Average Transport Research Articles

Persistently high bedload flux in ephemeral channels

We present the most comprehensive dataset of bedload transport in ephemeral channels compiled to date. These nine ephemeral channels cover a range of dryland climates and channel types. First, we evaluate these channels and how they compare with each other. Next, we contrast this database with a previously compiled bedload dataset encompassing 92 perennial rivers. While previous studies have identified differences between measured bedload flux in perennial and ephemeral systems, we quantify those differences across a wide range of channel types and shear stress conditions. We find that the ephemeral dataset is statistically distinct, showing greater average transport across flow conditions in normalized shear vs. bedload flux space. Prior researchers have variously attributed these high transport rates to a combination of factors that commonly define ephemeral channels: lack of armoring, mixed sand and gravel, flashy hydrographs, erodible banks, and lack of vegetation. We tested the influence of armoring by comparing transport differences at different transport stages, finding that bed armor contributes to the observed differences, but is not the sole reason. In addition to these previously proposed mechanisms, we add that the abundance of very coarse sand and fine gravels in ephemeral channels provides easily-mobilized but difficult-to-suspend particles.

P0027 The carbon footprint of remote monitoring of IBD patients – a green opportunity for sustainable outpatient care

Abstract Background Climate change is a major public health threat, with healthcare systems contributing 4-5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a chronic and increasingly prevalent condition, demands extensive healthcare resources, making healthcare for this patient population a notable contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) and other GHG emissions. Remote care offers an opportunity by reducing transport-related emissions through fewer outpatient visits. In this study we aimed to assess the carbon footprint of IBD care and compare the emissions associated with remote versus standard care. Methods A randomized controlled trial involving 909 IBD patients from two academic and two non-academic hospitals in the Netherlands compared telemedicine via myIBDcoach with standard outpatient care for a 12-month period.1 In an explorative analysis, the annual carbon footprint of IBD-related healthcare, expressed as CO2-equivalent (CO2e), was estimated, covering outpatient and inpatient services, diagnostic procedures (i.e., endoscopy, radiology), surgeries, and patient travel (assuming 100% car use).2 Staff travel, laboratory tests, and medication use were out of scope. Emission conversion factors were derived primarily from Dutch literature and supplemented with international sources (Table 1). Results The total annual carbon footprint for all patients was 53,779 kg CO2e (Figure 1), mainly driven by hospitalization (50.6%) and patient travel (29.0%, mean travel distance: 20.3 km). Per IBD patient, the mean annual carbon footprint was 65.5 kg CO2e in the standard care group (n=443) and 56.5 kg CO2e in the remote monitoring group (n=438), saving 9.0 kg CO2e per patient annually. Reduced outpatient visits in the remote monitoring group accounted for most savings, with annual emissions dropping from 21.6 kg CO2e to 14.3 kg CO2e, saving 7.3 kg CO2e per year. Scaling remote care to the 120,000 patients IBD patients in the Netherlands3 could save approximately 878 tons CO2e per year. This is equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of 47 average Dutch households, including housing, transport, clothing, food, and other goods. Conclusion IBD care has a substantial environmental impact. Remote care reduces outpatient visits and achieves notable emission savings, with even greater potential in larger countries than the Netherlands. Implementing remote monitoring with tight disease control in routine care can substantially reduce carbon emissions for IBD and other chronic disease populations.

Perancangan Model Deteksi Potensi Siswa Putus Sekolah Menggunakan Metode Logistic Regression Dan Decision Tree

The phenomenon of student dropouts is one of the main challenges in education, influenced by various factors such as absenteeism, economic pressures on families, low academic performance, and lack of motivation. This issue not only affects the personal development of students but also tarnishes the reputation of educational institutions. Therefore, an innovative technology-based approach, such as data mining, is needed to detect students at risk of dropping out early. This study aims to design a model for detecting the potential of school dropout students using Logistic Regression and Decision Tree methods based on student data from SMA N 4 Tegal. The variables used in the analysis include demographic, academic, and social information such as absenteeism, average semester grades, parental income, and transportation type. The dataset is processed using one-hot encoding and label encoding techniques to convert categorical data into numeric values. The results indicate that both methods have their respective advantages. The Decision Tree model achieves high precision, especially in predicting students who continue their education, with a precision of 0.99 for the "Continue School" class. However, recall for the "Dropout" class remains low (0.60), indicating the need for improvements in detecting students at risk of dropping out. On the other hand, the Logistic Regression model shows better balance in detecting both classes, with more balanced accuracy and recall. This study concludes that both models can be used to monitor the potential of school dropouts and provide data-driven recommendations for more accurate educational decision-making.

