Phylogeographic Triangulation: Using Predator-Prey-Parasite Interactions to Infer Population History from Partial Genetic Information

Phylogeographic studies, which infer population history and dispersal movements from intra-specific spatial genetic variation, require expensive and time-consuming analyses that are not always feasible, especially in the case of rare or endangered species. On the other hand, comparative phylogeography of species involved in close biotic interactions may show congruent patterns depending on the specificity of the relationship. Consequently, the phylogeography of a parasite that needs two hosts to complete its life cycle should reflect population history traits of both hosts. Population movements evidenced by the parasite’s phylogeography that are not reflected in the phylogeography of one of these hosts may thus be attributed to the other host. Using the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and a parasitic tapeworm (Taenia pisiformis) as an example, we propose comparing the phylogeography of easily available organisms such as game species and their specific heteroxenous parasites to infer population movements of definitive host/predator species, independently of performing genetic analyses on the latter. This may be an interesting approach for indirectly studying the history of species whose phylogeography is difficult to analyse directly

Multiplicative random walk Metropolis-Hastings on the real line

In this article we propose multiplication based random walk Metropolis Hastings (MH) algorithm on the real line. We call it the random dive MH (RDMH) algorithm. This algorithm, even if simple to apply, was not studied earlier in Markov chain Monte Carlo literature. The associated kernel is shown to have standard properties like irreducibility, aperiodicity and Harris recurrence under some mild assumptions. These ensure basic convergence (ergodicity) of the kernel. Further the kernel is shown to be geometric ergodic for a large class of target densities on $\mathbb{R}$. This class even contains realistic target densities for which random walk or Langevin MH are not geometrically ergodic. Three simulation studies are given to demonstrate the mixing property and superiority of RDMH to standard MH algorithms on real line. A share-price return data is also analyzed and the results are compared with those available in the literature

Asymptotic Accuracy of Geoacoustic Inversions

Criteria necessary to accurately estimate a set of unknown geoacoustic parameters from remote acoustic measurements are developed in order to aid the design of geoacoustic experiments. The approach is to have estimation error fall within a specified design threshold by adjusting controllable quantities such as experimental sample size or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This is done by computing conditions on sample size and SNR necessary for any estimate to have a variance that (1) asymptotically attains the Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB) and (2) has a CRLB that falls within the specified design error threshold. Applications to narrow band deterministic signals received with additive noise by vertical and horizontal arrays in typical continental shelf waveguides are explored. For typical low-frequency scenarios, necessary SNRs and samples sizes can often approach prohibitively large values when a few or more important geoacoustic parameters are unknown, making it difficult to attain practical design thresholds for allowable estimation error

Power to detect normal mixtures: Simulation results

Twenty tests for normality were compared for the purpose of detecting mixtures of two normal components with unequal means but equal variance. The purpose of this study was to determine the power of tests specifically designed to detect mixtures, i.e., the likelihood ratio and Engelman-Hartigan tests, relative to other tests for normality. We considered the entire range of mixing proportions {pi}, 0 0.85 or {pi} < 0.15, {radical}b{sub 1} was among the best tests. For intermediate mixing proportions, the likelihood ratio test was best. For situations in which the preferred test had power 50% or more, the power of the likelihood ratio test was also above 50% and within 15 percentage points of the preferred test

Inverse chemical modeling and radiocarbon dating of palaeogroundwaters: The Tertiairy Ledo-paniselian aquifer in Flanders, Belgium.

Groundwater samples from the Ledo-Paniselian aquifer have been interpreted for chemical reaction patterns

Time-dependent model for vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser

Two models have been developed to simulate a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). The first model is a two-dimensional time-dependent solution of Maxwell`s equations, with frequency-independent bulk dielectric and absorption coefficients. These bulk coefficients depend upon the material, lattice temperature, and carrier concentration. This field model is coupled with a frequency-dependent gain model that describes the quantum well regions in the time domain. Treatment of frequency-dependent media in a finite-difference time-domain code is computationally intensive. On the other hand, because the volume of the active region is small relative to the volume of the distributed laser cavity, the computational overhead is reasonable. A semi-empirical transport model is used to describe the bulk transport, which drives the quantum well transport. In addition, the semi-empirical model provides a spatial distribution for the lattice temperature and carrier concentrations. The second model is a three-dimensional solution of Maxwell`s equations. The three-dimensional model can be used for cold-cavity calculations. The two-dimensional code generates the dielectric and absorption coefficients assuming azimuthal symmetry, providing the initial conditions for the three-dimensional calculation

Using Long-Term Volunteer Records to Examine Dormouse (Muscardinusavellanarius) Nestbox Selection.

Within ecology, there are unanswered questions about species-habitat interactions, which could potentially be resolved by a pragmatic analysis of a long-term volunteer-collected dataset. Here, we analysed 18 years of volunteer-collected data from a UK dormouse nestbox monitoring programme to determine the influence of habitat variables on nestbox choice by common dormice (Muscardinusavellanarius). We measured a range of habitat variables in a coppiced woodland in Gloucestershire, UK, and analysed these in relation to dormouse nestbox occupancy records (by dormice, other small mammals, and birds) collected by volunteers. While some characteristics of the woodland had changed over 18 years, simple transformation of the data and interpretation of the results indicated that the dataset was informative. Using stepwise regressions, multiple environmental and ecological factors were found to determine nestbox selection. Distance from the edge of the wood was the most influential (this did not change over 18 years), with boxes in the woodland interior being selected preferentially. There was a significant negative relationship with the presence of ferns (indicative of damp shady conditions). The presence of oak (a long-lived species), and the clumped structural complexity of the canopy were also important factors in the final model. There was no evidence of competition between dormice and birds or other mammals. The results provide greater understanding of artificial dormouse nest-site requirements and indicate that, in terms of habitat selection, long-term volunteer-collected datasets contribute usefully to understanding the requirements of species with an important conservation status

Revista de Vertebrados de la Estación Biológica de Doñana

Página 298 con error de impresiónEstudio cariológico en dos especies de Serránidos del Mediterráneo (Peces: PerciformesRelaciones morfométricas de Atherina boyeri Risso (Pisces: Atherinidae) de la laguna de Zoñar (Córdoba, España)Contribución al conocimiento de la biometríay osteología de Barbus barbus bocagei, Steindachner, 1866 (Pisces: CyprinidaeLa actividad de la salamandra, Salamandra salamandra (L.), en Galicia.Estudios sobre el sapo corredor (Bufo calamita) en el Sur de España.1. BiometríaEstudios sobre el sapo corredor (Bufo calamita) en el Sur de España. II. AlimentaciónBiología de la reproducción de Rana iberica Boulenger 1879 en zonas simpátridas con Rana temporaria Linneo, 1758Nuevos datos sobre la distribución geográfica de Lacerta monticola cantabrica Mertens, 1929. (Sauria, lacertidae).Datos sobre Lacerta monticola Boulenger, 1905 (Saurio: lacertidae)en el oeste del Sistema Central.Nueva especie de Anolis (lacertilia, Iguanidae) para CubaEtograma cuantificado del cortejo en Falco naumannOntogénesis del comportamiento predador en Falco naumanniContaminación xenobiótica del Parque Nacional de Doñana. 1. Residuos de insecticidas organoclorados, bifenilos policlorados y mercurio en anseriformes y gruiformesReproducción del críalo (Clamator glandarius) en Sierra Morena CentraNidificación de Picus viridis en taludes de arcilla en Ramblas de Guadix (Granada)Comportamiento del calamón Porphyrio porphyrio (Linnaeus, 1758) en Doñana, Marismas del GuadalquiviBiología y ecología de la malvasía (Oxyura leucocephala) en Andalucía.On the differential diet of Carnivora in islands:a method for analysing it and a particular case.Notas sobre la distribución pasada y actual del meloncillo Herpestes ichneumon (L.) en la Península IbéricaEstructuración de las interacciones en una camada de lobos (Canís lupus)Nuevos datos sobre la distribución del Cottus gobio L. (pisces, cottidae) en EspañaSobre la alimentación de Callopistes maculatus (Reptilia,teiidaeObservación de Lacerta lepida depredando un nido de Alectoris rufaNueva cita del galápago leproso Mauremys leprosa (Scheigger, 1812) en los pirineosPrimera cita de Psammodromus hispanicus (Fitzinger) para GaliciaSobre la presencia de Gallotia (=Lacerta) atlantica (Peters y Doria, 1882) en Gran CanariaNota sobre las Lacerta monticola Boulenger, 1905 de las zonas del norte de GaliciaPrimeras notas herpetológicas de la provincia de Soria.Datos sobre selección de hábitat y ecología alimenticia del porrón pardo (Aythya nyroca)Probable nueva área de cría del pechiazul (Luscinia svecica cyanecula) en el sistema central. PerisPredación de Falco peregrinus y Falco subbuteo sobre quirópterosResultados de la producción de Oxyura leucocephala en el año 1981 en las lagunas de Zóñar y el rincónAnálisis de la dieta de Tyto alba en un medio árido antropógeno de los alrededores de Almería¿Son Eudocimus ruber y E. albus distintas especies?EL Estornino pinto (Sturnus vulgaris) en Canarias: nueva especie nidifiante en el archipiélagoDatos sobre la alimentación otoñal del cárabo (Strix aluco) en la sierra de CádizObservación primaveral de rapaces y otras aves en el páramo del estado de Mérida (Venezuela).Murciélago hematófago (Desmodus rotundus) parasitando a un chigüire (Hidrochoerus hydrochaeris)Observaciones sobre la reproducción del zacatuche o teporinho Romerolagus diazi (Mammalia: lagomorpha)Estudio electroforético de hemoglobinas y esterasas sanguíneas en Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Chiroptera: rhinolophidae) y de hemoglobinas en Tadaria taeniotis (chiroptera: molossidae)Peer reviewe

Comparison of energy spreads induced by a wakefield in a cavity

The energy spread of a beam bunch induced in a linear accelerator can be reduced to a minimum if the amplitude and the phase of the RF voltage are optimized. The energy spread is induced by the longitudinal wakefield and by the sinusoidal profile of the accelerating voltage acting on the beam. The cavity shape, the bunch profile, and the charge in the bunch determine the wake function. Aiming to have an approximately constant net voltage acting across the beam bunch, we optimize the amplitude and the phase of the RF voltage. The minimum energy spread, the required RF voltage, and the required RF phase are calculated as a function of the net charge and the length of the bunch. To find out the effect of cavity shape on the minimum energy spread, the optimization was performed for several types of cavities. 4 refs., 8 figs

Self-assembly of magnetic biofunctional nanoparticles

Spherical, ferromagnetic FePt nanoparticles with a particle size of 3 nm were prepared by the simultaneous polyol reduction of Fe(acac)3Fe(acac)3 and Pt(acac)2Pt(acac)2 in phenyl ether in the presence of oleic acid and oleylamine. The oleic acid ligands can be replaced with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid, giving particles that can be dispersed in water. Both x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicated that FePt particles were not affected by ligands replacement. Dispersions of the FePt particles with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid ligands and ammonium counter ions gave self-assembled films consisting of highly ordered hexagonal arrays of particles.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87511/2/10Q901_1.pd