Pressure dependence of the spin dynamics around a quantum critical point : An inelastic neutron scattering study of Ce0.87La0.13Ru2Si2

Inelastic neutron scattering experiments performed on a single crystal of the antiferromagnetic compound Ce$_{0.87}$La$_{0.13}$Ru$_{2}$Si$_{2}$ under applied pressures of up to 5 kbar are reported. A quantum critical point is reached at around 2.6 kbar where long-range magnetic order disappears. The variation of the characteristic energy scales with respect to temperature and pressure is followed and found to saturate in the ordered phase.Comment: 14 pages (6 figures

Germline Transgenic Pigs by Sleeping Beauty Transposition in Porcine Zygotes and Targeted Integration in the Pig Genome

Genetic engineering can expand the utility of pigs for modeling human diseases, and for developing advanced therapeutic approaches. However, the inefficient production of transgenic pigs represents a technological bottleneck. Here, we assessed the hyperactive Sleeping Beauty (SB100X) transposon system for enzyme-catalyzed transgene integration into the embryonic porcine genome. The components of the transposon vector system were microinjected as circular plasmids into the cytoplasm of porcine zygotes, resulting in high frequencies of transgenic fetuses and piglets. The transgenic animals showed normal development and persistent reporter gene expression for >12 months. Molecular hallmarks of transposition were confirmed by analysis of 25 genomic insertion sites. We demonstrate germ-line transmission, segregation of individual transposons, and continued, copy number-dependent transgene expression in F1-offspring. In addition, we demonstrate target-selected gene insertion into transposon-tagged genomic loci by Cre-loxP-based cassette exchange in somatic cells followed by nuclear transfer. Transposase-catalyzed transgenesis in a large mammalian species expands the arsenal of transgenic technologies for use in domestic animals and will facilitate the development of large animal models for human diseases

An analysis of root biomass in a sapling cultivation experiment for afforestation on salt affected land

The purpose of this study is to analyze the data of root biomasses measured in a sapling cultivation experiment reported by Oda et al. (2009). In the experiment, Eucalyptus rudis × E. camaldulensis, E. camaldulensis and E. sargentii were cultivated in a glasshouse at Tsukuba, Japan, and those were watered with 0, 100 and 200 mmol-NaCl/L solution. The dry weight of the roots tended to decrease with increase of NaCl concentration. The significant relationship were observed between the tree height and the dry weight of the roots (r = 0.818-0.851, p < 0.001). These suggest that the root biomass of the tree species may be able to be estimated by the allometry equations. The biomass ratios of the root to the shoot did not increase with NaCl concentration despite that the reduction of shoot growth is generally much greater than the reduction of root growth under saline condition. The biomass ratio of the root to shoot of Eucalyptus saplings might not increase with NaCl concentration because same tendency was reported by Marcar (1993)

Long-term changes in precipitation characteristics at Sturt Meadows, Western Australia

Long-term changes in the precipitation data at Sturt Meadows were analyzed by the Mann-Kendall statistics and the Lepage test. Yearly and spring precipitation increased significantly from 1910 to 2008, and the significance levels were p < 0.10 and 0.01, respectively. The data of daily precipitation were classified into two groups (class 1-4 and 5) separated by the distribution of the data, and class 1-4 precipitation increased significantly. There were 4 significant-climatic jumps (1925-27, 1963, 1979-1982 and 1993) by results of the Lepage test. The averages of yearly precipitation during whole years and the latest period are 215.0 and 280.9 mm/year, respectively. The averages of monthly precipitation in February, October and November during the latest period (1993-2008) is higher than those in the previous periods. That in February during the latest period was especially heavy, when the mean precipitation in February was six times higher than that in the previous period. This change was attributed to the increase in the frequency of storm events in February during the latest period. Monthly precipitation exceeding 100 mm/month in February was recorded three times (1995, 2001 and 2006), and this occurred only 2 times in previous periods (1925 and 1975)