bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Haptics in social interaction with agents and avatars in virtual reality: a systematic review
Authors: Jacucci Giulio , Bellucci Andrea , Ahmed Imtiaj , Harjunen Ville , Spape Michiel , Ravaja Niklas
Published: November 2024

Incorporating the sense of touch through haptics in virtual spaces enables people to communicate emotions and engage in more naturalistic and meaningful social interactions. Advances in haptics and virtual reality technologies and applications have been essential to support researchers in the exploration of mediated social touch in virtual environments. The aim of this work is to review the last decade of research on haptics and virtual reality technologies investigating social touch behavior between human avatars as well as between humans and non-human virtual agents. Our systematic review organizes the variety of the conducted research in three dimensions: the context against which mediated social touch is studied, the types of haptics and virtual reality technology used, and empirical studies including data collected and outcome measures. We discuss the results of the analysis of the three dimensions and present implications for future research. We pinpoint the importance of considering in-the-wild studies and emerging issues on social virtual reality; understanding human touch perception for people with different physical and cognitive abilities, and; creating development tools to broaden the exploration of advanced technological setups.
Berberine-loaded iron oxide nanoparticles alleviate cuprizone-induced astrocytic reactivity in a rat model of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Ibrahim Fouad Ghadha , Mabrouk Mostafa , El-Sayed Sara A. M. , Abdelhameed Mohamed F. , Rizk Maha Z. , Beherei Hanan H.
Published: November 2024

Berberine (BBN) is a naturally occurring alkaloid as a secondary metabolite in many plants and exhibits several benefits including neuroprotective activities. However, data on the neuromodulating potential of nanoformulated BBN are still lacking. In the present study, BBN loaded within iron oxide nanoparticles (BBN-IONP) were prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy particle-size distribution, zeta potential, and HPLC. The remyelinating neuroprotective potential of BBN-IONP relative to free BBN was evaluated against cuprizone (CPZ)-induced neurotoxicity (rats administered 0.2% CPZ powder (w/w) for five weeks). CPZ rats were treated with either free BBN or IONP-BBN (50 mg/kg/day, orally) for 14 days. Cognitive function was estimated using Y-maze. Biochemically, total antioxidant capacity lipid peroxides and reduced glutathione in the brain tissue, as well as, serum interferon-gamma levels were estimated. Moreover, the genetic expression contents of myelin basic protein Matrix metallopeptidase-9 Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and S100β were measured. The histopathological patterns and immunohistochemical assessment of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in both cerebral cortex and hippocampus CA1 regions were investigated. CPZ-rats treated with either free BBN or IONP-BBN demonstrated memory restoring, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-astrocytic, and remyelinating activities. Comparing free BBN with IONP-BBN revealed that the latter altered the neuromodulating activities of BBN, showing superior neuroprotective activities of IONP-BBN relative to BBN. In conclusion, both forms of BBN possess neuroprotective potential. However, the use of IONPs for brain delivery and the safety of these nano-based forms need further investigation.
Error Analysis with Polynomial Dependence on $$\varepsilon ^{-1}$$ in SAV Methods for the Cahn-Hilliard Equation
Authors: Ma Shu , Qiu Weifeng , Yang Xiaofeng
Published: November 2024

The optimal error estimate that depends only on the polynomial degree of

$$ \varepsilon ^{-1}$$

ε

-
1

is established for the temporal semi-discrete scheme of the Cahn-Hilliard equation based on the scalar auxiliary variable (SAV) formulation. The key to our analysis is converting the structure of the SAV time-stepping scheme back to a form compatible with the original format of the Cahn-Hilliard equation, which makes it feasible to use spectral estimates to handle the nonlinear term. Based on the transformation of the SAV numerical scheme, the optimal error estimate for the temporal semi-discrete scheme which depends only on the low polynomial order of

$$\varepsilon ^{-1}$$

ε

-
1

instead of the exponential order, is derived by using mathematical induction, spectral arguments, and the superconvergence properties of some nonlinear terms. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the discrete energy decay property and validate our theoretical convergence analysis.
MRI characteristics of ovarian metastasis: differentiation from stomach and colorectal cancer
Authors: Takai Yukiko , Kato Hiroki , Kawaguchi Masaya , Kobayashi Kazuhiro , Kikuno Kyoko , Furui Tatsuro , Isobe Masanori , Noda Yoshifumi , Hyodo Fuminori , Matsuo Masayuki
Published: November 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of MRI findings for differentiating between ovarian metastasis from stomach cancer (OMSC) and colorectal cancer (OMCC).

Methods

Twenty-six patients with histopathologically proven ovarian metastasis (n = 8 with 12 OMSCs and n = 18 with 25 OMCCs) were enrolled in the study. All patients had undergone pelvic MRI before surgery. We retrospectively reviewed MRI findings and compared them between the two pathologies. The black scrunchie sign was defined as a thick (> 5 mm) and lobulated hypointense rim (> 180°) with central hyperintense areas on T2-weighted images.

