Numerical Response Research Articles

Experimental evaluation of damping models for a nonlinear pendulum system

Popular damping models for a single pendulum system were experimentally evaluated in this study. The comparison between the numerical and experimental responses showed that neither linear viscous damping model nor squared velocity proportional viscous damping model was able to well capture the free vibration amplitudes of the pendulum in both large and small amplitude ranges. Specifically, the amplitudes of the numerical model with linear viscous damping decreased slower at the large amplitude vibration but faster at the small amplitude vibration than the experimental amplitudes did. The trend was reverse in the numerical model with the squared velocity proportional viscous damping model. Based on the experimental data and a numerical method combined with a fitting approach, a complete quadratic viscous damping model for the pendulum was derived. The model was able to confidently predict the free vibration amplitudes of the pendulum in both large and small amplitude ranges. This study provides analysts with the sense of the accuracy of some popular damping models for a nonlinear pendulum system. It also demonstrates the use of a fitting approach to retrieve physical properties of a system from experimental data. The contents of this paper are suitable for gifted high school students and undergraduate students.

Spatial-numerical associations of manual response codes are strongly asymmetrical

The spatial-numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect denotes the observation that humans respond faster and more accurately with a left-side response to smaller numbers and a right-side response to larger numbers, as compared to the opposite mapping. Existing accounts, such as the mental number line hypothesis or the polarity correspondence principle, differ in whether they assume symmetrical associations between numerical and spatial stimulus and response codes or not. In two experiments, we investigated the reciprocity of the SNARC effect in manual choice-response tasks with two conditions. In the number-location task, participants pressed a left or right key to a number stimulus (dots in Experiment 1, digits in Experiment 2). In the location-number task, participants made one or two consecutive keypresses with one hand to a left- or right-side stimulus. Both tasks were performed with a compatible (one-left, two-right; left-one, right-two) and an incompatible (one-right, two-left; left-two, right-one) mapping. In both experiments, results showed a strong compatibility effect in the number-location task, reflecting the typical SNARC effect. In contrast, in both experiments, there was no mapping effect in the location-number task when outliers were excluded. However, when outliers were not excluded, small reciprocal SNARC effects occurred in Experiment 2. Together, the findings suggest that priming of spatial responses by numerical stimuli is much stronger than priming of numerical responses by spatial stimuli. The results are consistent with some accounts of the SNARC effect (e.g., the mental number line hypothesis), but not with others (e.g., the polarity correspondence principle).

Treatment of older patients with multiple sclerosis: Results of an International Delphi Survey.

People over age 50-55 have historically been excluded from randomized clinical trials for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, more than half of those living with an MS diagnosis are over 55. Explore the unique considerations of treating older people with MS (PwMS) using an iterative and structured Delphi-based assessment to gather expert opinions. Eight MS neurologists with an interest in older PwMS developed a 2-round survey. Survey respondents were qualified neurologists with ≥3 years' experience, personally responsible for treatment decisions, and treating ≥20 patients per month, of whom ≥10% were ≥50 years old. Consensus was defined as ≥75% agreement on questions with categorical responses or as a mean score ≥4 on questions with numerical responses. In Survey 1, 224 neurologists responded; 180 of these completed Survey 2. Limited consensus was reached with varying levels of agreement on several topics including identification and assessment of older patients; factors relating to treatment decisions including immunosenescence and comorbidities; considerations for high-efficacy treatments; de-escalation or discontinuation of treatment; effects of COVID-19; and unmet needs for treating this population. The results of this Delphi process highlight the need for targeted studies to create guidance for the care of older PwMS.

Modelling the in-plane/out-of-plane interaction of brick and stone masonry structures using Applied Element Method

This research focuses on the numerical modelling of the seismic behaviour of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures with interconnected in-plane (IP) loaded and out-of-plane (OOP) loaded walls. The mechanical behaviour of such wall assemblies is complex and comparatively more challenging than that of isolated components, involving the interaction between interlocked orthogonal elements subjected to different load types. IP/OOP interaction phenomena are also challenging to model numerically, and their simulation is still relatively unexplored using the Applied Element Method (AEM) – the discrete simplified micro-modelling strategy employed in this paper. To fill this knowledge gap, the AEM is herein adopted to simulate the experimentally observed seismic behaviour of two URM building prototypes, one made of clay bricks and the other of stone blocks. The AEM models developed are calibrated and validated against previous experimental data, showing a satisfactory agreement between measured and numerical responses. In addition, a parametric study was performed using pushover analysis to investigate the influence of key material properties on the overall behaviour of the clay brick masonry specimen. The study suggests that the AEM models used in this study are suitable for conducting subsequent seismic assessment of URM structures with interlocked IP/OOP loaded walls, providing validated modelling strategies that can be useful to both researchers and engineering practitioners.

