Thermodynamic properties of binary HCP solution phases from special quasirandom structures

Three different special quasirandom structures (SQS) of the substitutional hcp $A_{1-x}B_x$ binary random solutions ($x=0.25$, 0.5, and 0.75) are presented. These structures are able to mimic the most important pair and multi-site correlation functions corresponding to perfectly random hcp solutions at those compositions. Due to the relatively small size of the generated structures, they can be used to calculate the properties of random hcp alloys via first-principles methods. The structures are relaxed in order to find their lowest energy configurations at each composition. In some cases, it was found that full relaxation resulted in complete loss of their parental symmetry as hcp so geometry optimizations in which no local relaxations are allowed were also performed. In general, the first-principles results for the seven binary systems (Cd-Mg, Mg-Zr, Al-Mg, Mo-Ru, Hf-Ti, Hf-Zr, and Ti-Zr) show good agreement with both formation enthalpy and lattice parameters measurements from experiments. It is concluded that the SQS's presented in this work can be widely used to study the behavior of random hcp solutions.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure

In search of phylogenetic congruence between molecular and morphological data in bryozoans with extreme adult skeletal heteromorphy

peerreview_statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope. aims_and_scope_url: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=tsab20© Crown Copyright 2015. This document is the author's final accepted/submitted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it

A rich locality in South Kensington: the fossil hominin collection of the Natural History Museum, London

The primacy of fossils in the Natural History Museum (NHM) goes back to the very origins of the Museum, but the first fossil hominins in the collections were probably the Upper Palaeolithic remains from Bruniquel, which were accessioned in 1864. This founded a collection which has continued to expand into this century. While there have been many compilations and descriptions of the fossil hominin collection at the NHM over its long history, to our knowledge no‐one has prepared a review of the collection itself. The intention of the current paper is to synthesize earlier sources with accounts of new finds, revised chronologies and rediscovered treasures in order to illustrate the breadth and continuing importance of the fossil hominins curated at the NHM. We list and discuss all the hominin material known or thought to pre‐date the Holocene. These form a collection of great importance, both in terms of their research

The ITGB6 gene: its role in experimental and clinical biology.

Integrin αvβ6 is a membrane-spanning heterodimeric glycoprotein involved in wound healing and the pathogenesis of diseases including fibrosis and cancer. Therefore, it is of great clinical interest for us to understand the molecular mechanisms of its biology. As the limiting binding partner in the heterodimer, the β6 subunit controls αvβ6 expression and availability. Here we describe our understanding of the ITGB6 gene encoding the β6 subunit, including its structure, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, the biological effects observed in ITGB6 deficient mice and clinical cases of ITGB6 mutations

Cheilostome bryozoan diversity from the southwest Atlantic region: Is Antarctica really isolated?

During the Cenozoic, the break-up of Gondwana was accompanied by a gradual separation of its components and the subsequent establishment of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, leading to a relative thermal and biogeographic isolation of the Antarctic fauna. However, the zoogeographical affinities of several taxa from South America and Antarctica have been subject to debate, bringing into question the extent of Antarctic isolation.Herewe present newdata on bryozoan species and their spatial distribution in the Argentine Patagonian (AP) region, as well as an analysis of the bryozoological similarities between deep ranges from Argentina and neighboring regions. A total of 108 species of cheilostome bryozoans (378 samples), belonging to 59 genera was found. Five new genera and 36 new species were found in the AP region, while 71 species were reported for the first time from Argentina. The bathymetric ranges of 94 species (87%) were expanded and a high proportion of the identified species (44.4%) also had an Antarctic distribution. The bryozoological affinities found in the current study between the nearest geographical neighbors are in agreement with the hypothesis of the sequential separation of Gondwana during the Cenozoic. Moreover, a high number of shared species, mainly from the slope, were found in this study between the AP region and Antarctica, thus supporting the idea that the Southern Ocean may have been less isolated over geological time than once thought.Spanish Institute of OceanographyPostprin

NEXMIF encephalopathy:an X-linked disorder with male and female phenotypic patterns

Purpose Pathogenic variants in the X-linked gene NEXMIF (previously KIAA2022) are associated with intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorder, and epilepsy. We aimed to delineate the female and male phenotypic spectrum of NEXMIF encephalopathy. Methods Through an international collaboration, we analyzed the phenotypes and genotypes of 87 patients with NEXMIF encephalopathy. Results Sixty-three females and 24 males (46 new patients) with NEXMIF encephalopathy were studied, with 30 novel variants. Phenotypic features included developmental delay/ID in 86/87 (99%), seizures in 71/86 (83%) and multiple comorbidities. Generalized seizures predominated including myoclonic seizures and absence seizures (both 46/70, 66%), absence with eyelid myoclonia (17/70, 24%), and atonic seizures (30/70, 43%). Males had more severe developmental impairment; females had epilepsy more frequently, and varied from unaffected to severely affected. All NEXMIF pathogenic variants led to a premature stop codon or were deleterious structural variants. Most arose de novo, although X-linked segregation occurred for both sexes. Somatic mosaicism occurred in two males and a family with suspected parental mosaicism. Conclusion NEXMIF encephalopathy is an X-linked, generalized developmental and epileptic encephalopathy characterized by myoclonic-atonic epilepsy overlapping with eyelid myoclonia with absence. Some patients have developmental encephalopathy without epilepsy. Males have more severe developmental impairment. NEXMIF encephalopathy arises due to loss-of-function variants