46,794 research outputs found
Hamilton's rule and its discontents
No full textIn an incendiary 2010 Nature article, M. A. Nowak, C. E. Tarnita and E. O. Wilson present a savage critique of the best known and most widely used framework for the study of social evolution, W. D. Hamilton’s theory of kin selection. Over a hundred biologists have since rallied to the theory’s defence, but Nowak et al. maintain that their arguments ‘stand unrefuted’. Here I consider the most contentious claim Nowak et al. defend: that Hamilton’s rule, the core explanatory principle of kin selection theory, ‘almost never holds’. I first distinguish two versions of Hamilton’s rule in contemporary theory: a special version (HRS) that requires restrictive assumptions, and a general version (HRG) that does not. I then show that Nowak et al. are most charitably construed as arguing that HRS almost never holds, while HRG buys its generality at the expense of explanatory power. While their arguments against HRS are fairly uncontroversial, their arguments against HRG are more contentious, yet these have been largely overlooked in the ensuing furore. I consider the arguments for and against the explanatory value of HRG, with a view to assessing what exactly is at stake in the debate. I suggest that the debate hinges on issues concerning the causal interpretability of regression coefficients, and concerning the explanatory function Hamilton’s rule is intended to serve
FIGURE 1 in Stipa klimesii (Poaceae), a new species from Western Himalayas (India)
No full textFIGURE 1. Selected morphological characters of Stipa klimesii (from the type). A. Panicle. B. General habit. C. Awns with anthecia. D. Abaxial surface of leaves. E. Adaxial surface of leaves. F. Upper part of anthecium. G. Callus. Scale bars: A–C: 1 cm, G: 1 mm.Published as part of Nobis, Marcin, Nobis, Agnieszka, Nowak, Arkadiusz & Nowak, Sylwia, 2014, Stipa klimesii (Poaceae), a new species from Western Himalayas (India), pp. 173-180 in Phytotaxa 174 (3) on page 175, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.174.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/514919
Precise mass determination for the keystone sub-Neptune planet transiting the mid-type M dwarf G 9-40
No full textContext.
Despite being a prominent subset of the exoplanet population discovered in the past three decades, the nature and provenance of sub-Neptune-sized planets is still one of the open questions in exoplanet science.
Aims.
For planets orbiting bright stars, precisely measuring the orbital and planet parameters of the system is the best approach to distinguish between competing theories regarding their formation and evolution.
Methods.
We obtained 69 new radial velocity observations of the mid-M dwarf G 9–40 with the CARMENES instrument to measure for the first time the mass of its transiting sub-Neptune planet, G 9–40 b, discovered in data from the K2 mission.
Results.
Combined with new observations from the TESS mission during Sectors 44, 45, and 46, we are able to measure the radius of the planet to an uncertainty of 3.4% (
R
b
= 1.900 ± 0.065
R
⊕
) and determine its mass with a precision of 16% (
M
b
= 4.00 ± 0.63
M
⊕
). The resulting bulk density of the planet is inconsistent with a terrestrial composition and suggests the presence of either a water-rich core or a significant hydrogen-rich envelope.
Conclusions.
G 9–40 b is referred to as a keystone planet due to its location in period-radius space within the radius valley. Several theories offer explanations for the origin and properties of this population and this planet is a valuable target for testing the dependence of those models on stellar host mass. By virtue of its brightness and small size of the host, it joins L 98-59 d as one of the two best warm (
T
eq
~ 400 K) sub-Neptunes for atmospheric characterization with JWST, which will probe cloud formation in sub-Neptune-sized planets and break the degeneracies of internal composition models
Nonzero-sum Stochastic Games
