A deep learning approach to photo–identification demonstrates high performance on two dozen cetacean species

We thank the countless individuals who collected and/or processed the nearly 85,000 images used in this study and those who assisted, particularly those who sorted these images from the millions that did not end up in the catalogues. Additionally, we thank the other Kaggle competitors who helped develop the ideas, models and data used here, particularly those who released their datasets to the public. The graduate assistantship for Philip T. Patton was funded by the NOAA Fisheries QUEST Fellowship. This paper represents HIMB and SOEST contribution numbers 1932 and 11679, respectively. The technical support and advanced computing resources from University of Hawaii Information Technology Services—Cyberinfrastructure, funded in part by the National Science Foundation CC* awards # 2201428 and # 2232862 are gratefully acknowledged. Every photo–identification image was collected under permits according to relevant national guidelines, regulation and legislation.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale

Light Coupling By A Vortex Lens Into Graded Index Fiber

This paper reports a novel launch scheme for coupling light into the skew rays of a graded index fiber. This is accomplished by utilizing a diffractive optical element in conjunction with a single mode fiber to mode match a graded index fiber. Results are used to confirm the fact that the element does improve the coupling into the skew rays of graded index fiber. This approach offers an alternative to existing methods based on tilting and angular offsets for the conditioned launch problem

Integration Of Micro-Optics Into Gigabit Ethernet Patchcords For Enhanced Performance

Graded index fiber has a limited bandwidth due to defects introduced in the fiber manufacturing process. An alternative launch technique is presented for launching light into graded index fiber while maximizing the bandwidth associated with the graded index fiber. The technique uses a diffractive element to match the phase of the launched light into specific modes of the graded index fiber. An analytical model is presented for the diffractive element with experimental results to confirm the modal launch condition

Fabrication Of Micro Optics On Coreless Fiber Segments

Fabrication of micro optics for fiber optics applications is a challenge due to their size and the issues associated with alignment of the optics to single-mode fibers. This study summarizes a method for fabricating diffractive optical elements on the ends of coreless fiber segments for passive alignment to single-mode fibers. Results are presented for passively aligned diffractive lens elements used for both collimation and beam shaping. © 2003 Optical Society of America

Negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Created as part of the 2014 Jackson School for International Studies SIS 495:Task Force. Philip Wall, Task Force Advisor; Shaun Donnelly, Evaluator; Katherine Garbe and Tucker Hoffman, Editors.The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) currently being negotiated between the United States and the European Union stands to be the largest free trade agreement ever created. The comprehensive trade and investment agreement is an opportunity to modernize trade rules and strengthen the strategic partnership between the U.S. and the EU. This can be accomplished through enhancing trade, finance, and investment opportunities that will in turn foster job creation, economic growth, and international competitiveness

Electroweak parameters of the z0 resonance and the standard model

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Measurement of the Mass of the Z-Boson and the Energy Calibration of Lep

Contains fulltext : 26847___.PDF (publisher's version ) (Open Access