Optimális éves viselkedési modellek: út a fiziológiától a populációkig? = Optimal annual routines: a path from physiology to populations?

A pályázat fő célja annak kiderítése volt, hogy a különböző állapotváltozók hogyan befolyásolják az optimális viselkedést, speciálisan a hogyan befolyásolják a fő életmenet események időzítését az éves cikluson belül. E cél elérése érdekében több modellt fejlesztettünk, és változatos terepi megfigyeléseket és aviáriumi kísérleteket folytattunk. Fő modelljeink azt mutatják, hogy az állapotváltozók (pl. tollminőség, energiatartalékok) jelentősen befolyásolhatják a vedlés és vándorlás időzítését, de a táplálékforrás időbeli eloszlása és szezonalitása is jelentős hatással lehet. Fő empirikus eredményeink szerint a táplálék minősége és a paraziták fertőzése jelentősen befolyásolhatja a tollminőséget. Egy komparatív vizsgálatban kimutattuk, hogy a vándorlás időzítését a különféle életmenet jellemzők jelentősen befolyásolják, de a szexuálisan szelektált jellegeknek nincs ilyen hatása. | The main aim of the project was to investigate how state variables effect optimal behaviour in general, and the optimal timing of major life history events over the annual cycle, in particular. To accomplish this aim we developed a couple of annual routine models and performed various field observations and aviary experiments. Our main models show that state variables (quality of feathers, energy reserves) can significantly influence the timing of optimal behaviour (moult, migration) but they also underline the importance of the temporal distribution and seasonality of food sources. Our main empirical results show that diet quality and parasite infection influence feather quality considerably. By a comparative study we found that life history traits (e.g. migration distance and diet) but not sexually selected traits influence the timing of migration

Asymptotic boundary forms for tight Gabor frames and lattice localization domains

We consider Gabor localization operators $G_{\phi,\Omega}$ defined by two parameters, the generating function $\phi$ of a tight Gabor frame $\{\phi_\lambda\}_{\lambda \in \Lambda}$, parametrized by the elements of a given lattice $\Lambda \subset \Bbb{R}^2$, i.e. a discrete cocompact subgroup of $\Bbb{R}^2$, and a lattice localization domain $\Omega \subset \Bbb{R}^2$ with its boundary consisting of line segments connecting points of $\Lambda$. We find an explicit formula for the boundary form $BF(\phi,\Omega)=\text{A}_\Lambda \lim_{R\rightarrow \infty}\frac{PF(G_{\phi,R\Omega})}{R}$, the normalized limit of the projection functional $PF(G_{\phi,\Omega})=\sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\lambda_i(G_{\phi,\Omega})(1-\lambda_i(G_{\phi,\Omega}))$, where $\lambda_i(G_{\phi,\Omega})$ are the eigenvalues of the localization operators $G_{\phi,\Omega}$ applied to dilated domains $R\Omega$, $R$ is an integer and $\text{A}_\Lambda$ is the area of the fundamental domain of the lattice $\Lambda$.Comment: 35 page

Widespread occurrence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA from 18th-19th century Hungarians

A large number (265) of burials from 1731-1838 were discovered in sealed crypts of the Dominican Church, Vac, Hungary in 1994. Many bodies were naturally mummified, so that both soft tissues and bones were available. Contemporary archives enabled the determination of age at death, and the identification of family groups. In some cases, symptoms before death were described and, occasionally, occupation. Initial radiological examination of a small number of individuals had indicated calcified lung lesions and demonstrable acid-fast bacteria suggestive of tuberculosis infection. Tuberculosis was endemic in 18th-19th century Europe, so human remains should contain detectable Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) DNA, enabling comparisons with modern isolates. Therefore, a comprehensive examination of 168 individuals for the presence of MTB DNA was undertaken. Specific DNA amplification methods for MTB showed that 55% of individuals were positive and that the incidence varied according to age at death and sampling site in the body. Radiographs were obtained from 27 individuals and revealed an association between gross pathology and the presence of MTB DNA. There was an inverse relationship between PCR positivity and MTB target sequence size. In some cases, the preservation of MTB DNA was excellent, and several target gene sequences could be detected from the same sample. This information, combined with MTB DNA sequencing data and molecular typing techniques, will enable us to study the past epidemiology of TB infection, and extends the timeframe for studying changes in molecular fingerprints. Am J Phys Anthropol 120:144-152, 2003. (C) 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Optimális vedlési stratégiák = Optimal moult strategies

A pályázat fő célja annak kiderítése volt, hogy a különböző állapotváltozók hogyan befolyásolják az optimális viselkedést, speciálisan a hogyan befolyásolják a fő életmenet események időzítését az éves cikluson belül. E cél elérése érdekében több modellt fejlesztettünk, és változatos terepi megfigyeléseket és aviáriumi kísérleteket folytattunk. Fő modelljeink azt mutatják, hogy az állapotváltozók (pl. tollminőség, energiatartalékok) jelentősen befolyásolhatják a vedlés és vándorlás időzítését, de a táplálékforrás időbeli eloszlása és szezonalitása is jelentős hatással lehet. Fő empirikus eredményeink szerint a táplálék minősége és a paraziták fertőzése jelentősen befolyásolhatja a tollminőséget. Egy komparatív vizsgálatban kimutattuk, hogy a vándorlás időzítését a különféle életmenet jellemzők jelentősen befolyásolják, de a szezuálisan szelektált jellegeknek nincs ilyen hatása. | The main aim of the project was to investigate how state variables effect optimal behaviour in general, and the optimal timing of major life history events over the annual cycle, in particular. To accomplish this aim we developed a couple of annual routine models and performed various field observations and aviary experiments. Our main models show that state variables (quality of feathers, energy reserves) can significantly influence the timing of optimal behaviour (moult, migration) but they also underline the importance of the temporal distribution and seasonality of food sources. Our main empirical results show that diet quality and parasite infection influence feather quality considerably. By a comparative study we found that life history traits (e.g. migration distance and diet) but not sexually selected traits influence the timing of migration

Detection and characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in 18th Century Hungarians with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis

Skeletal and naturally mummified tissues from a previously archived group of 18th century Hungarian remains were examined for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) DNA, using specific nested PCR for the IS6110 locus. Paleopathological changes in bones and from radiographs were noted in a minority of cases. Overall, specimens from 157/232 (67.7 %) of individuals proved positive, ranging from 20/43 (46.5 %) in children, 26/29 in middle-age (89.7 %) and 32/46 individuals aged 65-95 years (69.6 %). Single samples gave a positive result in 67/120 of cases (55.8 %). Most were ribs where the surface adjacent to lungs and pleura was sampled. When multiple sites were examined, 73/93 (78.5 %) individuals were positive; most of these had MTB only in the pulmonary region but 26 had disseminated disease (35.6 %) and 12 (16.4 %) had extra-pulmonary disease only. To distinguish M. tuberculosis from Mycobacterium bovis, well-preserved positive samples were examined for several additional genetic loci including the TbD1 deletion – characteristic of modern European strains of M. tuberculosis, and spoligotyped. No evidence other than of human M. tuberculosis was found, but different strains were detected. Tuberculosis was widespread in this community and whilst some individuals succumbed early in life, the majority co-existed with the infection. Therefore, this study may lead to the identification of host alleles and MTB strains associated with active and latent disease

Evolution of surname distribution under gender-equality measurements

We consider a model for the evolution of the surnames distribution under a gender-equality measurement presently discussed in the Spanish parliament (the children take the surname of the father or the mother according to alphabetical order). We quantify how this would bias the alphabetical distribution of surnames, and analyze its effect on the present distribution of the surnames in Spain

A q-deformed nonlinear map

A scheme of q-deformation of nonlinear maps is introduced. As a specific example, a q-deformation procedure related to the Tsallis q-exponential function is applied to the logistic map. Compared to the canonical logistic map, the resulting family of q-logistic maps is shown to have a wider spectrum of interesting behaviours, including the co-existence of attractors -- a phenomenon rare in one dimensional maps.Comment: 17 pages, 19 figure

A Delayed Black and Scholes Formula I

In this article we develop an explicit formula for pricing European options when the underlying stock price follows a non-linear stochastic differential delay equation (sdde). We believe that the proposed model is sufficiently flexible to fit real market data, and is yet simple enough to allow for a closed-form representation of the option price. Furthermore, the model maintains the no-arbitrage property and the completeness of the market. The derivation of the option-pricing formula is based on an equivalent martingale measure

Measurements of polarized photo-pion production on longitudinally polarized HD and Implications for Convergence of the GDH Integral

We report new measurements of inclusive pion production from frozen-spin HD for polarized photon beams covering the Delta(1232) resonance. These provide data simultaneously on both H and D with nearly complete angular distributions of the spin-difference cross sections entering the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule. Recent results from Mainz and Bonn exceed the GDH prediction for the proton by 22 microbarns, suggesting as yet unmeasured high-energy components. Our pi0 data reveal a different angular dependence than assumed in Mainz analyses and integrate to a value that is 18 microbarns lower, suggesting a more rapid convergence. Our results for deuterium are somewhat lower than published data, considerably more precise and generally lower than available calculations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Submitted for publication in Physical Review Letter