Numerical responses of the predatory mites, Cheyletus eruditus (Trombidiformes: Cheyletidae) and Cheyletus malaccensis, to Liposcelis decolor (Psocodea: Liposcelididae).

Predatory mites display diverse ecological mechanisms to suppress pest population density below certain thresholds known to cause economic loss. The current study explored the numerical responses of the predatory mites, Cheyletus eruditus (Schrank) (Trombidiformes: Cheyletidae) and Cheyletus malaccensis Oudemans, to Liposcelis decolor (Pearman) (Psocodea: Liposcelididae). The numerical responses of these 2 cheyletid mites to nymphs, adult males, and adult females of L. decolor were determined under laboratory conditions at 24 ± 1 °C, 85 ± 5 RH, and 0:24 (L:D) photoperiod. Oviposition rate, oviposition efficiency, and efficiency of conversion of ingested (ECI) food resources were the key numerical response parameters assessed. The present study revealed a general trend of a strong negative and positive correlation between oviposition rates and increase in prey densities (number of prey per 16.98 cm2) for C. eruditus and C. malaccensis, respectively. The oviposition efficiency was mostly similar for both predatory mites and was inversely related to prey density. Generally, ECI (%) decreased considerably with increasing prey density across different prey types for both predators, however, C. malaccensis was more efficient than C. eruditus in utilizing prey biomass. Given the relatively weak numerical responses, we recommended further assessment of these predatory mites before recommending their use for managing stored-product insect pests in the United States.

Pre-treatment of landfill leachate via coagulation-flocculation: Optimization of process parameters using response surface methodology (RSM)

Wastewater treatment is achieved mainly through the regeneration of resources and energy from wastewater, especially using pre-treatment technologies. In this study, coagulation pre-treatment of landfill leachate was performed using polymeric iron sulfate (PFS) as coagulation. Moreover, the whole experimental process was divided into two parts. In the first phase, the effects of PFS dosing, initial pH and PAM dosing on the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP) and UV254 from the leachate were assessed using one factor one experiment (OFAT); In the second phase, the individual and interactive effects of parameters on COD%, TP%, and UV254% were evaluated using response surface methodology (RSM). Numerical multiple response optimization was conducted using RSM to maximize COD%. The COD%, TP%, and UV254% at optimum condition (PFS dose of 12.18 g/L, initial pH of 8.12, and PAM dosage of 11.29 mg/L) reached 62.30 %, 95.79 %, and 83.45 %, respectively. The 3D-EEM showed the effluent from the leachate after mixing. The chemical properties significantly changed, and the concentration of hard-to-degrade substances, such as humic acid, decreased. FTIR and ESM-EDX were used to delineate the intrinsic mechanism of contaminant removal, demonstrating that hydroxyl bonds are crucial in the extraction of leachate and the aggregation of folcs.

Nonlinear dynamics of turbine bladed disk with friction dampers: Experiment and simulation

Accurately predicting the nonlinear dynamic response of aero-engine components is critical, as excessive vibration amplitudes can considerably reduce the operational lifespan. This paper compares experimental and numerical nonlinear dynamic responses of an industrial aero-engine, specifically focusing on the first stage turbine bladed disk with under-platform dampers (UPDs). The friction forces between UPDs and blades result in a strongly nonlinear dynamic response, influenced by stick, slip and separation contact states at the interfaces. These contact states, and the resulting global dynamic responses, are predicted with an advanced industrial modelling approach for nonlinear dynamics. The predictions are compared, updated and validated against measurement data from an operational engine test. Results highlight the importance to validate models against industrial data and show that realistic contact pressure distributions are required for increased prediction reliability. The novelty of this work includes (1) the use of unique industrial experimental data from a fully operational aero-engine, (2) the observation, at the end of engine testing, of real contact conditions in blade/UPD interfaces, (3) detailed modelling of these contact conditions with high-fidelity finite element representations in nonlinear dynamic solvers. Based on this unique industrial validation work, guidelines are proposed to improve the state-of-the-art modelling of nonlinear dynamics in structures with friction contacts.

