Predation life history responses to increased temperature variability

The evolution of life history traits is regulated by energy expenditure, which is, in turn, governed by temperature. The forecasted increase in temperature variability is expected to impose greater stress to organisms, in turn influencing the balance of energy expenditure and consequently life history responses. Here we examine how increased temperature variability affects life history responses to predation. Individuals reared under constant temperatures responded to different levels of predation risk as appropriate: namely, by producing greater number of neonates of smaller sizes and reducing the time to first brood. In contrast, we detected no response to predation regime when temperature was more variable. In addition, population growth rate was slowest among individuals reared under variable temperatures. Increased temperature variability also affected the development of inducible defenses. The combined effects of failing to respond to predation risk, slower growth rate and the miss-match development of morphological defenses supports suggestions that increased variability in temperature poses a greater risk for species adaptation than that posed by a mean shift in temperature

Self-Assembled p-Carborane Analogue of p-Mercaptobenzoic Acid on Au{111}

The p-carborane cluster analogue of p-mercaptobenzoic acid, 1-HS-12-COOH-1,12-C2B10H10, has been synthesized and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, quantum-chemical calculations, and scanning tunneling microscopy. The single-crystal structure and selected packing aspects are discussed and presented in comparison with the two-dimensional periodic arrangements. Scanning tunneling micrographs, recorded under ambient conditions, are used to compare pure monolayers of 1-HS-1,12-C2B10H11 to coadsorbed monolayers of both the parental precursor and carboxyl-functionalized p-carboranethiolate on Au{111}. Monolayers of both constituents are further characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which shows good agreement between the stoichiometry of each pure monolayer and the nominal stoichiometries of the respective molecules. Results indicate that most of the molecules of both derivatives adsorb as thiolates but that a small fraction of each adsorbs as thiols, without complete SH bond scission, and consequently are labile relative to desorption. Wetting-angle measurements confirm the hydrophilic character of monolayers containing the carboxylic acid constituents. Mixed self-assembled monolayers with functionalized constituents of high axial symmetry provide a convenient basis for grafting two- and three-dimensional structures. (Figure Presented)

Self-Assembled p-Carborane Analogue of p-Mercaptobenzoic Acid on Au{111}

The p-carborane cluster analogue of p-mercaptobenzoic acid, 1-HS-12-COOH-1,12-C2B10H10, has been synthesized and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, quantum-chemical calculations, and scanning tunneling microscopy. The single-crystal structure and selected packing aspects are discussed and presented in comparison with the two-dimensional periodic arrangements. Scanning tunneling micrographs, recorded under ambient conditions, are used to compare pure monolayers of 1-HS-1,12-C2B10H11 to coadsorbed monolayers of both the parental precursor and carboxyl-functionalized p-carboranethiolate on Au{111}. Monolayers of both constituents are further characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which shows good agreement between the stoichiometry of each pure monolayer and the nominal stoichiometries of the respective molecules. Results indicate that most of the molecules of both derivatives adsorb as thiolates but that a small fraction of each adsorbs as thiols, without complete SH bond scission, and consequently are labile relative to desorption. Wetting-angle measurements confirm the hydrophilic character of monolayers containing the carboxylic acid constituents. Mixed self-assembled monolayers with functionalized constituents of high axial symmetry provide a convenient basis for grafting two- and three-dimensional structures. (Figure Presented)

The New East’s New Businesses: Heart of the Labor Market Problem and/or Part of the Solution?

This paper is based on evidence from interviews in 1997 with 400 young (aged up to 30) self-employed people, and parallel studies of the support being offered to the self-employed by state services and non-governmental organisations (NGOS), in four East-Central European countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia). The samples represent the New East's better-established young business people. The evidence presented in this paper explains why, in turn-ofthe- century conditions, the New East's new businesses are in danger of becoming locked into low-productivity, low wage niches. It is argued that the prospects of the new market economies in the twenty-first century depend largely on the ways in which their relationships with the European Union develop, and forms of assistance that will promote the development of the more capable SMEs into quality businesses are identified: e.g. encouraging inward investors to become mentors and customers of local enterprises; encouraging banks to become small business-user-friendly; conglomerating assistance to small enterprises within regional support centres.Mit Hilfe der Daten, die in dieser Arbeit präsentiert werden, wird erklärt, warum die neuen Unternehmen des neuen Ostens Gefahr laufen, in eine Nische der niedrigen Produktivität und des Niedriglohns zu geraten. Die Aussichten der neuen Marktwirtschaften im 21. Jahrhundert hängen von der Entwicklung der Beziehungen zur EU ab. Es werden Formen der Unterstützung vorgestellt, mit deren Hilfe fähigere kleine und mittlere Unternehmen entstehen können: z. B.: Ermutigung von Investoren, auch Mentorenrollen zu übernehmen und Kunden lokaler Unternehmen zu werden; Ermutigung der Banken, kleinen Unternehmen gegenüber offen zu sein; Konzentration der Unterstützung in regionalen Support Zentren

An Adaptive Vibration Control Procedure Based on Symbolic Solution of Diophantine Equation

In this paper, the adaptive control based on symbolic solution of Diophantine equation is used to suppress circular plate vibrations. It is assumed that the system to be regulated is unknown. The plate is excited by a uniform force over the bottom surface generated by a loudspeaker. The axially-symmetrical vibrations of the plate are measured by the application of the strain sensors located along the plate radius, and two centrally placed piezoceramic discs are used to cancel the plate vibrations. The adaptive control scheme presented in this work has the ability to calculate the error sensor signals, to compute the control effort and to apply it to the actuator within one sampling period. For precise identification of system model the regularized RLS algorithm has been applied. Self-tuning controller of RST type, derived for the assumed system model of the 4th order is used to suppress the plate vibration. Some numerical examples illustrating the improvement gained by incorporating adaptive control are demonstrated