Encoding of conditioned fear in central amygdala inhibitory circuits

The central amygdala (CEA), a nucleus predominantly composed of GABAergic inhibitory neurons, is essential for fear conditioning. How the acquisition and expression of conditioned fear are encoded within CEA inhibitory circuits is not understood. Using in vivo electrophysiological, optogenetic and pharmacological approaches in mice, we show that neuronal activity in the lateral subdivision of the central amygdala (CEl) is required for fear acquisition, whereas conditioned fear responses are driven by output neurons in the medial subdivision (CEm). Functional circuit analysis revealed that inhibitory CEA microcircuits are highly organized and that cell-type-specific plasticity of phasic and tonic activity in the CEl to CEm pathway may gate fear expression and regulate fear generalization. Our results define the functional architecture of CEA microcircuits and their role in the acquisition and regulation of conditioned fear behaviour.     

Genetic dissection of an amygdala microcircuit that gates conditioned fear

The role of different amygdala nuclei (neuroanatomical subdivisions) in processing Pavlovian conditioned fear has been studied extensively, but the function of the heterogeneous neuronal subtypes within these nuclei remains poorly understood. Here we use molecular genetic approaches to map the functional connectivity of a subpopulation of GABA-containing neurons, located in the lateral subdivision of the central amygdala (CEl), which express protein kinase C-δ (PKC-δ). Channelrhodopsin-2-assisted circuit mapping in amygdala slices and cell-specific viral tracing indicate that PKC-δ(+) neurons inhibit output neurons in the medial central amygdala (CEm), and also make reciprocal inhibitory synapses with PKC-δ(-) neurons in CEl. Electrical silencing of PKC-δ(+) neurons in vivo suggests that they correspond to physiologically identified units that are inhibited by the conditioned stimulus, called CEl(off) units. This correspondence, together with behavioural data, defines an inhibitory microcircuit in CEl that gates CEm output to control the level of conditioned freezing.     

Neurons in medial prefrontal cortex signal memory for fear extinction

Conditioned fear responses to a tone previously paired with a shock diminish if the tone is repeatedly presented without the shock, a process known as extinction. Since Pavlov it has been hypothesized that extinction does not erase conditioning, but forms a new memory. Destruction of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, which consists of infralimbic and prelimbic cortices, blocks recall of fear extinction, indicating that medial prefrontal cortex might store long-term extinction memory. Here we show that infralimbic neurons recorded during fear conditioning and extinction fire to the tone only when rats are recalling extinction on the following day. Rats that froze the least showed the greatest increase in infralimbic tone responses. We also show that conditioned tones paired with brief electrical stimulation of infralimbic cortex elicit low freezing in rats that had not been extinguished. Thus, stimulation resembling extinction-induced infralimbic tone responses is able to simulate extinction memory. We suggest that consolidation of extinction learning potentiates infralimbic activity, which inhibits fear during subsequent encounters with fear stimuli.     

Different time courses of learning-related activity in the prefrontal cortex and striatum

To navigate our complex world, our brains have evolved a sophisticated ability to quickly learn arbitrary rules such as 'stop at red'. Studies in monkeys using a laboratory test of this capacity--conditional association learning--have revealed that frontal lobe structures (including the prefrontal cortex) as well as subcortical nuclei of the basal ganglia are involved in such learning. Neural correlates of associative learning have been observed in both brain regions, but whether or not these regions have unique functions is unclear, as they have typically been studied separately using different tasks. Here we show that during associative learning in monkeys, neural activity in these areas changes at different rates: the striatum (an input structure of the basal ganglia) showed rapid, almost bistable, changes compared with a slower trend in the prefrontal cortex that was more in accordance with slow improvements in behavioural performance. Also, pre-saccadic activity began progressively earlier in the striatum but not in the prefrontal cortex as learning took place. These results support the hypothesis that rewarded associations are first identified by the basal ganglia, the output of which 'trains' slower learning mechanisms in the frontal cortex.     

Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgements

The psychological and neurobiological processes underlying moral judgement have been the focus of many recent empirical studies. Of central interest is whether emotions play a causal role in moral judgement, and, in parallel, how emotion-related areas of the brain contribute to moral judgement. Here we show that six patients with focal bilateral damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPC), a brain region necessary for the normal generation of emotions and, in particular, social emotions, produce an abnormally 'utilitarian' pattern of judgements on moral dilemmas that pit compelling considerations of aggregate welfare against highly emotionally aversive behaviours (for example, having to sacrifice one person's life to save a number of other lives). In contrast, the VMPC patients' judgements were normal in other classes of moral dilemmas. These findings indicate that, for a selective set of moral dilemmas, the VMPC is critical for normal judgements of right and wrong. The findings support a necessary role for emotion in the generation of those judgements.     

The role of the anterior prefrontal cortex in human cognition.

Complex problem-solving and planning involve the most anterior part of the frontal lobes including the fronto-polar prefrontal cortex (FPPC), which is especially well developed in humans compared with other primates. The specific role of this region in human cognition, however, is poorly understood. Here we show, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, that bilateral regions in the FPPC alone are selectively activated when subjects have to keep in mind a main goal while performing concurrent (sub)goals. Neither keeping in mind a goal over time (working memory) nor successively allocating attentional resources between alternative goals (dual-task performance) could by themselves activate these regions. Our results indicate that the FPPC selectively mediates the human ability to hold in mind goals while exploring and processing secondary goals, a process generally required in planning and reasoning.     

电刺激大鼠mPFC对听皮层神经元听反应的影响

实验在40只成年SD大鼠上进行,使用常规电生理学方法,观察了电刺激大鼠内侧额叶前皮质(medial prefrontal cortex, mPFC)对听皮层神经元听反应的影响.在122个神经元上观察了电刺激mPFC对听反应的影响.对其中93个神经元作了详细分析发现,有73个神经元的听反应受到易化（39个,41.9%）或抑制（34个,36.6%）.刺激mPFC对听反应的影响存在最佳刺激间隔,大多数神经元（51个,69%）在10~15 ms之间.结果提示,大鼠mPFC可对听皮层神经元的听反应调制,这种调制可能是通过多级神经元环路实现的.     

滤子极大理想的表示

借助滤子极大理想的定义,在偏序集引入并考察上集极大理想和余定向集极大理想的概念,证明其相应的存在性定理以及上集极大理想和余定向集极大理想在不同条件下的等价形式,并推出偏序集上滤子极大理想的表示定理。     

刺激大鼠杏仁外侧核对听皮层神经元调频声反应的影响

采用在体细胞外单细胞记录方法,研究电刺激杏仁外侧核对调频声所诱发的听皮层神经元反应的影响.实验在34只乌拉坦麻醉的SD大鼠上进行,在皮层41区记录了113个对调频声有反应的细胞电活动.观察发现,这些神经元对调频声刺激的反应可分为ON反应,OFF反应,ON-OFF反应,持续性反应和给声抑制反应几种类型.在观察对其中42个神经元的声反应时给予了杏仁外侧核电刺激,其中22%的神经元反应被易化,48%的神经元反应受到了抑制,另外30%神经元的声反应未受杏仁外侧核刺激的影响.这些影响进一步表明,杏仁复合体可在皮层水平参与听觉上传信息的处理,包括听觉信息的加工与整合.同时也表明杏仁核在上传听觉信息的筛选中可能具有重要的作用.     

代数体函数公共值的相对亏值

本文定义了平面上代数体函数关于其导函数的相对亏值和绝对亏值. 进而研究了具有公共值的两个$v$值代数体$W(z),M(z)$分别在条件 $N(r,frac{1}{W})=S(r,W),~~N(r,frac{1}{M})=S(r,M)$与$T(r,W')sim lT(r,W),~~T(r,M')sim lT(r,M)$下关于公共值的相对亏值, 所得结果推广了Singh A.p.关于亚纯函数的结果.     

时间尺度上非完整系统相对于非惯性系的Lie对称性

对时间尺度上非完整系统相对于非惯性系的Lie对称性及守恒量进行研究.基于Hamilton原理和Dubois-Reymond引理推导出该系统的运动微分方程;再根据无限小变换不变性得出时间尺度上相对于非惯性系的Lie对称性确定方程和限制方程,进一步引出结构方程以及相应守恒量;最后,通过算例对结果进行应用.     

CAI对数学课堂教学模式的转化及思考

论述CAI对传统课堂教学模式的转化,并进行分析比较,提出一些思考性问题     

The contribution of sensory experience to the maturation of orientation selectivity in ferret visual cortex.

Sensory experience begins when neural circuits in the cerebral cortex are still immature; however, the contribution of experience to cortical maturation remains unclear. In the visual cortex, the selectivity of neurons for oriented stimuli at the time of eye opening is poor and increases dramatically after the onset of visual experience. Here we investigate whether visual experience has a significant role in the maturation of orientation selectivity and underlying cortical circuits using two forms of deprivation: dark rearing, which completely eliminates experience, and binocular lid suture, which alters the pattern of sensory driven activity. Orientation maps were present in dark-reared ferrets, but fully mature levels of tuning were never attained. In contrast, only rudimentary levels of orientation selectivity were observed in lid-sutured ferrets. Despite these differences, horizontal connections in both groups were less extensive and less clustered than normal, suggesting that long-range cortical processing is not essential for the expression of orientation selectivity, but may be needed for the full maturation of tuning. Thus, experience is beneficial or highly detrimental to cortical maturation, depending on the pattern of sensory driven activity.     

