Hasil untuk "Ecology"

R. Margalef

W. D. Billings, H. Mooney

D. Leslie

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Z. Naveh, Arthur S. Lieberman

I. Head, J. Saunders, R. Pickup

D. Rocheleau, B. Thomas-Slayter, E. Wangari

N. Gotelli

Dazhong Wen

J. Smith, R. Whelan

J. Zedler

J. Niemelä

Teddy Lazebnik

Socks are produced and replaced at a massive scale, yet their paired use makes them unusually vulnerable to waste, as the loss of a single sock can strand usable wear-capacity and trigger premature replacement. In this study, we quantify the economic and ecological value of pairing non-matching \say{orphan} socks, and the social cost that discourages this behaviour. We formalize sock ownership as a sequential decision problem under uncertainty in which socks wear out and disappear stochastically during laundering, while public exposure induces a person-specific mismatch penalty. We conducted an in-person study to estimate mismatch sensitivity and diversity preference, linking behavioural heterogeneity to optimal mixing strategies. Using these results and a computer simulation-based evaluation of interpretable pairing policies, we show that strict matching can appear resource-frugal largely because it generates many sockless days, whereas controlled tolerance for mismatch sustains service and reduces stranded capacity across loss regimes. This study establishes the feasibility of matching non-matching socks while outlining its limitations and challenges.

Heidi H. Hau, J. Gralnick

L. Rockwood

Javier Aguilar, Samir Suweis, Amos Maritan et al.

Species interactions (ranging from direct predator prey relationships to indirect effects mediated by the environment) are central to ecosystem balance and biodiversity. While empirical methods for measuring these interactions exist, their interpretability and limitations remain unclear. Here we examine the empirical matrix of pairwise interactions, a widely used tool, and analyze its temporal variability. We show that apparent fluctuations in interaction strength (and even shifts in interaction signs, often interpreted as transitions between competition and facilitation) can arise intrinsically from population dynamics with fixed ecological roles. Experimental protocols further shape these estimates: the duration of observation and the type of setup in microbial growth studies (e.g., chemostats, batch cultures, or resource conditions) systematically affect measured interactions. Considering interactions across timescales enhances interpretability: short-term measurements primarily capture direct species couplings, whereas long-term observations increasingly reflect indirect community feedback. Taken together, these results establish short duration inferences, obtained either directly or extrapolated, as a principled way to disentangle direct from indirect interactions. Building on this insight, we propose a model inference approach that leverages multiple short time series rather than extended longitudinal datasets.

Kalpana Panati, Parasuraman Aiya Subramani, Venkata Ramireddy Narala

The therapeutic targeting of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) for type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains a double-edged sword: while thiazolidinediones are efficacious, their severe side effects necessitate the discovery of safer modulators. We propose a novel nutrient-centred hypothesis that thiamine (vitamin B1), an essential micronutrient, may act as a natural ligand for PPARγ. To investigate this, we adopted a translational approach. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations established that thiamine forms a stable, high-affinity interaction with the PPARγ ligand-binding domain. Functionally, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, thiamine induced adipogenesis and PPARγ-response element binding with a potency analogous to rosiglitazone, suggesting direct agonistic activity. Corroborating these mechanistic insights at the clinical level, a new meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials demonstrates that high-dose benfotiamine, a synthetic thiamine derivative, significantly improves neuropathic and vascular outcomes in T2D patients. While the contribution of thiamine’s established antioxidant effects to these clinical benefits cannot be ruled out, the synergy of computational, cellular, and human evidence provides a compelling foundation for our hypothesis. This study suggests that thiamine could act as a PPARγ ligand and serve as a safer treatment option for metabolic disorders, which needs to be tested in vivo.

Jue Ning, Xu Chen, Tao Wang et al.

Abstract The modulation of anticyclonic subsurface‐intensified mode‐water eddies (MWEs) on the oceanic physical and biological responses to tropical cyclones (TCs) is investigated using satellite measurements, in situ observations and numerical model outputs. Extreme cooling of the surface (4.2°C) and mixed‐layer (2.3°C) is observed in a MWE, which can be remarkably stronger than those in adjacent cyclonic eddy and non‐eddy environments. The special thermodynamic structure above the lens of MWEs, which would favor the TC‐induced entrainment more efficiently, facilitates the elevation of substantial subsurface cold water. It also leads to increased mixed‐layer salinity and deepening of the mixed‐layer. Additionally, variations in nitrate and chlorophyll‐a concentrations appear to be depressed and exhibit intricate multi‐layer patterns due to TC‐induced and MWE‐influenced vertical processes. This study provides novel insights into the interactions between TCs and subsurface‐intensified eddies.

D. Griffith, P. Peres‐Neto

A. Earl, R. Losick, R. Kolter

A. B. Pedersen, A. Fenton