Total response models as a conceptual management framework for conserving vulnerable secondary prey

AbstractMany of the world's native fauna suffer unsustainable losses from invasive mammalian predators. Conservation managers control predators on the premise that if large numbers are removed, prey will respond. This is sometimes true, but not always. Empirical relationships between predator densities and responses of vulnerable prey in Oceania often show little or no response across a broad range of predator reductions, with positive responses only at low threshold predator densities. Even then, some prey populations fail to respond. More research is required to identify predator thresholds across a range of prey taxa. This uncertainty of outcomes, coupled with the considerable cost of mammalian pest control, risks little or no return from limited conservation funds. A unifying theory is required to help understand why conservation outcomes from predator control are so variable despite the best efforts of conservation managers, and to expedite the right kind of management for a given prey species. We argue that a modern synthesis of numerical and functional response theory, in the form of total response models, provides such a theory. Stochastic consumer‐resource models are recommended for dynamic systems, but they are difficult to parameterize. Total response models, on the other hand, present a simple conceptual framework that managers can use as a heuristic to understand predator–prey systems, help explain some of the variability in predator control outcomes and stimulate thinking about other management options that can be integrated with predator control to improve conservation outcomes. Five rules of thumb are suggested to assist conservation managers.

Biological Invasions Affect Resource Processing in Aquatic Ecosystems: The Invasive Amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus Impacts Detritus Processing through High Abundance Rather than Differential Response to Temperature.

Anthropogenic stressors such as climate warming and invasive species and natural stressors such as parasites exert pressures that can interact to impact the function of ecosystems. This study investigated how these stressors interact to impact the vital ecosystem process of shredding by keystone species in temperate freshwater ecosystems. We compared metabolic rates and rates of shredding at a range of temperatures up to extreme levels, from 5 °C to 30 °C, between invasive and native amphipods that were unparasitised or parasitised by a common acanthocephalan, Echinorhynchus truttae. Shredding results were compared using the relative impact potential (RIP) metric to investigate how they impacted the scale with a numerical response. Although per capita shredding was higher for the native amphipod at all temperatures, the higher abundance of the invader led to higher relative impact scores; hence, the replacement of the native by the invasive amphipod is predicted to drive an increase in shredding. This could be interpreted as a positive effect on the ecosystem function, leading to a faster accumulation of amphipod biomass and a greater rate of fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) provisioning for the ecosystem. However, the high density of invaders compared with natives may lead to the exhaustion of the resource in sites with relatively low leaf detritus levels.

Initial severity of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)-30, its main subscales plus the PANSS-6, and the relationship to subsequent improvement and trial dropout: a pooled participant-level analysis of 18 placebo-controlled risperidone and paliperidone trials

Greater initial severity on the 30-item Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-30) correlates positively with antipsychotic-placebo separation and trial dropout, but it is unknown whether these associations are present also on PANSS-derived subscales. We assessed the relationship between initial severity and antipsychotic-placebo separation as measured by PANSS-30 and four PANSS symptom subscales: the positive (PANSS-POS), negative (PANSS-NEG), general (PANSS-GEN) and 6-item (PANSS-6) subscales, using patient-level data from 18 placebo-controlled risperidone and paliperidone trials. Analysis of covariance in the intention-to-treat population (last-observation-carried-forward) was used to assess antipsychotic-placebo separation and trial dropout. Across 6685 participants (90% schizophrenia, 10% schizoaffective disorder), the initial severity-by-treatment interaction was statistically significant for PANSS-30 (beta: −0.155; p < 0.001) and all PANSS subscales (beta range: −0.097 to −0.135; p-value range: < 0.001 to 0.002). In all cases, antipsychotic-placebo differences increased with initial severity. Judging by the distribution of relative outcomes (percent remaining symptoms), the interaction was partly explained by an increased chance of responding, but also by larger numerical responses in those who did respond, as initial severity increased. Except for PANSS-NEG, high initial severity on all PANSS scales predicted increased trial dropout, although not statistically significantly so for PANSS-6. In summary, we thus replicate previous findings showing greater initial severity to predict larger antipsychotic-placebo separation and extend these results to four PANSS subscales. For PANSS-POS and PANSS-GEN, but not for PANSS-NEG and PANSS-6, we also replicate the association between initial severity and trial dropout. Patients with low initial negative symptom severity were identified as a group of particular interest for further study since their results diverged most from the average both with regard to antipsychotic-placebo separation (low separation measured by PANSS-NEG) and trial dropout (high level).

