Effect Of Mismatch Research Articles

The long-run impacts of banning affirmative action in US higher education

Abstract This paper estimates the long-run impacts of banning affirmative action on men and women from under-represented minority (URM) racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Using data from the US Census and American Community Survey, we use a difference-in-differences framework to compare the college degree completion, graduate degree completion, earnings, and employment of URM individuals to non-URM individuals before and after affirmative action bans went into effect across several US states. We also employ event study analyses and alternative estimators to confirm the validity of our approach and discuss the generalizability of the findings. Results suggest that banning affirmative action results in a decline in URM women’s college degree completion, earnings, and employment relative to non-Hispanic White women, driven largely by impacts on Hispanic women. Thus, affirmative action bans resulted in an increase in racial/ethnic disparities in both college degree completion and earnings among women. Effects on URM men are more ambiguous and indicate significant heterogeneity across states, with some estimates pointing to a possible positive impact on labour market outcomes of Black men. These results suggest that the relative magnitude of college quality versus mismatch effects vary for URM men and women and highlight the importance of disaggregating results by gender, race, and ethnicity. We conclude by discussing how our results compare with others in the literature and directions for future research.

Trophic generalism in the winter moth: a model species for phenological mismatch.

Climate change has the potential to disrupt phenological synchrony among interacting species that vary in their phenological sensitivity to temperature. The phenological synchrony observed between winter moth Operophtera brumata caterpillars and oak leafing in spring has become an emblematic test case of this phenomenon, with caterpillars seemingly advancing their phenology more than their host-plant. However, work on this trophic interaction-and on phenological mismatch more widely-routinely overlooks the potential for trophic generalism to buffer the negative effects of mismatch. In the largest study of its kind-using over 3500 individuals reared from egg to pupa-I tested the performance of winter moth caterpillars from four UK populations across nine host-plant species, and considered how adaptation to locally abundant host-plants may modulate performance in different populations. I found that caterpillars survive and grow well across a range of host-plant species, with some evidence of a host-plant by population interaction in performance. Contrary to widespread assumptions, oak seems a relatively poor host-plant species. Occupying a broad trophic niche may help consumers like the winter moth exploit a narrow phenological niche, whereby phenological variation among host-plant species buffers them against asynchrony with any one particular host-plant species. Determining the significance of trophic generalism in the ecology of consumers is a crucial first step towards assessing its role as a potential buffering mechanism and, hence, evaluating the true threat posed by mismatch.

Coupled wave instability in pure-quartic dispersive and noninstantaneous Kerr media in presence of walk-off

The letter explores modulational instability (MI) in birefringent optical media with pure-quartic dispersion, relaxed Kerr nonlinearity, and walk-off effects. The linear stage of MI is studied using coupled biharmonic nonlinear Schrödinger equations, and the stability of their continuous wave solutions is used to calculate the growth rate of MI. The latter is then used to characterize MI under the combined effects of nonlinear responses, group-velocity mismatch, and quartic dispersion, with a focus on the pure-quartic soliton regime. The nonlinear stage of MI is also studied through direct numerical simulations, which support the analytical predictions and emphasize the impact of quartic dispersion, relaxed Kerr nonlinearity, and the walk-off effect on the emergence of various nonlinear patterns. These findings provide valuable insights into signal generation and processing in pure-quartic optical materials and have potential applications in nonlinear optics and lasers.

Effect of Thermal Expansion Mismatch on Thermomechanical Behaviour of Compacted Graphite Iron

Compacted graphite iron (CGI) attracts significant attention in the automotive industry thanks to its suitable thermomechanical properties and cost-effectiveness. A primary fracture mechanism at the microscale for CGI involves interfacial damage and debonding between graphite inclusions and its metallic matrix, which can occur under high-temperature service conditions due to a mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion between these two phases. Such microscopic interfacial damage can initiate macroscopic fractures in cast-iron components subjected to thermal loading. While this phenomenon was studied in various composites, there remains a lack of detailed information for CGI, especially related to the complex morphology of its graphite inclusions. This study investigates the influence of graphite morphology and type of matrix on the thermomechanical performance of CGI at high temperatures. A set of three-dimensional finite-element models were developed in the form of unit cells with a single graphite inclusion embedded within a cubic domain of the metallic matrix. Elastoplastic behaviour was assumed for both phases in the numerical simulations. The study is focused on the response of the constituents in CGI to pure thermal loading in order to explore the relationship between graphite morphology and fracture mechanisms. The findings aim to enhance understanding of how graphite morphology affects the behaviours of CGI under high-temperature conditions.

The impact of skill mismatch on unemployment, informality, and labour turnover

Abstract The objective of this paper is to analyse the impact of skill mismatch on labour turnover, unemployment, and informality, in the case of Colombia. We study Colombia because it is a developing country with one of the highest levels of unemployment and informality in Latin America, along with very restrictive institutions, such as the minimum wage. We found that skill mismatch can explain the high turnover of workers in the Colombian labour market, evident in the increase in hirings and also in separations. Additionally, we find a positive significant effect of skill mismatch on the levels of informality, but no significant effect on unemployment. This evidence remains even once we consider the role of labour market institutions such as minimum wage and non-wage labour costs.

Can digital finance boost regional innovation? From the perspective of resource mismatch in China

ABSTRACT Digital finance provides new possible ways to promote innovation-driven development strategies. Using data of 257 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2019, this paper examines the impact of digital finance on regional innovation, as well as the mediating effect of resource mismatch underlies it. The empirical results are as follows. First, digital finance can significantly boost innovation, both in terms of the quantity and quality. Second, the incentive effects of innovation have been more obviously observed in the eastern cities and the cities with high financial levels or light digital divides in China. Third, the mechanism effect implies that digital finance works positively on innovation through improving the factor allocation efficiency by alleviating the misallocation of labour and capital. These conclusions indicate that to better promote regional innovation, it is crucial to encourage the digital transformation of the financial industry, enhance digital infrastructure development, and facilitate the free flow of resources among regions. The paper offers both theoretical and empirical evidence that digital finance influences regional innovation by alleviating resource mismatches. It also examines the role of the ‘digital divide’ in shaping innovation through digital finance. These two points constitute the key innovations of the paper.

Mitigating the directional retrieval error of solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence in the red band

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) is a promising tool to estimate gross primary production (GPP), but the retrieval of SIF is commonly noisy and highly sensitive to various interference factors. Particularly, the retrieval of SIF in the red band (RSIF) is more challenging than in the far-red SIF (FRSIF) due to the weaker fluorescence signal and the weaker absorption depth of oxygen at the red band compared with the far-red band. A comprehensive evaluation of all factors will allow a reproducible interpretation of SIF signals and advance the estimation of GPP from SIF. Recent studies have assessed the sensitivity of SIF retrieval to sensor characteristics, retrieval methods, and hardware specifications. However, none of these studies have systematically investigated the directional retrieval error of SIF resulting from the mismatch between irradiance measured above the canopy and the true irradiance reaching the canopy components viewed by a sensor. This study illustrated the effect of mismatched irradiance on the retrieval of RSIF using the commonly used standard 3FLD method based on SCOPE model simulations. The retrieval accuracy was highest in the hotspot direction, but it decreased as the observation direction was away from the hotspot. The relative root mean square error (RRMSE) was generally higher than 20 % in the forward directions. To reduce the retrieval error due to the mismatch effect, we proposed a modified 3FLD method (MFLD) by calculating the true irradiance reaching the canopy in a given direction based on geometric optical theory. The results showed that MFLD clearly improved the retrieval accuracy for RSIF, especially in the forward directions where RRMSE decreased by 10 % in most cases. For example, the RRMSE was reduced from 19.26 % to 5.50 % after mitigating the mismatch between the measured and actual solar irradiance, when the solar zenith angle was 40° and viewing zenith angle was 30° in the forward solar principal plane. Even at the nadir observation, the RRMSE was also reduced from 12.84 % to 5.64 %. In summary, MFLD can effectively mitigate the irradiance mismatch effect on the retrieval of RSIF. These results will improve our interpretation of the relationship between GPP and RSIF at different observation directions.

