bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of fiber addition and different fabrication conditions in manufacturing plasma treated polyethylene/carbon fiber composites
Authors: Keerthiveettil Ramakrishnan Sumesh , Spatenka Petr , Vackova Tatana
Published: April 2023

The potential advantage of plasma treated polyethylene (PEP) in mechanical properties was studied in this research. Recycled carbon fiber (CF) was the filler used for this hand layup technique. During fabrication, 4–14 wt% CF was incorporated into PEP and the results showed the impact of both filler and plasma treatment in enhancing the mechanical strength of polymer composites. Tensile results improved from 17.51 to 22.51 MPa in the polyethylene (PE) matrix. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) results showed untreated PE composites with fiber and matrix breakages as also voids reducing the compatibility of the PE/CF phases. The maximum flexural property of 25.5 MPa was observed in 10 wt% CF/PE treated with plasma. This combination was tried with different fabrication conditions in a temperature range of 180–220°C and time duration of 20–30 min. It was clearly seen that CF/PE combinations at a temperature of 180°C and time duration of 20 min had maximum tensile and flexural strength. The optimization using Taguchi method proved the significance of CF content in enhancing the mechanical properties. It also observed better tensile strength, flexural strength properties with 10 wt% CF, 180°C temperature, 20 min time from the results. Surface images of this condition showed more dispersed CF in the PE than other combinations due to optimum temperature and time duration during fabrication.
Investigating the mechanical properties and microstructure of the weld joint obtained by laser welding of PA12/CNT nanocomposites
Authors: Samadi Mohammad Reza , Afshari Mahmoud , Nasehi Mohammadhossein , Hardani Hatam
Published: April 2023

In this article, the 3D printed polyamide12/carbon nanotube (PA12/CNT) nanocomposites were joined using laser welding. The factorial design method was applied to study the effect of laser power, welding velocity, and CNT content on the tensile and impact strengths of welded samples. The differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were also used to measure the thermal stability and weight loss temperature of the nanocomposite. The results indicated that the increase of CNTs enhanced the thermal stability of the nanocomposite and so increased its melting point and crystallinity percentage. The impact and tensile strengths of the weld enhanced when laser power elevated from 40 to 50 W, but elevation of laser power up to 60 W decreased the impact and tensile strengths due to thermal degradation of the nanocomposite. A rise in welding velocity from 10 to 20 mm/s enhanced the tensile strength, while the impact strength initially enhanced and then decreased. The highest tensile strength obtained at 2 wt% CNT, whereas the addition of CNTs up to 4 wt% led to their agglomeration, which resulted in the reduction of impact and tensile strengths. Finally, the optimal conditions for concurrent increase of impact and tensile strengths include the laser power of 51 W, welding velocity of 12.5 mm/s, and CNT content of 2.3 wt%.
Life cycle assessment and mechanical properties of nanocomposites based on cellulose nanocrystals
Authors: Ansari Movahed Donya , Jonoobi Mehdi , Ashori Alireza , Mekonnen Tizazu H.
Published: April 2023

The present work focuses on the preparation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) reinforced composites based on polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polypropylene (PP). The effects of the CNCs content as reinforcement and the addition of maleic anhydride (MA) as a coupling agent on the mechanical and morphological properties of the composites were studied. In addition, the biodegradability of the composites was investigated. Samples were prepared using PP and PHB as matrixes and CNCs as reinforcement. Test samples were prepared using the injection molding machine. The studied parameters were microscopic analysis and tensile strength measurement. Tensile strength increased with increasing CNC, but it decreased slightly when 5 wt% of CNC was added. Tensile strength decreased with the addition of MA. Environmental impacts from the production of 100 g of PP and PHB were evaluated using the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The results showed that the environmental impacts of composites containing PHB biopolymer are higher than PP ones.
Enhanced Electrocaloric Response in Electrostatically Frustrated Ferroelectrics
Authors: Murillo-Navarro Diana Elisa , Aramberri Hugo , Íñiguez Jorge
Published: April 2023

The electrocaloric effect (i.e., the temperature change of a material upon the adiabatic application of an electric field) can be large in ferroelectric compounds, to the extent of offering an eco‐friendly alternative to current, polluting and noisy, refrigeration technologies. So far, ferroelectric‐based electrocaloric devices employ materials (from perovskite oxides to polymers) that have been known for decades. At the same time, recent studies have shown that the functional response of a ferroelectric can be drastically enhanced by controlling its mechanical and electric boundary conditions. Here, we use atomistic second‐principles simulations to quantify how much the electrocaloric effect benefits from such an enhancement. Using ferroelectric/dielectric superlattices as representative model systems, we predict that temperature changes can indeed be increased significantly (more than two times at room temperature), suggesting electrostatic engineering—to induce very reactive frustrated ferroelectric states—as a promising route for electrocaloric optimization.
Adaptive basis sets for practical quantum computing
Authors: Kwon Hyuk‐Yong , Curtin Gregory M. , Morrow Zachary , Kelley C. T. , Jakubikova Elena
Published: April 2023

