Some are more equal than others : the role of ‘keystone’ species in the degradation of recalcitrant substrates

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Food distribution influences social organization and population growth in a small rodent

This is the postprint version of the article. The published article can be located at the publisher's websiteIn polygynous mammals, the spatial clumping and predictability of food should influence spacing behavior of females whose reproductive success depends to a great extent on food availability, which would in turn affect male spacing behavior. Changes in the social and mating systems can then influence individual fitness and population dynamics. To test these hypotheses, we manipulated food distribution and predictability in enclosed populations of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and monitored spacing behavior, survival, and reproduction of adult females and males over 3 months. Food was either spread out (dispersed treatment), spatially clumped and highly predictable (clumped treatment) or spatially clumped but less predictable (variable treatment). We found that females in the clumped treatment were more aggregated and had more overlapping home ranges compared with females in the dispersed and variable treatments. Male spacing behavior followed the same patterns. Despite different social organizations between treatments, no differences in home range size and mating systems were found in females and males. In addition, we found that females in the clumped food treatment had a higher probability of successfully producing weaned offspring, likely due to lower infanticide rates. This led to higher population growth compared with the other 2 treatments. These results suggest a tight relationship between the spatiotemporal distribution of food, social organization, and population dynamics.2014-04-3

Engineering Multiple Topological Phases in Nanoscale Van der Waals Heterostructures: Realisation of α\alpha-Antimonene

Van der Waals heterostructures have recently been identified as providing many opportunities to create new two-dimensional materials, and in particular to produce materials with topologically interesting states. Here we show that it is possible to create such heterostructures with multiple topological phases in a single nanoscale island. We discuss their growth within the framework of diffusion-limited aggregation, the formation of moir\'e patterns due to the differing crystallographies of the materials comprising the heterostructure, and the potential to engineer both the electronic structure as well as local variations of topological order. In particular we show that it is possible to build islands which include both the hexagonal $\beta$- and rectangular $\alpha$-forms of antimonene, on top of the topological insulator $\alpha$-bismuthene. This is the first experimental realisation of $\alpha$-antimonene, and we show that it is a topologically non-trivial material in the quantum spin Hall class.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, plus Supplementary material (9 pages, 6 figures

Spitzer infrared spectrometer 16μm observations of the GOODS fields

We present Spitzer 16μm imaging of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) fields. We survey 150 arcmin^2 in each of the two GOODS fields (North and South), to an average 3σ depth of 40 and 65 μJy, respectively. We detect ~1300 sources in both fields combined. We validate the photometry using the 3–24μm spectral energy distribution of stars in the fields compared to Spitzer spectroscopic templates. Comparison with ISOCAM and AKARI observations in the same fields shows reasonable agreement, though the uncertainties are large. We provide a catalog of photometry, with sources cross-correlated with available Spitzer, Chandra, and Hubble Space Telescope data. Galaxy number counts show good agreement with previous results from ISOCAM and AKARI with improved uncertainties. We examine the 16–24μm flux ratio and find that for most sources it lies within the expected locus for starbursts and infrared luminous galaxies. A color cut of S_(16)/S_(24) > 1.4 selects mostly sources which lie at 1.1 < z < 1.6, where the 24μm passband contains both the redshifted 9.7 μm silicate absorption and the minimum between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission peaks. We measure the integrated galaxy light of 16μm sources and find a lower limit on the galaxy contribution to the extragalactic background light at this wavelength to be 2.2 ± 0.2 nW m^(−2) sr^(−1)

Gestion de l'enherbement en verger grâce à des plantes de couverture : bilan de trois années d'expérimentation en milieu réel

L'objectif de l'introduction des plantes de couverture en verger est de limiter l'usage d'herbicides en proposant une gestion de l'enherbement basée sur la culture d'une plante associée, couvrant le sol et exerçant un pouvoir suppressif sur les mauvaises herbes. D'autres bénéfices, d'ordres agronomiques et environnementaux peuvent ressortir de leur usage: apport de matière organique, d'azote, lutte contre l'érosion, refuge de faune auxiliaire, etc. Le CIRAD et l'INRA collaborent depuis fin 2005 pour étudier les impacts liés à l'introduction de plantes de couverture en verger, à savoir (i) impact sur la flore adventice (gestion de l'enherbement) et (ii) impacts sur le verger et le produit de rente (aspects agronomiques et économiques). Au terme de trois années de suivi réalisé chez un producteur, l'heure est au bilan. Cet essai a permis d'étudier deux modes de gestion de l'enherbement en verger de mandariniers adultes: 1/ implantation d'une légumineuse volubile et 2/ pratique de l'agriculteur (désherbages chimiques réguliers motivés par une mécanisation impossible liée à une forte pente). L'objectif de maîtrise des adventices a été atteint grâce aux effets suppressifs de la légumineuse volubile; bien que des traitements herbicides d'appoint aient été nécessaires à certaines périodes critiques pour aider cette légumineuse à jouer son rôle. L'effet négatif majeur noté est un stress hydrique marqué entre les plantes associées et cultivées surtout en période de sécheresse importante. Cependant, aucun effet notable n'a été noté sur la croissance des arbres, ni sur le rendement (tant sur les quantités récoltées que sur la qualité des fruits). Le pas de temps de l'étude n'a pas permis de mettre en évidence des différences entre les différents modes de gestion notamment sur une évolution de la fertilité du sol et sur la lutte contre l'érosion. Le bilan purement économique est en défaveur de la gestion de l'enherbement par la légumineuse volubile (3900 contre 2000 euros/ha/an), cette différence de coût est principalement liée à l'installation manuelle de la plante de couverture. Le bilan écologique est par contre indiscutable: la dose moyenne et annuelle d'herbicide appliquée a été amenée sous le niveau règlementaire soit moins de un traitement total par an contre 5 pour la pratique agriculteur. (Texte intégral

Гендерний аспект вивчення жаргонної лексики

В статье определяется понятие "общий жаргон", обосновывается актуальность гендерного подхода к изучению жаргонизмов. На материале выборок из словарей, художественной литературы, по результатам проведенного автором психолингвистического эксперимента осуществляется семантический анализ, определяются способы образования жаргонизмов на обозначение женщин в украинском языке.У статті визначається поняття "загальний жаргон", обґрунтовується актуальность ґендерного підходу до вивчення жаргонізмів. На матеріалі вибірок зі словників, художньої літератури, за результатами проведеного автором психолінгвістичного експерименту здійснюється семантичний аналіз, визначаються способи утворення жаргонізмів на позначення жінок в українській мові.The author of the article defines the concept "general jargon", bases actuality of gender aspect of jargon words investigation. Using dictionaries, literature and the results of psycho-linguistic experiment, the author analyses semantic and formation ways of jargon words for designation of women in Ukrainian

Hubble Ultra Deep Field-JD2: Mid-Infrared Evidence for a z ~ 2 Luminous Infrared Galaxy

The Hubble Ultra Deep Field source JD2 presented in Mobasher et al. is an unusual galaxy that is very faint at all wavelengths shortward of 1.1 μm. Photometric redshift fits to data between 0.4 and 8 μm yield a significant probability that it is an extremely massive galaxy at z ~ 6.5. In this paper we present new photometry at 16 and 22 μm from Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) peak-up imaging of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) fields. We find that the spectral energy distribution shows a factor of ~4 rise in flux density between the 16 and 22 μm bandpass, which is most likely due to the entrance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission features into the 22 and 24 μm passbands. The flux ratio between these bandpasses can be best fit by a z = 1.7 luminous infrared galaxy with a bolometric luminosity of (2-6) × 10^(11) L_⊙ corresponding to a star formation rate of 80 M_⊙ yr^(-1). The predicted flux density values at other longer wavelengths are below the detection limits of current instrumentation, but such sources could potentially be detected in lensed submillimeter surveys. Reevaluation of the optical/near-infrared photometry continues to favor z > 6 photometric redshift solutions, but we argue that the consistency of the multiwavelength parameters of this galaxy with other dusty starbursts favor the z ~ 2 mid-infrared photometric redshift. The data presented here provide evidence that optically undetected near-infrared sources that are detected at 24 μm are most likely dusty, starburst galaxies at a redshift of z ~ 2 with stellar masses >10^(10) M_⊙

Опыт лечения врожденных кист яичников у девочек на первом году жизни

В статті представлено три випадки оперативного лікування методом лапароскопії вроджених кист яєчника. Найчастіше перекрут вродженої кисти яєчника відбувається внутрішньоутробно, що може привести до самоампутації додатків матки з боку ураження. Показанням до оперативного лікування можуть слугувати відсутність регресу утворення, характерні ехоскопічні та доплерометричні ознаки.Three cases of laparoscopic treatment of congenital ovarian cysts are presented in the article. More often twisting of congenital ovarian cyst could happen intrauterously, what could cause autoamputation of adnexa. Indications to surgery could be an absence of regression of cyst and/or certain ultrasound and Doppler signs

SSC Engineering Analysis

A package for the automation of the Engineering Analysis (EA) process at the Stennis Space Center has been customized. It provides the ability to assign and track analysis tasks electronically, and electronically route a task for approval. It now provides a mechanism to keep these analyses under configuration management. It also allows the analysis to be stored and linked to the engineering data that is needed to perform the analysis (drawings, etc.). PTC s (Parametric Technology Corp o ration) Windchill product was customized to allow the EA to be created, routed, and maintained under configuration management. Using Infoengine Tasks, JSP (JavaServer Pages), Javascript, a user interface was created within the Windchill product that allows users to create EAs. Not only does this interface allow users to create and track EAs, but it plugs directly into the out-ofthe- box ability to associate these analyses with other relevant engineering data such as drawings. Also, using the Windchill workflow tool, the Design and Data Management System (DDMS) team created an electronic routing process based on the manual/informal approval process. The team also added the ability for users to notify and track notifications to individuals about the EA. Prior to the Engineering Analysis creation, there was no electronic way of creating and tracking these analyses. There was also a feature that was added that would allow users to track/log e-mail notifications of the EA