Quality by Design Driven Development of Topical Gel Encompassing Papain and Bromelain to Elicit Wound Healing

Abstract: Background: Topical gels are an efficient and targeted therapy for local dermatological problems because they distribute medications effectively and are easy to wipe off the skin. The presented study was aimed to use Quality by Design (QbD) features to develop, optimise, and evaluate a topical gel containing certain plant enzymes for wound healing activity. Objectives: The objective of this study was to use contour plots and multiple linear regression analysis to determine the relative relevance of selected independent variables on dependent variables, as well as to identify the desired zone where the product with required qualities produced. Materials and Methods: Quality Attributes (CQAs) were assigned to the patient-centric Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP). The quantities of chitosan and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose have been selected as Critical Material Attributes (CMA) based on early observations and were employing a 32-full factorial design. CQAS were chosen as viscosity, spreadability, extrudability, and bioadhesive strength, and using multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA) a quantitative association among CQAs and CMAs was observed. Results: The full factorial design aids in predicting the optimal chitosan and sodium carboxy methyl cellulose combination. The numerical response analysis aids in comprehending the impact of various factors on various replies. TGF-O showed higher wound healing activity than control and standard formulations in an excision and incision wound healing model. Conclusion: The current work successfully underlines the possibility of using a quality by design approach to synthesise and create topical gel formulations for plant enzymes in a simple and cost-effective manner. Keywords: Quality by design, Plant enzyme, Factorial design, Wound, Topical gel, Spreadability.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Confidence to Return to Sport: Perspectives From National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Athletes.

One of the unforeseen impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a decrease in athletes' confidence to return to their sport after mandates were lifted. Both physical and psychological effects have been implicated. This study aimed to measure the severity of these changes among a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes. A novelReadiness to Return to Sport Survey,based on the validated ACL-RSI survey, was distributed to Division 1 collegiate athletes. The survey evaluated the psychological readiness of each player to return to sport in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing a 1-10 scale (1 = least confident and 10 = most confident). Numerical responses to each survey were summed to create a primary outcome score-an athlete'sReturn to Sport Readiness Score. Higher scores indicate higher levels of readiness to return to sport in the nearest coming season. Responses came from 68 athletes representing a variety of sports. Of those with an injury, 14 (82.35%) attributed their injury to changes in their training schedule due to COVID-19 restrictions, and the remaining three (17.65%) did not. Among all athletes, the mean return to sport readiness (RTS) score was 44 (SD 24.76). Those playing a winter sport had the lowest mean RTS score, 35 ± 23, and those playing a fall season sport had the highest mean score, 48 ± 25.97. Overall, competitive athletes on leave from the sport due to collegiate and Division 1 COVID-19 guidelines had lower reported mean RTS scores as compared to athletes outlined in many other anterior cruciate ligament return to sport after injury survey (ACL-RSI) studies. Overall, the athletes surveyed in our study reported much lower levels of readiness to return to sport in the context of COVID-19 than athletes surveyed in other studies, exhibiting COVID-19's unique impact on their confidence to return to their scheduled sport season. These differences may highlight the COVID-19 pandemic as a more severe detriment to returning to sport readiness among division-one athletes than recovering from injury alone. Given such an impact, more research is needed to elucidate the percentage of these athletes that returned to or abstained from their sport, as well as any motivating, facilitating, or detrimental factors in their choice.

Does the temperature–size rule apply to marine protozoans?

