bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Should Autonomous Weapons Need a Reason to Kill?
Authors: Young Garry
Published: July 2022

Purves et al. argue against deploying automated weapons because they fail to act for the right reason. Given that soldiers do not necessarily act in an ideal way, I argue that it is morally preferable to deploy autonomous weapons that are incapable of acting for the wrong reason over combatants that are likely (although not guaranteed) to act for the right reason (i.e. regular troops). Preference for regular troops based solely on reasons for acting is justified only in the case of an ideal conception of these troops. This claim is, however, vulnerable to an additional argument favouring the deployment of autonomous weapons as a means of preserving human life. The possibility that the behaviour of autonomous weapons is a direct expression of the reasons given by their human commanders for their deployment is also considered, but rejected as a suitable reason to favour deploying regular or even ideal troops over autonomous weapons, for reasons discussed.
Consequences of incorrect genetic parameter estimates for single‐trait and multi‐trait genetic evaluations in honeybees
Authors: Du Manuel , Bernstein Richard , Hoppe Andreas , Bienefeld Kaspar
Published: July 2022

Genetic and residual variances of traits are important input parameters for best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) breeding value estimation. In honeybees, estimates of these variances are often associated with large standard errors, entailing a risk to perform genetic evaluations under wrong premises. The consequences hereof have not been sufficiently studied. In particular, there are no adequate investigations on this topic accounting for multi‐trait selection or genetic peculiarities of the honeybee. We performed simulation studies and explored the consequences of selection for honeybee populations with a broad range of true and assumed genetic parameters. We found that in single‐trait evaluations, the response to selection was barely compromised by assuming erroneous parameters, so that reductions in genetic progress after 20 years never exceeded 21%. Phenotypic selection appeared inferior to BLUP selection, particularly under low heritabilities. Parameter choices for genetic evaluation had great effects on inbreeding development. By wrongly assuming high heritabilities, inbreeding rates were reduced by up to 74%. When parallel selection was performed for two traits, the right choice of genetic parameters appeared considerably more crucial as several incorrect premises yielded inadvertent negative selection for one of the traits. This phenomenon occurred in multiple constellations in which the selection traits expressed a negative genetic correlation. It was not reflected in the estimated breeding values. Our results indicate that breeding efforts heavily rely on detailed knowledge on genetic parameters, particularly when multi‐trait selection is performed. Thus, considerable effort should be invested into precise parameter estimations.
Coronary sinus electrogram characteristics predict termination of AF with ablation and long‐term clinical outcome
Authors: Honarbakhsh Shohreh , Schilling Richard J. , Keating Emily , Finlay Malcolm , Hunter Ross J.
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Markers predicting atrial fibrillation (AF) termination and freedom from AF/atrial tachycardia (AT) has been proposed. This study aimed to evaluate the role of novel coronary sinus (CS) electrogram characteristics in predicting the acute ablation response and freedom from AF/AT during follow‐up.

Methods

Patients undergoing ablation for persistent AF as part of the Stochastic Trajectory Analysis of Ranked signals mapping study were included. Novel CS electrogram characteristics including CS cycle length variability (CLV) and CS activation pattern stability (APS) and proportion of low voltage zones (LVZs) were reviewed as potential predictors for AF termination on ablation and freedom from AF/AT during follow‐up. The relationship between localized driver characteristics and CS electrogram characteristics was also assessed.

Results

Sixty‐five patients were included. AF termination was achieved in 51 patients and 80% of patients were free from AF/AT during a follow‐up of 29.5 ± 3.7 months. CS CLV of <30 ms, CS APS of ≥30% and proportion of LVZ < 30% showed high diagnostic accuracy in predicting AF termination on ablation and freedom from AF/AT during follow‐up (CS CLV odds ratio [OR] 25.6, area under the curve [AUC] 0.91; CS APS OR 15.9, AUC 0.94; proportion of LVZs OR 21.4, AUC 0.88). These markers were independent predictors of AF termination on ablation and AF/AT recurrence during follow‐up. Ablation of a smaller number of drivers that demonstrate greater dominance strongly correlate with greater CS organization.

Conclusion

Novel CS electrogram characteristics were independent predictors of AF termination and AF/AT recurrence during follow‐up. These markers can potentially aid in predicting outcomes and guide ablation and follow‐up strategies.
Lysine‐specific demethylase 1 aggravated oxidative stress and ferroptosis induced by renal ischemia and reperfusion injury through activation of TLR4/NOX4 pathway in mice
Authors: Feng Ruikang , Xiong Yufeng , Lei Yourong , Huang Qin , Liu Hao , Zhao Xiaojie , Chen Zhiyuan , Chen Hui , Liu Xiuheng , Wang Lei , Weng Xiaodong
Published: July 2022

