Nonmagnetic Ground State in RuO_{2} Revealed by Muon Spin Rotation.

The magnetic ground state of single crystalline RuO_{2} was investigated by the muon spin rotation and relaxation (µSR) experiment. The spin precession signal due to the spontaneous internal magnetic field B_{loc}, which is expected in the magnetically ordered phase, was not observed in the temperature range 5-400 K. Muon sites were evaluated by first-principles calculations using dilute hydrogen simulating muon as pseudohydrogen, and B_{loc} was simulated for the antiferromagnetic structures with a Ru magnetic moment |m_{Ru}|≈0.05µ_{B} suggested from diffraction experiments. As a result, the possibility was ruled out that muons are localized at sites where B_{loc} accidentally cancels. Conversely, assuming that the slow relaxation observed in µSR spectra was part of the precession signal, the upper limit for the magnitude of |m_{Ru}| was estimated to be 4.8(2)×10^{-4}µ_{B}, which is significantly less than 0.05µ_{B}. These results indicate that the antiferromagnetic order, as reported, is unlikely to exist in the bulk crystal.

Dimensional reduction and incommensurate dynamic correlations in the [Formula: see text] triangular-lattice antiferromagnet Ca3ReO5Cl2.

The observation of spinon excitations in the [Formula: see text] triangular antiferromagnet Ca3ReO5Cl2 reveals a quasi-one-dimensional (1D) nature of magnetic correlations, in spite of the nominally 2D magnetic structure. This phenomenon is known as frustration-induced dimensional reduction. Here, we present high-field electron spin resonance spectroscopy and magnetization studies of Ca3ReO5Cl2, allowing us not only to refine spin-Hamiltonian parameters, but also to investigate peculiarities of its low-energy spin dynamics. We argue that the presence of the uniform Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) shifts the spinon continuum in momentum space and, as a result, opens a zero-field gap at the Γ point. We observed this gap directly. The shift is found to be consistent with the structural modulation in the ordered state, suggesting this material as a perfect model triangular-lattice system, where a pure DMI-spiral ground state can be realized.

Top-down cortical input during NREM sleep consolidates perceptual memory.

During tactile perception, long-range intracortical top-down axonal projections are essential for processing sensory information. Whether these projections regulate sleep-dependent long-term memory consolidation is unknown. We altered top-down inputs from higher-order cortex to sensory cortex during sleep and examined the consolidation of memories acquired earlier during awake texture perception. Mice learned novel textures and consolidated them during sleep. Within the first hour of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, optogenetic inhibition of top-down projecting axons from secondary motor cortex (M2) to primary somatosensory cortex (S1) impaired sleep-dependent reactivation of S1 neurons and memory consolidation. In NREM sleep and sleep-deprivation states, closed-loop asynchronous or synchronous M2-S1 coactivation, respectively, reduced or prolonged memory retention. Top-down cortical information flow in NREM sleep is thus required for perceptual memory consolidation.

Spin and orbital contributions to magnetically ordered moments in 5d layered perovskite Sr2IrO4.

The ratio of orbital (L) and spin (S) contributions to the magnetically ordered moments of a 5d transition metal oxide, Sr2IrO4 was evaluated by nonresonant magnetic x-ray diffraction. We applied an improved experimental setting that minimized the experimental error, in which we varied only the linear polarization of incident x ray at a fixed scattering angle. Strong polarization dependence of the intensity of magnetic diffraction was observed, from which we conclude that the ordered moments contain substantial contribution from the orbital degree of freedom with the ratio of /∼5.0, evidencing the pronounced effect of spin-orbit coupling. The obtained ratio is close to, but slightly larger than the expected value for the ideal J(eff) = 1/2 moment of a spin-orbital Mott insulator, ||/|| = 4, which cannot be accounted for by the redistribution of orbital components within the t(2g) bands associated with the elongation of the IrO6 octahedra.

Strong coupling superconductivity at 8.4 K in an antiperovskite phosphide SrPt3P.

We report the discovery of a family of ternary platinum phosphides APt3P (A = Ca, Sr, and La), which crystallize in an antiperovskite-based structure closely related to that of the heavy fermion superconductor CePt3Si. All three phosphides showed superconductivity at low temperatures and the highest critical temperature T(c) = 8.4 K was observed for SrPt3P. The analysis of specific heat C(T) for SrPt3P shows clear evidence for very strong coupling s-wave superconductivity with a large ratio between superconducting gap Δ0 and T(c), 2Δ0/k(B)T(c) ∼ 5, and the presence of low-energy phonons. The presence of multiple Fermi surface pockets was inferred from the nonlinear magnetic field dependence of Hall resistivity, which we argue might play a role in realizing the strong coupling of charge carriers with the low-lying phonons.

Gelled droplet vitrification improves recovery of cryopreserved potato germplasm.

The droplet vitrification method was improved for maneuverability by embedding shoot tips in gelled droplets before osmoprotection. This newly modified cryopreserving method -gelled droplet vitrification - was compared with other PVS2-based cryopreservation methods using potato shoot tips. Survival rates of each cryogenic procedure held at 25 degree C were about 40 percent by cryotube-vitrification procedures (vitrification and encapsulation vitrification methods) and about 70 percent by PVS2-droplet procedures (droplet vitrification and gelled droplet vitrification methods). Much higher cooling rates of PVS2-droplet procedures than cryotube- vitrification procedures increased their survival rates. The gelled droplet vitrification method was applied to shoot tips of 26 potato cultivars and six wild potatoes. After a little modifications of the conditions for preculture, osmoprotection and dehydration, all cultivars and wild potatoes produced high enough survival rates to be of value to genebanks and all surviving shoot tips developed normal shoots within 3 weeks.

Dynamics of muscle microcirculatory and blood-myocyte O(2) flux during contractions.

The O(2) requirements of contracting skeletal muscle may increase 100-fold above rest. In 1919, August Krogh's brilliant insights recognized the capillary as the principal site for this increased blood-myocyte O(2) flux. Based on the premise that most capillaries did not sustain RBC flux at rest, Krogh proposed that capillary recruitment [i.e. initiation of red blood cell (RBC) flux in previously non-flowing capillaries] increased the capillary surface area available for O(2) flux and reduced mean capillary-to-mitochondrial diffusion distances. More modern experimental approaches reveal that most muscle capillaries may support RBC flux at rest. Thus, rather than contraction-induced capillary recruitment per se, increased RBC flux and haematocrit within already-flowing capillaries probably elevate perfusive and diffusive O(2) conductances and hence blood-myocyte O(2) flux. Additional surface area for O(2) exchange is recruited but, crucially, this may occur along the length of already-flowing capillaries (i.e. longitudinal recruitment). Today, the capillary is still considered the principal site for O(2) and substrate delivery to contracting skeletal muscle. Indeed, the presence of very low intramyocyte O(2) partial pressures (PO(2)s) and the absence of intramyocyte PO(2) gradients, whilst refuting the relevance of diffusion distances, place an even greater importance on capillary hemodynamics. This emergent picture calls for a paradigm-shift in our understanding of the function of capillaries by de-emphasizing de novo'capillary recruitment'. Diseases such as heart failure impair blood-myocyte O(2) flux, in part, by decreasing the proportion of RBC-flowing capillaries. Knowledge of capillary function in healthy muscle is requisite for identification of pathology and efficient design of therapeutic treatments.

Effects of combined aging and heart failure on visceral sympathetic nerve and cardiovascular responses to progressive hyperthermia in F344 rats.

Sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) responses to hyperthermia are attenuated in aged rats without heart failure (HF) and in young HF (Y(HF)) rats, demonstrating that individually aging and HF alter SND regulation. However, the combined effects of aging and HF on SND regulation to heat stress are unknown, despite the high prevalence of HF in aged individuals. We hypothesized that SND responses to heating would be additive when aging and HF are combined, demonstrated by marked reductions in SND and mean arterial pressure (MAP) responses to heating in aged HF (A(HF)) compared with aged sham HF (A(SHAM)) rats, and in A(HF) compared with Y(HF) rats. Renal and splenic SND responses to hyperthermia (colonic temperature increased to 41.5°C) were determined in anesthetized Y(HF), young sham (Y(SHAM)), A(HF), and A(SHAM) Fischer rats. HF was induced by myocardial infarction and documented using echocardiographic, invasive, and postmortem measures. The severity of HF was similar in Y(HF) and A(HF) rats. SND responses to heating were attenuated in Y(HF) compared with Y(SHAM) rats, demonstrating an effect of HF on SND regulation in young rats. In contrast, A(HF) and A(SHAM) rats demonstrated similar SND responses to heating, suggesting a prominent influence of age on SND regulation in A(HF) rats. Splenic SND and MAP responses to heating were similar in Y(HF), A(HF), and A(SHAM) rats, indicating that the imposition of HF in young rats changes the regulatory status of these variables to one consistent with aged rats. These data suggest that the effect of HF on SND regulation to hyperthermia is age dependent.