Electronic structure calculations on small systems such as H2, H2O, LiH, and BeH2 with chemical accuracy are still a challenge for the current generation of noisy intermediate‐scale quantum (NISQ) devices. One of the reasons is that due to the device limitations, only minimal basis sets are commonly applied in quantum chemical calculations, which allows one to keep the number of qubits employed in the calculations at a minimum. However, the use of minimal basis sets leads to very large errors in the computed molecular energies as well as potential energy surface shapes. One way to increase the accuracy of electronic structure calculations is through the development of small basis sets better suited for quantum computing. In this work, we show that the use of adaptive basis sets, in which exponents and contraction coefficients depend on molecular structure, provides an easy way to dramatically improve the accuracy of quantum chemical calculations without the need to increase the basis set size and thus the number of qubits utilized in quantum circuits. As a proof of principle, we optimize an adaptive minimal basis set for quantum computing calculations on an H2 molecule, in which exponents and contraction coefficients depend on the HH distance, and apply it to the generation of H2 potential energy surface on IBM‐Q quantum devices. The adaptive minimal basis set reaches the accuracy of the double‐zeta basis sets, thus allowing one to perform double‐zeta quality calculations on quantum devices without the need to utilize twice as many qubits in simulations. This approach can be extended to other molecular systems and larger basis sets in a straightforward manner.
Adaptive multiple model control for nonlinear constrained systems with a novel barrier Lyapunov function
Authors: Zhang Yanqi , Wang Xin , Wang Zhenlei
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates the problem of the multiple model control of nonlinear full state constrained systems with a novel barrier Lyapunov function. To handle the problem of unknown parameters, the identification model set containing identification models is established. The novel barrier Lyapunov functions (BLFs) are employed to guarantee that all system states do not violate their boundaries and can remove the restricted condition associated with traditional BLFs. By using the first order filter technique, the "explosion of complexity" difficulty caused by the repeated differential from the backstepping technique is removed. In addition, the estimation of unknown parameters is obtained by using the convex hull property. Based on the second level adaptation technique, the convex hull parameters are designed by using the identification error dynamics, and this algorithm has better convergence property than other algorithms. Then, a multiple model control strategy is developed, which not only guarantees that the requirement of all state constraints is realized, but also ensures that the boundedness of all signals of closed‐loop systems are not violated. The key advantage is that the proposed strategy does not require enormous identification models, that is, the number of identification model is reduced significantly. Finally, the effectiveness of the presented scheme is illustrated through the simulation results.
High‐Entropy Nanomaterials for Advanced Electrocatalysis
Authors: Lee Sol A , Bu Jeewon , Lee Jiwoo , Jang Ho Won
Published: April 2023

High‐entropy alloys refer to near‐equimolar alloys of five or more elements and are receiving attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties. In electrocatalysis, they serve as active sites in multiple elements, favoring the optimized adsorption/desorption property toward the target reaction. High‐entropy nanomaterials (HENMs) are attractive candidates as electrocatalysts by taking advantage of a high surface‐to‐volume ratio and tailored composition. This review begins with the concept of high‐entropy materials and various strategies for designing electrocatalysts. Then, the recent advances in HENMs as electrocatalysts for various applications (water‐splitting reaction, carbon dioxide reduction reaction, alcohol oxidation reaction, etc.) are introduced with their catalytic performances. Finally, based on the current status of HENMs for electrocatalysis, the challenging aspects and the future insight of HENMs for advanced electrocatalysis are discussed and proposed.
Cause Analysis of Low Tensile Plasticity in Normal Direction for Hot‐Rolled Thick Plate of HSLA Steel
Authors: Shen Wenjun , Cheng Guoguang , Zhang Chuangju , Pan Shisong , Dai Lin , Liu Xiaofeng
Published: April 2023

To investigate the cause for the low tensile plasticity in normal direction of high‐strength low‐alloy steel thick plate, tensile fracture observation, inclusion statistic, and microstructure observation of thick plate and solidification structure observation of continuous casting slab are carried out. The experimental results reveal that many MnS inclusions are only distributed on the platform of the tensile fracture and they only appear in the center of thick plate together with martensite and severe macrosegregation of elements C and Mn. It is concluded that the aggregated large‐sized MnS inclusions are the direct cause for reducing the tensile plasticity. Stress concentration on a single MnS inclusion during tensile testing can occur and cause a limited brittle fracture area. Aggregation of MnS inclusions creates a large brittle fracture area, which significantly reduces the tensile plasticity. The root cause of the aggregation of MnS inclusions is the well‐developed columnar crystals of continuous casting slab. The well‐developed columnar crystals push high concentration of solutes into the residual liquid‐phase zone in the center of continuous casting slab and create severe central macrosegregation which eventually lead to the appearance of aggregated large‐sized MnS inclusions with martensite in the center of thick plate.
Electrodynamics and rational thermodynamics
Authors: Müller Ingo , Müller Wolfgang H.
Published: April 2023

The electromagnetic fields (D, H) represent contravariant components of an antisymmetric 4‐tensor, while the fields (E, B) represent covariant components of the same 4‐tensor. Both sets are identical in Lorentz frames. The governing equations for them represent equations of balance for the flux of D and the flux B across open surfaces and they are invariant under arbitrary analytic transformation of space and time. This convenient property has motivated mechanicians to reformulate mechanics and thermodynamics in terms of the symmetric 4‐tensor of energy‐momentum so as to exhibit, perhaps, the same invariance as electromagnetism: general relativity. The interpretation of electromagnetism in terms of fields carries the theory a long way. But it breaks down when absorption and emission of radiation by bodies is concerned. In this case the proper view is that of a photon gas.

Also the elegant union of electromagnetism and thermodynamics meets practical difficulties for bodies with internal structure, like electric and magnetic dipoles or for mixtures of charged constituents. The description of such bodies is limited to velocities much smaller than that of light. Still in those bodies the entropy inequality implies severe and interesting restrictions on the dependence of material properties on the electromagnetic fields. It will be evaluated by using the Lagrange multiplier method.

In the early days of electromagnetism there was much confusion among physicists and engineers about the different formulation of the fields and about proper dimensions and units. This dilemma is also briefly explained in the article.
Creativity and Virtual Worlds
Authors: Liggett Susan
Published: April 2023

The relationship between the real world and the internet is explored. The real and the virtual are separate but intersecting and overlapping worlds as far as audiences are concerned. What is the effect of a work created on the internet on the real world, and vice-versa? The rise of the internet and its effect on creativity is examined. Technology has changed the production and distribution of artworks to audiences. Repositories such as art galleries and museums can exist as virtual entities and enable audiences to view, and interact with, artifacts and artworks. Such repositories can change the ways in which audiences view and perceive artworks.
Art Thinking and Design Thinking
Authors: Townsley Jill
Published: April 2023

A broader spectrum of creative practice is considered more closely, distinguishing between art and design as different entities within the creative tradition. Drawing distinctions between these two forms, could help us understand creativity with more breadth. Creativity may be classified across two domains in the visual arts, art thinking and design thinking. This distinction has a long tradition, however, research outside of practice-based analysis has introduced it as a multidisciplinary tool. Art thinking has in this way expanded beyond art practice and is applied as a general method for observing and utilizing patterns, in all types of creative activities.
Time and Temporality: Creative Reception and Repetition
Authors: Townsley Jill
Published: April 2023

Spoons is a sculpture that holds contextual reference through its relation to time. Temporality is made visible as the sculpture randomly collapses in the gallery space over a period of time. It looks at the way time and temporality interact with creativity to bring meaning to an artwork. A proposition is made that meaning is constructed through a process of relational connection between the artwork and the viewer. Communication and meaning are contingent on an ever-changing interaction between origin and reception. This is a creative act, and as such meaning is creative and contingent on the time and the temporality of the moment of encounter. However, moments are always changing, so, meaning is always changing too, as time alters our socially agreed cultural contexts, interests, and concerns. The proposition is that through art thinking, creativity becomes a social event, constructed between origin and reception, fluid and relationally positioned in time and space through repetition. The case study reveals that meaning can be creative and transient, as opposed to specific or fixed, and that these creative constructs depend on time, culturally agreed contexts, and relational conditions. Consideration is also given to how the digital space can disrupt our understanding of time and temporality, as it traverses the analog and digital worlds.
Die Gruppendiskussion – Bilder über Bilder
Authors: Bührig-Hollmann Annette
Published: April 2023

Nachdem bisher aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven auf die UNB als wesentlichem Ausbildungselement der Referendarausbildung geblickt wurde,  kommt hier als eine weitere Datenquelle eine Gruppe von Referendar:innen zu Wort. Ziel dieses erneuten Zugangs ist es, eine größere Bandbreite von Auszubildenden mit unterschiedlichen Unterrichtsfächer und damit auch unterschiedlichen Fachleitungen zu berücksichtigen. Die Daten wurden während einer Gruppendiskussion im Kernseminar erhoben. Das Verfahren der Datenanalyse stützt sich bei diesem Zugang auf die Systematisierung und Auswertung der von den LAA verwendeten Metaphern, die sich innerhalb der Diskussion als ein kohärentes System beschreiben lassen. Als Ergebnis kann ein komplexes Verständnis der erkenntnisleitenden Vorstellungen der Referendar:innen zu ihrer Ausbildung gewonnen werden.
Forschungsdesign und methodologische Entscheidungen
Authors: Bührig-Hollmann Annette
Published: April 2023

