Species-Area Relationships Are Controlled by Species Traits

The species-area relationship (SAR) is one of the most thoroughly investigated empirical relationships in ecology. Two theories have been proposed to explain SARs: classical island biogeography theory and niche theory. Classical island biogeography theory considers the processes of persistence, extinction, and colonization, whereas niche theory focuses on species requirements, such as habitat and resource use. Recent studies have called for the unification of these two theories to better explain the underlying mechanisms that generates SARs. In this context, species traits that can be related to each theory seem promising. Here we analyzed the SARs of butterfly and moth assemblages on islands differing in size and isolation. We tested whether species traits modify the SAR and the response to isolation. In addition to the expected overall effects on the area, traits related to each of the two theories increased the model fit, from 69% up to 90%. Steeper slopes have been shown to have a particularly higher sensitivity to area, which was indicated by species with restricted range (slope  = 0.82), narrow dietary niche (slope  = 0.59), low abundance (slope  = 0.52), and low reproductive potential (slope  = 0.51). We concluded that considering species traits by analyzing SARs yields considerable potential for unifying island biogeography theory and niche theory, and that the systematic and predictable effects observed when considering traits can help to guide conservation and management actions

Molecular Signatures Reveal Circadian Clocks May Orchestrate the Homeorhetic Response to Lactation

Genes associated with lactation evolved more slowly than other genes in the mammalian genome. Higher conservation of milk and mammary genes suggest that species variation in milk composition is due in part to the environment and that we must look deeper into the genome for regulation of lactation. At the onset of lactation, metabolic changes are coordinated among multiple tissues through the endocrine system to accommodate the increased demand for nutrients and energy while allowing the animal to remain in homeostasis. This process is known as homeorhesis. Homeorhetic adaptation to lactation has been extensively described; however how these adaptations are orchestrated among multiple tissues remains elusive. To develop a clearer picture of how gene expression is coordinated across multiple tissues during the pregnancy to lactation transition, total RNA was isolated from mammary, liver and adipose tissues collected from rat dams (n = 5) on day 20 of pregnancy and day 1 of lactation, and gene expression was measured using Affymetrix GeneChips. Two types of gene expression analysis were performed. Genes that were differentially expressed between days within a tissue were identified with linear regression, and univariate regression was used to identify genes commonly up-regulated and down-regulated across all tissues. Gene set enrichment analysis showed genes commonly up regulated among the three tissues enriched gene ontologies primary metabolic processes, macromolecular complex assembly and negative regulation of apoptosis ontologies. Genes enriched in transcription regulator activity showed the common up regulation of 2 core molecular clock genes, ARNTL and CLOCK. Commonly down regulated genes enriched Rhythmic process and included: NR1D1, DBP, BHLHB2, OPN4, and HTR7, which regulate intracellular circadian rhythms. Changes in mammary, liver and adipose transcriptomes at the onset of lactation illustrate the complexity of homeorhetic adaptations and suggest that these changes are coordinated through molecular clocks

Lawson criterion for ignition exceeded in an inertial fusion experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion

Electromyographic Analysis of Selected Muscles during Backhand Throw in Ultimate Frisbee

SOUHRN Název: Elektromyografická analýza vybraných svalů během hodu backhand ve hře ultimate frisbee Title: Electromyographic analysis of selected muscles during a backhand throw in ultimate frisbee Cíl práce: Naše práce se zaměřuje na analýzu svalové činnosti během hodu backhand v jedné z nejnovějších kolektivních her- ultimate frisbee. Sleduje míru společné aktivace extenzorů zápěstí - vykonávajících odhození disku a lopatkových svalů (m.trapezius - kraniální a kaudální porce, m.serratus anterior a m.pectoralis major)- dynamických stabilizátorů lopatky. Dále sleduje rozdíly v zapojení svalů během této aktivity ve skupině trénovaných hráčů ultimate. Metoda: Ke snímání aktivity zmíněných svalů jsme použili metodu povrchové elektromyografie. PEMG zachycuje souvislost mezi svalovou aktivitou na akru a kořenovém kloubu horní končetiny během odhodu disku při backhandu. Výsledky: Experiment ukazuje na rozdílnost v aktivaci svalů ve skupině trénovaných hráčů ultimate frisbee, odvíjející se od individuálního vzoru (resp.stylu) pohybového projevu hráče. Při dalším analyzování však vycházejí do popředí dva pohybové modely, odvíjející se od společných znaků či podob získaných vzorů. l.model je charakteristický dominancí m.pectoralis major, ke kterému se ve dvou případech připojuje aktivita m.serratus anterior a v..

Track Analysis of the North, Central and South American Species of the Epicauta maculata Group (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

We undertook a panbiogeographic analysis of 23 species of the Epicauta maculata group of America—Epicauta abeona Pinto, Epicauta adspersa (Klug), Epicauta andersoni Werner, Epicauta atomaria (Germar), Epicauta apache Pinto, Epicauta cavernosa (Courbon), Epicauta dilatipennis Pic, Epicauta fulvicornis (Burmeister), Epicauta horni Champion, Epicauta jeffersi Pinto, Epicauta koheleri Denier, Epicauta lizeri Denier, E. maculata (Say), Epicauta magnomaculata Martin, Epicauta minutepunctata Borchmann, Epicauta nigropunctata (Blanchard), Epicauta normalis Werner, Epicauta ocellata (Dugès), Epicauta pardalis LeConte, picauta phoenix Werner, Epicauta pluvialis Borchmann, Epicauta proscripta Werner, Epicauta rubella Denier, and Epicauta ventralis Werner—with the purpose of analyzing the distributional data for taxa, to establish patterns of distribution of an ancestral biota and areas where these groups have interacted. Based on the overlap of 20 individual tracks, four generalized tracks constituted by different numbers of species were identified; two of them are located in the Nearctic region and the Mexican transition zone (tracks “A” and “B”), and the other two are distributed in the Neotropical region and the South America transition zone (“C”, “D”). Six nodes were recognized: Two of them are included in the Nearctic Region, node ‘I’ located in northern USA and node ‘II’ located in southwestern USA, both at the intersection of the tracks “A” and “B”. The other four are included in the Neotropical Region at the intersection of the tracks “C” and “D”: Node ‘III’ is located in Chaco province; node ‘IV’ is located in Parana Forest province; node ‘V’ is located in the northwest of Argentina in Puna province, and node ‘VI’ is located in Monte province.Fil: Campos Soldini, Maria Paula. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: García Fernandez, Mailen Soledad. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: Safenraiter, Melania Edith. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentin