A TRPV family ion channel required for hearing in Drosophila

The many types of insect ear share a common sensory element, the chordotonal organ, in which sound-induced antennal or tympanal vibrations are transmitted to ciliated sensory neurons and transduced to receptor potentials. However, the molecular identity of the transducing ion channels in chordotonal neurons, or in any auditory system, is still unknown. Drosophila that are mutant for NOMPC, a transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily ion channel, lack receptor potentials and currents in tactile bristles but retain most of the antennal sound-evoked response, suggesting that a different channel is the primary transducer in chordotonal organs. Here we describe the Drosophila Nanchung (Nan) protein, an ion channel subunit similar to vanilloid-receptor-related (TRPV) channels of the TRP superfamily. Nan mediates hypo-osmotically activated calcium influx and cation currents in cultured cells. It is expressed in vivo exclusively in chordotonal neurons and is localized to their sensory cilia. Antennal sound-evoked potentials are completely absent in mutants lacking Nan, showing that it is an essential component of the chordotonal mechanotransducer.     

Connectivity of chemosensory neurons is controlled by the gene poxn in Drosophila.

The function of the nervous system depends on the formation of a net of appropriate connections, but little is known of the genetic program underlying this process. In Drosophila two genes that specify different types of sense organs have been identified: cut (ct), which specifies the formation of external sense organs as opposed to chordotonal organs, and pox-neuro (poxn), which specifies the formation of poly-innervated (chemosensory) organs as opposed to mono-innervated (mechanosensory) organs. Whether these genes are also involved in specifying the connectivity of the corresponding neurons is not known. The larval sense organs are unsuitable for analysis of the axonal pathway and connections and so we have investigated the effect of poxn on the adult. Here we show that overexpression of poxn induces the morphological transformation of mechanosensory into chemosensory bristles on the legs and that the neurons innervating the morphologically transformed bristles follow pathways and establish connections that are appropriate for chemosensory bristles.     

Mutant Drosophila embryos in which all cells adopt a neural fate

In the Drosophila embryo, early developmental decisions lead to all cells adopting one of several initial fates, such as those characteristic of the germ layers. The central nervous system is formed subsequently from the neurogenic region of the ectoderm, in which progenitor cells of the neuroblasts and ventral epidermis are intermingled. Two classes of genes govern the segregation of neuroblasts and peripheral sensory organs. The pro-neural class of genes, for example, the achaete-scute complex, participates in the initial decision to make each uniquely positioned neuroblast or sensory organ, but are initially expressed in groups of cells. The segregation of a neuroblast or sensory organ from an equivalent group of equipotential cells involves a mechanism of lateral inhibition whereby the future epidermal cells are prevented from engaging in the primary dominant neural fate. In the absence of this inhibitory signal, all cells of the group will become neural by default. The neurogenic class of genes is thought to mediate these cell interactions. Here we report that cells in embryos mutant for shaggy which are unable to adopt any of the early initial fates, instead develop neural characteristics.     

Regulation of lifespan by sensory perception in Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans senses environmental signals through ciliated sensory neurons located primarily in sensory organs in the head and tail. Cilia function as sensory receptors, and mutants with defective sensory cilia have impaired sensory perception. Cilia are membrane-bound microtubule-based structures and in C. elegans are only found at the dendritic endings of sensory neurons. Here we show that mutations that cause defects in sensory cilia or their support cells, or in sensory signal transduction, extend lifespan. Our findings imply that sensory perception regulates the lifespan of this animal, and suggest that in nature, its lifespan may be regulated by environmental cues.     

云斑天牛生殖系统的研究

研究了云斑天牛生殖系统的解剖形态、超微结构及内、外生殖器结构的功能和组织来源。     

A neuronal mechanism for sensory gating during locomotion in a vertebrate

The response of the foot to touch during walking depends on whether it is in the air or on the ground. In most animals, reflex responses to external stimuli are similarly adapted to their timing in the locomotor cycle, but there is only fragmentary information about the neural mechanisms involved. In arthropods, reflex modulation can occur in the sensory receptors themselves and in neurons that discharge during locomotion. By recording with dye-filled microelectrodes from neurons in the spinal cord of frog embryos, we describe reflex modulation at the level of sensory interneurons. Sensory inputs from skin receptors excite a specific class of spinal sensory interneuron whose activity leads to reflex bending of the body away from the stimulus. During swimming, these inputs are gated by rhythmic postsynaptic inhibition, so that sensory drive reaches motor neurons only at phases in the locomotor cycle when the resulting contraction would likewise turn the embryo away from the stimulated side. Such gating of sensory pathways could be a general feature of all locomotor systems where responses to sensory stimuli need to be adapted to the phase of locomotion.     

