Identification of Tim4 as a phosphatidylserine receptor

In programmed cell death, a large number of cells undergo apoptosis, and are engulfed by macrophages to avoid the release of noxious materials from the dying cells. In definitive erythropoiesis, nuclei are expelled from erythroid precursor cells and are engulfed by macrophages. Phosphatidylserine is exposed on the surface of apoptotic cells and on the nuclei expelled from erythroid precursor cells; it works as an 'eat me' signal for phagocytes. Phosphatidylserine is also expressed on the surface of exosomes involved in intercellular signalling. Here we established a library of hamster monoclonal antibodies against mouse peritoneal macrophages, and found an antibody that strongly inhibited the phosphatidylserine-dependent engulfment of apoptotic cells. The antigen recognized by the antibody was identified by expression cloning as a type I transmembrane protein called Tim4 (T-cell immunoglobulin- and mucin-domain-containing molecule; also known as Timd4). Tim4 was expressed in Mac1+ cells in various mouse tissues, including spleen, lymph nodes and fetal liver. Tim4 bound apoptotic cells by recognizing phosphatidylserine via its immunoglobulin domain. The expression of Tim4 in fibroblasts enhanced their ability to engulf apoptotic cells. When the anti-Tim4 monoclonal antibody was administered into mice, the engulfment of apoptotic cells by thymic macrophages was significantly blocked, and the mice developed autoantibodies. Among the other Tim family members, Tim1, but neither Tim2 nor Tim3, specifically bound phosphatidylserine. Tim1- or Tim4-expressing Ba/F3 B cells were bound by exosomes via phosphatidylserine, and exosomes stimulated the interaction between Tim1 and Tim4. These results indicate that Tim4 and Tim1 are phosphatidylserine receptors for the engulfment of apoptotic cells, and may also be involved in intercellular signalling in which exosomes are involved.     

Dynamic Latent Class Model Averaging for Online Prediction

We consider the problem of online prediction when it is uncertain what the best prediction model to use is. We develop a method called dynamic latent class model averaging, which combines a state‐space model for the parameters of each of the candidate models of the system with a Markov chain model for the best model. We propose a polychotomous regression model for the transition weights to assume that the probability of a change in time depends on the past through the values of the most recent time periods and spatial correlation among the regions. The evolution of the parameters in each submodel is defined by exponential forgetting. This structure allows the ‘correct’ model to vary over both time and regions. In contrast to existing methods, the proposed model naturally incorporates clustering and prediction analysis in a single unified framework. We develop an efficient Gibbs algorithm for computation, and we demonstrate the value of our framework on simulated experiments and on a real‐world problem: forecasting IBM's corporate revenue. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nuclear cataract caused by a lack of DNA degradation in the mouse eye lens

The eye lens is composed of fibre cells, which develop from the epithelial cells on the anterior surface of the lens. Differentiation into a lens fibre cell is accompanied by changes in cell shape, the expression of crystallins and the degradation of cellular organelles. The loss of organelles is believed to ensure the transparency of the lens, but the molecular mechanism behind this process is not known. Here we show that DLAD ('DNase II-like acid DNase', also called DNase IIbeta) is expressed in human and murine lens cells, and that mice deficient in the DLAD gene are incapable of degrading DNA during lens cell differentiation--the undigested DNA accumulates in the fibre cells. The DLAD-/- mice develop cataracts of the nucleus lentis, and their response to light on electroretinograms is severely reduced. These results indicate that DLAD is responsible for the degradation of nuclear DNA during lens cell differentiation, and that if DNA is left undigested in the lens, it causes cataracts of the nucleus lentis, blocking the light path.     

Vegetation Spatial Heterogeneity of Different Soil Regions in Inner Mongolia, China

The vegetation spatial heterogeneity and ecological characteristics in different soil regions were analyzed by surveying the vegetation in 12 different soil regions of Inner Mongolia, China, including conifer- ous-broadleaf deciduous forests, shrub, grassland, and desert regions with 1122 large 2 cm × 2 cm quad- rats (actual size 30 km × 30 km, referred to as L-quadrat hereafter) in about 1.18 million km2. Each L- quadrat was divided into four small 1 cm × 1 cm quadrats (actual size 15 km × 15 km, S-quadrat). The vegetation was analyzed based on the beta-binomial distribution to describe the frequency of occurrence and spatial heterogeneity for each kind of vegetation. The weighted average of the heterogeneity of all vegeta- tion in the same soil region provides a measure of the soil regional landscape level heterogeneity which de- scribes the spatial complexity of the regional landscape composition of the existing vegetation. Comparison of the vegetation characteristics in the 12 soil regions shows that, the calcic gray soil has the highest average vegetation type per quadrat. The largest soil region is calcic chestnut soil and has the most vegetation types. Every soil region has its own dominant vegetation sequence which dominates in occurrence and dominant vegetation types which dominates in spatial heterogeneity. For the Inner Mongolian vegetation, the weighted average of the heterogeneity is 0.60 and the vegetation diversity index is 4.47.     

零下温度时二维通道内界面活性剂减阻流动的实验研究

为了进行零下温度时区域供冷系统的界面活性剂减阻设计,测量了-5℃时以质量分数为20%的甘醇不冻液为溶剂的界面活性剂溶液油醇基二羟乙基甲基氯化铵在二维通道内的减阻特性,同时用粒子成像测速仪对减阻流动的湍流特性进行了测量.实验发现:质量分数为5×10-5~5×10-4的低浓度油醇基二羟乙基甲基氯化铵界面活性剂溶液在一定的雷诺数范围内均呈现减阻特性,且其减阻特性与质量分数和温度呈复杂关系,最大减阻值可高达70%以上;在湍流液体中只需加入少量该界面活性剂即可大幅度减少液体输送的动力消耗.与单独的质量分数为20%的甘醇不冻液湍流流动相比,添加界面活性剂抑制了湍流速度脉动,使雷诺应力完全消失.     

Hierarchical hypergames and Bayesian games: A generalization of the theoretical comparison of hypergames and Bayesian games considering hierarchy of perceptions

This paper discusses the relationship of two independently developed models of games with incomplete information, hierarchical hypergames and Bayesian games. It can be considered as a generalization of the previous study on the theoretical comparison of simple hypergames and Bayesian games (Sasaki and Kijima, 2012) by taking into account hierarchy of perceptions, i.e., an agent’s perception about the other agents’ perceptions, and so on. The authors first introduce the general way of transformation of any hierarchical hypergames into corresponding Bayesian games, which was called as the Bayesian representation of hierarchical hypergames. The authors then show that some equilibrium concepts for hierarchical hypergames can be associated with those for Bayesian games and discuss implications of the results.     

Haemagglutinin mutations responsible for the binding of H5N1 influenza A viruses to human-type receptors

H5N1 influenza A viruses have spread to numerous countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, infecting not only large numbers of poultry, but also an increasing number of humans, often with lethal effects. Human and avian influenza A viruses differ in their recognition of host cell receptors: the former preferentially recognize receptors with saccharides terminating in sialic acid-alpha2,6-galactose (SAalpha2,6Gal), whereas the latter prefer those ending in SAalpha2,3Gal (refs 3-6). A conversion from SAalpha2,3Gal to SAalpha2,6Gal recognition is thought to be one of the changes that must occur before avian influenza viruses can replicate efficiently in humans and acquire the potential to cause a pandemic. By identifying mutations in the receptor-binding haemagglutinin (HA) molecule that would enable avian H5N1 viruses to recognize human-type host cell receptors, it may be possible to predict (and thus to increase preparedness for) the emergence of pandemic viruses. Here we show that some H5N1 viruses isolated from humans can bind to both human and avian receptors, in contrast to those isolated from chickens and ducks, which recognize the avian receptors exclusively. Mutations at positions 182 and 192 independently convert the HAs of H5N1 viruses known to recognize the avian receptor to ones that recognize the human receptor. Analysis of the crystal structure of the HA from an H5N1 virus used in our genetic experiments shows that the locations of these amino acids in the HA molecule are compatible with an effect on receptor binding. The amino acid changes that we identify might serve as molecular markers for assessing the pandemic potential of H5N1 field isolates.     

界面活性剂减阻溶液在自由面旋转流中的流动特性研究

利用粒子成像测速仪系统对开口圆柱容器内由旋转底盘带动的低浓度十六烷基三甲基氯化铵界面活性剂溶液的旋转流动进行了实验研究.界面活性剂溶液的质量分数范围为5×10-5~1×10-3,雷诺数为4.3×104.实验得到了旋转流体自由面中心下陷深度与界面活性剂溶液质量分数和减阻之间的对应关系,为小黏弹性低浓度界面活性剂溶液的减阻特性判别提供了一种方法,同时也得到了界面活性剂溶液小黏弹性对自由面旋转流动涡结构的影响规律.实验发现对于水的自由面旋转流而言,其中央轴对称平面内的流动形态与低雷诺数情况有很大的不同,由离心力引起的惯性驱动涡被由涡分裂引起的反方向旋转涡推挤到自由面与容器壁面之间的角落内;对于质量分数为1×10-3的界面活性剂溶液而言,其中央轴对称平面内弹性驱动涡占主导地位,惯性驱动涡被挤压在容器底部与容器壁面之间的角落内.     

改进的阶梯电压方法研究LSM-YSZ阴极的极化活化

改进的阶梯电压测试方法用来测试用LSM-YSZ作为阴极的NiO-YSZ阳极支撑SOFC的性能,从电池开路电压开始测试,电压台阶为0.1 V,在每一个电压台阶保持的时间为30 min,在OCV-1V结束测试.对每一个电压台阶的电流密度和功率密度曲线进行线性拟合,拟合曲线的斜率表示了在此电位下电流通过电池时对电池的活化作用.选择电池在OCV-0.7 V恒压条件活化电池,通过10 h活化后,电池在700 ℃的最大功率密度由活化前的184 mW/cm^2提高到326 mV/cm^2.