In this study, we propose a novel high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) cell by considering both the light leakage characteristics of the Fresnel-lens-based solar cell modules and the performance ...issues arising from cloud shading in practical use. We use our self-constructed systems to conduct field measurements for up to half a year under various environmental conditions. According to the acquired results, it was surprising to know that in the area other than the focusing area, the so-called light leakage region, there always bears illuminance of about 20,000-40,000 lx whether it is a sunny day or a cloudy day with different cloud conditions. Such an interesting result is caused by the light scattering of the clouds and the inherent leakage characteristic of a Fresnel lens. To prove this important finding, we simulated the illuminance of the Fresnel lens structure used in the measurement with apertures of different sizes to determine the detected area. In the laboratory, the diffuse plates were used to mimic the situation of varying cloud layer thicknesses. The trend of calculated and measured results fitted well with the field measurements. Also, the experimental and simulation results show that the round angle and draft facet of the Fresnel lens were responsible for light leakage. This finding prompted us to propose a hybrid high-concentration solar module in which more cost-effective polycrystalline silicon solar cells are placed around the high-efficiency wafer of HCPV to capture the dissipated light leakage and convert it into usable electricity.
Zircon U–Pb ages and trace elements were determined for granulites and gneiss at Huangtuling, which are hosted by ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks in the Dabie Orogen, east-central China. CL ...images reveal core–rim structure for most zircons in the granulites. The cores show oscillatory zoning, relatively high Th/U ratios, and HREE enriched patterns, consistent with a magmatic origin. They gave a weighted mean
207Pb/
206Pb age of 2766
±
9 Ma, interpreted as dating magma emplacement of the protolith. The rims are characterized by sector or planar zoning, low Th/U ratios, negative Eu anomalies and flat HREE patterns, consistent with their formation under granulite-facies metamorphic conditions. Zircon U–Pb dating yields a weighted mean
207Pb/
206Pb age of 2029
±
13 Ma, which is interpreted to record a metamorphic event, possibly during assembly of the supercontinent Columbia. The gneiss has a protolith age of 1982
±
14 Ma, which is younger than the zircon age of the granulite-facies metamorphism, suggesting a generally delay between HT metamorphism and the intrusion of post-collisional granites. A few inherited cores with igneous characteristics have
207Pb/
206Pb ages of 2.90, 3.28 and 3.53 Ga, suggesting the presence of Mesoarchean to Paleoarchean crustal remnants in the Yangtze Craton. A few Cretaceous metamorphic ages were also obtained, suggesting the influence of post-collisional collapse in response to Cretaceous extension of the Dabie Orogen. It is inferred that the recently discovered Archean basement of the Yangtze Craton occurs as far north as the Dabie Orogen.
Neutrophils constitute abundant cellular components in human gastric cancer (GC) tissues, but their protumorigenic subset in pathogenesis of GC progression is unclear. Here, it is found that patients ...with GC show significantly higher neutrophil infiltration in tumors that is regulated by CXCL12‐CXCR4 chemotaxis. These tumor‐infiltrating neutrophils express high level immunosuppressive molecules FasL and PD‐L2, and this FasL+PD‐L2+ neutrophil subset with a unique phenotype constitutes at least 20% of all neutrophils in advanced GC and predicts poor patient survival. Tumor induces neutrophils to express FasL and PD‐L2 proteins with similar phenotype to those in GC tumors in both time‐dependent and dose‐dependent manners. Mechanistically, Th17 cell‐derived IL‐17A and tumor cell‐derived G‐CSF can significantly induce neutrophil FasL and PD‐L2 expression via activating ERK‐NF‐κB and JAK‐STAT3 signaling pathway, respectively. Importantly, upon over‐expressing FasL and PD‐L2, neutrophils acquire immunosuppressive functions on tumor‐specific CD8+ T‐cells and promote the growth and progression of human GC tumors in vitro and in vivo, which can be reversed by blocking FasL and PD‐L2 on these neutrophils. Thus, the work identifies a novel protumorigenic FasL+PD‐L2+ neutrophil subset in GC and provides new insights for human cancer immunosuppression and anti‐cancer therapies targeting these pathogenic cells.
CXCL12‐CXCR4 chemotaxis mediates the recruitment of neutrophils into gastric cancer (GC) environment. Th17 cell‐derived IL‐17A and tumor cell‐derived G‐CSF activate ERK‐NF‐κB and JAK‐STAT3 signaling pathways to induce FasL and PD‐L2 expression on neutrophils. These immunosuppressive FasL+PD‐L2+ neutrophils exert protumorigenic effects by suppressing tumor‐specific CD8+ T‐cell immunity in FasL/PD‐L2 dependent manners. Targeting these pathological FasL+PD‐L2+ neutrophils will improve GC treating.
We present high-precision Fe and Mg isotopic data for the Purang ophiolite, southwestern Tibet, representing the first combined Fe and Mg isotopic study of the oceanic lithosphere hitherto. The δ56Fe ...and δ26Mg values of the ophiolitic peridotite, dunite and gabbro vary from −0.209 to 0.187‰ and from −0.28 to −0.14‰, respectively. The average δ56Fe of the peridotites is −0.030±0.143‰ (2SD, n=17), a value indistinguishable from abyssal peridotites and chondrites, and lower than oceanic basalts. The average δ26Mg value of the peridotites is −0.20±0.10‰, a value slightly higher than both chondrites and oceanic basalts. Correlations between δ56Fe and indices of partial melting indicate fractionation of 0.323‰ in δ56Fe between the oceanic lithospheric mantle and the overlying mafic crust during an early episode of partial melting, presumably beneath a spreading centre. Subsequent metasomatism in a supra-subduction zone caused elevated oxygen fugacity and heavy Fe isotopic compositions in the oceanic lithospheric mantle. The dunite with high Ba/La, a proxy for oxygen fugacity, and high δ56Fe values was likely formed during this process of sub-arc mantle-melt interaction. The negatively coupled Fe–Mg isotopic variations of the Purang ophiolite indicate that Mg isotope fractionation may also occur during high-temperature mantle processes. The observed isotopic variations among different lithologies in the ophiolite may satisfactorily account for the isotopic differences between arc lavas and mantle peridotites with respect to oceanic basalts, thus providing implications for crust–mantle differentiation.
•First combined Fe and Mg isotopic study of ophiolite.•Large Fe isotopic variation in ophiolitic rocks.•Coupled Fe and Mg isotope fractionation during mantle melting and metasomatism.
•Reaction zone of carbonated concrete is determined to chemical component change.•The partially carbonated zone width was greater than that of pH value variation.•Carbonated concrete is divided into ...four zones.•Carbonation process of concrete is classified into three stages.
An accelerated carbonation experiment was carried out under artificial environment with high CO2 dosing to investigate the concentration distributions of the Ca(OH)2 and CaCO3 by chemical analysis methods as well as the pH value profiles. The results indicate that the distributions of phase components are not consistent with that of the pH value in corresponding zone of carbonated concrete. The cross section of carbonation concrete shows complete carbonation zone, semi-carbonation zone with variable pH value, semi-carbonation zone with constant pH value, and non-carbonation zone. In the light of formation sequence of semi-carbonated zone and completely carbonated zone, the development process of concrete carbonization is divided into three stages: (1) from the beginning of carbonation to the point when pH on concrete surface starts to decrease; (2) from the point when pH on concrete surface starts to decrease to the point when the alkaline component is depleted; (3) from the point when the alkaline component is depleted to any time.
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•Complexes 1, 2 and 3 exhibit reversible photochromic behavior.•Complexes 1, 2 and 3 exhibit long-lived persistent phosphorescence.•Complex 2 exhibits excitation wavelength dependent ...fluorescence.•Three complexes show great potential in data encryption and anticounterfeiting.•2 was fabricated in inkless printing performance and information transmission.
Long persistent luminescence materials have wide application prospects in the fields of optical communication, sensors, and anticounterfeiting. Recently, some researchers have proved the feasibility of charge transfer effect in the construction of visible light excited room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials. However, materials with electronic effects require elaborate design to exhibit long-lived phosphorescence. Herein, a series of coordination compounds based on viologen ligand HL⋅Cl (4-carboxybenzyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium chloride) and Zn2+ with benzoic acid derivatives (o-, m-, p-phthalic acid) were reported. They exhibit not only reversible photochromic properties, but also long-lived persistent phosphorescence. Three complexes possess different structures through different auxiliary ligands with different optical physical properties. Complex 1 exhibits dynamic phosphorescence emission at low temperatures. Interestingly, we synthesized the first viologen complex (complex 2) with excitation wavelength dependent fluorescence, and the emission color gradually changed from blue to red with the increase of excitation wavelength. In addition, the applications of three complexes in data encryption and anticounterfeiting are further demonstrated. This work not only presents coordination compounds with dynamic afterglow materials, excitation wavelength- and time-dependent emission properties, but also provides a new strategy for the charge transfer effect in visible light-excited RTP materials.
Specificity protein (Sp) 1 mediates the transcription of a large number of constitutive genes encoding physiological mediators. NF-κB mediates the expression of hundreds of inducible genes encoding ...pathological mediators. Crosstalk between Sp1 and NF-κB pathways could be pathophysiologically significant, but has not been studied. This study examined the crosstalk between the two pathways and defined the role of NF-κB signaling in LPS-induced down-regulation of Sp1 activity.
Challenge of wild type mice with samonelia enteritidis LPS (10 mg/kg, i.p.) down-regulated Sp1 binding activity in lungs in a time-dependent manner, which was concomitantly associated with an increased NF-κB activity. LPS down-regulates Sp1 activity by inducing an LPS inducible Sp1-degrading enzyme (LISPDE) activity, which selectively degrades Sp1 protein, resulting in Sp1 down-regulation. Blockade of NF-κB activation in mice deficient in NF-κB p50 gene (NF-κB-KO) suppressed LISPDE activity, prevented Sp1 protein degradation, and reversed the down-regulation of Sp1 DNA binding activity and eNOS expression (an indicator of Sp1 transactivation activity). Inhibition of LISPDE activity using a selective LISPDE inhibitor mimicked the effects of NF-κB blockade. Pretreatment of LPS-challenged WT mice with a selective LISPDE inhibitor increased nuclear Sp1 protein content, restored Sp1 DNA binding activity and reversed eNOS protein down-regulation in lungs. Enhancing tissue level of Sp1 activity by inhibiting NF-κB-mediated Sp1 down-regulation increased tissue level of IL-10 and decreased tissue level of TNF- αin the lungs.
NF-κB signaling mediates LPS-induced down-regulation of Sp1 activity. Activation of NF-κB pathway suppresses Sp1 activity and Sp1-mediated anti-inflammatory signals. Conversely, Sp1 signaling counter-regulates NF-κB-mediated inflammatory response. Crosstalk between NF-κB and Sp1 pathways regulates the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Background and aimsPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Neurotransmitter-initiated signalling pathway is profoundly implicated in tumour ...initiation and progression. Here, we investigated whether dysregulated neurotransmitter receptors play a role during pancreatic tumourigenesis.MethodsThe Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus datasets were used to identify differentially expressed neurotransmitter receptors. The expression pattern of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor pi subunit (GABRP) in human and mouse PDAC tissues and cells was studied by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. The in vivo implications of GABRP in PDAC were tested by subcutaneous xenograft model and lung metastasis model. Bioinformatics analysis, transwell experiment and orthotopic xenograft model were used to identify the in vitro and in vivo effects of GABRP on macrophages in PDAC. ELISA, co-immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assay, electrophysiology, promoter luciferase activity and quantitative real-time PCR analyses were used to identify molecular mechanism.ResultsGABRP expression was remarkably increased in PDAC tissues and associated with poor prognosis, contributed to tumour growth and metastasis. GABRP was correlated with macrophage infiltration in PDAC and pharmacological deletion of macrophages largely abrogated the oncogenic functions of GABRP in PDAC. Mechanistically, GABRP interacted with KCNN4 to induce Ca2+ entry, which leads to activation of nuclear factor κB signalling and ultimately facilitates macrophage infiltration by inducing CXCL5 and CCL20 expression.ConclusionsOverexpressed GABRP exhibits an immunomodulatory role in PDAC in a neurotransmitter-independent manner. Targeting GABRP or its interaction partner KCNN4 may be an effective therapeutic strategy for PDAC.
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