765 research outputs found
Solar radiation induced damage to optical properties of ZnO-type pigments Technical summary report, Jun. 27, 1966 - Mar. 27, 1967
Degradation model of solar radiation damage to optical properties of zinc oxide pigments used for spacecraft thermal control coating
Metastability of non-reversible mean-field Potts model with three spins
We examine a non-reversible, mean-field Potts model with three spins on a set
with points. Without an external field, there are three
critical temperatures and five different metastable regimes. The analysis can
be extended by a perturbative argument to the case of small external fields. We
illustrate the case of large external fields with some phenomena which are not
present in the absence of external field.Comment: 34 pages, 12 figure
Structural and electronic properties of Pb1-xCdxTe and Pb1-xMnxTe ternary alloys
A systematic theoretical study of two PbTe-based ternary alloys, Pb1-xCdxTe
and Pb1-xMnxTe, is reported. First, using ab initio methods we study the
stability of the crystal structure of CdTe - PbTe solid solutions, to predict
the composition for which rock-salt structure of PbTe changes into zinc-blende
structure of CdTe. The dependence of the lattice parameter on Cd (Mn) content x
in the mixed crystals is studied by the same methods. The obtained decrease of
the lattice constant with x agrees with what is observed in both alloys. The
band structures of PbTe-based ternary compounds are calculated within a
tight-binding approach. To describe correctly the constituent materials new
tight-binding parameterizations for PbTe and MnTe bulk crystals as well as a
tight-binding description of rock-salt CdTe are proposed. For both studied
ternary alloys, the calculated band gap in the L point increases with x, in
qualitative agreement with photoluminescence measurements in the infrared. The
results show also that in p-type Pb1-xCdxTe and Pb1-xMnxTe mixed crystals an
enhancement of thermoelectrical power can be expected.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Physical Review
Evolutionary integration and modularity in the archosaur cranium
Complex structures, like the vertebrate skull, are composed of numerous elements or traits that must develop and evolve in a coordinated manner to achieve multiple functions. The strength of association among phenotypic traits (i.e., integration), and their organization into highly-correlated, semi-independent subunits termed modules, is a result of the pleiotropic and genetic correlations that generate traits. As such, patterns of integration and modularity are thought to be key factors constraining or facilitating the evolution of phenotypic disparity by influencing the patterns of variation upon which selection can act. It is often hypothesized that selection can reshape patterns of integration, parceling single structures into multiple modules or merging ancestrally semi-independent traits into a strongly correlated unit. However, evolutionary shifts in patterns of trait integration are seldom assessed in a unified quantitative framework. Here, we quantify patterns of evolutionary integration among regions of the archosaur skull to investigate whether patterns of cranial integration are conserved or variable across this diverse group. Using high-dimensional geometric morphometric data from 3D surface scans and CT scans of modern birds (n = 352), fossil non-avian dinosaurs (n = 27), and modern and fossil mesoeucrocodylians (n = 38), we demonstrate that some aspects of cranial integration are conserved across these taxonomic groups, despite their major differences in cranial form, function, and development. All three groups are highly modular and consistently exhibit high integration within the occipital region. However, there are also substantial divergences in correlation patterns. Birds uniquely exhibit high correlation between the pterygoid and quadrate, components of the cranial kinesis apparatus, whereas the non-avian dinosaur quadrate is more closely associated with the jugal and quadratojugal. Mesoeucrocodylians exhibit a slightly more integrated facial skeleton overall than the other grades. Overall, patterns of trait integration are shown to be stable among archosaurs, which is surprising given the cranial diversity exhibited by the clade. At the same time, evolutionary innovations such as cranial kinesis that reorganize the structure and function of complex traits can result in modifications of trait correlations and modularity
FunTree: a resource for exploring the functional evolution of structurally defined enzyme superfamilies.
FunTree is a new resource that brings together sequence, structure, phylogenetic, chemical and mechanistic information for structurally defined enzyme superfamilies. Gathering together this range of data into a single resource allows the investigation of how novel enzyme functions have evolved within a structurally defined superfamily as well as providing a means to analyse trends across many superfamilies. This is done not only within the context of an enzyme's sequence and structure but also the relationships of their reactions. Developed in tandem with the CATH database, it currently comprises 276 superfamilies covering ~1800 (70%) of sequence assigned enzyme reactions. Central to the resource are phylogenetic trees generated from structurally informed multiple sequence alignments using both domain structural alignments supplemented with domain sequences and whole sequence alignments based on commonality of multi-domain architectures. These trees are decorated with functional annotations such as metabolite similarity as well as annotations from manually curated resources such the catalytic site atlas and MACiE for enzyme mechanisms. The resource is freely available through a web interface: www.ebi.ac.uk/thorton-srv/databases/FunTree
Status and trends of the fish community in the Flemish Cap (NAFO Div. 3M) bioregion
This report summarizes fish community trends for the Flemish Cap (NAFO Div. 3M) based on European Union
summer trawl research vessel surveys between 1988 and 2018. Species were classified into eight functional
groups and trends were described using biomass indices, biomass and abundance anomalies, and fish size
(Biomass/Abundance Ratio) anomalies. In 2003, a replacement of the research vessel allowed extending the
depth coverage of the survey from 700m to 1400m. The vessel change had an impact on survey catchability, so
to account for it conversion factors were applied. Considering the change in depth coverage, trends were
examined for 1988-2018 with data up to 700m, and for 2004-2018 with data up to 1400m. Fish community
trends were similar between the two datasets, but the analyses including deeper waters showed a
comparatively higher levels of benthivores, reflecting the changes in community structure with depth.
Generally speaking, trends in average fish size as tracked by the Biomass/Abundance Ratio appeared driven by
recruitment, where general declines in abundance and absences of good recruitments got reflected in increases
of this ratio. Biomass of plankpiscivores (mostly Sebastes sp.) experienced a sharp increase in the early 2000s
but then returned to levels comparable to the 1990s. Piscivores biomass showed a strong decline in the early
1990s due to the collapse of cod but has since shown signs of recovery. Shellfish, driven by northern shrimp,
saw a sustained increase in biomass from the early 1990s until 2002, when started a decline that has persisted
until 2018. The biomass of large benthivores decline in the late 1990s and remains low to this date
Control of human cytomegalovirus replication by liver resident natural killer cells
Natural killer cells are considered to be important for control of human cytomegalovirus– a major pathogen in immune suppressed transplant patients. Viral infection promotes the development of an adaptive phenotype in circulating natural killer cells that changes their anti-viral function. In contrast, less is understood how natural killer cells that reside in tissue respond to viral infection. Here we show natural killer cells resident in the liver have an altered phenotype in cytomegalovirus infected individuals and display increased anti-viral activity against multiple viruses in vitro and identify and characterise a subset of natural killer cells responsible for control. Crucially, livers containing natural killer cells with better capacity to control cytomegalovirus replication in vitro are less likely to experience viraemia post-transplant. Taken together, these data suggest that virally induced expansion of tissue resident natural killer cells in the donor organ can reduce the chance of viraemia post-transplant
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