An Introduction to Intelligent Sensory Evaluation

TheFirstSinoFrenchWorkshoponSensoryEvaluationandIntelligentTechniques(SEIT2003)hasbeenheldinShanghaiinDecember2003.Asorganizersofthisoperation,weexpressourgratitudetothesponsors,DonghuaUniversity,EcoleNationaleSup啨ｒｉｅｕｒｅｄｅｓＡｒｔｓｅｔＩｎｄｕｓｔｒｉｅｓＴｅｘｔｉｌｅｓ(ENSAITTextileInstitute)andDigitizedTextile&FashionTechnologyEngineeringResearchCenterofChineseNationalEducationMinistryfortheiradministrativeandmaterialsupporttotheorganizationwork.Wealsowouldliketotha…     

微波加热干燥对马铃薯全粉品质的影响

利用热风加热、微波加热和微波真空加热对马铃薯全粉进行干燥处理,比较了三种干燥方式对马铃薯全粉的感官品质、吸水和吸油能力的影响。试验表明：在感官品质方面,马铃薯全粉采用微波真空干燥质量最好,其次是微波干燥,最后是热风干燥;在吸水和吸油能力方面,马铃薯全粉采用微波真空干燥要明显强于热风干燥和微波干燥,而采用微波干燥要略强于热风干燥。     

纵墙门连窗墙体开凿对抗震性能的影响

结合设计实例对砖混结构门连窗外纵墙墙体开凿的抗震性能进行了理论分析，指出开凿对门连窗外纵墙的抗震性能会产生不利影响。     

龙江血居吸虫尾蚴及成虫的扫描电镜观察

用扫描电镜观察了龙江血居吸虫尾蚴及成虫体表的超微结构。龙江血居吸虫尾蚴具有特化的头器,在头器顶端有3种类型可能为感觉器的结构;顶端外缘规则排列有一圈共8个圆形的乳突状结构;在乳突状结构的下方有数个可能为感觉小窝的小凹陷结构;在头器的顶端外侧,乳突的内缘,至少有4根纤毛状结构,尾蚴身体各部均具有棘,体部的棘常形成棘环,龙江血居吸虫成虫体侧具有粗大的棘,体侧边缘有隆起结构,虫体体表具有大量微毛及丰富的单纤毛感觉器。     

Neurons compute internal models of the physical laws of motion

A critical step in self-motion perception and spatial awareness is the integration of motion cues from multiple sensory organs that individually do not provide an accurate representation of the physical world. One of the best-studied sensory ambiguities is found in visual processing, and arises because of the inherent uncertainty in detecting the motion direction of an untextured contour moving within a small aperture. A similar sensory ambiguity arises in identifying the actual motion associated with linear accelerations sensed by the otolith organs in the inner ear. These internal linear accelerometers respond identically during translational motion (for example, running forward) and gravitational accelerations experienced as we reorient the head relative to gravity (that is, head tilt). Using new stimulus combinations, we identify here cerebellar and brainstem motion-sensitive neurons that compute a solution to the inertial motion detection problem. We show that the firing rates of these populations of neurons reflect the computations necessary to construct an internal model representation of the physical equations of motion.     

外磁场对带极堆焊质量的影响

本文在分析带极堆焊焊道咬边产生原因的基础上,提出了利用附加外磁场克服咬边的方法,并用自制磁控装置配用通用堆焊机进行了种种实验,发现该装置在合适的磁控电流和安装位置时,不但可消除咬边,而且可得到不同宽度、质量优良的带极堆焊焊道。     

Organization of cell assemblies in the hippocampus

Neurons can produce action potentials with high temporal precision. A fundamental issue is whether, and how, this capability is used in information processing. According to the 'cell assembly' hypothesis, transient synchrony of anatomically distributed groups of neurons underlies processing of both external sensory input and internal cognitive mechanisms. Accordingly, neuron populations should be arranged into groups whose synchrony exceeds that predicted by common modulation by sensory input. Here we find that the spike times of hippocampal pyramidal cells can be predicted more accurately by using the spike times of simultaneously recorded neurons in addition to the animals location in space. This improvement remained when the spatial prediction was refined with a spatially dependent theta phase modulation. The time window in which spike times are best predicted from simultaneous peer activity is 10-30 ms, suggesting that cell assemblies are synchronized at this timescale. Because this temporal window matches the membrane time constant of pyramidal neurons, the period of the hippocampal gamma oscillation and the time window for synaptic plasticity, we propose that cooperative activity at this timescale is optimal for information transmission and storage in cortical circuits.     

