Density functional theory is a standard model for condensed matter theory and computational material science. The accuracy of density functional theory is limited by accuracy of the employed approximation to the exchange-correlation functional. Recently, the so-called strongly constrained approprietly normed (SCAN) [1] functional has received a lot of attention due to promising results for covalent, metallic, ionic, as well as hydrogen-and van der Waals-bonded systems alike. In this work we focus on assessing the performance of the SCAN functional for itinerant magnets by calculating basic structural and magnetic properties of the transition metals Fe, Co and Ni. We find that although structural properties of bcc-Fe seem to be in good agreement with experiment, SCAN performs worse than standard local and semilocal functionals for fcc-Ni and hcp-Co. In all three cases, the magnetic moment is significantly overestimated by SCAN, and the 3d states are shifted to lower energies, as compared to experiments.

The 5d transition metals have attracted specific interest for high-pressure studies due to their extraordinary stability and intriguing electronic properties. In particular, iridium metal has been proposed to exhibit a recently discovered pressure-induced electronic transition, the so-called core-level crossing transition at the lowest pressure among all the 5d transition metals. Here, we report an experimental structural characterization of iridium by x-ray probes sensitive to both long- and short-range order in matter. Synchrotron-based powder x-ray diffraction results highlight a large stability range (up to 1.4 Mbar) of the low-pressure phase. The compressibility behaviour was characterized by an accurate determination of the pressure-volume equation of state, with a bulk modulus of 339(3) GPa and its derivative of 5.3(1). X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which probes the local structure and the empty density of electronic states above the Fermi level, was also utilized. The remarkable agreement observed between experimental and calculated spectra validates the reliability of theoretical predictions of the pressure dependence of the electronic structure of iridium in the studied interval of compressions.

(max 250 words)Broiler breeder chickens are commonly reared under strict feed-restriction regimes to reduce obesity-induced health and fertility problems during adult life, and are assumed to experience a reduced welfare due to the resulting hunger. In these conditions feed competition could influence the growth rate, so that the individuals falling behind in growth would experience more stress and hunger. We hypothesized that these chickens are poor competitors due to a reactive coping style and experience a further reduced welfare situation before size-sorting ("grading") at 4 weeks of age. Our results from open field, tonic immobility and home pen activity monitoring show signs of lower fear and higher home-pen activity levels in smaller hens and do not support the idea of reactive coping. H/L ratios of smaller hens were also found to be lower, indicating less stress in these birds. Dissections of smaller and larger four-week breeder hens may offer an explanation in the form of a relatively larger gastrointestinal tract in smaller birds. We argue that this is a form of habituation to restricted feeding, offering these birds a physiological stress coping mechanism, and that low early growth rate may not always be a sign of poorer welfare in broiler breeders.

A charge self-consistent LDA+DMFT study of the spectral properties of hexagonal NiS S K Panda, P Thunström, I Di Marco et al. AbstractThe influence of pressure on the electronic structure of Os has attracted substantial attention recently due to reports on isostructural electronic transitions in this metal. Here, we theoretically investigate the Fermi surface of Os from ambient to high pressure, using density functional theory combined with dynamical mean field theory. We provide a detailed discussion of the calculated Fermi surface and its dependence on the level of theory used for the treatment of the electron-electron interactions. Although we confirm that Os can be classified as weakly correlated metal, the inclusion of local quantum fluctuations between 5d electrons beyond the local density approximation explains the most recent experimental reports regarding the occurrence of electronic topological transitions in Os.

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