A functional view reveals substantial predictability of pollinator-mediated selection

A predictive understanding of adaptation to changing environments hinges on a mechanistic understanding of the extent and causes of variation in natural selection. Estimating variation in selection is difficult due to the complex relationships between phenotypic traits and fitness, and the uncertainty associated with individual selection estimates. Plant-pollinator interactions provide ideal systems for understanding variation in selection and its predictability, because both the selective agents (pollinators) and the process linking phenotypes to fitness (pollination) are generally known. Through examples from the pollination literature, I discuss how explicit consideration of the functional mechanisms underlying trait-performance relationships can clarify the relationship between traits and fitness, and how variation in the ecological context that generates selection can help disentangle biologically important variation in selection from sampling variation. I then evaluate the predictability of variation in pollinator-mediated selection through a survey, reanalysis, and synthesis of results from the literature. The synthesis demonstrates that pollinator-mediated selection often varies substantially among trait functional groups, as well as in time and space. Covariance between patterns of selection and ecological variables provides additional support for the biological importance of observed selection, but the detection of such covariance depends on careful choice of relevant predictor variables as well as consideration of quantitative measurements and their meaning, an aspect often neglected in selection studies.

Place of Death Among Assisted Living Residents as a Factor of Hospice Regulations

Our objective was to examine the likelihood of dying in RC/AL among a national cohort of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who died in 2018 (N=31,414) as a factor regulations allowing hospice care. We estimated multivariable logistic regression models to examine the association between RC/AL as place of death and supportive hospice regulations, controlling for demographic characteristics, dual Medicare/Medicaid eligibility, years in AL, and hospital referral region (HRR) to control for hospice practice patterns. A majority of beneficiaries in our cohort died in RC/AL; more than half while receiving hospice services. In unadjusted models, the odds of remaining in RC/AL communities until death were significantly higher in the presence of regulations supportive of hospice care. This relationship was no longer significant once adjusting for covariates and an HRR fixed effect, suggesting important variation in end-of-life experiences for AL residents not explained by hospice regulations.

The tunable 0−π qubit: Dynamics and relaxation

In this paper, we present a systematic treatment of a [Formula: see text] qubit in the presence of a time-dependent external flux. A gauge-invariant Lagrangian and the corresponding Hamiltonian are obtained. The effect of the flux noise on the qubit relaxation is obtained using the perturbation theory. Under a time-dependent drive of sinusoidal form, the survival probability, and transition probabilities have been studied for different strengths and frequencies. The driven qubit is shown to possess coherent oscillations among two distinct states for a weak to moderate strength close to resonant frequencies of the unperturbed qubit. The parameters can be chosen to prepare the system in its ground state. This feature paves the way to prolong the lifetime by combining ideas from weak measurement and quantum Zeno effect. We believe that this is an important variation of a topologically protected qubit which is tunable.

Examining Heterogeneity in the Impacts of Socio-Emotional Curricula in Preschool: A Quantile Treatment Effect Approach

We examine treatment effect heterogeneity using data from the Head Start CARES study, in which a sample of preschool centers was randomly assigned to either one of three curricula interventions targeting socio-emotional (SE) skills (i.e., emotional knowledge, problem-solving skills, and executive functions) or to continue using their “business-as-usual” curriculum. Most existing research estimates only mean differences between treatment and control groups, and uses simple subgroup analyses to assess treatment heterogeneity, which may overlook important variation in treatment effects across the ex post outcome distribution. We use quantile treatment effects analyses to understand the impacts of these curricular interventions at various parts of the outcome distribution, from the 1st percentile to the 99th percentile, to understand who benefits most from SE curricula interventions. Results show positive impacts of the curricula interventions on emotional knowledge and problem-solving skills, but not equally across the full skill distribution. Children in the upper half of the emotional knowledge distribution and at the higher end of the problem-solving skills distribution gain more from the curricula. As in the study’s original mean-comparison analyses, we find no impacts on children’s executive function skills at any point in the skills distribution. Our findings add to the growing literature on the differential effects of curricula interventions for preschool programs operating at scale. Importantly, it provides the first evidence for the effects of SE curricula interventions on SE outcomes across children’s outcome skill levels. We discuss implications for early education programs for children with different school readiness skills.

30 Calf Performance and Sex Ratios in Second Generation Reciprocal Nellore-angus Crosses

The objectives of this study were to analyze calf weight and sex distribution differences in reciprocal F2 Nellore-Angus calves (n = 559) born 2010–2015 and calves out of these F2 females through 4 yr age (n = 469) born 2012–2018. The F2 animals were produced by 4 F1 parent type combinations from Nellore-sired (NA) vs. Angus-sired (AN) sires and dams. Weight traits were analyzed using mixed models, and sex distribution was analyzed through PROC GLIMMIX in SAS. Sire type and dam type affected birth weight (P < 0.05) but not weaning weight of the F2 calves. However, the interaction between sire type and dam type accounted for weaning weight differences (P = 0.038). Birth weight averaged 3.5 kg heavier from NA vs. AN sires, and 2.4 kg heavier from NA vs. AN dams. Weaning weight displayed a different pattern than observed in birth weight with the heaviest calves being NAAN (224.5 ± 3.7 kg) and lightest being ANAN (215.9 ± 3.9 kg). Sire type accounted for important variation (P = 0.036) in the calf sex distribution at birth among F2 calves. Percentage males at birth exceeded the expected ratio for NA-sired calves (66.6%, n = 168) but not for AN-sired calves (49.9%, n = 105). The sire and dam type main effects in the F2 females did not influence weight traits or sex distribution in their calves (from predominantly Angus sires). However, the interaction of sire type x dam type x sex showed a trend in birth weight (P = 0.080) and importance for weaning weight (P = 0.010) where only from ANNA and NANA dams were males heavier than females. These results suggest that some of the calf weight reciprocal differences typically observed among F1 Bos indicus-Bos taurus crosses can persist in later generations.

