Population genetics reveals bidirectional fish movement across the Continental Divide via an interbasin water transfer

Interbasin water transfers are becoming an increasingly common tool to satisfy municipal and agricultural water demand, but their impacts on movement and gene flow of aquatic organisms are poorly understood. The Grand Ditch is an interbasin water transfer that diverts water from tributaries of the upper Colorado River on the west side of the Continental Divide to the upper Cache la Poudre River on the east side of the Continental Divide. We used single nucleotide polymorphisms to characterize population genetic structure in cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) and determine if fish utilize the Grand Ditch as a movement corridor. Samples were collected from two sites on the west side and three sites on the east side of the Continental Divide. We identified two or three genetic clusters, and relative migration rates and spatial distributions of admixed individuals indicated that the Grand Ditch facilitated bidirectional fish movement across the Continental Divide, a major biogeographic barrier. Previous studies have demonstrated ecological impacts of interbasin water transfers, but our study is one of the first to use genetics to understand how interbasin water transfers affect connectivity between previously isolated watersheds. We also discuss implications on native trout management and balancing water demand and biodiversity conservation

From Ideal to Practice and Back Again: Beginning Teachers Teaching for Social Justice

The five authors of this article designed a multicase study to follow recent graduates of an elementary preservice teacher education program into their beginning teaching placements and explore the ways in which they enacted social justice curricula. The authors highlight the stories of three beginning teachers, honoring the plurality of their conceptions of social justice teaching and the resiliency they exhibited in translating social justice ideals into viable pedagogy. They also discuss the struggles the teachers faced when enacting social justice curricula and the tenuous connection they perceived between their conceptions and their practices. The authors emphasize that such struggles are inevitable and end the article with recommendations for ways in which teacher educators can prepare beginning teachers for the uncertain journey of teaching for social justice

Carbon‐Enriched Amorphous Hydrogenated Boron Carbide Films for Very‐Low‐k Interlayer Dielectrics

A longstanding challenge in ultralarge‐scale integration has been the continued improvement in low‐dielectric‐constant (low‐k) interlayer dielectric materials and other specialized layers in back‐end‐of‐the‐line interconnect fabrication. Modeled after the success of carbon‐containing organosilicate materials, carbon‐enriched amorphous hydrogenated boron carbide (a‐BxC:Hy) films are grown by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition from ortho‐carborane and methane. These films contain more extraicosahedral sp3 hydrocarbon groups than nonenriched a‐BxC:Hy films, as revealed by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy, and also exhibit lower dielectric constants than their nonenriched counterparts, notably due to low densities combined with a low distortion and orientation contribution to the total polarizability. Films with dielectric constant as low as 2.5 are reported with excellent electrical stability (leakage current of 10−9 A cm−2 at 2 MV cm−1 and breakdown voltage of >6 MV cm−1), good thermal conductivity of 0.31 ± 0.03 W m−1 K−1, and high projected Young’s modulus of 12 ± 3 GPa. These properties rival those of leading SiOC:H materials, and position a‐BxC:Hy as an important complement to traditional Si‐based materials to meet the complex needs of next‐generation interconnect fabrication.Carbon‐enriched amorphous hydrogenated boron carbide films are demonstrated with dielectric constant (k) as low as 2.5—attributed to low densities combined with network‐rigidifying CH2 bridging groups—as well as excellent electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, rivaling those of state‐of‐the‐art silicon‐based low‐k dielectric materials.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141869/1/aelm201700116_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141869/2/aelm201700116.pd

Genetic Applications in Avian Conservation

A fundamental need in conserving species and their habitats is defining distinct entities that range from individuals to species to ecosystems and beyond (Table 1; Ryder 1986, Moritz 1994, Mayden and Wood 1995, Haig and Avise 1996, Hazevoet 1996, Palumbi and Cipriano 1998, Hebert et al. 2004, Mace 2004, Wheeler et al. 2004, Armstrong and Ball 2005, Baker 2008, Ellis et al. 2010, Winker and Haig 2010). Rapid progression in this interdisciplinary field continues at an exponential rate; thus, periodic updates on theory, techniques, and applications are important for informing practitioners and consumers of genetic information. Here, we outline conservation topics for which genetic information can be helpful, provide examples of where genetic techniques have been used best in avian conservation, and point to current technical bottlenecks that prevent better use of genomics to resolve conservation issues related to birds. We hope this review will provide geneticists and avian ecologists with a mutually beneficial dialogue on how this integrated field can solve current and future problems

The analysis of latent fingermarks on polymer banknotes using MALDI-MS

In September 2016, the UK adopted a new Bank of England (BoE) £5 polymer banknote, followed by the £10 polymer banknote in September 2017. They are designed to be cleaner, stronger and have increased counterfeit resilience; however, fingermark development can be problematic from the polymer material as various security features and coloured/textured areas have been found to alter the effectiveness of conventional fingermark enhancement techniques (FETs). As fingermarks are one of the most widely used forms of identification in forensic cases, it is important that maximum ridge detail be obtained in order to allow for comparison. This research explores the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) profiling and imaging for the analysis of fingermarks deposited on polymer banknotes. The proposed methodology was able to obtain both physical and chemical information from fingermarks deposited in a range of scenarios including; different note areas, depletion series, aged samples and following conventional FETs. The analysis of forensically important molecular targets within these fingermarks was also explored, focussing specifically on cocaine. The ability of MALDI-MS to provide ridge detail and chemical information highlights the forensic applicability of this technique and potential for the analysis of fingermarks deposited onto this problematic surface

A review of Fe-chalcogenide superconductors: the simplest Fe-based superconductor

Here we summarize the physical properties of the newly discovered Fe-chalcogenide superconductors. The Fe-chalcogenide superconductors attract us as the simplest Fe-based superconductors. Furthermore, Fe chalcogenides show a huge pressure effect on their superconducting properties. The origin of the high transition temperature was discussed with both the change in crystal structure and magnetism. The progress on the thin-film and superconducting-wire fabrications are also described.Comment: A review article of Fe-chalcogenide superconductor submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 51 pages, 54 figures including reprinted from the published paper

Botulinum Neurotoxin Devoid of Receptor Binding Domain Translocates Active Protease

Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) causes flaccid paralysis by disabling synaptic exocytosis. Intoxication requires the tri-modular protein to undergo conformational changes in response to pH and redox gradients across endosomes, leading to the formation of a protein-conducting channel. The ∼50 kDa light chain (LC) protease is translocated into the cytosol by the ∼100 kDa heavy chain (HC), which consists of two modules: the N-terminal translocation domain (TD) and the C-terminal Receptor Binding Domain (RBD). Here we exploited the BoNT modular design to identify the minimal requirements for channel activity and LC translocation in neurons. Using the combined detection of substrate proteolysis and single-channel currents, we showed that a di-modular protein consisting only of LC and TD was sufficient to translocate active protease into the cytosol of target cells. The RBD is dispensable for cell entry, channel activity, or LC translocation; however, it determined a pH threshold for channel formation. These findings indicate that, in addition to its individual functions, each module acts as a chaperone for the others, working in concert to achieve productive intoxication