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Prediction of long-term survival and coagulation factor VIII levels: interactions with gender in a large hospital-based cohort
Analysis of the temperature influence on Langmuir probe measurements on the basis of gyrofluid simulations
The influence of the temperature and its fluctuations on the ion saturation
current and the floating potential, which are typical quantities measured by
Langmuir probes in the turbulent edge region of fusion plasmas, is analysed by
global nonlinear gyrofluid simulations for two exemplary parameter regimes. The
numerical simulation facilitates a direct access to densities, temperatures and
the plasma potential at different radial positions around the separatrix. This
allows a comparison between raw data and the calculated ion saturation current
and floating potential within the simulation. Calculations of the
fluctuation-induced radial particle flux and its statistical properties reveal
significant differences to the actual values at all radial positions of the
simulation domain, if the floating potential and the temperature averaged
density inferred from the ion saturation current is used.Comment: Submitted to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusio
Drift versus selection as drivers of phenotypic divergence at small spatial scales: The case of BelgjarskĂłgur threespine stickleback
Divergence in phenotypic traits is facilitated by a combination of natural selection, phenotypic plasticity, gene flow, and genetic drift, whereby the role of drift is expected to be particularly important in small and isolated populations. Separating the components of phenotypic divergence is notoriously difficult, particularly for multivariate phenotypes. Here, we assessed phenotypic divergence of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) across 19 semiâinterconnected ponds within a small geographic region (~7.5 km2) using comparisons of multivariate phenotypic divergence (PST), neutral genetic (FST), and environmental (EST) variation. We found phenotypic divergence across the ponds in a suite of functionally relevant phenotypic traits, including feeding, defense, and swimming traits, and body shape (geometric morphometric). Comparisons of PSTs with FSTs suggest that phenotypic divergence is predominantly driven by neutral processes or stabilizing selection, whereas phenotypic divergence in defensive traits is in accordance with divergent selection. Comparisons of population pairwise PSTs with ESTs suggest that phenotypic divergence in swimming traits is correlated with prey availability, whereas there were no clear associations between phenotypic divergence and environmental difference in the other phenotypic groups. Overall, our results suggest that phenotypic divergence of these small populations at small geographic scales is largely driven by neutral processes (gene flow, drift), although environmental determinants (natural selection or phenotypic plasticity) may play a role.ISSN:2045-775
An Ishihara-style test of animal colour vision
ABSTRACT Colour vision mediates ecologically relevant tasks for many animals, such as mate choice, foraging and predator avoidance. However, our understanding of animal colour perception is largely derived from human psychophysics, and behavioural tests of non-human animals are required to understand how colour signals are perceived. Here, we introduce a novel test of colour vision in animals inspired by the Ishihara colour charts, which are widely used to identify human colour deficiencies. In our method, distractor dots have a fixed chromaticity (hue and saturation) but vary in luminance. Animals can be trained to find single target dots that differ from distractor dots in chromaticity. We provide MATLAB code for creating these stimuli, which can be modified for use with different animals. We demonstrate the success of this method with triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, which quickly learnt to select target dots that differed from distractor dots, and highlight behavioural parameters that can be measured, including success of finding the target dot, time to detection and error rate. We calculated discrimination thresholds by testing whether target colours that were of increasing colour distances (ÎS) from distractor dots could be detected, and calculated discrimination thresholds in different directions of colour space. At least for some colours, thresholds indicated better discrimination than expected from the receptor noise limited (RNL) model assuming 5% Weber fraction for the long-wavelength cone. This methodology could be used with other animals to address questions such as luminance thresholds, sensory bias, effects of sensory noise, colour categorization and saliency
Estimation of Hydrodynamical Model Parameters from the Invariant Spectrum and the Bose-Einstein Correlations of pi-mesons Produced in (pi+/K+)p Interactions at 250 GeV/c
The invariant spectra of pi- mesons produced in (pi+/K+)p interactions at 250
GeV/c are analysed in the framework of the hydrodynamical model of
three-dimensionally expanding cylindrically symmetric finite systems.
A satisfactory description of experimental data is achieved.
The data favour the pattern according to which the hadron matter undergoes
predominantly longitudinal expansion and non-relativistic transverse expansion
with mean transverse velocity = 0.20(7), and is characterized by a large
temperature inhomogeneity in the transverse direction: the extracted freeze-out
temperature at the center of the tube and at the transverse rms radius are
140(3) MeV and 82(7) MeV, respectively. The width of the (longitudinal)
space-time rapidity distribution of the pion source is found to be Delta eta =
1.36(2).
Combining this estimate with results of the Bose-Einstein correlation
analysis in the same experiment, one extracts a mean freeze-out time of the
source of = 1.4(1) fm/c and its transverse geometrical rms radius, R_G
(rms)=1.2(2) fm.Comment: latex, 14 pages, 5 figure
Curricula an einer universitĂ€tsnahen Institution - ein mögliches Modell fĂŒr die UniversitĂ€t
Erfahrungen mit drei Bologna-konformen Curricula an einer universitĂ€tsnahen Institution werden vorgestellt. Die MasterlehrgĂ€nge fĂŒr helfende Berufe entstanden aus einem von der EuropĂ€ischen Kommission geförderten Projekt (Leonardo). Als Lernziel ist die Integration der Lehrinhalte in die angestammten Kompetenzen der berufstĂ€tigen Studierenden definiert. Die Curricula sind modular, handlungs- und lernfeldorientiert und werden unter Verwendung von Blended Learning (E-Learning + PrĂ€senzworkshops) und tiefenpsychologischen Herangehensweisen vermittelt. Eine empirische Evaluation zeigte eine positive Bewertung der Curricula fĂŒr die berufliche und persönliche Weiterentwicklung.
21.03.2014 | Roswith Roth, Marion Mitsche, Paul Pass & P. Christian Endler (Graz
A Fluorescent Chromatophore Changes the Level of Fluorescence in a Reef Fish
Body coloration plays a major role in fish ecology and is predominantly generated using two principles: a) absorbance combined with reflection of the incoming light in pigment colors and b) scatter, refraction, diffraction and interference in structural colors. Poikilotherms, and especially fishes possess several cell types, so-called chromatophores, which employ either of these principles. Together, they generate the dynamic, multi-color patterns used in communication and camouflage. Several chromatophore types possess motile organelles, which enable rapid changes in coloration. Recently, we described red fluorescence in a number of marine fish and argued that it may be used for private communication in an environment devoid of red. Here, we describe the discovery of a chromatophore in fishes that regulates the distribution of fluorescent pigments in parts of the skin. These cells have a dendritic shape and contain motile fluorescent particles. We show experimentally that the fluorescent particles can be aggregated or dispersed through hormonal and nervous control. This is the first description of a stable and natural cytoskeleton-related fluorescence control mechanism in vertebrate cells. Its nervous control supports suggestions that fluorescence could act as a context-dependent signal in some marine fish species and encourages further research in this field. The fluorescent substance is stable under different chemical conditions and shows no discernible bleaching under strong, constant illumination
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