Higher Constancy Research Articles

Gender Differences and Relationship of 2D:4D-Ratio, Mental Toughness and Dark Triad Traits among Active Young Adults.

There is consistent evidence that prenatal exposures to higher testosterone and lower estrogen concentrations during the first trimester of embryonal and fetal development are associated with a lower 2D:4D-ratio, which is to say: The index finger (2D) is shorter, compared to the ring finger (4D). Compared to non-active, athletes show lower 2D:4D ratios. However, athletes also report specific personality traits such as mental toughness, assertiveness, and competitive behavior. Here, we tested if 2D:4D-ratios were related to specific personality traits. We further investigated possible gender differences. A total of 460 active young adults (mean age: 24.81 years; 67% females) completed a series of self-rating questionnaires covering sociodemographic information and traits of the dark triad and mental toughness. Participants also provided a scan of their right palm hand to measure and calculate 2D:4D-ratios. t-tests, Pearson's correlations, and multiple regression analysis were performed to analyze data. Compared to male participants, female participants had a higher 2D:4D-ratio. Female and male participants did not differ as regards dark triad traits and mental toughness traits. Irrespective of gender, and based on correlational computations, 2D:4D-ratios were unrelated to the dark triad (DT) and mental toughness (MT) scores. Higher DT scores were modestly associated with higher MT scores among females, but not among males. Lower 2D:4D-ratios were associated with higher constancy scores and the male gender. The constancy and male gender appeared to be associated with lower 2D:4D-ratios.

Nonequilibrium thermal transport and thermodynamic geometry in periodically driven systems

With the in-depth understanding of nano-/micro-scaled systems and the developing of the corresponding experimental techniques, the heat transport and energy conversion processes in these small systems have attracted much interest recently. In contrast to the static manipulation methods, which hinge on the steady nonequilibrium sources such as temperature bias, chemical potential difference, etc., the temporal driving methods can control small systems in nonequilibrium non-steady states with much more versatility and universality. The research on periodically driven small systems holds both fundamental and pragmatic promises. This review is based on the fundamental concept of geometry. By analyzing the geometric phase and thermodynamic length in the transport process and the energy conversion process, we provide a unified perspective for the recent researches on the thermodynamic properties of driven nonequilibrium quantum systems. Thermodynamic geometry not only is the intrinsic origin of the nontrivial transport and dissipation, but also provides us with an all-applicable theoretical framework. The discussion over the geometry would yield multiple thermodynamic constraints on the transport and energy conversion, and can naturally construct a general optimization method as well. This will conduce to a better understanding of functionality for nonequilibrium quantum many-body systems acting as thermal machines. Also, this will inspire people to design quantum thermal machines with simultaneously more ideal performance, i.e. higher efficiency, higher power and higher constancy.

Weed infestation of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) under different tillage systems

Direct drilling is one of the methods to reduce tillage costs. Low labor intensity of this system also makes it possible to grow crops in locations where it is a problem to maintain optimal sowing time. However, the use of no-tillage can cause increased weed infestation of crop plants and as a consequence a decline in crop yields. The present study investigated the effect of two tillage systems, plough tillage and direct drilling, on the species composition, density and air-dry weight of weeds in crops of two soybean cultivars (‘Aldana’ and ‘Augusta’). A three-year field experiment was set up on loess-derived gray-brown podzolic soil. The study showed that the use of direct drilling for soybean cropping resulted in a significant increase in the density and dry weight of weeds relative to plough tillage. The study also found richer floristic composition of weeds and an increase in the numbers of dominant species under no-tillage conditions. <em>Elymus repens</em>, <em>Echinochloa crus-galli</em> and <em>Chenopodium album</em> were dominant weed species in all experimental treatments. <em>Chenopodium album</em> and <em>Galinsoga parviflora</em> were characterized by the highest constancy (constancy classes V and IV) in crops of both soybean cultivars, whereas <em>Echinochloa crus-galli</em> showed the highest constancy value in the ‘Aldana’ crop. Under direct drilling, most weed species were found to exhibit higher constancy compared to plough tillage.

