34,777 research outputs found
Ecohydrological Controls on Grass and Shrub Above-ground Net Primary Productivity in a Seasonally Dry Climate
Seasonally dry, waterâlimited regions are often coâdominated by distinct herbaceous and woody plant communities with contrasting ecohydrological properties. We investigated the shape of the aboveâground net primary productivity (ANPP) response to annual precipitation (Pa) for adjacent grassland and shrubland ecosystems in Southern California, with the goal of understanding the role of these ecohydrological properties on ecosystem function. Our synthesis of observations and modelling demonstrates grassland and shrubland exhibit distinct ANPPâPa responses that correspond with characteristics of the longâterm Pa distribution and mean water balance fluxes. For annual grassland, no ANPP occurs below a âprecipitation compensation point,â where bare soil evaporation dominates the water balance, and ANPP saturates above the Pawhere deep percolation and runoff contribute to the modelled water balance. For shrubs, ANPP increases at a lower and relatively constant rate across the Pa gradient, while deep percolation and runoff account for a smaller fraction of the modelled water balance. We identify precipitation seasonality, root depth, and water stress sensitivity as the main ecosystem properties controlling these responses. Observed ANPPâParesponses correspond to notably different patterns of rainâuse efficiency (RUE). Grass RUE exceeds shrub RUE over a wide range of typical Pa values, whereas grasses and shrubs achieve a similar RUE in particularly dry or wet years. Interâannual precipitation variability, and the concomitant effect on ANPP, plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of grass and shrub cover and ecosystemâscale productivity across this landscape
Nucleation in hydrophobic cylindrical pores : a lattice model
We consider the nucleation process associated with capillary condensation of
a vapor in a hydrophobic cylindrical pore (capillary evaporation). The
liquid-vapor transition is described within the framework of a simple lattice
model. The phase properties are characterized both at the mean-field level and
using Monte-Carlo simulations. The nucleation process for the liquid to vapor
transition is then specifically considered. Using umbrella sampling techniques,
we show that nucleation occurs through the condensation of an asymmetric vapor
bubble at the pore surface. Even for highly confined systems, good agreement is
found with macroscopic considerations based on classical nucleation theory. The
results are discussed in the context of recent experimental work on the
extrusion of water in hydrophobic pores
Recombinant DNA Molecules of Bacteriophage phi X174
phi X174 DNA structures containing two different parental genomes were detected genetically and examined by electron microscopy. These structures consisted of two monomeric double-stranded DNA molecules linked in a figure 8 configuration. Such DNA structures were observed to be formed preferentially in host recA+ cells or recA+ cell-free systems. Since the host recA+ allele is required for most phi X174 recombinant formation, we conclude that the observed figure 8 molecules are intermediates in, or end products of, a phi X174 recombination event. We propose that recombinant figure 8 DNA molecules arise as a result of "single-strand aggression," are stabilized by double-strand "branch migration," and represent a specific example of a common intermediate in genetic recombination
Deletion mutants of bacteriophage phiX174
Mutants of bacteriophage phiX174 have been isolated that are less dense than wild-type phiX particles in CsCl. When mutant viral (+) strand DNA and wild-type complementary (-) strand DNA are hybridized, the resulting duplex molecules have single-stranded loops characteristic of wild-type-deletion heteroduplexes. The mutant bacteriophages fail to complement phiX amber mutants in cistron E. We conclude that the mutant viruses have deleted approximately 7% of the phiX genome in the region of cistron E
A Search for Hydroxylamine (NH_2OH) toward Select Astronomical Sources
Observations of 14 rotational transitions of hydroxylamine (NH_2OH) using the NRAO 12 m telescope on Kitt Peak
are reported toward IRC+10216, Orion KL, Orion S, Sgr B2(N), Sgr B2(OH), W3IRS5, and W51M. Although
recent models suggest the presence of NH_2OH in high abundance, these observations resulted in non-detection.
Upper limits are calculated to be as much as six orders of magnitude lower than those predicted by models. Possible
explanations for the lower-than-expected abundance are explored
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Antigen Complexed with a TLR9 Agonist Bolsters c-Myc and mTORC1 Activity in Germinal Center B Lymphocytes.
The germinal center (GC) is the anatomical site where humoral immunity evolves. B cells undergo cycles of proliferation and selection to produce high-affinity Abs against Ag. Direct linkage of a TLR9 agonist (CpG) to a T-dependent Ag increases the number of GC B cells. We used a T-dependent Ag complexed with CpG and a genetic model for ablating the TLR9 signaling adaptor molecule MyD88 specifically in B cells (B-MyD88- mice) together with transcriptomics to determine how this innate pathway positively regulates the GC. GC B cells from complex Ag-immunized B-MyD88- mice were defective in inducing gene expression signatures downstream of c-Myc and mTORC1. In agreement with the latter gene signature, ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation was increased in GC B cells from wild-type mice compared with B-MyD88- mice. However, GC B cell expression of a c-Myc protein reporter was enhanced by CpG attached to Ag in both wild-type and B-MyD88- mice, indicating a B cell-extrinsic effect on c-Myc protein expression combined with a B cell-intrinsic enhancement of gene expression downstream of c-Myc. Both mTORC1 activity and c-Myc are directly induced by T cell help, indicating that TLR9 signaling in GC B cells either enhances their access to T cell help or directly influences these pathways to further enhance the effect of T cell help. Taken together, these findings indicate that TLR9 signaling in the GC could provide a surrogate prosurvival stimulus, "TLR help," thus lowering the threshold for selection and increasing the magnitude of the GC response
Multi-photon effects in energy losses spectra
Effect of radiation of many photons by a single electron traversing a target
is discussed. When the summary energy of emitted photons (the energy losses
spectrum) is measured only, the photon spectrum is distorted comparing with the
photon spectrum in one interaction. Influence of this effect is discussed for
the cases (1) bremsstrahlung (described by Bethe-Heitler formula), (2) the
strong Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal effect and (3) transition radiation.
Qualitative picture of the phenomenon is discussed in detail. Comparison with
the recent SLAC experiment in relatively thick target (2.7% of the radiation
length), where the effect of emission of many photons by a projectile is very
essential, shows perfect agreement of the theory and data.Comment: LaTeX2.09, 19 pages, 5 PostScript figure
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