Early γ oscillations synchronize developing thalamus and cortex

During development, formation of topographic maps in sensory cortex requires precise temporal binding in thalamocortical networks. However, the physiological substrate for such synchronization is unknown. We report that early gamma oscillations (EGOs) enable precise spatiotemporal thalamocortical synchronization in the neonatal rat whisker sensory system. Driven by a thalamic gamma oscillator and initially independent of cortical inhibition, EGOs synchronize neurons in a single thalamic barreloid and corresponding cortical barrel and support plasticity at developing thalamocortical synapses. We propose that the multiple replay of sensory input in thalamocortical circuits during EGOs allows thalamic and cortical neurons to be organized into vertical topographic functional units before the development of horizontal binding in adult brain.     

The cellular basis of GABA(B)-mediated interhemispheric inhibition

Interhemispheric inhibition is thought to mediate cortical rivalry between the two hemispheres through callosal input. The long-lasting form of this inhibition is believed to operate via γ-aminobutyric acid type B (GABA(B)) receptors, but the process is poorly understood at the cellular level. We found that the firing of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in rat somatosensory cortex due to contralateral sensory stimulation was inhibited for hundreds of milliseconds when paired with ipsilateral stimulation. The inhibition acted directly on apical dendrites via layer 1 interneurons but was silent in the absence of pyramidal cell firing, relying on metabotropic inhibition of active dendritic currents recruited during neuronal activity. The results not only reveal the microcircuitry underlying interhemispheric inhibition but also demonstrate the importance of active dendritic properties for cortical output.     

Stereotyped position of local synaptic targets in neocortex

The microcircuitry of the mammalian neocortex remains largely unknown. Although the neocortex could be composed of scores of precise circuits, an alternative possibility is that local connectivity is probabilistic or even random. To examine the precision and degree of determinism in the neocortical microcircuitry, we used optical probing to reconstruct microcircuits in layer 5 from mouse primary visual cortex. We stimulated "trigger" cells, isolated from a homogenous population of corticotectal pyramidal neurons, while optically detecting "follower" neurons directly driven by the triggers. Followers belonged to a few selective anatomical classes with stereotyped physiological and synaptic responses. Moreover, even the position of the followers appeared determined across animals. Our data reveal precisely organized cortical microcircuits.     

Cognitive memory: cellular and network machineries and their top-down control

A brain-wide distributed network orchestrates cognitive memorizing and remembering of explicit memory (i.e., memory of facts and events). The network was initially identified in humans and is being systematically investigated in molecular/genetic, single-unit, lesion, and imaging studies in animals. The types of memory identified in humans are extended into animals as episodic-like (event) memory or semantic-like (fact) memory. The unique configurational association between environmental stimuli and behavioral context, which is likely the basis of episodic-like memory, depends on neural circuits in the medial temporal lobe, whereas memory traces representing repeated associations, which is likely the basis of semantic-like memory, are consolidated in the domain-specific regions in the temporal cortex. These regions are reactivated during remembering and contribute to the contents of a memory. Two types of retrieval signal reach the cortical representations. One runs from the frontal cortex for active (or effortful) retrieval (top-down signal), and the other spreads backward from the medial temporal lobe for automatic retrieval. By sending the top-down signal to the temporal cortex, frontal regions manipulate and organize to-be-remembered information, devise strategies for retrieval, and also monitor the outcome, with dissociated frontal regions making functionally separate contributions. The challenge is to understand the hierarchical interactions between these multiple cortical areas, not only with a correlational analysis but also with an interventional study demonstrating the causal necessity and the direction of the causality.     

Electric fields due to synaptic currents sharpen excitatory transmission

The synaptic response waveform, which determines signal integration properties in the brain, depends on the spatiotemporal profile of neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft. Here, we show that electrophoretic interactions between AMPA receptor-mediated excitatory currents and negatively charged glutamate molecules accelerate the clearance of glutamate from the synaptic cleft, speeding up synaptic responses. This phenomenon is reversed upon depolarization and diminished when intracleft electric fields are weakened through a decrease in the AMPA receptor density. In contrast, the kinetics of receptor-mediated currents evoked by direct application of glutamate are voltage-independent, as are synaptic currents mediated by the electrically neutral neurotransmitter GABA. Voltage-dependent temporal tuning of excitatory synaptic responses may thus contribute to signal integration in neural circuits.     

塞罕坝地区植被景观格局时空尺度效应

为探讨植被景观格局时空尺度效应,运用随机森林分类方法解译塞罕坝地区3期(1989、2000和2016年)遥感影像,并利用简单聚合法将景观类型栅格数据进行空间粒度上推,计算基于斑块类型水平和景观水平的景观格局指数;采取尺度图谱分析不同时空尺度草地、天然次生林、灌木及人工林等植被类型的景观尺度效应,通过信息熵模型确定了景观格局分析的最佳空间粒度。结果表明:(1)4种植被景观在空间尺度上具有相同的变化特征,而在时间尺度上表现出不同的变化趋势;(2)不同景观指数对时空尺度的响应结果不同,边缘密度、斑块密度、景观形状指数、聚集度指数及蔓延度指数在时空尺度上具有较强的尺度效应,且90 m为研究区植被景观格局的最佳分析粒度;(3)草地、天然次生林在1989—2016年期间,破碎化程度增加,对研究区的生物多样性造成威胁。     

Locally synchronized synaptic inputs

Synaptic inputs on dendrites are nonlinearly converted to action potential outputs, yet the spatiotemporal patterns of dendritic activation remain to be elucidated at single-synapse resolution. In rodents, we optically imaged synaptic activities from hundreds of dendritic spines in hippocampal and neocortical pyramidal neurons ex vivo and in vivo. Adjacent spines were frequently synchronized in spontaneously active networks, thereby forming dendritic foci that received locally convergent inputs from presynaptic cell assemblies. This precise subcellular geometry manifested itself during N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent circuit remodeling. Thus, clustered synaptic plasticity is innately programmed to compartmentalize correlated inputs along dendrites and may reify nonlinear synaptic integration.     

Dichotomous dopaminergic control of striatal synaptic plasticity

At synapses between cortical pyramidal neurons and principal striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs), postsynaptic D1 and D2 dopamine (DA) receptors are postulated to be necessary for the induction of long-term potentiation and depression, respectively-forms of plasticity thought to underlie associative learning. Because these receptors are restricted to two distinct MSN populations, this postulate demands that synaptic plasticity be unidirectional in each cell type. Using brain slices from DA receptor transgenic mice, we show that this is not the case. Rather, DA plays complementary roles in these two types of MSN to ensure that synaptic plasticity is bidirectional and Hebbian. In models of Parkinson's disease, this system is thrown out of balance, leading to unidirectional changes in plasticity that could underlie network pathology and symptoms.     

Early tagging of cortical networks is required for the formation of enduring associative memory

Although formation and stabilization of long-lasting associative memories are thought to require time-dependent coordinated hippocampal-cortical interactions, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we present evidence that neurons in the rat cortex must undergo a "tagging process" upon encoding to ensure the progressive hippocampal-driven rewiring of cortical networks that support remote memory storage. This process was AMPA- and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent, information-specific, and capable of modulating remote memory persistence by affecting the temporal dynamics of hippocampal-cortical interactions. Post-learning reinforcement of the tagging process via time-limited epigenetic modifications resulted in improved remote memory retrieval. Thus, early tagging of cortical networks is a crucial neurobiological process for remote memory formation whose functional properties fit the requirements imposed by the extended time scale of systems-level memory consolidation.     

