinese civilization, is traditionally thought to be the locale of the Great Flood, a hazardous flood (or floods) tamed by Yu who started China’s first “dynasty”, Xia, in ~ 2000 BC. However, by integrating published archaeological data, we propose that the Great Flood in fact impacted the Jianghan Plain (JHP) along the middle course of the Yangtze River. The arguments include: (1) around the era of the Great Flood, the most civilized and populated society in East Asia, named the Jianghan society, was located around the JHP (at that time, the habitation on the YRP remained limited); (2) the Jianghan society lived on river resources (shipping and rice growing) and was thus subject to flood risks (but not for the people inhabiting the YRP); (3) the people in the Jianghan society were experienced in dredging moats/ditches for shipping and irrigation; (4) unlike the floods on the YRP that were characterized by dynamic sedimentation and channel avulsion, those on the JHP typically occurred with slow-moving water manageable to ancient people; (5) the JHP has been associated with lake/wetland systems serving as detention basins during floods. Here, the recorded method for controlling the Great Flood, dredging channels to divert flood water to a “sea”, was feasible. Known speleothem paleo-rainfall data from multiple sites show that the climate of the JHP had been wet since the middle Holocene (earlier than the era of the Great Flood) and significantly turned dry after ~ 1850 BC (~ 150 years later than the Great Flood). Thus, the uniqueness of the Great Flood was likely to reflect an increase in land use on the JHP with the expansion of the Jianghan society, and the success in taming this flood was mainly due to the efforts of the society, not by luck.
Strategy analysis of the extrapolation adjusted by model prediction (ExAMP) blending scheme for rainfall nowcasting
Authors: Tsai Chih-Chien , Liou Jia-Chyi , Liao Hsin-Hao , Yu Yi-Chiang , Chen Yu-Chun , Lin Chung-Yi , Chung Kao-Shen , Jou Ben Jong-Dao
Published: September 2023

The strategies of the extrapolation adjusted by model prediction (ExAMP) blending scheme, which trusts the field pattern predicted by extrapolation and allows the field intensity to be adjusted by numerical weather prediction (NWP), for rainfall nowcasting are analyzed in this study. The McGill algorithm for precipitation nowcasting by Lagrangian extrapolation (MAPLE) and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model serve as the extrapolation and NWP models, respectively. Seven 150-min rainfall nowcasting experiments with different strategies are carried out for 37 sampled periods from seven heavy rainfall events in Taiwan in 2019. The results of the overall statistics indicate that, for the extrapolation component, extrapolating the current rainfall rate estimated from the lowest dual-polarimetric radar observations is a superior strategy. The ExAMP scheme that blends the MAPLE and WRF forecasts can surpass both components in 150-min rainfall nowcasting, and an empirical limitation on the innovation of intensity during the blending procedure is found unnecessary in this study. Moreover, the spatial performance for two contrasting events reveals the ability of ExAMP in grasping the rainfall strengthening and weakening in different areas. The skill statistics separately at rainfall strengthening gauges and weakening gauges further prove the effectiveness of ExAMP even though it is effective in intensity correction instead of pattern correction.
Post COVID-19 Symptoms Among Infected Vaccinated Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Adly Heba M. , Saleh Saleh A. K. , Garout Mohammed A. , Abdulkhaliq Altaf A. , Khafagy Abdullah A. , Saati Abdullah A. , AlJahdali Imad A. , Alandiyjany Maher N. , Al-Tawfiq Jaffar A.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Multiple studies investigated the endurance and occurrence of symptoms three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study examines the possible effects of COVID-19 vaccination on the persistence of post-recovery symptoms.

Patients and Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Saudi Arabia to evaluate 14 prevalent long COVID-19 symptoms among vaccinated individuals. Patients self-reported their acute COVID-19 experience, demographic information, chronic conditions, vaccine history, and persistent symptoms.

Results

Of the 484 patients, four respondents were excluded from the study as they had not received the vaccine, and 111 (23.1%) were vaccinated but did not get infected and were also excluded. The remaining 369 (76.9%) reported COVID-19 and a vaccination and thus they were included in the study. The occurrence of post-COVID-19 symptoms was reported in 59 (16.1%) for ≤ 3 months, 202 (54.8%) experienced persistent symptoms 3–6 months, and 108 (29.1%) reported symptoms lasting > 6 months. In relation to age group, persistent symptoms 3–6 months after recovery was more common in those > 50 years and symptoms lasting > 6 months were more common in 30–50 years of age (p < 0.001). Persistence of symptoms for  3-6 months was more common in those who were infected prior to vaccination compared to those who were infected after vaccination (P < 0.001). Of the included patients, 323 (87.5%) rated their health as good, 41 (11.1%) considered it fair, and 5 (1.4%) described their well-being as poor or terrible.

Conclusion

The study provides information of persistent symptoms in vaccinated individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and highlights the need for targeted interventions to alleviate post-COVID-19 symptoms. The study is limited by its reliance on self-reported data and potential selection bias. Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying persistent symptoms in vaccinated individuals and to identify effective interventions for long COVID.
Visualising flight regimes using self-organising maps
Authors: Bektas O.
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this paper is to group the flight data phases based on the sensor readings that are most distinctive and to create a representation of the higher-dimensional input space as a two-dimensional cluster map. The research design includes a self-organising map framework that provides spatially organised representations of flight signal features and abstractions. Flight data are mapped on a topology-preserving organisation that describes the similarity of their content. The findings reveal that there is a significant correlation between monitored flight data signals and given flight data phases. In addition, the clusters of flight regimes can be determined and observed on the maps. This suggests that further flight data processing schemes can use the same data marking and mapping themes regarding flight phases when working on a regime basis. The contribution of the research is the grouping of real data flows produced by in-flight sensors for aircraft monitoring purposes, thus visualising the evolution of the signal monitored on a real aircraft.
What Do Beginning Students Think about Philosophy before Their First College Course?
Authors: PETERSON BAILIE , AGBOOLA DAVID , LUNDBERG KELLY
Published: September 2023

In this article, we present the results of an original study identifying the perceptions of beginning philosophy students at the start of their first introductory course. We surveyed over 1,100 students representing over 40 universities and colleges in the United States regarding their initial perceptions of gender bias, inclusivity, value, understanding, similarities, and enjoyment of philosophy. We analyzed the results based on gender, first-generation status, and student of color status. This work represents the perspectives of a more diverse range of students, reflecting far more first-generation college students (40 percent) and students who identify as people of color (43 percent) than in previous work. Additionally, this study provides novel data as we were able to collect data on the first day of classes, in most cases before students were exposed to syllabi or content that could inform their views about philosophy. Understanding what beginning students think about philosophy before formal exposure to the field might help us to identify concerns, misconceptions, and areas for improvement. Many results are striking, and our project offers insight into the initial perspectives of philosophy students.
Diagnostic prediction models to identify patients at risk for healthcare-facility–onset Clostridioides difficile: A systematic review of methodology and reporting
Authors: Patterson William M. , Fajnzylber Jesse , Nero Neil , Hernandez Adrian V. , Deshpande Abhishek
Published: September 2023

Objective:

To systematically review the methodology, performance, and generalizability of diagnostic models for predicting the risk of healthcare-facility–onset (HO) Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in adult hospital inpatients (aged ≥18 years).

Background:

CDI is the most common cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea. Prediction models that identify inpatients at risk of HO-CDI have been published; however, the quality and utility of these models remain uncertain.

Methods:

Two independent reviewers evaluated articles describing the development and/or validation of multivariable HO-CDI diagnostic models in an inpatient setting. All publication dates, languages, and study designs were considered. Model details (eg, sample size and source, outcome, and performance) were extracted from the selected studies based on the CHARMS checklist. The risk of bias was further assessed using PROBAST.

