Intercultural Differences in the Perception of HVAC Sound Quality in Car Cabins: From Conventional to Electric Vehicles

In electric-powered cars, the production of which is increasing, the HVAC system is responsible for most of the noise inside the car’s cabin, causing significant discomfort for passengers. Moreover, the noise produced by the HVAC affects the perceptible sound inside the car cabin, significantly impacting the perceived quality of the vehicle. It is thus essential to investigate and quantify people’s preferences concerning HVAC noise. Our previous research revealed differences in the HVAC noise between hybrid electric (HEV) and internal combustion engine (ICEV) vehicles. A subsequent factor analysis revealed that the adjectives used to describe the sounds can be grouped into two main dimensions: Aesthetic and Loudness. The present paper highlights the results of a listening test that aimed to identify possible differences in the perception of HVACs’ sound quality between Italian and Japanese subject groups, for ICEV and HEV, in different functioning conditions. Results revealed that the most remarkable difference emerges at high air flow rates, where the Japanese group perceived the quality of sound and annoyance, respectively, to be significantly lower and significantly higher than the Italian group.

Elastic Flexibility in an Optically Active Naphthalidenimine-Based Single Crystal

Organic single crystals that combine mechanical flexibility and optical properties are important for developing flexible optical devices, but examples of such crystals remain scarce. Both mechanical flexibility and optical activity depend on the underlying crystal packing and the nature of the intermolecular interactions present in the solid state. Hence, both properties can be expected to be tunable by small chemical modifications to the organic molecule. By incorporating a chlorine atom, a reportedly mechanically flexible crystal of (E)-1-(4-bromo-phenyl)iminomethyl-2-hydroxyl-naphthalene (BPIN) produces (E)-1-(4-bromo-2-chloro-phenyl)iminomethyl-2-hydroxyl-naphthalene (BCPIN). BCPIN crystals show elastic bending similar to BPIN upon mechanical stress, but exhibit a remarkable difference in their optical properties as a result of the chemical modification to the backbone of the organic molecule. This work thus demonstrates that the optical properties and mechanical flexibility of molecular materials can, in principle, be tuned independently.

Rapid Decrease in HDL-C in the Puberty Period of Boys Associated with an Elevation of Blood Pressure and Dyslipidemia in Korean Teenagers: An Explanation of Why and When Men Have Lower HDL-C Levels Than Women

Low serum high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and high blood pressure are linked to each other and are recognized as independent risk factors of cardiovascular disease and dementia. HDL can cross the blood–brain barrier to remove amyloid plaque and the blood–testis barrier to supply cholesterol for spermatogenesis, but LDL cannot. During the teenage period, between 10 and 19 years of age, the systolic blood pressure (BP) increased gradually to 7.9% in boys (p < 0.001), but not in girls (p = 0.141). The boys' group showed a remarkable decrease in the total cholesterol (TC) and HDL-C from 10 to 15 years of age (p < 0.001). After then, the TC level increased again at 19 years of age to the previous level (p < 0.001). On the other hand, the HDL-C level at 19 years of age in the boys’ group was not restored to the previous level at 10 years of age. The girls’ group maintained similar TC (p < 0.001) and HDL-C (p < 0.001) levels from 10 to 19 years of age. These results suggest there was a remarkable difference in cholesterol consumption, particularly in the HDL-C level between boys and girls during the pubertal period. Correlation analysis showed an inverse association between the HDL-C level and SBP in boys (r = −0.133, p < 0.001) and girls (r = −0.065, p = 0.009) from 10 to 19 years of age. Interestingly, only the boys’ group showed an inverse association with the diastolic BP (r = −0.122, p < 0.001); the girls’ group did not have such an association (r = −0.016, p = 0.516). In conclusion, the boys’ group showed a sharp decrease in the HDL-C level from 10 to 15 years of age, whereas the girls’ group showed an increase in the HDL-C level during the same period. These results explain why men have a lower serum HDL-C level than women in adulthood.

P45 Effect of One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass on Liver Function Tests: A comparison between 150 cm and 200 cm Bilio-Pancreatic Limb

Introduction The effect of One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB) on Liver Function Tests (LFTs) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to find out the effect of OAGB on LFTS and also if a Bilio-Pancreatic Limb (BPL) of 150 cm (OAGB-150) would deliver better outcomes than that with a BPL of 200 cm (OAGB-200). Methods We investigated our prospectively maintained records to obtain information on patients who underwent an OAGB-200 or OAGB-150 until 31st July 2018 in our unit. Results A total of 405 patients underwent an OAGB-200 (n = 234) or OAGB-150 (n = 171) in our unit between October 2012 -July 2018. There were significant improvements in Gamma-Glutamyl-Transpeptidase (GGT) levels at 1 and 2 years after OAGB-200 and significant worsening in the levels of Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and albumin at 1 and 2 years follow up. There was a significant improvement in GGT levels at 1 and 2 years after OAGB-150, and in Alanine Transaminase (ALT) levels at 1 year follow up. There was a significant worsening in ALP and albumin levels at both follow-up points in this group. There was no significant increase in the number of abnormal values for any of the tests in either group at both follow-up points. OAGB-150 group had a significantly lower bilirubin level at 1 year and significantly fewer abnormal ALP values at 2 years in comparison with OAGB-200 patients. Conclusion This study demonstrates the overall safety of OAGB with regards to its effect on LFTs with no remarkable difference between OAGB-150 and OAGB-200.

Perception of trauma and symptoms of PTSD in adolescents in wartime and non-war conditions: An exploratory cross-cultural study

Major findings of a trauma survey with two samples of adolescents (age 11-17) are presented. One was a sample of school children from Croatia screened for PTSD at the time of warfare in former Yugoslavia (N = 172). The control was a sample of peers from Hungary (N = 282), with no personal experience of any warfare in lifetime. Croatian and Hungarian versions of a self-administered screening instrument was used to measure perceptions of trauma and twelve symptoms of PTSD. The findings call attention to the fact that despite remarkable difference between the two groups in free listing of adverse life events, the levels of distress as measured with a series of PTSD symptom scales were found not that dramatic as one would expect. The following symptom scales were found with high average self-rating in both groups: Nearly equally high mean scores were estimated for both groups in the following symptom scales: 1, Anger, 2. Revenge, 3. Meaninglessness, 4. Fear,5. Powerlessness, in this order. The largest between groups difference was found in the “Hate” subscale on the behalf of the warfare sample (t = 8.46 df = 426 p < .0001). Alternative interpretations of the results are discussed.

Reuse of medieval bricks as important limitation for construction of geomagnetic secular variation curves based on archeomagnetic studies of brick buildings in Poland.

&lt;p&gt;The bricks can be one of the best material for archeomagnetic studies. Their backing technique (i.e. horizontal location in the furnace) allow to determine also the value of inclination of geomagnetic field.&amp;#160; However, reuse of older bricks for the construction of newer objects can limit the utility of this material in archeomagnetic studies. A set of the brick samples from 26 historical buildings in SE Poland was taken for archeomagnetic investigations. As a result of this study, the secular variations of palaeointensity and inclination of the geomagnetic field from 1200 to 1800 AD were defined for this part of Poland. The paleointensity of geomagnetic field&amp;#160; was determined using the IZZI-Thellier-Thellier protocol. The course of the new regional palaeosecular curves is approximately the same as so far obtained in other parts of Europe. Data obtained from four brick buildings, however, do not fit substantially to the reference European curves. The remarkable difference&amp;#160; is a rapid and deeper drop of inclination and significantly higher than expected values of&amp;#160; palaeointensity. These features indicate that bricks used for the construction of these buildings (dated on XVI &amp;#8211; XVII centuries) were taken from older brick constructions, most probably from the Gothic time (XIII/XIV c.). We compared our data with the earlier data obtained from brick buildings in N Poland. The regional archeomagnetic curves calculated for these two regions of Poland are completely different in their segments as old as the first half of the 18&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; century. This fact could be explained by the reuse of medieval bricks during the construction of studied objects from N Poland (dated on the first half of the 18&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt; century) and applied for the construction of reference curve or by later secondary heating of original bricks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This research was supported by &amp;#160;the National Science Centre of Poland (project no: UMO-2016/23/B/ST10/0129).&lt;/p&gt;

Critical spin periods of sub-km-sized cohesive rubble-pile asteroids: dependencies on material parameters

In this work, we employed a soft-sphere discrete element method with a cohesion implementation to model the dynamical process of sub-km-sized cohesive rubble piles under continuous spinup. The dependencies of the critical spin periods Tc on several material parameters for oblate rubble piles with different diameters were explored. Our simulations show that the interparticle cohesive force can strengthen the bodies as expected, especially for the smaller ones. The simulated results of Tc were fitted with the continuum theory developed by Holsapple (2007), through which we find the interparticle cohesion is proportional to the best-fit bulk cohesion and the ratio shows no dependency on the density. In addition, we find Tc decreases as the density increases in the compressive regime, while the trend reverses when transitioning to the tensile regime. Besides, though a higher friction angle can strengthen the bodies, its influence on Tc is minimized near the separation between the two regimes. Our numerical findings are generally consistent with the continuum theory, except that the latter predicts that Tc should increase as the friction angle increases in the tensile regime, which is contrary to the numerical results. This remarkable difference reminds us to take caution when applying the continuum theory to critically spinning cohesive rubble piles in the tensile regime, especially when dealing with the effect of the friction angle. Finally, we emphasize that the separation between the regimes can be specified by a characteristic period, which is only a function of density for a given shape.

Secular Variations of Inclination of the Geomagnetic Field in SE Poland Between 1200 and 1800 AD

A set of brick samples from 26 historical buildings in SE Poland was taken for archeomagnetic study. As a result of this study, the secular variations of inclination of the geomagnetic field from 1200 to 1800 AD were defined for SE Poland. The course of them is approximately the same as obtained in other parts of Europe. The only remarkable difference is a more rapid and deeper drop of inclination noted in SE Poland at the end of the 18th century. The regional curve of secular variations of inclination for SE Poland differs substantially from the coeval curve defined earlier for N Poland (Gdańsk) in their segments dated at the first half of the 18th century, where a deep minimum of inclination was disclosed in the bricks from N Poland only. The reuse of medieval bricks for the construction of objects giving this minimum or later secondary heating of original bricks can be a reason for the difference observed. Further archeomagnetic studies of the bricks of the last millennium are necessary in SE Poland to eliminate the gaps and uncertainties in the regional curve of secular variations of inclination.

Understanding the remarkable difference in liquid crystal behaviour between secondary and tertiary amides: the synthesis and characterisation of new benzanilide-based liquid crystal dimers.

A number of liquid crystal dimers have been synthesised and characterised containing secondary or tertiary (N-methyl) benzanilide-based mesogenic groups. The secondary amides all form nematic phases, and we present the...