Mismatches between 3D Content Acquisition and Perception Cause More Visually Induced Motion Sickness

Abstract The sensory rearrangement theory announced that a mismatch between the current visual inputs and the visual exposure history might trigger or aggravate the visually induced motion sickness (VIMS). However, this has not been explicitly investigated through perception experiments. This study investigates the effect of mismatches between 3D content acquisition and perception on VIMS. Two types of mismatches between the camera field of view and the eye field of view were compared with the match type, and the mismatch types are the conditions that configured the camera field of view to be larger or smaller than the eye field of view. A perception experiment was executed with 21 participants, and the subjective SSQ, five-scale VIMS level rating, and objective postural instability were adopted as the evaluation metrics. The mismatches were found to have a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the VIMS symptom based on the results of subjective VIMS level rating and objective postural instability evaluations. Mismatches between 3D content acquisition and perception cause more VIMS. This knowledge highlights the importance of perfect configuration matches in 3D content acquisition, display, and perception for eliminating the potential VIMS aggravation effect.

Effect of the atomic mass mismatch in nanopillars on surface localization

In recent years, nanophononic metamaterials (NPMs) have attracted great interest from researchers. Theoretical calculations and experimental studies have revealed the mechanism of reducing thermal conductivity through localized resonant hybridization. In addition, researchers have studied the effects of nanopillar height, spacing, and atomic mass in nanopillars on surface localization. The atomic mass mismatch in nanopillars has important application in practice. Taking the silicon-based nanopillar structure as an example, this paper studies the effects of atomic mass mismatch in nanopillars on surface localization effect and heat flux. The results show that atomic mass mismatch in nanopillars can enhance the surface localization effect, and the greater the difference in atomic mass in nanopillars, the stronger the surface localization. Finally, the effect of atomic mass mismatch in nanopillars on heat flux was calculated by nonequilibrium molecular dynamics. The results of this study can provide useful guidance for the design of nanoscale heat flux regulation devices.

Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes of Double Unit Cord Blood Versus Haploidentical Donor Transplantation in Adult Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Regarding KIR-Ligand Mismatch

BackgroundAlthough human-leukocyte antigen-matched sibling donor or matched unrelated donor is preferred as a conventional donor, 30%-50% of recipients lack matched sibling donor or matched unrelated donor. In such cases, haploidentical donor or cord blood are commonly considered as alternative donor sources. In addition to donor source, NK cell alloreactivity due to human-leukocyte antigen-mismatch setting is another important factor that may affect outcomes in alternative-donor HCT, possibly through graft-versus-leukemia effect. However, a limited number of studies have evaluated the impacts of these factors, focusing on adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to assess the effects of donor source and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor ligand mismatch (KIRL-MM) on transplantation outcomes of alternative-donor HCT, with a special focus on adult ALL. Study DesignWe retrospectively compared clinical outcomes between haploidentical donor transplantation ((HIDT), n = 47) and double unit cord blood transplantation ((DCBT), n = 134) in adult patients with ALL. Patients received fludarabine and busulfan-based reduced toxicity conditioning with antithymocyte globulin before HIDT and TBI-based myeloablative conditioning before DCBT. KIR ligands of recipients and donors were determined using a web-based calculator, and KIRL-MM was evaluated based on the KIR ligand missing. For DCBT, donor KIR ligand groups were defined by using the dominant CB unit after engraftment. ResultsCumulative incidences of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were similar between HIDT and DCBT, regardless of severity grades. After median follow-up duration of 39.4 months, DCBT showed higher 3-year nonrelapse mortality (NRM) than HIDT (22.8% vs. 9.0%; P = .038), whereas the cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) was significantly higher in HIDT than DCBT (47.9% vs. 18.9%; P < .001). Estimated 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) was comparable (DCBT 58.5% vs. HIDT 44.3%; P = .106). GVH direction KIRL-MM showed lower incidence of acute GVHD in both HIDT and DCBT. However, GVH direction KIRL-MM was associated with poorer 3-year DFS (37.2% vs. 66.0%; P = .008) only in the DCBT subgroup, mostly due to specifically higher NRM rate (35.0% vs. 18.4%; P = 0.057). ConclusionOur study continues to support the usefulness of DCBT in the HIDT-dominant era and suggests potential ways to improve survival outcomes of DCBT.

Effect of ABO Mismatch and Red Blood Cell Alloimmunization on the Outcome of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Sickle Cell Disease

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) remains the sole well-established curative option for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Nonmyeloablative conditioning has been used to improve outcomes and reduce toxicities in adult SCD patients. However, recipient-donor ABO incompatibility and alloimmunization may be significant impediments to successful outcomes of HSCT in SCD patients owing to risks of hemolysis, delayed engraftment, poor graft function, and graft failure (GF). Here we report our experience with allogeneic HCT for SCD and the effects of RBC group mismatch and alloimmunization on the outcome of transplant recipients. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all SCD patients age >14 years who underwent HCT between January 2015 and February 2022 at our center. All patients received i.v. alemtuzumab (1 mg/kg divided over 5 days on days -7 to -3) and 300 cGy total body irradiation on day -2 or -1 for conditioning. Pretransplantation preparation consisted of hydroxyurea at the maximum tolerated dose for 2 to 3 months and 1 session of exchange transfusion. Peripherally mobilized CD34 stem cells targeting 10 × 106 /kg of recipient weight were used. For graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis, sirolimus was started on day -1 and continued for 1 year with tapering if lymphoid chimerism was >50%. For patients with major ABO incompatibility, we administered 2 doses of rituximab (375 mg/m2) and 3 sessions of plasmapheresis before starting the conditioning regimen, targeting an isohemagglutinin titer <1/32. The primary objective was to determine the impact of RBC group mismatch and alloimmunization on the outcomes of the HCT recipients. The secondary objective was to assess the impact of GF on overall survival (OS). Logistic regression was done to evaluate predictors for GF. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. A total of 194 patients were included, with a median age of 26 years. Their median baseline hemoglobin and hemoglobin S values were 93 g/L and 71.3%, respectively. Indications for HCT included recurrent vaso-occlusive crisis in 52.5% of the patients, central nervous system events in 19.6%, and acute chest syndrome in 17%. After a median follow-up of 28.8 months (range, 5 to 83 months), 16 patients (8%) experienced GF (3 with primary GF and 13 with secondary GF). On univariate analysis, ABO minor incompatibility and RBC alloantibodies against donor non-ABO antigens were predictive of GF. On multivariate analysis, RBC alloantibodies against donor non-ABO antigens (odds ratio, 8.29; 95% confidence interval, 2.01 to 34.05; P = .0033) was the sole factor predictive of GF. None of the 16 patients with major ABO incompatibility developed GF. The 2-year OS for all patients was 95%. The 2-year OS was 98% in patients without GF, compared to 74% in patients with GF (P < .0001). In our SCD patients who underwent HSCT, the presence of RBC alloantibodies against donor non-ABO antigens was an independent risk factor for GF. Patients with GF had inferior survival, and strategies for decreasing the risk of GF are needed.

A multimodal approach for few-shot biomedical named entity recognition in low-resource languages

In this study, we revisit named entity recognition (NER) in the biomedical domain from a multimodal perspective, with a particular focus on applications in low-resource languages. Existing research primarily relies on unimodal methods for NER, which limits the potential for capturing diverse information. To address this limitation, we propose a novel method that integrates a cross-modal generation module to transform unimodal data into multimodal data, thereby enabling the use of enriched multimodal information for NER. Additionally, we design a cross-modal filtering module to mitigate the adverse effects of text-image mismatches in multimodal NER. We validate our proposed method on two biomedical datasets specifically curated for low-resource languages. Experimental results demonstrate that our method significantly enhances the performance of NER, highlighting its effectiveness and potential for broader applications in biomedical research and low-resource language contexts.

Thermoelastic behavior analysis of finite composites embedded in ellipsoidal inhomogeneities with inclusion-based boundary element method

The thermoelastic properties of composites play a pivotal role in various practical engineering challenges. This paper employs the inclusion-based boundary element method (iBEM) to analyze the thermoelastic field and predicts the influence of key parameters in the particle phase on composite properties. Utilizing the equivalent inclusion theory, material mismatch effects are characterized by eigenstrain and eigen-temperature gradient. Incorporating the boundary integral equation, the boundary effects are addressed, which facilitates the computation of internal field outcomes via stress and heat flux equivalent conditions. Validation against finite element and experimental data confirms the efficacy of iBEM in accurately simulating thermoelastic behavior and predicting effective properties of particle composites. Noteworthy findings indicate that optimal composite properties align with the long axis orientation of ellipsoidal particles, while the particle distribution significantly impacts the effective Poisson’s ratio.

A rapid and accurate transfer alignment method using inertial instrument measurement information

The rapidity and precision of transfer alignment impacts the response speed and working precision of inertial navigation system (INS) directly, and flexural deformation is a critical constraint on transfer alignment performance. However, transfer alignment performance of the traditional modeling estimation method is easily degraded by the effect of model mismatch. Therefore, a rapid and accurate transfer alignment method using inertial instrument measurements is proposed in this paper. The relative attitude of main/sub INSs is roughly estimated by angular velocity measurements. Then, a novel transfer alignment filter model is established by relative attitude error model, and measurements of inertial instrument are used to construct angular increment matching and specific force matching quantities. This approach improves both the rapidity and precision of sub INS’s alignment. The performance validation results indicate that compared with traditional methods, the proposed method can improve alignment accuracy by more than 70% and significantly shorten alignment time, thus realizing rapid and accurate alignment.

A novel solution for dynamic behaviors of multi-span bridge plates

The present paper draws a comprehensive analysis of the free vibration characteristics and discusses modal localization phenomena of multi-span bridge plate structures through an analytical method, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements. A novel analytical solution using the generalized superposition segment method (GSSM) is first proposed to investigate the transverse vibration of a multi-span bridge, which offers complete flexibility in describing arbitrarily classical boundary conditions. Furthermore, a new experimental setup achieves precisely simply supported boundary conditions, and scaled physical models of two- and three-span bridge plates are employed to validate the analytical solution. The effect of span length mismatch is studied by analyzing the resonant frequencies and mode shapes of a multi-span bridge plate with varying span lengths. The good consistency of results by theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and experimental measurements indicate that the proposed analytical solution can solve the vibration problem of the multi-span bridge plate efficiently and reflect the real-world boundary condition. Finally, the two modal localization behaviors are observed in theoretical analysis and experimental measurement. Through analytical solutions, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements, this study enhances the understanding of the dynamic behavior of multi-span bridges. It provides a new theoretical benchmark for predicting vibrations of multi-span bridge systems and useful insights into the transient behavior of multi-span bridge plates, suggesting several fruitful avenues for future research, including exploring passive and active control systems and vibration suppression techniques.

Supervised Deep Learning for Detecting and Locating Passive Seismic Events Recorded with DAS: A Case Study.

Exploring shallow mineral resources requires acquiring denser seismic data, for which Distributed Acoustic Sensing is an effective enabler and relevant to mining operations monitoring. Passive seismic can be of interest in characterizing the subsurface; however, dealing with large amounts of data pushes against the limits of existing computational systems and algorithms, especially for continuous monitoring. Hence, more than ever, novel data analysis methods are needed. In this article, we investigate using synthetic seismic data, paired with real noise recordings, as part of a supervised deep-learning neural network methodology to detect and locate induced seismic sources and explore their potential use to reconstruct subsurface properties. Challenges of this methodology were identified and addressed in the context of induced seismicity applications. Data acquisition and modelling were discussed, preparation workflows were implemented, and the method was demonstrated on synthetic data and tested on relevant seismic monitoring field dataset from the Otway CO2 injection site. Conducted tests confirmed the effects of time shifts, signal-to-noise ratios, and geometry mismatches on the performance of trained models. Those promising results showed the method's applicability and paved the way for potential application to more field data, such as seismic while drilling.

Effect of patient prosthesis mismatch on clinical outcomes following surgical aortic valve replacement

Abstract Introduction Patient prosthesis mismatch (PPM) after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) occurs when the valve’s effective orifice area (EOA) does not allow appropriate cardiac output to meet demand, causing increased transvalvular gradients. The literature is conflicting regarding the effect of PPM on long-term mortality and other adverse outcomes. Purpose To characterise the effect of PPM on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalisation and major adverse cardiac events (MACE; a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke) following SAVR, stratified by sex. Methods This retrospective cohort study uses data from the Western Australia Heart Valves Study linked to administrative health data and includes all patients who underwent SAVR in Western Australian public hospitals between 2010-2020. PPM was defined according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium 3 criteria. The indexed EOA was derived from body surface area and published in-vivo EOA’s calculated for each prosthesis model and size. Results During the study period 1837 patients underwent SAVR (mean age 65 ± SD 14 years, 31% female). Median follow-up was 3.76 years (IQR 1.73-6.62). A mechanical prosthesis was implanted in 579 (32%) patients. Moderate or severe PPM was present in 250 (14%) patients, whilst no significant PPM was present in 1587 (86%) patients. Compared to those without significant PPM, patients with PPM were older (69 ± 14 vs 64 ± 11 years; p&amp;lt;0.001); included more women (101/250; 40% vs 459/1587; 29%; p&amp;lt;0.001) and were more likely to have bioprosthetic SAVR (213/250; 85% vs 1045/1587; 66%; p&amp;lt;0.001). The presence of PPM (moderate or severe vs no significant PPM) was associated with increased all-cause death (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.74, 95% CI 1.09-2.75), cardiovascular death (HR 2.44, 95% CI 1.33-4.48) and MACE (HR 1.89, 95 CI 1.17-3.04) in females in adjusted analyses, but not males (table). The presence of PPM was not associated with heart failure hospitalisation, overall or in either sex. Conclusion The presence of moderate or severe PPM is associated with increased all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and MACE in females only. These results highlight the importance of patient selection, valve choice and operative technique to minimise PPM, particularly in female patients.Table 1

L1 listeners’ evaluations of LX speech: the role of listener expectations and personality traits

ABSTRACT LX speech tends to receive less favourable judgments, which can be attributed to its non-standard linguistic properties (e.g. foreign accents, grammatical errors). However, the evaluations of LX speech could also be affected by listeners’ expectations and their individual differences. This study extends research on the role of listeners’ expectations (cued by speech accent) and personality traits (Big Five), by examining the degree to which and how accent, grammaticality and listener personality interact to determine L1 listeners’ evaluations of LX speech. Sixty L1 English speakers (30 female) rated the acceptability of 40 English speech stimuli in a British or Polish accent; half of the stimuli were filled with English article errors. The listeners’ personality traits were self-reported via a short questionnaire of the Big Five factors. The significant interaction of accent, grammaticality and listener personality suggests that the occurrence of grammatical errors is less penalised in foreign-accented speech (vs. native-accented speech), unless the L1 listeners are highly conscientious or highly extraverted. The theoretical (expectation mismatch effect, Interpersonal Circumplex model), methodological (considering non-linear models and the moderation of contextual factors for personality effects) and potential practical implications (awareness training of personality effects) of the results are discussed.

Effect of coarse aggregates on contact explosion resistance of concrete—A mesoscopic investigation

The intricate relationship between the mechanical properties of concrete and its internal microstructure underscores the importance of comprehending explosion performance and damage mechanisms at a mesoscopic level to effectively enhance blast resistance. This study employed three-dimensional (3D) mesoscale models to numerically investigate the dynamic behavior of concrete mixed with coarse aggregates under contact explosion. Rigorous validation of numerical models and simulation techniques was untaken through the contact explosion tests. The study explored mesoscopic damage mechanisms in heterogeneous concrete targets with randomly distributed coarse aggregates, drawing comparisons with a homogeneous concrete target. Critical mesoscopic parameters influencing the contact explosion resistance of concrete were thoroughly examined. Structural effects of coarse aggregates emerge as pivotal, shifting the damage mode from overall failure with spalling-dominated damage in homogeneous concrete to localized failure in mesoscopic concrete. The mesoscopic concrete experienced a distinct four-stage damage evolution—cratering, crack initiation, perforation, and dynamic fragmentation—diverging from homogeneous concrete with multi-layer spalling originating from the boundaries. The exponential attenuation of shock waves observed in homogeneous concrete was locally disrupted by coarse aggregates in mesoscopic concrete, attributed to wave impedance mismatch and aggregate extrusion effects. Mortar strength primarily contributed to concrete cracking, with minimal impact on damage modes. Failure modes were predominantly influenced by the content and particle size of coarse aggregates. Higher volumetric fractions significantly reduced concrete spalling, while increased coarse aggregate size exacerbated perforation failure. This comprehensive study advances our understanding of blast-resistant concrete design at a mesoscopic level, providing valuable insights for strategies aimed at enhancing structural resilience.

Choosing a starting professional trajectory: job-education mismatch effect

Choosing a starting professional trajectory: job-education mismatch effect