[Effects of vocalization and respiration and fiber connections on hyperstriatum ventrale pars caudale in Fringilla montifringilla].

In urethane-anesthetized Fringilla montifringilla, effects of electrically stimulating the hyperstriatum ventrale pars caudale (HVc) on vocalization and respiration were observed. Central connections of HVc were investigated by means of injecting CB-HRP into HVc. The results were as follows: (1) Electrical stimulation of HVc caused vocal response. (2) Long train electrical pulses stimulation of HVc elicited significant respiratory facilitating effects, that is, increase of respiratory rate and depth. (3) Short train stimulation administered in HVc during inspiratory phase terminated switching-off of inspiration, and during expiratory phases produced the prolongation of expiratory phase so to coordinate vocalization and then increasing the respiratory rate and depth. (4) CB-HRP traces revealed that HVc projected to robust nucleus of the archistriatum, and atea X of lobus parolfactorius. HVc received projections from medial nucleus magnocellularis of the anterior neostriatum, nucleus interfacialis of midneostriatum, telencephalic auditory nucleus-field L, nucleus uvaeformis of the thalamus, and locus ceruleus of the pons. These results showed that, besides vocal control, HVc may be involved in neural regulations of respiratory facilitation, the effect on respiration seeming specific. It is suggested that HVc may play an important role in coordinating singing and respiration.

The freestanding sensor-based 3ω technique for measuring thermal conductivity of solids: principle and examination.

In recent two decades, the 3ω technique has been proven to be valuable for characterizing thermophysical properties of materials from nanoscale to bulk, but some inherent deficiencies in this technique such as laborious and repeated four-pad micro strip heater/sensor deposition process and flimsiness of the micro heater/sensor limit its practical applications. Here, the authors report a novel 3ω technique, based on a freestanding sensor replacing the conventional 3ω heater/sensor adjacent to the specimen surface. A zigzag temperature response curve of the new sensor instead of the classical straight line was observed and used to extract the specimen thermal conductivity. Experimental results which excellently agree with calculation values show that the new technique is of great application value to thermal properties characterization of amorphous bulks and hundreds of microns thick wafers.