Fluctuation-dominated quantum oscillations in excitonic insulators

The realization of excitonic insulators in transition metal dichalcogenide systems has opened the door to explorations of the exotic properties such a state exhibits. We study theoretically the potential for excitonic insulators to show an anomalous form of quantum oscillations: the de Haas-van Alphen effect in an insulating system. We focus on the role of the interactions that generate the energy gap and show that it is crucial to consider quantum fluctuations that go beyond the mean field treatment. Remarkably, quantum fluctuations can be dominant, and lead to quantum oscillations than are significantly larger than those predicted using mean field theory. Indeed, in experimentally accessible parameter regimes these fluctuation-generated quantum oscillations can even be larger than what would be found for the corresponding gapless system.Comment: 4+3 pages, 2+1 figure

Conductance fingerprint of Majorana fermions in the topological Kondo effect

We consider an interacting nanowire/superconductor heterostructure attached to metallic leads. The device is described by an unusual low-energy model involving spin-1 conduction electrons coupled to a nonlocal spin-1/2 Kondo impurity built from Majorana fermions. The topological origin of the resulting Kondo effect is manifest in distinctive non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) behavior, and the existence of Majorana fermions in the device is demonstrated unambiguously by distinctive conductance lineshapes. We study the physics of the model in detail, using the numerical renormalization group, perturbative scaling and abelian bosonization. In particular, we calculate the full scaling curves for the differential conductance in AC and DC fields, onto which experimental data should collapse. Scattering t-matrices and thermodynamic quantities are also calculated, recovering asymptotes from conformal field theory. We show that the NFL physics is robust to asymmetric Majorana-lead couplings, and here we uncover a duality between strong and weak coupling. The NFL behavior is understood physically in terms of competing Kondo effects. The resulting frustration is relieved by inter-Majorana coupling which generates a second crossover to a regular Fermi liquid.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure

Effect of Pesticide Types on Community Structure of Arthropod in Soy Crops

This study was carried out on three soybean farms located in the Liverpool Plains Shire in New South Wales, Australia. The soybean farms were different in terms of pesticide type used. One of the soy crops was sprayed with broad spectrum synthetic pesticides (synthetic pyrethroids), one site of soy crop was sprayed with natural pyrethrum - an organically certified pesticide, and one of the soy crops was not treated with any pesticides. Arthropod samples were collected on three occasions at every site except in the third site of soy crops which was not treated with any pesticides. Samplings were done using sweep nets and beat sheets. There were no significant differences of community structure change between farms treated with different pesticide regimes (F2,5= 4.2599, P(perm)= 0.188), and no significant differences in arthropod species richness. The abundance of arthropods was significantly different for site treated with biopesticide and site treated with synthetic pyrethroids (G6 = 284.36, P <0.0001), non-sprayed site and site treated with synthetic pyrethroids (G6 = 2110, P < 0.0001), and non-sprayed site to site treated with biopesticide (G6 = 2027, P < 0.0001). The use of synthetic pesticides in agriculture has been found to suppress pests and beneficial arthropods, while the use of biopesticides or without pesticide, to some extent, may let beneficials thrive in the system and also may suppress pest arthropods

Impacts of Repeated High Temperature Exposure and Nutrition Change on Thermal Tolerance, Metabolism and Metabolite Profiles in Green Peach Aphid ('Myzus persicae')

Insects are ectotherms and have limited ability to regulate body temperature above or below ambient, and as such they consequently greatly affected by temperature variation particularly heat stress. Since most insects will be exposed to increased heat stress with global warming it is important that we understand responses to an increasingly warm environment: especially the underlying changes in physiology and biochemistry. The few studies have assessed links between physiological mechanisms and impacts of repeated high temperature; identification of different recovery times and the role of nutrition in heat tolerance in aphids. The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphidae) is one of the major aphid pests infesting canola in Australia and is distributed widely across the globe, making it an ideal species for assessing the impacts of biotic and abiotic stress on its biology. The overall aim of this thesis was to use the model organism M. persicae to identify the roles of repeated high temperature exposure, nutrition and recovery time in thermal adaptation, and to asses this in a physiological context which included measuring key metabolite and metabolic rate, a postulated underlying process. In chapter 2, I examined the physiological consequences of repeated high temperature exposure with recovery periods between these stress events in Myzus persicae. Aphids exposed to repeated pulses of high temperatures had more body glucose and higher expression of proteins and osmolyte compounds compared to the prolonged exposure group. However, aphids exposed to the repeated high temperature treatment had reduced sources of energy such as trehalose and triglyceride compounds than the prolonged exposure group. In addition, recovery time had more costs (based on production of more protein and consumption of more trehalose and triglyceride) and benefits (based on production of more osmolytes) in repeated high temperature treatments. In chapter 3, in the nutritional exhibited I carried out, aphids reared on the high amino acids medium increased heat tolerance and respiration rates compared to aphids reared on the low amino acid medium. Aphids reared on the diet with high amino acids and sucrose concentration had more glucose and higher expression of proteins and osmolyte compounds compared to those reared on a lower amino acid and sucrose diet. However, aphids reared on lower amino acids diets had reduced sources of energy such as trehalose and triglyceride compounds compared to high amino acid diets. These results indicate that aphid nutrition has a strong impact on the ability and plays a critical role in environmental stress responses. In chapter 4, I demonstrated that trehalose and triglyceride are the most important sources of energy compared to glycogen in adult aphids when exposed to high temperatures. My findings indicate that adult aphids need different recovery time for different metabolite types. Overall the findings from the research carried out as part of my thesis make a significant contribution to understanding the physiological mechanisms under high thermal tolerance; to the cellular process and key nutrition that facilitate thermal adaptation; and to the impacts of a changing and more variable climate on aphids

Punishment and psychopathy: a case-control functional MRI investigation of reinforcement learning in violent antisocial personality disordered men

Background Men with antisocial personality disorder show lifelong abnormalities in adaptive decision making guided by the weighing up of reward and punishment information. Among men with antisocial personality disorder, modifi cation of the behaviour of those with additional diagnoses of psychopathy seems particularly resistant to punishment. Methods We did a case-control functional MRI (fMRI) study in 50 men, of whom 12 were violent off enders with antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy, 20 were violent off enders with antisocial personality disorder but not psychopathy, and 18 were healthy non-off enders. We used fMRI to measure brain activation associated with the representation of punishment or reward information during an event-related probabilistic response-reversal task, assessed with standard general linear-model-based analysis. Findings Offenders with antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy displayed discrete regions of increased activation in the posterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula in response to punished errors during the task reversal phase, and decreased activation to all correct rewarded responses in the superior temporal cortex. This finding was in contrast to results for off enders without psychopathy and healthy non-off enders. Interpretation Punishment prediction error signalling in off enders with antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy was highly atypical. This finding challenges the widely held view that such men are simply characterised by diminished neural sensitivity to punishment. Instead, this fi nding indicates altered organisation of the information processing system responsible for reinforcement learning and appropriate decision making. This difference between violent offenders with antisocial personality disorder with and without psychopathy has implications for the causes of these disorders and for treatment approaches

Dung beetle species introductions: when an ecosystem service provider transforms into an invasive species

Dung beetle introduction programmes were designed to accelerate exotic livestock dung degradation and to control dung breeding pestiferous flies and livestock parasites. The introduction programmes provided exotic dung beetle species with an opportunity to cross natural barriers and spread beyond their native range. There are no reports that explain what probable adaptation mechanisms enable particular dung beetle species to be the most successful invader. Here we identify the morphological, biological, physiological, ecological and behavioural attributes of the four most widespread and successful dung beetle species in introduced areas on a global scale in relation to the assumption that these species are different from other exotic and native dung beetles. We have recognised Digitonthophagus gazella (Fabricius), Onthophagus taurus (Schreber), Euoniticellus intermedius (Reiche) and Aphodius fimetarius (Linnaeus) as the most successful invaders based on their spread, predominance, distribution range and the reports of invasion. Each of these four species has different natural history traits that increase their fitness making them successful invaders. D. gazella has high fecundity and spreading ability, can instantly locate and colonise fresh and nutritious dung, and has a broad thermal window. O. taurus has morphological plasticity, high fecundity, high brood survival rate due to bi-parenting, and is adapted to extreme thermal and moisture conditions. E. intermedius has remnant-dung feeding abilities, a wide thermal window, functioning best at upper-temperature levels, and successful breeding and survival abilities at extremely low soil moisture conditions. A. fimetarius is small-sized, has high breeding and dispersal abilities, and is adapted to lower thermal and upper moisture extremes and variable soil conditions. Discussed here are perspectives on adaptive attributes of dung beetle species that are important to consider during their selection for redistributions. We have elaborated on the fitness and success characteristics of the four species individually. Further, we recommend a prior-introduction baseline monitoring of native dung beetle assemblages so as to evaluate the future impact of exotic dung beetle introductions on the recipient ecosystem

An adaptive two-arm clinical trial using early endpoints to inform decision making : design for a study of sub-acromial spacers for repair of rotator cuff tendon tears

Background There is widespread concern across the clinical and research communities that clinical trials, powered for patient-reported outcomes, testing new surgical procedures are often expensive and time-consuming, particularly when the new intervention is shown to be no better than the standard. Conventional (non-adaptive) randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are perceived as being particularly inefficient in this setting. Therefore, we have developed an adaptive group sequential design that allows early endpoints to inform decision making and show, through simulations and a worked example, that these designs are feasible and often preferable to conventional non-adaptive designs. The methodology is motivated by an ongoing clinical trial investigating a saline-filled balloon, inserted above the main joint of the shoulder at the end of arthroscopic debridement, for treatment of tears of rotor cuff tendons. This research question and setting is typical of many studies undertaken to assess new surgical procedures. Methods Test statistics are presented based on the setting of two early outcomes, and methods for estimation of sequential stopping boundaries are described. A framework for the implementation of simulations to evaluate design characteristics is also described. Results Simulations show that designs with one, two and three early looks are feasible and, with appropriately chosen futility stopping boundaries, have appealing design characteristics. A number of possible design options are described that have good power and a high probability of stopping for futility if there is no evidence of a treatment effect at early looks. A worked example, with code in R, provides a practical demonstration of how the design might work in a real study. Conclusions In summary, we show that adaptive designs are feasible and could work in practice. We describe the operating characteristics of the designs and provide guidelines for appropriate values for the stopping boundaries for the START:REACTS (Sub-acromial spacer for Tears Affecting Rotator cuff Tendons: a Randomised, Efficient, Adaptive Clinical Trial in Surgery) study