Retinotopic order in the absence of axon competition

The retinotectal projection has long been studied experimentally and theoretically, as a model for the formation of topographic brain maps. Neighbouring retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) project their axons to neighbouring positions in the optic tectum, thus re-establishing a continuous neural representation of visual space. Mapping along this axis requires chemorepellent signalling from tectal cells, expressing ephrin-A ligands, to retinal growth cones, expressing EphA receptors. High concentrations of ephrin A, increasing from anterior to posterior, prevent temporal axons from invading the posterior tectum. However, the force that drives nasal axons to extend past the anterior tectum and terminate in posterior regions remains to be identified. We tested whether axon-axon interactions, such as competition, are required for posterior tectum innervation. By transplanting blastomeres from a wild-type (WT) zebrafish into a lakritz (lak) mutant, which lacks all RGCs, we created chimaeras with eyes that contained single RGCs. These solitary RGCs often extended axons into the tectum, where they branched to form a terminal arbor. Here we show that the distal tips of these arbors were positioned at retinotopically appropriate positions, ruling out an essential role for competition in innervation of the ephrin-A-rich posterior tectum. However, solitary arbors were larger and more complex than under normal, crowded conditions, owing to a lack of pruning of proximal branches during refinement of the retinotectal projection. We conclude that dense innervation is not required for targeting of retinal axons within the zebrafish tectum but serves to restrict arbor size and shape.     

Role of sulphuric acid, ammonia and galactic cosmic rays in atmospheric aerosol nucleation

Atmospheric aerosols exert an important influence on climate through their effects on stratiform cloud albedo and lifetime and the invigoration of convective storms. Model calculations suggest that almost half of the global cloud condensation nuclei in the atmospheric boundary layer may originate from the nucleation of aerosols from trace condensable vapours, although the sensitivity of the number of cloud condensation nuclei to changes of nucleation rate may be small. Despite extensive research, fundamental questions remain about the nucleation rate of sulphuric acid particles and the mechanisms responsible, including the roles of galactic cosmic rays and other chemical species such as ammonia. Here we present the first results from the CLOUD experiment at CERN. We find that atmospherically relevant ammonia mixing ratios of 100 parts per trillion by volume, or less, increase the nucleation rate of sulphuric acid particles more than 100-1,000-fold. Time-resolved molecular measurements reveal that nucleation proceeds by a base-stabilization mechanism involving the stepwise accretion of ammonia molecules. Ions increase the nucleation rate by an additional factor of between two and more than ten at ground-level galactic-cosmic-ray intensities, provided that the nucleation rate lies below the limiting ion-pair production rate. We find that ion-induced binary nucleation of H(2)SO(4)-H(2)O can occur in the mid-troposphere but is negligible in the boundary layer. However, even with the large enhancements in rate due to ammonia and ions, atmospheric concentrations of ammonia and sulphuric acid are insufficient to account for observed boundary-layer nucleation.     

Extended megadroughts in the southwestern United States during Pleistocene interglacials

The potential for increased drought frequency and severity linked to anthropogenic climate change in the semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States (US) is a serious concern. Multi-year droughts during the instrumental period and decadal-length droughts of the past two millennia were shorter and climatically different from the future permanent, 'dust-bowl-like' megadrought conditions, lasting decades to a century, that are predicted as a consequence of warming. So far, it has been unclear whether or not such megadroughts occurred in the southwestern US, and, if so, with what regularity and intensity. Here we show that periods of aridity lasting centuries to millennia occurred in the southwestern US during mid-Pleistocene interglacials. Using molecular palaeotemperature proxies to reconstruct the mean annual temperature (MAT) in mid-Pleistocene lacustrine sediment from the Valles Caldera, New Mexico, we found that the driest conditions occurred during the warmest phases of interglacials, when the MAT was comparable to or higher than the modern MAT. A collapse of drought-tolerant C(4) plant communities during these warm, dry intervals indicates a significant reduction in summer precipitation, possibly in response to a poleward migration of the subtropical dry zone. Three MAT cycles ～2?°C in amplitude occurred within Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 and seem to correspond to the muted precessional cycles within this interglacial. In comparison with MIS 11, MIS 13 experienced higher precessional-cycle amplitudes, larger variations in MAT (4-6?°C) and a longer period of extended warmth, suggesting that local insolation variations were important to interglacial climatic variability in the southwestern US. Comparison of the early MIS 11 climate record with the Holocene record shows many similarities and implies that, in the absence of anthropogenic forcing, the region should be entering a cooler and wetter phase.     

