Visual categorization shapes feature selectivity in the primate temporal cortex.

The way that we perceive and interact with objects depends on our previous experience with them. For example, a bird expert is more likely to recognize a bird as a sparrow, a sandpiper or a cockatiel than a non-expert. Neurons in the inferior temporal cortex have been shown to be important in the representation of visual objects; however, it is unknown which object features are represented and how these representations are affected by categorization training. Here we show that feature selectivity in the macaque inferior temporal cortex is shaped by categorization of objects on the basis of their visual features. Specifically, we recorded from single neurons while monkeys performed a categorization task with two sets of parametric stimuli. Each stimulus set consisted of four varying features, but only two of the four were important for the categorization task (diagnostic features). We found enhanced neuronal representation of the diagnostic features relative to the non-diagnostic ones. These findings demonstrate that stimulus features important for categorization are instantiated in the activity of single units (neurons) in the primate inferior temporal cortex.     

Surface Waviness in Grinding of Thin Mould Insert Using Chilled Air as Coolant

On going trend of miniaturization in electronic rel at ed parts, which is an average of two times in every 5～7 years introduce grindin g challenges. In grinding process, the surface waviness control of thin parts is an ardent task due to its warpage, induced by the high specific grinding energy (2～10 J/mm 3). Therefore, coolant is often used to avoid thermal damage, obtai n better surface integrity and to prolong wheel life. However coolant, the incomp ressibility media introduce high forces at the gri...     

Heat shock proteins and infection: interactions of pathogen and host.

Invasive microorganisms encounter defensive attempts of the host to starve, destroy and eliminate the infection. In experimental model systems aiming to imitate defensive actions of the host, microorganisms respond by the rapid acceleration in the rate of expression of heat shock and other stress proteins. Heat shock proteins (hsp) of most if not all pathogens are major immune targets for both B- and T-cells. Host cells involved in the defensive action cannot avoid exposure to their own reactive compounds, such as oxygen radicals, resulting in premature cell death and tissue damage. Long-term consequences to the host may include cancer. In cells in tissue culture, induction of host-specific hsps occurs upon exposure to oxidants and in viral infections. Drugs that bind to members of the hsp70 family induce peroxisome proliferation and hepatocarcinoma, but may open the way for the development of novel drugs in support of antimetabolite treatment of infections and cancer.     

Acquired immunity and epidemiology of Schistosoma haematobium

Human immune responses to schistosome infection have been characterized in detail. But there has been controversy over the relative importance of ecological factors (variation in exposure to infection) and immunological factors (acquired immunity) in determining the relationships between levels of infection and age typically found in areas where infection is endemic. Independent effects of exposure and age on the rates of reinfection with Schistosoma haematobium after chemotherapy have been demonstrated in the Gambia and Zimbabwe. This age effect could be the result of acquired immunity to infection. Indeed, allowing for variation in exposure and age, low rates of reinfection in the Gambia are correlated with high amounts of specific IgE antibodies--human IgE can kill S. mansoni schistosomulae in vitro. Further, animals can acquire immunologically mediated resistance to S. mansoni infection, although nonimmunological factors could also be involved. Acquisition of this immunity seems to be related to the cumulative effects of repeated infection and provides only partial protection. These characteristics are consistent with immuno-epidemiological data for both S. mansoni and S. haematobium infections of humans. We have now analysed age-prevalence data for human infection with S. haematobium, and find patterns of variation that are indeed consistent with the epidemiological effects of acquired immunity predicted by mathematical models.     

Rapid-time-course miniature and evoked excitatory currents at cerebellar synapses in situ.

Neurotransmission from mossy fibre terminals onto cerebellar granule cells is almost certainly mediated by L-glutamate. By taking advantage of the small soma size, limited number of processes and short dendrite length of granule cells, we have obtained high-resolution recordings of spontaneous miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (m.e.p.s.cs) and evoked currents in thin cerebellar slices. Miniature currents have a similar time-course and pharmacology to evoked currents and consist of an exceptionally fast non-NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) component (measured rise-time, 200 microseconds; estimated pre-filtered rise-time less than 100 microseconds; decay time constant, tau = 1.0 ms), followed by 50 pS NMDA channel openings that are directly resolvable. We could find no evidence for the recent proposal that miniature currents in granule cells are mediated solely by NMDA channels with a novel time course. The non-NMDA receptor component of m.e.p.s.cs has a skewed amplitude distribution, which suggests potential complications for quantal analysis. The difference in time course between the m.e.p.s.cs reported here and other synaptic currents in the brain could reflect differences in synaptic function or electrotonic filtering; the relative contribution of these possibilities has yet to be established.     

