The mechanism of superconductivity in cuprates remains one of the big challenges of condensed matter physics. High-Tc
cuprates crystallize into a layered perovskite structure featuring copper oxygen ...octahedral coordination. Due to the Jahn Teller effect in combination with the strong static Coulomb interaction, the octahedra in high-Tc
cuprates are elongated along the c axis, leading to a 3dx²-y² orbital at the top of the band structure wherein the doped holes reside. This scenario gives rise to 2D characteristics in high-Tc
cuprates that favor d-wave pairing symmetry. Here, we report superconductivity in a cuprate Ba₂CuO4-y, wherein the local octahedron is in a very exceptional compressed version. The Ba₂CuO4-y compound was synthesized at high pressure at high temperatures and shows bulk superconductivity with critical temperature (Tc
) above 70 K at ambient conditions. This superconducting transition temperature is more than 30 K higher than the Tc
for the isostructural counterparts based on classical La₂CuO₄. X-ray absorption measurements indicate the heavily doped nature of the Ba₂CuO4-y superconductor. In compressed octahedron, the 3d3z²-r² orbital will be lifted above the 3dx²-y² orbital, leading to significant 3D nature in addition to the conventional 3dx²-y² orbital. This work sheds important light on advancing our comprehensive understanding of the superconducting mechanism of high Tc
in cuprate materials.
Background and Aims
Mast cell activation interferes with the effects of allergen‐specific immunotherapy (SIT). Galectin‐1 (Gal‐1) is capable of regulating immune cells’ functions. This study tests ...the hypothesis that administration of Gal‐1 promotes and prolongs the efficacy of SIT via suppressing mast cell activation.
Methods
An intestinal allergy mouse model was developed. The coadministration of SIT and Gal‐1 on suppression of the allergic responses, prevention of mast cell activation, and generation of antigen‐specific regulatory T cells (Treg) in the intestine was observed in sensitized mice.
Results
The coadministration of Gal‐1 and SIT markedly suppressed the allergic responses in the mouse intestine vs the use of either SIT alone or Gal‐1 alone. The Gal‐1 binds to the IgE/FcɛRI complexes on the surface of mast cells to prevent mast cell activation during SIT. Gal‐1 promoted the SIT‐generated allergen‐specific Tregs in the intestine of sensitized mice. Coadministration of Gal‐1 and SIT significantly enhanced the efficacy of immunotherapy in suppressing allergic responses in the intestine, which lasted for at least for 12 months.
Conclusions
Long‐term effects of specific immunotherapy on intestinal allergy can be achieved with Gal‐1/SIT therapy by inhibiting mast cell activation and facilitating Treg development.
Over the past few decades, tremendous progress has been made in the development of particle-based discrete simulation methods versus the conventional continuum-based methods. In particular, the ...lattice Boltzmann (LB) method has evolved from a theoretical novelty to a ubiquitous, versatile and powerful computational methodology for both fundamental research and engineering applications. It is a kinetic-based mesoscopic approach that bridges the microscales and macroscales, which offers distinctive advantages in simulation fidelity and computational efficiency. Applications of the LB method are now found in a wide range of disciplines including physics, chemistry, materials, biomedicine and various branches of engineering. The present work provides a comprehensive review of the LB method for thermofluids and energy applications, focusing on multiphase flows, thermal flows and thermal multiphase flows with phase change. The review first covers the theoretical framework of the LB method, revealing certain inconsistencies and defects as well as common features of multiphase and thermal LB models. Recent developments in improving the thermodynamic and hydrodynamic consistency, reducing spurious currents, enhancing the numerical stability, etc., are highlighted. These efforts have put the LB method on a firmer theoretical foundation with enhanced LB models that can achieve larger liquid-gas density ratio, higher Reynolds number and flexible surface tension. Examples of applications are provided in fuel cells and batteries, droplet collision, boiling heat transfer and evaporation, and energy storage. Finally, further developments and future prospect of the LB method are outlined for thermofluids and energy applications.
Supported nanoparticles containing more than one metal have a variety of applications in sensing, catalysis, and biomedicine. Common synthesis techniques for this type of material often result in ...large, unalloyed nanoparticles that lack the interactions between the two metals that give the particles their desired characteristics. We demonstrate a relatively simple, effective, generalizable method to produce highly dispersed, well-alloyed bimetallic nanoparticles. Ten permutations of noble and base metals (platinum, palladium, copper, nickel, and cobalt) were synthesized with average particle sizes from 0.9 to 1.4 nanometers, with tight size distributions. High-resolution imaging and x-ray analysis confirmed the homogeneity of alloying in these ultrasmall nanoparticles.
SFTS virus (SFTSV) is a novel bunyavirus that causes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), an emerging infectious disease that occurred in China in recent years, with an average case ...fatality rate of 10–12%. Intervention in the early clinical stage is the most effective measure to reduce the mortality rate of disease. To elucidate the natural course of and immune mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of SFTSV, 59 laboratory-confirmed SFTS patients in the acute phase, who were hospitalized between October 2010 and September 2011, were enrolled in this study, and the patients sera were dynamically collected and tested for SFTSV viral RNA load, 34 cytokines or chemokines and other related laboratory parameters. All clinical diagnostic factors in the acute phase of SFTS were evaluated and assessed. The study showed that the severity of the disease in 11 (18.6%) patients was associated with abdominal pain (p 0.007; OR = 21.95; 95% CI, 2.32–208.11) and gingival bleeding (p 0.001; OR = 122.11; 95% CI, 6.41–2328). The IP-10, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, granzyme B and HSP70 levels were higher over the 7–8 days in severe cases, accompanied by altered AST, CK and LDH levels. HSP70 (p 0.012; OR = 8.29; 95% CI, 1.58–43.40) was independently correlated with the severity of the early acute phase of SFTSV infection. The severity of SFTS can be predicted based on the presence of symptoms such as abdominal pain and gingival bleeding and on the level of HSP70 in the acute phase of the disease.
Explosives are often exposed to war environments at different temperatures. The shock initiation characteristics of explosives are related to their properties and the ambient temperature in which ...they are located. In the present work, the parameters of the Ignition and Growth model of the LX-04 explosive at different temperatures are determined, based on the shock initiation experiments at different temperatures. Furthermore, the impact sensitivity simulation of LX-04 at initial temperatures of 25, 60, 100, 150, and 170°C is carried out, and the critical impact velocity at these initial temperatures is found to be 325, 280, 233, 201, and 194 m/s, respectively. Based on the present simulation data, a new model for the relationship between the critical impact velocity and initial temperature is proposed. In addition, the initial temperature of the explosive has an important effect on the detonation performance: the higher the initial temperature, the higher the impact sensitivity of LX-04, and the higher the peak temperature of detonation.
By means of certain limit technique, two kinds of generalized Darboux transformations are constructed for the derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equations (DNLS). These transformations are shown to ...lead to two solution formulas for DNLS in terms of determinants. As applications, several different types of high‐order solutions are calculated for this equation.
In January 2013, Beijing experienced several serious haze events. To achieve a better understanding of the characteristics, sources and processes of aerosols during this month, an Aerodyne ...high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) was deployed at an urban site between 1 January and 1 February 2013 to obtain the size-resolved chemical composition of non-refractory submicron particles (NR-PM1). During this period, the mean measured NR-PM1 mass concentration was 89.3 ± 85.6 μg m−3, and it peaked at 423 μg m−3. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) differentiated the organic aerosol into five components, including a highly oxidized, low-volatility oxygenated organic aerosol (LV-OOA), a less oxidized, semi-volatile oxygenated OA (SV-OOA), a coal combustion OA (CCOA), a cooking-related OA (COA), and a hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), which on average accounted for 28%, 26%, 15%, 20% and 11% of the total organic mass, respectively. A detailed comparison between the polluted days and unpolluted days found many interesting results. First, the organic fraction was the most important NR-PM1 species during the unpolluted days (58%), while inorganic species were dominant on polluted days (59%). The OA composition also experienced a significant change; it was dominated by primary OA (POA), including COA, HOA and CCOA, on unpolluted days. The contribution of secondary OA (SOA) increased from 35% to 63% between unpolluted and polluted days. Second, meteorological effects played an important role in the heavy pollution in this month and differed significantly between the two types of days. The temperature and relative humidity (RH) were all increased on polluted days and the wind speed and air pressure were decreased. Third, the diurnal variation trend in NR-PM1 species and OA components showed some differences between the two types of days, and the OA was more highly oxidized on polluted days. Fourth, the effects of air masses were significantly different between the two types of days; air was mainly transported from contaminated areas on the polluted days. The comparison also found that the aerosol was more acidic on polluted days. Additionally, the variation trends of the mass concentration and mass fractions of NR-PM1 species and OA components were more dramatic when the NR-PM1 mass loading was at a higher level. The serious pollution observed in this month can be attributed to the synergy of unfavorable meteorological factors, the transport of air masses from high-pollution areas, emission by local sources, and other factors.