Changes in Weed Communities of Spring Wheat Crops of Buenos Aires Province of Argentina

During 2004 to 2008, weed surveys were conducted in 373 wheat fields of two different cropped areas (southwest [SW] and southeast [SE]) of the southern region of Buenos Aires Province of Argentina where different weed communities were expected because of changes in cropping practices over time, including tillage, crop sequence, fertilizers, and herbicides applied. Weed communities differed between regions, with greater numbers of native species for the SW. Weed community diversity was also greater for the SW region, probably due to the more diverse land use that resulted in greater landscape heterogeneity. Rush skeletonweed, sand rocket, yellow starthistle and turnipseed occurred at higher constancy (proportion of fields in which a given species is present) in the SW region, whereas common chickweed, false bishop's weed, corn speedwell, and common lambsquarters were present more frequently in the SE region. Compared with the 1982 survey, constancy of weeds increased, but those species with high constancy in 1982 were also with high constancy in the recent surveys. Diversity (species richness) was greater in conventional than in a no-tillage system. The constancy of Italian ryegrass, sand rocket, and yellow starthistle was lower under no-till than conventional tillage. Surveys allow identification of changes in weed community related to different agricultural systems. Rotation of crops and livestock avoid the homogenization of the environment at the landscape level. Management strategies will be necessary to prevent the increase of weeds populations' size, preserving plant diversity and the properties of the agroecosystem.

Are plasticity in functional traits and constancy in performance traits linked with invasiveness? An experimental test comparing invasive and naturalized plant species

The role of phenotypic plasticity in plant invasions is among the most often discussed relationships in invasion ecology. However, despite the large number of studies on this topic, there is little consistency. Reconsideration of the role of plasticity by distinguishing two substantially distinct trait-groups, performance traits (contributing directly to fitness) and functional traits (influencing fitness indirectly), could form a more operative framework for comparative studies. In the current study we expect that invasive species benefit from being plastic in functional traits, which allows them to maintain a more constant performance across different environmental conditions compared to non-invasive alien species. We compared invasive and naturalized non-invasive alien plant species by their germination (20 species), their vegetative (10 species) and their reproductive (four species) responses to three different levels of water, light and nutrient availability in a common garden experiment. Used traits were classified into performance (germination ratio, total biomass, seed number) and functional traits (time to germination, root:shoot ratio, specific leaf area, reproductive allocation). We found that invasive and non-invasive species responded similarly to environmental factors, except for example that invasive species germinated earlier with decreasing light conditions or, surprisingly, non-invasive species reacted more intensely to increased nitrogen availability by having a superior ability to achieve greater biomass. The two groups were equally plastic in all the germination and vegetative traits measured but the reproductive traits, since higher plasticity in relative reproductive allocation and higher constancy in reproductive performance showed a pronounced relation with invasiveness.

Stabilization of a Laser Welding Process Against Focal Shift Effects using Beam Manipulation

Abstract Two measures to enhance welding process stability with respect to a varying focal position are presented and discussed with regards to possible effects of laser power efficiency increase. Spatial beam movement was caused by a deflecting mirror and proved to create a welding process with a higher constancy in welding depth when changing focal position. A larger cross sectional area of the weld seam was measured showing increased laser absorption when compared to a static beam. Sinusoidal laser power modulation was tested for varying focus positions and proves to induce a deeper weld seam at moderately increased cross sectional areas. The power modulated welding process is dominated by the influence of melt dynamics which can be guided by choosing suitable modulation parameters. Both systems can be used to stabilize the welding process against loss of joint area or loss of connection which may occur due to focal shift in high brightness laser beam optics.

The new flora of northeastern USA: quantifying introduced plant species occupancy in forest ecosystems

Introduced plant species have significant negative impacts in many ecosystems and are found in many forests around the world. Some factors linked to the distribution of introduced species include fragmentation and disturbance, native species richness, and climatic and physical conditions of the landscape. However, there are few data sources that enable the assessment of introduced species occupancy in native plant communities over broad regions. Vegetation data from 1,302 forest inventory plots across 24 states in northeastern and mid-western USA were used to examine and compare the distribution of introduced species in relation to forest fragmentation across ecological provinces and forest types, and to examine correlations between native and introduced species richness. There were 305 introduced species recorded, and 66 % of all forested plots had at least one introduced species. Forest edge plots had higher constancy and occupancy of introduced species than intact forest plots, but the differences varied significantly among ecological provinces and, to a lesser degree, forest types. Weak but significant positive correlations between native and introduced species richness were observed most often in intact forests. Rosa multiflora was the most common introduced species recorded across the region, but Hieracium aurantiacum and Epipactus helleborine were dominant in some ecological provinces. Identifying regions and forest types with high and low constancies and occupation by introduced species can help target forest stands where management actions will be the most effective. Identifying seemingly benign introduced species that are more prevalent than realized will help focus attention on newly emerging invasives.

Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schultes (K. alpigena Domin, K. cristata (L.) Pers. pro parte, K. gracilis Pers., K. albescens auct. non DC.)

<i>Koeleria macrantha</i> (Ledeb.) Schultes (<i>K. alpigena</i> Domin, <i>K. cristata</i> (L.) Pers. pro parte, <i>K. gracilis</i> Pers., <i>K. albescens</i> auct. non DC.)

Changes in function of the masticatory system from 7 to 10 years of age in relation to articulatory speech disorders

The aim of the present study was to determine changes in function of the masticatory system in children with articulatory speech disorders and in the controls by re-examining a sample of 287 previously studied children from 7 to 10 years of age. Articulatory speech disorders were diagnosed by the same speech therapist during spontaneous speech and test words using the Remes Articulation Test. Mandibular movement capacity, occlusal interferences, slide between retruded and intercuspal positions, and signs and symptoms of the craniomandibular disorders (CMD) were recorded by a dentist. The follow-up results showed that mandibular movement capacity increased in almost all individuals, decreasing only in about 10% of cases. However, among children with speech disorders lateral jaw movements decreased in about 30% of subjects. During growth the prevalence of CMD increased while single signs and symptoms fluctuated. Differences between the groups for expression of CMD, mandibular movement capacity and occlusal recordings mainly levelled off. Higher constancy of subjective symptoms and retrusive interferences in children with speech disorders than in the controls supports our previous findings that, in growing individuals, different orofacial dysfunctions seem to be associated with each other.

Influence of vitamin C on the immune system of salmonids

Abstract. Trials were run to determine the immunomodulatory effect of dietary vitamin C in rainbow trout. Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), and Atlanticsalmon, Salmo Salar L. We first investigated whether depletion of ascorbic acid (AA) could depress the immune system. Subsequently, we focused our studies on the stimulatory effect of a high dietary dose of stable vitamin C derivatives (1000mg AA-equivalent per kg of feed) in order to determine their prophylactic role. Three trials were run with rainbow trout fed, for periods of time varying from 2 to 6 months, a high dietary dose of ascorbate-2-polyphosphate (AAPP) or L-ascorbate-2-monophosphate calcium salt (AAMP) equivalent to 1000mg AA per kg of feed. The high dietary level of vitamin C was compared to 60mg AA-equivalent per kg of feed. Another experiment was conducted with Atlantic salmon pre-fed AAPP at 60mg/kg for 6 months followed by AAPP at 1000mg/kg for 2 months. Various immune parameters were tested such as mitogen-induced proliferation, serum complement level, phagocytosis and natural cytotoxicity. Leucocyte and plasma AA contents were also determined. The immune response in vitamin-C deficient trout was not strongly different from that in trout fed the minimal growth requirement level. Serum complement level was not affected by vitamin C. A high dietary dose of vitamin C was found to increase trout and salmon leucocyte AA content, mitogen-induced proliferation of lymphocytes, and chemiluminescence response of leucocytes with a higher constancy, when the cells were stimulated with opsonized zymosan and with luminol as a substrate. Natural cytotoxicity was enhanced in trout fed a high dietary dose of vitamin C. The results of these immunity studies support supplementation levels of vitamin C which are much higher than the minimal requirement known to prevent deficiency symptoms and promote normal growth. Further investigations on the time-dose response are needed to define quantitatively the high dietary dose of vitamin C.

