Small Effect Research Articles

Molecular Dynamics Study on Microporous Direction Effect on C-S-H Fracture Performance

The hydrated calcium silicate (C-S-H) gel is the main hydration product and source of paste strength of cement. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulation method based on ClayFF was used to investigate the effect of micropore direction on the fracture performance of C-S-H under tensile load and interpret the micro deformation, fracture, and failure processes of cement concrete. After establishing a complete C-S-H model with chemical formula (CaO)1.60(SiO2)(H2O)1.57 and micropore models with different pore sizes and directions, the influence of micropore direction on the fracture performance of the C-S-H models was analyzed from three perspectives: mechanical property, micro fracture process, and energy evolution. It was found that the ultimate stress and Young’s modulus of the C-S-H models showed a decreasing trend with the increase of micropore size, and were less affected by the direction of micropores. It was also found that the direction of micropores had a significant impact on the structural failure of the C-S-H models in the x direction tensile simulation, followed by the y direction, and had the smallest effect on the z direction. It was also found that the elastic energy and input energy of the C-S-H models exhibited decreasing trends with the increase of pore size, and the three-dimensional critical energy release rates of different pore models’ difference also decreased.

Neighborhood social composition and refugee mental health - quasi-experimental evidence of associations from a Danish population register study.

Refugees are at an elevated risk of some mental disorders with studies highlighting the contributing role of post-migration factors. Studies of migrant groups show neighborhood social composition, such as ethnic density, to be important. This is the first longitudinal study to examine this question for refugees and uses a novel quasi-experimental design. We followed a cohort of 44 033 refugees from being first assigned housing under the Danish dispersal policy, operating from 1986 to 1998, until 2019. This comprised, in effect, a natural experiment whereby the influence of assigned neighborhood could be determined independently of endogenous factors. We examined three aspects of neighborhood social composition: proportion of co-nationals, refugees, and first-generation migrants; and subsequent incidence of different mental disorders. Refugees assigned to neighborhoods with fewer co-nationals (lowest v. highest quartile) were more likely to receive a subsequent diagnosis of non-affective psychosis, incident rate ratio (IRR) 1.25 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06-1.48), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), IRR 1.21 (95% CI I.05-1.39). A comparable but smaller effect was observed for mood disorders but none observed for stress disorders overall. Neighborhood proportion of refugees was less clearly associated with subsequent mental disorders other than non-affective psychosis, IRR 1.24 (95% CI 1.03-1.50). We found no statistically significant associations with proportion of migrants. For refugees, living in a neighborhood with a lower proportion of co-nationals is related to subsequent increased risk of diagnosed mental disorders particularly non-affective psychosis and PTSD.

Social Dominance Orientation and exposure to violence as predictors of support for past peace agreements

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to explore individual predictors of support for peace agreements after their implementation. The aim is to test if individual differences in Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) temper the effect of exposure to violence on support for peace agreements. One hundred and eighty participants completed measures surveying their SDO, exposure to violence and voting behavior four years after the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC in 2016. Results show that SDO lowers support for the peace agreement four years after it was signed among those who experienced violence but has a smaller effect on those who did not experience violence. The implications of the interaction between SDO and exposure to violence are discussed.

Performance assessment and economic aspects for water reclamation from UASB reactor effluent: Influence of coagulant type and membrane pore size

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the influence of coagulant type in coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation processes and membrane pore size on the performance and economic aspects of water reclamation from UASB reactor effluent. The methodology involved laboratory-scale experiments using two different coagulant types (a modified tannin coagulant, TANm, and a polyaluminum chloride, PACl) and membrane filtration tests with microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF). Compared to PACl, TANm had a smaller effect on the pH, consumed less alkalinity, and generated less sludge. However, PACl was more efficient in removing turbidity (89–97%), organic matter (70–72%), and phosphorus within the dosage range of 25 to 100 mg.L−1. Both membranes achieved high removal rates for turbidity and organic matter. Despite the higher flux decay, the MF system could have higher operating flux and lower fouling resistance. The operating costs were higher for the C/F systems, which was attributed to the cost of coagulants and sludge disposal. The system with MF membranes had a lower total cost, and the estimated payback period for the investment was between 0.73 to 0.24 years, based on the values charged for reuse water. This information can be used to optimize the design and operation of UASB-based water reclamation systems.

Total-body imaging of mu-opioid receptors with [11C]carfentanil in non-human primates.

Mu-opioid receptors (MORs) are widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), peripheral organs, and immune system. This study measured the whole body distribution of MORs in rhesus macaques using the MOR selective radioligand [11C]carfentanil ([11C]CFN) on the PennPET Explorer. Both baseline and blocking studies were conducted using either naloxone or GSK1521498 to measure the effect of the antagonists on MOR binding in both CNS and peripheral organs. The PennPET Explorer was used for MOR total-body PET imaging in four rhesus macaques using [11C]CFN under baseline, naloxone pretreatment, and naloxone or GSK1521498 displacement conditions. Logan distribution volume ratio (DVR) was calculated by using a reference model to quantitate brain regions, and the standard uptake value ratios (SUVRs) were calculated for peripheral organs. The percent receptor occupancy (%RO) was calculated to establish the blocking effect of 0.14mg/kg naloxone or GSK1521498. The %RO in MOR-abundant brain regions was 75-90% for naloxone and 72-84% for GSK1521498 in blocking studies. A higher than 90% of %RO were observed in cervical spinal cord for both naloxone and GSK1521498. It took approximately 4-6min for naloxone or GSK1521498 to distribute to CNS and displace [11C]CFN from the MOR. A smaller effect was observed in heart wall in the naloxone and GSK1521498 blocking studies. [11C]CFN total-body PET scans could be a useful approach for studying mechanism of action of MOR drugs used in the treatment of acute and chronic opioid use disorder and their effect on the biodistribution of synthetic opioids such as CFN. GSK1521498 could be a potential naloxone alternative to reverse opioid overdose.

Development and Validation of a Resistance Management Model for the Soybean Cyst Nematode, Heterodera glycines.

Plant-parasitic nematodes are a key yield-limiting pest of crops around the world. Deployment of plant resistance genes are an important management tactic for many economically important plant-parasitic nematodes. The selection for virulence in nematode populations is a major threat to the effectiveness of resistance gene-based management. Little research has gone into resistance management modelling despite the importance of both plant-parasitic nematodes and resistance genes for their management. In this paper, we report on a cyst nematode resistance management model created to explore the factors which are most important for determining the durability of resistance genes to this important family of plant-parasitic nematodes. The relative dominance of virulence expression, the level of inbreeding, and the number of generations per cropping season were the most important factors in predicting resistance gene durability. Aspects of cyst nematode biology that reduce the number of generations per season for a portion of the population had a much smaller effect on the durability of resistance genes. These factors included delayed hatching within a season and early dormancy. The accuracy and utility of the model was tested using the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) rhg1-mediated resistance system. The model accurately predicted the rate at which virulence to the rhg1b resistance gene developed in Iowa over a two-decade period. The model suggested resistance gene pyramids as the most durable management solution for SCN with multiple possible avenues to obtain acceptable efficacy and durability.

Combined effects of border irrigation and super-absorbent polymers on enzyme activity and microbial diversity of poplar rhizosphere soil.

Fast-growing poplar plantations are considered a great benefit to timber production, but water availability is a key factor limiting their growth and development, especially in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Super-absorbent polymers facilitate more water retention in soil after rain or irrigation, and they are able to release water gradually during plant growth. This study aimed to examine the effects of reduced irrigation (60% and 30% of conventional border irrigation) co-applied with super-absorbent polymers (0, 40 kg/ha) on root exudates, enzyme activities, microbial functional diversity in rhizosphere soil, and volume increments in poplar (Populus euramericana cv. 'Neva'). The results showed that 60% border irrigation co-applied with super-absorbent polymers significantly increased the content of organic acids, amino acids and total sugars in the root exudates, and the activities of invertase, urease, dehydrogenase, and catalase in the rhizosphere soil in comparison to conventional border irrigation without super-absorbent polymers. Meanwhile, this treatment also enhanced the average well-color development, Shannon index, and McIntosh index, but decreased the Simpson index. Additionally, the average volume growth rate and relative water content of leaves reached their maximum using 60% irrigation with super-absorbent polymers, which was significantly higher than other treatments. However, using 30% irrigation with super-absorbent polymers, had a smaller effect on rhizosphere soil and volume growth than 60% irrigation with super-absorbent polymers. Therefore, using an appropriate water-saving irrigation measure (60% conventional border irrigation with super-absorbent polymers) can help to improve enzyme activities and microbial diversity in the rhizosphere soil while promoting the growth of poplar trees.

Glycemic control during TB treatment among Filipinos: The Starting Anti-Tuberculosis Treatment Cohort Study.

Poor TB treatment outcomes are observed in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) comorbidity and glycemic control throughout treatment may play a role. The objective of this study was to investigate glycemic control longitudinally among Filipino adults undergoing TB treatment using mixed-effects linear and logistic regression. Analyses were conducted in 188 DM-TB patients out of 901 enrolled in the Starting Anti-TB Treatment (St-ATT) cohort, with a median baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of 8.2% (range 4.5-13.3%). Previous versus new DM diagnosis was associated with higher mean HbA1c (worse glycemic control) during treatment, with a smaller effect amongst those with central obesity (coefficient 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26, 1.57, P = 0.043) than amongst those without central obesity (coefficient 3.48, 95% CI 2.16, 4.80, P<0.001). In those with a new DM diagnosis, central obesity was associated with higher blood glucose (coefficient 1.62, 95% CI 0.72, 2.53, P = 0.009). Of 177 participants with ≥2 HbA1c results, 40% had uncontrolled glycemia (≥2 HbA1c results ≥8%). Of 165 participants with ≥3 HbA1c results, 29.9% had consistently-controlled glycemia, 15.3% had initially-uncontrolled glycemia, and 18.6% had consistently-uncontrolled glycemia. Previous versus new DM diagnosis and glucose-lowering medication use versus no use were associated with having uncontrolled versus controlled glycemia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.50 95%CI 1.61, 6.05, P = 0.042; aOR 4.78 95% CI 1.61,14.23, P<0.001) and more likely to have consistently-uncontrolled versus consistently-controlled glycemia (adjusted relative risk ratio [aRRR] 5.14 95% CI 1.37, 19.20, P = 0.015; aRRR 10.24 95% CI 0.07, 0.95, P = 0.003). Relapse cases of TB were less likely than new cases to have uncontrolled (aOR 0.20 95%CI 0.06, 0.63, P = 0.031) or consistently-uncontrolled (aRRR 0.25 95%CI 0.07, 0.95, P = 0.042) versus controlled glycemia. Those with long-term DM, suggested by previous diagnosis, glucose-lowering medication use and possibly central obesity, may require additional support to manage blood glucose during TB treatment.

Exploration of the individual and combined effects of predictors of engagement, dropout, and change from digital interventions for recurrent binge eating.

Our ability to predict responsiveness to digital interventions for eating disorders has thus far been poor, potentially for three reasons: (1) there has been a narrow set of predictors explored; (2) prediction has mostly focused on symptom change, ignoring other aspects of the user journey (uptake, early engagement); and (3) there is an excessive focus on the unique effects of predictors rather than the combined contributions of a predictor set. We evaluated the univariate and multivariate effects of outcome predictors in the context of a randomized trial (n = 398) of digitally delivered interventions for recurrent binge eating. Thirty baseline variables were selected as predictors, ranging from specific symptoms, to key protective factors, to technological acceptance, and to online treatment attitudes. Outcomes included uptake, early engagement, and remission. Univariate (d) and multivariate (D) standardized mean differences were calculated to estimate the individual and combined effects of predictors, respectively. At the univariate level, few predictors produced an effect size larger than what is considered small (d > .20) across outcomes. However, our multivariate approach enhanced prediction (Ds = .65 to 1.12), producing accuracy rates greater than chance (63%-71% accuracy). Less than half of the chosen variables proved to be useful in contributing to predictions in multivariate models. Findings suggest that accuracy in outcome prediction from digitally delivered interventions may be better driven by the aggregation of many small effects rather than one or several largely influential predictors. Replication with different data streams (sensor, neuroimaging) would be useful. Our ability to predict who will and will not benefit from digital interventions for eating disorders has been poor. We highlight the viability of a multivariate approach to outcome prediction, whereby prediction may be better driven by the aggregation of many small effects rather than one or a few influential predictors.

