Attention units in the auditory cortex

In the course of examining single unit responses from the cortex of unrestrained and unanesthetized cats, we have come upon a population of cells that appears to be sensitive to auditory stimuli only if the cat "pays attention" to the sound source. We have described these responses, since they have not been previously reported and since they illustrate an important difference between the information which can be gleaned from experiments of this type and that obtained in the usual "acute" microelectrode experiment.     

Dynamic imaging of T cell-dendritic cell interactions in lymph nodes

T cell immune responses begin within organized lymphoid tissues. The pace, topology, and outcomes of the cellular interactions that underlie these responses have, so far, been inferred from static imaging of sectioned tissue or from studies of cultured cells. Here we report dynamic visualization of antigen-specific T cells interacting with dendritic cells within intact explanted lymph nodes. We observed immunological synapse formation and prolonged interactions between these two cell types, followed by the activation, dissociation, and rapid migration of T cells away from the antigenic stimulus. This high-resolution spatiotemporal analysis provides insight into the nature of cell interactions critical to early immune responses within lymphoid structures.     

The genetic basis of singlet oxygen-induced stress responses of Arabidopsis thaliana

Plants under oxidative stress suffer from damages that have been interpreted as unavoidable consequences of injuries inflicted upon plants by toxic levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, this paradigm needs to be modified. Inactivation of a single gene, EXECUTER1, is sufficient to abrogate stress responses of Arabidopsis thaliana caused by the release of singlet oxygen: External conditions under which these stress responses are observed and the amounts of ROS that accumulate in plants exposed to these environmental conditions do not directly cause damages. Instead, seedling lethality and growth inhibition of mature plants result from genetic programs that are activated after the release of singlet oxygen has been perceived by the plant.     

Intracellular olfactory response of hippocampal neurons in awake, sitting squirrel monkeys

Intracellular recordings of archicortical neurons in a primate have been made and the responses of these neurons in awake, sitting animals have been observed. Electrical stimulation of the olfactory bulbs elicits excitatory postsynaptic potentials in these neurons, which unlike those evoked by septal stimulation, are subliminal for generating spikes. The olfactory and septal pathways may be considered representative of inputs from exteroceptive and interoceptive systems. The findings are discussed in relation to a paradigm for archicortical conditioning.     

LONG-TERM STABILITY OF VISUALLY EVOKED POTENTIALS IN MAN

Although the variability of averaged evoked potentials as recorded from cortex in man has been a constant source of concern among investigators, the degree of variability has not received systematic treatment. The authors have accordingly undertaken an exploratory study of reliable differences that may occur in the first 300 msec of the averaged evoked response over long periods of time. Computer analysis of visually evoked responses in seven subjects over several weeks indicated stability of the response of each individual, with reliable intra-individual correlations. Inter-individual differences, however, were large. The evoked responses of different individuals were found to be unique.     

Structure of the receptor for insulin-like growth factor II: the puzzle amplified

The insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) is a polypeptide hormone with structural homologies to insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). In contrast to these other hormones, the in vivo function of IGF-II is not known. Although IGF-II can stimulate a broad range of biological responses in isolated cells, these responses have usually been found to be mediated by the insulin and IGF-I receptors. Recently, the receptor for IGF-II was found to also be the receptor for mannose-6-phosphate. Since this latter receptor has been implicated in targeting of lysosomal enzymes, the question is now raised of whether the same protein can also mediate metabolic responses to IGF-II.     

Optomotor responses by echolocating bats

Optomotor responses to moving stripes have been elicited from nine species of Microchiroptera. The minimum separable visual angle of two phyllostomids, under the experimental conditions, probably lies between 3.0 and 0.7 degrees; that of Myotis lucifugus, between 6.0 and 3.0 degrees. Four species indicate an ability to resolve stripes subtending 0.7 degree, the narrowest tested.     

The greenhouse effect: science and policy

Global warming from the increase in greenhouse gases has become a major scientific and political issue during the past decade. That infrared radiation is trapped by greenhouse gases and particles in a planetary atmosphere and that the atmospheric CO(2) level has increased by some 25 percent since 1850 because of fossil fuel combustion and land use (largely deforestation) are not controversial; levels of other trace greenhouse gases such as methane and chlorofluorocarbons have increased by even larger factors. Estimates of present and future effects, however, have significant uncertainties. There have also recently been controversial claims that a global warming signal has been detected. Results from most recent climatic models suggest that global average surface temperatures will increase by some 2 degrees to 6 degrees C during the next century, but future changes in greenhouse gas concentrations and feedback processes not properly accounted for in the models could produce greater or smaller increases. Sea level rises of 0.5 to 1.5 meters are typically projected for the next century, but there is a small probability of greater or even negative change. Forecasts of the distribution of variables such as soil moisture or precipitation patterns have even greater uncertainties. Policy responses range from engineering countermeasures to passive adaptation to prevention and a "law of the atmosphere." One approach is to implement those policies now that will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and have additional societal benefits. Whether the uncertainties are large enough to suggest delaying policy responses is not a scientific question per se, but a value judgment.     

Animal versus wind dispersal and the robustness of tree species to deforestation

Studies suggest that populations of different species do not decline equally after habitat loss. However, empirical tests have been confined to fine spatiotemporal scales and have rarely included plants. Using data from 89,365 forest survey plots covering peninsular Spain, we explored, for each of 34 common tree species, the relationship between probability of occurrence and the local cover of remaining forest. Twenty-four species showed a significant negative response to forest loss, so that decreased forest cover had a negative effect on tree diversity, but the responses of individual species were highly variable. Animal-dispersed species were less vulnerable to forest loss, with six showing positive responses to decreased forest cover. The results imply that plant-animal interactions help prevent the collapse of forest communities that suffer habitat destruction.     

Developmental stability of the tonotopic organization of the chick's basilar papilla

In the past, the damage patterns produced on the papilla of the chick by loud pure tones of different frequencies have been used to study the development of sound analysis by the hair cells of the basilar papilla. One conclusion from these data was that the best response frequency of individual hair cells changes substantially with age. However, this method has been criticized as unreliable. Now experiments have been performed in which single characterized nerve fibers were stained with horseradish peroxidase to permit the unequivocal localization of specific frequency responses in the papillae of chicks of different ages (2 and 21 days after hatching). There was no statistically significant change in the tonotopic organization of the papilla between the two groups of animals.     

Ecosystem experiments

Experimental manipulations of entire ecosystems have been conducted in lakes, catchments, streams, and open terrestrial and marine environments. Experiments have addressed applied problems of ecosystem management and complex responses of communities and ecosystems to perturbations. In the course of some experiments, environmental indicators and models have been developed and tested. Surprising results with implications for ecological understanding and management are common.     

Arabidopsis Phytochrome D Is Involved in Red Light-Induced Negative Gravitropism of Hypocotyles

The phytochrome gene family, which is in Arabidopsis thaliana, consists of phytochromes A-E（phyA to phyE）, regulates plant responses to ambient light environments. PhyA and phyB have been characterized in detail, but studies on phyC to phyE have reported discrepant functions. In this study, we show that phyD regulates the Arabidopsis gravitropic response by inhibiting negative gravitropism of hypocotyls under red light condition. PhyD had only a limited effect on the gravitropic response of roots in red light condition. PhyD also enhanced phyB-regulated gravitropic responses in hypocotyls. Moreover, the regulation of hypocotyl gravitropic responses by phyD was dependent upon the red light fluence rate.     

CORTICAL EVOKED POTENTIALS AND PERCEPTION OF PAIRED FLASHES

Digital computer techniques have been employed to extract cortical evoked potentials to paired visual stimuli. Changes in the evoked potentials have been related to perceptual phenomena varying as a function of the interval between flashes. Evoked potentials to paired stimuli, which gave rise to perceptual interactions, could be approximated by algebraic summation of the responses to the stimuli when presented separately.     

Genome-wide analysis of the SCPL gene family in grape(Vitis vinifera L.)

Serine carboxypeptidase-like(SCPL) proteins are a group of acyltransferase enzymes that have important roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Although SCPL proteins have been studied in many plants, the biological functions of SCPL genes in grape are still unknown. In this study, 59 putative SCPL proteins were identified from the grape genome. A bioinformatics analysis, including chromosomal locations, exon/intron structures, phylogeny, ciselements, and conserved motifs, was performed for the gene family. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that VvSCPL proteins could be classified into three groups, with the gene motifs in each group showing high similarity levels. The number of exons in the VvSCPL genes ranged from 1 to 19, suggesting significant variations among grape SCPL genes. The expression of the VvSCPL genes, as assessed by RNA sequencing(RNA-seq) and quantitative real-time PCR, showed that most VvSCPL genes responded to drought-and waterlogging-stress treatments, which indicated their roles in abiotic stress responses. The results provide useful information for further study of SCPL genes in grape.     

Neurogenetic adaptive mechanisms in alcoholism

Clinical, genetic, and neuropsychopharmacological studies of developmental factors in alcoholism are providing a better understanding of the neurobiological bases of personality and learning. Studies of the adopted-away children of alcoholics show that the predisposition to initiate alcohol-seeking behavior is genetically different from susceptibility to loss of control after drinking begins. Alcohol-seeking behavior is a special case of exploratory appetitive behavior and involves different neurogenetic processes than do susceptibility to behavioral tolerance and dependence on the antianxiety or sedative effects of alcohol. Three dimensions of personality have been described that may reflect individual differences in brain systems modulating the activation, maintenance, and inhibition of behavioral responses to the effects of alcohol and other environmental stimuli. These personality traits distinguish alcoholics with different patterns of behavioral, neurophysiological, and neuropharmacological responses to alcohol.     

草间小黑蛛对褐稻虱的捕食作用及其模拟模型

在大试管内研究了草间小黑蛛对褐稻虱的捕食反应,测定了褐稻虱虫龄及温度对功能反应的影响,并建立了同时考虑这2个因子影响的 Holling 圆盘方程.还研究捕食者个体间的相互干扰反应,并建立草间小黑蛛对猎物密度和自身密度的共同反应模型.