Results:

Of the 3,030 records evaluated, 11 were eligible for final analysis, which described 12 diagnostic models. Most studies clearly identified the predictors and outcomes but did not report how missing data were handled. The most frequent predictors across all models were advanced age, receipt of high-risk antibiotics, history of hospitalization, and history of CDI. All studies reported the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) as a measure of discriminatory ability. However, only 3 studies reported the model calibration results, and only 2 studies were externally validated. All of the studies had a high risk of bias.

Conclusion:

The studies varied in their ability to predict the risk of HO-CDI. Future models will benefit from the validation on a prospective external cohort to maximize external validity.
Why Vietnam is not Balancing China: Vietnamese Security Priorities and the Dynamics in Sino-Vietnam Relations
Authors: Ma Xinru , Kang David C.
Published: September 2023

It is often asserted that Vietnam is balancing against China, or that it will or should. But does this assertion align with the empirical foreign policy behaviors of Vietnam? Indeed, Vietnam represents a case of a country that should be particularly cautious about China. To be sure it is a fraternal communist brother, but it is also economically entangled—with the down- and upsides of leverage—and geographically close with a history of disputes and outright war. This article argues that existing literature often neglects the ample information that China and Vietnam have about each. Years of engagement have enabled Vietnam and China to reach a modus vivendi that can settle disputes and permit a muted military response to Chinese risks. The lack of existential threat further dissuades Vietnamese leaders from moving closer to extra-regional powers such as the United States. That a key member of the potential balancing coalition against China doesn't engage in balancing behavior, calls into question US Indo-Pacific strategies premised on the assumption that countries will “soft align” or openly join with the US to contain China.
Role of internal structures within a vortex in helicity dynamics
Authors: Shen Weiyu , Yao Jie , Hussain Fazle , Yang Yue
Published: September 2023

Helicity, an invariant under ideal-fluid (Euler) evolution, has a topological interpretation in terms of writhe and twist for a closed vortex tube, but accurately quantifying twist is challenging in viscous flows. With a novel helicity decomposition, we present a framework to construct the differential twist that establishes the theoretical relation between the total twisting number and the local twist rate of each vortex surface. This framework can characterize coiling vortex lines and internal structures within a vortex – important in laminar–turbulence transition, and in vortex instability, reconnection and breakdown. As a typical example, we explore the dynamics of vortex rings with differential twist via direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the Navier–Stokes equations. Two twist waves with opposite chiralities propagate towards each other along the ring and then collide whence the local twist rate rapidly surges. Local vortex surfaces are squeezed into a disk-like dipole structure containing coiled vortex lines, leading to vortex bursting. We derive a Burgers-equation-like model to quantify this process, which predicts a bursting time that agrees well with DNS.
Drag of a shear-thickening suspension on a rotating cylinder
Authors: Rocha Francisco M. , Forterre Yoël , Metzger Bloen , Lhuissier Henri
Published: September 2023

We investigate experimentally the two-dimensional flow of a shear-thickening suspension around a rotating cylinder to which a constant torque is applied. While for low torques both the drag and the flow are steady and close to those for a Newtonian fluid, above the onset torque for discontinuous shear thickening the average velocity of the cylinder saturates and large periodic oscillations of the cylinder velocity are observed. The oscillations result from a hydrodynamic instability of the flow: slow-acceleration phases are followed by high-deceleration phases, triggered by the propagation of a thickening front, and so on. The slow-acceleration phases set the oscillation period, which is limited by the cylinder inertia and inversely proportional to the applied torque. Combined analyses of the cylinder motion and the flow reveal that the front typically nucleates when the shear rate at the cylinder surface reaches the discontinuous shear-thickening threshold. In addition, the characteristics (duration, stress) of the deceleration are set by the interplay between the thickening front propagation and the suspension and cylinder inertiae or the container size. Since for a slow acceleration the shear rate at the cylinder surface is essentially the cylinder angular velocity, this description of the unsteadiness elucidates the saturation of the average velocity. More generally, it illustrates how the hydrodynamics of a shear-thickening suspension with a strongly re-entrant rheology can lead to a marginally re-entrant, although steep, drag curve.
A mathematical model for the interaction of anisotropic turbulence with a rigid leading edge
Authors: Hales Alistair D.G. , Ayton Lorna J. , Jiang Chaoyang , Mahgoub Ahmed , Kisler Roman , Dixon Rowena , de Silva Charitha , Moreau Danielle , Doolan Con
Published: September 2023

