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A procedure is presented to exactly obtain the apparent average crystallite size (ACS) of powder samples using standard in-house powder diffraction experiments without any restriction originating from the Scherrer equation. Additionally, the crystallite size distribution within the sample can be evaluated. To achieve this, powder diffractograms are background corrected and long-range radial distribution functions G ( r ) up to 300 nm are calculated from the diffraction data. The envelope function f env of G ( r ) is approximated by a procedure determining the absolute maxima of G ( r ) in a certain interval ( r range). Fitting of an ACS distribution envelope function to this approximation gives the ACS and its distribution. The method is tested on diffractograms of LaB 6 standard reference materials measured with different wavelengths to demonstrate the validity of the approach and to clarify the influence of the wavelength used. The latter results in a general description of the maximum observable average crystallite size, which depends on the instrument and wavelength used. The crystallite site distribution is compared with particle size distributions based on transmission electron microscopy investigations, providing an approximation of the average number of crystallites per particle., (© Gesing and Robben 2024.)

Regolith draws intensive research attention because of its importance as the basis for fabricating materials for future human space exploration. Martian regolith is predicted to consist of defect-rich crystal structures due to long-term space weathering. The present report focuses on the structural differences between defect-rich and defect-poor forsterite (Mg 2 SiO 4 ) - one of the major phases in Martian regolith. In this work, forsterites were synthesized using reverse strike co-precipitation and high-energy ball milling (BM). Subsequent post-processing was also carried out using BM to enhance the defects. The crystal structures of the samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and total scattering using Cu and synchrotron radiation followed by Rietveld refinement and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis, respectively. The structural models were deduced by density functional theory assisted PDF refinements, describing both long-range and short-range order caused by defects. The Raman spectral features of the synthetic forsterites complement the ab initio simulation for an in-depth understanding of the associated structural defects., (open access.)

Inbred mouse lines vary in their ability to mount protective antiretroviral immune responses, and even closely related strains can exhibit opposing phenotypes upon retroviral infection. Here, we found that 129S mice inherit a previously unknown mechanism for the production of anti-murine leukemia virus (MLV) antibodies and control of infection. The resistant phenotype in 129S1 mice is controlled by two dominant loci that are independent from known MLV resistance genes. We also show that production of anti-MLV antibodies in 129S7 mice, but not 129S1 mice, is independent of interferon gamma signaling. Thus, our data indicate that 129S mice inherit an unknown mechanism for control of MLV infection and demonstrate that there is genetic variability in 129S substrains that affects their ability to mount antiviral immune responses. IMPORTANCE Understanding the genetic basis for production of protective antiviral immune responses is crucial for the development of novel vaccines and adjuvants. Additionally, characterizing the genetic and phenotypic variability in inbred mice has implications for the selection of strains for targeted mutagenesis, choice of controls, and for broader understanding of the requirements for protective immunity., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Glucocorticoids remain a cornerstone of therapeutic regimes for autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases - for example, in different forms of crescentic glomerulonephritis - because of their rapid antiinflammatory effects, low cost, and wide availability. Despite their routine use for decades, the underlying cellular mechanisms by which steroids exert their therapeutic effects need to be fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that high-dose steroid treatment rapidly reduced the number of proinflammatory CXCR3+CD4+ T cells in the kidney by combining high-dimensional single-cell and morphological analyses of kidney biopsies from patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated (ANCA-associated) crescentic glomerulonephritis. Using an experimental model of crescentic glomerulonephritis, we show that the steroid-induced decrease in renal CD4+ T cells is a consequence of reduced T cell recruitment, which is associated with an ameliorated disease course. Mechanistic in vivo and in vitro studies revealed that steroids act directly on renal tissue cells, such as tubular epithelial cells, but not on T cells, which resulted in an abolished renal expression of CXCL9 and CXCL10 as well as in the prevention of CXCR3+CD4+ T cell recruitment to the inflamed kidneys. Thus, we identified the CXCL9/CXCL10-CXCR3 axis as a previously unrecognized cellular and molecular target of glucocorticoids providing protection from immune-mediated pathology.

A novel polymorph of ThB 2 O 5 , denoted as β-ThB 2 O 5 , was synthesised under high-temperature high-pressure (HT/HP) conditions. Via single crystal X-ray diffraction measurements, β-ThB 2 O 5 was found to form a three-dimensional (3D) framework structure where thorium atoms are ten-fold oxygen coordinated forming tetra-capped trigonal prisms. The only other known polymorph of ThB 2 O 5 , denoted α, synthesised herein using a known borax, B 2 O 3 -Na 2 B 4 O 7 , high temperature solid method, was found to transform to the β polymorph when exposed to conditions of 4 GPa and ∼900 °C. Compared to the α polymorph, β-ThB 2 O 5 has smaller molar volume by approximately 12%. Exposing a mixture of the α and β polymorphs to HT/HP conditions ex situ further demonstrated the preferred higher-pressure phase being β, with no α phase material being observed via Rietveld refinements against laboratory X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD) measurements. In situ heating PXRD measurements on α-ThB 2 O 5 from RT to 1030 °C indicated that α-ThB 2 O 5 transforms to the β variant at approximately 900 °C via a 1st order mechanism. β-ThB 2 O 5 was found to exist only over a narrow temperature range, decomposing above 1050 °C. Ab initio calculations using density functional theory (DFT) with the Hubbard U parameter indicated, consistent with experimental observations, that β is both the preferred phase at higher temperatures and high pressures. Interestingly, it was found by switching from B 2 O 3 -Na 2 B 4 O 7 to H 3 BO 3 -Li 2 CO 3 flux using consistent high temperature solid state conditions for the synthesis of the α variant, β-ThB 2 O 5 could be generated. Comparison of their single crystal measurements showed this was identical to that obtained from HT/HP conditions.

Background: IL-17A-producing CD4 + T helper (T H 17) cells play a critical role in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as crescentic GN. The proinflammatory effects of IL-17 are mediated by the activation of the IL-17RA/IL-17RC complex. Although the expression of these receptors on epithelial and endothelial cells is well characterized, the IL-17 receptor expression pattern and function on hematopoietic cells, e.g. , CD4 + T cell subsets, remains to be elucidated., Methods: Crescentic GN (nephrotoxic nephritis) was induced in IL-17A, IFN γ , and Foxp3 triple-reporter mice for sorting of renal CD4 + T cell subsets and subsequent single-cell RNA sequencing. Moreover, we generated T H 17 cell-specific IL-17RA and IL-17RC gene-deficient mice and studied the functional role of IL-17 signaling in T H 17 cells in crescentic GN, imiquimod-induced psoriasis, and in the CD4 + CD45RB high T cell transfer colitis model., Results: We identified a specific expression of the IL-17 receptor A/C complex on CD4 + T H 17 cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of T H 17 cells revealed the activation of the IL-17 receptor signaling pathway in experimental crescentic GN. Disruption of the IL-17RC signaling pathway in CD4 + T cells and, most importantly, specifically in CD4 + T H 17 cells, potentiates the IL-17 cytokine response and results in an accelerated course of experimental crescentic GN. Comparable results were observed in experimental models of psoriasis and colitis., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that IL-17 receptor C signaling has a previously unrecognized function in the regulation of CD4 + T H 17 cells and in the control of organ-specific autoimmunity and might provide new insights into the development of more efficient anti-T H 17 treatment strategies., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Spinel ferrites (T[M1-xFex]O[MxFe2-x]O4 with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, where M is a bivalent metal ion and the superscripts denote tetrahedral and octahedral sites) are materials commonly used in electronics due to their outstanding magnetic properties. Thus, the effect of the degree of inversion, x, on these properties is well known. However, its effect on other properties of these materials has rarely been investigated in detail. Since ferrites gained much attention during the last decade as visible light active photocatalysts and photoelectrocatalysts, understanding the effect of the degree of inversion on the optical properties became necessary. Among photocatalytically and photoelectrocatalytically active spinel ferrites, zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4, ZFO) is one of the most widely studied materials. In this work, five ZFO samples with degrees of inversion varying from 0.07 to 0.20 were prepared by a solid-state reaction employing different annealing temperatures and subsequent quenching. Raman and UV-Vis-NIR spectra were measured and analyzed together with theoretical results obtained from ab initio calculations. Changes in the UV-Vis-NIR spectra associated with electronic transitions of tetrahedrally and octahedrally coordinated Fe3+ ions are distinguished. However, the optical band gap of the material remains unchanged as the degree of inversion varies. Based on the experimental and theoretical results, a new assignment for the Raman active internal modes and the electronic transitions of ZFO is proposed.

Autoprotolysis of the metastable acid (C6F5)3BOPPh2OH, prepared in situ by the reaction of the rather weak Brønsted acid Ph2PO2H with the strong Lewis acid B(C6F5)3, gave rise to the formation of the eight-membered ring [Ph2POB(C6F5)2O]2 and C6F5H. The conjugate base was isolated as stable sodium crown ether salt [Na(15-crown-5)][Ph2PO2B(C6F5)3].

Single-crystal structure refinements on lithium lanthanum zirconate (LLZO; Li7La3Zr2O12) substituted with gallium were successfully carried out in the cubic symmetry space group I [Formula: see text]3d. Gallium was found on two lithium sites as well as on the lanthanum position. Due to the structural distortion of the resulting Li6.43(2)Ga0.52(3)La2.67(4)Zr2O12 (Ga-LLZO) single crystals, a reduction of the LLZO cubic garnet symmetry from Ia[Formula: see text] d to I [Formula: see text]3d was necessary, which could hardly be analysed from X-ray powder diffraction data.

