Evaluation of Kentucky Bluegrass (\u3ci\u3ePoa pratensis\u3c/i\u3e L.) for Creating Sustainable Grazing Swards in Hokkaido

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is generally considered to be a weed in the meadows of Hokkaido. However, a revaluation of this species should be undertaken in terms of its useful characteristics for labor-saving management on farms in marginal areas. The performance of steers (Holstein-Friesian) and botanical composition of Kentucky bluegrass swards were investigated under the stocking methods of set and rotational grazing and compared with timothy (Phleum pratense L.) swards. Kentucky bluegrass was stable over the grazing season under both methods, although timothy decreased rapidly. The average daily gain of steers raised on Kentucky bluegrass swards was lower than that on timothy swards. In Kentucky bluegrass swards, however, a well-regulated number of steers under set grazing can maintain as high an animal performance rate as that under rotational grazing. Kentucky bluegrass was considered to be useful for beef production under labor-saving grazing management

Second Low Temperature Phase Transition in Frustrated UNi_4B

Hexagonal UNi_4B is magnetically frustrated, yet it orders antiferromagnetically at T_N = 20 K. However, one third of the U-spins remain paramagnetic below this temperature. In order to track these spins to lower temperature, we measured the specific heat C of \unib between 100 mK and 2 K, and in applied fields up to 9 T. For zero field there is a sharp kink in C at $T^\ast\approx$ 330 mK, which we interpret as an indication of a second phase transition involving paramagnetic U. The rise in $\gamma = C/T$ between 7 K and 330 mK and the absence of a large entropy liberated at $T^\ast$ may be due to a combination of Kondo screening effects and frustration that strongly modifies the low T transition.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

BEAM PROFILE MEASUREMENT USING FLYING WIRE MONITORS AT THE J-PARC MAIN RING*

Abstract Transverse beam profiles have been measured using flying wire monitors at the main ring of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). The flying wire is a beam profile monitor using a thin carbon fiber as a target. The beam is scanned with the wire target at the maximum speed of 5 m/s. The secondary particles from the beam-wire scattering are detected using a scintillation counter as a function of the wire position. The measurement has revealed a characteristic temporal change of the beam profile during the injection period of 120 ms. The multi-particle tracking simulation program, SCTR, taking account of space charge effects has successfully reproduced the beam profiles

Differentiated neuroprogenitor cells incubated with human or canine adenovirus, or lentiviral vectors have distinct transcriptome profiles

Several studies have demonstrated the potential for vector-mediated gene transfer to the brain. Helper-dependent (HD) human (HAd) and canine (CAV-2) adenovirus, and VSV-G-pseudotyped self-inactivating HIV-1 vectors (LV) effectively transduce human brain cells and their toxicity has been partly analysed. However, their effect on the brain homeostasis is far from fully defined, especially because of the complexity of the central nervous system (CNS). With the goal of dissecting the toxicogenomic signatures of the three vectors for human neurons, we transduced a bona fide human neuronal system with HD-HAd, HD-CAV-2 and LV. We analysed the transcriptional response of more than 47,000 transcripts using gene chips. Chip data showed that HD-CAV-2 and LV vectors activated the innate arm of the immune response, including Toll-like receptors and hyaluronan circuits. LV vector also induced an IFN response. Moreover, HD-CAV-2 and LV vectors affected DNA damage pathways - but in opposite directions - suggesting a differential response of the p53 and ATM pathways to the vector genomes. As a general response to the vectors, human neurons activated pro-survival genes and neuron morphogenesis, presumably with the goal of re-establishing homeostasis. These data are complementary to in vivo studies on brain vector toxicity and allow a better understanding of the impact of viral vectors on human neurons, and mechanistic approaches to improve the therapeutic impact of brain-directed gene transfer