In dieser Arbeit werden unter Berücksichtigung der involvierten Kommunikationsinstanzen unterschiedliche empirische Zugänge zum Feld gewählt. Die Datenanalyse der ministeriellen Vorgaben und institutionellen Ausbildungskonzepte bilden einen Zugang zum Verständnis der Ausbildung. Ein weiterer ist die Kommunikationsanalyse der Beratung selbst und wie diese in der Nachschau (Nachträglich lautes Denken ) von der beteiligten Referendarin wahrgenommen wird. Die Analyse der in einer Gruppendiskussion von Referendar:innen verwendeten Metaphern erweitert die Perspektive der Auszubildenden. Die Berücksichtigung unterschiedlicher methodischer Verfahren soll dabei nicht verstanden werden als eine Ausschärfung des Datenmaterials im Sinne einer Validierung der erzielten Ergebnisse. Es soll vielmehr untersucht werden, wie sich die Kommunikationsweisen der drei Instanzen zueinander verhalten.
Die Rekonstruktion einer UNB – der 2. UB von Frau Henke
Authors: Bührig-Hollmann Annette
Published: April 2023

Bei der aufgezeichneten Unterrichtsnachbesprechung (UNB) handelt es sich um den zweiten Unterrichtsbesuch (UB) im Fach Deutsch der Referendarin Frau Henke. Die Analyse der Gesprächsausschnitte gliedert sich anhand dreier heuristischer Fragen: Was wird dargestellt? Wie wird es dargestellt und wieso wird es so dargestellt?
Die Sicht der Referendarin
Authors: Bührig-Hollmann Annette
Published: April 2023

Mit der Methode des "Nachträglich Lauten Denkens" (NLD) wird innerhalb dieser Untersuchung die Sicht der Referendarin auf die UNB ermöglicht. Dabei ist von besonderem Interesse, inwiefern die Positionierungen, wie sie während der Beratung getätigt wurden, hier erkannt und ggf. kommentiert werden.
Interactions of particles with “continuous spin” fields
Authors: Schuster Philip , Toro Natalia , Zhou Kevin
Published: April 2023

Abstract

Powerful general arguments allow only a few families of long-range interactions, exemplified by gauge field theories of electromagnetism and gravity. However, all of these arguments presuppose that massless fields have zero spin scale (Casimir invariant) and hence exactly boost invariant helicity. This misses the most general behavior compatible with Lorentz symmetry. We present a Lagrangian formalism describing interactions of matter particles with bosonic “continuous spin” fields with arbitrary spin scale ρ. Remarkably, physical observables are well approximated by familiar theories at frequencies larger than ρ, with calculable deviations at low frequencies and long distances. For example, we predict specific ρ-dependent modifications to the Lorentz force law and the Larmor formula, which lay the foundation for experimental tests of the photon’s spin scale. We also reproduce known soft radiation emission amplitudes for nonzero ρ. The particles’ effective matter currents are not fully localized to their worldlines when ρ ≠ 0, which motivates investigation of manifestly local completions of our theory. Our results also motivate the development of continuous spin analogues of gravity and non-Abelian gauge theories. Given the correspondence with familiar gauge theory in the small ρ limit, we conjecture that continuous spin particles may in fact mediate known long-range forces, with testable consequences.
Additive Diophantine Equations with Binary Recurrences, $${{\mathcal {S}}}$$-Units and Several Factorials
Authors: Bérczes Attila , Hajdu Lajos , Luca Florian , Pink István
Published: April 2023

There are many results in the literature concerning linear combinations of factorials among terms of linear recurrence sequences. Recently, Grossman and Luca provided effective bounds for such terms of binary recurrence sequences. In this paper we show that under certain conditions, even the greatest prime divisor of$$u_n-a_1m_1!-\dots -a_km_k!$$un-a1m1!-⋯-akmk!tends to infinity, in an effective way. We give some applications of this result, as well.
Comparison of a novel self-expanding transcatheter heart valve with two established devices for treatment of degenerated surgical aortic bioprostheses
Authors: Nikolayevska Olga , Conradi Lenard , Schirmer Johannes , Reichenspurner Hermann , Deuschl Florian , Blankenberg Stefan , Schäfer Ulrich
Published: April 2023

Aims

This study was performed to compare haemodynamic properties of a novel transcatheter heart valve (THV) with two established valve technologies for treatment of failing surgical aortic bioprosthetic valves (SAV). The ALLEGRA THV has been recently described with a proven safety and performance profile.

Methods and results

The study was designed as a retrospective, single-centre study investigating 112 patients (77.7 ± 7.1 years, 53.8% female, STS score 6.8 ± 5.8% and logEuroSCORE I 27.4 ± 16.1%) with failing SAV. Patients were treated with the ALLEGRA THV (NVT, n = 24), the CoreValve/EvolutR (MTD, n = 64) or the Edwards Sapien/Sapien XT/Sapien 3 (EDW, n = 24). Adverse events, haemodynamic outcomes and patient safety were analysed according to VARC-3 definitions. Overall procedural success was high (94.6%), even though 58.9% of the treated SAV were classified as small (true inner diameter < 21 mm). After treatment, the mean pressure gradient was significantly reduced (baseline: 33.7 ± 16.5 mmHg, discharge: 18.0 ± 7.1 mmHg), with a corresponding increase in effective orifice area (EOA). The complication rates did not differ in between groups. There was a trend to lower mean transvalvular gradients after implantation of self-expanding THV with supra-annular valve function, despite a higher frequency of smaller SAVs in the NVT and MTD group. Additionally, comparison between NVT and MTD revealed statistically lower transvalvular gradients (NVT 14.9 ± 5.0 mmHg, MTD 18.7 ± 7.5 mmHg, p = 0.0295) in a subgroup analysis.

