This paper presents an experimental application of reactive control to jet installation noise based on destructive interference. The work is motivated by the success of previous studies in applying this control approach to mixing layers (Sasaki et al. Theor. 2018b Comput. Fluid Dyn. 32, 765–788), boundary layers (Brito et al. 2021 Exp. Fluids 62, 1–13; Audiffred et al. 2023 Phys. Rev. Fluids 8, 073902), flow over a backward-facing step (Martini et al. 2022 J. Fluid Mech. 937, A19) and, more recently, to turbulent jets (Maia et al. 2021 Phys. Rev. Fluids 6, 123901; Maia et al. 2022 Phys. Rev. Fluids 7, 033903; Audiffred et al. 2024b J. Fluid Mech. 994, A15). We exploit the fact that jet–surface interaction noise is underpinned by wavepackets that can be modelled in a linear framework and develop a linear control strategy where piezoelectric actuators situated at the edge of a scattering surface are driven in real time by sensor measurements in the near field of the jet, the objective being to reduce noise radiated in the acoustic field. The control mechanism involves imposition of an anti-dipole at the trailing edge to cancel the scattering dipole that arises due to an incident wavepacket perturbation. We explore two different control strategies: (i) the inverse feed-forward approach, where causality is imposed by truncating the control kernel, and (ii) the Wiener–Hopf approach, where causality is optimally enforced in building the control kernel. We show that the Wiener–Hopf approach has better performance than that obtained using the truncated inverse feed-forward kernel. We also explore different positions of the near-field sensors and show that control performance is better for sensors installed for streamwise positions downstream in the jet plume, where the signature of hydrodynamic wavepacket is better captured by the sensors. Broadband noise reductions of up to 50 % are achieved.

Finger weeders were first developed in the 1950s and have since been widely adopted by farmers to improve physical weed control (PWC) within crop rows. Research on finger weeders has largely been comparative, with most studies identifying a top-performing weed control practice among various physical or chemical treatments. Weeding tool performance, however, is often highly variable, affected by tool design and adjustment, soil conditions, and both weed and crop species and size. Finger weeder operating settings have not been systematically tested to determine whether they could optimize tool performance. In this project, field and soil bin experiments examined the effects of finger weeder angle, spacing, and speed on weed control efficacy and weed/crop selectivity. Three finger weeder angles were tested: 108°, which removed soil near the crop; 90°, typical for most commercial tools; and 68°, which moved soil into the crop row. Three spacings and speeds were compared: fingers overlapping (−0.6 cm), touching (0 cm), or spaced apart (2.5 cm); and 4, 7, and 9 km h−1. In both the field and soil bin, finger weeders set at a 68° angle resulted in the greatest efficacy. Decreasing finger spacing and increasing speed improved efficacy in soil bin experiments, as expected, but spacing and speed effects were not detected in the field. The experimental soil bin system shows promise for PWC testing, possibly offering insights that could not be detected in more variable field conditions.

Despite prior research on political capabilities and their relationships with meaningful outcomes at work, it remains unclear why certain employees are incapable of successfully navigating workplace politics. To clarify this, our research develops and validates a measure of political self-efficacy at work (PSEW) across seven independent and varying samples. Evidence from faculty members and subject-matter experts in Study 1 provides initial support for the content validity of the new PSEW scale. Then, in Studies 2 and 3, we employ two separate samples to confirm the scale’s convergent and discriminant validity and factor structure. We repeat this process, in Study 4, on several new nomological neighbors (e.g., the Dark Triad traits, general political behavior, impression management, and political will). In Studies 5 and 6, using multi-wave and multi-source data, we assess the criterion-related and predictive validity of the PSEW scale, and in Study 7, we test our full theoretical model. Altogether, these findings verify the nomological network and validity of the new PSEW measure and provide theoretical and practical developments surrounding organizational politics.

Variation between general practices in the rate of consultations for musculoskeletal pain conditions may signal important differences in access to primary care, perceived usefulness, or available alternative sources of care; however, it might also just reflect differences in underlying ‘need’ between practices’ registered populations. In a study of 30 general practices in Staffordshire, we calculated the proportion of adults consulting for a musculoskeletal pain condition, then examined this in relation to selected practice and population characteristics, including the estimated prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal problems and chronic pain in each practices’ registered population. Between September 2021 and July 2022, 18,388 adults were consulted for a musculoskeletal pain condition. After controlling for length of recruitment, time of year, and age-sex structure, the proportion consulting varied up to two-fold between practices but was not strongly associated with the prevalence of self-reported long-term musculoskeletal problems, chronic pain, and high-impact chronic pain.

Previously, we reported the persistence of the bacterial pathogen Neisseria meningitidis on fomites, indicating a potential route for environmental transmission. The current goal was to identify proteins that vary among strains of meningococci that have differing environmental survival. We carried out a proteomic analysis of two strains that differ in their potential for survival outside the host. The Group B epidemic strain NZ98/254 and Group W carriage strain H34 were cultured either at 36 °C, 5% CO2, and 95% relative humidity (RH) corresponding to host conditions in the nasopharynx, or at lower humidities of 22% or 30% RH at 30 °C, for which there was greater survival on fomites. For NZ98/254, the shift to lower RH and temperature was associated with increased abundance of proteins involved in metabolism, stress responses, and outer membrane components, including pili and porins. In contrast, H34 responded to lower RH by decreasing the abundance of multiple proteins, indicating that the lower viability of H34 may be linked to decreased capacity to mount core protective responses. The results provide a snapshot of bacterial proteins and metabolism that may be related to normal fitness, to the greater environmental persistence of NZ98/254 compared to H34, and potentially to differences in transmission and pathogenicity.

Researchers interested in dyadic processes increasingly collect intensive longitudinal data (ILD), with the longitudinal actor–partner interdependence model (L-APIM) being a popular modeling approach. However, due to non-compliance and the use of conditional questions, ILD are almost always incomplete. These missing data issues become more prominent in dyadic studies, because partners often miss different measurement occasions or disagree about features that trigger conditional questions. Large amounts of missing data challenge the L-APIM’s estimation performance. Specifically, we found that non-convergence occurred when applying the L-APIM to pre-existing dyadic diary data with a lot of missing values. Using a simulation study, we systematically examined the performance of the L-APIM in dyadic ILD with missing values. Consistent with our illustrative data, we found that non-convergence often occurred in conditions with small sample sizes, while the fixed within-person actor and partner effects were well estimated when analyses did converge. Additionally, considering potential convergence failures with the L-APIM, we investigated 31 alternative models and evaluated their performance on simulated and empirical data, showing that multiple alternatives may alleviate the convergence problems. Overall, when the L-APIM fails to converge, we recommend fitting multiple alternative models to check the robustness of the results.

How might we learn from history in ways that help us imagine a better future? And what role might academic institutions play in making those futures imaginable? These questions informed Rosine Association 2.0, a socially engaged art project out of Swarthmore College active from 2021 to 2023. Inspired by a nineteenth-century social project in Philadelphia, Rosine 2.0 formed an interdisciplinary collective of artists, harm reduction organizers, archivists, and activists to co-imagine how harm reduction and mutual aid reduce stigma and increase community care in Philadelphia. We believe that Rosine 2.0 exemplifies the possibilities of public humanities projects that are truly collaborative and transformative. The project went beyond interdisciplinarity by bringing together the fields of archiving, history, and community engagement with communities outside of the College, including curators, artists, and individuals with lived experience. While Swarthmore was the organizing institution, the project existed outside of traditional academic frameworks, creating alternative modes of relationality between and among campus and community members. Each contributed a vital set of skills and perspectives in a networked series of collaborations. The project allowed for rethinking relationships between past and present; between the college and community partners; as well as between faculty, staff, and students in the building of social structures of community care.