Load control speed screw conveyer

<p>The flight paths of two blue bottle flies (<i>Calliphora vomitoria</i>) sampled from high-speed video (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0151099#pone.0151099.s002" target="_blank">S1 Movie</a>): A) at the rate of the visual system of a human (40 frames/s) and B) at the rate of a pied flycatcher (120 frames/s) at a light intensity of approximately 500 cdm^-2. The flycatcher refreshes visual input almost three times faster, resulting in a much more detailed view of the flight paths of the flies.</p

Is Austerity an Effective Recovery Measure for the Eurozone?

In 2008 occurred the beginning of what was to become the most comprehensive, global, financial crisis in modern time. The recent crisis has been substantial for most developed countries, where almost all Eurozone members have showed negative economic results. Our goal is to determine, with as much accuracy as possible, if austerity contributes to the Eurozone-countries’ recovery process from the Euro crisis. We are measuring austerity by examining the changes in the CAPB (Cyclically-adjusted primary balance)-variable, also known as the fiscal stance. An increase in fiscal stance would mean that the country is heading towards a further contractionary fiscal policy. We are studying fiscal stance in correlation to our dependent variables GDP, unemployment and bank solvency. Our results show that in general an implantation of contractionary fiscal policy decreases GDP and increases unemployment and bank solvency. We are comparing two groups of countries, the GIPSI countries and the Baltic States, where we can see significant differences how our dependent variables are affected by CAPB. Austerity is an effective method for tightening country’s economy deficits and debts during normal conditions. But the measure might become ineffective and counterproductive when the normal economic conditions past and financial turmoil emerges. The general conclusion would be that fiscal stance is not contributing to a country’s recovery process, but with exceptions such as the Baltic States

Evolution of ultraviolet vision in the largest avian radiation - the passerines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Interspecific variation in avian colour vision falls into two discrete classes: violet sensitive (VS) and ultraviolet sensitive (UVS). They are characterised by the spectral sensitivity of the most shortwave sensitive of the four single cones, the SWS1, which is seemingly under direct control of as little as one amino acid substitution in the cone opsin protein. Changes in spectral sensitivity of the SWS1 are ecologically important, as they affect the abilities of birds to accurately assess potential mates, find food and minimise visibility of social signals to predators. Still, available data have indicated that shifts between classes are rare, with only four to five independent acquisitions of UV sensitivity in avian evolution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have classified a large sample of passeriform species as VS or UVS from genomic DNA and mapped the evolution of this character on a passerine phylogeny inferred from published molecular sequence data. Sequencing a small gene fragment has allowed us to trace the trait changing from one stable state to another through the radiation of the passeriform birds. Their ancestor is hypothesised to be UVS. In the subsequent radiation, colour vision changed between UVS and VS at least eight times.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The phylogenetic distribution of SWS1 cone opsin types in Passeriformes reveals a much higher degree of complexity in avian colour vision evolution than what was previously indicated from the limited data available. Clades with variation in the colour vision system are nested among clades with a seemingly stable VS or UVS state, providing a rare opportunity to understand how an ecologically important trait under simple genetic control may co-evolve with, and be stabilised by, associated traits in a character complex.</p

Impact force identification with pseudo-inverse method on a lightweight structure for under-determined, even-determined and over-determined cases

Force identification using inverse technique is important especially when direct measurement through force transducer is not possible. Considering the effects of impact excitation force on the integrity of a lightweight structure, impact force identification has become the subject of several studies. A methodology utilising Operating Deflection Shape (ODS) analysis, Frequency Response Function (FRF) measurement and pseudo-inverse method to evaluate the dynamic force is presented. A rectangular plate with four ground supports was used as a test rig to simulate the motions of a simple vehicle body. By using the measured responses at remote points that are away from impact locations and measured FRFs of the test rig, unknown force locations and their time histories can be recovered by the proposed method. The performance of this approach in various cases such as under-determined, even-determined and over-determined cases was experimentally demonstrated. Good and bad combinations of response locations were selected based on the condition number of FRF matrix. This force identification method was examined under different response combinations and various numbers of response locations. It shows that in the over-determined case, good combination of response locations (i.e. low average of condition number of FRF matrix) and high number of response locations give the best accuracy of force identification result compared to under-determined and even-determined cases

Évaluation de l’impact économique du crédit d’impôt pour la compétitivité et l’emploi (CICE)