Conclusions

Valve-in-valve (ViV) treatment of failing SAV with supra-annular design like the ALLEGRA THV resulted in favourable haemodynamic outcomes with similar low clinical event rates and may therefore be an interesting alternative for VIV TAVI.

Graphical abstract
Prioritize rapidly scalable methane reductions in efforts to mitigate climate change
Authors: Dunn Jennifer B. , Salas Santiago D. , Chen Qining , Allen David T.
Published: April 2023

Methane emission reductions are crucial for addressing climate change. It offers short-term benefits as it holds high short-term reductions in radiative forcing. Efforts towards the reduction of methane emissions are already underway. In this study, we compared and analyzed the mitigation benefits of cutting large amounts of methane emissions from the oil and gas sector on short-time scales with reducing an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide using carbon capture and storage (CCS). Characteristics of CCS are that it would require substantial infrastructure development and that it incorporates deployment delays. Results illustrate that prioritizing quickly deployable methane emission reduction alternatives that necessitate minimal construction is an efficient approach to achieve near-term climate change relief.

Graphical abstract
Multi-feed, loop-dipole combined dielectric resonator antenna arrays for human brain MRI at 7 T
Authors: Wenz Daniel , Dardano Thomas
Published: April 2023

Objective

To determine whether a multi-feed, loop-dipole combined approach can be used to improve performance of rectangular dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) arrays human brain for MRI at 7 T.

Materials and methods

Electromagnetic field simulations in a spherical phantom and human voxel model “Duke” were conducted for different rectangular DRA geometries and dielectric constants εr. Three types of RF feed were investigated: loop-only, dipole-only and loop-dipole. Additionally, multi-channel array configurations up to 24-channels were simulated.

Results

The loop-only coupling scheme provided the highest B1+ and SAR efficiency, while the loop-dipole showed the highest SNR in the center of a spherical phantom for both single- and multi-channel configurations. For Duke, 16-channel arrays outperformed an 8-channel bow-tie array with greater B1+ efficiency (1.48- to 1.54-fold), SAR efficiency (1.03- to 1.23-fold) and SNR (1.63- to 1.78). The multi-feed, loop-dipole combined approach enabled the number of channels increase to 24 with 3 channels per block.

Discussion

This work provides novel insights into the rectangular DRA design for high field MRI and shows that the loop-only feed should be used instead of the dipole-only in transmit mode to achieve the highest B1+ and SAR efficiency, while the loop-dipole should be the best suited in receive mode to obtain the highest SNR in spherical samples of similar size and electrical properties as the human head.
Expansion and collapse of VEGF diversity in major clades of the animal kingdom
Authors: Rauniyar Khushbu , Bokharaie Honey , Jeltsch Michael
Published: April 2023

Together with the platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs), the vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) form the PDGF/VEGF subgroup among cystine knot growth factors. The evolutionary relationships within this subgroup have not been examined thoroughly to date. Here, we comprehensively analyze the PDGF/VEGF growth factors throughout all animal phyla and propose a phylogenetic tree. Vertebrate whole-genome duplications play a role in expanding PDGF/VEGF diversity, but several limited duplications are necessary to account for the temporal pattern of emergence. The phylogenetically oldest PDGF/VEGF-like growth factor likely featured a C-terminus with a BR3P signature, a hallmark of the modern-day lymphangiogenic growth factors VEGF-C and VEGF-D. Some younger VEGF genes, such as VEGFB and PGF, appeared completely absent in important vertebrate clades such as birds and amphibia, respectively. In contrast, individual PDGF/VEGF gene duplications frequently occurred in fish on top of the known fish-specific whole-genome duplications. The lack of precise counterparts for human genes poses limitations but also offers opportunities for research using organisms that diverge considerably from humans.

Graphical abstract

Sources for the graphical abstract: 326 MYA and older [1]; 72–240 MYA [2]; 235–65 MYA [3]
Analyses of Spatial Correlation and Coherence in ABL Flow with a Fleet of UAS
Authors: Wetz Tamino , Zink Josef , Bange Jens , Wildmann Norman
Published: April 2023

The spatial structures of turbulent flow in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) are complex and diverse. Multi-point spatial correlation measurements can help improve our understanding of these structures and their statistics. In this context, we investigate Taylor’s hypothesis and the statistics of spatial structures on the microscale. For the first time, simultaneous horizontally distributed wind measurements with a fleet of 20 quadrotor UAS (unmanned aerial systems) are realized. The measurements were taken at different heights and under different atmospheric conditions at the boundary layer field site in Falkenberg of the German Meteorological Service (DWD). A horizontal flight pattern has been specifically developed, consisting of measurements distributed along and lateral to the mean flow direction with separation distances of $$5\ldots 205$$

5
…
205

 m. The validity of Taylor’s hypothesis is studied by examining the cross-correlations of longitudinally distributed UAS and comparing them with the autocorrelations of single UAS. To assess the similarity of flow structures on different scales, the lateral and longitudinal coherence of the streamwise velocity component is examined. Two modeling approaches for the decay of coherence are compared. The experimental results are in good agreement with the model approaches for neutral atmospheric conditions, whereas in stable and convective ABL, the exponential approaches are not unconditionally valid. The validation results and the agreement with the literature on coherence in the ABL underline the potential of the UAS fleet for the purpose of spatial turbulence measurements.
Topic modelling the mobility response to heat and drought
Authors: Zander Kerstin K. , Baggen Hunter S. , Garnett Stephen T.
Published: April 2023

We conducted a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed full text articles on the nexus between human mobility and drought or heat published between 2001 and 2021, inclusive. We identified 387 relevant articles, all of which were analysed descriptively using a dictionary-based approach and by using an unsupervised machine learning–based Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model. Most articles were in response to droughts (71%), but heat and extreme temperature became more prominent after 2015. The drought-related literature focuses geographically on African and Southern Asian countries, while heat-related research has mainly been conducted in developed countries (mostly in the USA and Australia). For both hazards, European countries are under-represented. The LDA model identified 46 topics which were clustered into five major themes. One cluster (14% of all articles) included literature on heat-related mobility, mostly data-driven models, including amenity migration. The other four clusters included literature on drought, primarily on farming societies and the agricultural sector with three of those clusters making up 63% of all articles, with the common overarching focus on climate migration and food security. One of the four drought clusters focused on social dysfunction in relation to droughts. A sentiment analysis showed articles focusing on voluntary mobility as part of adaptation to drought and heat were more positive than articles focusing on migration triggered by droughts and heat. Based on the topics and the article characterisation, we identified various research gaps, including migration in relation to urban droughts, heat in farming societies and in urban societies of developing countries, planned retreat from hot to cooler places, and the inability or barriers to doing so. More research is also needed to understand the compound effect of drought and heat, and the social and psychological processes that lead to a mobility decision.
Implementation of a hepatitis-themed virtual escape room in pharmacy education: A pilot study
Authors: Krishnan Sunanthiny , Blebil Ali Qais , Dujaili Juman Abdulelah , Chuang Sara , Lim Angelina
Published: April 2023

As we enter a world of blended learning in higher education, an increased need for adaptation of teaching strategies to enhance engagement has been recognised to amplify learning outcomes online. Gamification has been identified as a creative tool to engage the current cohort of learners who are also characteristically tech-savvy. To this end, escape room games have gained considerable traction in medical and pharmacy education to promote learning, critical thinking and teamwork. In this pilot study we describe the implementation of a 60-minute, web-based hepatitis-themed escape room game within a Year 3 Pharmacotherapy unit at Monash University. A total of 418 students participated in this activity. Students’ knowledge gain on the topic was assessed through a pre- and post-intervention assessment, whereby a statistically significant improvement was seen in the knowledge score following implementation of the gaming activity (58.66% pre-intervention vs. 72.05% post-intervention, p < 0.05). The innovative learning activity was also well perceived by the students. Virtual escape room game is a viable pedagogical approach to teach and reinforce clinical concepts among pharmacy students. With the evolving landscape of education and learner demographics, investment in technology- enhanced game-based learning is a promising trajectory to support students’ growth in a learner-centered environment. A comparison between virtual escape room game and traditional teaching will further inform effectiveness of the gamification on long term knowledge retention.
Reopening ECEC Services for Children Under Three Amidst the Pandemic: Investigating the Association of Health Measures with Pedagogical Practices and Children’s Well-being
Authors: Araújo Sara Barros , Rosário Rafaela , Silva Ana , Barros Sílvia
Published: April 2023

In Portugal, early childhood education and care services for children under-three were the first educational services to reopen after periods of lockdown. COVID-19 prevention and control measures had to be implemented nationwide, but no knowledge was yet produced on their impact in educational settings. This study aimed to map the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures and examine associations among prevention and control measures, perceived changes to pedagogical practices and children’s well-being in early childhood education and care services for children under three. In this study, 1098 early childhood education and care professionals from all districts completed an online survey during January and February 2021. Results indicated that prevention and control measures were widely implemented. Furthermore, early childhood education and care professionals who started to implement prevention and control measures more frequently were more likely to perceive a reinforcement of their pedagogical practices at the level of adult-child interaction, emotional climate, and interaction with families, and reported higher levels of children’s well-being. Findings highlighted the potential role of pedagogical practices in mitigating the effects of COVID-19 in early childhood education and care services for children under-three.
Relaxing the symmetry assumption in participation games: a specification test for cluster-heterogeneity
Authors: Kirman Alan , Laisney François , Pezanis-Christou Paul
Published: April 2023

