I-V measurement of NiO nanoregion during observation by transmission electron microscopy

Conduction measurements with simultaneous observations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were performed on a thin NiO film, which is a candidate material for resistance random access memories (ReRAMs). To conduct nanoscale experiments, a piezo-controlled TEM holder was used, where a fixed NiO sample and a movable Pt-Ir counter electrode were placed. After the counter electrode was moved to make contact with NiO, I-V measurements were carried out from any selected nanoregions. By applying a voltage of 2 V, the insulating NiO film was converted to a low resistance film. This phenomenon may be the "forming process" required to initialize ReRAMs. The corresponding TEM image indicated a structural change in the NiO layer generating a conductive bridge with a width of 30-40 nm. This finding supports the "breakdown" type forming in the so-called "filament model" of operation by ReRAMs. The inhomogeneity of resistance in the NiO film was also investigated

Mouse inter-subspecific consomic strains for genetic dissection of quantitative complex traits

Consomic strains, also known as chromosome substitution strains, are powerful tools for assigning polygenes that control quantitative complex traits to specific chromosomes. Here, we report generation of a full set of mouse consomic strains, in which each chromosome of the common laboratory strain C57BL/6J (B6) is replaced by its counterpart from the inbred strain MSM/Ms, which is derived from Japanese wild mouse, Mus musculus molossinus. The genome sequence of MSM/Ms is divergent from that of B6, whose genome is predominantly derived from Western European wild mouse, Mus musculus domesticus. MSM/Ms exhibits a number of quantitative complex traits markedly different from those of B6. We systematically determined phenotypes of these inter-subspecific consomic strains, focusing on complex traits related to reproduction, growth, and energy metabolism. We successfully detected more than 200 statistically significant QTLs affecting 26 traits. Furthermore, phenotyping of the consomic strains revealed that the measured values for quantitative complex traits often far exceed the range between B6 host and MSM/Ms donor strains; this may result from segregation of alleles or nonadditive interactions among multiple genes derived from the two mouse subspecies (that is, epistasis). Taken together, the results suggest that the inter-subspecific consomic strains will be very useful for identification of latent genetic components underlying quantitative complex traits

Application of Overall Dynamic Body Acceleration as a Proxy for Estimating the Energy Expenditure of Grazing Farm Animals: Relationship with Heart Rate

<div><p>Estimating the energy expenditure of farm animals at pasture is important for efficient animal management. In recent years, an alternative technique for estimating energy expenditure by measuring body acceleration has been widely performed in wildlife and human studies, but the availability of the technique in farm animals has not yet been examined. In the present study, we tested the potential use of an acceleration index, overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA), as a new proxy for estimating the energy expenditure of grazing farm animals (cattle, goats and sheep) at pasture with the simultaneous evaluation of a conventional proxy, heart rate. Body accelerations in three axes and heart rate for cows (n = 8, two breeds), goats (n = 6) and sheep (n = 5) were recorded, and the effect of ODBA calculated from the body accelerations on heart rate was analyzed. In addition, the effects of the two other activity indices, the number of steps and vectorial dynamic body acceleration (VeDBA), on heart rate were also investigated. The results of the comparison among three activity indices indicated that ODBA was the best predictor for heart rate. Although the relationship between ODBA and heart rate was different between the groups of species and breeds and between individuals (<i>P</i><0.01), the difference could be explained by different body weights; a common equation could be established by correcting the body weights (<i>M</i>: kg): heart rate (beats/min) = 147.263∙<i>M</i>^-0.141 + 889.640∙<i>M</i>^-0.179∙ODBA (<i>g</i>). Combining this equation with the previously reported energy expenditure per heartbeat, we estimated the energy expenditure of the tested animals, and the results indicated that ODBA is a good proxy for estimating the energy expenditure of grazing farm animals across species and breeds. The utility and simplicity of the procedure with acceleration loggers could make the accelerometry technique a worthwhile option in field research and commercial farm use.</p></div

The energy expenditure of grazing ruminants estimated in the present study and in previous reports.

<p>1) (Gray bars) The estimated energy expenditure of Japanese Black cow (JBL), Japanese Brown cow (JBR), Saanen goat (SA) and Corriedale sheep (CO) with accelerometry in the present study (in combination with the relationship between heart rate and energy expenditure derived from the previous reports [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128042#pone.0128042.ref035" target="_blank">35</a>–<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128042#pone.0128042.ref037" target="_blank">37</a>]); 2) and 3) The whole energy cost of grazing cows estimated from the heart rate in combination with oxygen consumption per heart beat (O₂ pulse) by Aharoni [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128042#pone.0128042.ref041" target="_blank">41</a>] and Brosh et al. [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128042#pone.0128042.ref052" target="_blank">52</a>], respectively; 4) The estimated energy expenditure of grazing goats during different seasons (winter, summer and monsoon) in India by collecting the expired air in short periods (5–10 min), reported by Shinde et al. [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128042#pone.0128042.ref053" target="_blank">53</a>]; 5) and 6) The estimated energy expenditure of grazing sheep and goats at different stocking rates from heart rate measurements with O₂ pulse by Animut et al. [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128042#pone.0128042.ref054" target="_blank">54</a>], respectively; and 7) and 8) The estimated energy expenditure of goat bucks and wethers in open range by the doubly labeled water method by Toerien et al. [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128042#pone.0128042.ref009" target="_blank">9</a>], respectively. The low standard deviations in the present study might be attributed to the condition of experiments (i.e., the use of one breed at a similar stocking rate under thermoneutral conditions) in each animal group.</p

The position of the accelerometer and the electrodes for the heart rate monitor.

<p>The position of the accelerometer is at the top of the animal’s back (behind the withers), and the positions of the two electrodes connected to a transmitter of the heart rate monitor are at the animal’s right shoulder and left anterior thorax, which are known to be the appropriate points for heart rate measurements for ruminants.</p

Flowchart of the data analysis.

<p>The equation numbers in the figures correspond to those in the text.</p