Effects of altering pedal frequency on the slow component of pulmonary VO2 kinetics and EMG activity.

This study investigated the effects of pedal frequency on the slow component of pulmonary oxygen uptake ( V O(2)) kinetics during heavy exercise at the same relative intensity. We hypothesized that higher pedal frequency (expected to enhance fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment) would be associated with greater slow component amplitude (A' (s)), surface electromyography (normalized root mean square; RMS) and blood lactate concentration ([lactate]). Eight subjects performed square-wave transitions to heavy exercise at 35 and 115 rpm. Furthermore, alternated cadences square-wave transitions (35-115 rpm) were performed to examine the potential effects of additional fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment on the slow component. Significance was accepted when P<0.05. The A' (s) was greater at higher cadences (0.58+/-0.08 and 0.70+/-0.09 L.min (-1) at 115 and 35-115 rpm, respectively) than at 35 rpm (0.35+/-0.04 L.min (-1)). Greater EMG increase over time (DeltaRMS ((10-3 min))) and [lactate] were observed at 115 and 35-115 rpm compared with 35 rpm. There was a significant correlation between A' (s) and overall DeltaRMS ((10-3 min)) for all pedal frequencies combined (r=0.63; P=0.001). Pedal frequency had no effect on time constants or time delays. These findings are consistent with the concept that progressive recruitment of muscle fibers is associated with the V O(2) slow component.

Nitric oxide bioavailability modulates the dynamics of microvascular oxygen exchange during recovery from contractions.

AIM: lowered microvascular PO(2) (PO(2) mv) during the exercise off-transient likely impairs muscle metabolic recovery and limits the capacity to perform repetitive tasks. The current investigation explored the impact of altered nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability on PO(2) mv during recovery from contractions in healthy skeletal muscle. We hypothesized that increased NO bioavailability (sodium nitroprusside: SNP) would enhance PO(2) mv and speed its recovery kinetics while decreased NO bioavailability (l-nitro arginine methyl ester: l-NAME) would reduce PO(2) mv and slow its recovery kinetics. METHODS: PO(2) mv was measured by phosphorescence quenching during transitions (rest-1 Hz twitch-contractions for 3 min-recovery) in the spinotrapezius muscle of Sprague-Dawley rats under SNP (300 microm), Krebs-Henseleit (CONTROL) and l-NAME (1.5 mm) superfusion conditions. RESULTS: relative to recovery in CONTROL, SNP resulted in greater overall microvascular oxygenation as assessed by the area under the PO(2) mv curve (PO(2 AREA) ; CONTROL: 3471 ± 292 mmHg s; SNP: 4307 ± 282 mmHg s; P < 0.05) and faster off-kinetics as evidenced by the mean response time (MRToff; CONTROL: 60.2 ± 6.9 s; SNP: 34.8 ± 5.7 s; P < 0.05), whereas l-NAME produced lower PO(2 AREA) (2339 ± 444 mmHg s; P < 0.05) and slower MRToff (86.6 ± 14.5s; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: no bioavailability plays a key role in determining the matching of O(2) delivery-to-O(2) uptake and thus the upstream O(2) pressure driving capillary-myocyte O(2) flux (i.e. PO(2) mv) following cessation of contractions in healthy skeletal muscle. Additionally, these data support a mechanistic link between reduced NO bioavailability and prolonged muscle metabolic recovery commonly observed in ageing and diseased populations.

Effects of gender and aerobic fitness on cardiac autonomic responses to head-up tilt in healthy adolescents.

Cardiovascular autonomic responses to orthostatic challenges are affected by gender and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults. However, little is know about the effects of these factors in healthy adolescents. We studied 41 adolescents (20 boys and 21 girls) aged 12-17 years, divided into aerobic fitness tertiles based on the results of a maximal treadmill exercise test. Cardiac autonomic modulation was assessed by heart rate variability (HRV) analysis of 5-minute RR interval recordings before and after 70 degrees head-up tilt maneuver. HRV was analyzed by time (TD) and frequency domain (FD) methods. TD was analyzed by standard deviation of the RR intervals and the root mean square of successive differences of RR intervals. The power spectral components were studied at low (LF) and high (HF) frequencies and as the LF/HF ratio. We did not find any differences in TD and FD measures before and after tilt in either gender or fitness groups, except for a higher heart rate response for boys. These results suggests that cardiac autonomic responses to head-up tilt in healthy adolescents are not affected by gender or aerobic fitness.

Simplified cryopreservation of sweet potato [ Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] by optimizing conditions for osmoprotection.

Shoot tips of sweet potato were successfully cryopreserved using an encapsulation vitrification method. Encapsulated shoot tips were pre-incubated in liquid Murashige-Skoog medium containing 30 g/l sucrose for 24 h, then precultured in sucrose-enriched medium (0.3 M sucrose) for 16 h. Shoot tips were osmoprotected with a mixture of 2 M glycerol and 1.6 M sucrose for 3 h before being dehydrated with a highly concentrated vitrification solution (PVS2) for 1 h at 25 degrees C. The encapsulated and dehydrated shoot tips were transferred to a 2 ml cryotube, suspended in 0.5 ml PVS2, and plunged directly into liquid nitrogen. Rapidly warmed shoot tips developed normal shoots and roots in 21 days without any morphological abnormalities after plating on a recovery medium. High levels (average of about 80%) of shoot formation were obtained for three cultivars of sweet potato. This encapsulation vitrification method appears promising for cryopreservation of sweet potato germplasm.

Newly developed encapsulation-dehydration protocol for plantcryopreservation.

A simplified and efficient encapsulation-dehydration protocol, which is a compromise between vitrification and encapsulation-dehydration, was presented for plant cryopreservation. In this protocol, during the encapsulation process, the apices precultured with 0.3 M sucrose for 16 h were simultaneously osmoprotected with a mixture of 02 M glycerol plus 0.4 M sucrose for 1 h. These encapsulated apices were directly dehydrated with dry silica gel prior to a plunge into LN without the pretreatment of 0.8M sucrose for 16 h. This protocol produced much higher rates of recovery growth in the three plant species tested (wasabi, chrysanthemum, and mint) than those cryopreserved by the conventional encapsulation-dehydration. This protocol also considerably reduced the time needed for the cryogenic procedure. Thus, this new protocol appears promising for cryopreservation of shoot apices and other explants.

Cryopreservation of in vitro-grown axillary shoot-tip meristems of mint (Mentha spicata L.) by encapsulation vitrification.

Alginate-coated meristems from in vitro-grown axillary buds of mint (Mentha spicata L.) were successfully cryopreserved by vitrification. Excised meristems from nodal segments cold hardened at 4  °C for 3 weeks were encapsulated and osmoprotected by a mixture of 2 M glycerol plus 0.4 M sucrose. These meristems were dehydrated with a highly concentrated vitrification solution (PVS2 solution) for 3 h at 0  °C prior to a plunge into liquid nitrogen. Successfully encapsulated vitrified meristems developed shoots within a week after plating without intermediary callus formation. The average rate of shoot formation amounted to nearly 90%. This procedure was successfully applied to other Mentha species. It was also confirmed that encapsulated vitrified meristems produced a much higher rate of shoot formation than the encapsulated dried meristems. Thus, this revised encapsulation vitrification method appears promising for the cryopreservation of mint and other germplasm.

An assessment of pain and return to normal activity. Laparoscopic herniorrhaphy vs open tension-free Lichtenstein repair.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic herniorrhaphy is controversial and deserves critical evaluation. METHODS: In a randomized prospective study transabdominal preperitoneal laparoscopic herniorrhaphy (n = 24) was compared in patients to the tension-free Lichtenstein repair (n = 29) utilizing validated and reliable pain and activity assessment tools. The Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) was used to compare preoperative normal activity to postoperative activity. A Pain-O-Meter (visual analogue scale plus affective and sensory pain descriptors) assessed intensity of pain. The total pain assessment score and SIP were compared across time (postoperative day 1-42). Analgesic medication was used as a covariate. RESULTS: The total pain score was less for laparoscopic herniorrhaphy but this did not reach statistical significance. Similarly, the SIP showed modest improvement for laparoscopic herniorrhaphy. No differences between groups were noted for morphine equivalents of administered analgesics or length of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Further investigation of laparoscopic herniorrhaphy is warranted.

Nasal Staphylococcus aureus and postoperative infection.

Over a one-year period 19.5 per cent of 237 patients carried Staphylococcus aureus in their nares preoperatively. This rate was not influenced by the length of hospital stay. The patient nasal carrier state had no correlation with the incidence of postoperative infection. There was no outbreak of S. aureus infection during this period. It is well known that a long preoperative stay greatly increases the risk of infectious complications. This increase in infectious complications was not linked to nasal S. aureus colonization in this study. S. aureus was responsible for 19 per cent of postoperative infections in a 12-month period. S. aureus still occupies a significant place in nosocomial infection rates.