Abundance measurements of H₂O and carbon-bearing species in the atmosphere of WASP-127b confirm its super-solar metallicity

The chemical abundances of exoplanet atmospheres may provide valuable information about the bulk compositions, formation pathways, and evolutionary histories of planets. Exoplanets with large, relatively cloud-free atmospheres, and which orbit bright stars provide the best opportunities for accurate abundance measurements. For this reason, we measured the transmission spectrum of the bright (V∼10.2), large (1.37 RJ), sub-Saturn mass (0.19 MJ) exoplanet WASP-127b across the near-UV to near-infrared wavelength range (0.3–5 μm), using the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. Our results show a feature-rich transmission spectrum, with absorption from Na, H2O, and CO2, and wavelength-dependent scattering from small-particle condensates. We ran two types of atmospheric retrieval models: one enforcing chemical equilibrium, and the other which fit the abundances freely. Our retrieved abundances at chemical equilibrium for Na, O and C are all super-solar, with abundances relative to solar values of 9+15−6⁠, 16+7−5⁠, and 26+12−9 respectively. Despite giving conflicting C/O ratios, both retrievals gave super-solar CO2 volume mixing ratios, which adds to the likelihood that WASP-127b’s bulk metallicity is super-solar, since CO2 abundance is highly sensitive to atmospheric metallicity. We detect water at a significance of 13.7 σ. Our detection of Na is in agreement with previous ground-based detections, though we find a much lower abundance, and we also do not find evidence for Li or K despite increased sensitivity. In the future, spectroscopy with JWST will be able to constrain WASP-127b’s C/O ratio, and may reveal the formation history of this metal-enriched, highly observable exoplanet

Potentiating antibacterial activity by predictably enhancing endogenous microbial ROS production

The ever-increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections combined with a weak pipeline of new antibiotics has created a global public health crisis1. Accordingly, novel strategies for enhancing our antibiotic arsenal are needed. As antibiotics kill bacteria in part by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)2–4, we reasoned that targeting microbial ROS production might potentiate antibiotic activity. Here we show that ROS production can be predictably enhanced in Escherichia coli, increasing the bacteria’s susceptibility to oxidative attack. We developed an ensemble, genome-scale metabolic modeling approach capable of predicting ROS production in E. coli. The metabolic network was systematically perturbed and its flux distribution analyzed to identify targets predicted to increase ROS production. In silico–predicted targets were experimentally validated and shown to confer increased susceptibility to oxidants. Validated targets also increased susceptibility to killing by antibiotics. This work establishes a systems-based method to tune ROS production in bacteria and demonstrates that increased microbial ROS production can potentiate killing by oxidants and antibiotics

Effect of fuel load, date, rain and wind on departure decisions of a migratory passerine

