Neocortical excitation/inhibition balance in information processing and social dysfunction

Severe behavioural deficits in psychiatric diseases such as autism and schizophrenia have been hypothesized to arise from elevations in the cellular balance of excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) within neural microcircuitry. This hypothesis could unify diverse streams of pathophysiological and genetic evidence, but has not been susceptible to direct testing. Here we design and use several novel optogenetic tools to causally investigate the cellular E/I balance hypothesis in freely moving mammals, and explore the associated circuit physiology. Elevation, but not reduction, of cellular E/I balance within the mouse medial prefrontal cortex was found to elicit a profound impairment in cellular information processing, associated with specific behavioural impairments and increased high-frequency power in the 30-80?Hz range, which have both been observed in clinical conditions in humans. Consistent with the E/I balance hypothesis, compensatory elevation of inhibitory cell excitability partially rescued social deficits caused by E/I balance elevation. These results provide support for the elevated cellular E/I balance hypothesis of severe neuropsychiatric disease-related symptoms.     

Antibodies to human serum amyloid P component eliminate visceral amyloid deposits

Accumulation of amyloid fibrils in the viscera and connective tissues causes systemic amyloidosis, which is responsible for about one in a thousand deaths in developed countries. Localized amyloid can also have serious consequences; for example, cerebral amyloid angiopathy is an important cause of haemorrhagic stroke. The clinical presentations of amyloidosis are extremely diverse and the diagnosis is rarely made before significant organ damage is present. There is therefore a major unmet need for therapy that safely promotes the clearance of established amyloid deposits. Over 20 different amyloid fibril proteins are responsible for different forms of clinically significant amyloidosis and treatments that substantially reduce the abundance of the respective amyloid fibril precursor proteins can arrest amyloid accumulation. Unfortunately, control of fibril-protein production is not possible in some forms of amyloidosis and in others it is often slow and hazardous. There is no therapy that directly targets amyloid deposits for enhanced clearance. However, all amyloid deposits contain the normal, non-fibrillar plasma glycoprotein, serum amyloid P component (SAP). Here we show that administration of anti-human-SAP antibodies to mice with amyloid deposits containing human SAP triggers a potent, complement-dependent, macrophage-derived giant cell reaction that swiftly removes massive visceral amyloid deposits without adverse effects. Anti-SAP-antibody treatment is clinically feasible because circulating human SAP can be depleted in patients by the bis-d-proline compound CPHPC, thereby enabling injected anti-SAP antibodies to reach residual SAP in the amyloid deposits. The unprecedented capacity of this novel combined therapy to eliminate amyloid deposits should be applicable to all forms of systemic and local amyloidosis.     

纳米复合质子传导膜中温硫化氢固体氧化物燃料电池的研究

应用溶胶-凝胶法制备了中温硫化氢固体氧化物燃料电池的纳米复合质子传导膜。用SEM和EDX对纳米复合膜进行了观察和表征，并与传统工艺制备的电解膜（微米级）的性能进行了比较。探讨了微米级和纳米级的复合Li2SO4＋A12O3膜的离子传导性随温度变化规律。与传统的工艺采用相同组分制备的微米级电解膜相比，纳米复合膜的微观结构、致密性、机械强度和离子传导性均得到改善，而最显著改善是膜的离子传导性能。纳米复合Li2SO4＋Al2O3膜的中温硫化氢固体氧化物燃料电池的性能较稳定，察觉不到膜两侧的气体穿过膜扩散到另一侧。在750℃和101．13kPa下，电池的最大输出功率密度为135mW·cm^-2，最大电流密度为480mA·cm^-2。     

Genomic perspectives in microbial oceanography

The global ocean is an integrated living system where energy and matter transformations are governed by interdependent physical, chemical and biotic processes. Although the fundamentals of ocean physics and chemistry are well established, comprehensive approaches to describing and interpreting oceanic microbial diversity and processes are only now emerging. In particular, the application of genomics to problems in microbial oceanography is significantly expanding our understanding of marine microbial evolution, metabolism and ecology. Integration of these new genome-enabled insights into the broader framework of ocean science represents one of the great contemporary challenges for microbial oceanographers.     

中温质子传导膜H2S燃料电池电极催化剂

研究了基于三相边界层理论设计的中温质子传导膜H₂S燃料电池的阳极与阴极催化剂．考察了3种阳极催化剂Pt、MoS₂：及复合金属硫化物(MoS₂ /NiS)电化学氧化硫化氢的性能和在硫化氢环境下的化学稳定性,发现MoS₂：和复合MoS₂/NiS催化剂比Pt具有更好的催化活性,但MoS₂在温度超过450℃时会升华,而含有Mo和过渡金属Ni的复合MoS₂ /NiS催化剂在操作条件下很稳定．文中还研究了两种阴极催化剂Pt与复合NiO催化剂的电化学性能,发现复合NiO催化剂比Pt电极具有更低的过电位和更好的电化学性能;虽然复合电极的导电性比Pt差些,但是这一问题可以通过在电极中掺杂10%的Ag粉解决．由H₂S、(MoS₂+NiS+Ag+电解质+淀粉)/Li₂SO₄-Al₂O₃/(NiO+Ag+电解质+淀粉)、空气构成的燃料电池在101．13 kPa和600~680 ℃下的电化学特性研究表明,电池最大输出电流密度和功率密度在680℃时分别达到240mA/cm² 和70mW/cm² ．     

A new phylum of Archaea represented by a nanosized hyperthermophilic symbiont

According to small subunit ribosomal RNA (ss rRNA) sequence comparisons all known Archaea belong to the phyla Crenarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, and--indicated only by environmental DNA sequences--to the 'Korarchaeota'. Here we report the cultivation of a new nanosized hyperthermophilic archaeon from a submarine hot vent. This archaeon cannot be attached to one of these groups and therefore must represent an unknown phylum which we name 'Nanoarchaeota' and species, which we name 'Nanoarchaeum equitans'. Cells of 'N. equitans' are spherical, and only about 400 nm in diameter. They grow attached to the surface of a specific archaeal host, a new member of the genus Ignicoccus. The distribution of the 'Nanoarchaeota' is so far unknown. Owing to their unusual ss rRNA sequence, members remained undetectable by commonly used ecological studies based on the polymerase chain reaction. 'N. equitans' harbours the smallest archaeal genome; it is only 0.5 megabases in size. This organism will provide insight into the evolution of thermophily, of tiny genomes and of interspecies communication.     

Influence of soil frost on infiltration of shrub coppice dune and dune interspace soils in southeastern Nevada

The influence of soil frost on the infiltration rate of shrub coppice dune and dune interspace soils was evaluated near Crystal Springs, Nevada, using simulated rainfall. The infiltration rate of the coppice dune soil was greater than the dune interspace soil under frozen or unfrozen conditions. Because of different vegetation cover and surface soil characteristics, coppice dune and dune interspace soils responded differently to freezing, thus imposing a spatial and temporal response to infiltration rate. Infiltration rate of soils with porous concrete frost increased as the soils thawed during simulated rainfall, but soils with nonporous concrete frost allowed very little infiltration to occur. Both coppice dune and dune interspace soils that were classified in January as having granular frost had a higher infiltration rate than the same unfrozen soils in March.