Pattern and Process: Evolution of Troglomorphy in the Cave-Planthoppers of Australia and Hawai’i ‒ Preliminary Observations (Insecta: Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae)

The evolution of troglobites comprises three distinct problems: cave colonization by an epigean ancestor, the evolution of troglomorphies, and intra-cave speciation. The study of cave-dwelling planthoppers has contributed much to our understanding of troglobite evolution and provides useful model systems to test various aspects of the theoretic framework developed in recent years. Most promising in this respect are taxa with several closely related but independently evolved troglobiontic lineages, such as on the Canary Islands, in Queensland/Australia and on the Hawaiian Archipelago. Closely related species often occur in caves with comparable ecological parameters yet differ in their age. Here we use comparative age estimates for Australian and Hawaiian cave cixiids to assess the dynamics of reductive evolutionary trends (evolution of troglomorphy) in these taxa and cave planthoppers in general. We show that the degree of troglomorphy is not correlated with the age of cave lineages. Morphological alteration may not be used to draw conclusions about the phylogenetic age of cave organisms, and hypotheses based on such assumptions should be tested in light of these findings

Recycled Aluminium Alloys and their Models: Role and Behaviour of Alloying Elements during Alkaline Etching

Alkaline etching is a common pretreatment for aluminum surfaces. Etching behavior was compared between an alloy based on post-consumer scrap (PCS) and several model alloys of rolled AA3005 and extruded AA6060 with systematically varied amounts of Mn, Cu and Ni. Analysis of concentrations of alloy elements in the etching solution by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) shows that significant fractions of the investigated elements Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, and Zn dissolve. Surface analysis of samples in different stages of the etching process show (i) an increase in oxide layer thickness with etching time, (ii) an enrichment of important alloy elements and impurities (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Si) near the metal/oxide interface, and (iii) the deposition of Mg, Fe, Si-containing aluminum hydroxide on the surface. A comparison with open circuit potential measurements and time-resolved electrochemical polarization resistance measurements enables a detailed analysis of the etching mechanism. The aluminum dissolution rate during etching is limited by the transport of species through the oxide precursor layer, thus is potential-independent. Differences in etching rates between different alloy classes, evidenced by mass loss measurements, are related to differences in the cathodic or anodic reaction mechanisms (hydrogen evolution or metal dissolution) during etching.publishedVersio

State of the Surface of Antibacterial Copper in Phosphate Buffered Saline

The state was investigated of the copper surface in phosphate buffered saline (PBS; 140 mM Cl-, 10 mM phosphate; pH 7) by a combination of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) with in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and Raman spectroscopy. After polarization, samples were analyzed ex situ. In agreement with expectations on the basis of the Pourbaix diagram, Cu2O and Cu4O3 were observed when polarizing the system above approximate to-0.05 V vs. Ag vertical bar AgCl vertical bar 3M KCl. The formation of Cu2O did not lead to a passivation of the system. Rather, the system dissolved under formation of soluble square planar CuCl42-, identified by its strong Raman peak approximate to 300 cm(-1). During dissolution, spectroscopic ellipsometry showed a film with a stable steady state thickness. Energy electron loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis of a cross section of the oxide after removal from the electrolyte showed that the oxide was Cu2O. It is suggested that Cl-replaces oxygen vacancies in the oxide layer. As soon as oxidation to Cu-II becomes dominant, the dissolution proceeds to soluble CuII species. The outer surface of copper under these conditions is hence a Cu2O-like surface, with CuII complexes present in solution. (C) The Author(s) 2017. Published by ECS. All rights reserved

State of the Surface of Antibacterial Copper in Phosphate Buffered Saline

The state was investigated of the copper surface in phosphate buffered saline (PBS; 140 mM Cl-, 10 mM phosphate; pH 7) by a combination of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) with in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and Raman spectroscopy. After polarization, samples were analyzed ex situ. In agreement with expectations on the basis of the Pourbaix diagram, Cu2O and Cu4O3 were observed when polarizing the system above approximate to-0.05 V vs. Ag vertical bar AgCl vertical bar 3M KCl. The formation of Cu2O did not lead to a passivation of the system. Rather, the system dissolved under formation of soluble square planar CuCl42-, identified by its strong Raman peak approximate to 300 cm(-1). During dissolution, spectroscopic ellipsometry showed a film with a stable steady state thickness. Energy electron loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis of a cross section of the oxide after removal from the electrolyte showed that the oxide was Cu2O. It is suggested that Cl-replaces oxygen vacancies in the oxide layer. As soon as oxidation to Cu-II becomes dominant, the dissolution proceeds to soluble CuII species. The outer surface of copper under these conditions is hence a Cu2O-like surface, with CuII complexes present in solution. (C) The Author(s) 2017. Published by ECS. All rights reserved

Диффузия водорода в палладии: рас-четы из первых принципов

Целью данной работы является теоретическое исследование профилей диффузионных барьеров и температурной зависимости коэффициентов диффузии водорода в палладии. По результатам расчетов наиболее вероятным механизмом диффузии атома Н в Pd являются диффузионные скачки через октаэдрические – тетраэдрические – октаэдрическе междоузлия (величина барьеров в этих случаях составляет ~ 0,39 и 0,16 эВ, соответственно). Для большинства диффузионных скачков, высота барьеров в твердом растворе Pd16H2 ниже, чем высота барьеров в твердом растворе Pd16H. При температурах 600-900 K, значения коэффициентов диффузии водорода вдоль направлений [110] и [001] решетки Pd хорошо согласуются с результатами других работ.The purpose of this study is theoretically study of the diffusion barrier profiles and the temperature dependence of the hydrogen diffusion coefficients in palladium. According to the results of our calculations, diffusion jumps through octahedral-tetrahedral-octahedral interstitial sites are the most probable mechanism of diffusion of the H atom in Pd (the barrier in these cases amounts to ~ 0.39 and 0.16 eV, respectively). For most diffusion jumps, the value of the barriers in a solid solution of Pd16H2 is lower than the value of the barriers in a solid solution of Pd16H. At temperatures of 600-900 K, the values of the hydrogen diffusion coefficients along the [110] and [001] directions of the Pd lattice agree well with the results of other studies

Electronic structure and morphology of dark oxides on zinc generated by electrochemical treatment

European Union; state of North Rhine-Westphalia in the frame of the HighTech.NRW program; Salzgitter Mannesmann Forschung GmbH in the frame of the International Max Planck Research School for Surface and Interface Engineering in Advanced Materials (IMPRS-SurMat)Oxides formed by electrochemical treatment of metals frequently have properties and structures very different from the respective bulk oxides. Here, electronic structure and chemical composition were investigated for the oxide formed on polycrystalline zinc after electrochemical oxidation, and after subsequent reduction, in a Na2CO3 electrolyte. Photoluminescence and spectroscopic ellipsometry show the presence of states deep in the ZnO band gap in the oxidized sample, which consists of a highly disordered oxide. These states determine the absorption of light in the visible spectral range. After reduction, the characteristics of the ZnO electronic structure have disappeared, leaving a defect-dominated material with a band gap of similar to 1.8 eV. Complementary detailed analysis of the morphology of the resulting surfaces shows hexagon-shaped metallic Zn-"nanoplates" to be formed in the reduction step. The optical appearance of the surfaces is dark, because of their efficient extinction of light over a large part of the visible spectrum. The optical appearance is a result of changed surface morphology and electronic structure of the oxide film. Such materials may possess interesting applications in photocatalysis or photoelectrochemistry

Self-decorating cells via surface-initiated enzymatic controlled radical polymerization

Through the innovative use of surface-displayed horseradish peroxidase, this work explores the enzymatic catalysis of both bioRAFT polymerization and bioATRP to prompt polymer synthesis on the surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, with bioATRP outperforming bioRAFT polymerization. The resulting surface modification of living yeast cells with synthetic polymers allows for a significant change in yeast phenotype, including growth profile, aggregation characteristics, and conjugation of non-native enzymes to the clickable polymers on the cell surface, opening new avenues in bioorthogonal cell-surface engineering

A children’s health perspective on nano- and microplastics

BACKGROUND : Pregnancy, infancy, and childhood are sensitive windows for environmental exposures. Yet the health effects of exposure to nano- and microplastics (NMPs) remain largely uninvestigated or unknown. Although plastic chemicals are a well-established research topic, the impacts of plastic particles are unexplored, especially with regard to early life exposures. OBJECTIVES : This commentary aims to summarize the knowns and unknowns around child- and pregnancy-relevant exposures to NMPs via inhalation, placental transfer, ingestion and breastmilk, and dermal absorption. METHODS : A comprehensive literature search to map the state of the science on NMPs found 37 primary research articles on the health relevance of NMPs during early life and revealed major knowledge gaps in the field. We discuss opportunities and challenges for quantifying child-specific exposures (e.g., NMPs in breastmilk or infant formula) and health effects, in light of global inequalities in baby bottle use, consumption of packaged foods, air pollution, hazardous plastic disposal, and regulatory safeguards. We also summarize research needs for linking child health and NMP exposures and address the unknowns in the context of public health action. DISCUSSION : Few studies have addressed child-specific sources of exposure, and exposure estimates currently rely on generic assumptions rather than empirical measurements. Furthermore, toxicological research on NMPs has not specifically focused on child health, yet children’s immature defense mechanisms make them particularly vulnerable. Apart from few studies investigating the placental transfer of NMPs, the physicochemical properties (e.g., polymer, size, shape, charge) driving the absorption, biodistribution, and elimination in early life have yet to be benchmarked. Accordingly, the evidence base regarding the potential health impacts of NMPs in early life remains sparse. Based on the evidence to date, we provide recommendations to fill research gaps, stimulate policymakers and industry to address the safety of NMPs, and point to opportunities for families to reduce early life exposures to plastic.The European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant.https://ehp.niehs.nih.govdm2022School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

Space-borne Bose-Einstein condensation for precision interferometry

Space offers virtually unlimited free-fall in gravity. Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) enables ineffable low kinetic energies corresponding to pico- or even femtokelvins. The combination of both features makes atom interferometers with unprecedented sensitivity for inertial forces possible and opens a new era for quantum gas experiments. On January 23, 2017, we created Bose-Einstein condensates in space on the sounding rocket mission MAIUS-1 and conducted 110 experiments central to matter-wave interferometry. In particular, we have explored laser cooling and trapping in the presence of large accelerations as experienced during launch, and have studied the evolution, manipulation and interferometry employing Bragg scattering of BECs during the six-minute space flight. In this letter, we focus on the phase transition and the collective dynamics of BECs, whose impact is magnified by the extended free-fall time. Our experiments demonstrate a high reproducibility of the manipulation of BECs on the atom chip reflecting the exquisite control features and the robustness of our experiment. These properties are crucial to novel protocols for creating quantum matter with designed collective excitations at the lowest kinetic energy scales close to femtokelvins.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure