scholarly journals Measuring individual identity information in animal signals: Overview and performance of available identity metrics

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Linhart ◽  
Tomasz Osiejuk ◽  
Michal Budka ◽  
Martin Šálek ◽  
Marek Špinka ◽  
...  

AbstractIdentity signals have been studied for over 50 years but there is no consensus as to how to quantify individuality. While there are a variety of different metrics to quantify individual identity, or individuality, these methods remain un-validated and the relationships between them unclear.We contrasted three univariate and four multivariate metrics (and their different computational variants) and evaluated their performance on simulated and empirical datasets.Of the metrics examined, Beecher’s information statistic (HS) was the best one and could easily and reliably be converted into the commonly used discrimination score (and vice versa) after accounting for the number of individuals and calls per individual in a given dataset. Although Beecher’s information statistic is not entirely independent of sampling parameters, this problem can be removed by reducing the number of parameters or by increasing the number of individuals.Because it is easily calculated, has superior performance, can be used to describe single variables or signal as a whole, and because it tells us the maximum number of individuals that can be discriminated given a set of measurements, we recommend that individuality should be quantified using Beecher’s information statistic.

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1558-1570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Linhart ◽  
Tomasz S. Osiejuk ◽  
Michał Budka ◽  
Martin Šálek ◽  
Marek Špinka ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilber Akatuhurira ◽  
Peter Tumutegyereize ◽  
Isaac Oluk ◽  
Emmanuel Baidhe ◽  
Julia Kigozi ◽  
...  

Abstract Traditional grain cleaning methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and yet very inefficient. The use of available mechanical seed cleaners is widely limited since they are expensive to own, operate, and maintain. A Pedal Operated Seed Cleaner (PoS-Cleaner) was developed and its performance evaluated. Appropriate engineering principles and methodologies were used in the sizing and construction of the machine. The cleaner consists of a bicycle-like pedaling system, hopper, a centrifugal fan, and three cleaning sieves which include two inside interlocking sieves (one sieve fixed and the other adjustable); whose meshes can be adjusted to be larger than the size of the unclean seeds by longitudinally translating the second sieve to achieve the appropriate seed size. This allows trapping of impurities larger than the seeds. Cleaning rates of 576.5 kg/h, 375.8 kg/h, and 377.4 kg/h for maize, beans, and groundnuts were obtained respectively. Maize, beans, and groundnuts had their highest cleaning efficiencies of 95.09%, 87.61%, and 81.67% at inner sieve sizes of 13 mm, 16 mm and 10 mm respectively, pedaling speed of 60 rpm. The PoS-Cleaner presents a more viable cleaning option for smallholder farmers in rural and remote areas with no access to the national grid, therefore producing high-quality seeds. This will eventually facilitate agricultural value addition and increase individual family incomes in Uganda. Article highlights A pedal operated multi-seed cleaner was developed. Achieved 5 times higher seed cleaning rates compared to traditional cleaning technologies. Attained higher separation efficiencies of seed and externalities compared to traditional technologies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Qingqing Xie ◽  
Fan Dong ◽  
Xia Feng

