A new doubly discrete analogue of smoke ring flow and the real time simulation of fluid flow

Modelling incompressible ideal fluids as a finite collection of vortex filaments is important in physics (super-fluidity, models for the onset of turbulence) as well as for numerical algorithms used in computer graphics for the real time simulation of smoke. Here we introduce a time-discrete evolution equation for arbitrary closed polygons in 3-space that is a discretisation of the localised induction approximation of filament motion. This discretisation shares with its continuum limit the property that it is a completely integrable system. We apply this polygon evolution to a significant improvement of the numerical algorithms used in Computer Graphics.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure

Damage detection and location in woven fabric CFRP laminate panels

The need for multifunctional carbon fibre composite laminates has emerged to improve the reliability and safety of carbon fibre composite components and decrease costs. The development of an electrical selfsensing system for woven fabric carbon fibre composite laminate panels which can detect and locate damage due to impact events is presented. The electrical sensing system uses a four probe electrical resistance method. Two different sensing mats are investigated, the main difference between them are the surface area of the electrodes and the distance between the electrodes. To investigate the damage sensitivity of the sensing system for woven fabric carbon fibre composite laminate panels, panels are produced with various thicknesses from 0.84 to 3.5 mm and are impacted at energies from 1 to 10 J to generate barely visible impact damage. Damage is detected using global electrical resistance changes, the changes in electrical resistance vary depending on carbon fibre volume fraction, spacing distance between the sensing electrodes in the sensing mats, the surface area of the electrodes, damage size, and damage type; it is found that the thicker the panel, the less sensitive the electrical resistance system is. The effect of the surface area of the sensing electrodes is high on the electrical resistance baseline, where the baseline increases by up to 55% when the surface area of the sensing electrodes increases from 100 mm2 to 400 mm2; while spacing distance between electrodes has a greater effect on damage sensitivity of the electrical resistance sensing system than the surface area of the sensing electrodes

Macromineral and trace element concentrations and their seasonal variation in milk from organic and conventional dairy herds

To study the effects of dairy production system on milk macromineral and trace element concentrations, milk samples were collected monthly in 2019 from 43 conventional and 27 organic farms. Organic milk contained more Ca (1049.5 vs. 995.8 mg/kg), K (1383.6 vs. 1362.4 mg/kg), P (806.5 vs. 792.5 mg/kg) and Mo (73.3 vs. 60.6 μg/kg) but less Cu (52.4 vs. 60.6 μg/kg), Fe (0.66 vs 2.03 mg/kg), Mn (28.8 vs. 45.0 μg/kg), Zn (4.51 vs. 5.00 mg/kg) and Al (0.32 vs. 1.14 μg/kg) than conventional milk. Significant seasonal variation was observed in all determined minerals’ concentrations. Milk I concentration was not consistently affected by production system, whereas organic milk contained less I in June and July than conventional milk. Dietary factors contributing to different milk mineral concentrations between production systems included intakes of maize silage, dry-straights and oils (higher in conventional diets), and pasture, clover and wholecrop (higher in organic diets)

European youth care sites serve different populations of adolescents with cannabis use disorder. Baseline and referral data from the INCANT trial

Background: MDFT (Multidimensional Family Therapy) is a family based outpatient treatment programme for adolescent problem behaviour. MDFT has been found effective in the USA in adolescent samples differing in severity and treatment delivery settings. On request of five governments (Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland), MDFT has now been tested in the joint INCANT trial (International Cannabis Need of Treatment) for applicability in Western Europe. In each of the five countries, study participants were recruited from the local population of youth seeking or guided to treatment for, among other things, cannabis use disorder. There is little information in the literature if these populations are comparable between sites/countries or not. Therefore, we examined if the study samples enrolled in the five countries differed in baseline characteristics regarding demographics, clinical profile, and treatment delivery setting.Methods: INCANT was a multicentre phase III(b) randomized controlled trial with an open-label, parallel group design. It compared MDFT with treatment as usual (TAU) at and across sites in Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, The Hague and Paris.Participants of INCANT were adolescents of either sex, from 13 through 18 years of age, with a cannabis use disorder (dependence or abuse), and at least one parent willing to take part in the treatment. In total, 450 cases/families were randomized (concealed) into INCANT.Results: We collected data about adolescent and family demographics (age, gender, family composition, school, work, friends, and leisure time). In addition, we gathered data about problem behaviour (substance use, alcohol and cannabis use disorders, delinquency, psychiatric co-morbidity).There were no major differences on any of these measures between the treatment conditions (MDFT and TAU) for any of the sites. However, there were cross-site differences on many variables. Most of these could be explained by variations in treatment culture, as reflected by referral policy, i.e., participants' referral source. We distinguished 'self-determined' referral (common in Brussels and Paris) and referral with some authority-related 'external' coercion (common in Geneva and The Hague). The two referral types were more equally divided in Berlin. Many cross-site baseline differences disappeared when we took referral source into account, but not all.Conclusions: A multisite trial has the advantage of being efficient, but it also carries risks, the most important one being lack of equivalence between local study populations. Our site populations differed in many respects. This is not a problem for analyses and interpretations if the differences somehow can be accounted for. To a major extent, this appeared possible in INCANT. The most important factor underlying the cross-site variations in baseline characteristics was referral source. Correcting for referral source made most differences disappear. Therefore, we will use referral source as a covariate accounting for site differences in future INCANT outcome analyses