Effect of an herbivorous subterranean rodent on vegetation in relation to primary productivity

AbstractSubterranean rodents modify the surrounding environment being classified, in some cases, as keystone species and/or ecosystem engineers. This role could be context‐dependent if the changes produced shift throughout the species distribution range and are stronger under certain environmental conditions. Our objective was to analyse whether the effect of Ctenomys mendocinus on vegetation cover is context‐dependent. Given that primary productivity may increase plants' ability to tolerate or compensate following herbivory, we hypothesize that the effect of C. mendocinus on vegetation cover will be context‐dependent along a primary productivity gradient, with smaller effects in highly productive environments and larger effects in less productive ones. We compared the effect of C. mendocinus on plant cover among four contrasting environments and found that it depended on primary productivity in a predictable manner. In low productivity environments, the rodent significantly reduces vegetation cover, while it has no discernible effect in highly productive ones. These findings suggest that the effect of C. mendocinus on plant cover depends on primary productivity level and highlights the importance of accounting for the underlying environmental factors that influence the intensity of C. mendocinus–plant interaction.

Loop Diuretic Resistance in a Mouse Model of Cardiorenal Syndrome

Nearly 30% of patients with heart failure (HF) develop Cardiorenal syndrome type 2 (CRS2), characterized by renal injury and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR) secondary to lower cardiac function. Patients with uncompensated heart failure develop edema and are usually treated with a loop diuretic, such as furosemide, that acts in thick ascending limb (TAL) to inhibit NKCC2. However, over 50% of HF patients develop resistance to loop diuretics. The molecular mechanisms underlying the development of diuretic resistance are not clear and may involve decreased NKCC2-mediated NaCl transport, enhanced distal tubule NaCl reabsorption, or decreased accessibility of the diuretic drug to the nephron lumen. Few studies have used the mouse as a model of cardiorenal syndrome after myocardial infarction (MI). We hypothesize that C57Bl6J mice would develop kidney damage several months after myocardial infarction (MI) and resistance to loop diuretics. Heart failure was induced in C57Bl6J mice through ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and classified as MI group and compared to a sham surgery group (without ligation) as controls. Both groups were assessed for heart function by echocardiography and renal filtration function by measuring GFR (FITC inulin) in conscious mice. The response to diuretics was studied in metabolic cages, 7-8 months after MI. MI mice had a 50% reduction in ejection fraction (EF) 4 weeks after MI compared to sham group (MI: 29.94 ± 1.94, Sham: 67.02 ± 1.14, n= 8 each group, p&lt;0.05). Decreased EF continued to be lower 6 and 12 months after MI. Six months after surgery, the MI group showed decreased GFR compared to Sham (MI: 0.50 ± 0.06, Sham: 0.75±0.05 μl/min, n= 5 MI, n=7 sham, p&lt;0.05). Despite lower GFR, 24h-urinary albumin excretion was similar in both groups (n=8 each group). In metabolic cage studies, a saturating dose of the NKCC2 inhibitor bumetanide (20 mg/Kg), induced diuresis and natriuresis in sham mice (Delta UV: 1.96 ± 0.27 ml/4h, Delta UNa: 117.2 ± 11.02μmols/4h, UCl: 175.65 ± 13.01 μmols/4h, n= 6) but had a smaller effect in MI mice which exhibited an attenuated diuretic response (Delta UV: 0.88 ± 0.23 ml/4h, Delta UNa: 65.00 ± 4.53 μmols/4h, UCl: 102.89 ± 14.08 μmols/4h, n= 4, p&lt;0.05 vs sham), indicative of loop diuretic resistance. To study if bumetanide resistance is secondary to enhanced distal convoluted tubule (DCT) NaCl reabsorption, we measured the diuretic response to the NCC inhibitor hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). HCTZ (100 mg/Kg) induced diuresis and natriuresis in sham mice (Delta UNa: 75.24±11.18μmols/4h, UCl: 39.44±10.15 μmols/4h, n= 10) and the diuretic response was slightly higher in the MI group (Delta UNa: 129.54±11.59μmols/4h, UCl: 94.61±11.56 μmols/4h, n= 12, p&lt;0.05 vs sham). We conclude that chronic heart failure in C57Bl6J mice, decreases GFR and induces loop diuretic resistance. Loop diuretic resistance after MI may be secondary to enhanced DCT NaCl transport in mice. This model could be useful to study the mechanisms causing decreased renal function and loop diuretic resistance after MI and pursuing new therapeutic avenues. No funding was received by the authors for conducting this study. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Effect of strong and weak polyelectrolytes on the properties of cationic surfactant with triallyl ammonium head group: Self-assembly and biological assessment