À la suite de la remise au Premier ministre du Rapport Gallois, le gouvernement a décidé, pour relancer la compétitivité et l'emploi en France, la création du Crédit d'impôt pour la compétitivité et l'emploi (CICE). Ouvert à toutes les entreprises, le CICE sera égal à 6 % de la masse salariale, hors cotisations patronales, correspondant aux salaires de moins de 2,5 SMIC. Représentant 20 milliards d'euros, son financement reposera pour moitié sur des économies supplémentaires sur les dépenses publiques, dont le détail n'a pas été précisé, et pour moitié sur des recettes fiscales : une réforme de la TVA à compter du 1er janvier 2014 et un renforcement de la fiscalité écologique. Le CICE diminuerait en moyenne de 2,6 % le coût du travail du secteur marchand : l'impact sectoriel le plus fort sur le coût du travail serait dans la construction (-3,0 %), l'industrie (-2,8 %) et les services marchands (-2,4 %). Le CICE représenterait 1,8 % de la valeur ajoutée des entreprises industrielles, 1,9 % de la valeur ajoutée de la construction et 1,3 % de celle des services marchands. Globalement, le CICE pèse pour 1,4 % dans la valeur ajoutée des entreprises du secteur marchand. Selon notre évaluation, réalisée à l'aide du modèle e-mod.fr, le CICE devrait permettre de créer, cinq ans après sa mise en place, environ 150 000 emplois faisant baisser le taux de chômage de 0,6 point et il générerait un gain de croissance de 0,1 point de PIB en 2018

Body size but not warning signal luminance influences predation risk in recently metamorphosed poison frogs.

During early development, many aposematic species have bright and conspicuous warning appearance, but have yet to acquire chemical defenses, a phenotypic state which presumably makes them vulnerable to predation. Body size and signal luminance in particular are known to be sensitive to variation in early nutrition. However, the relative importance of these traits as determinants of predation risk in juveniles is not known. To address this question, we utilized computer-assisted design (CAD) and information on putative predator visual sensitivities to produce artificial models of postmetamorphic froglets that varied in terms of body size and signal luminance. We then deployed the artificial models in the field and measured rates of attack by birds and unknown predators. Our results indicate that body size was a significant predictor of artificial prey survival. Rates of attack by bird predators were significantly higher on smaller models. However, predation by birds did not differ between artificial models of varying signal luminance. This suggests that at the completion of metamorphosis, smaller froglets may be at a selective disadvantage, potentially because predators can discern they have relatively low levels of chemical defense compared to larger froglets. There is likely to be a premium on efficient foraging, giving rise to rapid growth and the acquisition of toxins from dietary sources in juvenile poison frogs.This study was conducted in compliance with the scientific permit SE/A-19-11 provided by the Panamanian National Authority for the Environment (ANAM). This study was supported by a PhD scholarship (IFARHU-SENACYT program) and a research grant No. APY-NI-010-006B/SENACYT both awarded to EEF by the Government of Panama, and by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship to JDB. MS was supported by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council David Phillips Research Fellowship (BB/G022887/1). HMR was supported by a Junior Research Fellowship from Churchill College, Cambridge. Special thanks to Rachel Page at STRI for supporting EEF with the grant application, Sistema Nacional de Investigacion de Panama (SNI), and the People of Santa Fe for their collaboration during the study. We are grateful to Leesther Vásquez, Joelbin De La Cruz, Georgia Croxford and field assistants from AMIPARQUE for assistance with the production of frog models.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.173

Geographic variation in breeding system and environment predicts melanin-based plumage ornamentation of male and female Kentish plovers

Sexual selection determines the elaboration of morphological and behavioural traits and thus drives the evolution of phenotypes. Sexual selection on males and females can differ between populations, especially when populations exhibit different breeding systems. A substantial body of literature describes how breeding systems shape ornamentation across species, with a strong emphasis on male ornamentation and female preference. However, whether breeding system predicts ornamentation within species and whether similar mechanisms as in males also shape the phenotype of females remains unclear. Here, we investigate how different breeding systems are associated with male and female ornamentation in five geographically distinct populations of Kentish plovers Charadrius alexandrinus. We predicted that polygamous populations would exhibit more elaborate ornaments and stronger sexual dimorphism than monogamous populations. By estimating the size and intensity of male (n = 162) and female (n = 174) melanin-based plumage ornaments, i.e. breast bands and ear coverts, we show that plumage ornamentation is predicted by breeding system in both sexes. A difference in especially male ornamentation between polygamous (darker and smaller ornaments) and monogamous (lighter and larger) populations causes the greatest sexual dimorphism to be associated with polygamy. The non-social environment, however, may also influence the degree of ornamentation, for instance through availability of food. We found that, in addition to breeding system, a key environmental parameter, rainfall, predicted a seasonal change of ornamentation in a sex-specific manner. Our results emphasise that to understand the phenotype of animals, it is important to consider both natural and sexual selection acting on both males and females