Innate versus learned odour processing in the mouse olfactory bulb

The mammalian olfactory system mediates various responses, including aversive behaviours to spoiled foods and fear responses to predator odours. In the olfactory bulb, each glomerulus represents a single species of odorant receptor. Because a single odorant can interact with several different receptor species, the odour information received in the olfactory epithelium is converted to a topographical map of multiple glomeruli activated in distinct areas in the olfactory bulb. To study how the odour map is interpreted in the brain, we generated mutant mice in which olfactory sensory neurons in a specific area of the olfactory epithelium are ablated by targeted expression of the diphtheria toxin gene. Here we show that, in dorsal-zone-depleted mice, the dorsal domain of the olfactory bulb was devoid of glomerular structures, although second-order neurons were present in the vacant areas. The mutant mice lacked innate responses to aversive odorants, even though they were capable of detecting them and could be conditioned for aversion with the remaining glomeruli. These results indicate that, in mice, aversive information is received in the olfactory bulb by separate sets of glomeruli, those dedicated for innate and those for learned responses.     

ITPKC functional polymorphism associated with Kawasaki disease susceptibility and formation of coronary artery aneurysms

Kawasaki disease is a pediatric systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology for which a genetic influence is suspected. We identified a functional SNP (itpkc_3) in the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase C (ITPKC) gene on chromosome 19q13.2 that is significantly associated with Kawasaki disease susceptibility and also with an increased risk of coronary artery lesions in both Japanese and US children. Transfection experiments showed that the C allele of itpkc_3 reduces splicing efficiency of the ITPKC mRNA. ITPKC acts as a negative regulator of T-cell activation through the Ca2+/NFAT signaling pathway, and the C allele may contribute to immune hyper-reactivity in Kawasaki disease. This finding provides new insights into the mechanisms of immune activation in Kawasaki disease and emphasizes the importance of activated T cells in the pathogenesis of this vasculitis.     

Smart Processing in Materials Tectonics: Fabrication of Photonic Crystals for Terahertz Wave Control by Using Micro-Stereolithography

Photonic crystals with three-dimensional dielectric structures were fabricated to control terahertz waves effectively by using micro-stereolithography of a CAD/CAM process. The photonic crystals with a diamond structure composed of acrylic lattice with nanosized alumina particles were fabricated. Dense alumina structures were obtained by successive dewaxing and sintering in an air atmosphere. The electromagnetic wave properties of these samples were measured by using a terahertz spectroscopy device. The micro periodic structures exhibited perfect band gaps in the terahertz range. To control terahertz waves, micrometer sized electromagnetic devices for cavities, filters, and antennas will be necessary.     

车内噪声透过损失的评价分析方法及应用

针对车内噪声主要构成之一发动机透过声的特点，研究了对其控制指标透过损失的评价方法。在阐述其原理的基础上，介绍了该方法在汽车车内低噪声设计过程中的具体应用。     

A genome-wide association study identifies three new risk loci for Kawasaki disease

We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of Kawasaki disease in Japanese subjects using data from 428 individuals with Kawasaki disease (cases) and 3,379 controls genotyped at 473,803 SNPs. We validated the association results in two independent replication panels totaling 754 cases and 947 controls. We observed significant associations in the FAM167A-BLK region at 8p22-23 (rs2254546, P = 8.2 × 10(-21)), in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region at 6p21.3 (rs2857151, P = 4.6 × 10(-11)) and in the CD40 region at 20q13 (rs4813003, P = 4.8 × 10(-8)). We also replicated the association of a functional SNP of FCGR2A (rs1801274, P = 1.6 × 10(-6)) identified in a recently reported GWAS of Kawasaki disease. Our findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of Kawasaki disease.     

The immunoglobulin superfamily protein Izumo is required for sperm to fuse with eggs

Representing the 60 trillion cells that build a human body, a sperm and an egg meet, recognize each other, and fuse to form a new generation of life. The factors involved in this important membrane fusion event, fertilization, have been sought for a long time. Recently, CD9 on the egg membrane was found to be essential for fusion, but sperm-related fusion factors remain unknown. Here, by using a fusion-inhibiting monoclonal antibody and gene cloning, we identify a mouse sperm fusion-related antigen and show that the antigen is a novel immunoglobulin superfamily protein. We have termed the gene Izumo and produced a gene-disrupted mouse line. Izumo-/- mice were healthy but males were sterile. They produced normal-looking sperm that bound to and penetrated the zona pellucida but were incapable of fusing with eggs. Human sperm also contain Izumo and addition of the antibody against human Izumo left the sperm unable to fuse with zona-free hamster eggs.     

High-temperature superconductor bulk magnets that can trap magnetic fields of over 17 tesla at 29 K

Large-grain high-temperature superconductors of the form RE-Ba-Cu-O (where RE is a rare-earth element) can trap magnetic fields of several tesla at low temperatures, and so can be used for permanent magnet applications. The magnitude of the trapped field is proportional to the critical current density and the volume of the superconductor. Various potential engineering applications for such magnets have emerged, and some have already been commercialized. However, the range of applications is limited by poor mechanical stability and low thermal conductivity of the bulk superconductors; RE-Ba-Cu-O magnets have been found to fracture during high-field activation, owing to magnetic pressure. Here we present a post-fabrication treatment that improves the mechanical properties as well as thermal conductivity of a bulk Y-Ba-Cu-O magnet, thereby increasing its field-trapping capacity. First, resin impregnation and wrapping the materials in carbon fibre improves the mechanical properties. Second, a small hole drilled into the centre of the magnet allows impregnation of Bi-Pb-Sn-Cd alloy into the superconductor and inclusion of an aluminium wire support, which results in a significant enhancement of thermal stability and internal mechanical strength. As a result, 17.24 T could be trapped, without fracturing, in a bulk Y-Ba-Cu-O sample of 2.65 cm diameter at 29 K.     

DMY is a Y-specific DM-domain gene required for male development in the medaka fish

Although the sex-determining gene Sry has been identified in mammals, no comparable genes have been found in non-mammalian vertebrates. Here, we used recombinant breakpoint analysis to restrict the sex-determining region in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) to a 530-kilobase (kb) stretch of the Y chromosome. Deletion analysis of the Y chromosome of a congenic XY female further shortened the region to 250 kb. Shotgun sequencing of this region predicted 27 genes. Three of these genes were expressed during sexual differentiation. However, only the DM-related PG17 was Y specific; we thus named it DMY. Two naturally occurring mutations establish DMY's critical role in male development. The first heritable mutant--a single insertion in exon 3 and the subsequent truncation of DMY--resulted in all XY female offspring. Similarly, the second XY mutant female showed reduced DMY expression with a high proportion of XY female offspring. During normal development, DMY is expressed only in somatic cells of XY gonads. These findings strongly suggest that the sex-specific DMY is required for testicular development and is a prime candidate for the medaka sex-determining gene.