Abstract The temperature–size rule suggests that there is a negative relationship between the size (volume) of an ectothermic organism and the environmental temperature experienced during its development We question how to validate this hypothesis for the particular case of some algivorous protozoans because in many of these unicellular organisms, body size is directly related to the consumption of prey and, on most occasions, the true size of the cell is uncertain. In our opinion, to approach this question, the actual size of the protozoan should be measured when the prey are fully digested. To prove our arguments, we designed a series of experiments with the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina, including functional and numerical responses, time‐dependent acclimation responses and the estimation of the protozoan volume during absence of food. We found that after the digestion of the prey Rhodomonas salina, the size of our long‐term thermally acclimated strains of Oxyrrhis marina was the same regardless of the temperature (16 and 22°C). We believe that previous reports showing protozoan size reduction because of temperature might actually reflect imbalances between ingestion and digestion of prey, perhaps amplified by insufficient acclimation. In support of the previous argument, we found evidence that short‐term temperature exposure experiments may suggest a negative relationship between well‐fed protozoan size and temperature, although this was not observed after long‐term acclimation. In light of the results presented here, we suggest that the actual evidence supporting the temperature–size rule in algivorous protozoans may not be sufficiently conclusive because most of the present studies largely ignore the effect of prey presence on the grazer's volume and are usually based on short‐term responses to temperature. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Experimental and numerical response and failure of laterally impacted carbon/glass fibre-reinforced hybrid composite laminates

The paper presents low-velocity impact tests and finite element simulations of carbon/glass fibre-reinforced hybrid composite laminates struck by a pyramidal frustum impactor in order to examine crushing deformations and failure mechanisms. Three mass ratios between the carbon and glass fibre (1:2, 1:1 and 2:1) are considered to compare the influence of the fibre hybridisation on the impact resistance of these laminates. This investigation is an essential step in the design process when ship structural crashworthiness is considered. The experimental results are presented in terms of the force-displacement responses and permanent deformations. Aspects of particular relevance to the deformation and fracture behaviour of hybrid-composite structures subjected to accidental loads are discussed, especially fibre/matrix debonding and fibre damage. Glass fibre shows better impact resistance than carbon fibre, despite the higher modulus of the latter. A series of simulations performed by the LS-DYNA finite element solver are used to calibrate the material failure criteria based on the experimental data, and the sensitivity of the failure criteria to mesh sizes is investigated.

Simulating progressive damage behaviors of carbon fiber reinforced composite tubes triggered by various initiators under axial crushing

We develop finite element models to describe the progressive damage behaviors of two types of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy (CF/EP) composite tubes triggered by three types of initiators, i.e. a flat surface plate, an outward-triggering plug and an inward-triggering cap, using a continuum damage mechanics-based approach. First, the quasi-static compression experiments were conducted to capture the load–displacement relation, failure mode, and microscopic damage of CF/EP composite tubes. These experimental results were utilized to validate the proposed finite element models. The numerical crushing response agreed well with the experimental data. Then, a comparative study on the progressive damage behaviors of two types of CF/EP composite tubes subjected to three typical initiators was performed. The failure mechanisms were systematically articulated, showing that the fiber breakages were significant due to the concentration of compressive stress caused by external loads, while the matrix and interlaminar damage behaviors were predominant under any of these initiators.

Experienced generation-dependent functional and numerical responses of Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) long-term reared on thorn apple pollen

The functional and numerical responses of the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Phytoseiidae) females reared on thorn apple pollen (Datura stramonium L.) over 40 generations on different densities (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128) of deutonymphs of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae) were determined. The results indicated a type II functional response for N. californicus on T. urticae in generations of G0 (no rearing on pollen as control), G10, G20, G30, and G40. The attack rate (α) for N. californicus females increased as the number of generations increased from G0 (0.079 h&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;) to G20 (0.182 h&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;), then decreased in G30 and G40. The longest and shortest handling time (T&lt;sub&gt;h&lt;/sub&gt;) was observed in G0 (1.670 h) and G40 (0.890 h), respectively. The highest value of maximum attack rate (T/T&lt;sub&gt;h&lt;/sub&gt;) was estimated in G40 (26.96 prey/day). The equation of the regression line showed that the relationship between the prey density and the number of eggs laid was significant in G0, G10 and G40, and the number of eggs deposited by N. californicus increased with increasing the density of prey. The relationship between the prey density and ECI (the efficiency of conversion of ingested food) was not significant in tested generations. Our findings show that long-term rearing on thorn apple pollen did not affect the type of functional response and efficiency of N. californicus by confirming this predator is an effective biological control agent against T. urticae.

Structural optimisation for controlled deflections of additively manufactured single material beams

Closely controlling the mechanical behaviour and characterization of the deflection of a beam structure is a well-known and widely studied engineering problem. The progress in additive manufacturing methods and the possibilities to closely control the material property variations with the controlled placement of materials further widen the opportunities to achieve given beam deflection criteria. The multi-material additive manufacturing solutions suffer from the lack of real engineering material options, and the quality and performance of the printed parts are usually unsuitable for producing functional parts. A novel cellular structured solution is proposed here, which utilises optimisation of geometries of individual cells of a single material structured beam to obtain deflection profiles closely matched with preset conditions under different loading conditions. The cellular geometry of the structured beam is continually altered for searching and converging on the optimal structure of the cells by the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy algorithm in an iterative manner. The optimised beam structures could also be physically produced with single material additive manufacturing methods and the experimental and numerical beam deflection responses correlated closely.

A novel mechanism measurement of predator interference in predator-prey models.

A characteristic of ecosystems is the existence of manifold of independencies which are highly complex. Various mathematical models have made considerable contributions in gaining a better understanding of the predator-prey interactions. The main components of any predator-prey models are, firstly, how the different population classes grow and secondly, how the prey and predator interacts. In this paper, the two populations' growth rates obey the logistic law and the carrying capacity of the predator depends on the available number of prey are considered. Our aim is to clarify the relationship between models and Holling types functional and numerical responses in order to gain insights into predator interferences and to answer an important question how competition is carried out. We consider a predator-prey model and a two-predator one-prey model to explain the idea. The novel approach is explained for the mechanism measurement of predator interference through depending on numerical response. Our approach gives good correspondence between an important real data and computer simulations.

Constitutive modeling of amorphous thermoplastics from low to high strain rates: Formulation and critical comparison employing an optimization-based parameter identification

A finite strain elasto-visco-plastic model is proposed to describe the low to high strain rate-dependent behavior of amorphous polymers. The predictive capability of the model is extensively assessed by comparing its numerical response against experimental data and some state-of-the-art models for both polycarbonate (PC) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). A program is developed to expedite the implementation of different material models by accounting only for the model’s constitutive equations instead of the numerical derivation of their state update procedure and consistent tangent operator. A two-stage optimization-based calibration procedure is proposed to determine the models’ material parameters efficiently. The models are compared for the same set of experimental compression tests, and each model’s material parameters are identified with the adaptive LIPO optimizer, providing a significant speed-up compared to the classical trial-and-error calibration approach. The experimental–numerical comparison shows that the proposed constitutive model is in close agreement with the experimental data for a wide range of strain rates, and slightly outperforms the state-of-the-art constitutive models in predicting the behavior of PC. All models present limitations in predicting the intricate behavior of PMMA, where the proposed constitutive model predicted excessive hardening at medium to high strain rates.

Functional and numerical responses are influenced by the feeding experience of Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) is a commercially available biocontrol agent against various pests. This generalist predator was reared on cattail pollen for 10 generations (G10) and its quality was evaluated using functional and numerical responses to Tetranychus urticae Koch nymph densities as prey. The experiments were conducted by offering a range of prey densities (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 nymphs) under standard conditions (25 ± 1ºC, 60 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of L16:D8 h). The predator exhibited a type III functional response after ten generations of rearing on cattail pollen (G10), while it was type II when the predator had no experience with pollen (G0). The highest estimated maximum predation rate (T/Th) was in G0 (127 prey/day), and the lowest was in G10 (85 prey/day); while, the observed maximum predation rate (OMPR) in the mentioned generations was 67 and 84 prey/day, respectively. The number of prey consumed and the number of eggs laid by the predator in G10 was significantly more than G0. The effects of predator’s generation, prey density, and their interaction on predation and oviposition rate (on T. urticae) were statistically significant. Therefore, because of the higher predation and oviposition rate, and efficient quality of mass-reared predators on cattail pollen, it is proposed that this pollen can be an appropriate food source for mass rearing of N. cucumeris.