No full textThis paper treats of stochastic games. We focus on nonzero-sum games and provide a detailed survey of selected recent results. In Section 1, we consider stochastic Markov games. A correlation of strategies of the players, involving ``public signals'', is described, and a correlated equilibrium theorem proved recently by Nowak and Raghavan for discounted stochastic games with general state space is presented. We also report an extension of this result to a class of undiscounted stochastic games, satisfying some uniform ergodicity condition. Stopping games are related to stochastic Markov games. In Section 2, we describe a version of Dynkin's game related to observation of a Markov process with random assignment mechanism of states to the players. Some recent contributions of the second author in this area are reported. The paper also contains a brief overview of the theory of nonzero-sum stochastic games and stopping games which is very far from being complete.average payoff stochastic games, correlated stationary equilibria, nonzero-sum games, stopping time, stopping games
Three planets transiting the evolved star EPIC 249893012: a hot 8.8- M ⊕ super-Earth and two warm 14.7 and 10.2- M ⊕ sub-Neptunes
No full textWe report the discovery of a new planetary system with three transiting planets, one super-Earth and two sub-Neptunes, that orbit EPIC 249893012, a G8 IV-V evolved star ( M ⋆ = 1.05 ± 0.05 M ⊙ , R ⋆ = 1.71 ± 0.04 R ⊙ , T eff = 5430 ± 85 K). The star is just leaving the main sequence. We combined K2 photometry with IRCS adaptive-optics imaging and HARPS, HARPS-N, and CARMENES high-precision radial velocity measurements to confirm the planetary system, determine the stellar parameters, and measure radii, masses, and densities of the three planets. With an orbital period of 3.5949 −0.0007 +0.0007 days, a mass of 8.75 −1.08 +1.09 M ⊕ , and a radius of 1.95 −0.08 +0.09 R ⊕ , the inner planet b is compatible with nickel-iron core and a silicate mantle ( ρ b = 6.39 −1.04 +1.19 g cm −3 ). Planets c and d with orbital periods of 15.624 −0.001 +0.001 and 35.747 −0.005 +0.005 days, respectively, have masses and radii of 14.67 −1.89 +1,84 M ⊕ and 3.67 −0.14 +0.17 R ⊕ and 10.18 −2.42 +2.46 M ⊕ and 3.94 −0.12 +0.13 R ⊕ , respectively, yielding a mean density of 1.62 −0.29 +0.30 and 0.91 −0.23 +0.25 g cm −3 , respectively. The radius of planet b lies in the transition region between rocky and gaseous planets, but its density is consistent with a rocky composition. Its semimajor axis and the corresponding photoevaporation levels to which the planet has been exposed might explain its measured density today. In contrast, the densities and semimajor axes of planets c and d suggest a very thick atmosphere. The singularity of this system, which orbits a slightly evolved star that is just leaving the main sequence, makes it a good candidate for a deeper study from a dynamical point of view
1ST MEASUREMENT OF GAMMA(D(S)(+)-]MU+NU)/GAMMA(D(S)(+)-]PHI-PI+)
No full textComplete Author List:
ACOSTA D, ATHANAS M, MASEK G, PAAR H, BEAN A, GRONBERG J, KUTSCHKE R, MENARY S, MORRISON RJ, NAKANISHI S, NELSON HN, NELSON TK, RICHMAN JD, RYD A, TAJIMA H, SCHMIDT D, SPERKA D, WITHERELL MS, PROCARIO M, YANG S, BALEST R, CHO K, DAOUDI M, FORD WT, JOHNSON DR, LINGEL K, LOHNER M, RANKIN P, SMITH JG, ALEXANDER JP, BEBEK C, BERKELMAN K, BESSON D, BROWDER TE, CASSEL DG, CHO HA, COFFMAN DM, DRELL PS, EHRLICH R, GALIK RS, GARCIASCIVERES M, GEISER B, GITTELMAN B, GRAY SW, HARTILL DL, HELTSLEY BK, JONES CD, JONES SL, KANDASWAMY J, KATAYAMA N, KIM PC, KREINICK DL, LUDWIG GS, MASUI J, MEVISSEN J, MISTRY NB, NG CR, NORDBERG E, OGG M, PATTERSON JR, PETERSON D, RILEY D, SALMAN S, SAPPER M, WORDEN H, WURTHWEIN F, AVERY P, FREYBERGER A, RODRIGUEZ J, STEPHENS R, YELTON J, CINABRO D, HENDERSON S, KINOSHITA K, LIU T, SAULNIER M, SHEN F, WILSON R, YAMAMOTO H, ONG B, SELEN M, SADOFF AJ, AMMAR R, BALL S, BARINGER P, COPPAGE D, COPTY N, DAVIS R, HANCOCK N, KELLY M, KWAK N, LAM H, KUBOTA Y, LATTERY M, NELSON JK, PATTON S, PERTICONE D, POLING R, SAVINOV V, SCHRENK S, WANG R, ALAM MS, KIM IJ, NEMATI B, ONEILL JJ, SEVERINI H, SUN CR, ZOELLER MM, CRAWFORD G, DAUBENMIER CM, FULTON R, FUJINO D, GAN KK, HONSCHEID K, KAGAN H, KASS R, LEE J, MALCHOW R, MORROW F, SKOVPEN Y, SUNG M, WHITE C, WHITMORE J, WILSON P, BUTLER F, FU X, KALBFLEISCH G, LAMBRECHT M, ROSS WR, SKUBIC P, SNOW J, WANG PL, WOOD M, BORTOLETTO D, BROWN DN, FAST J, MCILWAIN RL, MIAO T, MILLER DH, MODESITT M, SCHAFFNER SF, SHIBATA EI, SHIPSEY IPJ, WANG PN, BATTLE M, ERNST J, KROHA H, ROBERTS S, SPARKS K, THORNDIKE EH, WANG CH, DOMINICK J, SANGHERA S, SHELKOV V, SKWARNICKI T, STROYNOWSKI R, VOLOBOUEV I, ZADOROZHNY P, ARTUSO M, HE D, GOLDBERG M, HORWITZ N, KENNETT R, MONETI GC, MUHEIM F, MUKHIN Y, PLAYFER S, ROZEN Y, STONE S, THULASIDAS M, VASSEUR G, ZHU G, BARTELT J, CSORNA SE, EGYED Z, JAIN V, SHELDON P, AKERIB DS, BARISH B, CHADHA M, CHAN S, COWEN DF, EIGEN G, MILLER JS, OGRADY C, URHEIM J, WEINSTEIN A
Does a high UV environment ensure adequate Vitamin D status?
No full textThis study assesses the Vitamin D status of 126 healthy free-living adults aged 18–87 years, in southeast Queensland, Australia (27°S) at the end of the 2006 winter. Participants provided blood samples for analysis of 25(OH)D (the measure of an individual’s Vitamin D status), PTH, Calcium, Phosphate, and Albumin, completed a questionnaire on sun-protective/sun-exposure behaviours, and were assessed for phenotypic characteristics such as skin/hair/eye colour and BMI. We found that 10.2% of the participants had serum 25(OH)D levels below 25 nmol/l (considered deficient) and a further 32.3% had levels between 25 nmol/l and 50 nmol/l (considered insufficient). Our results show that low levels of 25(OH)D can occur in a substantial proportion of the population at the end of winter, even in a sunny climate. 25(OH)D levels were higher amongst those who spent more time in the sun and lower among obese participants (BMI > 30) than those who were not obese (BMI < 30). 25(OH)D levels were also lower in participants who had black hair, dark/olive skin, or brown eyes, when compared with participants who had brown or fair hair, fair skin, or blue/green eyes. No associations were found between 25(OH)D status and age, gender, smoking status, or the use of sunscreen
J. D. Brannan letter to Warren G. Harding, January 24, 1921
No full textIn this letter dated January 24, 1921 (the author mistakenly writes 1920), J. D. Brannan at Harvard University Law School to President-elect Warren G. Harding in regards to his choices for cabinet appointments. Brannan recommends Senator Elihu Root for Secretary of State, Charles Evans Hughes for Attorney General, Senator John W. Weeks for Secretary of the Treasury or Secretary of the Navy, and General Leonard Wood for Secretary of War, and includes qualifications for each. After discussing tensions among the government and organized labor leaders, he does not specify an appointment for Secretary of Labor, but includes Herbert Hoover as a qualified candidate.
This letter is part of the Warren G. Harding Papers (MSS 345). This collection includes correspondence, business records, and other materials documenting Harding’s business career as owner and editor-in-chief of The Daily Marion Star, as well as the various stages of his political career. A significant portion of the collection, and what’s available on Ohio Memory, highlights his 1920 presidential campaign, spanning just before publicly announcing his candidacy to handily defeating Ohio Governor James M. Cox in the election. Correspondents include both Ohio and national businessmen, political figures, and ordinary citizens writing with questions, support, congratulatory notes, and campaign advice. Some of the most interesting insights into the tumultuous political climate in the U.S., the extreme factionalism within the Republican Party in Ohio, and Harding’s campaign strategies are described in letters between Harding and his campaign manager, Harry M. Daugherty. Some of the topics addressed include women’s suffrage, Prohibition, the League of Nations, African American representation and issues, and lingering peace negotiations following World War I
The deuteron spin-dependent structure function g(1)(d) and its first moment
No full textAlexakhin VY, Alexandrov Y, Alexeev GD, et al. The deuteron spin-dependent structure function g(1)(d) and its first moment. Phys.Lett. B. 2007;647(1):8-17.We present a measurement of the deuteron spin-dependent structure function g(1)(d) based on the data collected by the COMPASS experiment at CERN during the years 2002-2004. The data provide an accurate evaluation for Gamma(d)(1), the first moment of g(1)(d) (x), and for the matrix element of the singlet axial current, a(0). The results of QCD fits in the next to leading order (NLO) on all g(1) deep inelastic scattering data are also presented. They provide two solutions with the gluon spin distribution function Delta G positive or negative, which describe the data equally well. In both cases, at Q(2) = 3 (GeV/c)(2) the first moment of Delta G(x) is found to be of the order of 0.2-0.3 in absolute value. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Aspect-ratio dependence of the transition to the ultimate state of turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection
No full textWe report on measurements of the ultimate-state transition in turbulent Rayleigh-B\'enard convection obtained in a large facility known as the ``Uboot of G\"ottingen" and using pressurized sulfur hexafluoride as the convecting fluid. We found that the transition occurs over a range of which becomes more narrow as increases, ranging from which is at most weakly dependent on and close to to which varies from about for to about for
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