354 research outputs found
An atheoretic evaluation of success in structural adjustment
No full textThe author presents and implements a methodology for assessing the success of structural adjustment based on a"fixed effect"method. He examines data for 75 countries over 11 years. Performance indicators include measures of inflation, economic growth, external balance, and physical investment. He measures government policies in terms of spending, trade regime, financial deepening, and real exchange rate policy. The empirical estimates he obtains suggest that ranking countries by adjusted economic performance yields significantly different results than ranking them by historical performance. Further, countries following a prescription of relatively low government spending, deep financial markets, and outward orientation in trade policy performed significantly better than those that did not. This prescription was correlated significantly with more rapid economic growth, current accounts with lower deficits, expanded investment, and reduced inflation.Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Macroeconomic Management,Achieving Shared Growth,Economic Stabilization
A revision of the hitherto neglected genus Topiris Walker, 1863 (Lepidoptera, Xyloryctidae) with taxonomic notes on the genus Athrypsiastis Meyrick, 1910
No full textThe genus Topiris Walker, 1863 is revised. This genus, previously neglected or deemed unrecognisable, comprised only Walker’s damaged and misrepaired type specimen of Topiris candidella Walker, 1863. Evidence is provided that this specimen was collected by Alfred Russel Wallace in 1855–56 in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The mitogenome of this specimen was assembled using low coverage whole genome sequencing (genome skimming). The COI-5P portion of this mitogenome (658 bp) differs by 1–3 bp from two haplotypes sequenced from early 1990’s Brunei specimens. Another specimen recently discovered at NHMUK with an identical label to that of the type perfectly matches the Brunei specimens in its genitalia. Based on these four specimens, we present a fuller description of the morphology of T. candidella. Topiris includes the following additional species authored by Sterling and Lees: Topiris albidella sp. nov., T. albogrisella sp. nov., T. cinderella sp. nov., T. digiticosta sp. nov., T. lacteella sp. nov., T. madonna sp. nov., T. meyricki sp. nov., T. ochrotincta sp. nov., T. schneeweissella sp. nov., T. sericella sp. nov., and T. thunbergella sp. nov. The following new combinations are also established: T. salva (Meyrick, 1932), comb. nov. and T. sampitella (Lvovsky, 2014), comb. nov. The type of Athrypsiastis salva Meyrick is confirmed as lost and so a neotype and paraneotype of this species are designated. A published mitogenome of “Linoclostis gonatias” is shown to be correctly identified as T. salva, and references to L. gonatias, identified in some literature as a pest of Theaceae, are likely misidentified. The genus Topiris is divided into three groups, the candidella group, the salva group, and the albidella group, based on characters in the male genitalia. The candidella group and albidella group are supported sub-clades of Topiris. The phylogenetic placement of Topiris and Athrypsiastis within ‘core’ Xyloryctidae (as subtended by its type species, X. luteotactella) is confirmed by analysis of COI and seven nuclear genes, whereas the genera Eumenodora Meyrick, 1906 and Izatha Walker, 1864 do not fall within this clade. The morphology of Athrypsiastis phaeoleuca Meyrick, 1910 (the type species of Athrypsiastis; Xyloryctidae) is more fully described. The following new species authored by Sterling and Lees are described: Athrypsiastis cheesmanae sp. nov., A. edelweissella sp. nov., and A. penumbrella sp. nov. Two taxa are newly combined: Athrypsiastis halmaherella (Lvovsky, 2014), comb. nov. and Paralecta rosiflora (Meyrick, 1930), comb. nov
A success for community science: Carmenta brachyclados sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Sesiidae, Synanthedonini), a clearwing moth from Guyana discovered with its hostplant indoors in Wales (United Kingdom)
No full textA new species of Sesiidae, Carmenta brachyclados Sterling & Lees, 2024 is described from adult specimens, pupal exuviae and larval borings which were accidentally transported to South Wales, United Kingdom. DNA barcoding and morphological evidence shows that this species is native to the Neotropics, where it feeds in the seedpods of the leguminous tree, Mora excelsa Benth. (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae) and that it is related to a group of seed-feeding species of clearwing moths within the genus Carmenta Edwards, 1881, naturally occurring in the Neotropics and southern Nearctic, although C. mimosa Eichlin & Passoa, 1984 has been introduced in Australia and elsewhere as a biological agent
Systematics and biogeography of Madagascan mycalesine butterflies (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae)
No full textSIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN024156 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo
Xenotorodor stygioxanthus gen. nov., sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae, Torodorinae), described from an established population in Spain with discussion of taxonomic placement
No full textThe family Lecithoceridae is not well represented in the Palaearctic region, with very few taxa in Europe. Here we describe a new genus and species of lecithocerid moth, Xenotorodor stygioxanthus Sterling, Lees & Grundy, gen. nov., sp. nov. The taxon represents a subfamily new to Europe. We consider placement of the genus within Crocanthinae or Torodorinae. We place it in Torodorinae, notwithstanding the reduced gnathos in the male genitalia. DNA barcodes suggest that the taxon belongs within a distal clade of this subfamily. They are over 9.2% pairwise divergent from any hitherto cleanly sequenced Lepidoptera taxon and over 10.1% from nearest taxonomically identified neighbours in Neighbor Joining and ML trees. Characteristics of the DNA barcode and morphology of this new taxon suggest that refinement of synapomorphies for the family and two subfamilies is needed. We have nearly 100 records for this new species since 2020, all from a small area of Southern Spain, close to the Straits of Gibraltar. The life history and early stages of the species are unknown
Alexander polynomial
No full textTitle: Alexander polynomial Author: Ľubica Jančová Department: Department of Algebra Supervisor: doc. RNDr. David Stanovský, Ph.D., Department of Algebra Abstract: The subject of interest of this thesis is the Alexander polynomial in the knot theory as a knot invariant and various methods of its computa- tion. The thesis focuses on the description of the computation of the Alexander polynomial using four different methods, namely: colouring regions of the knot diagram, colouring arcs of the knot diagram, Seifert's method and the method using the Conway polynomial. In the first chapter we introduce basic notions of the knot theory. In the following chapters we describe methods of computa- tion of the Alexander polynomial. The final chapter deals with the possibility of using the Conway polynomial to show that all of the mentioned methods result in the same polynomial. The main result of this thesis are proofs that might lead to the complete proof of equivalence of algorithms of computation of the Alexander polynomial. Keywords: knot theory, Alexander polynomial, knot invarian
Polymer multimode waveguide optical and electronic PCB manufacturing
No full textThe paper describes the research in the £1.3 million IeMRC Integrated Optical and Electronic Interconnect PCB Manufacturing (OPCB) Flagship Project in which 8 companies and 3 universities carry out collaborative research and which was formed and is technically led by the author. The consortium’s research is aimed at investigating a range of fabrication techniques, some established and some novel, for fabricating polymer multimode waveguides from several polymers, some formulations of which are being developed within the project. The challenge is to develop low cost waveguide manufacturing techniques compatible with commercial PCB manufacturing and to reduce their alignment cost. The project aims to take the first steps in making this hybrid optical waveguide and electrical copper track printed circuit board disruptive technology widely available by establishing and incorporating waveguide design rules into commercial PCB layout software and transferring the technology for fabricating such boards to a commercial PCB manufacturer. To focus the research the project is designing an optical waveguide backplane to tight realistic constraints, using commercial layout software with the new optical design rules, for a demonstrator into which 4 daughter cards are plugged, each carrying an aggregate of 80 Gb/s data so that each waveguide carries 10 Gb/s
Alexanderův polynom
No full textNázov práce: Alexanderov polynóm Autor: Ľubica Jančová Katedra: Katedra algebry Vedúci bakalárskej práce: doc. RNDr. David Stanovský, Ph.D., Katedra algebry Abstrakt: Objektom skúmania tejto práce je Alexanderov polynóm v teórii uzlov ako uzlový invariant a rôzne spôsoby jeho výpočtu. Práca sa zameriava na po- pis výpočtu Alexanderovho polynómu pomocou metód farbenia stien diagramu uzla, farbenia oblúkov diagramu uzla, Seifertovej metódy a metódy pomocou Conwayovho polynómu. Prvá kapitola je venovaná základným pojmom a tvr- deniam z teórie uzlov. Nasledujú kapitoly vysvetľujúce jednotlivé algoritmy vý- počtu Alexanderovho polynómu. Záverečná kapitola sa zaoberá možnosťou pre- pojenia všetkých postupov s využitím Conwayovho polynómu. Hlavnými výsled- kami práce sú dôkazy, ktoré by mohli smerovať k ukázaniu ekvivalencie rôznych postupov. Kľúčové slová: teória uzlov, Alexanderov polynóm, uzlový invariantTitle: Alexander polynomial Author: Ľubica Jančová Department: Department of Algebra Supervisor: doc. RNDr. David Stanovský, Ph.D., Department of Algebra Abstract: The subject of interest of this thesis is the Alexander polynomial in the knot theory as a knot invariant and various methods of its computa- tion. The thesis focuses on the description of the computation of the Alexander polynomial using four different methods, namely: colouring regions of the knot diagram, colouring arcs of the knot diagram, Seifert's method and the method using the Conway polynomial. In the first chapter we introduce basic notions of the knot theory. In the following chapters we describe methods of computa- tion of the Alexander polynomial. The final chapter deals with the possibility of using the Conway polynomial to show that all of the mentioned methods result in the same polynomial. The main result of this thesis are proofs that might lead to the complete proof of equivalence of algorithms of computation of the Alexander polynomial. Keywords: knot theory, Alexander polynomial, knot invariantDepartment of AlgebraKatedra algebryFaculty of Mathematics and PhysicsMatematicko-fyzikální fakult
Expression of Plasmodium falciparum genes involved in erythrocyte invasion varies among isolates cultured directly from patients.
No full textPlasmodium falciparum merozoites invade erythrocytes using a range of alternative ligands that includes erythrocyte binding antigenic proteins (EBAs) and reticulocyte binding protein homologues (Rh). Variation in the expression of some of these genes among culture-adapted parasite lines correlates with the use of different erythrocyte receptors. Here, expression profiles of four Rh genes and eba175 are analysed in a sample of 42 isolates cultured from malaria patients in Kenya. The profiles cluster into distinct groups, largely because of very strong negative correlations between the levels of expression of particular gene pairs (Rh1 versus Rh2b, eba175 versus Rh2b, and eba175 versus Rh4), previously associated with alternative invasion pathways in culture-adapted parasite lines. High levels of eba175 are seen in isolates in expression profile group I, and may be associated with sialic acid-dependent invasion. Groups II and III are, respectively, characterized by high levels of Rh2b and Rh4, and are more likely to be associated with sialic acid-independent invasion
Will the Next Generation Please Step Forward? A Legacy for the Next Generation of Troublemakers
No full textThe author reflects on how several mentors, including the late Dr. David Pfeiffer, shaped her awareness of the Disability Rights Movement, her own identity, and the need for the next generation to carry forth the Movement
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