scholarly journals Contingent trade-off decisions with feedbacks in cyclical environments: testing alternative theories

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1192-1206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven F Railsback ◽  
Bret C Harvey ◽  
Daniel Ayllón

Abstract Many animals make contingent decisions, such as when and where to feed, as trade-offs between growth and risk when these vary not only with activity and location but also 1) in cycles such as the daily light cycle and 2) with feedbacks due to competition. Theory can assume an individual decides whether and where to feed, at any point in the light cycle and under any new conditions, by predicting future conditions and maximizing an approximate measure of future fitness. We develop four such theories for stream trout and evaluate them by their ability to reproduce, in an individual-based model, seven patterns observed in real trout. The patterns concern how feeding in four circadian phases—dawn, day, dusk, and night—varies with predation risk, food availability, temperature, trout density, physical habitat, day length, and circadian cycles in food availability. We found that theory must consider the full circadian cycle: decisions at one phase must consider what happens in other phases. Three theories that do so could reproduce almost all the patterns, and their ability to let individuals adapt decisions over time produced higher average fitness than any fixed behavior cycle. Because individuals could adapt by selecting among habitat patches as well as activity, multiple behaviors produced similar fitness. Our most successful theories base selection of habitat and activity at each phase on memory of survival probabilities and growth rates experienced 1) in the three previous phases of the current day or 2) in each phase of several previous days.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. W. Brienen ◽  
L. Caldwell ◽  
L. Duchesne ◽  
S. Voelker ◽  
J. Barichivich ◽  
...  

Abstract Land vegetation is currently taking up large amounts of atmospheric CO2, possibly due to tree growth stimulation. Extant models predict that this growth stimulation will continue to cause a net carbon uptake this century. However, there are indications that increased growth rates may shorten trees′ lifespan and thus recent increases in forest carbon stocks may be transient due to lagged increases in mortality. Here we show that growth-lifespan trade-offs are indeed near universal, occurring across almost all species and climates. This trade-off is directly linked to faster growth reducing tree lifespan, and not due to covariance with climate or environment. Thus, current tree growth stimulation will, inevitably, result in a lagged increase in canopy tree mortality, as is indeed widely observed, and eventually neutralise carbon gains due to growth stimulation. Results from a strongly data-based forest simulator confirm these expectations. Extant Earth system model projections of global forest carbon sink persistence are likely too optimistic, increasing the need to curb greenhouse gas emissions.


2007 ◽  
Vol 363 (1490) ◽  
pp. 375-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R Speakman

Life-history trade-offs between components of fitness arise because reproduction entails both gains and costs. Costs of reproduction can be divided into ecological and physiological costs. The latter have been rarely studied yet are probably a dominant component of the effect. A deeper understanding of life-history evolution will only come about once these physiological costs are better understood. Physiological costs may be direct or indirect. Direct costs include the energy and nutrient demands of the reproductive event, and the morphological changes that are necessary to facilitate achieving these demands. Indirect costs may be optional ‘compensatory costs’ whereby the animal chooses to reduce investment in some other aspect of its physiology to maximize the input of resource to reproduction. Such costs may be distinguished from consequential costs that are an inescapable consequence of the reproductive event. In small mammals, the direct costs of reproduction involve increased energy, protein and calcium demands during pregnancy, but most particularly during lactation. Organ remodelling is necessary to achieve the high demands of lactation and involves growth of the alimentary tract and associated organs such as the liver and pancreas. Compensatory indirect costs include reductions in thermogenesis, immune function and physical activity. Obligatory consequential costs include hyperthermia, bone loss, disruption of sleep patterns and oxidative stress. This is unlikely to be a complete list. Our knowledge of these physiological costs is currently at best described as rudimentary. For some, we do not even know whether they are compensatory or obligatory. For almost all of them, we have no idea of exact mechanisms or how these costs translate into fitness trade-offs.


2007 ◽  
Vol 111 (1120) ◽  
pp. 389-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Campa ◽  
M. R. Napolitano ◽  
M. Perhinschi ◽  
M. L. Fravolini ◽  
L. Pollini ◽  
...  

Abstract This paper describes the results of an effort on the analysis of the performance of specific ‘pose estimation’ algorithms within a Machine Vision-based approach for the problem of aerial refuelling for unmanned aerial vehicles. The approach assumes the availability of a camera on the unmanned aircraft for acquiring images of the refuelling tanker; also, it assumes that a number of active or passive light sources – the ‘markers’ – are installed at specific known locations on the tanker. A sequence of machine vision algorithms on the on-board computer of the unmanned aircraft is tasked with the processing of the images of the tanker. Specifically, detection and labeling algorithms are used to detect and identify the markers and a ‘pose estimation’ algorithm is used to estimate the relative position and orientation between the two aircraft. Detailed closed-loop simulation studies have been performed to compare the performance of two ‘pose estimation’ algorithms within a simulation environment that was specifically developed for the study of aerial refuelling problems. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of the required computational effort as well as on the accuracy and the error propagation characteristics of the two methods. The general trade offs involved in the selection of the pose estimation algorithm are discussed. Finally, simulation results are presented and analysed.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 584
Author(s):  
Fausto Meriggi ◽  
Massimo Graffeo

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to increase worldwide, particularly in Western countries. In almost all cases, HCC develops in subjects with hepatic cirrhosis, often as the result of hepatitis B or C virus infection, alcohol abuse or metabolic forms secondary to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Patients with HCC and hepatic symptoms can therefore present symptoms that are attributable to both conditions. These patients require multidisciplinary management, calling for close interaction between the hepatologist and the oncologist. Indeed, the treatment of HCC requires, depending on the disease stage and the degree of hepatic impairment, locoregional therapies that can in turn be broken down into surgical and nonsurgical treatments and systemic treatments used in the event of progression after the administration of locoregional treatments. The past decade has seen the publication of countless papers of great interest that have radically changed the scenario of treatment for HCC. Novel therapies with biological agents and immunotherapy have come to be standard options in the approach to treatment of this cancer, obtaining very promising results where in the past chemotherapy was almost never able to have an impact on the course of the disease. However, in addition to being costly, these drugs are not devoid of adverse effects and their management cannot forgo the consideration of the underlying hepatic impairment. Patients with HCC and cirrhosis therefore require special attention, starting from the initial characterisation needed for an appropriate selection of those to be referred for treatment, as these patients are almost never fit. In this chapter, we will attempt to investigate and clarify the key points of the management of the main toxicities induced by locoregional and systemic treatments for HCC secondary to cirrhosis.


2021 ◽  

Abstract R is an open-source statistical environment modelled after the previously widely used commercial programs S and S-Plus, but in addition to powerful statistical analysis tools, it also provides powerful graphics outputs. In addition to its statistical and graphical capabilities, R is a programming language suitable for medium-sized projects. This book presents a set of studies that collectively represent almost all the R operations that beginners, analysing their own data up to perhaps the early years of doing a PhD, need. Although the chapters are organized around topics such as graphing, classical statistical tests, statistical modelling, mapping and text parsing, examples have been chosen based largely on real scientific studies at the appropriate level and within each the use of more R functions is nearly always covered than are simply necessary just to get a p-value or a graph. R comes with around a thousand base functions which are automatically installed when R is downloaded. This book covers the use of those of most relevance to biological data analysis, modelling and graphics. Throughout each chapter, the functions introduced and used in that chapter are summarized in Tool Boxes. The book also shows the user how to adapt and write their own code and functions. A selection of base functions relevant to graphics that are not necessarily covered in the main text are described in Appendix 1, and additional housekeeping functions in Appendix 2.


Author(s):  
Andy Dong ◽  
Alice M. Agogino

Abstract In design synthesis, engineering prototypes make an ideal representation medium for preliminary designs. Unlike parametric design wherein a pre-specified design is parametrically varied, design synthesis demands artistic creativity and engineering experience to transform the previously known components, relationships and designs into a new form. The process compels the designer to ascertain which prototypes will, in some sense, best satisfy the design task. The challenge in this assignment lies in selecting the “right” design prototype. This selection process typically entails an objective evaluation of different designs that perform the same functions or have similar intended behavior and comparing trade-offs between alternate designs. This paper introduces a multi-objective spectral optimization algorithm for the selection of design prototypes based upon their functional representations. The optimization algorithm returns an index of rank, scoring the functional similarity of the proposed design to the goal design. Two illustrative examples apply the algorithm to the selection of a heat fin and beam.