Preferential hydrophobic interactions are responsible for a preference of D-amino acids in the aminoacylation of 5'-AMP with hydrophobic amino acids.

We have studied the chemistry of aminoacyl AMP to model reactions at the 3' terminus of aminoacyl tRNA for the purpose of understanding the origin of protein synthesis. The present studies relate to the D, L preference in the esterification of 5'-AMP. All N-acetyl amino acids we studied showed faster reaction of the D-isomer, with a generally decreasing preference for D-isomer as the hydrophobicity of the amino acid decreased. The beta-branched amino acids, Ile and Val, showed an extreme preference for D-isomer. Ac-Leu, the gamma-branched amino acid, showed a slightly low D/L ratio relative to its hydrophobicity. The molecular basis for these preferences for D-isomer is understandable in the light of our previous studies and seems to be due to preferential hydrophobic interaction of the D-isomer with adenine. The preference for hydrophobic D-amino acids can be decreased by addition of an organic solvent to the reaction medium. Conversely, peptidylation with Ac-PhePhe shows a preference for the LL isomer over the DD isomer.     

Cyclosporine is angiostatic

The systemic effect of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine (CS) on formation of new blood vessels was studied quantitatively in rats using the mesenteric-window assay. Angiogenesis was induced by i.p. injection of saline. CS at a s.c. dose of 4 mg/kg/day, which is in the range used clinically, suppressed angiogenesis (inhibiting branching or tortuosity more than spatial expansion), and appeared to be non-toxic. This is the first report on an apparently selective angiostatic effect of CS. The finding is likely to have implications for the clinical use of CS, not only in certain types of organ transplantation but possibly also in psoriasis and other angiogenesis-dependent diseases.     

Mutation of the matrix metalloproteinase 2 gene (MMP2) causes a multicentric osteolysis and arthritis syndrome.

The inherited osteolyses or 'vanishing bone' syndromes are a group of rare disorders of unknown etiology characterized by destruction and resorption of affected bones. The multicentric osteolyses are notable for interphalangeal joint erosions that mimic severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (OMIMs 166300, 259600, 259610 and 277950). We recently described an autosomal recessive form of multicentric osteolysis with carpal and tarsal resorption, crippling arthritic changes, marked osteoporosis, palmar and plantar subcutaneous nodules and distinctive facies in a number of consanguineous Saudi Arabian families. We localized the disease gene to 16q12-21 by using members of these families for a genome-wide search for homozygous-by-descent microsatellite markers. Haplotype analysis narrowed the critical region to a 1.2-cM region that spans the gene encoding MMP-2 (gelatinase A, collagenase type IV; (ref. 3). We detected no MMP2 enzymatic activity in the serum or fibroblasts of affected family members. We identified two family-specific homoallelic MMP2 mutations: R101H and Y244X. The nonsense mutation effects a deletion of the substrate-binding and catalytic sites and the fibronectin type II-like and hemopexin/TIMP2 binding domains. Based on molecular modeling, the missense mutation disrupts hydrogen bond formation within the highly conserved prodomain adjacent to the catalytic zinc ion.     

分子间作用力对制备含有机废弃之水泥浆体影响研究

研究以水泥处理固体有机物时，有机物对水泥水化的影响。以膜流模式说明水份在水泥浆体内传输的现象。水膜存在半干之水泥浆体，其厚度小于100nm，膜流由离分压所驱动，而离分压来自分子间作用力。膜拟结果发现，水泥浆体内局部位置可用以进行水化之水量为Q=-Aslv／6vπ。当有机物添加在水泥浆体内时，会影响Hamaker常数，Aslv因此可能使膜流不稳定或完全抑制膜流，因而使水泥浆体内局部缺水，影响水化进行，造成成品强度降低，影响品质。