Mineral concentrations in bovine milk from farms with contrasting grazing management

Thirty conventional and 24 organic dairy farms were divided into equal-number within system groups: high-pasture, standard-pasture and low-pasture groups. Milk samples were collected monthly for 12 consecutive months. Milk from high-pasture organic farms contained less fat and protein than standard- and low-pasture organic farms, but more lactose than low-pasture organic farms. Pasture, concentrate feeds intakes and the contribution of non-Holstein breeds were the key drivers for these changes. Milk Ca and P concentrations were lower in standard-pasture conven-tional farms than the other conventional groups. Milk from low-pasture organic farms contained less Ca than high- and standard-pasture organic farms, while high-pasture organic farms produced milk with the highest Sn concentration. Differences in mineral concentrations were driven by the contribution of non-Holstein breeds, feeding practices, and grazing activity; due to relatively low numerical differences the subsequent impact on consumers’ mineral intakes would be minor

Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies of Spanish Listed Firms and Controlling Shareholders’ Representatives

This article aims at analyzing how controlling shareholders’ representatives on boards affect corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies (disclosing CSR matters) in Spain, a context characterized by high ownership concentration, one-tier boards, little board independence, weak legal protection for investors, and the presence of large shareholders, especially institutional shareholders. Furthermore, among controlling shareholders’ representatives, we can distinguish between those appointed by insurance companies and banks and those appointed by mutual funds, investment funds, and pension funds. The effect of these categories of directors on CSR strategies is, therefore, also analyzed. Our findings suggest that controlling shareholders’ representatives have a positive effect on CSR strategies, as do directors appointed by investment funds, pension funds, and mutual funds, while directors appointed by banks and insurance companies have no impact on CSR strategies. This analysis offers new insights into the role played by certain types of directors on CSR strategies

New Mediterranean biodiversity records (March 2016)

In this Collective Article on “New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records”, we present additional records of species found in the Mediterranean Sea. These records refer to eight different countries mainly throughout the northern part of the basin, and include 28 species, belonging to five Phyla. The findings per country include the following species: Spain: Callinectes sapidus and Chelidonura fulvipunctata; Monaco: Aplysia dactylomela; Italy: Charybdis (Charybdis) feriata, Carcharodon carcharias, Seriola fasciata, and Siganus rivulatus; Malta: Pomacanthus asfur; Croatia: Lagocephalus sceleratus and Pomadasys incisus; Montenegro: Lagocephalus sceleratus; Greece: Amathia (Zoobotryon) verticillata, Atys macandrewii, Cerithium scabridum, Chama pacifica, Dendostrea cf. folium, Ergalatax junionae, Septifer cumingii, Syphonota geographica, Syrnola fasciata, Oxyu- richthys petersi, Scarus ghobban, Scorpaena maderensis, Solea aegyptiaca and Upeneus pori; Turkey: Lobotes surinamensis, Ruvettus pretiosus and Ophiocten abyssicolum. In the current article, the presence of Taractes rubescens (Jordan & Evermann, 1887) is recorded for the first time in the Mediterranean from Italy. The great contribution of citizen scientists in monitoring biodiversity records is reflected herein, as 10% of the authors are citizen scientists, and contributed 37.5% of the new findings.peer-reviewe