Podaci o visinskoj rasprostranjenosti guštera i nekih drugih gmazova na Biokovu (Hrvatska) i njegovoj neposrednoj okolici

During nine stays on Mount Biokovo (1762 m) / Central Dalmatia (Croatia), and the adjacent parts of the Cetina valley in the years 1979–1990, 16 reptile species were observed. Together with previous data from literature the list now comprises 21 species. New or more detailed data are given, particularly on the following lizard species: Lacerta trilineata, L. viridis, L. mosorensis, L. oxycephala, Podarcis muralis and P. sicula.Tijekom devet boravaka na Biokovu (1762 m) / središnja Dalmacija (Hrvatska) i u susjednim krajevima doline Cetine u razdoblju od 1979. do 1990. zabilježeno je 16 vrsta gmazova. Zajedno s poznatim podacima iz literature taj popis sada obuhvaća 21 vrstu. Rad donosi nove i detaljnije podatke, posebno o sljedećim vrstama guštera: Lacerta trilineata, L. viridis, L. mosorensis, L. oxycephala, Podarcis muralis i P. sicula

Novi podaci o rasprostranjenosti, morfologiji i izboru staništa kompleksa Lacerta laevis-kulzeri

Presently, within the lizard populations included in the Lacerta laevis-kulzeri complex, two main groups appear to be well distinguished in terms of morphology, distribution and ecology: Lacerta laevis Gray, 1838 (sensu lato) which is generally distributed in the Mediterranean region to the west of the Rift valley between Central Israel/Palestine and southern Turkey. The species prefers humid habitats in oak forests, gardens and valleys. Despite considerable morphological variation, only one subspecies (troodica from Cyprus) has been acknowledged to date. During our research in the northern mountains to the east of the rift valley (Syria/Turkey), a quite distinct rock lizard was detected living in hills with sparse vegetation; our classification of it under L. laevis s.l. is highly provisional. The second group comprises the often misunderstood rock-lizard Lacerta kulzeri Müller & Wettstein, 1932, described from Bcharré/Lebanon. It is mainly distributed in the continental mountains and hill lands to the east of the Rift valley, from the Anti-Lebanon to Petra/Jordan in the south. Morphologically different and isolated populations occur here and at the eastern side of the Lebanon Mts. and the volcanic Djebel Druz/South Syria. Near Bloudan/Anti-Lebanon and at Djebel Barouk/Lebanon Mts. both groups were found sympatrically.Trenutno se unutar populacija guštera uključenih u Lacerta laevis-kulzeri kompleks mogu, na temelju morfologije, rasprostranjenosti i ekologije, dobro razlučiti dvije glavne skupine: Lacerta laevis Gray, 1838 (sensu lato) koja je rasprostranjena uglavnom u Sredozemlju zapadno od doline Rift valley između Centralnog Izraela/Palestine i južne Turske. Vrsta preferira vlažna staništa u hrastovim šumama, vrtovima i dolinama. Uprkos značajnoj morfološkoj varijabilnosti, do sada je priznata samo jedna podvrsta (troodica s Cipra). Tijekom naših istraživanja u sjevernim planinama istočno od doline Rift valley (Sirija/Turska), pronađena je na brežuljcima s rijetkom vegetacijom posebna gušterica; mi smo je vrlo provizorno smjestili u L. laevis s.l. Druga skupina obuhvaća često pogrešno protumačenu Lacerta kulzeri Müller & Wettstein, 1932, opisanu iz Bcharré/Libanon. Ona je rasprostranjena uglavnom u kontinentalnim planinama i brežuljcima istočno od doline Rift valley, od Anti-Libanona do Petre/Jordan na jugu. Tamo i na istočnoj strani gorja Libanon i vulkanskog Djebel Druza/južna Sirija, javljaju se morfološki različite i izolirane populacije. Blizu Bloudana/Anti-Libanon i na Djebel Barouku/gorje Libanon nađene su simpatrički obje vrste

Novi podaci o rasprostranjenosti, morfologiji i izboru staništa kompleksa Lacerta laevis-kulzeri

