1,551 research outputs found

    Alimentación de las ranas pardas, Rana gr. temporaria, en el circo de Piedrafita, (Pirineos, España)

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    Feeding of high Pyrenean mountain brown frogs were studied in the pre-wintering period. The main prey is beetles (44'97o), two-winged flies (12'9%) and bees, wasps, ants, etc (11'4%). For the whole of the frogs, the most frequent prey size is the small (smaller than 10 mm). Big frogs tend to consume bigger prey in not ,o. many quantity, while small frogs consume more quantity of preys but smaller in size. From prey way of life, frogs eat mainly terrestrial and aerial preys, although capture of aquatic prey was observed (11'5%) and these preys were eaten inside the water.Se ha estudiado la dieta de las ranas pardas en alta montaña pirenaica durante el periodo pre-invernal. Las ranas consumen principalmente coleópteros (44'9%), dípteros (12'9%) e himenópteros (11'4%). Para el conjunto de todas las ranas estudiadas, las presas más consumidas son las de pequeño tamaño (menores de 10 mm). Las ranas de mayor talla tienden a consumir presas más grandes y en poca cantidad, mientras que las ranas pequeñas consumen más presas aunque de pequeño tamaño. En cuanto a forma de vida las presas más consumidas son terrestres y aéreas, aunque también se ha comprobado la captura de presas acuáticas (11'5%) que son consumidas por las ranas dentro del agua

    Functional colour genes and signals of selection in colour polymorphic salamanders

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    Coloration has been associated with multiple biologically relevant traits that drive adaptation and diversification in many taxa. However, despite the great diversity of colour patterns present in amphibians the underlying molecular basis is largely unknown. Here, we use insight from a highly colour-variable lineage of the European fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra bernardezi) to identify functional associations with striking variation in colour morph and pattern. The three focal colour morphs—ancestral black-yellow striped, fully yellow and fully brown—differed in pattern, visible coloration and cellular composition. From population genomic analyses of up to 4,702 loci, we found no correlations of neutral population genetic structure with colour morph. However, we identified 21 loci with genotype–phenotype associations, several of which relate to known colour genes. Furthermore, we inferred response to selection at up to 142 loci between the colour morphs, again including several that relate to coloration genes. By transcriptomic analysis across all different combinations, we found 196 differentially expressed genes between yellow, brown and black skin, 63 of which are candidate genes involved in animal coloration. The concordance across different statistical approaches and ‘omic data sets provide several lines of evidence for loci linked to functional differences between colour morphs, including TYR, CAMK1 and PMEL. We found little association between colour morph and the metabolomic profile of its toxic compounds from the skin secretions. Our research suggests that current ecological and evolutionary hypotheses for the origins and maintenance of these striking colour morphs may need to be revisited.This research was supported by a Natural Environment Research Council; a Royal Society Research Grant; a Glasgow Natural History Society grant; a Wellcome Trust ISSF Catalyst Grant and a Spanish Ministry of Science Grant

    Targeted metagenomics of active microbial populations with stable-isotope probing

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    The ability to explore microbial diversity and function has been enhanced by novel experimental and computational tools. The incorporation of stable isotopes into microbial biomass enables the recovery of labeled nucleic acids from active microorganisms, despite their initial abundance and culturability. Combining stable-isotope probing (SIP) with metagenomics provides access to genomes from microorganisms involved in metabolic processes of interest. Studies using metagenomic analysis on DNA obtained from DNA-SIP incubations can be ideal for the recovery of novel enzymes for biotechnology applications, including biodegradation, biotransformation, and biosynthesis. This chapter introduces metagenomic and DNA-SIP methodologies, highlights biotechnology-focused studies that combine these approaches, and provides perspectives on future uses of these methods as analysis tools for applied and environmental microbiology

    Observation of two new Ξb\Xi_b^- baryon resonances

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    Two structures are observed close to the kinematic threshold in the Ξb0π\Xi_b^0 \pi^- mass spectrum in a sample of proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb1^{-1} recorded by the LHCb experiment. In the quark model, two baryonic resonances with quark content bdsbds are expected in this mass region: the spin-parity JP=12+J^P = \frac{1}{2}^+ and JP=32+J^P=\frac{3}{2}^+ states, denoted Ξb\Xi_b^{\prime -} and Ξb\Xi_b^{*-}. Interpreting the structures as these resonances, we measure the mass differences and the width of the heavier state to be m(Ξb)m(Ξb0)m(π)=3.653±0.018±0.006m(\Xi_b^{\prime -}) - m(\Xi_b^0) - m(\pi^{-}) = 3.653 \pm 0.018 \pm 0.006 MeV/c2/c^2, m(Ξb)m(Ξb0)m(π)=23.96±0.12±0.06m(\Xi_b^{*-}) - m(\Xi_b^0) - m(\pi^{-}) = 23.96 \pm 0.12 \pm 0.06 MeV/c2/c^2, Γ(Ξb)=1.65±0.31±0.10\Gamma(\Xi_b^{*-}) = 1.65 \pm 0.31 \pm 0.10 MeV, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The width of the lighter state is consistent with zero, and we place an upper limit of Γ(Ξb)<0.08\Gamma(\Xi_b^{\prime -}) < 0.08 MeV at 95% confidence level. Relative production rates of these states are also reported.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

