Strong Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Planar Barium Titanate Thin Films

The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPE) leads to the generation of a photocurrent from an asymmetric material. Despite drawing much attention due to its ability to generate photovoltages above the band gap ($E_g$), it is considered a weak effect due to the low generated photocurrents. Here, we show that a remarkably high photoresponse can be achieved by exploiting the BPE in simple planar BaTiO$_3$ (BTO) films, solely by tuning their fundamental ferroelectric properties via strain and growth orientation induced by epitaxial growth on different substrates. We find a non-monotonic dependence of the responsivity ($R_{\rm SC}$) on the ferroelectric polarization ($P$) and obtain a remarkably high BPE coefficient ($\beta$) of $\approx$10$^{-2}$ 1/V, which to the best of our knowledge is the highest reported to date for standard planar BTO thin films. We show that the standard first-principles-based descriptions of BPE in bulk materials cannot account for the photocurrent trends observed for our films and therefore propose a novel mechanism that elucidates the fundamental relationship between $P$ and responsivity in ferroelectric thin films. Our results suggest that practical applications of ferroelectric photovoltaics in standard planar film geometries can be achieved through careful joint optimization of the bulk structure, light absorption, and electrode-absorber interface properties.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

PASCal: A principal-axis strain calculator for thermal expansion and compressibility determination

We describe a web-based tool (PASCal; Principal Axis Strain Calculator) aimed at simplifying the determination of principal coefficients of thermal expansion and compressibilities from variable-temperature and variable-pressure lattice parameter data. In a series of three case studies, we use PASCal to re-analyse previously-published lattice parameter data and show that additional scientific insight is obtainable in each case. First, the two-dimensional metal-organic framework Cu-SIP-3 is found to exhibit the strongest area-negative thermal expansion (NTE) effect yet observed; second, the widely-used explosive HMX exhibits much stronger mechanical anisotropy than had previously been anticipated, including uniaxial NTE driven by thermal changes in molecular conformation; and, third, the high-pressure form of the mineral malayaite is shown to exhibit a strong negative linear compressibility (NLC) effect that arises from correlated tilting of SnO6 and SiO4 coordination polyhedra.Comment: 31 pages, 8 figures, formatted as preprint for J. Appl. Crys

Consensus coding sequence (CCDS) database: a standardized set of human and mouse protein-coding regions supported by expert curation.

The Consensus Coding Sequence (CCDS) project provides a dataset of protein-coding regions that are identically annotated on the human and mouse reference genome assembly in genome annotations produced independently by NCBI and the Ensembl group at EMBL-EBI. This dataset is the product of an international collaboration that includes NCBI, Ensembl, HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee, Mouse Genome Informatics and University of California, Santa Cruz. Identically annotated coding regions, which are generated using an automated pipeline and pass multiple quality assurance checks, are assigned a stable and tracked identifier (CCDS ID). Additionally, coordinated manual review by expert curators from the CCDS collaboration helps in maintaining the integrity and high quality of the dataset. The CCDS data are available through an interactive web page (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi) and an FTP site (ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/CCDS/). In this paper, we outline the ongoing work, growth and stability of the CCDS dataset and provide updates on new collaboration members and new features added to the CCDS user interface. We also present expert curation scenarios, with specific examples highlighting the importance of an accurate reference genome assembly and the crucial role played by input from the research community. Nucleic Acids Res 2018 Jan 4; 46(D1):D221-D228

New genetic loci implicated in fasting glucose homeostasis and their impact on type 2 diabetes risk.

Levels of circulating glucose are tightly regulated. To identify new loci influencing glycemic traits, we performed meta-analyses of 21 genome-wide association studies informative for fasting glucose, fasting insulin and indices of beta-cell function (HOMA-B) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in up to 46,186 nondiabetic participants. Follow-up of 25 loci in up to 76,558 additional subjects identified 16 loci associated with fasting glucose and HOMA-B and two loci associated with fasting insulin and HOMA-IR. These include nine loci newly associated with fasting glucose (in or near ADCY5, MADD, ADRA2A, CRY2, FADS1, GLIS3, SLC2A2, PROX1 and C2CD4B) and one influencing fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (near IGF1). We also demonstrated association of ADCY5, PROX1, GCK, GCKR and DGKB-TMEM195 with type 2 diabetes. Within these loci, likely biological candidate genes influence signal transduction, cell proliferation, development, glucose-sensing and circadian regulation. Our results demonstrate that genetic studies of glycemic traits can identify type 2 diabetes risk loci, as well as loci containing gene variants that are associated with a modest elevation in glucose levels but are not associated with overt diabetes