大气臭氧对太阳自转活动的响应．

采用交叉谱分析方法，通过年全球平均的大气臭氧总量和１０．７ｃｍ大阳通量两时间序列的对比分析发现，大气臭氧的短期变化和大阳自转活动之间有着极为密切的相关关系：大气臭氧准２７天周期变化和太阳１０．７ｃｍ辐射通量之间存在约１４０°的位相差，落后时间为１０．２天．／／关键词     

典型滨海湿地沉积物反硝化与硝态氮氨化 相对重要性研究

为揭示典型滨海湿地沉积物中硝态氮还原特征与规律,以长江入海口崇明东滩湿地为对象,采集不同季节和植被条件下(芦苇、互花米草、互花米草-芦苇混合区与光滩)沉积物,借助¹⁵N同位素稀释技术,测定反硝化(Den)与硝态氮氨化(DNRA)速率的变化,探讨两者的相对重要性特征。结果表明:①冬季,互花米草群落沉积物Den速率达31.29 μg/(kg·h),显著高于其他植物群落及光滩(P<0.05),但其在春、夏、秋季最低,仅为2.35～3.36 μg/(kg·h)。表明,冬季可能是互花米草群落沉积物氮素Den逸失高峰期。②春、冬季节光滩带沉积物DNRA速率(>120 μg/(kg·h))明显高于有植被沉积物(<80 μg/(kg·h))。然而,从不同植物群落看来,互花米草群落DNRA速率显著高于其他植物群落及光滩(P<0.05)。相比较而言,夏、秋季节光滩带沉积物DNRA速率显著低于其他植物群落,但其他3个植物群落之间并没有显著差异。表明,春、冬季节互花米草群落更有利于沉积物NO^-₃的氨化。③春、夏、秋3个季节,互花米草群落沉积物DNRA与Den速率的比值(17～29)显著高于其他植物群落(1～14),然而,其在冬季显著低于其他植物群落(P<0.05)。显然,DNRA过程主导着滨海湿地沉积物中NO^-₃的还原。就植物调控策略而言,减控互花米草有助于湿地富营养化和N₂O排放的控制。     

回归系数一类线性估计与广义最小二乘估计的相对效率

在均方误差矩阵准则下研究了回归系数的一类线性估计相对于广义最小二乘估计的优良性问题,并讨论了三种不同相对效率的上、下界.     

Cd胁迫对湿地沉积物反硝化与氨化相对重要性的影响

【目的】探讨全球变暖及人为活动加速背景下,重金属对滨海湿地氮素转化的影响,揭示湿地沉积物中镉(Cd)含量及其形态变化对沉积物反硝化(Den)和硝态氮氨化(DNRA)强度及二者相对重要性(Q_DNRA/Den)的影响。【方法】采集崇明东滩湿地3种覆被(芦苇、互花米草和光滩)类型下的沉积物,外源添加不同剂量的Cd,借助¹⁵N同位素示踪技术观测沉积物Den和DNRA强度的变化,分析不同含量及形态Cd的影响。【结果】添加低剂量Cd(0.05～0.30 mg/kg)条件下,3种覆被类型沉积物的Q_DNRA/Den均明显升高(6.9%～53.4%),硝态氮的还原趋向DNRA途径。相比较而言,互花米草植被下沉积物的Q_DNRA/Den高出芦苇3.1～5.4倍。这表明,互花米草植被可能加速沉积物中硝态氮通过DNRA途径还原。此外,芦苇植被下沉积物Den、DNRA强度主要受可交换态和可还原态Cd的影响,但互花米草植被下主要为可氧化态Cd。【结论】滨海湿地沉积物中低剂量Cd刺激硝态氮的还原趋向DNRA途径,影响沉积物Den、DNRA强度的Cd形态因覆被类型不同而存在明显差异。     

太阳能电池板跟踪与太阳相对地面的运动轨道研究

实验研究表明,跟踪太阳时太阳能电池板的输出功率要比电池板方位角固定时高出36.7%。因此,为了更加充分有效地利用太阳能,我们通过研究太阳与地球相对运动规律来确定如何选取太阳能电池方阵的方位角与倾斜角并以此设计出跟踪太阳的方案,达到提高电池板输出功率的目的。     

松材线虫拮抗细菌的筛选和鉴定

为了筛选对松材线虫(Bursaphelenchus xylophilus)具有较高杀线活性的拮抗细菌,从马尾松林中分离获得了230株细菌,并从中筛选出8株对松材线虫具有较高杀线活性的细菌,其中JK-JS3菌株对松材线虫的杀线活性最高.将该细菌培养滤液分别稀释2倍、4倍、10倍处理松材线虫,72h后线虫的死亡率均达到100%;线虫死亡后虫体消解,消解率分别为100%、97.8%、96.4%.测定了该细菌培养滤液对香蕉穿孔线虫(Radopholus similis)和水稻干尖线虫(Aphelenchoides besseyi)等植物线虫的杀线活性,结果表明对不同种的线虫杀线活性有差异.该菌株培养滤液对松材线虫和小杆线虫(Rhabditis sp.)的杀线活性最高,其余杀线活性从高到低依次为拟松材线虫(Bursaphelenchus mucronatus)、腐生线虫(Panagrellus redivivus)、香蕉穿孔线虫和水稻干尖线虫.形态特征和革兰氏染色观察,该细菌为革兰氏阳性菌、产芽孢、具有周生鞭毛;经Biolog细菌鉴定仪进一步鉴定该细菌为解淀粉芽孢杆菌(Bacillus amyloliquefaciens).