Sex-Linked Behavior: Evolution, Stability, and Variability

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.Common understanding of human sex-linked behaviors is that proximal mechanisms of genetic and hormonal sex, ultimately shaped by the differential reproductive challenges of ancestral males and females, act on the brain to transfer sex-linked predispositions across generations. Here, we extend the debate on the role of nature and nurture in the development of traits in the lifetime of an individual, to their role in the cross-generation transfer of traits. Advances in evolutionary theory that posit the environment as a source of trans-generational stability, and new understanding of sex effects on the brain, suggest that the cross-generation stability of sex-linked patterns of behavior are sometimes better explained in terms of inherited socioenvironmental conditions, with biological sex fostering intrageneration variability.C.F. is grateful for the support of a Women’s Leadership Institute Australia Fellowship. J.D’s research leading to this article has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC Grant Agreement 324186. D.J. acknowledges the support of the Israel Science Foundation (grant No. 217/16)

Extreme Value at Risk and Expected Shortfall during Financial Crisis

This paper investigates Value at Risk and Expected Shortfall for CAC 40, S&P 500, Wheat and Crude Oil indexes during the 2008 financial crisis. We show an underestimation of the risk of loss for the unconditional VaR models as compared with the conditional models. This underestimation is stronger using the historical VaR approach than when using the extreme values theory VaR model. Even in 2008 financial crisis, the conditional EVT model is more accurate and reliable for predicting the asset risk losses. Banks have no interest in using it because the Basel II agreement penalizes banks using accuracy models like the conditional EVT model, and this is the case for the assets being studied in this paper.Market risk; Value at Risk; EVT; GARCH; Financial crisis; Basel requirements

Numerical classification analysis of infaunal composition and distribution on two Oregon coast beaches

This investigation examined the community structure of two intertidal sedimentary environments on the Oregon coast in terms of species composition and vertical distribution. A coring device was used to obtain samples from two levels above MLLW in each beach on four occasions. Of the 54 taxa found, 46.2% were crustaceans, 35.2% polychaetes, 11.1% molluscs and 7.6% were of other phyla. The group average sorting strategy was used to produce a dendrogram after a Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrix was made up for each survey. Two way coincidence tables were used to compare normal and inverse classifications and to determine the species which characterized each faunistic group. A basic pattern of six station groups and five to seven species groups were found in the study areas by classification analysis. Station groups were described by dominant species, frequency and mean density. Species groups were described by the dominance of constituent species restricted to site groups. The assemblages defined by numerical analysis represented the different beaches and tide levels sampled, thus at Lost Creek Eohastorius estuarius, E. brevicuspis, Dogielinotus loquax, Cirolanaharfordi, Nephtys californiensis and Euzoriu mucronata typified the upper intertidal and Archaeomysis grebnitzkii, Eteone lcna and Eohastoriu washingtonianus characterized the lower intertidal while at Yaquina Bay Eohastorius estuarius, Paraphoxus obtusiciens, LeDtocheiia dubia and Macoma sp. typified the upper level and Spio filicornLs, Mediomastus californiensis Odostomia sp., Neoarnphitrite sp., Phoronis oallida, Owenia collaris, Modiolus sp., Macoma balthica, Transenella tantilla and Clinocardium nutalli were lower level species. During all sampling periods the community inhabiting the Lost Creek beach was numerically dominated by haustoriid arnphipods with densities up to 8,908 individuals per square meter (Eohastorius brevicuspis) while at Yaquina Bay beach Leptochelia dubia, Pygospio sp. and Paraphoxus obtusidens were the dominant species with densities up to 8,738, 3,971, and 1,562 individuals per square meter respectively. With the exception of Euzonus mucronata which presented an evident patchy distribution at Lost Creek, the infauna showed a homogenous horizontal distribution at all levels at both types of environments. Temporal variation in community structure was minimal in both type of beaches during the sampling periods considered in this study

A 3D scene analysis framework and descriptors for risk evaluation

In this paper we evaluate the notion of scene analysis with regard to risk. We consider the problem of evaluating risk and potential hazards in an environment and providing a quantified risk score. A definition of risk is given incorporating two elements; Firstly scene stability, where Newtonian Physics are introduced into the scene analysis process, evaluating object stability within a scene. The effectiveness of which is demonstrated by conducting experiments on several scenes including a variety of stability levels. Secondly the analysis of the intrinsic risk related properties of an object, which is estimated using learning techniques and the utilisation of the 3D Voxel HOG descriptor, analysed against the state-of-the-art descriptors. Finally a new dataset is provided that is designed for scene analysis focusing on risk evaluation

How Do Scientists Define Openness? Exploring the Relationship Between Open Science Policies and Research Practice

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.This paper documents how biomedical researchers in the United Kingdom understand and enact the idea of “openness.” This is of particular interest to researchers and science policy worldwide in view of the recent adoption of pioneering policies on Open Science and Open Access by the UK government – policies whose impact on and implications for research practice are in need of urgent evaluation, so as to decide on their eventual implementation elsewhere. This study is based on 22 in-depth interviews with UK researchers in systems biology, synthetic biology and bioinformatics, which were conducted between September 2013 and February 2014. Through an analysis of the interview transcripts, we identify seven core themes that characterize researchers’ understanding of openness in science, and nine factors that shape the practice of openness in research. Our findings highlight the implications that Open Science policies can have for research processes and outcomes, and provide recommendations for enhancing their content, effectiveness and implementation.This research was funded by a UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Cross-Linking Grant ES/F028180/1 awarded to Castle, Dupré and Leonelli. The analysis of the interviews and the writing of the paper were also funded by the National Science Foundation award #1431263, which supported Levin’s research time, and the European Research Council grant award 335925, awarded to Leonelli