In this study, a modelling methodology is proposed for RANS simulations of neutral Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) flows on the basis of the standard
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model, which allows the adoption of an ...arbitrary shear stress model. This modelling methodology is first examined in the context of an open flat terrain in an empty domain to ascertain there are no substantial changes in the prescribed profiles. The results show that relatively good homogeneity can be achieved with this modelling methodology for various sets of inflow boundary profiles. In addition, to extend the solutions derived from the standard
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model to RNG
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model, the RNG
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model is in detail assembly and tuned. Finally, the topographic effects on surface wind speeds over a complex terrain are assessed with the combined use of the proposed methodology and the modified RNG model. The numerical results are in good agreement with wind tunnel testing results and long-term field observations. A discussion of the effects of horizontal homogeneity and turbulence models on the simulated wind flows over a complex terrain is also given.
In cystic fibrosis, dysregulated neutrophilic inflammation and chronic infection lead to progressive destruction of the airways. The underlying mechanisms have remained unclear. Lipoxins are ...anti-inflammatory lipid mediators that modulate neutrophilic inflammation. We report here that lipoxin concentrations in airway fluid were significantly suppressed in patients with cystic fibrosis compared to patients with other inflammatory lung conditions. We also show that administration of a metabolically stable lipoxin analog in a mouse model of the chronic airway inflammation and infection associated with cystic fibrosis suppressed neutrophilic inflammation, decreased pulmonary bacterial burden and attenuated disease severity. These findings suggest that there is a pathophysiologically important defect in lipoxin-mediated anti-inflammatory activity in the cystic fibrosis lung and that lipoxins have therapeutic potential in this lethal autosomal disease.
Summary
MicroRNA‐155 (miR155) is required for antibody production after vaccination with attenuated Salmonella. miR155‐deficient B cells generated reduced germinal centre responses and failed to ...produce high‐affinity immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 antibodies. In this study, we observed up‐regulation of miR155 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), and miR155 was also up‐regulated in torpedo acetylcholine receptor (T‐AChR)‐stimulated B cells. We used an inhibitor of miR155 conjugated to anti‐CD20 single‐chain antibody to treat both the cultured B cells and the experimental autoimmune MG (EAMG) mice. Our results demonstrated that silencing of miR155 by its inhibitor impaired the B cell‐activating factor (BAFF)‐R‐related signalling pathway and reduced the translocation of nuclear factor (NF)‐κB into the nucleus. Additionally, AChR‐specific autoantibodies were reduced, which may be related to the altered amounts of marginal zone B cells and memory B cells in the spleens of EAMG mice. Our study suggests that miR155 may be a promising target for the clinical therapy of MG.
Protein serine/threonine phosphatase-1 (PP-1) is one of the key enzymes responsible for dephosphorylation in vertebrates. Protein dephosphorylation via PP-1 is implicated in many different biological ...processes including gene expression, cell cycle control, transformation, neuronal transmission, apoptosis, autophage and senescence. However, whether PP-1 directly controls animal development remains to be investigated. Here, we present direct evidence to show that PP-1 plays an essential role in regulating eye development of vertebrates. Using goldfish as a model system, we have shown the following novel results. First, inhibition of PP-1 activity leads to death of a majority of the treated embryos, and the survived embryos displayed severe phenotype in the eye. Second, knockdown of each catalytic subunit of PP-1 with morpholino oligomers leads to partial (PP-lα knockdown) or complete (PP-lβ or PP-lγ knockdown) death of the injected embryos. The survived embryos from PP-1α knockdown displayed clear retardation in lens differentiation. Finally, overexpression of each subunit of PP-1 also causes death of majority of the injected embryos and leads to abnormal development of goldfish eye. Mechanistically, Pax-6 is one of the major downstream targets mediating the effects of PP-1 function since the eye phenotype in Pax-6 knockdown fish is similar to that derived from overexpression of PP-1. Together, our results for the first time provide direct evidence that protein phosphatase-1 plays a key role in governing normal eye formation during goldfish development.
CuFeO2 (CFO) is a delafossite-type compound and is a well known p-type semiconductor. Epitaxial CuFeO2 thin films were prepared on Al2O3 (0001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The deposition, ...performed at 500°C and 10Pa leads to epitaxial phase with extremely low roughness and high density. The oxygen pressure modulates the band energy properties of Cu 2p, Fe 3p and O1s. The results show that the low deposition oxygen pressure contributes to the chemistry ingredient and magnetization properties. Furthermore, spin-glass behavior is identified and weak-ferromagnetization property is found at a low temperature about ∼5K.
Objective To study the long-term changes of the morphological parameters of the posterior pole in highly myopic patients over 40 years old in Chinese natural population. Methods A population-based ...follow-up study. The study included 71 patients (27 males, 44 females; 110 eyes) with high myopia who completed the Beijing Eye Study in 2001 and 2011 and had assessable color fundus photographs. The age of the patients in 2011 was 56.2±9.5 years old. According to the definition of pathological myopia by the meta-analysis of the Pathological Myopia Research Group, the fundus photos in 2001 were interpreted, and 110 eyes were divided into groups of simple high myopia (79 eyes) and pathological myopia (31 eyes). The morphological parameters during the 2 follow-up visits in 2001 and 2011 were measured in the color fundus photos, including optic disc tilt ratio, optic disc rotation degree, β zone area, disc-fovea distance, disc-outer β zone border distance, fovea-outer β zone border distance, and vertical distance betwe
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