Effects of Aprons on Pitfall Trap Catches of Carabid Beetles in Forests and Fields

This study compared the efficacy of three types of pitfall traps in four forest and two field habitats. Two traps had aprons and one did not. The two apron traps were the same except for a gap between the trap and the plywood-apron, allowing captures from above or below. Traps were placed in a split-plot design and had three replicates of the three trap types per habitat. The traps were emptied each week from May to September. ANOVA\u27s were performed on 12 trapped species separately over habitats, weeks, and the in- teractions between them. The nonapron trap captured over 40% more individuals than either apron trap, though apron traps tended to be more effective in fields for species found in both habitats. Habitat-trap interactions were only significant in two species. Trap-week interactions were significant in four species

Is a Manuscript a Mirror? Reading Jewish History in Jewish Art

2018 Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Lecture in Judaic Studies. [Speaker] Marc Michael Epstein, PhD. Professor of Religion and Visual Culture, Vassar College.https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/bennettcenter-posters/1348/thumbnail.jp

Minimal surfaces and particles in 3-manifolds

We use minimal (or CMC) surfaces to describe 3-dimensional hyperbolic, anti-de Sitter, de Sitter or Minkowski manifolds. We consider whether these manifolds admit ``nice'' foliations and explicit metrics, and whether the space of these metrics has a simple description in terms of Teichm\"uller theory. In the hyperbolic settings both questions have positive answers for a certain subset of the quasi-Fuchsian manifolds: those containing a closed surface with principal curvatures at most 1. We show that this subset is parameterized by an open domain of the cotangent bundle of Teichm\"uller space. These results are extended to ``quasi-Fuchsian'' manifolds with conical singularities along infinite lines, known in the physics literature as ``massive, spin-less particles''. Things work better for globally hyperbolic anti-de Sitter manifolds: the parameterization by the cotangent of Teichm\"uller space works for all manifolds. There is another description of this moduli space as the product two copies of Teichm\"uller space due to Mess. Using the maximal surface description, we propose a new parameterization by two copies of Teichm\"uller space, alternative to that of Mess, and extend all the results to manifolds with conical singularities along time-like lines. Similar results are obtained for de Sitter or Minkowski manifolds. Finally, for all four settings, we show that the symplectic form on the moduli space of 3-manifolds that comes from parameterization by the cotangent bundle of Teichm\"uller space is the same as the 3-dimensional gravity one.Comment: 53 pages, no figure. v2: typos corrected and refs adde

Radon--Nikodym representations of Cuntz--Krieger algebras and Lyapunov spectra for KMS states

We study relations between $(H,\beta)$--KMS states on Cuntz--Krieger algebras and the dual of the Perron--Frobenius operator $\mathcal{L}_{-\beta H}^{*}$. Generalising the well--studied purely hyperbolic situation, we obtain under mild conditions that for an expansive dynamical system there is a one--one correspondence between $(H,\beta)$--KMS states and eigenmeasures of $\mathcal{L}_{-\beta H}^{*}$ for the eigenvalue 1. We then consider representations of Cuntz--Krieger algebras which are induced by Markov fibred systems, and show that if the associated incidence matrix is irreducible then these are $\ast$--isomorphic to the given Cuntz--Krieger algebra. Finally, we apply these general results to study multifractal decompositions of limit sets of essentially free Kleinian groups $G$ which may have parabolic elements. We show that for the Cuntz--Krieger algebra arising from $G$ there exists an analytic family of KMS states induced by the Lyapunov spectrum of the analogue of the Bowen--Series map associated with $G$. Furthermore, we obtain a formula for the Hausdorff dimensions of the restrictions of these KMS states to the set of continuous functions on the limit set of $G$. If $G$ has no parabolic elements, then this formula can be interpreted as the singularity spectrum of the measure of maximal entropy associated with $G$.Comment: 30 pages, minor changes in the proofs of Theorem 3.9 and Fact

Testing the Asteroseismic Mass Scale Using Metal-Poor Stars Characterized with APOGEE and Kepler

Fundamental stellar properties, such as mass, radius, and age, can be inferred using asteroseismology. Cool stars with convective envelopes have turbulent motions that can stochastically drive and damp pulsations. The properties of the oscillation frequency power spectrum can be tied to mass and radius through solar-scaled asteroseismic relations. Stellar properties derived using these scaling relations need verification over a range of metallicities. Because the age and mass of halo stars are well-constrained by astrophysical priors, they provide an independent, empirical check on asteroseismic mass estimates in the low-metallicity regime. We identify nine metal-poor red giants (including six stars that are kinematically associated with the halo) from a sample observed by both the Kepler space telescope and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III APOGEE spectroscopic survey. We compare masses inferred using asteroseismology to those expected for halo and thick-disk stars. Although our sample is small, standard scaling relations, combined with asteroseismic parameters from the APOKASC Catalog, produce masses that are systematically higher (=0.17+/-0.05 Msun) than astrophysical expectations. The magnitude of the mass discrepancy is reduced by known theoretical corrections to the measured large frequency separation scaling relationship. Using alternative methods for measuring asteroseismic parameters induces systematic shifts at the 0.04 Msun level. We also compare published asteroseismic analyses with scaling relationship masses to examine the impact of using the frequency of maximum power as a constraint. Upcoming APOKASC observations will provide a larger sample of ~100 metal-poor stars, important for detailed asteroseismic characterization of Galactic stellar populations.Comment: 4 figures; 1 table. Accepted to ApJ

The APOKASC Catalog: An Asteroseismic and Spectroscopic Joint Survey of Targets in the Kepler Fields

We present the first APOKASC catalog of spectroscopic and asteroseismic properties of 1916 red giants observed in the Kepler fields. The spectroscopic parameters provided from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment project are complemented with asteroseismic surface gravities, masses, radii, and mean densities determined by members of the Kepler Asteroseismology Science Consortium. We assess both random and systematic sources of error and include a discussion of sample selection for giants in the Kepler fields. Total uncertainties in the main catalog properties are of order 80 K in Teff , 0.06 dex in [M/H], 0.014 dex in log g, and 12% and 5% in mass and radius, respectively; these reflect a combination of systematic and random errors. Asteroseismic surface gravities are substantially more precise and accurate than spectroscopic ones, and we find good agreement between their mean values and the calibrated spectroscopic surface gravities. There are, however, systematic underlying trends with Teff and log g. Our effective temperature scale is between 0-200 K cooler than that expected from the Infrared Flux Method, depending on the adopted extinction map, which provides evidence for a lower value on average than that inferred for the Kepler Input Catalog (KIC). We find a reasonable correspondence between the photometric KIC and spectroscopic APOKASC metallicity scales, with increased dispersion in KIC metallicities as the absolute metal abundance decreases, and offsets in Teff and log g consistent with those derived in the literature. We present mean fitting relations between APOKASC and KIC observables and discuss future prospects, strengths, and limitations of the catalog data.Comment: 49 pages. ApJSupp, in press. Full machine-readable ascii files available under ancillary data. Categories: Kepler targets, asteroseismology, large spectroscopic survey

Notes on a paper of Mess

These notes are a companion to the article "Lorentz spacetimes of constant curvature" by Geoffrey Mess, which was first written in 1990 but never published. Mess' paper will appear together with these notes in a forthcoming issue of Geometriae Dedicata.Comment: 26 page

Toward reconstructing the evolution of advanced moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera: Ditrysia): an initial molecular study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the mega-diverse insect order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths; 165,000 described species), deeper relationships are little understood within the clade Ditrysia, to which 98% of the species belong. To begin addressing this problem, we tested the ability of five protein-coding nuclear genes (6.7 kb total), and character subsets therein, to resolve relationships among 123 species representing 27 (of 33) superfamilies and 55 (of 100) families of Ditrysia under maximum likelihood analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our trees show broad concordance with previous morphological hypotheses of ditrysian phylogeny, although most relationships among superfamilies are weakly supported. There are also notable surprises, such as a consistently closer relationship of Pyraloidea than of butterflies to most Macrolepidoptera. Monophyly is significantly rejected by one or more character sets for the putative clades Macrolepidoptera as currently defined (<it>P </it>< 0.05) and Macrolepidoptera excluding Noctuoidea and Bombycoidea sensu lato (<it>P </it>≤ 0.005), and nearly so for the superfamily Drepanoidea as currently defined (<it>P </it>< 0.08). Superfamilies are typically recovered or nearly so, but usually without strong support. Relationships within superfamilies and families, however, are often robustly resolved. We provide some of the first strong molecular evidence on deeper splits within Pyraloidea, Tortricoidea, Geometroidea, Noctuoidea and others.</p> <p>Separate analyses of mostly synonymous versus non-synonymous character sets revealed notable differences (though not strong conflict), including a marked influence of compositional heterogeneity on apparent signal in the third codon position (nt3). As available model partitioning methods cannot correct for this variation, we assessed overall phylogeny resolution through separate examination of trees from each character set. Exploration of "tree space" with GARLI, using grid computing, showed that hundreds of searches are typically needed to find the best-feasible phylogeny estimate for these data.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results (a) corroborate the broad outlines of the current working phylogenetic hypothesis for Ditrysia, (b) demonstrate that some prominent features of that hypothesis, including the position of the butterflies, need revision, and (c) resolve the majority of family and subfamily relationships within superfamilies as thus far sampled. Much further gene and taxon sampling will be needed, however, to strongly resolve individual deeper nodes.</p

The application of adjuvant autologous antravesical macrophage cell therapy vs. BCG in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a multicenter, randomized trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>While adjuvant immunotherapy with Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) is effective in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (BC), adverse events (AEs) are considerable. Monocyte-derived activated killer cells (MAK) are discussed as essential in antitumoural immunoresponse, but their application may imply risks. The present trial compared autologous intravesical macrophage cell therapy (BEXIDEM^®) to BCG in patients after transurethral resection (TURB) of BC.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>This open-label trial included 137 eligible patients with TaG1-3, T1G1-2 plurifocal or unifocal tumours and ≥ 2 occurrences within 24 months and was conducted from June 2004 to March 2007. Median follow-up for patients without recurrence was 12 months. Patients were randomized to BCG or mononuclear cells collected by apheresis after ex vivo cell processing and activation (BEXIDEM). Either arm treatment consisted of 6 weekly instillations and 2 cycles of 3 weekly instillations at months 3 and 6. Toxicity profile (primary endpoint) and prophylactic effects (secondary endpoint) were assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patient characteristics were evenly distributed. Of 73 treated with BCG and 64 with BEXIDEM, 85% vs. 45% experienced AEs and 26% vs. 14% serious AEs (SAE), respectively (p < 0.001). Recurrence occurred significantly less frequent with BCG than with BEXIDEM (12% vs. 38%; p < 0.001).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This initial report of autologous intravesical macrophage cell therapy in BC demonstrates BEXIDEM treatment to be safe. Recurrence rates were significantly lower with BCG however. As the efficacy of BEXIDEM remains uncertain, further data, e.g. marker lesions studies, are warranted.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>The trial has been registered in the ISRCTN registry <url>http://isrctn.org</url> under the registration number ISRCTN35881130.</p