Detection of aphid migrations in Finland

Our insect immigration warning system was built on the atmospheric dispersion model that has been used in predicting long-range transport of airborne pollen. We observed immigrations with a trap network consisting of rotating tow-nets, yellow sticky traps, and suction traps. Based on our studies the aphids can be detected with radars when they occur in large numbers

NMR Experiments on Rotating Superfluid 3He-A : Evidence for Vorticity

Experiments on rotating superfluid 3He-A in an open cylindrical geometry show a change in the NMR line shape as a result of rotation: The amplitude of the peak decreases in proportion to f(T)g(Ω), where Ω is the angular velocity of rotation; at the same time the line broadens. Near Tc, f(T) is a linear function of 1−T/Tc. At small velocities g(Ω)∝Ω. These observations are consistent with the existence of vortices in rotating 3He-A.Peer reviewe

Brain glucose sensors play a significant role in the regulation of pancreatic glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.

As patients decline from health to type 2 diabetes, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) typically becomes impaired. Although GSIS is driven predominantly by direct sensing of a rise in blood glucose by pancreatic β-cells, there is growing evidence that hypothalamic neurons control other aspects of peripheral glucose metabolism. Here we investigated the role of the brain in the modulation of GSIS. To examine the effects of increasing or decreasing hypothalamic glucose sensing on glucose tolerance and insulin secretion, glucose or inhibitors of glucokinase, respectively, were infused into the third ventricle during intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTTs). Glucose-infused rats displayed improved glucose handling, particularly within the first few minutes of the IVGTT, with a significantly lower area under the excursion curve within the first 10 min (AUC0-10). This was explained by increased insulin secretion. In contrast, infusion of the glucokinase inhibitors glucosamine or mannoheptulose worsened glucose tolerance and decreased GSIS in the first few minutes of IVGTT. Our data suggest a role for brain glucose sensors in the regulation of GSIS, particularly during the early phase. We propose that pharmacological agents targeting hypothalamic glucose-sensing pathways may represent novel therapeutic strategies for enhancing early phase insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes

Identifying cognitive distraction using steering wheel reversal rates

The influence of driver distraction on driving performance is not yet well understood, but it can have detrimental effects on road safety. In this study, we examined the effects of visual and non-visual distractions during driving, using a high-fidelity driving simulator. The visual task was presented either at an offset angle on an in-vehicle screen, or on the back of a moving lead vehicle. Similar to results from previous studies in this area, non-visual (cognitive) distraction resulted in improved lane keeping performance and increased gaze concentration towards the centre of the road, compared to baseline driving, and further examination of the steering control metrics indicated an increase in steering wheel reversal rates, steering wheel acceleration, and steering entropy. We show, for the first time, that when the visual task is presented centrally, drivers’ lane deviation reduces (similar to non-visual distraction), whilst measures of steering control, overall, indicated more steering activity, compared to baseline. When using a visual task that required the diversion of gaze to an in-vehicle display, but without a manual element, lane keeping performance was similar to baseline driving. Steering wheel reversal rates were found to adequately tease apart the effects of non-visual distraction (increase of 0.5 degree reversals) and visual distraction with offset gaze direction (increase of 2.5 degree reversals). These findings are discussed in terms of steering control during different types of in-vehicle distraction, and the possible role of manual interference by distracting secondary tasks

Effect of Sub-Lethal Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation on the Escape Performance of Atlantic Cod Larvae (Gadus morhua)

The amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the earth's surface has increased due to depletion of the ozone layer. Several studies have reported that UV radiation reduces survival of fish larvae. However, indirect and sub-lethal impacts of UV radiation on fish behavior have been given little consideration. We observed the escape performance of larval cod (24 dph, SL: 7.6±0.2 mm; 29 dph, SL: 8.2±0.3 mm) that had been exposed to sub-lethal levels of UV radiation vs. unexposed controls. Two predators were used (in separate experiments): two-spotted goby (Gobiusculus flavescens; a suction predator) and lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata; a “passive" ambush predator). Ten cod larvae were observed in the presence of a predator for 20 minutes using a digital video camera. Trials were replicated 4 times for goby and 5 times for jellyfish. Escape rate (total number of escapes/total number of attacks ×100), escape distance and the number of larvae remaining at the end of the experiment were measured. In the experiment with gobies, in the UV-treated larvae, both escape rate and escape distance (36%, 38±7.5 mm respectively) were significantly lower than those of control larvae (75%, 69±4.7 mm respectively). There was a significant difference in survival as well (UV: 35%, Control: 63%). No apparent escape response was observed, and survival rate was not significantly different, between treatments (UV: 66%, Control: 74%) in the experiment with jellyfish. We conclude that the effect and impact of exposure to sub-lethal levels of UV radiation on the escape performance of cod larvae depends on the type of predator. Our results also suggest that prediction of UV impacts on fish larvae based only on direct effects are underestimations

Molecular reductions in glucokinase activity increase counter-regulatory responses to hypoglycemia in mice and humans with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Appropriate glucose levels are essential for survival; thus, the detection and correction of low blood glucose is of paramount importance. Hypoglycemia prompts an integrated response involving reduction in insulin release and secretion of key counter-regulatory hormones glucagon and epinephrine that together promote endogenous glucose production to restore normoglycemia. However, specifically how this response is orchestrated remains to be fully clarified. The low affinity hexokinase glucokinase is found in glucose-sensing cells involved in glucose homeostasis including pancreatic β-cells and in certain brain areas. Here, we aimed to examine the role of glucokinase in triggering counter-regulatory hormonal responses to hypoglycemia, hypothesizing that reduced glucokinase activity would lead to increased and/or earlier triggering of responses. METHODS: Hyperinsulinemic glucose clamps were performed to examine counter-regulatory responses to controlled hypoglycemic challenges created in humans with monogenic diabetes resulting from heterozygous glucokinase mutations (GCK-MODY). To examine the relative importance of glucokinase in different sensing areas, we then examined responses to clamped hypoglycemia in mice with molecularly defined disruption of whole body and/or brain glucokinase. RESULTS: GCK-MODY patients displayed increased and earlier glucagon responses during hypoglycemia compared with a group of glycemia-matched patients with type 2 diabetes. Consistent with this, glucagon responses to hypoglycemia were also increased in I366F mice with mutated glucokinase and in streptozotocin-treated β-cell ablated diabetic I366F mice. Glucagon responses were normal in conditional brain glucokinase-knockout mice, suggesting that glucagon release during hypoglycemia is controlled by glucokinase-mediated glucose sensing outside the brain but not in β-cells. For epinephrine, we found increased responses in GCK-MODY patients, in β-cell ablated diabetic I366F mice and in conditional (nestin lineage) brain glucokinase-knockout mice, supporting a role for brain glucokinase in triggering epinephrine release. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that glucokinase in brain and other non β-cell peripheral hypoglycemia sensors is important in glucose homeostasis, allowing the body to detect and respond to a falling blood glucose.Yousef Jameel Fund Sir Jukes Thorn Trust Elmore Fund Chang Gung University College of Medicin

Beyond RMSE: Do machine-learned models of road user interaction produce human-like behavior?

Autonomous vehicles use a variety of sensors and machine-learned models to predict the behavior of surrounding road users. Most of the machine-learned models in the literature focus on quantitative error metrics like the root mean square error (RMSE) to learn and report their models' capabilities. This focus on quantitative error metrics tends to ignore the more important behavioral aspect of the models, raising the question of whether these models really predict human-like behavior. Thus, we propose to analyze the output of machine-learned models much like we would analyze human data in conventional behavioral research. We introduce quantitative metrics to demonstrate presence of three different behavioral phenomena in a naturalistic highway driving dataset: 1) The kinematics-dependence of who passes a merging point first 2) Lane change by an on-highway vehicle to accommodate an on-ramp vehicle 3) Lane changes by vehicles on the highway to avoid lead vehicle conflicts. Then, we analyze the behavior of three machine-learned models using the same metrics. Even though the models' RMSE value differed, all the models captured the kinematic-dependent merging behavior but struggled at varying degrees to capture the more nuanced courtesy lane change and highway lane change behavior. Additionally, the collision aversion analysis during lane changes showed that the models struggled to capture the physical aspect of human driving: leaving adequate gap between the vehicles. Thus, our analysis highlighted the inadequacy of simple quantitative metrics and the need to take a broader behavioral perspective when analyzing machine-learned models of human driving predictions

Road users rarely use explicit communication when interacting in today’s traffic: Implications for Automated Vehicles

To be successful, automated vehicles (AVs) need to be able to manoeuvre in mixed traffic in a way that will be accepted by road users, and maximises traffic safety and efficiency. A likely prerequisite for this success is for AVs to be able to communicate effectively with other road users in a complex traffic environment. The current study, conducted as part of the European project interACT, investigates the communication strategies used by drivers and pedestrians while crossing the road at six observed locations, across three European countries. In total, 701 road user interactions were observed and annotated, using an observation protocol developed for this purpose. The observation protocols identified 20 event categories, observed from the approaching vehicles/drivers and pedestrians. These included information about movement, looking behaviour, hand gestures, and signals used, as well as some demographic data. These observations illustrated that explicit communication techniques, such as honking, flashing headlights by drivers, or hand gestures by drivers and pedestrians, rarely occurred. This observation was consistent across sites. In addition, a follow-on questionnaire, administered to a sub-set of the observed pedestrians after crossing the road, found that when contemplating a crossing, pedestrians were more likely to use vehicle-based behaviour, rather than communication cues from the driver. Overall, the findings suggest that vehicle-based movement information such as yielding cues are more likely to be used by pedestrians while crossing the road, compared to explicit communication cues from drivers, although some cultural differences were observed. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to design of suitable external interfaces and communication of intent by future automated vehicles