Comprehensive assessment of polymer-colloid systems based on cationic surfactant with triallyl ammonium head group (TAS-16) in the presence of synthetic polyelectrolytes (polyacrylic acid (PAA), sodium polyacrylate (SPA), and sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSS)) has been carried out. The addition of weak polyelectrolyte PAA significantly reduces the critical micelle concentration of the amphiphile up to 50 times. In conrtrast, strong polyelectrolytes such as PSS and SPA have a much smaller effect on the aggregation threshold of the surfactant. Spherical aggregates with a diameter of 80-230 nm were observed in the surfactant-PAA system using transmission electron microscopy. The mixed compositions exhibited high antitumor activity against the human duodenal adenocarcinoma HuTu 80 cell line (IC50=0.6 μM). The pure polymers do not cause hemolysis and hemagglutination, while TAS-16 exhibits hemolytic activity in both pure and mixed systems. The polymer-colloid complexes containing strong polyelectrolyte SPA were more effective as nanocontainers to enhance the solubility of the hydrophobic antibiotic Amphotericin B.

Building information modeling (BIM) adoption for enhanced legal and contractual management in construction projects

Building information modeling (BIM) adoption offers significant benefits for construction projects, including enhanced collaboration and legal/contractual management. However, the impacts of BIM deployment on construction contracts and dispute resolution remain unclear. This research analyzed the regulatory and legal implications of BIM adoption in construction industry via a framework evaluating Contractual Frameworks (CF), Dispute Resolution (DR), Legal Awareness (LA), and Risk Management (RM). Fifteen qualitative interviews with construction industry experts provided key insights. The results showed CF, DR, and LA have a large positive impact on BIM adoption, while RM has a smaller effect. Specifically, clearly defined BIM protocols in contracts, efficient dispute resolution mechanisms, and legal knowledge of BIM are essential to ensure effective deployment. These findings imply construction project managers should proactively address contractual and legal factors to manage risks, encourage collaboration, and adhere to regulations when implementing BIM. This research makes a significant contribution by addressing the lack of empirical insights on the contractual and legal aspects of BIM adoption. The qualitative methodology provides in-depth perspectives from experienced industry practitioners. The findings offer valuable insights for stakeholders worldwide seeking to leverage BIM. Further comparative research across regions and industries would continue to advance comprehension of the legal implications of BIM adoption.

Can leaders motivate employees’ energy-efficient behavior with thoughtful communication?

We study the effect of an employer’s communication concerning energy-efficient behavior on a firm’s employees’ behavioral responses. The management aims to enhance energy-efficient behavior performance by irregularly sending online messages to remote employees. We break down each message, analyzing the positive or negative emotions conveyed, collective or individual orientation, and ease of language. Comparing employees’ daily energy efficiency after receiving a message to their daily performance without a previous message, we find that messages generally result in an immediate increase in efficiency. Messages conveying negative emotions and those making a distinction between the manager and the employees have a smaller effect than messages conveying positive emotions and emphasizing a collective orientation that includes both the management and employees. Additionally, shorter messages are more likely to induce improved efficiency. Sending messages significantly impacts driver performance for up to six days after the message, resulting in economically relevant cost reductions.

Numerical study of the influence of quadrotor blade parameters on aerodynamic noise generation

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of variation of the parameters of a small-sized quadrotor blade on the level of aerodynamic noise and its frequency spectrum. There is a certain discrepancy between the calculated and experimental data available today. The reason for this is that the study of quadrotor rotor noise is carried out using various theoretical models that do not consider certain factors of sound generation or additional artificial sound sources, which result in an overestimated noise level. Therefore, there is a need for an accurate model, the calculation of which more closely matches the experimental data. In the paper below, an aerodynamic noise model is proposed to study the noise of a quadrocopter blade, which considers the non-stationarity and three-dimensionality of the sound generation and propagation process. The research methods are based on the numerical calculation of the characteristics of the near and far sound fields in the potential approximation: pressure coefficient, sound pressure level, and spectrum of the generated sound. The main parameters that were varied during numerical calculations were the rotor speed of the quadrotor, angle of attack, torsion angle, and blade position in the plane of rotation. The NASA parabolic profile was used as the test profile. Results and conclusions. The results of numerical calculations in the near field revealed three areas of sound generation above the blade surface. The first region, which is more unstable, is caused by blade torsion. The other two sound generation areas are smoothly distributed along the blade’s swing, and the pressure change level in each of them doubles. The level of generated aerodynamic noise is largely dependent on the blade speed and the distance from the blade at which the noise is calculated. The angle of attack and blade pitch have a smaller effect on the generated noise level, and in the far field, they have almost no effect on the maximum noise level. The dependence of noise on the distance to the blade, as well as the blade parameters, which were chosen similar to those studied by other authors, showed a fairly good agreement with the calculations of these authors and with experimental studies. Because of aerodynamic calculations and noise generation around the quadrotor blade using ANSYS software, it was found that sound vibrations occur during the flow around the blade tip, with a level of 120 dB in the immediate vicinity of the blade surface. Calculations using a 3D model of the propeller confirmed that the volume reached 80 dB at the nearest reference point, which closely matches the data from the calculation based on the potential model and the experimental data.

Increasing student access through aid: Differences in difference-in-differences estimates

Causal identification of a student aid program’s impact can be difficult as the best control group is often a small number of out-of-province students who likely differ from locals in unobservable ways. This paper evaluates the impacts of the 30% Off Ontario Tuition Grant using administrative data from the Ontario–Quebec border, where a large number of local students are subject to a different province’s unchanged aid program. The Grant improved access to education; cohorts enrolled after the Grant was announced come from poorer areas, but also achieved lower graduation rates than comparable local yet out-of-province students. I present estimates using three different control groups: a local-student comparison offers the largest results, with more traditional comparisons finding similar but smaller effects.

A mutation in the cardiac KV7.1 channel possibly disrupts interaction with Yotiao protein

Here, we characterized the p.Arg583His (R583H) Kv7.1 mutation, identified in two unrelated families suffered from LQT syndrome. This mutation is located in the HС-HD linker of the cytoplasmic portion of the Kv7.1 channel. This linker, together with HD helix are responsible for binding the A-kinase anchoring protein 9 (AKAP9), Yotiao. We studied the electrophysiological characteristics of the mutated channel expressed in CHO–K1 along with KCNE1 subunit and Yotiao protein, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. We found that R583H mutation, even at the heterozygous state, impedes IKs activation. Molecular modeling showed that HС and HD helixes of the C-terminal part of Kv7.1 channel are swapped along the C-terminus length of the channel and that R583 position is exposed to the outer surface of HC-HD tandem coiled-coil. Interestingly, the adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin had a smaller effect on the mutant channel comparing with the WT protein, suggesting that R583H mutation may disrupt the interaction of the channel with the adaptor protein Yotiao and, therefore, may impair phosphorylation of the KCNQ1 channel.