Results

Predominantly solid lesions (100% vs. 20%, p < 0.01), black scrunchie sign (33% vs. 0%, p < 0.01), and flow void (67% vs. 20%, p < 0.01) were frequently observed in OMSCs than in OMCCs. The signal intensity ratio of solid components on T2-weighted images (3.30 ± 0.70 vs. 2.52 ± 0.77, p < 0.01) and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images (2.21 ± 0.57 vs. 1.43 ± 0.32, p < 0.01) were significantly higher in OMSCs than in OMCCs. Furthermore, hyperintense areas within cystic components on T1-weighted images (71% vs. 18%, p < 0.01) and stained-glass appearance (44% vs. 0%, p < 0.01) were frequently observed in OMCCs than in OMSCs.

Conclusion

The black scrunchie sign was only observed in OMSCs. OMSCs always exhibited predominantly solid lesions and had higher signal intensity of solid components on T2- and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images. OMCCs usually presented as cystic lesions, usually accompanied by hyperintense areas within the cystic components on T1-weighted images.
Risk factors of non-diagnostic percutaneous liver tumor biopsy: a single-center retrospective analysis of 938 biopsies based on cause of error
Authors: Kimura Shintaro , Sone Miyuki , Sugawara Shunsuke , Itou Chihiro , Oshima Takumi , Ozawa Mizuki , Nakama Rakuhei , Murakami Sho , Matsui Yoshiyuki , Arai Yasuaki , Kusumoto Masahiko
Published: November 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the risk factors of non-diagnostic results based on cause of error in liver tumor biopsy.

Materials and methods

This single-institution, retrospective study included 843 patients [445 men, 398 women; median age, 67 years] who underwent a total of 938 liver tumor biopsies between April 2018 and September 2022. An 18-G cutting biopsy needle with a 17-G introducer needle was used. Ultrasound was used as the first choice for image guidance, and computed tomography was alternatively or complementarily used only for tumors with poor ultrasound visibility. Non-diagnostic biopsies were divided into two groups depending on the cause of error, either technical or targeting error. Biopsies in which the biopsy needle did not hit the target tumor were classified as technical error. Biopsies in which insufficient tissue was obtained due to necrosis or degeneration despite the biopsy needle hitting the target tumor were classified as targeting error. This classification was based on pre-procedural enhanced-imaging, intro-procedural imaging, and pathological findings. Statistical analysis was performed using binary logistic regression.

Results

The non-diagnostic rate was 4.6%. Twenty-six and seventeen biopsies were classified as technical and targeting errors, respectively. In the technical error group, tumor size ≤ 17 mm and computed tomography-assisted biopsy due to poor ultrasound visibility were identified as risk factors (p < 0.001 and p = 0.021, respectively), and the tumors with both factors had a significantly high risk of technical error compared to those without both factors (non-diagnostic rate: 17.2 vs 1.1%, p < 0.001). In the targeting error group, tumor size ≥ 42 mm was identified as a risk factor (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Tumor size ≤ 17 mm and computed tomography-assisted biopsy due to poor ultrasound visibility were risk factors for technical error, and tumor size ≥ 42 mm was a risk factor for targeting error in liver tumor biopsies.
Pathways to commercial building plug and process load efficiency and control
Authors: Van Sant Amy , Ghatpande Omkar , Tuttle Robin , Trenbath Kim
Published: November 2024

To accomplish net-zero carbon emissions in the built environment by 2050, we must equitably decarbonize commercial buildings, including reducing plug and process loads (PPLs). PPLs are plug-in or hardwired electric and gas loads that are not associated with major building end uses like lighting and HVAC. Research shows PPL energy reduction strategies and control technologies have the potential to save energy. But even when implemented, these savings have rarely been achieved and there has not been widespread uptake in U.S. commercial buildings. We investigate why these technologies and strategies have not seen widespread adoption and identify behavior and technology pathways to increase PPL reduction in U.S. commercial buildings. We examined behaviors of commercial building stakeholders through 44 interviews and cross-referenced qualitative analysis findings with in-depth technical knowledge of existing PPL control technologies and reduction strategies. PPL control implementation must be paired with management strategies, such as occupant engagement and training, to achieve optimal savings, and best practices should be disseminated across the industry. We found that increasing access to cost and energy savings data will promote uptake of PPL control technologies and allow designers to better incorporate PPLs into building design. Improving access to funding for PPL energy efficiency projects and addressing the split-incentive problem will increase adoption of PPL efficiency and control. Code bodies should continue to include PPL monitoring and reduction measures in energy codes. Key building stakeholders, including cybersecurity and information technology teams, should be involved in PPL monitoring and reduction strategy processes for successful implementation.
Spatial Autocorrelation Methods in Identifying Migration Patterns: Case Study of Slovakia
Authors: Pregi Loránt , Novotný Ladislav
Published: November 2024

