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Quantum interference of electron tunneling occurs in any system where multiple tunneling paths connect states. This unavoidably arises in two-dimensional semiconducting qubit arrays, and must be controlled as a prerequisite for the manipulation and readout of hybrid topological and parity qubits. Studying a loop formed by two quantum dots, we demonstrate a magnetic-flux-tunable hybridization between two electronic levels, an irreducibly simple system where quantum interference is expected to occur. Using radio-frequency reflectometry of the dots’ gate electrodes we extract an interdot coupling exhibiting oscillations with a periodicity of one flux quantum. In different tunneling regimes we benchmark the oscillations’ contrast, and find their amplitude varies with the charge state of the quantum dots. These results establish the feasibility and limitations of parity readout of qubits with tunnel couplings tuned by flux.

Swimming behavior of Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) smolts affects transit time, route selection and survival in complex aquatic ecosystems. Behavior quantified at the river reach and junction scale is of particular importance for route selection and predator avoidance, though few studies have developed field-based approaches for quantifying swimming behavior of juvenile migratory fishes at this fine spatial scale. Two-dimensional acoustic fish telemetry at a river junction was combined with a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to estimate in situ emigration swimming behavior of federally-threatened juvenile Chinook salmon smolts. Fish velocity over ground was estimated from telemetry, while the hydrodynamic model supplied simultaneous, colocated water velocities, with swimming velocity defined by the vector difference of the two velocities. Resulting swimming speeds were centered around 2 body lengths/second, and included distinct behaviors of positive rheotaxis, negative rheotaxis, lateral swimming, and passive transport. Lateral movement increased during the day, and positive rheotaxis increased in response to local hydrodynamic velocities. Swim velocity estimates were sensitive to the combination of vertical shear in water velocities and vertical distribution of fish.

Southern distinct population segment (sDPS) juvenile Green Sturgeon are thought to rear in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for two to four years. The southern population segment has been listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. Habitat loss is cited as a significant driver in declines of the population. Specific to juvenile rearing, much of the historic floodplain habitat has been lost and replaced by leveed channelized waterways. In addition to geomorphic alterations, other direct and indirect activities such as water export, dredging, and the introduction of invasive species may have significant impacts to the viability of the species. The objective of this tracking study was to provide a first of its kind look at the movements and behaviors of wild caught juvenile Green Sturgeon within the putative nursery grounds of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. We acoustically tagged and continuously tracked six yearling juvenile Green Sturgeon with mean total length (TL) of 50.6 cm (SD = 5.3) and mean mass of 563.3 g (SD = 151.7). We performed continuous mobile tracking for a period of up to five days per individual while recording GPS coordinates, depths, and water temperature at the sturgeon’s location. We used first-passage times, defined as the amount of time spent within a given area, for which a radius was determined post hoc. First passage times were used as a metric for parsing bouts of localized movements from directed movements. Our results indicate that juvenile Green Sturgeon largely oriented at or near the bottom. Depths utilized by all sturgeon ranged from >3 m to 20 m across all tracks. Individuals exhibited fidelity to the San Joaquin River Channel with only one individual leaving the main channel. Juvenile green sturgeon were shown to exhibit both positive and negative rheotaxis during sustained directed movements under independent ebb tidal cycles. This study provides the first detailed examination into the early life movements and behaviors of a rare species within their putative nursery grounds.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208057.].

Substance P (SP) is released from sensory nerves in the arteries and heart. It activates neurokinin-1 receptors (NK1Rs) causing vasodilation, immune modulation, and adverse cardiac remodeling. The hypothesis was tested: SP and SP metabolites activate different second messenger signaling pathways. Macrophages, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts metabolized SP to N- and C-terminal metabolites to varying extents. SP 5–11 was the most abundant metabolite followed by SP 1–4, SP 7–11, SP 6–11, SP 3–11, and SP 8–11. In NK1R-expressing human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells, SP and some C-terminal SP metabolites stimulate the NK1R, promoting the dissociation of several Gα proteins, including Gαs and Gαq from their βγ subunits. SP increases intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca]i) and cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation with similar −log EC50 values of 8.5 ± 0.3 and 7.8 ± 0.1 M, respectively. N-terminal metabolism of SP by up to five amino acids and C-terminal deamidation of SP produce peptides that retain activity to increase [Ca]i but not to increase cAMP. C-terminal metabolism results in the loss of both activities. Thus, [Ca]i and cAMP signaling are differentially affected by SP metabolism. To assess the role of N-terminal metabolism, SP and SP 6–11 were compared with cAMP-mediated activities in NK1R-expressing 3T3 fibroblasts. SP inhibits nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activity, cell proliferation, and wound healing and stimulates collagen production. SP 6–11 had little or no activity. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression is increased by SP but not by SP 6–11. Thus, metabolism may select the cellular response to SP by inhibiting or redirecting the second messenger signaling pathway activated by the NK1R. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Endothelial cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts metabolize substance P (SP) to N- and C-terminal metabolites with SP 5–11 as the most abundant metabolite. SP activates neurokinin-1 receptors to increase intracellular calcium and cyclic AMP. In contrast, SP metabolites of N-terminal metabolism and C-terminal deamidation retain the ability to increase calcium but lose the ability to increase cyclic AMP. These new insights indicate that the metabolism of SP directs cellular functions by regulating specific signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the popular use of hummingbird feeders, there are limited studies evaluating the effects of congregation, sharing food resources and increased contact when hummingbirds visit feeders in urban landscapes. To evaluate behavioral interactions occurring at feeders, we tagged 230 individuals of two species, Anna's and Allen's Hummingbirds, with passive integrated transponder tags and recorded their visits with RFID transceivers at feeders. For detecting the presence of tagged birds, we developed an RFID equipped feeding station using a commercially available antenna and RFID transceiver. Data recorded included the number of feeder visits, time spent at the feeder, simultaneous feeder visitation by different individuals, and identifying which feeders were most commonly visited by tagged birds. For the study period (September 2016 to March 2018), 118,017 detections were recorded at seven feeding stations located at three California sites. The rate of tagged birds returning to RFID equipped feeders at least once was 61.3% (141/230 birds). Females stayed at feeders longer than males per visit. We identified primary, secondary and tertiary feeders at Sites 2 and 3, according to the frequency of visitation to them, with a mean percentage of 86.9% (SD±19.13) visits to a primary feeder for each tagged hummingbird. During spring and summer, hummingbirds visited feeders most often in morning and evening hours. Feeder visits by males overlapped in time with other males more frequently than other females. The analysis of the contact network at the feeders did not distinguish any significant differences between age or sex. Although most hummingbirds visited the feeders during the daytime, our system recorded night feeder visitations (n = 7 hummingbirds) at one site. This efficient use of RFID technology to characterize feeder visitations and contact networks of hummingbirds in urban habitats could be used in the future to elucidate behaviors, population dynamics and community structure of hummingbirds visiting feeders.

Outmigration survival of acoustic-tagged, hatchery-origin, late-fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) smolts from the Sacramento River was estimated for 5 years (2007-2011) using a receiver array spanning the entire outmigration corridor, from the upper river, through the estuary, and into the coastal ocean. The first 4 years of releases occurred during below-average river flows, while the fifth year (2011) occurred during above-average flows. In 2011, overall outmigration survival was two to five times higher than survival in the other 4 years. Regional survival estimates indicate that most of the improved survival seen in 2011 occurred in the riverine reaches of the outmigration corridor, while survival in the brackish portions of the estuary did not significantly differ among the 5 years. For the 4 low-flow years combined, survival rate in the river was lower in the less anthropogenically modified upper reaches; however, across all regions, survival rate was lowest in the brackish portion of the estuary. Even in the high-flow year, outmigration survival was substantially lower than yearling Chinook salmon populations in other large rivers. Potential drivers of these patterns are discussed, including channelization, water flow, and predation. Finally, management strategies are suggested to best exploit survival advantages described in this study.

The goal of a day-long symposium on March 3, 2015, Sturgeon in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Watershed: New Insights to Support Conservation and Management, was to present new information about the physiology, behavior, and ecology of the green (Acipenser medirostris) and white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) to help guide enhanced management and conservation efforts within the Sacramento–San Joaquin watershed. This symposium identified current unknowns and highlighted new electronic tracking technologies and physiological techniques to address these knowledge gaps. A number of presentations, each reviewing ongoing research on the two species, was followed by a round-table discussion, in which each of the participants was asked to share recom-mendations for future research on sturgeon in the watershed. This article presents an in-depth review of the scientific information presented at the sympo-sium with a summary of recommendations for future research.