Willingness to take responsibility: Self-sacrifice versus sacrificing others in takeover decisions during autonomous driving

In Level-3 autonomous driving, drivers are required to take over in an emergency upon receiving a request from an autonomous vehicle (AV). However, before the deadline for the takeover request expires, drivers are not considered fully responsible for the accident, which may make them hesitant to assume control and take on full liability before the time runs out. Therefore, to prevent problems caused by late takeover, it is important to know which factors influence a driver's willingness to take over in an emergency. To address this issue, we recruited 250 participants each for both video-based and text-based surveys to investigate the takeover decision in a dilemmatic situation that can endanger the driver, with the AV either sacrificing a group of pedestrians or the driver if the participants do not intervene. The results showed that 88.2% of respondents chose to take over when the AV intended to sacrifice the driver, while only 59.4% wanted to take over when the pedestrians would be sacrificed. Additionally, when the AV's chosen path matched the participant's intention, 77.4% chose to take over when the car intended to sacrifice the driver compared with only 34.3% when the pedestrians would be sacrificed. Furthermore, other factors such as sex, driving experience, and driving preferences partially influenced takeover decisions; however, they had a smaller effect than the situational context. Overall, our findings show that regardless of the driving intention of an AV, informing drivers that their safety is at risk can enhance their willingness to take over control of an AV in critical situations.

Research on explosion hazard and prevention of ultrafine aluminium powder based on orthogonal matrix analysis

This study investigated the coupled effects of multiple factors, namely dust mass concentration, dust particle size, and oxygen volume concentration, on the explosion intensity of ultrafine aluminium powder (UAP); the study determined the weight of each factor by using an orthogonal experimental design. Explosion intensity was evaluated using the maximum explosion pressure (MEP) and MEP rise rate (MEPR) of UAP. Explosion tests were performed using a 20 L standard spherical explosive device. A weight matrix for the explosion intensity was calculated. The results revealed that the MEP and MEPR increased most with the oxygen volume concentration. They also increased with the dust mass concentration to a lesser extent. The dust particle size had the smallest effect; the MEP and MEPR initially increased and then decreased as the particle size increased. The weights for oxygen volume concentration, dust mass concentration, and dust particle size were 69.191%, 18.761%, and 13.038%, respectively. The optimal factor combination for minimizing intensity was a dust mass concentration of 500 g/m3, an oxygen volume concentration of 9 vol%, and a dust particle size of 0.172 µm. On the basis of these findings, the study proposes industrial explosion-proofing countermeasures to increase the safety of production in aluminium-related enterprises.

Heterodyne‐Detektierte Summenfrequenzerzeugungs‐Vibrationsspektroskopie Enthüllt die Molekulare Struktur des Wassers an der Suspendierten Graphen/Wasser‐Grenzfläche

AbstractGraphen, ein transparentes, zweidimensionales, leitfähiges Material, hat verschiedenen wässrigen technologischen Systemen, wie Entsalzungsmembranen, chemischen Sensoren, Energiespeichern und Energieumwandlungsgeräten, neue Perspektiven eröffnet. Informationen auf molekularer Ebene von Graphen im Kontakt mit wässrigen Elektrolyten, wie z. B. Wasserorientierung und die Struktur von Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen, sind jedoch nach wie vor schwer fassbar oder umstritten. Hier setzen wir oberflächenspezifische heterodyne detektierte Summenfrequenzspektroskopie (HD‐SFG) ein, um die molekulare Wasserstruktur an einer frei schwebenden Graphen/Wasser‐Grenzfläche zu untersuchen.Wir vergleichen die Antwort des Luft/Graphen/Wasser Systems mit der der Luft/Wasser‐Grenzfläche. Unsere Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass das ‐Spektrum, des Luft/Graphen/Wasser‐Systems von den obersten 1–2 Wasserschichten in Kontakt mit Graphen herrührt, wobei das Graphen selbst keine signifikantes SFG‐Signal erzeugt. Im Vergleich zum Signal an der Luft/Wassergrenzfläche beeinflusst das Vorhandensein von Monolagen‐Graphen Wasser an der Grenzfläche nur schwach. Graphen wirkt sich schwach auf die hängende O−H‐Gruppe aus, indem es ihre Frequenz durch die Wechselwirkung mit der Graphenschicht senkt, und hat eine geringe Wirkung auf die Wasserstoffbrücken‐gebundene O−H‐Gruppe. Molekulardynamiksimulationen bestätigen unsere experimentellen Beobachtungen. Unsere Arbeit bietet einen molekularen Einblick in die Grenzflächenstruktur an einer suspendierten Graphen/Wasser‐Grenzfläche, die für verschiedene technologische Anwendungen von Graphen relevant ist.