Author(s):  
Cristina Johansson ◽  
Johan Ölvander ◽  
Micael Derelöv

In early design phases, it is vital to be able to screen the design space for a set of promising design alternatives for further study. This article presents a method able to balance several objectives of different mathematical natures, with high impact on the design choices. The method (MOSART) handles multi-objective optimization for safety and reliability trade-offs. The article focuses on optimization problem approach and processing of results as a base for decision-making. The output of the optimization step is the selection of specific system elements obtaining the best balance between the targets. However, what is a good base for decision can easily transform into too much information and overloading of the decision-maker. To solve this potential issue, from a set of Pareto optimal solutions, a smaller sub-set of selected solutions are visualized and filtered out using preference levels of the objectives, yielding a solid base for decision-making and valuable information on potential solutions. Trends were observed regarding each system element and discussed while processing the results of the analysis, supporting the decision of one final best solution.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (SI1) ◽  
pp. SI151-SI156
Author(s):  
Le Khanh Tan ◽  
Tran Ngoc Huy ◽  
Pham Huy Hoang

Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) known, as a special purpose underwater research vehicle (SPURV) is really a pocket submarine that could be used in multipurpose such as meteorology, probing the pollution of stream, military spying, exploring an underwater tunnel or wrecked ships and other purposes. With the reason of the power of battery inside of AUV is limited, the aim of this paper is to represent an effect way of control the submerging and surfacing of an AUV in order to save energy for a longer time service or a deeper and further expedition under water. In fact, there are so many ways for saving energy of the battery of AUV and in this paper, the selection of keeping permanently the horizontal direction of the AUV in any operation as the situation of a real submarine is applied. The diving and surfacing of AUV are consigned to the motor of the pump that consumes a little of energy to keep the proportion of the weight and the Archimedes force by pumping water inside or outside of the AUV. The selection of volume of pumped water is considered as a dynamic ballast mass for maintaining the horizontal equilibrium of the AUV at the time of submerging and surfacing. In the other hand, the controlling of the gravity point of AUV for maintaining a fixed position of gravity of the AUV when submerging and surfacing are the main factors of the paper that is also investigated in this paper. Finally, the motor of the propeller or thruster that always spends a great energy has committed only for forward or backward motion of the AUV. In this measure, the motor of thruster does not confronted with a great consummation of energy when submerging and surfacing in an oblique direction as almost all popular measures of control of AUV.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrine Drira ◽  
Frida Ben Rais Lasram ◽  
Tarek Hattab ◽  
Yunne Jai Shin ◽  
Amel Ben Rejeb Jenhani ◽  
...  

AbstractSpecies distribution models (SDMs) have been proposed as a way to provide robust inference about species-specific sites suitabilities, and have been increasingly used in systematic conservation planning (SCP) applications. However, despite the fact that the use of SDMs in SCP may raise some potential issues, conservation studies have overlooked to assess the implications of SDMs uncertainties. The integration of these uncertainties in conservation solutions requires the development of a reserve-selection approach based on a suitable optimization algorithm. A large body of research has shown that exact optimization algorithms give very precise control over the gap to optimality of conservation solutions. However, their major shortcoming is that they generate a single binary and indivisible solution. Therefore, they provide no flexibility in the implementation of conservation solutions by stakeholders. On the other hand, heuristic decision-support systems provide large amounts of sub-optimal solutions, and therefore more flexibility. This flexibility arises from the availability of many alternative and sub-optimal conservation solutions. The two principles of efficiency and flexibility are implicitly linked in conservation applications, with the most mathematically efficient solutions being inflexible and the flexible solutions provided by heuristics suffering sub-optimality. In order to avoid the trade-offs between flexibility and efficiency in systematic conservation planning, we propose in this paper a new reserve-selection framework based on mathematical programming optimization combined with a post-selection of SDM outputs. This approach leads to a reserve-selection framework that might provide flexibility while simultaneously addressing efficiency and representativeness of conservation solutions and the adequacy of conservation targets. To exemplify the approach we a nalyzed an experimental design crossing pre- and post-selection of SDM outputs versus heuristics and exact mathematical optimizations. We used the Mediterranean Sea as a biogeographical template for our analyses, integrating the outputs of 8 SDM techniques for 438 fishes species.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Nurcahyani Dewi Retnowati

Three-dimensional applications has evolved penetrated in almost all areas of work, especially in the field of multimedia and other virtual media. Offeature films, television, print design to production games. LightWave 3D is a software that can model an object once animate. This research model a 3D object using LightWave Modeler then analyzed the results of modeling using graphic editors in LightWave Layout. To connect between LightWave Modeler and LightWave Layout used LightWave Hub. Analysis using the graphic editor can make a better model for the selection of each layer more detail.


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