Is African non-annual killifish Fundulopanchax gardneri (Teleostei; Cyprinodontiformes; Nothobranchiidae) true non-annual?

BACKGROUND

Annual or seasonal killifishes (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) are unique among fish in their ability to enter into developmental arrests (diapauses: DI, DII, and DIII). They have a short lifespan and their embryos are exceptionally tolerant to a variety of environmental stresses. These traits make them a popular model for studying vertebrate diapause, aging, stress tolerance, genome adaptation, and evolution. In such issues, in a comparative evolutionary framework, Fundulopanchax gardneri, a popular aquarium fish from Africa, is commonly used as a representative non-annual model though its development is not studied in detail and whether it includes diapauses remains uncertain.

RESULTS

We described in detail for the first time embryonic development of F. gardneri and revealed it to resemble that in the undoubtedly annual Austrofundulus limnaeus killifish in displaying two developmental depressions. However, if compared with A. limnaeus, these developmental states look like "less intense" versions of DII and DIII rather than true diapauses.

CONCLUSIONS

To determine whether developmental depressions in F. gardneri represent "true" diapauses or only their functional equivalents, detailed studies of embryonic development of different killifish both annual and non-annual are needed. Before that, acceptance of F. gardneri as a representative non-annual fish seems premature.

The vacuum arc ion source for indium and tin ions implantation into phase change memory thin films

One of the most prospective electrical and optical nonvolatile memory types is the phase change memory based on chalcogenide materials, particularly Ge₂Sb₂Te₅. Introduction of dopants is an effective method for the purposeful change of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ thin film properties. In this work, we used the ion implantation method for the introduction of In and Sn into Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ thin films by a Multipurpose Test Bench (MTB) at the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute"-Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics. For Sn and In ion implantation into Ge₂Sb₂Te₅, the following MTB elements were used: a vacuum arc ion source, an electrostatic focusing system, and a system for current and beam profile measurements. The MTB parameters for Sn and In ion implantation and its effect on the material properties are presented. Implanted Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ thin films were irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses. It was shown that the ion implantation resulted in a decrease in the threshold laser fluence necessary for crystallization compared to the undoped Ge₂Sb₂Te₅.

ITEP MEVVA ion beam for rhenium silicide production

The rhenium silicides are very attractive materials for semiconductor industry. In the Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP) at the ion source test bench the research program of rhenium silicide production by ion beam implantation are going on. The investigation of silicon wafer after implantation of rhenium ion beam with different energy and with different total dose were carried out by secondary ions mass spectrometry, energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis, and x-ray diffraction analysis. The first promising results of rhenium silicide film production by high intensity ion beam implantation are presented.

Carborane beam from ITEP Bernas ion source for semiconductor implanters

A joint research and development of steady state intense boron ion sources for hundreds of electron-volt ion implanters has been in progress for the past 5 years. The difficulties of extraction and transportation of low energy boron beams can be solved by implanting clusters of boron atoms. In Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP) the Bernas ion source successfully generated the beam of decaborane ions. The carborane (C(2)B(10)H(12)) ion beam is more attractive material due to its better thermal stability. The results of carborane ion beam generation are presented. The result of the beam implantation into the silicon wafer is presented as well.

Portable emittance measurement device

In Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP) the portable emittance measurements device is developed. It provides emittance measurements both with "pepper-pot" and "two slits" methods. Depending on the method of measurements, either slits or pepper-pot mask with scintillator are mounted on the two activators and are installed in two standard Balzer's cross chamber with CF-100 flanges. To match the angle resolution for measured beam, the length of the stainless steel pipe between two crosses changes is adjusted. The description of the device and results of emittance measurements at the ITEP ion source test bench are presented.