A quantitative driver model of pre-crash brake onset and control

An existing modelling framework is leveraged to create a driver braking model for use in simulations of critical longitudinal scenarios with a slower or braking lead vehicle. The model applies intermittent brake adjustments to minimize accumulated looming prediction error. It is here applied to the simulation of a set of lead vehicle scenarios. The imulation results in terms of brake initiation timing and brake jerk are demonstrated to capture well the specific types of kinematics-ependencies that have been recently reported from naturalistic near-crashes and crashes

Phase Behavior of Bent-Core Molecules

Recently, a new class of smectic liquid crystal phases (SmCP phases) characterized by the spontaneous formation of macroscopic chiral domains from achiral bent-core molecules has been discovered. We have carried out Monte Carlo simulations of a minimal hard spherocylinder dimer model to investigate the role of excluded volume interations in determining the phase behavior of bent-core materials and to probe the molecular origins of polar and chiral symmetry breaking. We present the phase diagram as a function of pressure or density and dimer opening angle $\psi$. With decreasing $\psi$, a transition from a nonpolar to a polar smectic phase is observed near $\psi = 167^{\circ}$, and the nematic phase becomes thermodynamically unstable for $\psi < 135^{\circ}$. No chiral smectic or biaxial nematic phases were found.Comment: 4 pages Revtex, 3 eps figures (included

Simple, quick and green isolation of cannabinoids from complex natural product extracts using sustainable mesoporous materials (Starbon®)

The current process to purify cannabidiol (CBD) from C. sativa extract is long and intensive, requiring several steps such as winterification for 48 hours at 45°C and high-temperature, high vacuum distillation. These processes are capital intensive and generate large amounts of toxic solvent waste. In contrast, the solid phase extraction (SPE) methodology proposed herein will change the way CBD is obtained, doing so in a single step that is fast and reusable. Furthermore, the new process is simple and easily implemented and does not require any intensive operator training. Starbon® A300 was successfully employed as the stationary phase in SPE taking Cannabis sativa extract in hexane to selectively physisorb the cannabinoids onto the surface, followed by ethanol to bring about desorption at up to 93 (by GC-FID). A similar one pot system was also proven, using Fedora hemp stem dust as feedstock, with extraction and adsorption in supercritical CO2 followed by desorption in ethanol. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistr

Stock-ADR Arbitrage: Microstructure Risk

This paper is the first to highlight that the stock-ADR arbitrage pair trading found by Alsayed and McGroarty (2012) is directly influenced by the market microstructure of ADRs. In Alsayed and McGroarty (2012) they are the first to demonstrate that arbitrage opportunities exist between stocks and their ADRs, through convergence pairs trading. Given that such arbitrage opportunities exist, we pose the question as to why such pair trades occur, rather than be eliminated by the law of one price? Using high frequency data over a 3 year sample period, with over 3.7 million 1-min observations, we investigate stock-ADR arbitrage pair trading. In this paper, we find pair trading returns exhibit substantial asymmetry in returns: pair trades involving ADR shorts (compared to stock shorts) have significantly less probability of loss, substantially higher returns but higher convergence risk. The asymmetric results are consistent with the market microstructure of ADR trading, specifically the sourcing of ADRs. Whilst long and short stocks can be easily sourced from the relevant markets, long and short ADR sourcing is less viable due to the market microstructure, but also, ADR’s microstructure directly impacts the stock’s price. We test our microstructure hypothesis further for robustness, with respect to specific investor types (such as retail traders), as well as during different market conditions (before, during and after the commencement of the global financial crisis), and find our results are consistent with our ADR microstructure hypothesis. This is also supported by CFD (contracts for difference) and ADR pairs trading results. Our results also confirm the results of Alsayed and McGroarty (2012) by conducting trades over a substantially longer and more varied trading period. Our results have implications for ADR markets, as well as market microstructures upon financial innovations such as exchange traded funds

Phenomenology of the Lense-Thirring effect in the Solar System

Recent years have seen increasing efforts to directly measure some aspects of the general relativistic gravitomagnetic interaction in several astronomical scenarios in the solar system. After briefly overviewing the concept of gravitomagnetism from a theoretical point of view, we review the performed or proposed attempts to detect the Lense-Thirring effect affecting the orbital motions of natural and artificial bodies in the gravitational fields of the Sun, Earth, Mars and Jupiter. In particular, we will focus on the evaluation of the impact of several sources of systematic uncertainties of dynamical origin to realistically elucidate the present and future perspectives in directly measuring such an elusive relativistic effect.Comment: LaTex, 51 pages, 14 figures, 22 tables. Invited review, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science (ApSS). Some uncited references in the text now correctly quoted. One reference added. A footnote adde

CompreHensive geriAtRician-led MEdication Review (CHARMER): protocol for a feasibility study of a hospital deprescribing behaviour change intervention

