Mechanisms and consequences of life cycle diversity of beaked redfish, Sebastes mentella

Recent genetic research, supported by life history information, indicates that there are three biological stocks of S. mentella in the Irminger Sea and adjacent waters: a ‘Deep Pelagic’ stock (>500m), a ‘Shallow Pelagic’ stock (<500m), and an ‘Icelandic Slope’ stock. Throughout their range, Sebastes species are adapted to a diversity of ecological niches, with overlapping spatial distributions of different species that have little or no morphological differences. Divergence of behavioral groups into depth-defined adult habitats has led to reproductive isolation, adaptive radiation and speciation of several Sebastes species. Congruent differences in fatty acid composition and parasites suggests that the three genetically distinct populations of S. mentella are adapted to disparate trophic habitats in pelagic waters (shallower and deeper than the deep-scattering layer), and in demersal habitats on the continental slope. Patterns of morphology are also consistent with adaptation to different habitats, because pelagic forms are more streamlined. Although genetic differences and evidence for reproductive isolation are clear, these populations appear to share common nursery habitats on the Greenlandic Shelf. Spatial overlap at early life stages and depth-defined adult populations present challenges for stock identification and fishery management. Effective resource monitoring, conservation and fishery management requires that the spatial definition of management units reflects biological stock structure. We describe a proposal for a redefinition of practical management units that are based on geographic proxies for biological stocks which minimizes mixed-stock catches according to spatial patterns of the recent fishery

Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders

The emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal ), is a significant conservation threat to salamander biodiversity in Europe, although its potential to affect North American species is poorly understood. We tested the susceptibility of two genera (Eurycea and Pseudotriton ) and three populations of lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae ) to Bsal . All species became infected with Bsal and two (Pseudotriton ruber and Eurycea wilderae ) developed chytridiomycosis. We also documented that susceptibility of E. wilderae differed among populations. Regardless of susceptibility, all species reduced feeding when exposed to Bsal at the highest zoospore dose, and P. ruber and one population of E. wilderae used cover objects less. Our results indicate that Bsal invasion in eastern North America could have significant negative impacts on endemic lungless salamander populations. Future conservation efforts should include surveillance for Bsal in the wild and in captivity, and championing legislation that requires and subsidizes pathogen‐free trade of amphibians

Conservation risk of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans to endemic lungless salamanders

The emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), is a significant conservation threat to salamander biodiversity in Europe, although its potential to affect North American species is poorly understood. We tested the susceptibility of two genera (Eurycea and Pseudotriton) and three populations of lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) to Bsal. All species became infected with Bsal and two (Pseudotriton ruber and Eurycea wilderae) developed chytridiomycosis. We also documented that susceptibility of E. wilderae differed among populations. Regardless of susceptibility, all species reduced feeding when exposed to Bsal at the highest zoospore dose, and P. ruber and one population of E. wilderae used cover objects less. Our results indicate that Bsal invasion in eastern North America could have significant negative impacts on endemic lungless salamander populations. Future conservation efforts should include surveillance for Bsal in the wild and in captivity, and championing legislation that requires and subsidizes pathogen-free trade of amphibians

Intermixing-Driven Surface and Bulk Ferromagnetism in the Quantum Anomalous Hall Candidate MnBi6Te10

The recent realizations of the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) in MnBi2Te4 and MnBi4Te7 benchmark the (MnBi2Te4)(Bi2Te3)n family as a promising hotbed for further QAHE improvements. The family owes its potential to its ferromagnetically (FM) ordered MnBi2Te4 septuple layers (SLs). However, the QAHE realization is complicated in MnBi2Te4 and MnBi4Te7 due to the substantial antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling between the SLs. An FM state, advantageous for the QAHE, can be stabilized by interlacing the SLs with an increasing number n of Bi2Te3 quintuple layers (QLs). However, the mechanisms driving the FM state and the number of necessary QLs are not understood, and the surface magnetism remains obscure. Here, robust FM properties in MnBi6Te10 (n = 2) with Tc ≈ 12 K are demonstrated and their origin is established in the Mn/Bi intermixing phenomenon by a combined experimental and theoretical study. The measurements reveal a magnetically intact surface with a large magnetic moment, and with FM properties similar to the bulk. This investigation thus consolidates the MnBi6Te10 system as perspective for the QAHE at elevated temperatures

Assessment of chemical species of lead accumulated in tidemarks of human articular cartilage by X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis

Lead is a toxic trace element that shows a highly specific accumulation in the transition zone between calcified and non-calcified articular cartilage, the so-called ‘tidemark’. Excellent agreement has been found between XANES spectra of synthetic Pb-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite and spectra obtained in the tidemark region and trabecular bone of normal human samples, confirming that in both tissues Pb is incorporated into the hydroxyapatite crystal structure of bone. During this study the µ-XANES set-up at the SUL-X beamline at ANKA was tested and has proven to be well suited for speciation of lead in human mineralized tissue samples

An approach to measure compliance to clinical guidelines in psychiatric care

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to measure six months compliance to Swedish clinical guidelines in psychiatric care after an active supported implementation process, using structured measures derived from the guidelines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this observational study four psychiatric clinics each participated in active implementation of the clinical guidelines for the assessment and treatment of depression and guidelines for assessment and treatment of patients with suicidal behaviours developed by The Stockholm Medical Advisory Board for Psychiatry. The implementation programme included seminars, local implementation teams, regular feedback and academic visits. Additionally two clinics only received the guidelines and served as controls. Compliance to guidelines was measured using indicators, which operationalised requirements of preferred clinical practice. 725 patient records were included, 365 before the implementation and 360 six months after.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Analyses of indicators registered showed that the actively implementing clinics significantly improved their compliance to the guidelines. The total score differed significantly between implementation clinics and control clinics for management of depression (mean scores 9.5 (1.3) versus 5.0 (1.5), p < 0.001) as well as for the management of suicide (mean scores 8.1 (2.3) versus 4.5 (1.9), p < 0.001). No changes were found in the control clinics and only one of the OR was significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Compliance to clinical guidelines measured by process indicators of required clinical practice was enhanced by an active implementation.</p

Energy Estimation of Cosmic Rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30 to 80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy -- corrected for geometrical effects -- is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO