Optimization of Forged Magnesium Structural Automotive Components

In an ongoing search for better vehicle fuel economy, the automotive industry has put significant emphasis on the reduction of vehicle weight while retaining stringent safety, quality and performance standards. With its high specific stiffness, strength, and fatigue performance under typical automotive service conditions, forged magnesium is a potential material to fill these requirements. Investigating an existing front lower control arm, engineering specifications were developed to evaluate the performance of a forged magnesium replacement. Combining a design volume derived from a kinematic CAD model and the produced engineering specifications, an optimization design space was created, and a component optimized within it using Altair Optistruct. Based on this optimized result an initial design was created in CAD, and design-analysis iterations conducted until it was structurally equivalent to the baseline design. This initial detail design produced a mass savings of 39% over the benchmark cast aluminum control arm, and only failed to challenge it in fatigue. It is expected that future designs will improve fatigue performance with little added mass, while continuing to integrate improving knowledge about the forging and mechanical performance of magnesium alloys

Pathologic Thr 175 tau phosphorylation in CTE and CTE with ALS

Objective To investigate whether chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and CTE with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (CTE-ALS) exhibit features previously observed in other tauopathies of pathologic phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein tau at Thr 175 (pThr 175 tau) and Thr 231 (pThr 231 tau), and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) activation, and whether these pathologic features are a consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods Tau isoform expression was assayed by western blot in 6 stage III CTE cases. We also used immunohistochemistry to analyze 5 cases each of CTE, CTE-ALS, and 5 controls for expression of activated GSK3β, pThr 175 tau, pThr 231 tau, and oligomerized tau within spinal cord tissue and hippocampus. Using a rat model of moderate TBI, we assessed tau pathology and phospho-GSK3β expression at 3 months postinjury. Results CTE and CTE-ALS are characterized by the presence of all 6 tau isoforms in both soluble and insoluble tau isolates. Activated GSK3β, pThr 175 tau, pThr 231 tau, and oligomerized tau protein expression was observed in hippocampal neurons and spinal motor neurons. We observed tau neuronal pathology (fibrillar inclusions and axonal damage) and increased levels of pThr 175 tau and activated GSK3β in moderate TBI rats. Conclusions Pathologic phosphorylation of tau at Thr 175 and Thr 231 and activation of GSK3β are features of the tauopathy of CTE and CTE-ALS. These features can be replicated in an animal model of moderate TBI

Carbon Neutrality Should Not Be the End Goal: Lessons for Institutional Climate Action From U.S. Higher Education

Aggressive climate action pledges from governments, businesses and institutions have increasingly taken the form of commitments to net carbon neutrality. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are uniquely positioned to innovate in this area, and over 800 U.S. colleges and universities have pledged to achieve net carbon neutrality. Eleven leading U.S. HEIs have already attained this status. Here, we examine their approaches to achieving net carbon neutrality, highlighting risks associated with treating emissions reduction approaches such as carbon offsets, renewable energy certificates, and bioenergy as best practice in isolation from broader policy frameworks. While pursuing net carbon neutrality has led to important institutional shifts toward sustainability, the mix of approaches used by HEIs is out of alignment with a broader U.S. decarbonization roadmap; in aggregate, these carbon neutral schools underutilize electrification and new zero-carbon electricity. We conclude by envisioning how HEIs can refocus climate mitigation efforts towards decarbonization (with net carbon neutrality as a possible milestone), with an emphasis on actions that will help shift policy and markets at larger scales

Evaluating The Roles Of Visual Openness And Edge Effects On Nest-Site Selection And Reproductive Success In Grassland Birds

In some species, habitat edges (ecotones) affect nest-site selection and nesting success. Openness, or how visually open a habitat is, has recently been shown to influence grassland bird density and may affect nest-site selection, possibly by reducing the risk of predation on adults, nests, or both. Because edge and openness are correlated, it is possible that effects of openness have been overlooked or inappropriately ascribed to edge effects. We tested the roles of edges and visual openness in nest-site selection and nesting success of two grassland passerines, the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), in the Champlain Valley, Vermont. We also evaluated the sensitivity of our results to alternative definitions of edge on our landscape. Bobolink (n = 580) and Savannah Sparrow nests (n = 922) were located on seven hay fields and three pastures from 2002 to 2010. Both species avoided placing nests near edges and in less open habitat compared with expectations based on random placement. When the effects of openness and edge were separated, less open habitats were still avoided, but edge responses were less clear. These results were robust to different definitions of habitat edge. We found no strong relationships between either openness or edges and reproductive success (numbers of eggs and fledglings, percentage of eggs producing fledglings, and nest success), although there may be an edge-specific openness effect on timing of reproduction (clutch completion date). Our results support openness as an important factor in nest-site selection by grassland birds

Hard X-ray emission from a flare-related jet

<p><b>Aims:</b> We aim to understand the physical conditions in a jet event which occurred on the 22nd of August 2002, paying particular attention to evidence for non-thermal electrons in the jet material.</p> <p><b>Methods:</b> We investigate the flare impulsive phase using multiwavelength observations from the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) and the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) satellite missions, and the ground-based Nobeyama Radioheliograph (NoRH) and Radio Polarimeters (NoRP).</p> <p><b>Results:</b> We report what we believe to be the first observation of hard X-ray emission formed in a coronal jet. We present radio observations which confirm the presence of non-thermal electrons present in the jet at this time. The evolution of the event is best compared with the magnetic reconnection jet model in which emerging magnetic field interacts with the pre-existing coronal field. We calculate an apparent jet velocity of ~500 km s-1 which is consistent with model predictions for jet material accelerated by the <b>J</b> X <b>B</b> force resulting in a jet velocity of the order of the Alfvén speed (~100–1000 km s-1).</p&gt

Surgical ward rounds in England: a trainee-led multi-centre study of current practice

BACKGROUND: Recent guidance advocates daily consultant-led ward rounds, conducted in the morning with the presence of senior nursing staff and minimising patients on outlying wards. These recommendations aim to improve patient management through timely investigations, treatment and discharge. This study sought to evaluate the current surgical ward round practices in England. METHODS: Information regarding timing and staffing levels of surgical ward rounds was collected prospectively over a one-week period. The location of each patient was also documented. Two surgical trainee research collaboratives coordinated data collection from 19 hospitals and 13 surgical subspecialties. RESULTS: Data from 471 ward rounds involving 5622 patient encounters was obtained. 367 (77.9%) ward rounds commenced before 9am. Of 422 weekday rounds, 190 (45%) were consultant-led compared with 33 of the 49 (67%) weekend rounds. 2474 (44%) patients were seen with a nurse present. 1518 patients (27%) were classified as outliers, with 361 ward rounds (67%) reporting at least one outlying patient. CONCLUSION: Recommendations for daily consultant-led multi disciplinary ward rounds are poorly implemented in surgical practice, and patients continue to be managed on outlying wards. Although strategies may be employed to improve nursing attendance on ward rounds, substantial changes to workforce planning would be required to deliver daily consultant-led care. An increasing political focus on patient outcomes at weekends may prompt changes in these areas

Synergistic toxicity in an in vivo model of neurodegeneration through the co-expression of human TDP-43\u3csup\u3eM337V\u3c/sup\u3e and tau\u3csup\u3eT175D\u3c/sup\u3e protein

Although it has been suggested that the co-expression of multiple pathological proteins associated with neurodegeneration may act synergistically to induce more widespread neuropathology, experimental evidence of this is sparse. We have previously shown that the expression of Thr175Asp-tau (tauT175D) using somatic gene transfer with a stereotaxically-injected recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV9) vector induces tau pathology in rat hippocampus. In this study, we have examined whether the co-expression of human tauT175D with mutant human TDP-43 (TDP-43M337V) will act synergistically. Transgenic female Sprague-Dawley rats that inducibly express mutant human TDP-43M337V using the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) tetracycline response element (TRE) driver with activity modulating tetracycline-controlled transactivator (tTA) were utilized in these studies. Adult rats were injected with GFP-tagged tau protein constructs in a rAAV9 vector through bilateral stereotaxic injection into the hippocampus. Injected tau constructs were: wild-type GFP-tagged 2N4R human tau (tauWT; n = 8), GFP-tagged tauT175D 2N4R human tau (tauT175D, pseudophosphorylated, toxic variant, n = 8), and GFP (control, n = 8). Six months post-injection, mutant TDP-43M337V expression was induced for 30 days. Behaviour testing identified motor deficits within 3 weeks after TDP-43 expression irrespective of tau expression, though social behaviour and sensorimotor gating remained unchanged. Increased tau pathology was observed in the hippocampus of both tauWT and tauT175D expressing rats and tauT175D pathology was increased in the presence of cholinergic neuronal expression of human TDP-43M337V. These data indicate that co-expression of pathological TDP-43 and tau protein exacerbate the pathology associated with either individual protein

Diffuse Hard X-ray Emission in Starburst Galaxies as Synchrotron from Very High Energy Electrons

[Abdriged] The origin of the diffuse hard X-ray (2 - 10 keV) emission from starburst galaxies is a long-standing problem. We suggest that synchrotron emission of 10 - 100 TeV electrons and positrons (e+/-) can contribute to this emission, because starbursts have strong magnetic fields. We consider three sources of e+/- at these energies: (1) primary electrons directly accelerated by supernova remnants; (2) pionic secondary e+/- created by inelastic collisions between CR protons and gas nuclei in the dense ISMs of starbursts; (3) pair e+/- produced between the interactions between 10 - 100 TeV gamma-rays and the intense far-infrared (FIR) radiation fields of starbursts. We create one-zone steady-state models of the CR population in the Galactic Center (R <= 112 pc), NGC 253, M82, and Arp 220's nuclei, assuming a power law injection spectrum for electrons and protons. We compare these models to extant radio and GeV and TeV gamma-ray data for these starbursts, and calculate the diffuse synchrotron X-ray and Inverse Compton (IC) luminosities of these starbursts. If the primary electron spectrum extends to ~PeV energies and has a proton/electron injection ratio similar to the Galactic value, we find that synchrotron contributes 2 - 20% of their unresolved, diffuse hard X-ray emission. Inverse Compton emission is likewise a minority of the unresolved X-ray emission in these starbursts, from 0.1% in the Galactic Center to 10% in Arp 220's nuclei. We also model generic starbursts, including submillimeter galaxies, in the context of the FIR--X-ray relation, finding that up to 2% in the densest starbursts with our fiducial assumptions. Neutrino and TeV gamma-ray data can further constrain the synchrotron X-ray emission of starbursts. Our models do not constrain hard synchrotron X-ray emission from any additional hard components of primary e+/- from sources like pulsars in starbursts.Comment: Accepted by ApJ; 31 pages, emulateapj forma

The Nebraska State Capitol

A High Peak of Architectural Progress Some little while ago there appeared on this page a saying to the effect that progress is a blind succession of events fully exposed only through the agency of a capable interpreter. This issue of American Architect is proof of that contention. The Nebraska State Capitol—to which the issue is entirely devoted—is much more than an excellent example of unusual monumental design or even a symbol of democratic government. It marks an important period in the history of building progress. In many ways the architectural genius of Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue dramatized in this design a peak in the history of building accomplishment. As a break from the precedent of tradition the Nebraska State Capitol did much to advance a new and more virile architectural philosophy. From the engineering standpoint the building embodies the cumulative results of American energy, inventive skill and organizing ability; and from all combined points of view it stands as a remarkable interpretation of innumerable events that have shaped the progress of American art. industry and democratic government. For any one of these reasons American Archltect might be proud to publish the Nebraska State Capitol. In combination they make an entire issue necessary to present exclusively a most outstanding example of architectural progress. The Nebraska State Capitol — By Charles Harris Whitaker Highlights of The Capitol\u27s History — By John Edwards A Record of Successful Experiments — By Harry F. Cunningham, A.I.A Symbolism and Inscriptions — By Hartley B. Alexander, Hon. A.I.A. Color in the N ehraska StateCapitol Not in the Specifications — By Oscar H. Murray, A.I.A. An Outline of Mechanical Service Equipment — Meyer, Strong & Jones, Engineers The Story of the Capitol\u27s Construction — By Emile H. Praeger Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue • Exterior Views and Details of North Facade • Exterior Views and Details of South Facade • Plans, Elevations and Details • The Foyer • The Rotunda • The Senate Chamber • The House Chamber • Supreme Court Rooms • Memorial Hall • Governor\u27s Reception Room • Senate Lounge Cover Design by Ernest Born Acknowledgements • As It Looks to the Editors • Trends and Topics of the Times • The Readers Have a Word to Say • New Materials • Book

Gas and Star Formation in the Circinus Galaxy

We present a detailed study of the Circinus Galaxy, investigating its star formation, dust and gas properties both in the inner and outer disk. To achieve this, we obtained high-resolution Spitzer mid-infrared images with the IRAC (3.6, 5.8, 4.5, 8.0 micron) and MIPS (24 and 70 micron) instruments and sensitive HI data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) and the 64-m Parkes telescope. These were supplemented by CO maps from the Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope (SEST). Because Circinus is hidden behind the Galactic Plane, we demonstrate the careful removal of foreground stars as well as large- and small-scale Galactic emission from the Spitzer images. We derive a visual extinction of Av = 2.1 mag from the Spectral Energy Distribution of the Circinus Galaxy and total stellar and gas masses of 9.5 x 10^{10} Msun and 9 x 10^9 Msun, respectively. Using various wavelength calibrations, we find obscured global star formation rates between 3 and 8 Msun yr^{-1}. Star forming regions in the inner spiral arms of Circinus, which are rich in HI, are beautifully unveiled in the Spitzer 8 micron image. The latter is dominated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission from heated interstellar dust. We find a good correlation between the 8 micron emission in the arms and regions of dense HI gas. The (PAH 8 micron) / 24 micron surface brightness ratio shows significant variations across the disk of Circinus.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures. All figures have been compressed. Contact authors for original figures. Accepted by MNRA