Four extreme haze episodes occurred in October 2014 in the North China Plain (NCP). To clarify the formation mechanism of hazes in autumn, strengthened observations were conducted in Beijing from 5 ...October to 2 November. The meteorological parameters, satellite data, chemical compositions and optical properties of aerosols were obtained. The hazes originated from the NCP, developing in the southwest and northeast directions, with the highest concentration of PM2.5 of 469 mu g m-3 in Beijing. The NCP was dominated by a weak high pressure system during the haze episode, which resulted in low surface wind speed and relatively stagnant weather. Moreover, the wind slowed down around Beijing city. The secondary aerosols NO3- was always higher than that of SO42-, which indicated the motor vehicles played a more important part in the hazes in October 2014, even though the oxidation rate from SO2 to SO42- was faster than that of NOx to NO3-. Sudden increases of the concentrations of organic matter, Cl- and BC (black carbon) before each haze episode implied that regional transport of pollutants by biomass burning was important for haze formation during autumn. A satellite map of fire points and the backward trajectories of the air masses also indicated this pollution source. The distinct decrease in the PBL (planetary boundary layer) height during four haze episodes restrained the vertical dispersion of the air pollutants. Water vapor also played a vital role in the formation of hazes by accelerating the chemical transformation of secondary pollutants, leading to hygroscopic growth of aerosols and altering the thermal balance of the atmosphere.
Functional failure of tau contributes to age-dependent, iron-mediated neurotoxicity, and as iron accumulates in ischemic stroke tissue, we hypothesized that tau failure may exaggerate ...ischemia-reperfusion-related toxicity. Indeed, unilateral, transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) suppressed hemispheric tau and increased iron levels in young (3-month-old) mice and rats. Wild-type mice were protected by iron-targeted interventions: ceruloplasmin and amyloid precursor protein ectodomain, as well as ferroptosis inhibitors. At this age, tau-knockout mice did not express elevated brain iron and were protected against hemispheric reperfusion injury following MCAO, indicating that tau suppression may prevent ferroptosis. However, the accelerated age-dependent brain iron accumulation that occurs in tau-knockout mice at 12 months of age negated the protective benefit of tau suppression against MCAO-induced focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. The protective benefit of tau knockout was revived in older mice by iron-targeting interventions. These findings introduce tau-iron interaction as a pleiotropic modulator of ferroptosis and ischemic stroke outcome.
Determination of the number of ψ(3686) events at BESIII Ablikim, M.; An, F. F.; Baldini Ferroli, R. ...
Chinese Physics C, High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics/Chinese physics C,
02/2018, Letnik:
42, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The numbers of psi(3686) events accumulated by the BESIII detector for the data taken during 2009 and 2012 are determined to be (107.0 +/- 0.8)x10(6) and (341.1 +/- 2.1)x10(6), respectively, by ...counting inclusive hadronic events, where the uncertainties are systematic and the statistical uncertainties are negligible. The number of events for the sample taken in 2009 is consistent with that of the previous measurement. The total number of psi(3686) events for the two data taking periods is (448.1 +/- 2.9) x 10(6).
Exciton energy spectra of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) in various dielectric environments are studied with an effective mass model using the Keldysh potential for the screened ...electron-hole interaction. Two-dimensional (2D) excitons are calculated by solving a radial equation (RE) with a shooting method, using boundary conditions that are derived by applying the asymptotic properties of the Keldysh potential. For any given main quantum number n, the exciton Bohr orbit shrinks as becomes larger (m is the orbital quantum number) resulting in increased strength of the electron-hole interaction and a decrease of the exciton energy. Further, both the exciton energy and its effective radius decrease linearly with . The screened hydrogen model (SHM) (Olsen et al 2016 Phys. Rev. Lett. 116 056401) is examined by comparing its exciton energy spectra with our RE solutions. While the SHM is found to describe the nonhydrogenic exciton Rydberg series (i.e. the energy's dependence on n) reasonably well, it fails to account for the linear dependence of the exciton energy on the orbital quantum number. The exciton effective radius expression of the SHM can characterize the exciton radius's dependence on n, but it cannot properly describe the exciton radius's dependence on m, which is the cause of the SHM's poor description of the exciton energy's m-dependence. Analytical variational wave-functions are constructed with the 2D hydrogenic wave-functions for a number of strongly bound exciton states, and very close exciton energies and wave-functions are obtained with the variational method and the RE solution (exciton energies are within a 6% of deviation). The variational wave-functions are further applied to study the Stark effects in 2D TMDs, with an analytical expression derived for evaluating the redshift the ground state energy.
The Tibetan Plateau is the highest and one of the most demanding environments ever inhabited by humans. We investigated the timing and mechanisms of its initial colonization at the Nwya Devu site, ...located nearly 4600 meters above sea level. This site, dating from 40,000 to 30,000 years ago, is the highest Paleolithic archaeological site yet identified globally. Nwya Devu has yielded an abundant blade tool assemblage, indicating hitherto-unknown capacities for the survival of modern humans who camped in this environment. This site deepens the history of the peopling of the "roof of the world" and the antiquity of human high-altitude occupations more generally.