The blockchain technology achieves security by sacrificing prohibitive storage and computation resources. However, in mobile systems, the mobile devices usually offer weak computation and storage resources. It prohibits the wide application of the blockchain technology. Edge computing appears with strong resources and inherent decentralization, which can provide a natural solution to overcoming the resource-insufficiency problem. However, applying edge computing directly can only relieve some storage and computation pressure. There are some other open problems, such as improving confirmation latency, throughput, and regulation. To this end, we propose an edge-computing-based lightweight blockchain framework (ECLB) for mobile systems. This paper introduces a novel set of ledger structures and designs a transaction consensus protocol to achieve superior performance. Moreover, considering the permissioned blockchain setting, we specifically utilize some cryptographic methods to design a pluggable transaction regulation module. Finally, our security analysis and performance evaluation show that ECLB can retain the security of Bitcoin-like blockchain and better performance of ledger storage cost in mobile devices, block mining computation cost, throughput, transaction confirmation latency, and transaction regulation cost.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Dong ◽  
Liangbing Xiong ◽  
Qianjiao Zheng ◽  
Xiaoyang Sun ◽  
Zhixin Guo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Obtaining superior performance of SupraNova and Lark C3 turfgrasses under shade conditions is a challenging task. Both durability and performance of turfgrass are significantly affected by shade. In particular, morphological and physiological adaptation to low light is critical for maintaining quality and overall performance in turfgrass plants. Results: The purpose of this study was to study the response of SupraNova and Lark turfgrass morphology and photo-physiological potential to shading. The plants of 'SupraNova' and 'Lark' were collected from the lawn plots of the Horticulture Research Center of Northeast Agricultural University of China for 2 years and treated with gradient shading 35.62% after 2 months of culture, normal light intensity 70.79 % and 93.45% with full sun as the contrast represented by CK for comparison. Lark showed TQ and TCI in shady stage compared with SupraNova. Lark showed strong resistance to MDA, H2O2, O2-, SOD, POD, CAT and AsA, indicating that the antioxidant system of C3 turfgrass at 35.6% shade level. Under 70.79% shade treatment, MDA, H2O2, O2-, SOD, POD, CAT and AsA of the two cultivars decreased the most, and the longer the shading time, the average daily growth of the two turfgrasses increased first and then decreased. Lark outperformed SupraNova throughout the shading treatment, with 70.79% and 93.45%, respectively. Lark showed increased Chl A and Chl (A/B) in response to different shading levels, while SupraNova had the highest concentrations of Chl B and total Chl. Chlorophyll fluorescence qP, ETR, and Fv/Fm decreased significantly when shaded at 93.45%;Conclusion: The results of this study proved that decrease was more significant in SupraNova than Lark, and shading caused more severe changes in leaf morphology and anatomical structure than Lark turfgrass has the highest negative tolerance than SupraNova turfgrass, which is due to the better photosynthetic product transport capacity of Lark plants. In its anatomical structure, and" vascular bundle sheath structure, which enables it to have higher photosynthetic efficiency to adapt to negative stress. SupraNova and Lark first increased and then decreased with the increase of shade degree


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto N. García ◽  
Pablo Castrillo

This article analyzes, from an aesthetic and cultural point of view, two pivotal moments in The Americans, a Cold War spy thriller set in the heart of Ronald Reagan’s America. Both samples—one from the mid-series episode “Stingers” (3.10.), and the other from the series finale, “START” (6.10.)—show how the protagonists, two KGB spies living undercover in the United States as a married couple with two kids, disclose their secret identity to characters with whom they have a special emotional bond: their daughter, who has become a devout Christian; and their best friend and neighbor, who happens to be a counterintelligence officer in the FBI. After exploring how identity and performance play a crucial role in the spy-thriller genre, the article investigates whether it is possible for the audience to interpret the feelings and thoughts of characters with multiple identities who excel in the art of duplicity; and whether the viewer can infer intention from performance. Following this epistemological discussion, the article then sets out to explain the sociocultural relevance and timeliness of The Americans as a text whose thematic and aesthetic concerns ultimately revolve around individual identity vis-a-vis collective allegiances and ideologies.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Fan ◽  
Kang Chen ◽  
Shaoxiong Zheng ◽  
Yang Du ◽  
Yiping Dai ◽  
...  

Abstract The supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) Brayton cycle is one of the most promising power cycles due to its high efficiency, compactness and environmentally friendliness. The centrifugal compressor is a key component of small and medium SCO2 Brayton cycles, and its efficiency has a significant impact on the cycle efficiency. Since the required electric load of power cycles always fluctuates over the year, the SCO2 compressor will operate away from its design point and the narrow stable operating range of a compressor is always a restriction. In this paper, the variable-geometry method, which refers to the combination of a variable inlet-guide-vanes and variable diffuser vanes is proposed for the operating range extension of SCO2 compressors. A set of one-dimensional (1D) loss correlations has been found to accurately predict various losses of the SCO2 compressor components. Based on the 1D thermodynamic model, two programs with internal MATLAB codes coupled with the NIST REFPROP database have been developed for preliminary optimization design and off-design performance predictions of the variable geometry SCO2 compressor. The contributions from the variable-inlet prewhirl and variable diffuser vanes to the shifts of the surge line and choke line are discussed in this paper. The results show the variable-geometry SCO2 compressor has a superior performance at off-design conditions and a wider operating range.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Li ◽  
Linlin Chai ◽  
Chanchai Tangpong ◽  
Michelle Hong ◽  
Rodney D. Traub

Purpose This study aims to examine empirically the existence of four classical and four emerging buyer–supplier relationship (BSR) types and how they differ in terms of behavioral dynamics and performance measures. Design/methodology/approach This study uses an online survey to collect data from 371 purchasing managers in the USA. Findings A cluster analysis statistically supports the existence of five of these eight BSR types, including strategic/bilateral partnership, market/discrete, supplier-led collaboration, captive supplier/buyer dominant and captive buyer/supplier dominant BSRs. Further, ANOVA tests show that these five BSRs differ in terms of behavioral outcomes and performance measures. Research limitations/implications This study is based on a cross-sectional survey so it cannot examine how these BSR types may evolve over time, and it is not suitable to examine some rare types of BSRs. In addition, this study does not consider contextual factors that may moderate the influence of BSR types on the behavioral dynamics and performance measures. Practical implications Managers should consider the potential to be able to develop and enhance a strategic/bilateral relationship with their supply chain partners, which in at least some circumstances can lead to superior performance results. Similar observations can be made with respect to supplier-led and, to a lesser degree, buyer-led collaboration. Originality/value Most existing research of the BSR types is largely a product of theoretical classifications, and there is also a lack of research of their performance implications. This study fills these gaps in the literature.


2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 1978-2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Ellis ◽  
Leonardo Madureira ◽  
Shane Underwood

We use the introduction of direct flights as an exogenous shock to the travel time between mutual funds and firms to estimate the causal effects of proximity on fund investment decisions and performance. We find that a fund invests significantly more in firms that become more proximate following the introduction of direct flights and that these more proximate investments exhibit superior performance. Our findings are robust to including a variety of fixed effects and potential confounders such as firm-level shocks, fund-level shocks, and time trends. Collectively, our results indicate that proximity enhances investors’ ability to acquire value-relevant information about firms.


Logistics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Myung Kyo Kim ◽  
Ram Narasimhan ◽  
Tobias Schoenherr

The purpose of the present research is to examine and compare product and logistics competencies in supplier selection decisions, which can serve as a crucial building block for competitive differentiation, in the context of the unique private label (PL) supply chain. This study also hypothesizes about the impact of product and logistics competence on the retailer’s financial performance. Lastly, the moderating role of the product type in the proposed research model is explored. Partial least squares path modelling is used to analyze the dataset drawn from major South Korean retailers, due to the exploratory nature of the research and the use of both reflective and formative construct measurement items. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that relationships between the desire for a particular strategic intent and performance are more complex than previous studies have implied. The findings of this research offer possible explanations on an important but understudied aspect of PL success: why not all PLs (even of the same retailer) are thriving even in a rapidly growing PL industry. We further elicit strategic recommendations for retailers in selecting PL suppliers and for PL manufacturers to differentiate themselves and achieve a superior performance.


1983 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-53
Author(s):  
P. Rendall

AbstractThis report is a limited evaluation of the Tutorial Assistance program within the Aboriginal Secondary Grants Scheme.Achievement of Aboriginal secondary students receiving tuition was analysed according to several criteria, including sex and the type of school attended. The major findings were: Tutored Aboriginal students had significantly higher achievement than untutored students, in both English and Mathematics.Aboriginal students in boarding schools had significantly higher achievement than those in state schools, regardless of tutoring.There were no significant differences between male and female students.It could not be concluded that tutorial assistance caused the superior performance of tutored students. Student motivation was a highly possible intervening factor, and there are probably many others.In addition, various solutions to the problem of underachievement by Aboriginal students were ranked according to their effectiveness as perceived by people in the tutorial program. Three solutions were judged equally preferable and viable: Employing more Aboriginal teachers, aides and counsellors.Providing tutorial assistance to Aboriginal students.Sensitising non-Aboriginal teachers to the problems faced by Aboriginal students.


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