Intersubject synchronization of cortical activity during natural vision

To what extent do all brains work alike during natural conditions? We explored this question by letting five subjects freely view half an hour of a popular movie while undergoing functional brain imaging. Applying an unbiased analysis in which spatiotemporal activity patterns in one brain were used to "model" activity in another brain, we found a striking level of voxel-by-voxel synchronization between individuals, not only in primary and secondary visual and auditory areas but also in association cortices. The results reveal a surprising tendency of individual brains to "tick collectively" during natural vision. The intersubject synchronization consisted of a widespread cortical activation pattern correlated with emotionally arousing scenes and regionally selective components. The characteristics of these activations were revealed with the use of an open-ended "reverse-correlation" approach, which inverts the conventional analysis by letting the brain signals themselves "pick up" the optimal stimuli for each specialized cortical area.     

Early experience effects upon cortical dendrites: a proposed model for development

We studied the effects of environmental stimulation on the development of rat cortical pyramidal cell synaptic loci (dendritic spines) and the number of such cells staining by the rapid Golgi technique. Stimulation three to five times a day from the day of birth increased the number of spines per micrometer in 8-day-old animals and increased the number of neurons stanining at 8 to 16 days of age. This effect of afferent input upon development of the dendritic spine may represent the neuroanatomical basis for the influence of early experience on subsequent behavior. The number of neurons staining by the rapid Golgi technique appears to be related to those that are functionally involved at the time of tissue preparation.     

Reversal of interlaminar signal between sensory and memory processing in monkey temporal cortex

The primate temporal cortex implements visual long-term memory. However, how its interlaminar circuitry executes cognitive computations is poorly understood. Using linear-array multicontact electrodes, we simultaneously recorded unit activities across cortical layers in the perirhinal cortex of macaques performing a pair-association memory task. Cortical layers were estimated on the basis of current source density profiles with histological verifications, and the interlaminar signal flow was determined with cross-correlation analysis between spike trains. During the cue period, canonical "feed-forward" signals flowed from granular to supragranular layers and from supragranular to infragranular layers. During the delay period, however, the signal flow reversed to the "feed-back" direction: from infragranular to supragranular layers. This reversal of signal flow highlights how the temporal cortex differentially recruits its laminar circuits for sensory and mnemonic processing.     

A virus reveals population structure and recent demographic history of its carnivore host

Directly transmitted parasites often provide substantial information about the temporal and spatial characteristics of host-to-host contact. Here, we demonstrate that a fast-evolving virus (feline immunodeficiency virus, FIV) can reveal details of the contemporary population structure and recent demographic history of its natural wildlife host (Puma concolor) that were not apparent from host genetic data and would be impossible to obtain by other means. We suggest that rapidly evolving pathogens may provide a complementary tool for studying population dynamics of their hosts in "shallow" time.     

土壤温度与水分对昆明城市绿地土壤呼吸时间动态的影响

为探明土壤温湿度对城市绿地土壤呼吸时间动态的影响,采用Li-6400-09土壤呼吸室,连续定位测定了昆明城市森林与草坪等2种绿地类型土壤呼吸速率的时间动态特征。结果表明:2种绿地类型土壤呼吸速率存在极显著差异（P＜0.01）,城市草坪的年均土壤呼吸速率是城市森林的1.37倍;森林与草坪土壤呼吸速率具有明显的时间变化,其中城市草坪土壤呼吸波动（1.08～7.77 μmol·m^-2·s^-1）显著高于森林（0.95～4.76 μmol·m^-2·s^-1）;土壤水分与土壤温度是影响城市绿地类型土壤呼吸时间动态的主要影响因子,但土壤水分对土壤呼吸速率的贡献率显著高于土壤温度。土壤温度只能分别解释城市森林与草坪土壤呼吸的66.2%及67.1%,而土壤水分能够解释城市森林土壤呼吸的87.8%及城市草坪的75.8%。因此,西南地区近年来的严重干旱导致土壤含水率的减少,已成为调控昆明城市绿地土壤呼吸速率时间动态的主要影响因子。     

Neuronal computations with stochastic network states

Neuronal networks in vivo are characterized by considerable spontaneous activity, which is highly complex and intrinsically generated by a combination of single-cell electrophysiological properties and recurrent circuits. As seen, for example, during waking compared with being asleep or under anesthesia, neuronal responsiveness differs, concomitant with the pattern of spontaneous brain activity. This pattern, which defines the state of the network, has a dramatic influence on how local networks are engaged by inputs and, therefore, on how information is represented. We review here experimental and theoretical evidence of the decisive role played by stochastic network states in sensory responsiveness with emphasis on activated states such as waking. From single cells to networks, experiments and computational models have addressed the relation between neuronal responsiveness and the complex spatiotemporal patterns of network activity. The understanding of the relation between network state dynamics and information representation is a major challenge that will require developing, in conjunction, specific experimental paradigms and theoretical frameworks.     

Conduction velocity variations minimize conduction time differences among retinal ganglion cell axons

The visual system is able to accurately represent the spatiotemporal relations among the elements of a changing visual scene as the image moves across the retinal surface. This precise spatiotemporal mapping occurs despite great variability in retinal position and conduction velocity even among retinal ganglion cells of the same physiological class-a variability that would seem to reduce the precision with which spatiotemporal information can be transmitted to central visual areas. There was a strong negative relation between the intraretinal and extraretinal conduction time for axons of individual ganglion cells of the X-cell class. The effect of this relation was to produce a nearly constant total transmission time between the soma of a retinal X cell and its central target site. Thus, the variation in the conduction velocities of retinal ganglion cell axons may ensure that, regardless of the constraints imposed by retinal topography, a precise spatiotemporal central representation of the retinal image is maintained.     

Synfire chains and cortical songs: temporal modules of cortical activity

How can neural activity propagate through cortical networks built with weak, stochastic synapses? We find precise repetitions of spontaneous patterns of synaptic inputs in neocortical neurons in vivo and in vitro. These patterns repeat after minutes, maintaining millisecond accuracy. Calcium imaging of slices reveals reactivation of sequences of cells during the occurrence of repeated intracellular synaptic patterns. The spontaneous activity drifts with time, engaging different cells. Sequences of active neurons have distinct spatial structures and are repeated in the same order over tens of seconds, revealing modular temporal dynamics. Higher order sequences are replayed with compressed timing.     

Femtosecond Dynamics of Excited-State Evolution in

Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy on the femtosecond time scale has been used to monitor the earliest events associated with excited-state relaxation in tris-(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II). The data reveal dynamics associated with the temporal evolution of the Franck-Condon state to the lowest energy excited state of this molecule. The process is essentially complete in approximately 300 femtoseconds after the initial excitation. This result is discussed with regard to reformulating long-held notions about excited-state relaxation, as well as its implication for the importance of non-equilibrium excited-state processes in understanding and designing molecular-based electron transfer, artificial photosynthetic, and photovoltaic assemblies in which compounds of this class are currently playing a key role.     

近30 年吉林省西部生态系统服务价值动态变化研究

根据1980尧1995和2010年吉林省西部土地覆盖类型数据,利用中国陆地生态系统单位面积生态服务价值当量表,对近30年吉林省西部生态系统服务价值的时空变化进行研究。结果表明,从1980-2010年,吉林省西部生态系统服务价值由5002413万元减少至4408862 万元,变化率-11.9%;由1980年中间高四周低的格局逐渐转变为北部高南部低的格局;生态系统服务价值空间格局由以高价值区为主导的状态逐渐转化为以低价值区为主导的状态袁高-高自相关类型呈减少趋势,而低-低自相关类型呈增加趋势,全局空间自相关指数先增加后减少;生态系统服务价值质心1980-2010年总体向东北移动了12.5 km。人为开垦活动是吉林省生态系统服务价值时空动态变化的主要驱动因素。     

An integrated spatiotemporal system

Applications in agriculture and related areas often require the use of temporal oriented decision support and management information systems. However, existing software tools provide only limited support for the management of temporal data and temporal knowledge. In this paper the limitations of existing commercial software are presented. An integrated temporal management and decision support information system for the full exploitation of temporal data, temporal knowledge, spatiotemporal data and spatiotemporal knowledge is proposed. The system has numerous applications in agriculture and related areas. Some of the applications in which the system is currently being used are also presented.