Fine-mapping of SRT7 for short roots and identification of its candidate in rice

Three allelic short root mutants were identified by screening mutants with defective root elongation of the rice japonica cultivar Nipponbare mutant library generated via 60 Co γ-ray irradiation mutagenesis. These mutants, designated srt7-1 (short root 7-1), srt7-2 and srt7-3, respectively, had an extremely short seminal root, adventitious roots and lateral roots. Histological observation revealed the cell length of srt7 mutant roots was significantly shorter than that of wild-type roots. Genetic analysis i...     

Tumour evolution inferred by single-cell sequencing

Genomic analysis provides insights into the role of copy number variation in disease, but most methods are not designed to resolve mixed populations of cells. In tumours, where genetic heterogeneity is common, very important information may be lost that would be useful for reconstructing evolutionary history. Here we show that with flow-sorted nuclei, whole genome amplification and next generation sequencing we can accurately quantify genomic copy number within an individual nucleus. We apply single-nucleus sequencing to investigate tumour population structure and evolution in two human breast cancer cases. Analysis of 100 single cells from a polygenomic tumour revealed three distinct clonal subpopulations that probably represent sequential clonal expansions. Additional analysis of 100 single cells from a monogenomic primary tumour and its liver metastasis indicated that a single clonal expansion formed the primary tumour and seeded the metastasis. In both primary tumours, we also identified an unexpectedly abundant subpopulation of genetically diverse 'pseudodiploid' cells that do not travel to the metastatic site. In contrast to gradual models of tumour progression, our data indicate that tumours grow by punctuated clonal expansions with few persistent intermediates.     

对长江上游水资源工程建设的研究与建议(I)

对20世纪90年代以来长江上游河河川径流河川输沙量变化及其对长江水资源形势和水利工程的影响进行了初步研究和讨,对未来长江上游重要的大型水资源工程的宏观影响和作用进行了初步研究.结合长江流域和跨流域调水增加用水的需要和气候变化可能对长江水资源带来的不利影响,本着开源节流、有效管理与合理布局的思路,对长江上游水资源工程建设、管理及相关问题提出了若干初步看法与建议:①加快推进上游干支流控制性水资源工程建设;②对上游大型水资源工程统一管理和整体优化调度:③研究比当前南水北调西线工程更合理的线路布局;④全面治理洞庭湖,控制荆江河道出现的大幅度冲刷.     

高斯光束在中空圆形波导中的传输理论

利用高斯光束的傍轴光线近似、光在介质表面以及介质内传播的物理光学原理，并考虑到高斯光束在中空波导耦合端的衍射效应，用计算机数值模拟以及近似计算法导出了１０．６μｍ高斯光束通过不同的中空圆形波导的透过率．分析结果表明镀适当厚度的透明介质膜中空金属波导传输损耗较小，而常规的中空光纤损耗较大．分析了介质膜中空波导膜层厚度以及膜材料对光传输损耗的影响．还提出了镀介质膜中空锥形波导的结构，这种波导可以同时具有低耦合损耗与低传输损耗     

形成多角体家蚕重组病毒通用转移载体构建

从家蚕核型多角体病毒（ＢｍＮＰＶ）通用转称载体ｐＢＫ２８３和粉纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒（ＴｎＮＰＶ）转移载体ｐＳＸＩＶＶＩ＋Ｘ３系列出发，构建了一个７．２ｋｂ能形成多角体且可以用于克隆含不同读码框外源基因的ＢｍＮＰＶ通用转移载体系列ｐＢＭＸ３．ｐＢＭＸ３系列以ＢｍＮＰＶ多角体结构基因上游的１．９ｋｂ和下游１．３ｋｂ的片段作为与ＢｍＮＰＶ基因组进行体内同源重组的同源序列；ｐＳＸＩＶＶＩ＋Ｘ３系列的ＳＸＩＶ双启动子用于外源基因的表达；ＡｃＮＰＶ的多角体基因作为重组病毒形成多角体的基因．以ＢｍＮＰＶ－ＬａｃＺ（ｏｃｃ－ｇａｌ＋）为出发株病毒，ｐＢＭＸ３系列的重组病毒筛选有ｏｃｃ＋和ｇａｌ－两个遗传标记     

基于STL文件的阶梯剖分算法研究

针对制件规模受快速成形机工作空间限制及后处理时拼合精度难以保证的实际问题,提出了一种基于8TL格式文件的阶梯剖分算法．介绍了阶梯剖分的原理,详细阐述了剖分的具体步骤及算法,对可能出现的极限情况进行分类讨论．利用该套算法,可以在保证拼合精度的前提下解决快速成形系统对大型实体进行分割制造问题,扩大了制造的适应性,提高了生产效率．