Deciphering a neuronal circuit that mediates appetite

Hypothalamic neurons that co-express agouti-related protein (AgRP), neuropeptide?Y and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are known to promote feeding and weight gain by integration of various nutritional, hormonal, and neuronal signals. Ablation of these neurons in mice leads to cessation of feeding that is accompanied by activation of Fos in most regions where they project. Previous experiments have indicated that the ensuing starvation is due to aberrant activation of the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) and it could be prevented by facilitating GABA(A) receptor signalling in the PBN within a critical adaptation period. We speculated that loss of GABA signalling from AgRP-expressing neurons (AgRP neurons) within the PBN results in unopposed excitation of the PBN, which in turn inhibits feeding. However, the source of the excitatory inputs to the PBN was unknown. Here we show that glutamatergic neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and caudal serotonergic neurons control the excitability of PBN neurons and inhibit feeding. Blockade of serotonin (5-HT(3)) receptor signalling in the NTS by either the chronic administration of ondansetron or the genetic inactivation of Tph2 in caudal serotonergic neurons that project to the NTS protects against starvation when AgRP neurons are ablated. Likewise, genetic inactivation of glutamatergic signalling by the NTS onto N-methyl D-aspartate-type glutamate receptors in the PBN prevents starvation. We also show that suppressing glutamatergic output of the PBN reinstates normal appetite after AgRP neuron ablation, whereas it promotes weight gain without AgRP neuron ablation. Thus we identify the PBN as a hub that integrates signals from several brain regions to bidirectionally modulate feeding and body weight.     

上海公园绿地景观水体透明度影响因子研究

于2010年,以上海市90个公园绿地共107个景观水体为研究对象,通过野外调查与室内分析,探寻水体透明度与光衰减系数的关系,并在此基础上分析影响水体透明度的主要因子.研究结果表明：（1）上海市公园绿地景观水体透明度普遍较低,平均透明度为（0.54±0.24） m,98.31%的水体透明度低于1 m;（2）透明度与光学衰减系数显著负相关,两者之间可建立数学关系式为Kd=0.017+〖SX(〗1.12〖〗ST〖SX)〗;（3）悬浮物是上海城市公园绿地水体透明度的主导影响因子,总磷和铵态氮通过控制浮游藻类的营养水平来影响水体透明度.研究结果为科学合理地评价景观水体水质尤其是水体透明度提供测度,并为水体环境的改善、水生植被的构建及水体的养护管理提供科学依据.     

Developing space weathering on the asteroid 25143 Itokawa

Puzzlingly, the parent bodies of ordinary chondrites (the most abundant type of meteorites) do not seem to be abundant among asteroids. One possible explanation is that surfaces of the parent bodies become optically altered, to become the S-type asteroids which are abundant in the main asteroid belt. The process is called 'space weathering'-it makes the visible and near-infrared reflectance spectrum of a body darker and redder. A recent survey of small, near-Earth asteroids suggests that the surfaces of small S asteroids may have developing stages of space weathering. Here we report that a dark region on a small (550-metre) asteroid-25143 Itokawa-is significantly more space-weathered than a nearby bright region. Spectra of both regions are consistent with those of LL5-6 chondrites after continuum removal. A simple calculation suggests that the dark area has a shorter mean optical path length and about 0.04 per cent by volume more nanophase metallic iron particles than the bright area. This clearly shows that space-weathered materials accumulate on small asteroids, which are likely to be the parent bodies of LL chondrites. We conclude that, because LL meteorites are the least abundant of ordinary (H, L, and LL) chondrites, there must be many asteroids with ordinary-chondrite compositions in near-Earth orbits.     

一种新的Ka频段雨衰预测模型

雨衰的预测与计算是Ka频段卫星通信中的关键问题之一。分析了Ka频段DAH雨衰预测模型,归纳了DAH模型的计算步骤。基于维纳预测思想,提出了一种结构相对简单、计算量较小、易于迭代的新雨衰预测模型,给出了具体算法与步骤。仿真结果表明,新模型在水平、垂直和圆极化方式下具有与DAH模型几乎一致的变化特性,在不同地区也具有一致的预测效果,当阶数为2和3时,新雨衰预测模型与DAH模型最大偏差分别不大于0.065 dB和 0.005 dB。证明提出的新模型有效、算法简单,易于工程化。     

异方差半参数变系数部分线性EV模型的经验似然

利用经验似然方法考虑异方差半参数变系数部分线性EV模型中兴趣参数置信域的构造.分别在误差方差已知和未知情形下,构造模型参数部分的经验对数似然比统计量,并验证非参数情形下的Wilks定理成立.模拟研究表明经验似然估计方法具有优良的性质.     

基于F-范数的变换域通信系统同步参数估计算法

在异步条件下应用特征值分解算法估计变换域通信系统基函数时,分段得到的特征向量存在模糊现象,此时将造成系统接收性能的下降。为了解决此问题,提出了基函数周期序列的同步算法。详细分析估计基函数的特征值分解算法,推导接收数据的采样延时与其自协方差矩阵特征值的关系式,得到同步参数的最大似然估计方法,依据范数的等价性原理,进一步将最大似然估计中的最大特征值求解问题转化为F-范数的求解以降低算法复杂度。仿真结果表明:相比最大特征值算法,采用F-范数的估计算法性能一致,但计算时间明显减少,算法的估计精度与接收信噪比成正比。异步条件下当估计的基函数存在模糊时,系统接收性能在同步之后能得到较好的改善。