Conservation fundraising: Evidence from social media and traditional mail field experiments

Funding shortages limit conservation impact, making it vital to find effective fundraising methods. To explore how traditional and digital conservation fundraising methods perform, we conducted real‐world field experiments by using direct‐mail and Facebook advertisements. We compared three types of message frames (simple, seed money, and ecological). We found that the seed money frame, which emphasizes the amount already donated, increased the number of donors, whereas the ecological frame, which focuses on the fact that the fundraiser benefits threatened species, led to a relative reduction in the number of donors. We also found that while Facebook advertising costs exceeded donations, while the opposite was true for the traditional mail experiment. This highlights the importance of identifying appropriate donor pools for online and offline fundraising before implementing campaigns. Our findings illustrate some challenges associated with online fundraising and the importance of behavioral evidence to enhance effective fundraising in conservation

Evaluation method of lead measurement accuracy of gears using a wedge artefact

The reduction of the vibration and noise of gears is an important issue in mechanical devices such as vehicles and wind turbines. The characteristics of the vibration and noise of gears are markedly affected by deviations of the tooth flank form of micrometre order; therefore, a strict quality control of the tooth flank form is required. The accuracy of the lead measurement for a gear-measuring instrument is usually evaluated using a master gear or a lead master. However, it is difficult to manufacture masters with high accuracy because the helix is a complicated geometrical form. In this paper, we propose a method of evaluating a gear-measuring instrument using a wedge artefact, which includes a highly precise plane surface. The concept of the wedge artefact is described and a mathematical model of the measuring condition of the wedge artefact is constructed. Theoretical measurement results for the wedge artefact are calculated. The wedge artefact is designed and produced on the basis of the theoretical measurement results. A measurement experiment using the wedge artefact is carried out and its effectiveness is verified

Ectopic Mitf in the Embryonic Chick Retina by Co-transfection of β-Catenin and Otx2

The present study shows, by electroporation of chick embryonic eyes, that co-transfection of activated β-catenin and Otx2 can convert retinal progenitor cells into presumptive RPE cells expressing Mitf

The Efficacy of Stretching Exercises on Arterial Stiffness in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized and Non-Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: Aerobic exercise is known to reduce arterial stiffness; however, high-intensity resistance exercise is associated with increased arterial stiffness. Stretching exercises are another exercise modality, and their effect on arterial stiffness remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether stretching exercises reduce arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults, performing the first meta-analysis of currently available studies. Methods: We searched the literature for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs published up to January 2020 describing middle-aged and older adults who participated in a stretching intervention vs. controls without exercise training. The primary and secondary outcomes were changes in arterial stiffness and vascular endothelial function and hemodynamic status. Pooled mean differences (MDs) and standard MDs (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between the intervention and control groups were calculated using a random effects model. Results: We identified 69 trials and, after an assessment of relevance, eight trials, including a combined total of 213 subjects, were analyzed. Muscle stretching exercises were shown to significantly reduce arterial stiffness and improve vascular endothelial function (SMD: −1.00, 95% CI: −1.57 to −0.44, p = 0.0004; SMD: 1.15, 95% CI: 0.26 to 2.03, p = 0.01, respectively). Resting heart rate (HR) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased significantly after stretching exercise intervention (MD: −0.95 beats/min, 95% CI: −1.67 to −0.23 beats/min, p = 0.009; MD: −2.72 mm Hg, 95% CI: −4.01 to −1.43 mm Hg, p < 0.0001, respectively) Conclusions: Our analyses suggest that stretching exercises reduce arterial stiffness, HR, and DBP, and improve vascular endothelial function in middle-aged and older adults

High-precision measurement of an involute artefact by a rolling method and comparison between measuring instruments

The vibration of gears is a serious problem for machines. The characteristics of the vibration of gears are affected by tooth flank form deviation of submicrometre order. The quality of product gears is controlled by a gear-measuring instrument, which is calibrated by an involute artefact with high precision. A highly precise method for measuring the involute artefact by rolling has been proposed. However, this method does not yield sufficient accuracy. In this research, a novel rolling method for the involute artefact, a 'nonslip driving method', is proposed to achieve high accuracy. This method is compared with the conventional driving method by theoretical analysis of artefact motion. Moreover, its accuracy and effect are evaluated experimentally. The results show that this method is more stable on the basis of measurement results than the conventional driving method. Therefore, it is confirmed that the highly precise measurement of the involute artefact can be realized by incorporating the nonslip driving method into the rolling artefact method. In addition, measurement results for the involute artefact are compared among the proposed method and the methods involving the use of a coordinate measuring machine and a gear-measuring instrument