Presently, within the lizard populations included in the Lacerta laevis-kulzeri complex, two main groups appear to be well distinguished in terms of morphology, distribution and ecology: Lacerta laevis Gray, 1838 (sensu lato) which is generally distributed in the Mediterranean region to the west of the Rift valley between Central Israel/Palestine and southern Turkey. The species prefers humid habitats in oak forests, gardens and valleys. Despite considerable morphological variation, only one subspecies (troodica from Cyprus) has been acknowledged to date. During our research in the northern mountains to the east of the rift valley (Syria/Turkey), a quite distinct rock lizard was detected living in hills with sparse vegetation; our classification of it under L. laevis s.l. is highly provisional. The second group comprises the often misunderstood rock-lizard Lacerta kulzeri Müller & Wettstein, 1932, described from Bcharré/Lebanon. It is mainly distributed in the continental mountains and hill lands to the east of the Rift valley, from the Anti-Lebanon to Petra/Jordan in the south. Morphologically different and isolated populations occur here and at the eastern side of the Lebanon Mts. and the volcanic Djebel Druz/South Syria. Near Bloudan/Anti-Lebanon and at Djebel Barouk/Lebanon Mts. both groups were found sympatrically.Trenutno se unutar populacija guštera uključenih u Lacerta laevis-kulzeri kompleks mogu, na temelju morfologije, rasprostranjenosti i ekologije, dobro razlučiti dvije glavne skupine: Lacerta laevis Gray, 1838 (sensu lato) koja je rasprostranjena uglavnom u Sredozemlju zapadno od doline Rift valley između Centralnog Izraela/Palestine i južne Turske. Vrsta preferira vlažna staništa u hrastovim šumama, vrtovima i dolinama. Uprkos značajnoj morfološkoj varijabilnosti, do sada je priznata samo jedna podvrsta (troodica s Cipra). Tijekom naših istraživanja u sjevernim planinama istočno od doline Rift valley (Sirija/Turska), pronađena je na brežuljcima s rijetkom vegetacijom posebna gušterica; mi smo je vrlo provizorno smjestili u L. laevis s.l. Druga skupina obuhvaća često pogrešno protumačenu Lacerta kulzeri Müller & Wettstein, 1932, opisanu iz Bcharré/Libanon. Ona je rasprostranjena uglavnom u kontinentalnim planinama i brežuljcima istočno od doline Rift valley, od Anti-Libanona do Petre/Jordan na jugu. Tamo i na istočnoj strani gorja Libanon i vulkanskog Djebel Druza/južna Sirija, javljaju se morfološki različite i izolirane populacije. Blizu Bloudana/Anti-Libanon i na Djebel Barouku/gorje Libanon nađene su simpatrički obje vrste

Measurement of B(D^0 → K^-π^+) Using Partial Reconstruction of B̅ → D^(*+)Xℓ^-ν̅

We present a measurement of the absolute branching fraction for D^0→K^-π^+ using the reconstruction of the decay chain B̅ →D^(*+)Xℓ^-ν̅ , D^(*+)→D^0π^+ where only the lepton and the low-momentum pion from the D^(*+) are detected. With data collected by the CLEO II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we have determined B(D^0→K^-π^+) = [3.81±0.15(stat)±0.16(syst)]%

A Questionnaire for the Evaluation of Physical Assistive Devices (QUEAD) : testing usability and acceptance in physical human-robot interaction

Many novel physical assistance devices are beginning to incorporate intelligent robotic systems and mechatronic components. In terms of a human-centered design it is crucial to assess the perceived subjective usability and acceptance of these systems. A questionnaire was thus designed to evaluate novel physically assisting devices in order to support developers in their design decisions as well as users during individualizing of their assistive devices. Two studies (m = 9, n2 = 21), using two different devices, were conducted to analyze objectivity, reliability, and validity. The results show an overall high internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.8), which indicates reliability and applicability of the QUEAD. Criterion validity was tested applying correlations with established objective measures for efficiency (time to task completion), effectivity (errors and collisions), and commitment (mean force). Construct validity was applied using a proposed model and correlations to verify convergence. The results show that the QUEAD is able to assess perceived usability and acceptance

Search for the decay B→D_(s1)^+ (2536)X

We have searched for the decay B⃗D_(s1)^+(2536)X and measured an upper limit for the inclusive branching fraction of B(B⃗D_(s1)^+X)<0.96% at the 90% confidence level. This limit is small compared with the total expected B⃗D^((*))D^((*))KX rate. Assuming factorization, the D_(s1)^+ decay constant is constrained to be fD_(s1)^+<114 MeV at the 90% confidence level, at least 2.5 times smaller than that of D_s^+

Limits on Flavor Changing Neutral Currents in D^0 Meson Decays

Using the CLEO II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we have searched for flavor changing neutral currents and lepton family number violations in D^0 meson decays. The upper limits on the branching fractions for D^0→ℓ^+ℓ^- and D^0→X^0ℓ^+ℓ^- are in the range 10^(-5) to 10^(-4), where X^0 can be a π^0, K_s^0, η, ρ^0, ω, K̅^(*0), or φ meson, and the ℓ^+ℓ^- pair can be e^+e^-, μ^+μ^-, or e^±μ^∓. Although these limits are above the theoretical predictions, most are new or an order of magnitude lower than previous limits

Two-Body B Meson Decays to η and η': Observation of B → η'K

In a sample of 6.6×10^6 produced B mesons we have observed decays B→η′K, with branching fractions B(B^+→η′K^+) = (6.5_(-1.4)^(+1.5)±0.9)×10^(-5) and B(B^0→η′K^0) = (4.7_(-2.0)^(+2.7)±0.9)×10^(-5). We have searched with comparable sensitivity for 17 related decays to final states containing an η or η′ meson accompanied by a single particle or low-lying resonance. Our upper limits for these constrain theoretical interpretations of the B→η′K signal

Observation of the Radiative Decay D^(*+) → D^+y

We have observed a signal for the decay D^(*+)→D^+γ at a significance of 4 standard deviations. From the measured branching ratio B(D^(*+)→D^+γ)/B(D^(*+)→D^+π^0) = 0.055±0.014±0.010 we find B(D^(*+)→D^+γ) = 0.017±0.004±0.003, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. We also report the highest precision determination of the remaining D^(*+) branching fractions