SP2.2.16Hospital compound level endoscopy training quality performance: scoping the spectrum

Aims This study aimed to assess the quality of endoscopy training in a single UK Statutory Educational Body (SEB), related to individual hospitals,compared with the Joint Advisory Group on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Training (JETS) certification standards. Methods Training procedures numbering 28,928 recorded by 211 consecutive cross-specialty trainee endoscopists registered with JETS in18 hospitals during 2019were analysed. Data included trainer and trainee numbers, training list frequency, procedures, Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) completion and Key Performance Indicators (KPI). Results Annual median training procedures per hospital were 1395 (interquartile range (IQR) 465-2365). Median (IQR) trainers and trainees per unit were 11 (6-18) and 12 (7-16) respectively (ratio 0.8 (0.7-1.3)). Annual training list frequency per trainee was 13 (10-17), 35.0% short of JAG standard (n = 20, p = 0.001, effect size -0.56), and median points per adjusted training list were 11 (5-18). Median DOPS completion per trainee and trainer were 3 (1-6) and 4 (1-7) respectively; completing 0.2 DOPS (0.1-0.4) per list and amounting to 6 (2-12) per 200 procedures: less than half of the JAG standard (p < 0.001, -0.61). Median KPI for OGD: J Manoeuvre 94% (90-96), D2 intubation was 93% (91-96); and for Colonoscopy: Caecal intubation 82% (72-90), and Polyp Detection Rate 25% (18-34). Compound hospital training quality score varied 3-fold, the highest performing hospital scoring 26; compared to the poorest performing scoring 9: median 17 (14-20). Conclusion Important variation in endoscopy unit performance were apparent with compound hospital training quality varying almost 3-fold. Trainees, Training Programme Directors alike, should be aware of such data when planning educational programmes to focus, optimise the quality of endoscopic training.

Modelling the effect of catena position and hydrology on soil chemical weathering

The sensitivity of chemical weathering to climatic and erosional forcing is well established at regional scales. However, soil formation is known to vary strongly along catenas where topography, hydrology, and vegetation cause differences in soil properties and possibly chemical weathering. This study applies the SoilGen model to evaluate the link between topographic position and hydrology with the chemical weathering of soil profiles on a north-south catena in southern Spain. Pedogenesis was measured and simulated in seven selected locations over a 20000-year period. A good correspondence between simulated and measured chemical depletion fraction (CDF) was obtained (R2 = 0.47). An important variation in CDF values along the catena was observed, although the position along the catena alone, nor by the slope gradient, explained this variation well. However, the hydrological variables explained the observed trends better. A positive trend between CDF data and soil moisture and infiltration and a negative trend with water residence time was found. The model sensitivity was evaluated with a large precipitation gradient (200–1200 mm yr−1). While a marked depth gradient was obtained for CDF with precipitation up to 800 mm yr−1, a uniform depth distribution was obtained with precipitation above 800 mm yr−1. The basic pattern for the response of chemical weathering to precipitation is a unimodal curve, with a maximum around a mean annual precipitation value of 800 mm yr−1. Interestingly, this corroborates similar findings on the relation of other soil properties to precipitation and should be explored in further research.

Nonlinear Robust Control of a New Reconfigurable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

In this paper, a nonlinear robust Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Controller (FTSMC) is designed to control and stabilize a new reconfigurable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the presence of uncertain and variable parameters. The studied UAV is an over-actuated system due the number of actuator control inputs. It can modify the length and the angles between its four arms in different ways, which result an important variation in its Center of Gravity (CoG), inertia, and control matrix. The proposed FTSMC offers many advantages such as, reaching the desired states in a finite-time unlike the conventional sliding mode, robustness vis-a-vis uncertain and unknown parameters, fast convergence towards the sliding surface, high accuracy and reducing the chattering phenomena. Furthermore, the closed-loop stability of the this UAV is ensured by the Lyapunov theory. The eight actuators used to rotate and extend the UAV arms are controlled by simple Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controllers. Lastly, the robustness and efficiency of the proposed controller are evaluated through a flight scenario, where the UAV geometric parameters are variable over time.

Survey of defecation habits in apparently healthy and chronic kidney disease cats

Objectives Changes in bowel movements (BMs) are an important clinical sign in many diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the purpose of this study was to collect information on BMs and fecal scores in both apparently healthy and CKD cats. A secondary aim was to assess owner awareness of BM frequency. Methods Owners were asked to complete an initial online questionnaire about their cat’s health and litter box habits (including predicted BM frequency and fecal scores) and were then asked to clean the box daily for 7 days and report results (observed frequency of BMs and fecal scores) daily. Differences in BM frequency and fecal scores between apparently normal and CKD cats were compared using the Mann–Whitney test, and predicted vs observed data were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Difference in percentage of cats defecating more or less than once daily were assessed with Fisher’s exact test. Results Survey data from 124 owners of apparently healthy cats and 43 owners of CKD cats who submitted two or more days of daily observations (in addition to the initial questionnaire) were analyzed. Eighty-five percent of apparently healthy cats were observed to defecate one or more times per day and 15% defecated less than once per day. Fifty-eight percent of CKD cats defecated one or more times per day and 42% defecated less than once per day. A significantly higher percentage of CKD cats defecated less than once per day in comparison with apparently healthy cats ( P <0.0001). Observed BM frequency was significantly less in CKD cats compared with healthy cats ( P = 0.02). Observed fecal scores were not significantly different between healthy and CKD cats. Conclusions and relevance The observed BM frequency of cats with CKD was less than apparently healthy cats and represents a clinically important variation from normal.