We propose a novel approach to check whether individual behaviour in binary-choice participation games is consistent with the restrictions imposed by symmetric models. This approach allows in particular an assessment of how much cluster-heterogeneity a symmetric model can tolerate to remain consistent with its behavioural restrictions. We assess our approach with data from market-entry experiments which we analyse through the lens of ‘Exploration versus Exploration’ (EvE, which is equivalent to Logit-QRE) or of Impulse Balance Equilibrium (IBE). We find that when the symmetry assumption is imposed, both models are typically rejected when assuming pooled data and IBE yields more data-consistent estimates than EvE, i.e., IBE’s estimates of session and pooled data are more consistent than those of EvE. When relaxing symmetry, EvE (IBE) is rejected for 17% (42%) of the time. Although both models support cluster-heterogeneity, IBE is much less likely to yield over-parametrised specifications and insignificant estimates so it outperforms EvE in accommodating a model-consistent cluster-heterogeneity. The use of regularisation procedures in the estimations partially addresses EvE’s shortcomings but leaves our overall conclusions unchanged.
Analysis of Foundation Settlement Interaction among Multiple High-Rise Buildings
Authors: Poulos Harry G.
Published: April 2023

This paper aims to develop a relatively simple approach to examining the interaction among multiple foundation systems for closely spaced high-rise structures, termed here “urban forests”, and to assess the extent to which this interaction can influence the foundation performance of a building within this “forest”. To simplify the analysis and avoid undue numerical complexity, each foundation system is modelled as an equivalent pier, representing the deep foundations, the connecting mat or raft, and the soil contained within the piled raft system. The behaviour of a single equivalent pier is considered first, with the surrounding foundations being represented by an axisymmetric smeared ring outside the pier. After examining some general behavioural characteristics, a simplified approach using the concept of interaction factors is developed to facilitate estimation of settlement interaction between multiple adjacent foundations. The accuracy of this simplified approach is assessed via comparison with the axisymmetric approach. The significance of the interaction among foundations is examined for some simple cases. It is found that the settlement interaction depends largely on the characteristics of the foundations surrounding the building being examined. When all buildings are supported on foundations extending to a relatively stiff layer, the interaction effects tend to be relatively small. However, if one or more of the buildings is founded on a relatively short foundation system, interaction effects may be more significant. An example is provided to illustrate the application of the approach.
The politics of university rankings in China
Authors: Ahlers Anna L. , Christmann-Budian Stephanie
Published: April 2023

Over the past decade, universities in the People’s Republic of China have notably progressed in international rankings. Most of the existing literature interested in this development describes the adoption of university rankings in China as a recent import of a global institution, and as being driven by a governmental agenda that seeks to bolster the country’s competitiveness and overall status on the world stage, including in the academic realm. The wider domestic environment that determines Chinese universities’ participation in the global ranking competition is usually left out of the picture. As this article demonstrates, university rankings and other performance indicators have been an organic part of Chinese science and higher education policy and a prominent element in state-directed national reform and development planning processes since at least the 1980s. In addition to the crucial role of the state and a lack of university autonomy, what further distinguishes the case of China from other countries in the rankings is a strong and accepted tradition of utilizing quantification, competition, and rating as political tools. Another reason, we argue, why Chinese universities were able to insert themselves into the ranking race relatively seamlessly and with some quick successes. Yet, after decades of following so-called “Western” standards and indicators for academic performance and reputation evaluation, domestic policy is changing again and taking a seemingly nationalist turn which may bring about some changes in the practice and significance of university rankings in China—and potentially beyond, as we discuss in conclusion.
The institutionalization of rankings in higher education: continuities, interdependencies, engagement
Authors: Brankovic Jelena , Hamann Julian , Ringel Leopold
Published: April 2023

In this article, we introduce the special issue of Higher Education that centers on the question of the institutionalization of rankings in higher education. The article has three parts. In the first part, we argue that the grand narratives such as globalization and neoliberalism are unsatisfactory as standalone explanations of why and how college and university rankings become institutionalized. As a remedy, we invite scholars to pay closer attention to the dynamics specific to higher education that contribute to the proliferation, persistence, and embeddedness of rankings. In the second part, we weave the articles included in the issue into three sub-themes—continuities, interdependencies, and engagement—which we link to the overarching theme of institutionalization. Each contribution approaches the subject of rankings from a different angle and casts a different light on continuities, interdependencies, and engagement, thus suggesting that the overall story is much more intricate than often assumed. In the third and final part, we restate the main takeaways of the issue and note that systematic comparative research holds great promise for furthering our knowledge on the subject. We conclude the article with a hope that the special issue would stimulate further questioning of rankings—in higher education and higher education research.
Culturally crafted Lesson Study to improve teachers' professional development in mathematics: a case study in Italian secondary school
Authors: Capone Roberto , Adesso Maria Giuseppina , Manolino Carola , Minisola Riccardo , Robutti Ornella
Published: April 2023

