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Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are important tree symbionts within forests. The biogeography of ECM fungi remains to be investigated because it is challenging to observe and identify species. Because most ECM plant taxa have a Holarctic distribution, it is difficult to evaluate the extent to which host preference restricts the global distribution of ECM fungi. To address this issue, we aimed to assess whether host preference enhances the endemism of ECM fungi that inhabit dipterocarp rainforests. Highly similar sequences of 175 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) for ECM fungi that were obtained from Lambir Hill's National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia, were searched for in a nucleotide sequence database. Using a two‐step binomial model, the probability of presence for the query OTUs and the registration rate of barcode sequences in each country were simultaneously estimated. The results revealed that the probability of presence in the respective countries increased with increasing species richness of Dipterocarpaceae and decreasing geographical distance from the study site (i.e. Lambir). Furthermore, most of the ECM fungi were shown to be endemic to Malaysia and neighbouring countries. These findings suggest that not only dispersal limitation but also host preference are responsible for the high endemism of ECM fungi in dipterocarp rainforests. Moreover, host preference likely determines the areas where ECM fungi potentially expand and dispersal limitation creates distance–decay patterns within suitable habitats. Although host preference has received less attention than dispersal limitation, our findings support that host preference has a profound influence on the global distribution of ECM fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is an exceptionally useful and powerful tool for monitoring biodiversity, little is known about whether the traits of organisms and their ecosystem characteristics affect eDNA metabarcoding performance. Nationwide surveys can provide more detailed insights, yet such studies have rarely been conducted.In order to evaluate eDNA metabarcoding performance in broad‐scale monitoring, we examined the effects of species ecological/biological traits and ecosystem characteristics on species detection rates and the implications for community analysis. In addition, we tested the effects of sample mixing and transportation methods, including cooling and freezing, on eDNA metabarcoding. On a nationwide scale, we conducted eDNA metabarcoding for fish communities in 18 Japanese lakes.By comparing species records, we observed that certain traits, including body size, body shape, saltwater tolerance and habitat preference, influenced eDNA detection. In addition, the proportion of species detected decreased significantly with an increase in lake surface area owing to ecosystem size effect on species detection.We conclude that species traits, including habitat preference, body size and ecosystem size, should be considered when assessing the eDNA metabarcoding performance in broad‐scale monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive and transparent doped GaN thin films reveal high thermal stability up to 350 degrees centigrade in different gas environments and excellent chemical stability in basic or acid solutions. Chemical vapor deposition using electron cyclotron resonance plasma were used to prepare GaN thin films on glass substrates. Transparent and conductive GaN thin films are used as transparent electrodes in window coatings and solar cell devices.

Abstract Background Initial glitches and unexpected inconsistencies are unavoidable in the early stage of a large, multi-centre trial. Adaptive modifications of the trial’s protocol and operational procedures to ensure its smooth running are therefore imperative. We started a large pragmatic, multi-centre, assessor-blinded, 25-week trial to investigate the optimal first- and second-line treatments for untreated episodes of nonpsychotic major depression in 2010 [Strategic Use of New generation antidepressants for Depression, abbreviated SUN(^_^)D] and would like to herein report an examination of the trial’s feasibility and adherence among the first 100 participants. Methods We examined the participants’ characteristics, the treatments that were allocated and received during each step of the trial, and the quality of the outcome assessments among the first 100 patients enrolled in the SUN(^_^)D trial. Results Of the 2,743 first-visit patients who visited the two collaborating centres between December 2010 and July 2011, 382 were judged as potentially eligible, and 100 of these patients provided written informed consent. These patients represented the whole spectrum of mild to very severe depression. Of the 93 patients who had reached Week 3 of the study by the end of July 2011, one withdrew consent for both the treatment and the assessment, and eight withdrew consent for the treatment only. Altogether, the primary outcomes were successfully assessed in 90 (96.8%) of the patients at Week 3. Of the 72 patients who had reached Week 9, three withdrew consent for the treatment, but 70 were successfully interviewed (97.2%). Of the 32 patients who had reached Week 25, 29 (90.5%) were successfully followed up. The inter-rater reliability of the assessments of the primary outcomes was nearly perfect and their successful blinding was confirmed. Minor modifications and clarifications to the protocol were deemed necessary. Discussion Given the satisfactory feasibility and adherence to the study protocol and the minor modifications that were necessary, we conclude that the data obtained from the first 100 patients can be safely included in the main study. We now intend to accelerate the study by recruiting more collaborating centres and clinics/hospitals. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01109693