The cross section of the process e+e−→K+K− is measured at a number of center-of-mass energies s from 2.00 to 3.08 GeV with the BESIII detector at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider (BEPCII). The ...results provide the best precision achieved so far. A resonant structure around 2.2 GeV is observed in the cross section line shape. A Breit-Wigner fit yields a mass of M=2239.2±7.1±11.3 MeV/c2 and a width of Γ=139.8±12.3±20.6 MeV, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones are systematic. In addition, the timelike electromagnetic form factor of the kaon is determined at the individual center-of-mass energy points.
Vitellogenin (Vg) and its receptor (VgR) play a key role in the reproductive process and development of insects. Aphids are a group of high‐fecundity insect species with pseudoplacental viviparity, ...but the roles of their Vg and VgR genes have not been investigated yet. The brown citrus aphid, Aphis (Toxoptera) citricidus, is a major insect pest of citrus and the main vector of Citrus tristeza closterovirus. In this study, we identified and characterized these two genes, designated as AcVg and AcVgR, from the brown citrus aphid. We found that AcVg has lost the DUF1943 domain that is present in other insect Vgs. Silencing of AcVg and AcVgR led to a delay in the nymph–adult transition, a prolonged prereproductive period, and a shortened reproductive period, which in turn resulted in slower embryonic development and fewer new‐born nymphs. Interestingly, silencing of AcVg decreased the transcript level of AcVgR, but silencing of AcVgR resulted in increased transcript levels of AcVg. In addition, silencing of Vg/VgR had similar phenotypes between alate and apterous morphs, suggesting that the functions of these two genes are the same in the two wing morphs of the aphid. Our results demonstrate that Vg and VgR are involved in various aspects of aphid development and reproduction. Further studies on the synthesis of Vg could help to elucidate the reproductive mechanism and provide information that will be useful for developing new pest control strategies.
The cross section of the e+e−→Λc+Λ¯c− process is measured with unprecedented precision using data collected with the BESIII detector at /¯s=4574.5, 4580.0, 4590.0 and 4599.5 MeV. The nonzero cross ...section near the Λc+Λ¯c− production threshold is cleared. At center-of-mass energies /¯s=4574.5 and 4599.5 MeV, the higher statistics data enable us to measure the Λc polar angle distributions. From these, the Λc electric over magnetic form-factor ratios (|GE/GM|) are measured for the first time. They are found to be 1.14±0.14±0.07 and 1.23±0.05±0.03, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.
The tensile and high-cycle fatigue tests of Fe-30Mn-0.9C twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel after 30%, 60% and 70% pre-straining were performed. Meanwhile, the surface damage morphologies of ...post-fatigue specimens and microstructure evolutions of pre-strained and post-fatigue pre-strained specimens were also investigated. It is found that the fatigue properties of the TWIP steel can be effectively improved through pre-straining, because the pre-straining can change the fatigue strength coefficient and exponent, respectively. The improvement of fatigue strength coefficient may be attributed to the strengthening mechanisms induced by both twin boundaries and dislocations; while the variation of fatigue strength exponent should be resulted from the combined effects of deformation homogeneity and slip reversibility, as well as the internal damages. Furthermore, the detailed mechanisms associated with the variations of fatigue strength coefficient and exponent were discussed. This study may enrich the fundamental knowledge about how to improve the high-cycle fatigue properties of TWIP steels.
The extremely-low-cycle fatigue (ELCF) behaviors of pure Cu and Cu–Al alloys are comprehensively studied following the cyclic push–pull loading tests with extremely high strain amplitudes (up to ...±9.5%). Compared with the common low-cycle fatigue (LCF) region, several unique features in the ELCF regime can be noticed, including the deviations of fatigue life from the Coffin–Manson law, the non-negligible proportion occupied by the cyclic hardening stage of the whole fatigue life, special microstructures formed by cyclic loading containing deformation twins, shear bands and ultra-fine grains and the transformation of fatigue cracking modes. All these characteristics indicate the existence of special interior fatigue damage mechanisms of ELCF. To help discover the new damage mechanisms under ELCF, a model of fatigue life prediction with a hysteresis energy-based criterion is proposed. Based on the analysis of the experimental and modeling results, two intrinsic factors determining the ELCF properties were concluded: the capacity of ELCF damage, and the defusing and dispersion ability of the external mechanical work. The former can be evaluated by a parameter of the model called the intrinsic fatigue toughness W0, which is related to the microstructure evolution condition, the cyclic hardening ability, the deformation homogeneity and possibly the static toughness. The latter can be represented by the damage transition exponent β, which can be enhanced by improving the planarity, reversibility and uniformity of plastic deformation, reflecting the decline in the degree of surface damage and the dispersion of fatigue cracks. For Cu–Al alloys with increasing Al content, cooperation between an increasing damage capacity and a decreasing damage accumulation rate leads to a comprehensive improvement in the ELCF properties.