清真羊肉罐头生产工艺及品质影响研究

以新鲜羊肉为原料,经过嫩化、切块、预煮、修整、装罐、加入原汤汤汁和封罐杀菌等工艺制成清真羊肉罐头。研究成熟时间对羊肉嫩度的影响,以及各种香辛料添加量对清真羊肉罐头感官品质的影响。结果表明:羊肉在0℃～4℃的温度下保存7天能达到最好的嫩度,各种香辛料添加适宜的条件下,清真羊肉罐头的各项感官指标较佳。     

色彩在体育运动中的应用

正常人从外界所接受的信息中,来自视觉的信息量最大。色彩引起直接的彩色视觉刺激,这是其对光的波长的反映。在体育比赛或训练中,色彩直接影响人的心理、生理状态和情绪变化,继而影响运动员的表现效果和运动成绩。随着2008年北京奥运会的临近,从色彩学及设计学的角度,应加强色彩协调美的研究,科学准确地利用色彩在体育运动中的积极作用,激发运动员的潜能,提高运动成绩。     

~(31)P核磁共振法研究完整脏器细胞内的pH值

本工作对老鼠的心、肝、肾等不同脏器进行了(81)~P核磁共振的研究,并采用六甲基磷酰三胺为外标,测定了各种正常脏器细胞内的pH数值,同时也观察了在冷缺血、热缺血的不同条件下,离体脏器细胞内pH和无机磷酸盐浓度的变化。     

Horizontal and vertical components of head movement are controlled by distinct neural circuits in the barn owl

To generate behaviour, the brain must transform sensory information into signals that are appropriate to control movement. Sensory and motor coordinate frames are fundamentally different, however: sensory coordinates are based on the spatiotemporal patterns of activity arising from the various sense organs, whereas motor coordinates are based on the pulling directions of muscles or groups of muscles. Results from psychophysical experiments suggest that in the process of transforming sensory information into motor control signals, the brain encodes movements in abstract or extrinsic coordinate frames, that is ones not closely related to the geometry of the sensory apparatus or of the skeletomusculature. Here we show that an abstract code underlies movements of the head by the barn owl. Specifically, the data show that subsequent to the retinotopic code for space in the optic tectum yet before the motor neuron code for muscle tensions there exists a code for head movement in which upward, downward, leftward and rightward components of movement are controlled by four functionally distinct neural circuits. Such independent coding of orthogonal components of movement may be a common intermediate step in the transformation of sensation into behaviour.     

ATP excites a subpopulation of rat dorsal horn neurones

The peripheral receptive properties and central projections of different classes of dorsal root ganglion neurones are well characterized. Much less is known about the transmitters used by these neurones. Excitatory amino acids have been proposed as sensory transmitters but the sensitivity of virtually all central neurones to those compounds has made it difficult to assess their precise role in sensory transmission. Several neuropeptides have been localized within discrete subclasses of primary sensory neurones that project to the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord and may be afferent transmitters. However, only about one-third of spinal sensory neurones have been shown to contain neuropeptides. We have recently described the presence of a 5'-nucleotide hydrolysing acid phosphatase in a separate subpopulation of dorsal root ganglion neurones that project to the superficial dorsal horn. This enzyme also appears in certain autonomic and endocrine cells that contain high concentrations of releasable nucleotides in their storage granules. It is possible that the presence of this enzyme in sensory neurones is also associated with a releasable pool of nucleotides. Holton and Holton have provided evidence that ATP is released from the peripheral terminals of unmyelinated sensory fibres and have suggested that release of ATP might also occur from central sensory terminals. To investigate the possibility that nucleotides act as central sensory transmitters we have examined their actions on rat dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion neurones maintained in dissociated cell culture. We report here a selective and potent excitation of subpopulations of both neuronal types by ATP.     

Neurology: an ancient sensory organ in crocodilians

Crocodilians hunt at night, waiting half-submerged for land-bound prey to disturb the water surface. Here I show that crocodilians have specialized sensory organs on their faces that can detect small disruptions in the surface of the surrounding water, and which are linked to a dedicated, hypertrophied nerve system. Such 'dome' pressure receptors are also evident in fossils from the Jurassic period, indicating that these semi-aquatic predators solved the problem of combining armour with tactile sensitivity many millions of years ago.     

Drosophila Stardust interacts with Crumbs to control polarity of epithelia but not neuroblasts.

Establishing cellular polarity is critical for tissue organization and function. Initially discovered in the landmark genetic screen for Drosophila developmental mutants, bazooka, crumbs, shotgun and stardust mutants exhibit severe disruption in apicobasal polarity in embryonic epithelia, resulting in multilayered epithelia, tissue disintegration, and defects in cuticle formation. Here we report that stardust encodes single PDZ domain MAGUK (membrane-associated guanylate kinase) proteins that are expressed in all primary embryonic epithelia from the onset of gastrulation. Stardust colocalizes with Crumbs at the apicolateral boundary, although their expression patterns in sensory organs differ. Stardust binds to the carboxy terminus of Crumbs in vitro, and Stardust and Crumbs are mutually dependent in their stability, localization and function in controlling the apicobasal polarity of epithelial cells. However, for the subset of ectodermal cells that delaminate and form neuroblasts, their polarity requires the function of Bazooka, but not of Stardust or Crumbs.