Crystal growth, structure and magnetic properties of Ca10Cr7O28.

A detailed diffraction study of Ca10Cr7O28 is presented which adds significant new insights into the structural and magnetic properties of this compound. A new crystal structure type was used where the a and b axes are doubled compared to previous models providing a more plausible structure where all crystallographic sites are fully occupied. The presence of two different valences of chromium was verified and the locations of the magnetic Cr5+ and non-magnetic Cr6+ ions were identified. The Cr5+ ions have spin-[Formula: see text] and form distorted kagome bilayers which are stacked in an ABC arrangement along the c axis. These results lay the foundation for understanding of the quantum spin liquid behavior in Ca10Cr7O28 which has recently been reported in Balz et al (2016 Nat. Phys. 12 942).

Electromagnon dispersion probed by inelastic X-ray scattering in LiCrO2.

Inelastic X-ray scattering with meV energy resolution (IXS) is an ideal tool to measure collective excitations in solids and liquids. In non-resonant scattering condition, the cross-section is strongly dominated by lattice vibrations (phonons). However, it is possible to probe additional degrees of freedom such as magnetic fluctuations that are strongly coupled to the phonons. The IXS spectrum of the coupled system contains not only the phonon dispersion but also the so far undetected magnetic correlation function. Here we report the observation of strong magnon-phonon coupling in LiCrO2 that enables the measurement of magnetic correlations throughout the Brillouin zone via IXS. We find electromagnon excitations and electric dipole active two-magnon excitations in the magnetically ordered phase and heavily damped electromagnons in the paramagnetic phase of LiCrO2. We predict that several (frustrated) magnets with dominant direct exchange and non-collinear magnetism show surprisingly large IXS cross-section for magnons and multi-magnon processes.

Overwintering of Uranotaenia Unguiculata Adult Females in Central Europe: A Possible Way of Persistence of the Putative New Lineage of West Nile Virus?

We report the overwintering of Uranotaenia unguiculata adult females in Central Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria). This finding suggests a potential mode of winter persistence of putative novel lineage of West Nile virus in the temperate regions of Europe.

Softened magnetic excitations in the s = 3/2 distorted triangular antiferromagnet α-CaCr2O4.

The spin dynamics and magnetic excitations of the slightly distorted triangular s = 3/2 system α-CaCr (2)O (4) are investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy and electron spin resonance (ESR) to elucidate its peculiar magnetic properties. Two-magnon excitations in circular RL symmetry show a multi-maximum structure with a dominant spectral weight at low energies. The temperature dependence of the ESR linewidth is described by a critical broadening ΔH(pp)(T) is proportional to (T-T(N ))(-p) with the exponent p = 0.38(5) - 0.48(3) for temperatures above T(N) = 42.6 K. The exponent is much smaller than that of other s = 3/2 triangular lattices. This is ascribed to soft roton-like modes, indicative of the instability of a helical 120° phase. As an origin we discuss a complex spin topology formed by four inequivalent nearest neighbor and sizable next-nearest neighbor interactions.

Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of the desiccation tolerant resurrection plant Ramonda myconi (L.) Rchb.

In this paper we describe the first procedure for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation of the desiccation tolerant plant Ramonda myconi (L.) Rchb. Previously, we reported the establishment of a reliable and effective tissue culture system based on the integrated optimisation of antioxidant and growth regulator composition and the stabilisation of the pH of the culture media by means of a potassium phosphate buffer. This efficient plant regeneration via callus phase provided a basis for the optimisation of the genetic transformation in R. myconi. For gene delivery, both a standard (method A) and a modified protocol (method B) have been applied. Since the latter has previously resulted in successful transformation of another resurrection plant, Craterostigma plantagineum, an identical protocol was utilized in transformation of R. myconi, as this method may prove general for dicotyledonous resurrection plants. On this basis, physical and biochemical key variables in transformation were evaluated such as mechanical microwounding of plant explants and in vitro preinduction of vir genes. While the physical enhancement of bacterial penetration was proved to be essential for successful genetic transformation of R. myconi, an additional two-fold increase in the transformation frequency was obtained when the above physical and biochemical treatments were applied in combination. All R0 and R1 transgenic plants were fertile, and no morphological abnormalities were observed on the whole-plant level.

Major depressive disorder and response to citalopram treatment in women attending menopause clinic.

INTRODUCTION The authors investigated the prevalence of depressive disorders and response to citalopram among perimenopausal women visiting menopause clinics. METHOD One hundred and eighty-five consecutive outpatients were screened using the short Beck Depression Inventory. A psychiatrist investigated persons who showed medium or severe Beck depression. In the case of DSM-IV major depressive episode, a 6-week open trial with citalopram (20-40 mg daily) was started. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) measured the severity of depression at baseline and at weeks 3 and 6. The primary outcome measure was the rate of responders at weeks 3 and 6 (more than 50% drop in the total HDRS score at weeks 3 and 6 compared to baseline). RESULTS Of the 185 consecutive outpatients screened, 48 (26%) have experienced medium or severe Beck depression, and 37 of them (20%) had DSM-IV major depression. Citalopram was started in 30 patients (daily doses ranged from 20 to 40 mg) and 21 (70%) finished the trial. The rate of responders at week 3 was 7/22 (32%) and at week 6 was 13/21 (62%). CONCLUSIONS Depressive disorders are common among perimenopausal women visiting menopause clinics, and the majority of those with depression respond well to citalopram. Interdisciplinary cooperation is the key point of the detection and follow up of these patients.

Novel serum replacement based on bovine ocular fluid: a useful tool for cultivation of different animal cells in vitro.

Different mammalian cells in culture have individual nutritional requirements, which are mainly fulfilled by the addition of foetal calf serum (FCS) to the basic medium. Collecting FCS is accompanied with severe animal welfare problems as conscient animals usually are bleeded to death by heart-punctuation without anaesthetics. There exists scientific problems too. Due to the batch-to-batch variability and the relatively high price, different types of serum replacements were introduced. Among them bovine colostrum as a serum substitute for the cultivation of hybridoma cells should be mentioned. The presented experiments were aimed to introduce the simple and effective serum replacement (SR) based on the bovine ocular fluid. Throughout the experiments the bovine ocular fluid alone and in the combination with the sheep's defibrinated plasma and human serum albumin was tested for the growth of different cells growing as a monolayer: (a) Cell lines: WISH (human amniotic cell lines) and VERO. (b) Primary culture: chicken embryonic fibroblasts, human bone-marrow fibroblasts. All growth experiments were performed in parallel with the Foetal Calf Serum (FCS) of three different sources. All types of cells were cultivated in Eagle's medium + antibiotics (Penicillin, Streptomycin, Gentamycin). The most effective was the SR containing approximately 35% of sheep's defibrinated plasma and 1.5% of serum albumin in the bovine ocular fluid. During the experiments 1 and 10% of SR-2.05 or FCS in Eagle's medium were used. After 1, 3 and 6 days of cultivation the cells were counted. The results show that the use of SR-2.05 gives a higher number of cells as compared to most batches of FCS. It is also important that practically no adaptation is needed, meaning that the cells could be grown in Eagle's medium + FCS and in the next passage in Eagle's medium + SR-2.05 and vice versa.