Primates, Provisioning and Plants: Impacts of Human Cultural Behaviours on Primate Ecological Functions

Human provisioning of wildlife with food is a widespread global practice that occurs in multiple socio-cultural circumstances. Provisioning may indirectly alter ecosystem functioning through changes in the eco-ethology of animals, but few studies have quantified this aspect. Provisioning of primates by humans is known to impact their activity budgets, diets and ranging patterns. Primates are also keystone species in tropical forests through their role as seed dispersers; yet there is no information on how provisioning might affect primate ecological functions. The rhesus macaque is a major human-commensal species but is also an important seed disperser in the wild. In this study, we investigated the potential impacts of provisioning on the role of rhesus macaques as seed dispersers in the Buxa Tiger Reserve, India. We studied a troop of macaques which were provisioned for a part of the year and were dependent on natural resources for the rest. We observed feeding behaviour, seed handling techniques and ranging patterns of the macaques and monitored availability of wild fruits. Irrespective of fruit availability, frugivory and seed dispersal activities decreased when the macaques were provisioned. Provisioned macaques also had shortened daily ranges implying shorter dispersal distances. Finally, during provisioning periods, seeds were deposited on tarmac roads that were unconducive for germination. Provisioning promotes human-primate conflict, as commensal primates are often involved in aggressive encounters with humans over resources, leading to negative consequences for both parties involved. Preventing or curbing provisioning is not an easy task as feeding wild animals is a socio-cultural tradition across much of South and South-East Asia, including India. We recommend the initiation of literacy programmes that educate lay citizens about the ill-effects of provisioning and strongly caution them against the practice.

Quark and gluon distribution functions in a viscous quark-gluon plasma medium and dilepton production via q(q)over-bar annihilation

Viscous modifications to the thermal distributions of quark-antiquarks and gluons have been studied in a quasiparticle description of the quark-gluon-plasma medium created in relativistic heavy-ion collision experiments. The model is described in terms of quasipartons that encode the hot QCD medium effects in their respective effective fugacities. Both shear and bulk viscosities have been taken in to account in the analysis, and the modifications to thermal distributions have been obtained by modifying the energy-momentum tensor in view of the nontrivial dispersion relations for the gluons and quarks. The interactions encoded in the equation of state induce significant modifications to the thermal distributions. As an implication, the dilepton production rate in the q (q) over bar annihilation process has been investigated. The equation of state is found to have a significant impact on the dilepton production rate along with the viscosities.

Heterotic string on the CHL orbifold of K3

We study N = 2 compactifications of heterotic string theory on the CHL orbifold (K3 x T-2)/Z(N) with N = 2, 3, 5, 7. Z(N) acts as an automorphism on K3 together with a shift of 1/N along one of the circles of T-2. These compactifications generalize the example of the heterotic string on K3 x T-2 studied in the context of dualities in string theories. We evaluate the new supersymmetric index for these theories and show that their expansion can be written in terms of the McKay-Thompson series associated with the Z(N) automorphism embedded in the Mathieu group M-24. We then evaluate the difference in one-loop threshold corrections to the non-Abelian gauge couplings with Wilson lines and show that their moduli dependence is captured by Siegel modular forms related to dyon partition functions of N = 4 string theories.

Heterotic string on the CHL orbifold of K3

We study N = 2 compactifications of heterotic string theory on the CHL orbifold (K3 x T-2)/Z(N) with N = 2, 3, 5, 7. Z(N) acts as an automorphism on K3 together with a shift of 1/N along one of the circles of T-2. These compactifications generalize the example of the heterotic string on K3 x T-2 studied in the context of dualities in string theories. We evaluate the new supersymmetric index for these theories and show that their expansion can be written in terms of the McKay-Thompson series associated with the Z(N) automorphism embedded in the Mathieu group M-24. We then evaluate the difference in one-loop threshold corrections to the non-Abelian gauge couplings with Wilson lines and show that their moduli dependence is captured by Siegel modular forms related to dyon partition functions of N = 4 string theories.

Assessment of driver vision functions in relation to their crash involvement in India

Among the human factors that influence safe driving, visual skills of the driver can be considered fundamental. This study mainly focuses on investigating the effect of visual functions of drivers in India on their road crash involvement. Experiments were conducted to assess vision functions of Indian licensed drivers belonging to various organizations, age groups and driving experience. The test results were further related to the crash involvement histories of drivers through statistical tools. A generalized linear model was developed to ascertain the influence of these traits on propensity of crash involvement. Among the sampled drivers, colour vision, vertical field of vision, depth perception, contrast sensitivity, acuity and phoria were found to influence their crash involvement rates. In India, there are no efficient standards and testing methods to assess the visual capabilities of drivers during their licensing process and this study highlights the need for the same.

Hierarchy of structure functions for passive scalars advected by turbulent flows

A hierarchical model is proposed for the joint moments of the passive scalar dissipation and the velocity dissipation in fluid turbulence. This model predicts that the joint probability density function (PDF) of the dissipations is a bivariate log-Poisson. An analytical calculation of the scaling exponents of structure functions of the passive scalar is carried out for this hierarchical model, showing a good agreement with the results of direct numerical simulations and experiments.

Calculations of longitudinal and transverse velocity structure functions using a vortex model of isotropic turbulence

The longitudinal structure function (LSF) and the transverse structure function (TSF) in isotropic turbulence are calculated using a vortex model. The vortex model is composed of the Rankine and Burgers vortices which have the exponential distributions in the vortex Reynolds number and vortex radii. This model exhibits a power law in the inertial range and satisfies the minimal condition of isotropy that the second-order exponent of the LSF in the inertial range is equal to that of the TSF. Also observed are differences between longitudinal and transverse structure functions caused by intermittency. These differences are related to their scaling differences which have been previously observed in experiments and numerical simulations.

Scaling Functions In Conical Indentation Of Elastic-Plastic Solids

The finite element method was used to simulate the conical indentation of elastic-plastic solids with work hardening. The ratio of the initial yield strength to the Young's modulus Y/E ranged from 0 to 0.02. Based on the calculation results, two sets of scaling functions for non-dimensional hardness H/K and indenter penetration h are presented in the paper, which have closed simple mathematical form and can be used easily for engineering application. Using the present scaling functions, indentation hardness and indentation loading curves can be easily obtained for a given set of material properties. Meanwhile one can use these scaling functions to obtain material parameters by an instrumented indentation load-displacement curve for loading and unloading if Young's modulus E and Poisson's ratio nu are known.

Anisotropic, gradient and metal-like mechanical behaviors of teeth and their implications on tooth functions

The anisotropy and gradient of the elastic modulus and the hardness of teeth were investigated by means of instrumented indentation method. Such properties are attributed to the unique microstructures of teeth based on scanning electron microscopic analysis. By comparing the relationship between the ratio of hardness to the reduced elastic modulus and the ratio of elastic unloading work to the total work of teeth in course of indentation to those of other materials, we found that the material behaviors of teeth display metal-like characteristics rather than ceramics as considered traditionally. These material behaviors and relevant functions are discussed briefly.