Meteorological conditions, fuel load and date in the season can affect the departure decisions among migratory birds. However, it is poorly understood to what extent the departure decisions are more influenced by some parameters in relation to others, and how they interact with each other. We explored here how fuel load, date, rain and wind (measured on the ground and at high altitude, codified as a tailwind component) influenced the departure decisions of migratory Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) from a stopover site. We used mark recapture data of 947 Blackcaps collected during the autumn migration period 2005 at a stopover site in northern Iberia, estimating the emigration likelihood with Cormack-Jolly-Seber models, in which we tested for the effect of these four study variables. Best models fitting data showed an additive and positive effect of tailwind and fuel load on the emigration likelihood.Meteorological data were provided by Gobierno de Navarra and NOAA (US Department of Commerce). The Gobierno de Navarra also authorised the ringing activity. J.A. was supported by a post-graduate fellowship from the Basque Government. D. Alonso and I. Fernandez collaborated during the field work. E.B. and E.J.B. were partially supported by project CGL2007-61395 (Spanish Ministry of Education and Science). H. Schmaljohann and one anonymous reviewer provided very valuable comments that improved an earlier version.Arizaga, J.; Belda Pérez, EJ.; Barba, E. (2011). Effect of fuel load, date, rain and wind on departure decisions of a migratory passerine. Journal od Ornithology. 152(4):991-999. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-011-0685-2S9919991524Åkesson S, Hedenström A (2000) Wind selectivity of migratory flight departures in birds. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 47:140–144Åkesson S, Alerstam T, Hedenström A (1996) Flight initiation of nocturnal passerine migrants in relation to celestial orientation conditions at twilight. J Avian Biol 27:95–102Åkesson S, Walinder G, Karlsson L, Ehnbom S (2001) Reed warbler orientation: initiation of nocturnal migratory flights in relation to visibility of celestial cues at dusk. Anim Behav 61:181–189Åkesson S, Walinder G, Karlsson L, Ehnbom S (2002) Nocturnal migratory flight initiation in reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus: effect of wind on orientation and timing of migration. J Avian Biol 33:349–357Alerstam T (1990) Bird migration. Cambridge University Press, CambridgeAlerstam T, Linström A (1990) Optimal bird migration: the relative importance of time, energy and safety. In: Gwiner E (ed) Bird migration: the physiology and ecophysiology. Springer, Berlin, pp 331–351Arizaga J, Belda EJ, Barba E (2008) Fuel management and stopover duration of blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla stopping over in northern Spain during autumn migration period. Bird Study 55:124–134Barriocanal C, Montserrat D, Robson D (2002) Influences of wind flow on stopover decisions: the case of the reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus in the western Mediterranean. Inter J Biometeorol 46:192–196Bayly N (2007) Extreme fattening by sedge warblers, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, is not triggered by food availability alone. Anim Behav 74:471–479Belda EJ, Barba E, Monrós JS (2007) Resident and transient dynamics, site fidelity and survival in wintering blackcaps: evidence from capture–recapture analyses. Ibis 149:396–404Berthold P (1996) Control of bird migration. Chapman & Hall, LondonBolshakov CV, Bulyuk VN (1999) Time of nocturnal flight initiation (take-off activity) in the European robin Erithacus rubecula during spring migration: direct observation between sunset and sunrise. Avian Ecol Behav 2:51–74Bolshakov CV, Rezvyi SP (1998) Time of nocturnal flight initiation (take-off activity) in the European robin Erithacus rubecula during spring migration: visual observation between sunset and darkness. Avian Ecol Behav 1:37–49Bolshakov CV, Chernetsov N, Mukhin A, Bulyuk VN, Kosarev V, Ktitorov P, Leoke D, Tsvey A (2007) Time of nocturnal departures in European robins, Erithacus rubecula, in relation to celestial cues, season, stopover duration and fat scores. Anim Behav 74:855–865Bulyuk VN, Tsvey A (2006) Timing of nocturnal autumn migratory departures in juvenile European robins (Erithacus rubecula) and endogenous and external factors. J Ornithol 147:298–309Burnham KP, Anderson DR (1998) Model selection and inference. A practical information theoretic approach. Springer, New YorkChan K (1995) Take-off behaviour and effects of weather on the migration of the silvereye (Zosterops lateralis). Ring 17:77–90Choquet R, Reboulet AM, Pradel R, Lebreton JD (2001) U-care (utilities: capture–recapture) user’s guide. CEFE/CNRS, MontpellierCochran WW (1987) Orientation and other migratory behaviours of a Swainson’s thrush followed for 1,500 km. Anim Behav 35:927–929Cochran WW, Wikelski M (2005) Individual migratory tactics of New World Catharus thushes: current knowledge and future tracking options from space. In: Greenberg R, Marra P (eds) Birds of two worlds: ecology and evolution of migrants. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, pp 274–289Cramp S (1992) The birds of the western Palearctic, vol VI. Oxford University Press, OxfordDänhardt J, Lindström Å (2001) Optimal departure decisions of songbirds from an experimental stopover site and the significant of weather. Anim Behav 62:235–243Dierschke V, Delingat J (2001) Stopover behaviour and departure decision of northern wheatears, Oenanthe oenanthe, facing different onward non-stop flight distances. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 50:535–545Elkins N (1999) Weather and bird behaviour. Poyser, LondonErni B, Liechti F, Underhill LG, Bruderer B (2002) Wind and rain govern intensity of nocturnal bird migration in central Europe: a log-linear regression analysis. Ardea 90:155–166Franklin AB (2001) Exploring ecological relationships in survival and estimating rates of population change using program MARK. In: Field R, Warren RJ, Okarma H, Sievert PR (eds) Proceedings of second international wildlife manage congress. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, pp 290–296Fransson T (1998) Patterns of migratory fuelling in whitethroats Sylvia communis in relation to departure. J Avian Biol 29:569–573Gauthreaux SA (1971) A radar and direct visual study of passerine spring migration in southern Louisiana. Auk 88:343–365Greño JL, Belda EJ, Barba E (2008) Influence of temperatures during the nestling period on post-fledging survival of great tit Parus major in Mediterranean habitat. J Avian Biol 39:41–49Hebrard JL (1971) The nightly initiation of passerine migration in spring: a direct visual study. Ibis 113:8–18Jenni L, Schaub M (2003) Behavioural and physiological reactions to environmental variation in bird migration: a review. In: Berthold P, Gwinner E, Sonnenschein E (eds) Avian migration. Springer, Berlin, pp 155–171Kaiser A (1993) A new multicategory classification of subcutaneous fat deposits of songbirds. J Field Ornithol 64:246–255Lack D (1960) The influence of weather on passerine migration. A review. Auk 77:171–209Liechti F (2006) Birds: blowin’ by the wind? J Ornithol 147:202–211Moore FR (1987) Sunset and the orientation behaviour of migrating birds. Biol Rev 62:65–86Moore FR, Aborn D (1996) Time of departure by summer tanagers (Piranga rubra) from a stopover site following spring trans-Gulf migration. Auk 113:949–952Newton I (2008) The migration ecology of birds. Academic, LondonPradel R, Hines JE, Lebreton JD, Nichols JD (1997) Capture-recapture survival models taking account of transients. Biometrics 53:60–72Richardson WJ (1990) Timing and amount of bird migration in relation to weather: a review. In: Gwinner E (ed) Bird migration: physiology and ecophysiology. Springer, Berlin, pp 78–101Schaub M, Pradel R, Jenni L, Lebreton JD (2001) Migrating birds stop over longer than usually thought: an improved capture-recapture analysis. Ecology 82:852–859Schaub M, Liechti F, Jenni L (2004) Departure of migrating European robins, Erithacus rubecula, from a stopover site in relation to wind and rain. 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Adaptation to Abundant Low Quality Food Improves the Ability to Compete for Limited Rich Food in Drosophila melanogaster.

The rate of food consumption is a major factor affecting success in scramble competition for a limited amount of easy-to-find food. Accordingly, several studies report positive genetic correlations between larval competitive ability and feeding rate in Drosophila; both become enhanced in populations evolving under larval crowding. Here, we report the experimental evolution of enhanced competitive ability in populations of D. melanogaster previously maintained for 84 generations at low density on an extremely poor larval food. In contrast to previous studies, greater competitive ability was not associated with the evolution of higher feeding rate; if anything, the correlation between the two traits across lines tended to be negative. Thus, enhanced competitive ability may be favored by nutritional stress even when competition is not intense, and competitive ability may be decoupled from the rate of food consumption

The Singapore National Precision Medicine Strategy

10.1038/s41588-022-01274-xNature Genetics552178-18