This paper describes a Lesson Study in which in-service mathematics secondary-school teachers, collaborating with researchers, involve grade 10 students in tessellation problems. The data are collected by an experiment carried out in the context of the “Liceo Matematico” project, with three volunteer teachers. The experiment goal was to craft a collaborative design of the research lesson between teachers and researchers. The research aim of the paper is to examine the use of Lesson Study in the institutional and cultural context of Italian secondary school with the use of Cultural Transposition as a theoretical framework. The research is qualitative with idiographic aims, based on video research. The educational aim of the research is to provide a solid basis for a revamped in-service teacher education first in the context of the project, then in curricular context. Semiotic mediation is used to provide, within Lesson Study, the conceptual framework for teachers and researchers collaborative design of the research lesson. The results show that Lesson Study, as a foreign practice, is an opportunity for teachers to confront their teaching practices, to enrich their professional development, resulting in more awareness on their didactical action in and outside the classroom.
Peer Justice and the Individual
Authors: Estreder Yolanda , Álvarez Priscila , Martínez-Tur Vicente , Cropanzano Russell , Tomás Inés
Published: April 2023

Peer justice refers to the perceived fairness of the treatment an employee receives from coworkers. Although research has found peer justice to be an important predictor of work attitudes and behavior, prior work has only conceptualized the construct at the unit or group level. This limitation can be problematic because peer justice theories sometimes involve within-person effects. In response, we propose and test an individual level model of peer justice. We then test the model with 100 employees from a luxury tourist resort. Respondents answered a questionnaire on ten consecutive working days, resulting in 1000 daily diary recordings. Within-person variance was significant, not only for daily peer (70%) and supervisor (59%) justice but also for the outcomes (52–70%), thus justifying the study of intraindividual associations. Using growth models, the results showed significant links from daily peer justice to daily changes in overall job satisfaction, in-role performance, and helping coworkers. Each of these effects went beyond the daily treatment received from the supervisor.
Intergenerational home ownership
Authors: Blanden Jo , Eyles Andrew , Machin Stephen
Published: April 2023

This paper studies intergenerational links in home ownership, an increasingly important wealth marker and a measure of economic status in itself. Repeated cross sectional UK data show that home ownership rates have fallen rapidly over time, most markedly amongst younger people in more recent birth cohorts. Evidence from British birth cohorts data supplemented by the Wealth and Assets Survey show a significant rise through time in the intergenerational persistence of home ownership, as home ownership rates shrank disproportionately among those whose parents did not own their own home. Given the close connection between home ownership and wealth, these results on strengthening intergenerational persistence in home ownership are therefore also suggestive of a fall in intergenerational housing wealth mobility over time.
Geostatistics in the Presence of Multivariate Complexities: Comparison of Multi-Gaussian Transforms
Authors: Abulkhair Sultan , Dowd Peter A. , Xu Chaoshui
Published: April 2023

One of the most challenging aspects of multivariate geostatistics is dealing with complex relationships between variables. Geostatistical co-simulation and spatial decorrelation methods, commonly used for modelling multiple variables, are ineffective in the presence of multivariate complexities. On the other hand, multi-Gaussian transforms are designed to deal with complex multivariate relationships, such as non-linearity, heteroscedasticity and geological constraints. These methods transform the variables into independent multi-Gaussian factors that can be individually simulated. This study compares the performance of the following multi-Gaussian transforms: rotation based iterative Gaussianisation, projection pursuit multivariate transform and flow transformation. Case studies with bivariate complexities are used to evaluate and compare the realisations of the transformed values. For this purpose, commonly used geostatistical validation metrics are applied, including multivariate normality tests, reproduction of bivariate relationships, and histogram and variogram validation. Based on most of the metrics, all three methods produced results of similar quality. The most obvious difference is the execution speed for forward and back transformation, for which flow transformation is much slower.
From Monitors to Monitors: A Primitive History
Authors: Astarte Troy K.
Published: April 2023

As computers became multi-component systems in the 1950s, handling the speed differentials efficiently was identified as a major challenge. The desire for better understanding and control of ‘concurrency’ spread into hardware, software, and formalism. This paper examines the way in which the problem emerged and was handled across various computing cultures from 1955 to 1985. In the machinic culture of the late 1950s, system programs called ‘monitors’ were used for directly managing synchronisation. Attempts to reframe synchronisation in the subsequent algorithmic culture pushed the problem to a higher level of abstraction; Dijkstra’s semaphores were a reaction to the algorithms’ complexity. Towards the end of the 1960s, the culture of ‘structured programming’ created a milieu in which Dijkstra, Hoare, and Brinch Hansen (among others) aimed for a concurrency primitive which embodied the new view of programming. Via conditional critical regions and Dijkstra’s ‘secretaries’, the co-produced ‘monitor’ appeared to provide the desired encapsulation. The construct received embodiment in a few programming languages; this paper ends by considering Modula and Concurrent Pascal.