The Personal Community and Its Invariant Properties

A N IMPORTANT function of social structure is to provide everyone with a personal community, a group of people on whom he can rely for and approval. In this paper I will discuss some of invariant properties of that personal communtiy. Since every socialized human being must have a group on which he can rely for approval and support, it follows that more precisely properties of personal community are defined, closer we come to understanding society and functioning of human organism within it. Since precise description of a thing requires specification of its statistical properties, I shall attempt to state them for personal community. In first place, a personal community has a certain number, determined by counting those who most frequently contribute to an individual's welfare and approve his actions. In second place, a personal community has a certain constancy, measured by time spent by its members in direct interaction. Thus in our culture a mother has a higher constancy in personal community of child than does its father, and both have a higher constancy than a distant uncle. In third place, members of a personal community have a certain involvement in each other, that is to say, an obligation to give heed to and be swayed by each other's wishes. Involvement is most complex of properties of personal community, and some of problems in measuring it will be discussed in later paragraphs. Before analyzing these four items further, it is necessary to discuss meaning of rely. Rely may be defined as follows: The coefficient of reliance of B with respect to A is equal to number of times B supports and/or approves A divided by absence of such and/or approval. Thus Rab= S/F means the coefficient of reliance of B with respect to A is equal to frequency of B's of A divided by frequency of his nonsupport. For example, if B distributes food 20 times and give food to A each time, then Rb equals infinity; but if out of 20 food distributions B gives to A only four times, then Rab is -, and A relies on B in second case much less than in first. This would be one measure of B's support of I will now proceed to an analytical discussion of four key concepts. A. The personal community. The personal community has been defined as group of people on whom an individual can rely for and/or approval. Since, however, it is now clear that reliance is measurable, definition of personal community may be restated as group of people for whom coefficient of reliance is relatively high. Thus ideally in our culture, a child's mother and father are persons with high reliance; but reliance in a modern bureaucracy or corporation is often notoriously low. It is quite clear that

Shape and Size Constancy in Photographic Reproductions*

The extent to which shape and size constancy are preserved in photographic reproductions was investigated by comparison of the constancy effect in both test objects and photographs of the test objects. For shape, the photograph reduces the amount of constancy by less than 50%. However, for size, there is very little constancy obtained with the photograph. For test objects, binocular observation gives higher constancy for both size and shape than does monocular viewing. For photographs, there is little or no difference between monocular and binocular observation. The implications of the data are discussed in relation to the theory of the corresponding perceptual processes.

運動対象の見えの大きさに関する実験的研究

The apparent size and distance of the tangentially and radially moving objects are analysed in this investigation. The apparatus used is the same as in Ittelson and Kilpatrick's research (1951), but the analysis was done according to our own experimental designs. Especially the apparent sizes were objectively measured by the comparative stimulus throughout the work. (Fig. 1, 2. Table 1, 8)Experiment I. The apparent size of a tangentially moving card in a conflictinvolving situation which was produced by the reversible trapezoidal window was measured by comparative stimuli at two positions, E' and F'. (1) The unexperienced group perceived the rectangular window and S-shaped movement of the object in monocular and binocular observation. (2) The experiencedgroup perceived the same phenomena that the unexperienced group perceived in monocular observation, but in binocular observation the former perceived the trapezoidal window and the linear movement of the object (Fig. 1) (3) The apparent size of the object (AS) perceived by the experienced group is larger than that perceived by the unexperienced (Table 2, 3). (4) AS at E' (SE') is larger than AS at F' (SF'), and (SE-SF') with the moving object is larger than (SE-SF') with the stationary object (Table 6). (5) AS in binocular observation is larger than AS in monocular observation (Table 2).Experiment II. The apparent size of radially moving object along various tracks was measured by comparative stimulus. (1) When these tracks are presented successively, (Table 8), the apparent size of the object moving along the track presented later is little affected by that of the object moving along the track (or tracks) presented earlier. (Table 9, 10). (2) The apbarent distance of the moving object is affected in the unexperienced group but it is little affected in experienced group (Table 11, 12). (3) These experimental results are probably due to using comparative stimulusrand to using enough time for observation. (4) The apparent size in binocular observation is larger than that in monocular observation and the difference is statistically significant (Table 10). (5) In this, homogeneous space the size-distance-assumption works effectively.Experiment III. The apparent sizes of the radially moving and stationary objects were measured by comparative stimulus at 2 m. and 4 m. When Variable Ratio is shown in equation (i), the following relationships between four Variable Ratios (VR) ; VR of physical size (VSp), VR of retinal size (VSr), VR of apparent size of moving object (VSm), VR of apparent size of stationary object (VSs) are found.(i) Variable Ratio=1-(size at 4 m.)÷(size at 2 m.)and Variable Ratio>0Relations :(1) VSr>VSs>VSm>VSp(2) VSr>VSs (homogeneous space)>VSm (homogeneous space)>VSs (normal space)>VSm (normal space)>VSp (Fig. 6).(3) The above results indicate that the moving object has stronger tendency to hold the same size and is more defined by physical size than the stationary object, in other words, the former has higher constancy than the latter.