This paper investigates the effect of anisotropic turbulence on generating leading-edge aerofoil–turbulence interaction noise. Thin aerofoil theory is used to model an aerofoil as a semi-infinite plate, and the scattering of incoming turbulence is solved via the Wiener–Hopf technique. This theoretical solution encapsulates the diffraction problem for gust–aerofoil interaction and is integrated over a wavenumber–frequency spectrum to account for general incoming anisotropic turbulence. We develop a novel axisymmetric wavenumber–frequency model that captures the wall-normal variation in turbulence characteristics, differing from previous approaches. Then, the method of Gaussian decomposition, in which the generalised spectra are approximated through the weighted sum of individual Gaussian eddy models, is applied to fit the turbulence model to experimental data. Comparisons with experimental data show good agreement for a range of anisotropic ratios.
Investigation of Lagrangian Areas of Minimal Stretching (LAMS) in a turbulent boundary layer
Authors: Rist Ulrich , Weinschenk Matthias , Wenzel Christoph
Published: September 2023

In this paper the three-dimensional finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE) field of a direct numerical simulation of a flat-plate turbulent boundary layer is analysed in several wall-parallel sections. The data consider a case at a low subsonic Mach number with a moderate positive pressure gradient in the streamwise direction. In contrast to other studies mainly focusing on the maxima of the FTLE field, particular emphasis is placed on the regions of minimal stretching between the vortices and shear layers of the three-dimensional turbulent flow field. These visually appear as contiguous islands or ‘valleys’ between the ‘ridges’ of the FTLE maxima, both at forward and backward integration of the flow field in time. To clearly distinguish the structures investigated from their more common counterparts (e.g. Lagrangian coherent structures, LCS), the acronym LAMS (Lagrangian areas of minimal stretching) is proposed to denote the associated cohesive fluid regions. Consistent with intuition, the largest LAMS occur near the boundary-layer edge, where large regions of homogeneous laminar external flow coexist with upwelling turbulent structures. Compensating for turbulent regions pushing upward, they sink from there down toward the wall, becoming smaller and longer. This process is associated with an increased relative velocity of the LAMS compared with the mean flow, which is observed over the whole boundary layer in the range

$y^+ \gtrsim 10$

. Furthermore, it is observed that the Q4 (sweep) events contained in the LAMS clearly dominate over Q2 (ejection) events above

$y^+ \approx 10$

. Thereby, local maxima occur at

$y^+ \approx 20$

and near the boundary-layer edge. Below

$y^+ \approx 10$

, the relationship reverses. Sweeping LAMS from above

$y^+ \approx 10$

and ejecting LAMS from below meet in the layer where the maximal vortical activity occurs. The latter is caused by mostly streamwise oriented vortices with maximal vortex stretching in the streamwise direction. Overall, LAMS are associated with cohesive fluid regions between the surrounding vortices and shear layers that both drop down from the boundary-layer edge toward the wall in the outer region of the boundary layer and lift from the wall in the near-wall region.
Length scales and the turbulent/non-turbulent interface of a temporally developing turbulent jet
Authors: Er S. , Laval J.-P. , Vassilicos J.C.
Published: September 2023

The temporally developing self-similar turbulent jet is fundamentally different from its spatially developing namesake because the former conserves volume flux and has zero cross-stream mean flow velocity whereas the latter conserves momentum flux and does not have zero cross-stream mean flow velocity. It follows that, irrespective of the turbulent dissipation's power-law scalings, the time-local Reynolds number remains constant, and the jet half-width

$\delta$

, the Kolmogorov length

$\eta$

and the Taylor length

$\lambda$

grow identically as the square root of time during the temporally developing self-similar planar jet's evolution. We predict theoretically and confirm numerically by direct numerical simulations that the mean centreline velocity, the Kolmogorov velocity and the mean propagation speed of the turbulent/non-turbulent interface (TNTI) of this planar jet decay identically as the inverse square root of time. The TNTI has an inner structure over a wide range of closely spatially packed iso-enstrophy surfaces with fractal dimensions that are well defined over a range of scales between

$\lambda$

and

$\delta$

, and that decrease with decreasing iso-enstrophy towards values close to

$2$

at the viscous superlayer. The smallest scale on these isosurfaces is approximately

$\eta$

, and the length scales between

$\eta$

and

$\lambda$

contribute significantly to the surface area of the iso-enstrophy surfaces without being characterised by a well-defined fractal dimension. A simple model is sketched for the mean propagation speeds of the iso-enstrophy surfaces within the TNTI of temporally developing self-similar turbulent planar jets. This model is based on a generalised Corrsin length, on the multiscale geometrical properties of the TNTI, and on a proportionality between the turbulent jet volume's growth rate and the growth rate of

$\delta$

. A prediction of this model is that the mean propagation speed at the outer edge of the viscous superlayer is proportional to the Kolmogorov velocity multiplied by the

$1/4$

th power of the global Reynolds number.
A VARIANT OF PERFECTOID ABHYANKAR’S LEMMA AND ALMOST COHEN–MACAULAY ALGEBRAS
Authors: NAKAZATO KEI , SHIMOMOTO KAZUMA
Published: September 2023

In this article, we prove that a complete Noetherian local domain of mixed characteristic
$p>0$
with perfect residue field has an integral extension that is an integrally closed, almost Cohen–Macaulay domain such that the Frobenius map is surjective modulo p. This result is seen as a mixed characteristic analog of the fact that the perfect closure of a complete local domain in positive characteristic is almost Cohen–Macaulay. To this aim, we carry out a detailed study of decompletion of perfectoid rings and establish the Witt-perfect (decompleted) version of André’s perfectoid Abhyankar’s lemma and Riemann’s extension theorem.
Normalized positive solutions for Schrödinger equations with potentials in unbounded domains
Authors: Lancelotti Sergio , Molle Riccardo
Published: September 2023

The paper deals with the existence of positive solutions with prescribed $L^2$ norm for the Schrödinger equation
$$-\Delta u+\lambda u+V(x)u=|u|^{p-2}u,\quad u\in H^1_0(\Omega),\quad\int_\Omega u^2{\rm d}\,x=\rho^2,\quad\lambda\in\mathbb{R},$$where $\Omega =\mathbb {R}^N$ or $\mathbb {R}^N\setminus \Omega$ is a compact set, $\rho >0$, $V\ge 0$ (also $V\equiv 0$ is allowed), $p\in (2,2+\frac 4 N)$. The existence of a positive solution $\bar u$ is proved when $V$ verifies a suitable decay assumption (Dρ), or if $\|V\|_{L^q}$ is small, for some $q\ge \frac N2$ ($q>1$ if $N=2$). No smallness assumption on $V$ is required if the decay assumption (Dρ) is fulfilled. There are no assumptions on the size of $\mathbb {R}^N\setminus \Omega$. The solution $\bar u$ is a bound state and no ground state solution exists, up to the autonomous case $V\equiv 0$ and $\Omega =\mathbb {R}^N$.