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is mainly caused by renal ischaemia reperfusion injury (IRI). Lots of evidence suggests that ferroptosis and oxidative stress play the vital role in renal IRI. However, the specific mechanism of renal IRI has not been fully elucidated. lysine‐specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) has been shown to regulate the pathogenesis of kidney disease. In this study, we firstly found that LSD1 was positively related to renal IRI. TCP, a classical LSD1 inhibitor, could alleviate tissue damage induced by renal IRI. Inhibition of LSD1 with either TCP or LSD1 knockdown could alleviate ferroptosis and oxidative stress caused by IRI both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the results showed that suppression of LSD1 decreased the expression of TLR4/NOX4 pathway in HK‐2 cells subjected to H/R. With the si‐RNA against TLR4 or NOX4, it showed that the silence of TLR4/NOX4 reduced oxidative stress and ferroptosis in vitro. Moreover, to demonstrate the crucial role of TLR4/NOX4, TLR4 reduction, mediated by inhibition of LSD1, was compensated through delivering the adenovirus carrying TLR4 in vitro. The results showed that the compensation of TLR4 blunted the alleviation of oxidative stress and ferroptosis, induced by LSD1 inhibition. Further study showed that LSD1 activates TLR4/NOX4 pathway by reducing the enrichment of H3K9me2 in the TLR4 promoter region. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that LSD1 inhibition blocked ferroptosis and oxidative stress caused by renal IRI through the TLR4/NOX4 pathway, indicating that LSD1 could be a potential therapeutic target for renal IRI.
Editorial Perspective: Another look at ‘optimal outcome’ in autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Eigsti Inge‐Marie , Fein Deborah , Larson Caroline
Published: July 2022

This paper addresses the hypothesis that autism spectrum disorder features follow multiple long‐term developmental trajectories, including an absence of symptoms that were present in childhood, by the time of adolescence. In early work on this topic, this circumstance was called an ‘optimal outcome’. To better reflect the reality of multiple excellent outcomes regardless of whether autism spectrum disorder features are present or absent, including autonomy, daily living skills, communication skills, and relationships and employment/activities outside the home, the terminology ‘loss of autism diagnosis’ (LAD) has been proposed as a substitute. The paper also contextualizes an LAD outcome within research, practice and advocacy.
Benzodiazepine and antipsychotic use among hospitalized older adults before versus after restricting visitation: March to May 2020
Authors: Brown Rebecca T. , Shultz Kaitlyn , Karlawish Jason , Zhou Yi , Xie Dawei , Ryskina Kira L.
Published: July 2022

Background

Hospital visitation restrictions during the COVID‐19 pandemic prompted concerns about unintended consequences for older patients, including an increased incidence of delirium and agitation. While first‐line interventions for these conditions are non‐pharmacologic, a lack of family support could result in increased use of benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, which are associated with poor outcomes in older adults. Little is known about the association of visitation policies with use of these medications among older adults.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cross‐sectional study among adults aged ≥65 hospitalized from March 1 through May 31, 2020 at four hospitals in the Mid‐Atlantic. The dates of onset of visitation restrictions (i.e., hospital‐wide guidelines barring visitors) were collected from hospital administrators. Outcomes were use of benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, assessed using patient‐level electronic health record data. Using multivariable logistic regression with hospital and study‐day fixed effects, the quasi‐experimental study design leveraged the staggered onset of visitation restrictions across the hospitals to measure the odds of receiving each medication when visitors were versus were not allowed.

Results

Among 2931 patients, mean age was 76.6 years (SD, 8.3), 51.6% were female, 58.6% white, 32.5% black, and 2.6% Hispanic. Overall, 924 (31.5%) patients received a benzodiazepine and 298 (10.2%) an antipsychotic. The adjusted odds of benzodiazepine use was lower on days when visitors were versus were not allowed (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39, 0.99). Antipsychotic use did not significantly differ between days when visitors were versus were not allowed (AOR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.43, 2.21).

Conclusions

Among older patients hospitalized during the first wave of the pandemic, benzodiazepine use was lower on days when visitors were allowed. These findings suggest that the presence of caregivers impacts use of potentially inappropriate medications among hospitalized older adults, supporting efforts to recognize caregivers as essential members of the care team.
Taming complex problems using the problem‐solution‐impact research process model
Authors: Machin Jane , Adkins Natalie Ross , Chan‐Park Christina , Crosby Elizabeth , Farrell Justine Rapp , Mirabito Ann M.
Published: July 2022

The transformative consumer research (TCR) and transformative service research (TSR) movements seek to encourage, support, and publicize research benefiting consumer welfare. In this article, we introduce design thinking (DT) as a rigorous, effective, and creative problem‐solving process well‐suited to tackle the multi‐dimensional problems TCR/TSR researchers address. A scoping review of TCR/TSR and DT literatures examining complex issues, such as health and well‐being, inequality, and sustainability, reveals each orientation's theoretical and methodological strengths as well as its opportunities to more effectively catalyze positive change. Specifically, DT would benefit from the rigorous theoretical perspective brought by TCR/TSR researchers. In turn, transformative consumer and service researchers can find inspiration in the participatory ideation and prototyping techniques central to DT. The problem‐solution‐impact (PSI) research process model for transformative change draws from the strengths of the two traditions to creates a rigorous and relevant approach to addressing the world's most complex and dynamic problems.
Adverse drug reactions following lymphocyte immunotherapy for the treatment of infertility: A retrospective study
Authors: Eidizadeh Abass , Papert Susanne , Valk Jakob , Pollok‐Kopp Beatrix , Goldmann Monika , Riggert Joachim , Moltrecht Rüdiger , Legler Tobias J.
Published: July 2022

Aim

Unexplained infertility is a major burden for couples who want to have children. Lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) could be a therapeutic help for these couples. Although LIT has been carried out for decades, the data on the success of therapy are still controversial and there is hardly information on possible adverse drug reactions.

Methods

In this study, we used a questionnaire to determine the frequency of local and systemic adverse drug reactions in our patients who were treated with LIT between 2017 and 2020 (n = 302). In addition, we asked about pregnancies and/or live births after LIT in a 2‐year follow‐up (n = 140).

Results

Most of the patients reported the occurrence of mild local adverse drug reactions in a period of less than 4 weeks: Over 75% reported moderate erythema, itching or swelling, over 10% erythema, itching or swelling as more pronounced adverse drug reaction. Blistering was specified in 10% of the cases. Serious adverse drug reactions or adverse events were not described. In the follow‐up, 69% of our patients stated a pregnancy after LIT, and 50% a life birth.

Conclusions

Overall, LIT represents a well‐tolerated therapy for couples with unexplained infertility, however, more evidence is needed on the benefits.
Causal effect of autoimmune liver diseases on cancer: Meta‐analyses of cohort studies and Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Gu Dongqing , Zhang Min , Wang Yutong , Bai Ye , Wang Xin , Deng Guohong
Published: July 2022

Background and Aims

Prior studies suggested that patients with autoimmune liver diseases (AiLDs) had an increased risk of cancer, whereas the causal effect remained unclear.

Methods

Meta‐analyses concerning the relationship between AiLD and cancer risk were performed to calculate the pooled relative risk (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Then, the associations with a p value of <.05 were further validated by two‐sample Mendelian randomization studies.

Results

A total of 37 cohort studies covering more than 34 558 patients were included, and we observed an increased risk of overall cancers (pooled RR = 3.64, 95% CI: 2.64–5.03, p < .001) and cancer‐related death (pooled RR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.73–3.53, p < .001) for patients with AiLD. Besides, overall and several site‐specific cancers risk were found in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) (p < .05). However, associations between genetically predisposed AIH, PBC, and PSC and the risk of specific cancers did not reach a significant level, except for PBC and gastric cancer (OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93–0.99; p = .02).

Conclusions

In addition to hepatobiliary cancer, results from the meta‐analyses suggest that patients with AiLD might have an increased risk of several extrahepatobiliary cancers. However, the causal role of AiLD in cancer development needs to be further investigated.
Identification of a rapidly‐spreading triple mutant for high‐level metabolic insecticide resistance in Anopheles gambiae provides a real‐time molecular diagnostic for antimalarial intervention deployment
Authors: Njoroge Harun , van't Hof Arjen , Oruni Ambrose , Pipini Dimitra , Nagi Sanjay C. , Lynd Amy , Lucas Eric R. , Tomlinson Sean , Grau‐Bove Xavi , McDermott Daniel , Wat'senga Francis T. , Manzambi Emile Z. , Agossa Fiacre R. , Mokuba Arlette , Irish Seth , Kabula Bilali , Mbogo Charles , Bargul Joel , Paine Mark J. I. , Weetman David , Donnelly Martin J.
Published: July 2022

Studies of insecticide resistance provide insights into the capacity of populations to show rapid evolutionary responses to contemporary selection. Malaria control remains heavily dependent on pyrethroid insecticides, primarily in long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Resistance in the major malaria vectors has increased in concert with the expansion of LLIN distributions. Identifying genetic mechanisms underlying high‐level resistance is crucial for the development and deployment of resistance‐breaking tools. Using the Anopheles gambiae 1000 genomes (Ag1000g) data we identified a very recent selective sweep in mosquitoes from Uganda which localized to a cluster of cytochrome P450 genes. Further interrogation revealed a haplotype involving a trio of mutations, a nonsynonymous point mutation in Cyp6p4 (I236M), an upstream insertion of a partial Zanzibar‐like transposable element (TE) and a duplication of the Cyp6aa1 gene. The mutations appear to have originated recently in An. gambiae from the Kenya‐Uganda border, with stepwise replacement of the double‐mutant (Zanzibar‐like TE and Cyp6p4‐236 M) with the triple‐mutant haplotype (including Cyp6aa1 duplication), which has spread into the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. The triple‐mutant haplotype is strongly associated with increased expression of genes able to metabolize pyrethroids and is strongly predictive of resistance to pyrethroids most notably deltamethrin. Importantly, there was increased mortality in mosquitoes carrying the triple‐mutation when exposed to nets cotreated with the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO). Frequencies of the triple‐mutant haplotype remain spatially variable within countries, suggesting an effective marker system to guide deployment decisions for limited supplies of PBO‐pyrethroid cotreated LLINs across African countries.
Naturally stressed? Glucocorticoid profiles in blubber of blue and gray whales in response to life history parameters
Authors: Melica Valentina , Atkinson Shannon , Calambokidis John , Gendron Diane , Lang Aimee , Scordino Jonathan
Published: July 2022

The goal of the present study was to carry out a thorough methodological validation and describe baseline profiles for glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol and corticosterone) in blubber from blue (n = 77) and gray (n = 103) whales from the eastern North Pacific Ocean. For each species, we modelled cortisol and corticosterone concentrations in response to life history parameters (age, sex, reproductive status) and season or geographic location. In blue whales, cortisol concentrations did not vary significantly by age class, sex, or reproductive status, whereas corticosterone was significantly lower in immature than in adult females (p < .001). In gray whales, cortisol concentrations were significantly higher in lactating whales (p < .05), while corticosterone was significantly different between females and males (p = .001) and elevated in calves (p = .003). In gray whales, corticosterone concentrations were significantly lower in males sampled later in the year (August to November) compared to both sexes sampled between March and August (p = .05), but no seasonal trend occurred in blue whales. Our results indicate that glucocorticoid actions vary between species and sex in large whales. Analysis of multiple hormones improves our understanding of the physiology of maintaining metabolic homeostasis or coping with chronic stressors.
What is a Worldview? Some Suggestions from the History of the Concept
Authors: Alessiato Elena Paola Carola
Published: July 2022

The word “worldview” comes from German philosophy and literally means an all‐inclusive “vision of the world.” Nowadays, the word has a more generic cultural or geopolitical usage, often associated with an equivocal or indefinite meaning. This article looks at the history of the word and clarifies its meaning and implications. For such an analysis, two thinkers, Wilhelm Dilthey and Karl Jaspers, both of whom thematized the concept of Weltanschauung at the beginning of the twentieth century, will be taken into account. What follows is a brief depiction of some peculiar and constitutive traits of the concept: its composite nature; its connection to life; its value in general; and its value for each individual who holds a worldview. The article suggests that the potential conflictuality between contrary or competing worldviews is not accidental; rather, it is an inherent aspect of the concept, at whose core is a delicate balance between internal strength and external challenge, referred to here as “the vitality paradox” of a worldview.
ATP depletion plays a pivotal role in self‐incompatibility, revealing a link between cellular energy status, cytosolic acidification and actin remodelling in pollen tubes
Authors: Wang Ludi , Lin Zongcheng , Carli José , Gladala‐Kostarz Agnieszka , Davies Julia M. , Franklin‐Tong Vernonica E. , Bosch Maurice
Published: July 2022

Self‐incompatibility (SI) involves specific interactions during pollination to reject incompatible (‘self’) pollen, preventing inbreeding in angiosperms. A key event observed in pollen undergoing the Papaver rhoeas SI response is the formation of punctate F‐actin foci.

Pollen tube growth is heavily energy‐dependent, yet ATP levels in pollen tubes have not been directly measured during SI. Here we used transgenic Arabidopsis lines expressing the Papaver pollen S‐determinant to investigate a possible link between ATP levels, cytosolic pH ([pH]cyt) and alterations to the actin cytoskeleton.

We identify for the first time that SI triggers a rapid and significant ATP depletion in pollen tubes. Artificial depletion of ATP triggered cytosolic acidification and formation of actin aggregates. We also identify in vivo, evidence for a threshold [pH]cyt of 5.8 for actin foci formation. Imaging revealed that SI stimulates acidic cytosolic patches adjacent to the plasma membrane.

In conclusion, this study provides evidence that ATP depletion plays a pivotal role in SI upstream of programmed cell death and reveals a link between the cellular energy status, cytosolic acidification and alterations to the actin cytoskeleton in regulating Papaver SI in pollen tubes.
A mathematical model for inter‐specific interactions in seagrasses
Authors: Llabrés Eva , Mayol Elvira , Marbà Núria , Sintes Tomàs
Published: July 2022

Seagrasses are vital organisms in coastal waters, and the drastic demise of their population in the last decades has worrying implications for marine ecosystems. Spatial models for seagrass meadows provide a mathematical framework to study their dynamical processes and emergent collective behavior. These models are crucial to predict the response of seagrasses to different global warming scenarios, analyze the resilience of existing seagrass distributions, and optimize restoration strategies. In this article, we propose a model that includes interactions among different species based on the clonal growth of seagrasses. We present a theoretical analysis of the model considering the specific case of the seagrass–seaweed interaction between Cymodocea nodosa and Caulerpa prolifera. Our simulations successfully reproduce field observations of shoot densities in mixed meadows in the Ebro River Delta in the Mediterranean Sea. Besides, the proposed model allows us to investigate the possible underlying mechanisms that mediate the interaction among the two macrophytes.
Accommodation lags are higher in myopia than in emmetropia: Measurement methods and metrics matter
Authors: Kaphle Dinesh , Varnas Saulius R. , Schmid Katrina L. , Suheimat Marwan , Leube Alexander , Atchison David A.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

To determine whether accommodative errors in emmetropes and myopes are systematically different, and the effect of using different instruments and metrics.

Methods

Seventy‐six adults aged 18–27 years comprising 24 emmetropes (spherical equivalent refraction of the dominant eye +0.04 ± 0.03 D) and 52 myopes (−2.73 ± 0.22 D) were included. Accommodation responses were measured with a Grand Seiko WAM‐5500 and a Hartmann–Shack Complete Ophthalmic Analysis System aberrometer, using pupil plane (Zernike and Seidel refraction) and retinal image plane (neural sharpness—NS; and visual Strehl ratio for modulation transfer function—VSMTF) metrics at 40, 33 and 25 cm. Accommodation stimuli were presented to the corrected dominant eye, and responses, referenced to the corneal plane, were determined in the fellow eye. Linear mixed‐effects models were used to determine influence of the refractive group, the measurement method, accommodation stimulus, age, race, parental myopia, gender and binocular measures of heterophoria, accommodative convergence/accommodation and convergence accommodation/convergence ratios.

Results

Lags of accommodation were affected significantly by the measurement method (p < 0.001), the refractive group (p = 0.003), near heterophoria (p = 0.002) and accommodative stimulus (p < 0.05), with significant interactions between some of these variables. Overall, emmetropes had smaller lags of accommodation than myopes with respective means ± standard errors of 0.31 ± 0.08 D and 0.61 ± 0.06 D (p = 0.003). Lags were largest for the Grand Seiko and Zernike defocus, intermediate for NS and VSMTF, and least for Seidel defocus.

Conclusions

The mean lag of accommodation in emmetropes is approximately equal to the previously reported depth of focus. Myopes had larger (double) lags than emmetropes. Differences between methods and instruments could be as great as 0.50 D, and this must be considered when comparing studies and outcomes. Accommodative lag increased with the accommodation stimulus, but only for methods using a fixed small pupil diameter.
Surgical Treatment of Vertical Shear Pelvic Fracture Associated with a Lumbosacral Plexus Injury through the Lateral‐Rectus Approach: Surgical Techniques and Preliminary Outcomes
Authors: Zhan Xiaorui , Xu Kangshuai , Zheng Qiubao , Chen Sheqiang , Li Jiacheng , Huang Hai , Chen Yuhui , Yang Cheng , Fan Shicai
Published: July 2022

Objective

To examine the surgical techniques and preliminary outcomes of the lateral rectus approach (LRA) for treating vertical shear (VS) pelvic fracture associated with lumbosacral plexus (LSP) injury.

Methods

This study was a retrospective trial. From August 2010 to October 2017, 29 patients withVSpelvic fractures involving LSP injury who were treated with the LRA were included in this study. The patients were 18–61 years old, with a mean age of 36.2 years. All patients underwent neurolysis, open reduction, and internal fixation (ORIF) through the LRA. The fracture reduction was evaluated using the Matta criteria, and the neural recovery was evaluated by muscle strength grading proposed by the British Medical Research Council (BMRC).

Results

All 29 patients underwent the surgery successfully. The mean operating time was 155.2 ± 32.1 min (range: 105–220 min). The mean operative blood loss was 1021.4 ± 363.4 mL (range: 400–2000 mL). All patients were followed‐up for at least 24 months (mean, 32.8 ± 13.5 months; range: 24–96 months). According to the Matta criteria, there were 17 excellent cases, nine good cases, and three fair cases in 29 patients. The ratio of excellent‐to‐good cases was 89.66%. According to the criteria of the Nerve Injuries Committee of the British Medical Research Council (BMRC), the recovery of nerve and muscle strength achieved to M5 (full recovery of neurological symptoms) was 14 cases, M4 (fine recovery of neurological symptoms), seven cases; M1, M2, and M3 (partial recovery of neurological symptoms), five cases, and M0 (no recovery of neurological symptoms), three cases.

Conclusions

LRA is a safe and feasible surgical approach for treatingVSpelvic fractures with LSP injury, which can be used to perform nerve exploration and release from the front, reduce the fracture, and fix it with the anterior iliac plates and/or sacroiliac screws.
THEORIA TO THEORY (AND BACK AGAIN): INTEGRATING MASTERMAN'S WRITINGS ON LANGUAGE AND RELIGION
Authors: Wiseman Harris
Published: July 2022

This article explores three aspects of Masterman's language work and applies them to questions of spiritual intelligence: metaphor, coherence, and ambiguity. First, metaphor, which is ubiquitous in ordinary language, both leads and misleads in religious and scientific understanding. Masterman's case for a “dual‐approach” to thinking, both speculative and critical, is explored and tied to concepts of moral‐spiritual development per Pierre Hadot and Hannah Arendt. Second, Masterman's work on machine translation presents semantic disambiguation as an emerging coherence wherein one gradually hones in on meaning through features of ordinary language (like redundancy and repetition). This is applied to the problem of comprehending difficult spiritual language, and tied to spiritual stretching and spiritual cartography. Third, Masterman's work with thesauri, rather than relying on words as having fixed meanings, appeals to a concept of semantic spaces, nebulae of variously interconnected meanings. This is constructed into an exhortation to reambiguate overfamiliar religious language, to reinvest one's quotidian surroundings with spiritual meaning through defamilarization.
Standard intensities of transcranial alternating current stimulation over the motor cortex do not entrain corticospinal inputs to motor neurons
Authors: Ibáñez Jaime , Zicher Blanka , Brown Katlyn E. , Rocchi Lorenzo , Casolo Andrea , Del Vecchio Alessandro , Spampinato Danny , Vollette Carole‐Anne , Rothwell John C. , Baker Stuart N. , Farina Dario
Published: July 2022

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (TACS) is commonly used to synchronize a cortical area and its outputs to the stimulus waveform, but gathering evidence for this based on brain recordings in humans is challenging. The corticospinal tract transmits beta oscillations (∼21 Hz) from the motor cortex to tonically contracted limb muscles linearly. Therefore, muscle activity may be used to measure the level of beta entrainment in the corticospinal tract due to TACS over the motor cortex. Here, we assessed whether TACS is able to modulate the neural inputs to muscles, which would provide indirect evidence for TACS‐driven neural entrainment. In the first part of the study, we ran simulations of motor neuron (MN) pools receiving inputs from corticospinal neurons with different levels of beta entrainment. Results suggest that MNs are highly sensitive to changes in corticospinal beta activity. Then, we ran experiments on healthy human subjects (N = 10) in which TACS (at 1 mA) was delivered over the motor cortex at 21 Hz (beta stimulation), or at 7 Hz or 40 Hz (control conditions) while the abductor digiti minimi or the tibialis anterior muscle were tonically contracted. Muscle activity was measured using high‐density electromyography, which allowed us to decompose the activity of pools of motor units innervating the muscles. By analysing motor unit pool activity, we observed that none of the TACS conditions could consistently alter the spectral contents of the common neural inputs received by the muscles. These results suggest that 1 mA TACS over the motor cortex given at beta frequencies does not entrain corticospinal activity.

image

Key points

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (TACS) is commonly used to entrain the communication between brain regions.

It is challenging to find direct evidence supporting TACS‐driven neural entrainment due to the technical difficulties in recording brain activity during stimulation.

Computational simulations of motor neuron pools receiving common inputs in the beta (∼21 Hz) band indicate that motor neurons are highly sensitive to corticospinal beta entrainment.

Motor unit activity from human muscles does not support TACS‐driven corticospinal entrainment.
A Magnetic-Impulse Rapper System for Electrical Precipitators
Authors: Hall H. J. , Pierson T. A.
Published: July 2022

Considerable effort is being made to reduce atmospheric pollution from industrial fumes and dusts. Attendant with this effort is the problem of transferring waste products, trapped on electrodes of electrical precipitators, to hoppers. Loss or disturbance of waste material or interference with the collecting unit must be minimized. Traditional methods of “rapping” the electrodes to dislodge the collected material leaves much to be desired. Therefore a new method utilizing the magnetic-impulse rapper was developed to provide the continuous rapping needed to convert precipitation from a variable batch process to a continuous and uniform process. This paper discusses the historical background, operating characteristics, design considerations, and application of the electromagnetic-rapper system.
Transient Gas-Flame Temperatures in a Spherical Bomb
Authors: Miao Y. M. , Price T. W. , Potter J. H.
Published: July 2022

The transient-flame temperature in a gaseous mixture, burning in a constant-volume spherical vessel from a point of central ignition, has long been of interest. Flamm and Mache developed a theoretical analysis relating the adiabatic temperature distribution to measured values of the bomb pressure. In this investigation a modified sodium D-line method was used to determine temperatures at several radii on a spherical vessel. Pressure measurements also were taken. Comparison is offered between the measured transient-flame temperatures and those computed from the Flamm and Mache equations.
Determination of the Thermal Conductivity of Molten Lithium
Authors: Webber Henry A. , Goldstein David , Fellinger Robert C.
Published: July 2022

In the present investigation conductivity coefficients for 99.8 per cent pure lithium were measured over the range 420 to 1002 F. Lithium showed a value of 26 and 18 Btu/hr sq ft deg F/ft at 420 F and 1002 F, respectively. Measurements based on an absolute heat input proved unreliable. The results were based on a temperature gradient measured in an Armco iron heat sink, the thermal conductivity of which appears in the published literature. The estimated error of the results was ±10 per cent.
Elastic Constants and Coefficients of Thermal Expansion of Piping Materials Proposed for 1954 Code for Pressure Piping
Authors: Michel Rudolph
Published: July 2022

In June, 1951, the Committee on Piping Flexibility of the American Standards Association, designated as ASA Committee B-31, met in order to consider a revision of the Code for Pressure Piping. The work of Committee B-31 was carried on by three subgroups of which Subgroup No. 2 was given the task of preparing data on elastic constants and coefficients of thermal expansion of piping materials. Since the new edition of the Code for Pressure Piping will contain only tabulated values of the subject matter, it was felt by ranking members of the B-31 Committee that a more detailed explanation of the sources of data and their probable accuracy would be helpful to users of the Code. The tabulated data presented herein is proposed for inclusion in the 1954 edition of the Code for Pressure Piping and is published to invite criticism and comment.
Pulsation Absorbers for Reciprocating Pumps
Authors: Chilton E. G. , Handley L. R.
Published: July 2022

Pulsation absorbers (or surge bottles) are often required in reciprocating-pump installations where pipe vibration, flowmeter errors, and other disadvantages of pulsating flow must be eliminated. Graphs are presented, based on theoretical analyses, for sizing such absorbers for any given installation and desired pulsation amplitude. Experiments with a laboratory unit as well as a few full-scale plant installations confirm the theoretical results. Recommendations also are made for certain important design details.
The Mechanics of the Simple Shearing Process During Orthogonal Machining
Authors: Shaffer Bernard W.
Published: July 2022

In the orthogonal machining operation, a continuous chip is often produced by the simple shearing process, which is characterized by the existence of a shear line extending from the tip of the tool to the intersection of the free surfaces of the workpiece and chip. Chip formation by this process is analyzed, and analytical expressions are developed for the force required to machine a given material with a tool having a prescribed coefficient of friction. It is found that when the friction angle is less than the rake angle, the solution is obtained by seeking the condition for which the machining force is a minimum. However, for the more common case, when the friction angle is greater than the rake angle, the solution is obtained by seeking the machining force for which there exists a limiting stress distribution within the chip. Both these solutions are developed from a common foundation. Expressions also are derived for the chip-thickness ratio, as well as for the deformation to be expected when an initially squared grid is embedded in the material being cut.
Turbine-Blade Vibration and Strength
Authors: Trumpler W. E. , Owens H. M.
Published: July 2022

In the design of turbines, the strength of the blades is a matter of great importance since blading is the heart of the turbine. The authors discuss the factors which affect the strength of turbine blades and show what recent progress has been made and what studies are under way toward improved blade designs. The discussion is limited to the full-admission type of blade row which is subjected to steam flow through its full annulus, the most common type of blade row. A discussion of the problems of designing partial-admission rows was given by R. P. Kroon in a paper presented before the Society in 1939.
The Economics of Large Reheat Turbine-Exhaust-End Size Selection
Authors: Morgan D. W. R. , Fulton S. D.
Published: July 2022

The purpose of this paper is to provide a method and tools for making a study, at capability performance, of large reheat-steam-turbine exhaust-end size, and of those other plant components which are affected by the heat rejected to the condenser. The result of this type of study will lead to an economic evaluation and selection of appropriate turbine-exhaust ends. It is often desirable to investigate the effect on over-all plant performance and gross cost of operation, including investment and fixed charges of the various turbine-exhaust-stage annuli available on alternative units of large ratings. This paper does not attempt to provide exact or final answers; but it will measure principal factors and indicate whether a given situation warrants a more detailed study.
Design of Power-Plant Tests to Insure Reliability of Results
Authors: Wilson W. A.
Published: July 2022

This paper deals with the application of uncertainty analysis to the planning of tests. A technique for defining alternative features of test design and of choosing between them is discussed. It is shown that one automatically makes most of the important decisions with respect to test setup and procedure in the course of the uncertainty analysis.
The Latexing and Hot-Stretching of Tire-Cord Fabrics With Special Emphasis on Nylon
Authors: Litzler C. A.
Published: July 2022

It is estimated that 1.67 billions of tires have been made in the United States since the advent of the motorcar and truck. There have been many types of tire constructions, tread designs, and manufacturing methods; however, now practically all tires have the same general construction design. Processing of both the fabric body and the rubber stocks has improved greatly. These improvements have resulted in a better tire with longer mileage capacity and much better service life. This paper deals specifically with cord fabrics as used in passenger and truck tires and summarizes the general processing requirements and techniques as carried on in the United States. Emphasis is placed on nylon fabric, principally because of the present tendencies of the American manufacturers to accept nylon-cord fabric as being superior to cotton and rayon for many important tire-cord requirements.
Conveying Equipment in Cane-Sugar Mills
Authors: Rinelli C. Conrad
Published: July 2022

This paper is a discussion of the value and function of conveyers in cane-sugar mills. It further deals with some of the basic factors and considerations involved in their operation. A solution of several problems of mechanical handling also is offered. Considerable emphasis has been placed on the application of chains, slats, sprockets, and other moving parts of the main conveyers and elevators in various sizes of cane-sugar mills.
A New Approach to Metal-Forming Problems: Experimental Stress Analysis for a Tubular Extrusion
Authors: Thomsen E. G.
Published: July 2022

An incremental inverted extrusion process was used to obtain magnitude and direction of particle velocities in a billet during the pressing of a tubular product. The material chosen was commercially pure lead which can be hot-worked at room temperature and is believed to be a representative species of hot-worked metals. The reported graphical technique using experimental data is applied to a problem presently insolvable by analytical methods. It was found that both axial stresses and mean pressures in the region of the die were higher on the extrusion axis and near the cylinder wall than in the central region of the billet. This stress distribution is appreciably different from that of a solid extrusion for the same reduction in area. The present solution is a distinct advance in the direction of understanding three-dimensional metal-forming problems.
Bagasse-Burning in the Mexican Sugar Industry
Authors: de Lorenzi Otto
Published: July 2022

Bagasse is the principal source of heat for the production of raw sugar. Early furnace designs were satisfactory from the standpoint of operation and steam output during the period when labor was plentiful and this by-product fuel was assigned little or no value. Rising costs of fuel, equipment, repairs, and wages, however, have altered this picture materially. Older plants consisted in a multiplicity of small boilers with refractory hearth-type furnaces. Operating efficiency was low, and steam output dropped during long periodic hearth-cleaning periods. These designs are definitely outmoded through the rapid advances which have been made during the past 10 years. Newer designs of steam-generating units now incorporate spreader stokers, water-cooled furnaces, bent-tube boilers, superheaters, air heaters, and bagacillo-return systems. They have more flexibility, greater capacity, higher efficiency, and are less subject to operational interruption. Many units of this type have now been in operation for considerable periods of time in practically all of the world’s raw-sugar-producing areas. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss, primarily, the operating characteristics of this new design as experienced with installations in Mexico. Comparative data also will be presented to stress normal operating differences between hearth-type and spreader-fired unit.
The Combustion-Efficiency Problem of the Turbojet at High Altitude
Authors: Olson W. T. , Childs J. H. , Jonash E. R.
Published: July 2022

This paper discusses NACA research on the single problem of combustion efficiency of turbojet engines at high altitudes. Representative results of investigations with turbojet combustors are presented to illustrate the trends obtained with the following categories of variables: (a) Combustor operating variables, (b) combustor design variables, and (c) fuel variables. The data indicate that as the environment of the combustor becomes one of low pressure and low temperature at high altitude, low combustion efficiencies and limited values of obtainable temperature rise are encountered. Increased cross-sectional area of combustor for a given weight flow of air decreased velocities and facilitated high combustion efficiency at altitude. For the design of the liner, increased volume in the flame zone and gradual admission of the air into the combustion space were shown to aid combustion by helping to provide that localized fuel-air mixtures of correct composition exist sufficiently long for ignition and combustion to occur. For high combustion efficiency to occur, all of the fuel must be involved in this manner, and it was shown that the combustor design, the fuel injection, and the fuel volatility must be matched if optimum combustion efficiency is to be achieved. Further, it was shown that, for a given combustor, fuel injector, and fuel volatility, fuels of higher flame speed and/or lower ignition temperatures gave higher combustion efficiency at high-altitude operating conditions.
The Grinding of Titanium Alloys
Authors: Yang C. T. , Shaw M. C.
Published: July 2022

When titanium is ground under conventional conditions the rate of wheel wear is abnormally high and the finish produced is poor. Improvement in surface finish accompanies a decrease in wheel-wear rate. A study of the influence of a wide variety of operating and grinding-wheel variables reveals the most important quantities to be grinding-wheel speed, type of abrasive, and grinding fluid. When a wheel speed of 1500 to 2000 fpm is used with a suitable fluid and a white-aluminum-oxide wheel of conventional hardness, grain size, and bonding, greatly improved results are obtained. All of the observations that have been made can be explained in terms of the assumption that bonding between titanium chips and abrasive grains is of major importance. While most of the experiments and discussion are centered around the surface-grinding operation, cylindrical grinding and the cut-off operations also are considered.
Working-Stress Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Langer B. F.
Published: July 2022

There are two respects in which strength calculations for nuclear-power-plant components may differ from calculations made for conventional heat-power or process equipment. One is the greater importance of thermal stresses resulting from the generation of heat inside the material of the structure, and the other is the frequent use of unfamiliar materials. In this paper a method is proposed for combining the stresses produced by fluid pressure with those produced by thermal gradients in order to arrive at a practical estimate of the factor of safety in a structure such as a pressure vessel. Because of the relaxation of thermal stress it is possible to show that certain operating conditions are really safe even though a simple addition of pressure stress and thermal stress gives too high a value. A discussion is given of the relative importance in reactor design of such physical properties as ductility, creep, endurance limit, creep-rupture strength, impact strength, and notch sensitivity.
An Investigation of the Melting of Bodies Due to Aerodynamic Heating
Authors: McLellan C. H.
Published: July 2022

Various approaches to the aerodynamic heating problem of bodies re-entering the atmosphere are considered briefly. One approach to this problem is to allow the heat to be absorbed by the body. At very high supersonic velocities, part of the body can be expected to melt. An analysis of a high-density conical-nosed vehicle entering the atmosphere at a speed of 20,200 fps showed that, in addition to the melting at the tip of the cone, the temperature gradients through the skin become very large and, under some conditions, surface melting would occur on the cone as well. Since very little was known about the melting of bodies due to aerodynamic heating, an exploratory investigation was made in the Langley 11-Inch Hypersonic Tunnel. The results of melting tests of several bodies made of a low-melting-temperature alloy are discussed.
Problems in the Design of Aircraft Subjected to High Temperature
Authors: Steinbacher F. R. , Young Louis
Published: July 2022

Design problems associated with the high temperatures of supersonic flight are discussed. Factors, affecting choice of materials, significant changes in methods of analysis and allowable loads, and the need for a new safety criterion, are covered. The importance of the various factors influencing high-temperature design are evaluated and some indication of the direction, future research should take, is given.
Important Considerations in the Use of the Wind Tunnel for Pollution Studies of Power Plants
Authors: Strom G. H. , Halitsky James
Published: July 2022

The theoretical bases for wind-tunnel experiments on stack-gas pollution by power plants are examined and important variables and scale factors are presented. Test results are presented to show some effects of these variables. The test procedure now in use at the New York University 3½ by 7-ft wind tunnel is described. Correlation with limited field data is presented with a discussion on accuracy of wind-tunnel experiments.
Approximate Synthesis of Four-Bar Linkages
Authors: Freudenstein Ferdinand
Published: July 2022

Formulas are presented for obtaining the characteristics of a four-bar linkage, designed to generate an arbitrary function approximately over a finite range. A number of methods of varying degrees of accuracy and complexity have been developed, enabling a designer to select the one best suited to his requirements.