The collapse of the socialist regime led to significant changes in migration patterns, garnering considerable attention in geographical research. However, despite the increased interest, many studies on internal migration lack a detailed analysis of its spatial aspects. Spatial autocorrelation methods can reveal spatial patterns, but so far they have not been applied in the detailed research of internal migration in post-socialist countries. The aim of this study is to explore the spatial patterns of internal migration with regard to intra-regional and inter-regional migration processes using selected indicators of spatial autocorrelation (Global Moran’s I, Anselin local Moran’s I and Getis-Ord Gi* statistic) with Slovakia as a case study. A partial goal is to evaluate the benefits of applying these methods in the assessment of internal migration. Local indicators of spatial autocorrelation demonstrated significant differentiation of both intra-regional and inter-regional migration processes. The dominant intra-regional process is the decentralization of the population, which is very intensive in the regions of the largest towns and cities. Inter-regional migration displays spatial polarisation, emphasizing the importance of the location of key economic centres. The methodology employed in this study clearly displays the clusters of municipalities with above-average and below-average values. This approach enables the identification and cartographic interpretation of specific municipalities where migration contributes the most to the spatial redistribution of the population. The study serves as a valuable framework for similar analyses, emphasizing the broader applicability of spatial autocorrelation methods in studying migration patterns.
Polizeiarbeit mit psychisch belasteten Personen
Authors: Esteban Piñeiro , Skuza Krzysztof Michal , Ducommun Mira , Meyer Michaël
Published: November 2024

Das ethnographische Forschungsprojekt widmet sich dem polizeilichen Umgang mit psychisch belasteten Personen, der im Schweizer Kontext bisher kaum untersucht wurde. Die empirischen Befunde der vorliegenden internationalen Studien vermitteln ein unklares und ambivalentes Bild. Insbesondere wissen wir immer noch wenig darüber, wie solche Begegnungen vor Ort ablaufen und wie Polizist*innen Personen mit psychischen Belastungen in ihrer täglichen Arbeit wahrnehmen und bewerten. Die Rekonstruktion von Praktiken und Prozessen der Kategorisierung psychischer Belastungen in ihrem organisationalen Kontext ermöglicht neue Einblicke in diesen sensiblen und anspruchsvollen Aspekt moderner Polizeiarbeit.
Development and Validation of a Flow-Dependent Endothelialized 3D Model of Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease
Authors: Prochilo Grace , Li Chuanlong , Miliotou Eleni , Nakasone Russell , Pfeffer Alissa , Beaman Charles , Kaneko Naoki , Liebeskind David S. , Hinman Jason D.
Published: November 2024

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is a major cause of stroke globally, with mechanisms presumed to be shared with atherosclerosis in other vascular regions. Due to the scarcity of relevant animal models, testing biological hypotheses specific to ICAD is challenging. We developed a workflow to create patient-specific models of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) from neuroimaging studies, such as CT angiography. These models, which can be endothelialized with human endothelial cells and subjected to flow forces, provide a reproducible ICAD model. Using imaging from the SAMMPRIS clinical trial, we validated this novel model. Computational fluid dynamics flow velocities correlated strongly with particle-derived flow, regardless of stenosis degree. Post-stenotic flow disruption varied with stenosis severity. Single-cell RNA-seq identified flow-dependent endothelial gene expression and specific endothelial subclusters in diseased MCA segments, including upregulated genes linked to atherosclerosis. Confocal microscopy revealed flow-dependent changes in endothelial cell proliferation and morphology in vessel segments related to stenosis. This platform, rooted in the specific anatomy of cerebral circulation, enables detailed modeling of ICAD lesions and pathways. Given the high stroke risk associated with ICAD and the lack of effective treatments, these experimental models are crucial for developing new ICAD-related stroke therapies.
Mathematikspezifische Motivation im Lehramtsstudium – Operationalisierung und Bedeutung für Studienprozesse
Authors: Gildehaus Lara , Rach Stefanie , Liebendörfer Michael
Published: November 2024

Viele Mathematiklehramtsstudierende berichten im ersten Studienjahr von Motivationsproblemen, die wahrscheinlich mit ungünstigen Studienprozessen einhergehen. Um diesen Zusammenhang aufzudecken, orientieren wir uns an bestehenden Differenzierungen von berufs- und fachbezogener Motivation im Rahmen der Expectancy-Value-Cost Theorie. Konkret untersuchen wir, ob berufs- und fachbezogene Wertüberzeugungen von Lehramtsstudierenden mathematikspezifisch operationalisiert werden können und welche Bedeutung im Studienprozess diese für Lehramtsstudiengänge haben. Aufbauend auf Vorarbeiten und bestehenden Studien zu verschiedenen Objekten der Motivation wurde dazu ein Fragebogen zu Wertüberzeugungen entwickelt. In einer Studie mit 270 Mathematikstudierenden des Sekundarstufen II-, I‑ und Primarstufen-Lehramtes konnte eine gute Passung zwischen dem theoretischen Modell der berufs- und fachbezogenen Wertüberzeugungen und den empirischen Daten festgestellt werden. Vor allem intrinsische Wertüberzeugungen in Bezug auf das Fach zeigen sich als relevant für Studienzufriedenheit, Abbruchneigung und Partizipation (in Form von Beweisnutzung und Abschreibeverhalten). Theoretische und praktische Implikationen zur Bedeutung spezifischer Motivationslagen im Lehramtsstudium Mathematik sowie gezielte Interventionsmöglichkeiten werden diskutiert.
Exploring the Association Between Sexual Agency and Intimate Relationship Violence Experienced and Perpetrated by Brazilian and Portuguese Women
Authors: Soster Andresa Pinho , Falcke Denise , Oliveira Alexandra
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Women’s vulnerability to violence in intimate relationships has been negatively associated with the development of sexual agency and is not considered just an individual responsibility in the face of a series of social and economic inequalities to which women are exposed. This study aims to verify the association between sexual agency and violence experienced and perpetrated in intimate relationships, as well as the predictive role of sexual agency on violence, and compare populations with economic, social, and educational differences.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was carried out in 2023 with 322 female university students—161 Brazilian and 161 Portuguese, aged between 18 and 29—using measures to verify sexual agency and different types of violence experienced and perpetrated by women in intimate relationships. The data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U-test, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, and multivariate linear regression analysis.