    Study of WW boson production in association with beauty and charm

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    The associated production of a WW boson with a jet originating from either a light parton or heavy-flavor quark is studied in the forward region using proton-proton collisions. The analysis uses data corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1.0 and 2.0fb12.0\,{\rm fb}^{-1} collected with the LHCb detector at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, respectively. The WW bosons are reconstructed using the WμνW\to\mu\nu decay and muons with a transverse momentum, pTp_{\rm T}, larger than 20 GeV in the pseudorapidity range 2.0202.0 20 GeV and 2.2<η<4.22.2 < \eta < 4.2. The sum of the muon and jet momenta must satisfy pT>20p_{\rm T} > 20 GeV. The fraction of W+W+jet events that originate from beauty and charm quarks is measured, along with the charge asymmetries of the W ⁣+ ⁣bW\!+\!b and W ⁣+ ⁣cW\!+\!c production cross-sections. The ratio of the W+W+jet to Z+Z+jet production cross-sections is also measured using the ZμμZ\to\mu\mu decay. All results are in agreement with Standard Model predictions

    Observation of an Excited Bc+ State

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    Using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.5 fb-1 recorded by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of s=7, 8, and 13 TeV, the observation of an excited Bc+ state in the Bc+π+π- invariant-mass spectrum is reported. The observed peak has a mass of 6841.2±0.6(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.8(Bc+) MeV/c2, where the last uncertainty is due to the limited knowledge of the Bc+ mass. It is consistent with expectations of the Bc∗(2S31)+ state reconstructed without the low-energy photon from the Bc∗(1S31)+→Bc+γ decay following Bc∗(2S31)+→Bc∗(1S31)+π+π-. A second state is seen with a global (local) statistical significance of 2.2σ (3.2σ) and a mass of 6872.1±1.3(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.8(Bc+) MeV/c2, and is consistent with the Bc(2S10)+ state. These mass measurements are the most precise to date

    Study of BDKπ+πB^{-}\to DK^-\pi^+\pi^- and BDππ+πB^-\to D\pi^-\pi^+\pi^- decays and determination of the CKM angle γ\gamma

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    We report a study of the suppressed BDKπ+πB^-\to DK^-\pi^+\pi^- and favored BDππ+πB^-\to D\pi^-\pi^+\pi^- decays, where the neutral DD meson is detected through its decays to the Kπ±K^{\mp}\pi^{\pm} and CP-even K+KK^+K^- and π+π\pi^+\pi^- final states. The measurement is carried out using a proton-proton collision data sample collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0~fb1^{-1}. We observe the first significant signals in the CP-even final states of the DD meson for both the suppressed BDKπ+πB^-\to DK^-\pi^+\pi^- and favored BDππ+πB^-\to D\pi^-\pi^+\pi^- modes, as well as in the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed DK+πD\to K^+\pi^- final state of the BDππ+πB^-\to D\pi^-\pi^+\pi^- decay. Evidence for the ADS suppressed decay BDKπ+πB^{-}\to DK^-\pi^+\pi^-, with DK+πD\to K^+\pi^-, is also presented. From the observed yields in the BDKπ+πB^-\to DK^-\pi^+\pi^-, BDππ+πB^-\to D\pi^-\pi^+\pi^- and their charge conjugate decay modes, we measure the value of the weak phase to be γ=(7419+20)o\gamma=(74^{+20}_{-19})^{\rm o}. This is one of the most precise single-measurement determinations of γ\gamma to date.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures; All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-020.htm

    Search for hidden-sector bosons in B0 ⁣K0μ+μB^0 \!\to K^{*0}\mu^+\mu^- decays

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    A search is presented for hidden-sector bosons, χ\chi, produced in the decay B0 ⁣K(892)0χ{B^0\!\to K^*(892)^0\chi}, with K(892)0 ⁣K+πK^*(892)^0\!\to K^{+}\pi^{-} and χ ⁣μ+μ\chi\!\to\mu^+\mu^-. The search is performed using pppp-collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb1^{-1} collected with the LHCb detector. No significant signal is observed in the accessible mass range 214m(χ)4350214 \leq m({\chi}) \leq 4350 MeV, and upper limits are placed on the branching fraction product B(B0 ⁣K(892)0χ)×B(χ ⁣μ+μ)\mathcal{B}(B^0\!\to K^*(892)^0\chi)\times\mathcal{B}(\chi\!\to\mu^+\mu^-) as a function of the mass and lifetime of the χ\chi boson. These limits are of the order of 10910^{-9} for χ\chi lifetimes less than 100 ps over most of the m(χ)m(\chi) range, and place the most stringent constraints to date on many theories that predict the existence of additional low-mass bosons.Comment: All figures and tables, along with supplementary material, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-036.htm

    Observation of J/ψpJ/\psi p resonances consistent with pentaquark states in Λb0J/ψKp{\Lambda_b^0\to J/\psi K^-p} decays

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    Observations of exotic structures in the J/ψpJ/\psi p channel, that we refer to as pentaquark-charmonium states, in Λb0J/ψKp\Lambda_b^0\to J/\psi K^- p decays are presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3/fb acquired with the LHCb detector from 7 and 8 TeV pp collisions. An amplitude analysis is performed on the three-body final-state that reproduces the two-body mass and angular distributions. To obtain a satisfactory fit of the structures seen in the J/ψpJ/\psi p mass spectrum, it is necessary to include two Breit-Wigner amplitudes that each describe a resonant state. The significance of each of these resonances is more than 9 standard deviations. One has a mass of 4380±8±294380\pm 8\pm 29 MeV and a width of 205±18±86205\pm 18\pm 86 MeV, while the second is narrower, with a mass of 4449.8±1.7±2.54449.8\pm 1.7\pm 2.5 MeV and a width of 39±5±1939\pm 5\pm 19 MeV. The preferred JPJ^P assignments are of opposite parity, with one state having spin 3/2 and the other 5/2.Comment: 48 pages, 18 figures including the supplementary material, v2 after referee's comments, now 19 figure
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