40 research outputs found
Logarithmically Slow Expansion of Hot Bubbles in Gases
We report logarithmically slow expansion of hot bubbles in gases in the
process of cooling. A model problem first solved, when the temperature has
compact support. Then temperature profile decaying exponentially at large
distances is considered. The periphery of the bubble is shown to remain
essentially static ("glassy") in the process of cooling until it is taken over
by a logarithmically slowly expanding "core". An analytical solution to the
problem is obtained by matched asymptotic expansion. This problem gives an
example of how logarithmic corrections enter dynamic scaling.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
Observed photodetachment in parallel electric and magnetic fields
We investigate photodetachment from negative ions in a homogeneous 1.0-T
magnetic field and a parallel electric field of approximately 10 V/cm. A
theoretical model for detachment in combined fields is presented. Calculations
show that a field of 10 V/cm or more should considerably diminish the Landau
structure in the detachment cross section. The ions are produced and stored in
a Penning ion trap and illuminated by a single-mode dye laser. We present
preliminary results for detachment from S- showing qualitative agreement with
the model. Future directions of the work are also discussed.Comment: Nine pages, five figures, minor revisions showing final publicatio
Hydrodynamics of thermal granular convection
A hydrodynamic theory is formulated for buoyancy-driven ("thermal") granular
convection, recently predicted in molecular dynamic simulations and observed in
experiment. The limit of a dilute flow is considered. The problem is fully
described by three scaled parameters. The convection occurs via a supercritical
bifurcation, the inelasticity of the collisions being the control parameter.
The theory is expected to be valid for small Knudsen numbers and nearly elastic
grain collisions.Comment: 4 pages, 4 EPS figures, some details adde
Symmetry-breaking instability in a prototypical driven granular gas
Symmetry-breaking instability of a laterally uniform granular cluster (strip
state) in a prototypical driven granular gas is investigated. The system
consists of smooth hard disks in a two-dimensional box, colliding inelastically
with each other and driven, at zero gravity, by a "thermal" wall. The limit of
nearly elastic particle collisions is considered, and granular hydrodynamics
with the Jenkins-Richman constitutive relations is employed. The hydrodynamic
problem is completely described by two scaled parameters and the aspect ratio
of the box. Marginal stability analysis predicts a spontaneous symmetry
breaking instability of the strip state, similar to that predicted recently for
a different set of constitutive relations. If the system is big enough, the
marginal stability curve becomes independent of the details of the boundary
condition at the driving wall. In this regime, the density perturbation is
exponentially localized at the elastic wall opposite to the thermal wall. The
short- and long-wavelength asymptotics of the marginal stability curves are
obtained analytically in the dilute limit. The physics of the symmetry-breaking
instability is discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figure
Onset of thermal convection in a horizontal layer of granular gas
The Navier-Stokes granular hydrodynamics is employed for determining the
threshold of thermal convection in an infinite horizontal layer of granular
gas. The dependence of the convection threshold, in terms of the inelasticity
of particle collisions, on the Froude and Knudsen numbers is found. A simple
necessary condition for convection is formulated in terms of the
Schwarzschild's criterion, well-known in thermal convection of (compressible)
classical fluids. The morphology of convection cells at the onset is
determined. At large Froude numbers, the Froude number drops out of the
problem. As the Froude number goes to zero, the convection instability turns
into a recently discovered phase separation instability.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures. An extended version. A simple and universal
necessary criterion for convection presente
Large-amplitude driving of a superconducting artificial atom: Interferometry, cooling, and amplitude spectroscopy
Superconducting persistent-current qubits are quantum-coherent artificial
atoms with multiple, tunable energy levels. In the presence of large-amplitude
harmonic excitation, the qubit state can be driven through one or more of the
constituent energy-level avoided crossings. The resulting
Landau-Zener-Stueckelberg (LZS) transitions mediate a rich array of
quantum-coherent phenomena. We review here three experimental works based on
LZS transitions: Mach-Zehnder-type interferometry between repeated LZS
transitions, microwave-induced cooling, and amplitude spectroscopy. These
experiments exhibit a remarkable agreement with theory, and are extensible to
other solid-state and atomic qubit modalities. We anticipate they will find
application to qubit state-preparation and control methods for quantum
information science and technology.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure
Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalisation in adults (â„âŻ20 years) during Alpha- and Delta-dominant circulation: I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS SARI VE networks, Europe, 2021
Members of the I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS hospital study teams (in addition to the named authors): Svjetlana Karabuva, Petra TomaĆĄ PetriÄ, Marija MarkoviÄ, Sandra LjubiÄiÄ, Bojana MahmutoviÄ, Irena Tabain, Petra Smoljo, Iva Pem Novosel, Tanya Melillo, John Paul Cauchi, BenĂ©dicte Lissoir, Xavier Holemans, Marc Hainaut, Nicolas Dauby, Benedicte Delaere, Marc Bourgeois, Evelyn Petit, Marijke Reynders, Door Jouck, Koen Magerman, Marieke Bleyen, Melissa Vermeulen, SĂ©bastien Fierens, François Dufrasne, Siel Daelemans, Alaâa Al Kerwi, Francoise Berthet, Guy Fagherazzi, Myriam Alexandre, Charlene Bennett, Jim Christle, Jeff Connell, Peter Doran, Laura Feeney, Binita Maharjan, Sinead McDermott, Rosa McNamara, Nadra Nurdin, Salif Mamadou CissĂ©, Anne-Sophie L'Honneur, Xavier Duval, Yolande Costa, Fidouh Nadhira, Florence Galtier, Laura Crantelle, Vincent Foulongne, Phillipe Vanhems, SĂ©lilah Amour, Bruno Lina, Fabrice LainĂ©, Laetitia Gallais, GisĂšle Lagathu, Anna Maisa, Yacine Saidi, Christine Durier, Rebecca Bauer, Ana Paula Rodrigues, Adriana Silva, Raquel Guiomar, Margarida Tavares, DĂ©bora Pereira, Maria JosĂ© Manata, Heidi Gruner, AndrĂ© Almeida, Paula Pinto, Cristina BĂĄrbara, Itziar Casado, Ana Miqueleiz, Ana NavascuĂ©s, Camino Trobajo-SanmartĂn, Miguel FernĂĄndez-Huerta, MarĂa Eugenia Portillo, Carmen Ezpeleta, Nerea EgĂŒĂ©s, Manuel GarcĂa Cenoz, Eva Ardanaz, Marcela Guevara, Conchi Moreno-Iribas, Hana OrlĂkovĂĄ, Carmen Mihaela Dorobat, Carmen Manciuc, Simin Aysel Florescu, Alexandru Marin, Sorin Dinu, Catalina Pascu, Alina Ivanciuc, Iulia Bistriceanu, Mihaela Oprea, Maria Elena Mihai, Silke Buda, Ute Preuss, Marianne Wedde, AuksÄ MickienÄ, GiedrÄ GefenaitÄ, Alain Moren, Anthony NardoneIntroduction:
Two large multicentre European hospital networks have estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 since 2021.
Aim:
We aimed to measure VE against PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in hospitalised severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) patientsââ„â20 years, combining data from these networks during Alpha (MarchâJune)- and Delta (JuneâDecember)-dominant periods, 2021.
Methods:
Forty-six participating hospitals across 14 countries follow a similar generic protocol using the test-negative caseâcontrol design. We defined complete primary series vaccination (PSV) as two doses of a two-dose or one of a single-dose vaccineââ„â14 days before onset.
Results:
We included 1,087 cases (538 controls) and 1,669 cases (1,442 controls) in the Alpha- and Delta-dominant periods, respectively. During the Alpha period, VE against hospitalisation with SARS-CoV2 for complete Comirnaty PSV was 85% (95%âŻCI: 69â92) overall and 75% (95%âŻCI: 42â90) in those agedââ„â80 years. During the Delta period, among SARI patientsââ„â20 years with symptom onsetââ„â150 days from last PSV dose, VE for complete Comirnaty PSV was 54% (95%âŻCI: 18â74). Among those receiving Comirnaty PSV and mRNA booster (any product)ââ„â150 days after last PSV dose, VE was 91% (95%âŻCI: 57â98). In time-since-vaccination analysis, complete all-product PSV VE wasâ>â90% in those with their last doseâ<â90 days before onset;ââ„â70% in those 90â179 days before onset.
Conclusions:
Our results from this EU multi-country hospital setting showed that VE for complete PSV alone was higher in the Alpha- than the Delta-dominant period, and addition of a first booster dose during the latter period increased VE to over 90%.Key public health message: - What did you want to address in this study? To understand how well the COVID-19 vaccine was performing in Europe against hospitalisation during SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variant periods, we present vaccine effectiveness results from a multi-country study of complete and booster dose COVID-19 vaccination among adults (aged 20 years and over).
- What have we learnt from this study? Between March and June 2021 (Alpha period), vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 was 43% for partial vaccination and 86% for complete vaccination. For June to December 2021 (Delta period), vaccine effectiveness for complete vaccination was lower (52%) but with addition of an mRNA booster dose, effectiveness reached 91%, and remainedâ>â90% up to 119 days after the booster dose.
- What are the implications of your findings for public health? In Europe in 2021, COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness results for the Alpha period indicated an excellent benefit for preventing hospitalisation after complete vaccination. During Delta variant circulation, however, a booster dose was required to achieve this level of effectiveness, and this was maintained for up to 4 months post booster.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalisation in adults (â„âŻ20 years) during Omicron-dominant circulation: I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS SARI VE networks, Europe, 2021 to 2022
Introduction: The I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS hospital networks have been measuring COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) in participating European countries since early 2021. Aim: We aimed to measure VE against PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in patients â„ 20 years hospitalised with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) from December 2021 to July 2022 (Omicron-dominant period). Methods: In both networks, 46 hospitals (13 countries) follow a similar test-negative case-control protocol. We defined complete primary series vaccination (PSV) and first booster dose vaccination as last dose of either vaccine received â„ 14 days before symptom onset (stratifying first booster into received < 150 and â„ 150 days after last PSV dose). We measured VE overall, by vaccine category/product, age group and time since first mRNA booster dose, adjusting by site as a fixed effect, and by swab date, age, sex, and presence/absence of at least one commonly collected chronic condition. Results: We included 2,779 cases and 2,362 controls. The VE of all vaccine products combined against hospitalisation for laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 was 43% (95% CI: 29-54) for complete PSV (with last dose received â„ 150 days before onset), while it was 59% (95% CI: 51-66) after addition of one booster dose. The VE was 85% (95% CI: 78-89), 70% (95% CI: 61-77) and 36% (95% CI: 17-51) for those with onset 14-59 days, 60-119 days and 120-179 days after booster vaccination, respectively. Conclusions: Our results suggest that, during the Omicron period, observed VE against SARI hospitalisation improved with first mRNA booster dose, particularly for those having symptom onset < 120 days after first booster dose.Key public health message: 1. What did you want to address in this study?
In order to understand how well the COVID-19 vaccine is performing in Europe against hospitalisation during the period when the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was circulating, we investigated vaccine effectiveness using data from a multi-country study of complete and booster-dose COVID-19 vaccination among adults aged 20 years and over.
2. What have we learnt from this study?
Between December 2021 and July 2022, vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 was 43% for complete vaccination. With addition of an mRNA booster dose, effectiveness was 59% overall. It was higher when onset of illness was close to the date of the last vaccination, at 85% when last booster dose was 14â59 days before onset, at 70% for 60â119 days, and falling below 40% for 120â179 days.
3. What are the implications of your findings for public health?
In European hospital settings in 2022, during the Omicron period, COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccine provided an improved benefit for preventing hospitalisation, particularly if disease onset was within 4 months of receiving the booster dose.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
TRY plant trait database â enhanced coverage and open access
Plant traitsâthe morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plantsâdetermine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of traitâbased plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traitsâalmost complete coverage for âplant growth formâ. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and traitâenvironmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives