Environmental stress gradients regulate the relative importance of predator density- and trait-mediated indirect effects in oyster reef communities.

Predators affect community structure by influencing prey density and traits, but the importance of these effects often is difficult to predict. We measured the strength of blue crab predator effects on mud crab prey consumption of juvenile oysters across a flow gradient that inflicts both physical and sensory stress to determine how the relative importance of top predator density-mediated indirect effects (DMIEs) and trait-mediated indirect effects (TMIEs) change within systems. Overall, TMIEs dominated in relatively benign flow conditions where blue crab predator cues increased oyster survivorship by reducing mud crab-oyster consumption.

Proliferation and benevolence-A framework for dissecting the mechanisms of microbial virulence and health promotion.

Key topics in the study of host-microbe interactions-such as the prevention of drug resistance and the exploitation of beneficial effects of bacteria-would benefit from concerted efforts with both mechanistic and evolutionary approaches. But due to differences in intellectual traditions, insights gained in one field rarely benefit the other. Here, we develop a conceptual and analytical framework for the integrated study of host-microbe interactions.

The Effects of Age and Dose on Gene Expression and Segmental Bone Defect Repair After BMP-2 Delivery.

Age is a well-known influential factor in bone healing, with younger patients generally healing bone fractures more rapidly and suffering fewer complications compared with older patients. Yet the impact age has on the response to current bone healing treatments, such as delivery of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), remains poorly characterized. It remains unclear how or if therapeutic dosing of BMP-2 should be modified to account for age-related differences in order to minimize potential adverse effects and consequently improve patient bone-healing outcomes.