Results

Data showed Brazilian women having higher scores in all the variables of experienced and perpetrated violence. Sexual practices and refusal were negatively associated with violence experienced by Brazilian women. Refusal and pregnancy/STI prevention were negatively associated with violence experienced by Portuguese women.

Conclusions

The differences between groups can be attributed to the intersecting systems of oppression—such as gender, race, and social class—that amplify vulnerabilities and limit investments in protective policies for women, as well as in educational initiatives focused on violence prevention.

Policy Implications

Results suggest the development of violence prevention programs, comprehensive sexual education programs, and policies that focus on promoting women’s sexual agency.
Exploring the perceptions and experiences of older people on the use of digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study
Authors: Tanhamira Lesley-Anne , Randhawa Gurch , Hewson David
Published: November 2024

Background

Physical inactivity is an ongoing problem throughout the lifespan. For older people, inactivity has a negative impact on wellbeing, which worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital technologies can be employed to encourage uptake of social and physical activity through remotely delivered interventions to improve wellbeing, however, we need to understand older people’s perceptions and experiences of using digital technologies before implementing these interventions.

Aims

To explore the perceptions and experiences of older people on the use of digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 community dwelling older people from Hertfordshire, United Kingdom who were all programme participants in a remotely delivered mind-body physical activity programme called Positive Movement. Interviews were conducted before programme participation. The audio recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Four themes emerged from the data. The perceived impact of COVID-19 on social contact, perceived impact of COVID-19 on mental wellbeing, using digital platforms for health or exercise and using digital platforms for social contact.

Discussion

Participants reported reduced social contact due to COVID-19. Most participants reported using digital technologies for social inclusion rather than health reasons, and there were mixed views on the willingness to use digital technologies for physical activity.

Conclusion

Digital technologies offered a lifeline during COVID-19 to maintain social contact and their use was found acceptable by older people. Digital platforms such as Zoom can be further employed to conduct remotely delivered interventions with the aim to increase uptake of social and physical activity interventions within this population.
Evaluation of Integrative Medicine in Residency-Psychiatry Curriculum
Authors: Villagomez Amelia , Dunne Rajan , Brooks Audrey J. , Chen Mei-Kuang , Ricker Mari , Kang Sophia , Ranjbar Noshene
Published: November 2024

Objective

This study describes knowledge change, self-assessed confidence in providing integrative medicine approach, and respondents’ perspective on value and feasibility for the Integrative Medicine in Residency-Psychiatry (IMR-Psychiatry) curriculum, a 100-h elective offered during psychiatry training.

Methods

Residents/fellows completed pre-post Medical Knowledge tests and self-assessment instruments tracking self-rated confidence. Participants were also interviewed for feedback about their experience using a semi-structured design after completion of the program.

Results

Thirty-five of 37 (94.6%) participants completed all elective requirements. Items on the self-assessment instrument with the greatest positive pre-post change (p < 0.001) included ability to identify authoritative sources about botanicals (Cohen d = 2.15), effectively respond to patients’ questions regarding the use of herbs/supplements (Cohen d = 2.67), and interpret labels on nutraceuticals (Cohen d = 2.28). Mean score on the Medical Knowledge test (n = 30) increased from 64.7% correct at pretest to 81.6% at posttest. Responses tracking self-assessed confidence in providing an IM approach to address 18 common medical and psychiatric conditions all increased significantly pre to post (p < 0.001). Qualitative interviews provided important insights into challenges and recommendations for improvement, and all participants highly recommended the curriculum and found it feasible to complete during training.

Conclusion

The IMR-Psychiatry curriculum provides trainees skills that promote comprehensive person-centered care; as a tool to optimize patient care and safety while enhancing physician well-being, wider-spread incorporation of the curriculum into psychiatry residency programs would be beneficial.
Welfare Nationalism in Europe and Russia
Authors: Cook Linda J.
Published: November 2024

What is the relationship between the expansion of international labour migration, informal and precarious employment, and growing nationalism? Welfare Nationalism compares 21st century MENA migrations to Europe and Russia, the Ukrainian refugee migration to Europe in 2022, and labor migrations from Central Asia to Russia and from Central and Eastern Europe to Britain. Linda Cook contends that exclusionary and inclusionary migration cycles exist in both regions, driven by the 'deservingness' of migrants and mobilized by anti-immigrant politicians. Arguing that the long-term deterioration of labor markets and welfare provision for nationals in Europe and Russia drives welfare nationalism, she shows how populist parties in Europe and sub-national elites in Russia thrive on scapegoating migrants. Featuring a unique comparative analysis, this book examines the increasing harshness of contemporary migration policies and explores how we have arrived at the daily stand-offs of desperate international migrants against Europe's powers of surveillance and enforcement.
Regulatory Impact Analysis and Litigation Risk
Authors: Carrigan Christopher , Ellig Jerry , Xie Zhoudan
Published: November 2024

This paper explores the role of microeconomic analysis in policy formulation by assessing how the regulatory impact analyses (RIAs) that federal regulatory agencies prepare for important proposed rules may affect outcomes when regulations are challenged in court. Conventional wisdom among economists and senior regulatory officials in federal agencies suggests that high-quality economic analysis can help a regulation survive such challenges, particularly when the agency explains how the analysis affected decisions. However, highlighting the economic analysis may also increase the risk a regulation could be overturned by inviting court scrutiny of the RIA. Using a dataset of economically significant, prescriptive regulations proposed between 2008 and 2013, we put these conjectures to the test, studying the relationships between the quality of the RIA accompanying each rule, the agency’s explanation of how the analysis influenced its rulemaking decisions, and whether the rule was overturned when challenged in court. The regression results suggest that higher-quality RIAs are associated with a lower likelihood that the associated rules are later invalidated by courts, provided that the agency explained how it used the RIA in its decisions. Similarly, when the agency described how the RIA was used, a poor-quality analysis appears to increase the likelihood that the regulation is overturned, perhaps because it invites a greater level of court scrutiny. In contrast, when the agency does not describe how the RIA was utilized, there is no correlation between the quality of analysis and the likelihood that the regulation will be invalidated.
The spin Brauer category
Authors: McNamara Peter J. , Savage Alistair
Published: November 2024

We introduce a diagrammatic monoidal category, the spin Brauer category, that plays the same role for the spin and pin groups as the Brauer category does for the orthogonal groups. In particular, there is a full functor from the spin Brauer category to the category of finite-dimensional modules for the spin and pin groups. This functor becomes essentially surjective after passing to the Karoubi envelope, and its kernel is the tensor ideal of negligible morphisms. In this way, the spin Brauer category can be thought of as an interpolating category for the spin and pin groups. We also define an affine version of the spin Brauer category, which acts on categories of modules for the pin and spin groups via translation functors.
Wavelet-based resolvent analysis of non-stationary flows
Authors: Ballouz Eric , Lopez-Doriga Barbara , Dawson Scott T.M. , Bae H. Jane
Published: November 2024

This work introduces a formulation of resolvent analysis that uses wavelet transforms rather than Fourier transforms in time. Under this formulation, resolvent analysis may extend to turbulent flows with non-stationary mean states. The optimal resolvent modes are augmented with a temporal dimension and are able to encode the time-transient trajectories that are most amplified by the linearised Navier–Stokes equations. We first show that the wavelet- and Fourier-based resolvent analyses give equivalent results for statistically stationary flow by applying them to turbulent channel flow. We then use wavelet-based resolvent analysis to study the transient growth mechanism in the near-wall region of a turbulent channel flow by windowing the resolvent operator in time and frequency. The computed principal resolvent response mode, i.e. the velocity field optimally amplified by the linearised dynamics of the flow, exhibits characteristics of the Orr mechanism, which supports the claim that this mechanism is key to linear transient energy growth. We also apply this method to non-stationary parallel shear flows such as an oscillating boundary layer, and three-dimensional channel flow in which a sudden spanwise pressure gradient perturbs a fully developed turbulent channel flow. In both cases, wavelet-based resolvent analysis yields modes that are sensitive to the changing mean profile of the flow. For the oscillating boundary layer, wavelet-based resolvent analysis produces oscillating principal forcing and response modes that peak at times and wall-normal locations associated with high turbulent activity. For the turbulent channel flow under a sudden spanwise pressure gradient, the resolvent modes gradually realign themselves with the mean flow as the latter deviates. Wavelet-based resolvent analysis thus captures the changes in the transient linear growth mechanisms caused by a time-varying turbulent mean profile.
Transition to turbulence on a rotating wind turbine blade at $Re_c=3 \times 10^5$
Authors: Fava T.C.L. , Massaro D. , Schlatter P. , Henningson D.S. , Hanifi A.
Published: November 2024

The boundary-layer stability on a section of a rotating wind turbine blade with an FFA-W3 series aerofoil at a chord Reynolds number of

$3 \times 10^5$

, with varying rotation and radii, is studied with direct numerical simulations and linear stability analyses. Low rotation does not significantly affect transition in the outboard blade region. The relative insensitivity to rotation is due to a laminar separation bubble near the leading edge, spanwise-deformed by a primary self-excited instability, promoting the secondary absolute instability of the Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) vortices and rapid transition. Moderate increases in rotation, or moving inboard, stabilise the flow by accelerating the attached boundary layer and possibly inducing competition between cross-flow and KH modes. This delays separation and transition. Initially, for high rotation rates or radial locations close to the hub, transition is delayed. Nevertheless, strong stationary and travelling cross-flow modes are eventually triggered, spanwise modulating the KH rolls and shifting the transition line close to the leading edge. Cross-flow velocities as high as

$56\,\%$

of the free stream velocity directed towards the blade tip are reached at the transition location. For radial locations farther from the hub, the effective angle of attack is decreased, and cross-flow transition occurs at lower rotation rates. The advance or delay of the transition line compared with a non-rotating configuration depends on the competing rotation effects of stabilising the attached boundary layer and triggering cross-flow modes in the separation flow region.
Essay review: technopolitics, development and the residues of the South African state
Authors: Heffernan Anne
Published: November 2024

It has been thirty years since the end of political apartheid in South Africa in 1994. Those decades have been marked by single-party dominance under the African National Congress (ANC), and the expansion of democratic rights and public goods like education, as well as neoliberal economic policies, growing inequality and, in recent years, corruption and maladministration scandals. On the heels of a historic election in May 2024, one which marked the end of the ANC's electoral dominance and was shaped, in part, by government mismanagement of the energy sector and extensive infrastructural decline, it is a timely moment to consider the history of South Africa's state and its relation to industries of extraction and energy production. Two new books do just that. Residual Governance: How South Africa Foretells Planetary Futures, by Gabrielle Hecht, takes a long view of the impact of extractive industries, arguing that contemporary South Africa may offer a cautionary tale of the devastating impacts of the Anthropocene, one that ‘foretells planetary futures’ in the way that the state has failed to reckon with the enduring communal and environmental impacts of the mining industry. Apartheid's Leviathan: Electricity and the Power of Technological Ambivalence, by Faeeza Ballim, historicizes the development of South Africa's electricity sector under the apartheid state and traces the roots of the current energy crisis back to the pursuit of authoritarian high modernism in the mid-twentieth century.
Host influence on life history traits of Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann in an arid region of Argentina
Authors: Rodriguez Claudia Cecilia , Jofré Barud Flavia , Gómez María Pía , Sayra Jaled , López María Liza
Published: November 2024

The fruit fly Ceratitis capitata is a successful generalist due to the trade-off between different variables in its life history traits. The present study aimed to assess some life history traits of C. capitata recovered from peach, plum and fig, three key host species, under the climatic conditions of an irrigation oasis in the arid province of San Juan, Argentina. Pupal abundance, sex ratio and morphometric parameters such as pupal and adult weight, pupal volume, wingspan and head-caudal length were influenced by the host in which the larvae were reared. Sexual maturity, measured as the peak of calling (pheromone emission), was homogeneous on the sixth and seventh days after emergence, but males recovered from fig showed early calling activity on the third day after emergence. The plasticity of C. capitata to adapt its life history traits to specific nutrient variations within the larval environment allows it to colonise and establish populations where key hosts, as those studied here, are available. The knowledge of the interactions between host fruit trees and C. capitata populations provides helpful information for planning the management of local orchards and urban fruit plantations within irrigation oases, taking into consideration the concept of key hosts as peach and fig.
Predicting the body weight of crossbred Holstein × Zebu dairy cows using multivariate adaptive regression splines algorithm
Authors: Vázquez-Martínez Ignacio , Tirink Cem , Casanova-Lugo Fernando , Pozo-Leyva Dixan , Mota-Rojas Daniel , Kalmagambetov Murat Baitugelovich , Uskenov Rashit , Gülboy Ömer , Garcia-Herrera Ricardo A. , Chay-Canul Alfonso J.
Published: November 2024

This study aimed to estimate live body weight from body measurements for Holstein × Zebu dairy cows (n = 156) reared under conditions of humid tropics in Mexico using multivariate adaptive regression splines algorithm (MARS) with several train-test proportions. The body measurements included withers height, rump height, hip width, heart girth, body length and diagonal body length. The data were divided into 65:35, 70:30 and 80:20 split data for training and testing sets, respectively. The MARS algorithm was used to construct a prediction model, which predicted the body weight from the body measurements of the test dataset. The results emphasized that the MARS algorithm had an explanation rate for 80:20 train and test set of 0.836 and 0.711, respectively, with minimum Akaike information criterion values. This indicates that it is a reliable way of predicting body weight from body measurements. The results suggest that body weight prediction can be performed with the MARS algorithm in a reliable way, therefore, this algorithm may be a useful tool for animal breeders and researchers in the development of feeding and selection-aimed approaches.
Ecological relationships of Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann with other tick species on wildlife hosts at cow–calf farms implementing integrated pest management in eastern Tennessee
Authors: Butler Rebecca A. , Muller Lisa I. , Grove Dan , Trout Fryxell Rebecca T.
Published: November 2024

Longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is an invasive tick species that parasitizes a variety of vertebrate hosts and transmits pathogens affecting humans and livestock in the United States (US). Unfortunately, the behaviour of this tick at the wildlife–livestock interface is not well understood. To better understand how H. longicornis uses wildlife hosts and interacts with established tick species on farm settings we sampled small and medium wildlife seasonally for a year, using Sherman and Tomahawk traps, on three H. longicornis-infested cattle farms in eastern Tennessee. We confirmed that wildlife host body regions and coinfesting tick species were associated with the likelihood that H. longicornis would be present on a host. In addition, ticks were less likely to be present on hosts when farmer led integrated pest management strategies were adopted and the environment was modified to reduce tick populations. Results from this study can be used to target host species for on-animal management of H. longicornis by using population management strategies or acaricidal applications. Activity patterns for when established tick species, with similar predicted geographic ranges as H. longicornis, are feeding simultaneously on hosts can also be used to predict when this exotic tick species will be present. Finally, reducing tick abundance in the environment can be important for on-animal control. These results are imperative for understanding how wildlife hosts harbour H. longicornis and its interactions with established tick species. These findings are useful for selecting tick management strategies specific to H. longicornis and understanding pathogen transmission due to cofeeding.
The language of smoked fish: The production and circulation of meanings and values of ‘Bornholmian Food’
Authors: Karrebæk Martha Sif , Maegaard Marie
Published: November 2024

Recently, the Danish island of Bornholm has earned international fame for its food. In this article, we analyze how the meaning and value of the phenomenon of ‘Bornholmian food’ is transmitted and transformed through discursive processes, moving from the island to other locations. Through analysis of photos and audio-recordings from Bornholmian restaurants on Bornholm, in Copenhagen, and in Brooklyn, New York, we focus on recurring elements and noteworthy differences in the presentation of Bornholm, and we discuss how these depend on place and context. Thereby the circulation of ‘Bornholmian food’ is more than transmission of meaning and value; ‘Bornholmian food’ becomes different things in different locations. We suggest that although authenticity is made relevant, authentication is merely a starting point for processes of meaning production, notably when considering the reception of guests. In particular, nostalgia and exoticization make the relation to Bornholm meaningful to both producers and consumers. (Food, authentication, nostalgia, exotization, semiotic landscape analysis)
Predictors of mortality among older adults discharged to or readmitted from a skilled nursing facility
Authors: Garcia Mary Acelle , Mondragon Natalie , Taffet George , Agarwal Kathryn
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Previous studies have shown that patients who are readmitted to the hospital from a skilled nursing facility (SNF) have a higher mortality rate. The objective of this study is to determine factors associated with high mortality rate for older adults who require hospital readmission while on presumed short stay in SNF to trigger a goals-of-care discussion.

Methods

Retrospective study of 847 patients aged 65 and above who were discharged from 1 large urban academic medical center to multiple SNF in 2019.

Results

Charts of 847 patients admitted to SNF after an acute hospital stay were reviewed; their overall 1-year mortality rate was 28.3%. The 1-year mortality rate among individuals readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge to SNF was 50%, whereas for those who did not require readmission, the rate was 22%. For the most common diagnostic categories of nervous system, and musculoskeletal, patients with readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge to SNF had a roughly threefold higher 1-year mortality rate. Worse frailty score on hospital readmission, poor nutrition, and weight loss were the most impactful individual factors carrying a higher degree of mortality of up to 83%.

Significance of results

Hospital discharge to SNF and readmission from SNF within 30 days, further decline in functional status, and malnutrition characterize high-risk groups that should trigger care preference and prognostic discussions with patients as these events may be markers of vulnerability and are associated with high 1-year mortality rates.
The Gender Gap in Elite-Voter Responsiveness Online
Authors: Dickson Zachary P.
Published: November 2024

A number of important studies have documented gender gaps in the effectiveness or performance of individual representatives. Yet whether these differences are observable when it comes to responsiveness to public opinion is unclear. In this article, I examine the degree to which representatives use social media to dynamically respond to shifts in issue salience among the electorate. After combining nearly 400 bi-weekly repeated public opinion surveys from YouGov asking voters about their issue priorities, I trained a large language model to classify the universe of elected U.S. and UK representatives’ social media messages on Twitter to the same issues. Findings reveal that women representatives demonstrate greater responsiveness than their male counterparts to shifts in issue salience according to both women and men constituents. Despite an overall bias toward male constituents, female representatives play a crucial role in narrowing the gender gap by consistently aligning their attention with the issues prioritized by female constituents. These findings not only contribute to our understanding of elite-voter responsiveness but also underscore the substantive benefits that women representatives provide for all constituents.
Comparison of a diflufenican-containing premixture to current commercial standards for residual Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) control
Authors: Woolard Matthew C. , Norsworthy Jason K. , Roberts Trenton L. , Thrash Benjamin C. , Barber L. Tom , Sprague Christy L. , Avent Tristen H.
Published: November 2024

With Palmer amaranth and waterhemp evolving resistance to nine and six different sites of action (SOAs) globally, soybean producers continue to search for new options to control these problematic weeds. Bayer CropScience has announced its intentions to launch a Convintro™ brand of herbicides, one being a three-way premixture for preemergence use in soybean. The premixture will contain diflufenican (WSSA Group 12), metribuzin (WSSA Group 5), and flufenacet (WSSA Group 15), adding a new SOA for soybean producers throughout the United States. With the anticipated launch of the premixture, research is needed to evaluate the length of residual control provided by the new herbicide. Research trials were conducted in Fayetteville and Keiser, AR, and Morrice, MI, in 2022 and 2023. A 0.17:0.35:0.48 ratio of a diflufenican:metribuzin:flufenacet (DFF)-containing premixture was applied alone and in combination with additional metribuzin and dicamba. Also, metribuzin, acetochlor, a S-metolachlor:metribuzin premixture, and a flumioxazin:pyroxasulfone:metribuzin premixture were applied preemergence. The DFF-containing premixture was more effective in reducing Palmer amaranth/waterhemp emergence than acetochlor in four of six trials at 28 d after treatment (DAT). Palmer amaranth and waterhemp densities in plots treated with the DFF-containing premixture exhibited similar results to plots treated with the S-metolachlor:metribuzin premixture and the flumioxazin:pyroxasulfone:metribuzin premixture at 28 DAT. By 56 DAT, Palmer amaranth and waterhemp densities were comparable or superior in plots with the DFF-containing premixture than in those treated with acetochlor and metribuzin, and the S-metolachlor:metribuzin premixture at five of six sites. The addition of dicamba or metribuzin to the DFF-containing premixture did not reduce Palmer amaranth or waterhemp density compared to the DFF-containing premixture at 28 or 56 DAT. Overall, the DFF-containing premixture generally provided greater or comparable control over several standard herbicides, providing growers a new product for preemergence control of Amaranthus species in soybean fields.
In Situ Aerosol Size Spectra Measurements in the Austral Polar Vortex Before and After the Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai Volcanic Eruption
Authors: Deshler Terry , Kalnajs Lars E. , Norgren Matthew , Zhu Yunqian , Zhang Jun
Published: November 2024

Aerosol from the Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai (HT‐HH) volcanic eruption (20.6°S) in January 2022 were not incorporated into the austral polar vortex until the following year, March 2023. Within the polar vortex in situ profiles of aerosol size spectra were completed in the austral autumns of 2019 and 2023, from McMurdo Station, Antarctica (78˚S), 30 months prior to and 15 months after the HT‐HH eruption. The measurements indicate that the HT‐HH impact on aerosol size was primarily confined to particles with diameters >0.5 μm leading to differences in aerosol mass, surface area, and extinction from factors of 2–4 at the volcanic layer's peak below 20 km, increasing to ratios of 5–10 above 20 km. Effective radius, with radiative and microphysical implications, increased from ∼0.2 to ∼0.3 μm. An Earth system model with a modal aerosol package compares favorably with the in situ measurements of the HT‐HH aerosol impact.
Subsurface Imaging in Urban Areas With Ambient Noise Using DAS and Seismometer Data Sets: Granada, Spain
Authors: Benjumea B. , Gaite B. , Schimmel M. , Bohoyo F. , Spica Z. J. , Mancilla F. D. L. , Li Y. , Almendros J. , Morales J.
Published: November 2024

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is an innovative technology with great potential for acquiring seismic data sets in urban areas. In this work, we check the suitability of a DAS data set acquired in Granada (Spain) for retrieving subsurface reflectivity from ambient noise. The fiber‐optic is a pre‐existing underground telecommunication cable that crosses the city from Northwest to Southeast. We use a 10 hr recording of strain rate from a 2020 experiment to obtain seismic reflections using the autocorrelation method. We compare the DAS results with reflections obtained from seismic ambient noise recorded in nine seismometers deployed close to the fiber‐cable for 7 days in November 2022. The novel approach proposed in this study for the identification of the reflections is to use autocorrelations after bandpass filtering for specific central frequencies and to check the stability of the signals over a broad frequency band. Microtremor Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (MHVSR) measurements at a total of 14 stations, five of them outside the city, help to constrain the reflection interpretation. These include one station at the borehole that reaches the basement in the Granada Basin crossing all the Cenozoic units. We use the legacy sonic log to obtain a relationship between frequencies of MHVSR peaks and depth. Autocorrelation and MHVSR methods give consistent results delineating bedrock depth deeper than 1,000 m in Granada. These results confirm that DAS can provide valuable subsurface information in urban areas.