scholarly journals Motion-in-depth perception and prey capture in the praying mantis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Nityananda ◽  
Coline Joubier ◽  
Jerry Tan ◽  
Ghaith Tarawneh ◽  
Jenny C A Read

Perceiving motion-in-depth is essential to detecting approaching or receding objects, predators and prey. This can be achieved using several cues, including binocular stereoscopic cues such as changing disparity and interocular velocity differences and monocular cues such as looming. While these have been studied in detail in humans, only looming responses have been well characterized in insects and we know nothing about the role that stereo cues play and how they might interact with looming cues. We used our 3D insect cinema in a series of experiments to investigate the role of the stereo cues mentioned above, as well as looming, in the perception of motion-in-depth during predatory strikes by the praying mantis. Our results show that motion-in-depth does increase the probability of mantis strikes but only for the classic looming stimulus, an expanding luminance edge. Approach indicated by radial motion of a texture or expansion of a motion-defined edge, or by stereoscopic cues, all failed to elicit increased striking. We conclude that mantises use stereopsis to detect depth but not motion-in-depth, which is detected via looming.

2019 ◽  
Vol 222 (11) ◽  
pp. jeb198614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Nityananda ◽  
Coline Joubier ◽  
Jerry Tan ◽  
Ghaith Tarawneh ◽  
Jenny C. A. Read

2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (5) ◽  
pp. L923-L929 ◽  
Author(s):  
James J. Cummings ◽  
Huamei Wang

We studied the role of cGMP in nitric oxide (NO)-induced changes in lung liquid production ( J v ) in chronically instrumented fetal sheep. Forty-five studies were done in which J v was measured by a tracer dilution technique. Left pulmonary arterial flow (Qlpa) was measured by a Doppler flow probe. There were two series of experiments. In the first, we gave 8-bromo-cGMP, a cGMP analog, by either the pulmonary vascular or intraluminal route; in the second, we used agents to inhibit or enhance endogenous cGMP activity. When infused directly into the pulmonary circulation, 8-bromo-cGMP significantly increased Qlpa but had no effect on J v. Conversely, when instilled into the lung liquid, 8-bromo-cGMP had no effect on Qlpa but significantly reduced J v. Inhibition of guanylate cyclase activity with methylene blue totally blocked, whereas phosphodiesterase inhibition with Zaprinast significantly enhanced, the effect of instilled NO on J v. Thus the reduction in lung liquid caused by NO appears to be mediated by cGMP, perhaps through a direct effect on the pulmonary epithelium.


Author(s):  
Tony L. Schmitz ◽  
Jeremiah Couey ◽  
Eric Marsh ◽  
Michael F. Tummond

In this paper, the role of milling cutter eccentricity, commonly referred to as runout, is explored to determine its effects on surface topography and milling forces. This work is motivated by the observation that commercially-available cutter bodies often exhibit variation in the teeth/insert radial locations as a result of manufacturing issues. Consequently, the chip load on individual cutting teeth varies periodically, which can lead to premature failure of the cutting edges. Additionally, this chip load variation increases the roughness of machined surfaces. This research isolates the effect of runout on cutting forces and the machined surface finish in a series of experiments completed on a precision milling machine with 0.1 μm positioning repeatability and 0.02 μm spindle error motion. The runout is varied in a controlled fashion and results compared between experiment and a comprehensive time-domain simulation.


2000 ◽  
Vol 203 (14) ◽  
pp. 2117-2123 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kral ◽  
M. Vernik ◽  
D. Devetak

Mantispids (Mantispa styriaca) are predatory insects; on bright sunny days, they wait in ambush for insect prey. The prey is captured as soon as it is within reach by means of lightning-speed strikes with the powerful forelegs. The strikes can take less than 60 ms. The mantispid accomplishes this almost as effectively as the larger praying mantis, which occupies a similar habitat, even though the praying mantis has apposition eyes with a high-resolution fovea, whereas the mantispid has unspecialized optical superposition eyes. Mantispa styriaca reacts to an item of prey when the latter covers a critical visual angle. The detection of prey immediately triggers adjustment reactions in the mantispid, which attempts to position the prey item in the visual field of both eyes and in the capture zone. Irrespective of the size of the prey, the capture reaction of the mantispid is always triggered if the distance to the prey falls below a certain critical value. As indicated by the analysis of individual video frames, immediately before an aimed strike, the item of prey is always positioned exactly in the centre of the binocular field of vision in the extended midsagittal plane of the mantispid's head. The strike may be triggered by the ommatidia of the left and right eyes, the lines of sight of which converge precisely on this region. The principal conclusion to be drawn is that the prey-capture behaviour of the mantispid appears to be based on a triangulation mechanism.


1988 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 650-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
François M. Mai

William Beaumont's monograph on the physiology of digestion which was first published in 1833, has become a classic in its field. In a series of experiments over a 10 year period on Alexis St. Martin, a 19 year old Canadian voyageur with a traumatic gastric fistula, Beaumont was the first to describe many important aspects of the digestive process. In two of the 238 experiments Beaumont noted gastric physiological changes induced by emotional arousal, these being bile reflux and delayed gastric emptying. Elsewhere in the book, but not in experimental context, Beaumont referred to non-specific changes in coloration and secretion of the mucous membrane induced by emotion. Modern gastric psychophysiological research has shown that emotional arousal increases, and withdrawal decreases, gastric acid secretion. It has also been shown conclusively that emotion can cause a reflux of bile into the stomach and it may delay gastric emptying. Although the main thrust of Beaumont's work was physiological, he must be credited with being the first investigator to draw attention to the role of emotional arousal in the digestive process.


2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (1) ◽  
pp. H384-H391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guan-Ying Wang ◽  
Song Wu ◽  
Jian-Ming Pei ◽  
Xiao-Chun Yu ◽  
Tak-Ming Wong

Two series of experiments were performed in the isolated perfused rat heart to determine the role of κ- and δ-opioid receptors (OR) in cardioprotection of ischemic preconditioning (IP). In the first series of experiments, it was found that IP with two cycles of 5-min regional ischemia followed by 5-min reperfusion each reduced infarct size induced by 30-min ischemia, and the ameliorating effect of IP on infarct was attenuated with blockade of either 5 × 10−6 mol/l nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI), a selective κ-OR antagonist, or 5 × 10−6 mol/l naltrindole (NTD), a selective δ-OR antagonist. The second series showed that U50,488H, a selective κ-OR agonist, ord-Ala2-d-leu5-enkephalin (DADLE), a selective δ-OR agonist, dose dependently reduced the infarct size induced by ischemia, which mimicked the effects of IP. The effect of 10−5 mol/l U50,488H on infarct was significantly attenuated by blockade of protein kinase C (PKC) with specific PKC inhibitors, 5 × 10−6 mol/l chelerythrine or 8 × 10−7 mol/l calphostin C, as well as by blockade of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels with blockers of the channel, 10−5 mol/l glibenclamide or 10−4 mol/l 5-hydroxydecanoate. IP also reduced arrhythmia induced by ischemia. Nor-BNI, but not NTD, attenuated, while U50,488H, but not DADLE, mimicked the antiarrhythmic action of IP. In conclusion, the present study has provided first evidence that κ-OR mediates the ameliorating effects of IP on infarct and arrhythmia induced by ischemia, whereas δ-OR mediates the effects only on infarct. Both PKC and KATP channels mediate the effect of activation of κ-OR on infarct.


1992 ◽  
Vol 263 (4) ◽  
pp. G487-G493 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Sawmiller ◽  
C. C. Chou

The role of adenosine in postprandial jejunal hyperemia was investigated by determining the effect of placement of predigested food into the jejunal lumen on blood flow and oxygen consumption before and during intra-arterial infusion of dipyridamole (1.5 microM arterial concn) or adenosine deaminase (9 U/ml arterial concn) in anesthetized dogs. Neither drug significantly altered resting jejunal blood flow and oxygen consumption. Before dipyridamole or deaminase, food placement increased blood flow by 30-36%, 26-42%, and 21-46%, and oxygen consumption by 13-22%, 21-22%, and 26-29%, during 0- to 3-, 4- to 7-, and 8- to 11-min placement periods, respectively. Adenosine deaminase abolished the entire 11-min hyperemia, whereas dipyridamole significantly enhanced the initial 7-min hyperemia (45-49%). Both drugs abolished the initial 7-min food-induced increase in oxygen consumption. Dipyridamole attenuated (14%), whereas deaminase did not alter (28%), the increased oxygen consumption that occurred at 8-11 min. Adenosine deaminase also prevented the food-induced increase in venoarterial adenosine concentration difference. In separate series of experiments, luminal placement of food significantly increased jejunal lymphatic adenosine concentration and release. Also, reactive hyperemia was accompanied by an increase in venous adenosine concentration and release. This study provides further evidence to support the thesis that adenosine plays a role in postprandial and reactive hyperemia in the canine jejunum.


2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 464-464
Author(s):  
Y. Watanabe ◽  
M. Tomita ◽  
K. Harasawa ◽  
M. Usui ◽  
S. Shioiri ◽  
...  

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