Effectiveness of Chain Link Turtle Fence and Culverts in Reducing Turtle Mortality and Providing Connectivity along U.S. Hwy 83, Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, Nebraska, USA

We evaluated the effectiveness of existing turtle fences through collecting and analyzing turtle mortality data along U.S. Hwy 83, in and around Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, Nebraska, USA. We also investigated the level of connectivity for turtles provided through the culverts that were originally designed to pass water through a capture-mark-recapture experiment. While fenced valley sections had 33.1% fewer turtle observations than unfenced valley sections, the difference was not significant. However, we think that the effectiveness of the fence can be improved through fence repairs, other modifications of the fences, vegetation maintenance, and extending the length of the fences. Four of the five turtle species present in the study area used the culverts: common snapping turtle, painted turtle, Blanding’s turtle, and yellow mud turtle. However, we did not record ornate box turtle using the culverts. The culverts appear to have only provided marginal connectivity (7%) for the turtles that were interested in crossing the highway between 7 June and 30 September 2016. Assuming all turtles that passed the culverts in this period were originally marked, connectivity was still only 44%. We suggest implementing safe crossing opportunities (i.e. culverts or bridges) specifically designed for turtles, locating the culverts and bridges at intervals based on the home range size of the turtles, and maintaining the vegetation at the culverts and bridges so that they do not block turtle access to the crossings

Phase distribution regulation of formamidinium-based quasi-2D perovskites through solution engineering

Quasi-2D perovskites have attracted attention as potential solar energy absorber materials due to their balanced efficiency and stability and their unique quantum-well structures. In order to facilitate directional excitons and charge carrier transport and preferential energy transfer landscape in photovoltaic thin films, the phase distribution formed by different types of microstructural domains should be regulated. In this work, the Dion-Jacobson-type spacer 1,4-phenylenedimethanammonium (PDMA) was used, and different strategies were pursued to control the phase distribution in formamidinium-based (FA) quasi-2D perovskites based on the composition of (PDMA)FA4Pb5I16. In general, doping with FACl modulated the crystallization kinetics, forming 2D low-n crystals on the top surface or a reversed-gradient phase distribution, depending on whether excess or substitutional doping was employed. Alternatively, mixing with a Ruddlesden-Popper spacer helped bridging to adjacent octahedra in pure PDMA-based perovskites and improved crystallization, while regulating the quantum-well structures to give a normal-gradient phase distribution, where 2D domains resided on the bottom side. By combining FACl doping and spacer mixing, the film showed both a reversed-gradient phase distribution and larger vertically aligned grains. This work contributes to the knowledge of how to manipulate and regulate the phase distribution in FA-based quasi-2D perovskites and further paves the way for fabricating corresponding devices with high efficiency and stability.</p

Exploring the views of students on the use of Facebook in university teaching and learning

Facebook use among students is almost ubiquitous; however, its use for formal academic purposes remains contested. Through an online survey monitoring student use of module Facebook pages and focus groups, this study explores students’ current academic uses of Facebook and their views on using Facebook within university modules. Students reported using Facebook for academic purposes, notably peer–peer communication around group work and assessment – a use not always conceptualised by students as learning. Focus groups revealed that students are not ready or equipped for the collaborative style of learning envisaged by the tutor and see Facebook as their personal domain, within which they will discuss academic topics where they see a strong relevance and purpose, notably in connection with assessment. Students use Facebook for their own mutually defined purposes and a change in student mind- and skill-sets is required to appropriate the collaborative learning benefits of Facebook in formal educational contexts

Equal latency contours and auditory weighting functions for the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

This work was supported by The Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment [grant number 4500182046], and by matched funding from The Netherlands Ministry of Defence (administered by TNO) and the UK Natural Environment Research Council [to P.J.W.].Loudness perception by human infants and animals can be studied under the assumption that sounds of equal loudness elicit equal reaction times (RTs). Simple RTs of a harbour porpoise to narrowband frequency-modulated signals were measured using a behavioural method and an RT sensor based on infrared light. Equal latency contours, which connect equal RTs across frequencies, for reference values of 150-200 ms (10 ms intervals) were derived from median RTs to 1 s signals with sound pressure levels (SPLs) of 59-168 dB re. 1 μPa and centre frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 16, 31.5, 63, 80 and 125 kHz. The higher the signal level was above the hearing threshold of the harbour porpoise, the quicker the animal responded to the stimulus (median RT 98-522 ms). Equal latency contours roughly paralleled the hearing threshold at relatively low sensation levels (higher RTs). The difference in shape between the hearing threshold and the equal latency contours was more pronounced at higher levels (lower RTs); a flattening of the contours occurred for frequencies below 63 kHz. Relationships of the equal latency contour levels with the hearing threshold were used to create smoothed functions assumed to be representative of equal loudness contours. Auditory weighting functions were derived from these smoothed functions that may be used to predict perceived levels and correlated noise effects in the harbour porpoise, at least until actual equal loudness contours become available.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Ultrafast Photoinduced Heat Generation by Plasmonic HfN Nanoparticles

There is great interest in the development of alternatives to noble metals for plasmonic nanostructures. Transition metal nitrides are promising due to their robust refractory properties. However, the photophysics of these nanostructures, particularly the hot carrier dynamics and photothermal response on ultrafast timescales, are not well understood. This limits their implementation in applications such as photothermal catalysis or solar thermophotovoltaics. In this study, the light-induced relaxation processes in water-dispersed HfN nanoparticles are, for the first time, elucidated by fs transient absorption, Lumerical FDTD and COMSOL Multiphysics simulations, and temperature-dependent ellipsometry. It is unequivocally demonstrated that HfN nanoparticles convert absorbed photons into heat within <100 fs; no signature of hot charge carriers is observed. Interestingly, under high photon energy or intense irradiation stimulated Raman scattering characteristic of oxynitride surface termination is observed. These findings suggest that transition metal nitrides could offer benefits over noble metals in the field of plasmonic photothermal catalysis

Equal latency contours and auditory weighting functions for the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

Loudness perception by human infants and animals can be studied under the assumption that sounds of equal loudness elicit equal reaction times (RTs). Simple RTs of a harbour porpoise to narrowband frequency-modulated signals were measured using a behavioural method and an RT sensor based on infrared light. Equal latency contours, which connect equal RTs across frequencies, for reference values of 150–200 ms (10 ms intervals) were derived from median RTs to 1 s signals with sound pressure levels (SPLs) of 59–168 dB re. 1 μPa and centre frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 16, 31.5, 63, 80 and 125 kHz. The higher the signal level was above the hearing threshold of the harbour porpoise, the quicker the animal responded to the stimulus (median RT 98–522 ms). Equal latency contours roughly paralleled the hearing threshold at relatively low sensation levels (higher RTs). The difference in shape between the hearing threshold and the equal latency contours was more pronounced at higher levels (lower RTs); a flattening of the contours occurred for frequencies below 63 kHz. Relationships of the equal latency contour levels with the hearing threshold were used to create smoothed functions assumed to be representative of equal loudness contours. Auditory weighting functions were derived from these smoothed functions that may be used to predict perceived levels and correlated noise effects in the harbour porpoise, at least until actual equal loudness contours become available

Ultrafast anisotropy decay reveals structure and energy transfer in supramolecular aggregates

NWO715.018.001Solid state NMR/Biophysical Organic Chemistr

Inverse correlation between serum complement component C1q levels and whole blood type-1 interferon signature in active tuberculosis and QuantiFERON-positive uveitis: implications for diagnosis

Objectives To examine the relation between serum C1q levels and blood type‐1 interferon signature (type‐1 IFN signature) in active pulmonary tuberculosis (APTB) and to determine whether combined measurement of serum C1q and type‐1 IFN signature may add to the diagnosis of QuantiFERON‐positive (QFT+) patients with uveitis of unknown cause. Methods C1q was determined (ELISA) in serum from two distinct Indonesian cohorts, and in total, APTB (n = 72), QFT+ uveitis of unknown aetiology (n = 58), QFT− uveitis (n = 51) patients and healthy controls (HC; n = 73) were included. The type‐1 IFN signature scores were previously determined. Results Serum C1q was higher in APTB than HC (P < 0.001). APTB patients with uveitis had higher serum C1q than APTB patients without uveitis (P = 0.0207). Serum C1q correlated inversely with type‐1 IFN signature scores in APTB (P = 0.0036, r2 = 0.3526), revealing that these biomarkers for active TB disease can be mutually exclusive. Stratification of QFT+ patients with uveitis of unknown cause, by serum C1q and type‐1 IFN signature, yielded four groups with different likelihood of suffering from active TB uveitis. Conclusion Serum C1q is elevated in APTB, e