Phenotypic plasticity in tropical butterflies is linked to climatic seasonality on a macroevolutionary scale

Phenotypic plasticity can be adaptive in fluctuating environments by providing rapid environment–phenotype matching and this applies particularly in seasonal environments. African Bicyclus butterflies have repeatedly colonized seasonal savannahs from ancestral forests around the late Miocene, and many species now exhibit seasonal polyphenism. On a macroevolutionary scale, it can be expected that savannah species will exhibit higher plasticity because of experiencing stronger environmental seasonality than forest species. We quantified seasonality using environmental niche modeling and surveyed the degree of plasticity in a key wing pattern element (eyespot size) using museum specimens. We showed that species occurring in highly seasonal environments display strong plasticity, while species in less seasonal or aseasonal environments exhibit surprisingly variable degrees of plasticity, including strong to no plasticity. Furthermore, eyespot size plasticity has a moderate phylogenetic signal and the ancestral Bicyclus likely exhibited some degree of plasticity. We propose hypotheses to explain the range of plasticity patterns seen in less seasonal environments and generate testable predictions for the evolution of plasticity in Bicyclus. Our study provides one of the most compelling cases showing links between seasonality and phenotypic plasticity on a macroevolutionary scale and the potential role of plasticity in facilitating the colonization of novel environments

Seasonal environments drive convergent evolution of a faster pace‐of‐life in tropical butterflies

New ecological niches that may arise due to climate change can trigger diversification, but their colonisation often requires adaptations in a suite of life‐history traits. We test this hypothesis in species‐rich Mycalesina butterflies that have undergone parallel radiations in Africa, Asia, and Madagascar. First, our ancestral state reconstruction of habitat preference, using c. 85% of extant species, revealed that early forest‐linked lineages began to invade seasonal savannahs during the late Miocene‐Pliocene. Second, rearing replicate pairs of forest and savannah species from the African and Malagasy radiation in a common garden experiment, and utilising published data from the Asian radiation, demonstrated that savannah species consistently develop faster, have smaller bodies, higher fecundity with an earlier investment in reproduction, and reduced longevity, compared to forest species across all three radiations. We argue that time‐constraints for reproduction favoured the evolution of a faster pace‐of‐life in savannah species that facilitated their persistence in seasonal habitats

Experimental analysis and characterization of high-purity aluminum nanoparticles (Al-Nps) by electromagnetic levitation gas condensation (ELGC)

This is the final version. Available on open access from MDPI via the DOI in this recordThe production of high-purity aluminum nanoparticles (Al-NPs) is challenging due to the highly reactive nature of Al metals. Electromagnetic levitation gas condensation (ELGC) is a promising method to produce high-purity metallic particles as it avoids the interaction between molten metal and refractory-lined, which guarantees the removal of impurities such as oxygen (O). In this research, high-purity Al-NPs were successfully fabricated via ELGC process and fully characterized. The effects of power input and gas flow rate on particle size and distribution were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results showed that the Al-NPs have spherical morphologies with an average diameter of 17 nm and size distribution of NPs is narrow under helium (He) flow rate of 15 L/min at a constant temperature of 1683 ± 10 K. The purity of the NPs was confirmed by utilizing X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Finally, metal purity of 99.976% and 99.97% was measured by AAS and XRF analyses, respectively. Moreover, it was found that increasing gas flow rate and sample temperature results in a decrease in the particle size. The particle sizes for the Al-NPs obtained under He atmosphere were smaller than those obtained under Ar atmosphere

Beliefs about others' intentions determine whether cooperation is the faster choice

Is collaboration the fast choice for humans? Past studies proposed that cooperation is a behavioural default, based on Response Times (RT) findings. Here we contend that the individual’s reckoning of the immediate social environment shapes her predisposition to cooperate and, hence, response latencies. In a social dilemma game, we manipulate the beliefs about the partner’s intentions to cooperate and show that they act as a switch that determines cooperation and defection RTs; when the partner’s intention to cooperate is perceived as high, cooperation choices are speeded up, while defection is slowed down. Importantly, this social context effect holds across varying expected payoffs, indicating that it modulates behaviour regardless of choices’ similarity in monetary terms. Moreover, this pattern is moderated by individual variability in social preferences: Among conditional cooperators, high cooperation beliefs speed up cooperation responses and slow down defection. Among free-riders, defection is always faster and more likely than cooperation, while high cooperation beliefs slow down all decisions. These results shed new light on the conflict of choices account of response latencies, as well as on the intuitive cooperation hypothesis, and can help to correctly interpret and reconcile previous, apparently contradictory results, by considering the role of context in social dilemmas

Effect of Material on Crashworthiness for Side Doors and B Pillar Subjected to Euro NCAP Side Impact Crash Test

Investigation in effects of material of vehicle body on crashworthiness by simulation methods helps researches to overcome on practical problems of crash test such as die making, long period of test preparation and financial issues. In this paper the goal is to find out the effect of four proposed material on crashworthiness of side doors and B pillar in Euro NCAP side impact test. Materials have been assigned to side doors and B pillar in vehicle model by using LS DYNA pre/post soft ware. Results obtained using LS DYNA post processing by applying Euro NCAP initial conditions. Results show that the best material among mentioned materials for B pillar which can be propose is AISI1006 and best material for side doors is strength steel 204M

Crashworthiness Determination for Front and Rear Doors and B Pillar Subjected to Side Impact Crash by a Mobile Deformable Barrier.

In Euro NCAP standard, adult protection is one of the most important rating scores with 50% weight factor while child protection and pedestrian protection are accounted into consideration with 20% weight factor. For adult protection testing, three tests are required to perform: (1) side impact, (2) pole impact, (3) front impact. In the side impact test, dummy's head, chest, shoulder, thorax, ribs, abdomen, pelvic and femur must be studied to evaluate the rating score. Crashworthiness of a car during side impact can describe the score rated for that car. In this paper the goal is to determine the crashworthiness of side doors and B-pillar in side impact crash test by simulation using LS DYNA software in order to predict required changes to achieve 5 star rating. A model of car has been developed using Hypermesh and CATIA software. A mobile deformable barrier (MDB) model and its honey comp area have been prepared with respect to ECE R95 and Euro NCAP standard. Initial condition such as velocity has been assigned to MDB. Results show that improvement in design in order to increase absorbed energy can probably has positive effect on crash performance as good as using side air bag in order to achieve 5 star rating

Effect of Material and Thickness of Side Doors And B Pillar on Crashworthiness in Euro NCAP Side Impact Crash Test.

In side impact test which is one out of three tests of Euro NCAP standard, front and rear doors and B pillar are most absorbance parts among vehicle body parts. Passengers are highly in danger while side crash, because of the distance between passenger's head and vehicle body. In this paper effect of material and thickness of doors and B-pillar and their absorbed energy during crash and improvement of its crashworthiness with respect to light weight design are studied using LS DYNA solver. The objective of this paper is to propose a material for doors and B-pillar with a specified thickness to achieve maximum absorbed energy and minimum weight. The shape of the doors and B-pillar remains unchanged and its effect on crashworthiness was not investigated. Parameters which could be changed were material and thickness. Material which studied were steel AISI 1006, aluminum alloy 5182, magnesium AZ31B and high strength steel 204M. For each selected material, five thicknesses were considered and the same initial and boundary conditions according to NCAP were applied. Results show that decreasing in thickness of these parts do not always increase the absorbed energy. In order to reduce the weight and increase the total absorbed energy the best way is to use thinner parts with light material and use a reinforcement bar or foam inside the doors

The Open Anchoring Quest Dataset: Anchored Estimates from 96 Studies on Anchoring Effects

People’s estimates are biased toward previously considered numbers (anchoring). We have aggregated all available data from anchoring studies that included at least two anchors into one large dataset. Data were standardized to comprise one estimate per row, coded according to a wide range of variables, and are available for download and analyses online (https://metaanalyses.shinyapps.io/OpAQ/). Because the dataset includes both original and meta-data it allows for fine-grained analyses (e.g., correlations of estimates for different tasks) but also for meta-analyses (e.g., effect sizes for anchoring effects)

Phenotypic plasticity in tropical butterflies is linked to climatic seasonality on a macroevolutionary scale

Phenotypic plasticity can be adaptive in fluctuating environments by providing rapid environment-phenotype matching and this applies particularly in seasonal environments. African Bicyclus butterflies have repeatedly colonized seasonal savannahs from ancestral forests around the Late Miocene and many species now exhibit seasonal polyphenism. On a macroevolutionary scale, it can be expected that savannah species will exhibit higher plasticity due to them experiencing stronger environmental seasonality than forest species. We quantified seasonality using environmental niche modelling, and surveyed the degree of plasticity in a key wing pattern element (eyespot size) using museum specimens. We show that species occurring in highly seasonal environments display strong plasticity, while species in less seasonal or aseasonal environments exhibit surprisingly variable degrees of plasticity, including strong to no plasticity. Furthermore, eyespot size plasticity has a moderate phylogenetic signal and the ancestral Bicyclus likely exhibited some degree of plasticity. We propose hypotheses to explain the range of plasticity patterns seen in less seasonal environments, and generate testable predictions for the evolution of plasticity in Bicyclus. Our study provides one of the most compelling cases showing links between seasonality and phenotypic plasticity on a macroevolutionary scale and the potential role of plasticity in facilitating the colonization of novel environments.European Research Council John Templeton Foundatio

Investigation on the particle size and shape of iron ore pellet feed using ball mill and HPGR grinding methods

An effect of a grinding method, that is ball mill and high pressure grinding rolls (HPGR), on the particle size, specific surface area and particle shape of an iron ore concentrate was studied. The particle size distribution was meticulously examined by sieve, laser and image analyses. To measure the specific surface area of particles, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Blaine methods were used. It was found that for samples having equal Blaine specific surface areas numbers, the amount of fine particles produced in HPGR was higher than that produced in a ball mill. A higher surface area was observed from HPGR treatment in comparison to ball mill grinding, provided by a higher porosity, cracks, roughness and new surfaces. A shape factor of particles was determined using the circularity, roughness, and aspect ratio. It was also observed that HPGR produced particles that were more elongated, less circular and rougher than those processed by the ball mill