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation

Utilisation of an operative difficulty grading scale for laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background A reliable system for grading operative difficulty of laparoscopic cholecystectomy would standardise description of findings and reporting of outcomes. The aim of this study was to validate a difficulty grading system (Nassar scale), testing its applicability and consistency in two large prospective datasets. Methods Patient and disease-related variables and 30-day outcomes were identified in two prospective cholecystectomy databases: the multi-centre prospective cohort of 8820 patients from the recent CholeS Study and the single-surgeon series containing 4089 patients. Operative data and patient outcomes were correlated with Nassar operative difficultly scale, using Kendall’s tau for dichotomous variables, or Jonckheere–Terpstra tests for continuous variables. A ROC curve analysis was performed, to quantify the predictive accuracy of the scale for each outcome, with continuous outcomes dichotomised, prior to analysis. Results A higher operative difficulty grade was consistently associated with worse outcomes for the patients in both the reference and CholeS cohorts. The median length of stay increased from 0 to 4 days, and the 30-day complication rate from 7.6 to 24.4% as the difficulty grade increased from 1 to 4/5 (both p < 0.001). In the CholeS cohort, a higher difficulty grade was found to be most strongly associated with conversion to open and 30-day mortality (AUROC = 0.903, 0.822, respectively). On multivariable analysis, the Nassar operative difficultly scale was found to be a significant independent predictor of operative duration, conversion to open surgery, 30-day complications and 30-day reintervention (all p < 0.001). Conclusion We have shown that an operative difficulty scale can standardise the description of operative findings by multiple grades of surgeons to facilitate audit, training assessment and research. It provides a tool for reporting operative findings, disease severity and technical difficulty and can be utilised in future research to reliably compare outcomes according to case mix and intra-operative difficulty

Genetic evidence that raised sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes

Epidemiological studies consistently show that circulating sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels are lower in type 2 diabetes patients than non-diabetic individuals, but the causal nature of this association is controversial. Genetic studies can help dissect causal directions of epidemiological associations because genotypes are much less likely to be confounded, biased or influenced by disease processes. Using this Mendelian randomization principle, we selected a common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) near the SHBG gene, rs1799941, that is strongly associated with SHBG levels. We used data from this SNP, or closely correlated SNPs, in 27 657 type 2 diabetes patients and 58 481 controls from 15 studies. We then used data from additional studies to estimate the difference in SHBG levels between type 2 diabetes patients and controls. The SHBG SNP rs1799941 was associated with type 2 diabetes [odds ratio (OR) 0.94, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.97; P = 2 × 10−5], with the SHBG raising allele associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. This effect was very similar to that expected (OR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.88, 0.96), given the SHBG-SNP versus SHBG levels association (SHBG levels are 0.2 standard deviations higher per copy of the A allele) and the SHBG levels versus type 2 diabetes association (SHBG levels are 0.23 standard deviations lower in type 2 diabetic patients compared to controls). Results were very similar in men and women. There was no evidence that this variant is associated with diabetes-related intermediate traits, including several measures of insulin secretion and resistance. Our results, together with those from another recent genetic study, strengthen evidence that SHBG and sex hormones are involved in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes

Beth Levine in memoriam

Beth Levine was born on 7 April 1960 in Newark, New Jersey. She went to college at Brown University where she received an A.B. Magna Cum Laude, and she attended medical school at Cornell University Medical College, receiving her MD in 1986. She completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and her fellowship in Infectious Diseases at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Most recently, Beth was a Professor of Internal Medicine and Microbiology, Director of the Center for Autophagy Research, and holder of the Charles Sprague Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Beth died on 15 June 2020 from cancer. Beth is survived by her husband, Milton Packer, and their two children, Rachel (26 years old) and Ben (25 years old). Dr. Levine was as an international leader in the field of autophagy research. Her laboratory identified the mammalian autophagy gene BECN1/beclin 1; identified conserved mechanisms underlying the regulation of autophagy (e.g. BCL2-BECN1 complex formation, insulin-like signaling, EGFR, ERBB2/HER2 and AKT1-mediated BECN1 phosphosphorylation); and provided the first evidence that autophagy genes are important in antiviral host defense, tumor suppression, lifespan extension, apoptotic corpse clearance, metazoan development, Na,K-ATPase-regulated cell death, and the beneficial metabolic effects of exercise. She developed a potent autophagy-inducing cell permeable peptide, Tat-beclin 1, which has potential therapeutic applications in a range of diseases. She was a founding Associate Editor of the journal Autophagy and an editorial board member of Cell and Cell Host & Microbe. She has received numerous awards/honors in recognition of her scientific achievement, including: The American Cancer Society Junior Faculty Research Award (1994); election into the American Society of Clinical Investigation (2000); the Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholars Award in Global Infectious Diseases (2004); elected member, American Association of Physicians (2005); appointment as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator (2008); Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Medicine (2008); elected fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2012); election into the National Academy of Sciences (2013); election into the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (2013); the ASCI Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award (2014); Phyllis T. Bodel Women in Medicine Award, Yale University School of Medicine (2018); recipient, Barcroft Medal, Queen’s University Belfast (2018).Fil: An, Zhenyi. No especifíca;Fil: Ballabi, Andrea. No especifíca;Fil: Bennett, Lynda. 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Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad Medicina. Instituto de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Virgin, Herbert W.. No especifíca;Fil: Wang, Fei. No especifíca;Fil: White, Eileen. No especifíca;Fil: Xavier, Ramnik J.. No especifíca;Fil: Yoshimori, Tamotsu. No especifíca;Fil: Yuan, Junying. No especifíca;Fil: Yue, Zhenyu. No especifíca;Fil: Zhong, Qing. No especifíca