1,741 research outputs found
Multiple predator species alter prey behavior, population growth, and a trophic cascade in a model estuarine food web
Predators can influence prey population dynamics by affecting prey behaviors with strong fitness consequences, with cascading effects on lower trophic levels. Here, we demonstrate that multiple predator species can nonconsumptively influence prey population growth and the strength of a trophic cascade in a model marine community. We exposed the herbivorous amphipod Ampithoe longimana to olfactory and visual cues from three common predators (pinfish, mud crabs, brown shrimp) singly and together in a multiple-predator assemblage to quantify the nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) of predator identity and the presence of multiple predators on prey population and community-level metrics. The presence of predator cues, particularly those of the pinfish and the multiple-predator treatments, decreased prey population growth and influenced primary and secondary production. To explore mechanisms underlying the observed NCEs in the experimental communities and their potential influence in the field, we quantified individual prey behavioral responses (changes in grazing rate, diet preference, dispersal, colonization) in the presence of predator cues. Predator cues decreased prey grazing, dispersal, and colonization but did not affect prey diet preference. Given the persistence of NCEs over time and the fact that trophic cascades are common features of marine systems, changes in marine predator communities may have widespread effects on predator-prey behavioral interactions with consequences for ecosystem function even in areas of weak predation pressure
General Relativistic Simulations of Magnetized Plasmas around Merging Supermassive Black Holes
Coalescing supermassive black hole binaries are produced by the mergers of
galaxies and are the most powerful sources of gravitational waves accessible to
space-based gravitational observatories. Some such mergers may occur in the
presence of matter and magnetic fields and hence generate an electromagnetic
counterpart. In this Letter, we present the first general relativistic
simulations of magnetized plasma around merging supermassive black holes using
the general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic code Whisky. By considering
different magnetic field strengths, going from non-magnetically dominated to
magnetically dominated regimes, we explore how magnetic fields affect the
dynamics of the plasma and the possible emission of electromagnetic signals. In
particular we observe a total amplification of the magnetic field of ~2 orders
of magnitude which is driven by the accretion onto the binary and that leads to
much stronger electromagnetic signals, more than a factor of 10^4 larger than
comparable calculations done in the force-free regime where such amplifications
are not possible.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures. Minor changes to match version accepted for
publication on The Astrophysical Journal Letter
Deciphering the Agonist Binding Mechanism to the Adenosine A1 Receptor.
Despite being among the most characterized G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), adenosine receptors (ARs) have always been a difficult target in drug design. To date, no agonist other than the natural effector and the diagnostic regadenoson has been approved for human use. Recently, the structure of the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R) was determined in the active, Gi protein complexed state; this has important repercussions for structure-based drug design. Here, we employed supervised molecular dynamics simulations and mutagenesis experiments to extend the structural knowledge of the binding of selective agonists to A1R. Our results identify new residues involved in the association and dissociation pathway, they suggest the binding mode of N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) related ligands, and they highlight the dramatic effect that chemical modifications can have on the overall binding mechanism, paving the way for the rational development of a structure-kinetics relationship of A1R agonists.Leverhulme Trus
Travelling waves in pipe flow
A family of three-dimensional travelling waves for flow through a pipe of
circular cross section is identified. The travelling waves are dominated by
pairs of downstream vortices and streaks. They originate in saddle-node
bifurcations at Reynolds numbers as low as 1250. All states are immediately
unstable. Their dynamical significance is that they provide a skeleton for the
formation of a chaotic saddle that can explain the intermittent transition to
turbulence and the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in this shear
flow.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Probing the Interactions of Thiazole Abietane Inhibitors with the Human Serine Hydrolases ABHD16A and ABHD12
Peer reviewe
Is the Combination of Sulfonylureas and Metformin Associated With an Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease or All-Cause Mortality?: A meta-analysis of observational studies
OBJECTIVE—Observational studies assessing the association of combination therapy of metformin and sulfonylurea on all-cause and/or cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetes have shown conflicting results. We therefore evaluated the effects of combination therapy of sulfonylureas and metformin on the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among people with type 2 diabetes
Evolution of turbulent spots in a parallel shear flow
The evolution of turbulent spots in a parallel shear flow is studied by means
of full three-dimensional numerical simulations. The flow is bounded by free
surfaces and driven by a volume force. Three regions in the spanwise spot
cross-section can be identified: a turbulent interior, an interface layer with
prominent streamwise streaks and vortices and a laminar exterior region with a
large scale flow induced by the presence of the spot. The lift-up of streamwise
streaks which is caused by non-normal amplification is clearly detected in the
region adjacent to the spot interface. The spot can be characterized by an
exponentially decaying front that moves with a speed different from that of the
cross-stream outflow or the spanwise phase velocity of the streamwise roll
pattern. Growth of the spots seems to be intimately connected to the large
scale outside flow, for a turbulent ribbon extending across the box in
downstream direction does not show the large scale flow and does not grow.
Quantitatively, the large scale flow induces a linear instability in the
neighborhood of the spot, but the associated front velocity is too small to
explain the spot spreading.Comment: 10 pages, 10 Postscript figure
Nitric oxide from inflammatory origin impairs neural stem cell proliferation by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor signaling
Neuroinflammation is characterized by activation of microglial cells, followed by production of nitric oxide (NO), which may have different outcomes on neurogenesis, favoring or inhibiting this process. In the present study, we investigated how the inflammatory mediator NO can affect proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs), and explored possible mechanisms underlying this effect. We investigated which mechanisms are involved in the regulation of NSC proliferation following treatment with an inflammatory stimulus (lipopolysaccharide plus IFN-gamma), using a culture system of subventricular zone (SVZ)-derived NSCs mixed with microglia cells obtained from wild-type mice (iNOS(+/+)) or from iNOS knockout mice (iNOS(-/-)). We found an impairment of NSC cell proliferation in iNOS(+/+) mixed cultures, which was not observed in iNOS(-/-) mixed cultures. Furthermore, the increased release of NO by activated iNOS(+/+) microglial cells decreased the activation of the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway, which was concomitant with an enhanced nitration of the EGF receptor. Preventing nitrogen reactive species formation with MnTBAP, a scavenger of peroxynitrite (ONOO-), or using the ONOO- degradation catalyst FeTMPyP cell proliferation and ERK signaling were restored to basal levels in iNOS(+/+) mixed cultures. Moreover, exposure to the NO donor NOC-18 (100 mu M), for 48 h, inhibited SVZ-derived NSC proliferation. Regarding the antiproliferative effect of NO, we found that NOC-18 caused the impairment of signaling through the ERK/MAPK pathway, which may be related to increased nitration of the EGF receptor in NSC. Using MnTBAP nitration was prevented, maintaining ERK signaling, rescuing NSC proliferation. We show that NO from inflammatory origin leads to a decreased function of the EGF receptor, which compromised proliferation of NSC. We also demonstrated that NO-mediated nitration of the EGF receptor caused a decrease in its phosphorylation, thus preventing regular proliferation signaling through the ERK/MAPK pathway.Foundation for Science and Technology, (FCT, Portugal); COMPETE; FEDER [PEst-C/SAU/LA0001/2013-2014, PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013-2014, PTDC/SAU-NEU/102612/2008, PTDC/NEU-OSD/0473/2012]; FCT, Portugal [SERH/BPD/78901/2011, SERH/BD/38127/2007, SFRH/BD/77903/2011, SFRH/BD/79308/2011]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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