Establishing an interhospital ECMO-transport program during a pandemic: Key lessons learned.

The emergence of COVID-19 has amplified the importance of efficient patient transfer, leading to the idea of inter-hospital ECMO transport programs. However, there are limited studies on ECMO transfer protocols and experiences during COVID pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness our transport program and provide insights into establishing and maintaining ECMO programs. Over the period from April 2020 to December 2021, 76 patients with severe hypoxic COVID-19 ARDS were transferred to our center under a veno-venous ECMO support. The transfers were performed by the experienced transport ECMO-team, covering both intracity and intercity transports from various hospitals in Istanbul and the Marmara Region. Mean age was 44 (34-54) years. Time until ECMO initiation was 6 (3-11.2) days. The average transport distance was 36.6 ± 58.7 km. Average intracity and intercity transport distance were 17.5 ± 15.7 and 121 ± 96.6 km, respectively. ECMO wean rate was 40.7% and survival to discharge (home) was 38.1%. No major adverse events occurred during the transfer process. In one transport, the oxygen tank was instantly replenished on the road due to the decrease in the oxygen level in the tank. In conclusion, this study contributed to the knowledge surrounding ECMO transport programs during pandemics, emphasized the importance of expert coordination and careful patient management with demonstrating feasibility of mobile ECMO program .

Ammonia Emissions from Swiss Agriculture and their Effects on Atmospheric Chemistry and Ecosystems

Ammonia (NH3) is an important atmospheric pollutant due to its contribution to secondary inorganic aerosol formation and its deposition and impacts on (semi-)natural ecosystems. Therefore various efforts have been made to limit emissions to the atmosphere. The predominant emission source in Switzerland is livestock agriculture, wherein NH3 is volatilised from ammonium contained in animal manure. While modelled NH3 emissions based on agricultural activity data indicate a minor decrease since 2000, concentration measurements do not reflect this trend. This can at least partly be attributed to a decline in the transformation of NH3 to particulate ammonium due to significantly decreased emission of oxidised nitrogen and sulfur compounds in the past decade. The partitioning between the gaseous and the particulate phase also determines the deposition pathway (dry or wet deposition) and thus the average lifetime and transport distance in the atmosphere. Gaseous NH3 is subject to fast dry deposition and is deposited preferentially to ecosystems close to the source. Once deposited into an ecosystem, NH3 leads to eutrophication and acidification of water and soils, which change the plant community composition and microbial functioning, especially in N-sensitive ecosystems. Although NH3 can also cause direct toxicity to plants, assessments of ecosystem impacts are generally collated using the critical load approach, which includes the input of all N compounds. These reveal that in 2020, 87% of forests, 94% of raised bogs, 74% of fens, and 42% of dry mountain grasslands likely experienced adverse impacts from N exceedances in Switzerland. To improve this situation, considerable NH3 emission abatement efforts are needed in the future.

A novel approach for optimisation of bioenergy supply chain: Integrating mathematical programming, Geographic Information System, and Analytic Hierarchy Process

The crucial role of sustainable energy in addressing environmental challenges and using agricultural waste for bioenergy supports a circular bioeconomy. This paper presents a four-stage approach to optimise a biorefinery supply chain for Ireland’s agricultural waste sector. The spatial availability of agricultural waste was assessed, followed by evaluating land suitability for biorefinery development under economic, environmental, and social constraints. A hybrid method using GIS and AHP was employed to rank suitable areas, and a mathematical model was used for supply chain optimisation. Results showed only 12 % of the study area is highly suitable for biorefineries, with an average transportation distance of 39 km, leading to reduced costs and emissions. The framework’s efficiency is highlighted by a transportation cost of only 4 %, compared to 16 % in previous studies. This research fills a gap in bioenergy supply chain management by demonstrating advanced tools for optimising sustainability and site suitability.

Dynamics of peritoneal transport and cardiovascular outcomes of peritoneal dialysis treatment

BACKGROUND: Solute and water transport by peritoneal membrane has significant variation between patients; the function changes significantly over time. This affects treatment outcomes and requires individual approaches. AIM: To evaluate the influence of the baseline peritoneal transport state, its dynamics during peritoneal dialysis and the possibility of long-term outcomes modification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dynamics of peritoneal transport of solutes (in peritoneal equilibrium test, PET) and water (in mini-PET) was evaluated in a prospective interventional open-label study with historical control among 96 unselected consecutive patients admitted in three dialysis centers with unified program of peritoneal membrane monitoring and protection. RESULTS: Compared to the matched standard arm, the increase in peritoneal solute transport was significantly slower (by 9.5%) in the observation group. Ultrafiltration in classical PET decreased more slowly (by 28%). At baseline ultrafiltration was satisfactory (the proportion of the patients with ultrafiltration less 400 ml was 7.6%); water transport by small pores did not decrease (−1.1 ± 5.9 ml/year), and the decrease in total ultrafiltration (by 32.1 ± 8.2 ml/year) was due to a decrease in free water transport (by 29.9 ± 7.6 ml/year). Negative dynamics of free water transport was associated with total glucose load and with monthly glucose load greater than 2.68 kg/month. More than one case of peritonitis was associated with a more rapid decline in free water transport. The comorbidity increased in 34 of 96 patients, with median first/last scores of 5 (4–6) and 6 (4–7) points; (Wilcoxon Z = −5.423; p 0.001). When analyzed separately by peritoneal transport category, a significant worsening of the comorbidity index was observed only for high average and high transporters (Z = −2.754, p = 0.006 and Z = −3.357, p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The interaction between peritoneal transport, primarily free water transport, and cardiovascular disease is certainly two-way: deterioration of water balance due to loss of effective ultrafiltration leads to volume overload and progression of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, cardiovascular disease contributes to peritoneal membrane damage. The most sensitive monitoring of interventions effectiveness in membrane protection and preventing cardiovascular disease progression is the separate measuring of water transport through small pores and ultrapores, which simultaneously reveals a feature of progressive peritoneal fibrosis, a potential precursor of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis.

Acoustic Drift: Generating Helicity and Transferring Energy

This article studies the general properties of the Stokes drift field. This name is commonly used for the correction addedto the mean Eulerian velocity for describing the averaged transport of the material particles by the oscillating fluid flows. Stokes drift is widely known mainly in connection with another feature of oscillating flows known as steady streaming, which has been and remains the focus of a multitude of studies. However, almost nothing is known about Stokes drift in general, e.g., about its energy or helicity (Hopf’s invariant). We address these quantities for acoustic drift driven by simple sound waves with finite discrete Fourier spectra. The results discover that the mean drift energy is partly localized on a certain resonant set, which we have described explicitly. Moreover, the mean drift helicity turns out to be completely localized on the same set. We also present several simple examples to reveal the effect of the power spectrum and positioning of the spectral atoms. It is revealed that tuning them can drastically change both resonant and non-resonant energies, zero the helicity, or even increase it unboundedly.

What can we learn from the experiment of electrostatic conveyor belt for excitons?

Motivated by the experiment of electrostatic conveyor belt for indirect excitons (Winbowet al2011Phys. Rev. Lett.106196806), we studied the exciton patterns for understanding the exciton dynamics. By analyzing the exciton diffusion, we found that the patterns mainly came from the photoluminescence of two kinds of excitons. The patterns near the laser spot came from the hot excitons which can be regarded as the classical particles. However, the patterns far from the laser spot come from the cooled or coherent excitons. Considering the finite lifetime of Bosonic excitons and of the interactions between them, we built a time-dependent nonlinear Schrödinger equation including the non-Hermitian dissipation to describe the coherent exciton dynamics. The real-time and imaginary-time evolutions were used alternately to solve the Schrödinger equation to simulate the exciton diffusion accompanied by the exciton cooling in the moving lattices. By calculating the escape probability, we obtained the transport distances of the coherent excitons in the conveyor, consistent with the experimental data. The cooling speed of excitons was found to be important in coherent exciton transport. Moreover, the plateau in the average transport distance cannot be explained by the dynamical localization-delocalization transition induced by the disorders.

Changes in low-carbon transportation efficiency of Chinese roads after considering the impact of new energy vehicles

China aims to attain peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. As a top-ranked carbon-emitting industry, the transportation industry faces a severe low-carbon transformation situation. The rapid development of new energy vehicles (NEVs) has become an important means to improve the low-carbon transportation efficiency of Chinese roads. Existing studies rarely consider the impact of the development of NEVs, and a regional imbalance exists in the development of low-carbon transportation in China. This study takes the sales of NEVs as an important exogenous variable and uses a modified meta-dynamic non-radial directional distance function (DDF) to analyze the low-carbon transportation efficiency of Chinese roads. After incorporating the sales of NEVs into the analysis system, China's overall road transportation efficiency has significantly improved. The present value of the average annual low-carbon transportation efficiency has increased by 0.06–0.1 compared to the original value, but there are regional differences. The eastern region, with its technological advantages, has achieved the best performance with an average low-carbon transportation efficiency of 0.92. The substitution of NEVs has significantly improved the efficiency of low-carbon transportation on roads in central China. The improvement of low-carbon transportation efficiency on roads in western China is limited due to factors such as the low popularity of NEVs. We delved into the reasons for the development of NEVs to improve the efficiency of low-carbon transportation on roads, discussed the improvement of carbon emissions through the promotion of NEVs, analyzed the regional imbalance of low-carbon transportation efficiency on roads, and provided policy recommendations for the future development of NEVs from the perspective of regional differences.

Analysis of Natural Convection Under the Effect of Nanoparticles Brownian Motion and a Periodic Magnetic Field Utilizing CuO–Water Nanofluid

In this article, our study aims to enhance the understanding of two-dimensional flow control by modifying specific geometric parameters and applying an external non-uniform magnetic field to the flow. The objective is to explore the influence of these modifications on flow characteristics and analyze how these adjustments can be used to impact the overall thermal behavior of the system. The studied cavity is square-shaped and filled with a nanofluid composed of CuO dispersed in water. A semi-circular cooler is positioned along the left side wall. The phenomenon of Brownian motion in nanoparticles is included in the models describing thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is utilized to derive the nonlinear dimensionless governing equations. The influence of pertinent parameters such as the Rayleigh number, Hartmann number, Periodic magnetic field and nanoparticle volume concentration on the flow and heat transfer characteristics has been examined. In this investigation, it is noted that incorporating the influence of Brownian motion of nanoparticles enhances heat transfer by more than 6%. Conversely, the presence of a magnetic field introduces a contrasting effect, manifesting in a tendency to decelerate the flow dynamics. Furthermore, the numerical results indicate an increase in the average Nusselt number with a rise of the Reynolds number and the period of the periodic magnetic field. Additionally, the findings suggest that a greater average heat transport rate is observed for the non-uniform magnetic effect when λ = 0.75, considering the impact of Brownian motion, and that the average Nusselt number for this case increased by 23.59% compared to the case where the applied magnetic field is uniform.

Evaluation of road roughness and its influence on operating parameters in open-pit mines

Hauling ore and waste rock is a major cost factor in open-pit mines, encompassing both road maintenance and off-road truck operation. Road maintenance costs are directly influenced by traffic volume and the size of trucks using the roads. Off-road truck operating costs are impacted by various factors, including those affecting their movement, such as the direct interaction between tires and the road surface. Tire-road interaction significantly affects rolling resistance. Rougher surfaces with deeper grooves caused by track sinks lead to higher rolling resistance. This study employed laser profiling to characterize the surface roughness of five mine haul roads in two large Brazilian iron ore mines. This study evaluated the impact of these road irregularities on various operating parameters for 240-ton off-highway trucks, including rolling resistance, average travel speed, travel time, productivity, and unit transport cost. The results indicate that a 10 cm increase in road surface roughness can lead to a significant increase in rolling resistance (up to 5%), a substantial decrease in average speed (25%), a notable increase in travel time (26%), a decrease in productivity (19%), and a corresponding increase in unit transport cost (21%).

Multi-objective Optimization-Based Algorithm for Selecting the Optimal Path of Rural Multi-temperature Zone Cold Chain Dynamic Logistics Intermodal Transportation

The road network in rural areas is complex and the infrastructure is relatively backward. The multi-temperature zone cold chain logistics involves agricultural products with different temperature requirements, which requires considering the transportation cost, carbon emission cost, refrigeration cost, and time cost of different temperature zones during path planning, thereby increasing the difficulty of path planning. Therefore, a multi-objective optimization-based algorithm for selecting the optimal path of rural multi-temperature zone cold chain dynamic logistics intermodal transportation is proposed. Based on the analysis of the multi-temperature cold chain collection and distribution model based on multimodal transportation, a multi-objective optimization model is constructed. This model aims to minimize transportation costs, carbon emission costs, refrigeration costs, time costs, and maximize logistics quality, while satisfying constraints such as transfer schedule times, the number of transport mode conversions, transport mode selection, and time continuity. To solve this model, an improved NSGA-II algorithm is adopted, which combines an improved mutation operator, congestion distance calculation, and the C-W saving algorithm to achieve the optimal transport path solution. Additionally, ArcGIS software is used to implement the shortest path planning based on real road networks. The experimental results show that by selecting the road-rail combined transport mode and adopting the D1–D6–D10 transport path, it is possible to transport fresh agricultural products from location A to the distribution center at location B, with the lowest Pareto fitness value. Furthermore, the algorithm's effectiveness is further verified by completing the end-of-life fresh agricultural product distribution task with four multi-temperature refrigerated vehicles. The study also finds that extending or shortening the latest service time window for customers, although it leads to a decrease or increase in the optimal value of the algorithm's objective function, has little impact on the average distribution time and transport vehicles. These findings provide new theoretical and practical guidance for the path selection of multimodal transportation in multi-temperature cold chain logistics, with significant theoretical and application value.

Spatial–temporal variations of sediment transport rate and driving factors in Shule River Basin, northwest China

The sediment content and transport rate of rivers are crucial indicators reflecting soil erosion, water quality, and water resource management in a region. Studying changes in river sediment transport rates within a basin is essential for evaluating water quality, restoring water ecosystems, and implementing soil and water conservation measures. This study focused on the Shule River Basin and utilized various methods such as moving average, cumulative anomaly, Mann–Kendall mutation test, Mann–Kendall (M–K) trend test, Sen’s slope estimation, Correlation analysis, wavelet analysis, R/S analysis, ARCGIS10.7 interpolation, non-uniformity coefficient, and concentration to analyze data from hydrologic stations at Changmapu (CMP), Panjiazhuang (PJZ), and Dangchengwan (DCW). The research examined the temporal and spatial characteristics of sediment transport rates and identified key driving factors. Findings revealed significant increases in annual sediment transport rates at CMP and PJZ by 12.227 and 4.318 kg/s (10a)−1, respectively, while DCW experienced a decrease of 0.677 kg/s (10a)−1. The sediment transport rate of the three stations had a sudden change around 1994. The average annual sediment transport rates displayed distinct cycles, with CMP, PJZ, and DCW showing cycles of 51a, 53a, and 29a respectively. Additionally, while CMP and PJZ exhibited a continuous upward trend in sediment transport rates, DCW showed a consistent decline. The annual average sediment transport rates of CMP, PJZ, and DCW were 1305.43 kg/s, 810.06 kg/s, and 247.80 kg/s, respectively. These research findings contribute to enhancing the comprehension of sediment dynamics in the arid region of northwest China and offer a theoretical basis for the restoration and management of ecological environments in similar areas in the future.

Flood-induced buttertub spill reveals riverine macroplastic transport dynamics

During the July 2021 European floods approximately eight million empty dairy packaging (buttertubs) were flushed from a dairy processing facility in Belgium into the Vesdre river. Some were transported further downstream, into the Ourthe river and eventually the Meuse river. There are many unknowns when it comes to plastic transport in rivers, especially in response to floods. We therefore used this incident as an unique opportunity to study these buttertubs as a tracer for plastic transport dynamics in a riverine environment in response to an extreme flood event. Normally, it is unknown when and where individual plastic items found on riverbanks entered the environment. In this case, however, the ID stamps on the buttertups allowed for them to be traced back to the flooding of the factory. We studied the transport and deposition of these buttertubs in the Dutch Meuse over 2 years following the flood. We also collected buttertubs at different points in time to investigate their fragmentation and mass loss. Within 3 weeks of the flood, the buttertubs were transported up to 328 km from the spilling location. Overall, the majority (78%) of buttertubs we found within the first 3 weeks were deposited within less than 100 km of the point of emission. Over the following 2 years, the mean transport distance of the found buttertubs moved downstream from 100 km in July/August 2021, to 153 km in July 2023. The buttertubs average transport velocity decreased from 11.7 km/d within the first 3 weeks, to 0.2 km/d by July 2023. Based on the 89 buttertubs we collected and analyzed in detail over the 2 years, we did not find a significant mass loss. Of all 89 buttertubs found, 47 showed cracks and only 12 appeared to have pieces missing. This study shows that even during extreme flood events, the majority of spilled plastic litter is retained within a limited distance after being emitted into the river. The findings of this study can be utilized to improve plastic transport modelling, and overall better understand plastic transport in the freshwater environment.

Short-term peritoneal rest reduces peritoneal solute transport rate and increases ultrafiltration in high/high average transport peritoneal dialysis patients: a crossover randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Background The peritoneal solute transport rate (PSTR) tends to increase over time in some patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD), potentially leading to ultrafiltration (UF) failure. Previous case reports have shown a significant decrease in PSTR and subsequent recovery of UF after discontinuing PD for a while. Therefore, we conducted a randomized controlled crossover study to evaluate the impact of short-term peritoneal rest on PSTR. Methods The study involved 14 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients with high/high-average transport rate. Two groups were randomly assigned different treatment sequences: one group underwent daily intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD) for 4 weeks followed by CAPD, while the other group initially received CAPD treatment for 4 weeks and then switched to IPD. Peritoneal equilibration tests were performed before and after each treatment to evaluate PSTR and paired t-tests were used to compare the changes. Volume load, serum potassium and other clinical indicators were monitored at the same time. Results Short-term peritoneal rest (daily IPD) significantly reduced PSTR, with a decrease in the dialysate:plasma creatinine ratio from 0.71 ± 0.05 to 0.65 ± 0.07 (P < .001). Additionally, ultrafiltration significantly increased from 210 ± 165 ml to 407 ± 209 ml (P = .001). But there were no significant changes in interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor of PD effluent. No serious adverse events such as hypotension or hyperkalaemia occurred. Conclusions In PD patients with high and high-average transport, a 4-week period of short-term peritoneal rest by switching from CAPD to IPD (without long dwell) can lead to reductions in PSTR and increases in UF volumes, while maintaining clinical safety.

Design Insights for Industrial CO2 Capture, Transport, and Storage Systems.

We present methods and insights for the design of CO2 capture, transport, and storage systems for industrial facilities with a case study focus on Louisiana. Our analytical framework includes (1) evaluating the scale and concentration of capturable CO2 emissions at individual facilities for the purpose of estimating the cost of CO2 capture retrofits that utilize various energy supply sources to meet parasitic demands; (2) screening to identify potential CO2 storage sites and estimate their capacities, injectivities, and costs; and (3) designing cost-minimized trucking or pipeline infrastructure connecting CO2 capture plants with storage sites, considering existing land uses, demographics, and a variety of social and environmental justice factors. Estimated levelized costs of capture at Louisiana's 190 industrial facilities range from below $50/tCO2 to above $500/tCO2, depending on facility-specific features. We identified 98 potential storage sites with storage costs ranging from $8 to $17/tCO2. We find that in most situations, pipelines are the least-costly mode of CO2 transport. When industrial facilities in a region share pipelines, aggregate pipeline mileage and average transport costs are dramatically lower than without sharing. Shared pipeline networks designed to avoid disadvantaged communities require right-of-way areas compared to those for networks that transect such communities, but result in 25% higher average per-tonne transport cost.

Virtual consultations for skin lesion assessment reduce carbon footprint compared to in-person reviews.