Introduction Over 50% of older adults are prescribed a medicine where the risk of harm outweighs the chances of benefit. During a hospital admission, older adults and carers expect medicines to be reviewed for appropriateness and any inappropriate medicines proactively deprescribed. While the principle of proactive deprescribing is an expectation of good prescribing practice, it is yet to become routine. The CompreHensive geriAtRician-led MEdication Review (CHARMER) study aims to develop and test a five-component behaviour change intervention to equip geriatricians and pharmacists to proactively deprescribe inappropriate medicines with older adults in hospital. This study aims to test the feasibility and acceptability of study processes and CHARMER implementation. Methods and analysis A two-arm purposive allocation feasibility study is being undertaken at four acute hospitals in England, UK (three intervention and one control). The target sample is 400 patients across all hospitals. Primary outcome measures are: (1) participant recruitment rate and (2) participant attrition rate. Secondary outcome measures are: (1) hospital readmission rate; (2) mortality rate and (3) quality of life. Quantitative data will be checked for completeness and quality, and practitioner and patient demographics descriptively analysed. We will undertake a rapid qualitative analysis on observations, interviews and study meeting minutes data. A subsequent thematic analysis will be undertaken with codes mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework and Normalisation Process Theory. Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data will be undertaken. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval was obtained from Wales Research Ethics Committee 1 (IRAS ID 312494) and study approval from the Health Research Authority (22/WA/0087). Informed consent will be sought from all hospital staff involved in data collection activities and for patients involved in enhanced data collection activities. The findings of this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations

Changing balances in Dutch higher education

Like many other higher education systems in the Western world, Dutch higher education underwent profound changes during the last decade. In this article we will present an overview of these changes, and try to formulate an analytical framework that might be suited to analyze this process. In order to set the stage, we will begin with an overview of the Dutch higher education system, in which the broad structure is described, and some trends are presented. Next, an overview is given of the retrenchment and restructuring operations with which Dutch higher education was confronted during the last decade. Drawing, mainly, on public administration and political theory, we then attempt to formulate a framework for analysis. In this we focus on the Dutch higher education system as a policy network, and address the relationships that exist between the various key actors in the network: between government and higher education, among higher education institutions themselves, and among the different actors within the institutions, especially administrators and academics. In doing so, we hope to demonstrate that at all these levels some identical basic processes operate which to a large extent determine the outcomes of governmental policies aimed at changing the higher education system. Time and again the modern state stumbles over the academic system (Clark 1983: 137

Towards the development of a novel “bamboo-refinery” concept : Selective bamboo fractionation by means of a microwave-assisted, acid-catalysed, organosolv process

This work addresses a novel microwave-assisted, acid-catalysed, organosolv (EtOH/H2O) system for the selective fractionation of bamboo, examining the effects of the temperature (110–190 °C), solvent system (EtOH/H2O) and catalyst amount (0–5 vol.% formic acid) on the process. The statistical analysis of the results revealed that the operating variables have a significant influence on bamboo fractionation, allowing the selective production of (i) a cellulose-rich solid fraction, (ii) a hemicellulose rich water-soluble fraction and (iii) a lignin rich solid fraction. The yields of each of these fractions varied between 51 and 94%, 2 and 23% and 2 and 32%, respectively. Increasing temperature exerted a positive effect on bamboo decomposition, increasing the overall bamboo conversion and influencing the effect that the solvent system (EtOH/H2O) has on the process. At low tem- perature (110 °C) the solvent system does not have much influence, while a synergetic interaction between EtOH and H2O took place at higher temperatures, which allowed better results to be obtained with EtOH/H2O mix- tures than with the pure solvents alone. The effect of the catalyst was relatively weak, being greatest when using a high temperature (190 °C) and high proportions of water (> 85 vol.%) in the solvent system. With respect to the properties of each fraction, the cellulose rich solid fraction was made up of un-reacted cellulose (44–83 wt. %), hemicellulose (0–21 wt.%) and lignin (12–34 wt.%); the water-soluble hemicellulose rich fraction consisted of a mixture of oligomers, sugars, carboxylic acids, ketones and furans; and the solid rich lignin fraction com- prised high purity (> 95 wt.%) organosolv lignin. The optimisation of the process revealed that by using a temperature of 190 °C, a solvent system consisting of 45 vol.% EtOH and 55 vol.% H2O with a concentration of formic acid of 5 vol.% it is possible to fractionate bamboo into a high purity (84 wt.%) cellulose solid fraction, very pure (> 95%) organosolv lignin and a rich water-soluble hemicellulose fraction consisting of a mixture of oligomers (27 wt.%), sugars (56 wt.%) and carboxylic acids (14 wt.%); thus converting this process into a very promising method for the selective fractionation of bamboo