Bottom water warming in the North Pacific Ocean

Observations of changes in the properties of ocean waters have been restricted to surface or intermediate-depth waters, because the detection of change in bottom water is extremely difficult owing to the small magnitude of the expected signals. Nevertheless, temporal changes in the properties of such deep waters across an ocean basin are of particular interest, as they can be used to constrain the transport of water at the bottom of the ocean and to detect changes in the global thermohaline circulation. Here we present a comparison of a trans-Pacific survey completed in 1985 (refs 4, 5) and its repetition in 1999 (ref. 6). We find that the deepest waters of the North Pacific Ocean have warmed significantly across the entire width of the ocean basin. Our observations imply that changes in water properties are now detectable in water masses that have long been insulated from heat exchange with the atmosphere.     

Evidence for ubiquitous strong electron-phonon coupling in high-temperature superconductors

Coupling between electrons and phonons (lattice vibrations) drives the formation of the electron pairs responsible for conventional superconductivity. The lack of direct evidence for electron-phonon coupling in the electron dynamics of the high-transition-temperature superconductors has driven an intensive search for an alternative mechanism. A coupling of an electron with a phonon would result in an abrupt change of its velocity and scattering rate near the phonon energy. Here we use angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to probe electron dynamics-velocity and scattering rate-for three different families of copper oxide superconductors. We see in all of these materials an abrupt change of electron velocity at 50-80 meV, which we cannot explain by any known process other than to invoke coupling with the phonons associated with the movement of the oxygen atoms. This suggests that electron-phonon coupling strongly influences the electron dynamics in the high-temperature superconductors, and must therefore be included in any microscopic theory of superconductivity.     

Role of the prolyl isomerase Pin1 in protecting against age-dependent neurodegeneration

The neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies include senile plaques and/or neurofibrillary tangles. Although mouse models have been created by overexpressing specific proteins including beta-amyloid precursor protein, presenilin and tau, no model has been generated by gene knockout. Phosphorylation of tau and other proteins on serine or threonine residues preceding proline seems to precede tangle formation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Notably, these phospho(Ser/Thr)-Pro motifs exist in two distinct conformations, whose conversion in some proteins is catalysed by the Pin1 prolyl isomerase. Pin1 activity can directly restore the conformation and function of phosphorylated tau or it can do so indirectly by promoting its dephosphorylation, which suggests that Pin1 is involved in neurodegeneration; however, genetic evidence is lacking. Here we show that Pin1 expression is inversely correlated with predicted neuronal vulnerability and actual neurofibrillary degeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Pin1 knockout in mice causes progressive age-dependent neuropathy characterized by motor and behavioural deficits, tau hyperphosphorylation, tau filament formation and neuronal degeneration. Thus, Pin1 is pivotal in protecting against age-dependent neurodegeneration, providing insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.     

Vortex-like excitations and the onset of superconducting phase fluctuation in underdoped La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO4

Two general features of a superconductor, which appear at the critical temperature, are the formation of an energy gap and the expulsion of magnetic flux (the Meissner effect). In underdoped copper oxides, there is strong evidence that an energy gap (the pseudogap) opens up at a temperature significantly higher than the critical temperature (by 100-220 K). Certain features of the pseudogap suggest that it is closely related to the gap that appears at the critical temperature (for example, the variation of the gap magnitudes around the Fermi surface and their maximum amplitudes are very similar). However, the Meissner effect is absent in the pseudogap state. The nature of the pseudogap state, and its relation (if any) to the superconducting state are central issues in understanding copper oxide superconductivity. Recent evidence suggests that, in the underdoped regime, the Meissner state is destroyed above the critical temperature by strong phase fluctuations (as opposed to a vanishing of the superfluid density). Here we report evidence for vortices (or vortex-like excitations) in La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO4 at temperatures significantly above the critical temperature. A thermal gradient is applied to the sample in a magnetic field. Vortices are detected by the large transverse electric field produced as they diffuse down the gradient (the Nernst effect). We find that the Nernst signal is anomalously enhanced at temperatures as high as 150 K.     

Imaging the effects of individual zinc impurity atoms on superconductivity in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta

Although the crystal structures of the copper oxide high-temperature superconductors are complex and diverse, they all contain some crystal planes consisting of only copper and oxygen atoms in a square lattice: superconductivity is believed to originate from strongly interacting electrons in these CuO2 planes. Substituting a single impurity atom for a copper atom strongly perturbs the surrounding electronic environment and can therefore be used to probe high-temperature superconductivity at the atomic scale. This has provided the motivation for several experimental and theoretical studies. Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) is an ideal technique for the study of such effects at the atomic scale, as it has been used very successfully to probe individual impurity atoms in several other systems. Here we use STM to investigate the effects of individual zinc impurity atoms in the high-temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta. We find intense quasiparticle scattering resonances at the Zn sites, coincident with strong suppression of superconductivity within approximately 15 A of the scattering sites. Imaging of the spatial dependence of the quasiparticle density of states in the vicinity of the impurity atoms reveals the long-sought four-fold symmetric quasiparticle 'cloud' aligned with the nodes of the d-wave superconducting gap which is believed to characterize superconductivity in these materials.     

利用激光莫尔信号精密定位的复合控制研究

在分析利用激光干涉莫尔信号的精密定位方法的基础上，提出了精密定位的粗控、微控两段复合式控制方法，实现了装置宽范围控制的精密定位高业度及精密定位时间的缩短，对加快集成电路制造技术的进步有重要的参考价值。     

A thiol protease of peritoneal macrophages in the guinea pig

Proteolytic enzymes of the guinea pig peritoneal exudate macrophages were investigated using synthetic fluorogenic peptide substrates. Among several enzymes, t-butyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanyl-seryl-arginine 4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide cleaving enzymes had the highest activity, and the activity in exudate macrophages was about 3 times stronger than that in resident macrophages. The molecular weight of the enzyme was around 35,000 and optimal pH around 6.5-7.0. It was inhibited by thiol-blocking reagents, suggesting a thiol protease.     

Calcitonin gene related peptide stimulates adenylate cyclase activity in rat striated muscle

Summary Rat calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and salmon calcitonin (CT) stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a dose-dependent manner in the rat diaphragm and in the kidney. The ED₅₀ value of rat CGRP was lower and that of salmon CT was higher in the diaphragm than in the kidney. These results suggest that CGRP stimulates adenylate cyclase activity in the striated muscle by reacting with sites distinct from the site in the kidney.