By applying high temperature (1270 K) and high pressure (3.5 GPa), significant changes occur in the structural volume and crystal topology of ThMo2 O8 , allowing the formation of an unexpected new ThMo2 O8 polymorph (high-temperature/high-pressure (HT/HP) orthorhombic ThMo2 O8 ). Compared with the other three ThMo2 O8 polymorphs prepared at the ambient pressure (monoclinic, orthorhombic, and hexagonal phases), the molar volume for the quenched HT/HP-orthorhombic ThMo2 O8 is decreased by almost 20 %. As a result of such a dramatic structural transformation, a permanent high-pressure quenchable state is able to be sustained when the pressure is released. The crystal structures of the three ambient ThMo2 O8 phases are based on three-dimensional (3D) frameworks constructed from corner-sharing ThOx (x=6, 8, or 9) polyhedra and MoO4 tetrahedra. The HT/HP-orthorhombic ThMo2 O8 , however, crystallizes in a novel structural topology, exhibiting very dense arrangements of ThO11 and MoO4+1 polyhedra connecting along the crystallographic c axis. The phase transitions among all four of these ThMo2 O8 polymorphs are unveiled and fully characterized with regard to the structural transformation, thermal stability, and vibrational properties. The complementary first principles calculations of Gibbs free energies reveal the underlying energetics of the phase transition, which support the experimental findings., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Invited for the cover of this issue are the groups of Evgeny V. Alekseev at the Forchungszentrum Jülich and Thorstem M. Gesing at the University of Bremen. The image depicts the complex thorium tungstate polyanions, having a six-leafed lily cross-section, containing a rare confacial [W2 O9 ](6-) bioctahedral core. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201500500., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A new alkaline thorium arsenate family was obtained and systematically investigated. The structures of A2Th(AsO4)2 (A = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) were determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction data. Li2Th(AsO4)2 and either isostructural K2Th(AsO4)2 and Rb2Th(AsO4)2 crystallize in the monoclinic crystal system. Na2Th(AsO4)2 and Cs2Th(AsO4)2 crystallize in the orthorhombic and tetragonal crystal systems, respectively. Li2Th(AsO4)2 consists of [Th(AsO4)2](2-) layers with Li atoms in the interlayer space. The rest of the compounds are based on 3D frameworks. Differences in local environments of ThO8 coordination polyhedra are described in relation to the symmetry. Despite different local environments of ThO8 coordination polyhedra and different structural symmetry, underlying nets of A2Th(AsO4)2 (A = Na, K, Rb, Cs) were shown to be the same. Single-crystal and powder Raman spectra were measured, and bands are assigned. DSC measurements showed phase transitions in K2Th(AsO4)2 and Rb2Th(AsO4)2, which were studied using high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction (HT-PXRD). The data of HT-PXRD demonstrates two high-temperature polymorphic modification of K2Th(AsO4)2 and only one for the isotypic Rb2Th(AsO4)2. The phase transitions in both K and Rb phases are reversible.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles consisting of pure anatase, anatase-rich, brookite-rich, and pure brookite modifications were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission-scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption. The phase transformations among the three modifications of TiO2 (anatase, brookite, and rutile) and the photocatalytic activities of these nanoparticles were investigated by heat treatment over the temperature range from 400 to 800 °C and by the photooxidation of methanol, respectively. Direct transformation of anatase and brookite to rutile was observed, while in the case of the anatase-brookite mixture, anatase transforms firstly to brookite and then to rutile. The photocatalytic activity measurements indicate that brookite nanoparticles exhibit higher photocatalytic activities than anatase, and a comparable activity to that of the anatase-rich nanoparticles. The phase transformations and photocatalytic results are discussed regarding their dependence on crystallite size, surface area, and phase composition.

Mesoporous RuO(2)-TiO(2) nanocomposites at different RuO(2) concentrations (0-10 wt%) are prepared through a simple one-step sol-gel reaction of tetrabutyl orthotitanate with ruthenium(III) acetylacetonate in the presence of an F127 triblock copolymer as structure-directing agent. The thus-formed RuO(2)-TiO(2) network gels are calcined at 450 °C for 4 h leading to mesoporous RuO(2)-TiO(2) nanocomposites. The photocatalytic CH(3)OH oxidation to HCHO is chosen as the test reaction to examine the photocatalytic activity of the mesoporous RuO(2)-TiO(2) nanocomposites under UV and visible light. The photooxidation of CH(3)OH is substantially affected by the loading amount and the degree of dispersion of RuO(2) particles onto the TiO(2), which indicates the exclusive effect of the RuO(2) nanoparticles on this photocatalytic reaction under visible light. The measured photonic efficiency ξ=0.53% of 0.5 wt% RuO(2)-TiO(2) nanocomposite for CH(3)OH oxidation is maximal and the further increase of RuO(2) loading up to 10 wt% gradually decreases this value. The cause of the visible-light photocatalytic behavior is the incorporation of small amounts of Ru(4+) into the anatase lattice. On the other hand, under UV light, undoped TiO(2) shows a very good photonic efficiency, which is more than three times that for commercial photocatalyst, P-25 (Evonik-Degussa); however, addition of RuO(2) suppresses the photonic efficiency of TiO(2). The proposed reaction mechanism based on the observed behavior of RuO(2)-TiO(2) photocatalysts under UV and visible light is explored., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)