Climate change is one of the biggest threats to the healthcare sector. In addition, healthcare contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Virtual consultations are a growing tool to assess patients. Thecarbon emissions from virtual consultations havethepotential to be much smaller than in-person consultations, predominantly through reduced transportation. This study assesses the carbon footprint of general practitioner referrals for skin lesions evaluated by a store-and-forward teledermatology service compared to an estimated equivalent in-person review. The carbon footprint of virtual consultations for skin lesions was compared to estimated equivalent in-person reviews based on the average transportation modalities in New Zealand. Virtual consultations for 484 patients resulted in an average saving of 48 km and 11.17 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per consultation compared to equivalent in-person review. This study encourages the use of store-and-forward skin lesion assessment as a way of reducing carbon emissions in the healthcare sector.

From microfacets to participating media: A unified theory of light transport with stochastic geometry

Stochastic geometry models have enjoyed immense success in graphics for modeling interactions of light with complex phenomena such as participating media, rough surfaces, fibers, and more. Although each of these models operates on the same principle of replacing intricate geometry by a random process and deriving the average light transport across all instances thereof, they are each tailored to one specific application and are fundamentally distinct. Each type of stochastic geometry present in the scene is firmly encapsulated in its own appearance model, with its own statistics and light transport average, and no cross-talk between different models or deterministic and stochastic geometry is possible. In this paper, we derive a theory of light transport on stochastic implicit surfaces , a geometry model capable of expressing deterministic geometry, microfacet surfaces, participating media, and an exciting new continuum in between containing aggregate appearance, non-classical media, and more. Our model naturally supports spatial correlations , missing from most existing stochastic models. Our theory paves the way for tractable rendering of scenes in which all geometry is described by the same stochastic model, while leaving ample future work for developing efficient sampling and rendering algorithms.

Observation of a moderate major Baltic Sea inflow in December 2023

Just before Christmas 2023, the low-pressure system storm “Zoltan” struck Germany, resulting in widespread damage and two consecutive large storm surges on the North Sea coast in the night from Thursday 21 December 2023 to Friday 22 December 2023. Storm Zoltan brought heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and winds ranging between 90 and 115 kmh-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathrm {km\\,h^{-1}}$$\\end{document}, with gusts reaching up to 140 kmh-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathrm {km\\,h^{-1}}$$\\end{document} along the coast which caused severe damage, particularly in northern Germany. Characteristics of the inflowing water at the Fehmarn Belt buoy (FEB), Darss Sill station (DAR) and the Arkona Basin buoy (ARK), including salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and ocean currents properties, were analysed to understand the impact of storm Zoltan in the western Baltic Sea. In addition to the damage along its path, following the onset of strong westerly winds associated with storm Zoltan, a large volume of water, containing saline (17–22 psu), cold (5–6 °C), and oxygen-rich 7–8 (mll-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\,\\mathrm { ml\\,l^{-1}}$$\\end{document}) water from the Kattegat and the North Sea reached into the western Baltic Sea. The sea level at Landsort Norra increased by +57 cm over a period of 14 days, from 15 December to 29 December 2023. This resulted in a total volume change of 198 km3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathrm {km^3}$$\\end{document} in the entire Baltic Sea, with 169 km3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathrm {km^3}$$\\end{document} and 29 km3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathrm {km^3}$$\\end{document} provided via the Belt Sea and the Sound Sea, respectively. Observations at the DAR indicated a significant inflow between 19 December 2023 and 1 January 2024 with salinity above 13 psu, temperature below 5.5 °C and dissolved oxygen of about 7.5–8 mll-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathrm { ml\\,l^{-1}}$$\\end{document}. While the maximum salinity of the bottom layer at the DAR was about 17 psu, the ARK exhibited significantly higher salinities, reaching up to 22 psu at the bottom layer. During the main inflow period, 75 km3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathrm {km^3}$$\\end{document} of highly saline water entered the western Baltic Sea. This corresponds to an average salt transport of 1.75 Gt into the western Baltic Sea (1.39 Gt from the Belt Sea and 0.36 Gt from the Sound Sea), representing more than 20% of the total annual salt import into the Baltic Sea), which places the event in the moderate range of major Baltic inflows. This event brought an amount of about 0.8 106\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathrm {10^6}$$\\end{document} t oxygen into the Baltic Sea. This was the strongest inflow into the Baltic Sea since 2016.