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The gammaherpesviruses, including human Epstein-Barr virus, human Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68, γHV68, MuHV-4), are ubiquitous pathogens that directly contribute to the genesis of a wide variety of malignancies, including B cell lymphomas. In vivo, these viruses infect naïve B cells and then usurp B cell signaling pathways to drive infected cells, independent of antigen stimulation, through germinal center (GC) reactions and thereby establish lifelong latency in the memory B cell compartment. However, the specific molecular determinants by which these viruses establish chronic latent infection in B cells in vivo remain largely unknown. The E3 ubiquitin ligase Cullin 4b (Cul4b) is well recognized as a central player in regulating cell proliferation, DNA damage repair, and gene transcription by catalyzing the ubiquitination and degradation of numerous cellular proteins. Here, we determined whether B cell-intrinsic expression of Cul4b is required for chronic gammaherpesvirus infection in vivo. Through MHV68 infection of mice with B cell-specific Cul4b deficiency, we found that loss of Cul4b expression in B cells severely impeded the establishment of latency at peripheral sites. In particular, a lack of Cul4b expression in B cells significantly attenuated the expansion of virus-infected GC B cells, suggesting that gammaherpesviruses may manipulate a previously unknown function of Cul4b in GC B cell biology. Cumulatively, these findings demonstrate that Cul4b promotes chronic gammaherpesvirus infection in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The germinal center (GC) plays a central role in the generation of antigen-specific B cells and antibodies. Tight regulation of the GC is essential due to the inherent risks of tumorigenesis and autoimmunity posed by inappropriate GC B cell processes. Gammaherpesviruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) utilize numerous armaments to drive infected naïve B cells, independent of antigen, through GC reactions to expand the latently infected B cell population and establish a stable latency reservoir. We previously demonstrated that the MHV68 microRNA (miRNA) mghv-miR-M1-7-5p represses host EWSR1 (Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1) to promote B cell infection. EWSR1 is a transcription and splicing regulator that is recognized for its involvement as a fusion protein in Ewing sarcoma. A function for EWSR1 in B cell responses has not been previously reported. Here, we demonstrate that 1) B cell-specific deletion of EWSR1 had no effect on generation of mature B cell subsets or basal immunoglobulin levels in naïve mice, 2) repression or ablation of EWSR1 in B cells promoted expansion of MHV68 latently infected GC B cells, and 3) B cell-specific deletion of EWSR1 during a normal immune response to nonviral antigen resulted in significantly elevated numbers of antigen-specific GC B cells, plasma cells, and circulating antibodies. Notably, EWSR1 deficiency did not affect the proliferation or survival of GC B cells but instead resulted in the generation of increased numbers of precursor GC B cells. Cumulatively, these findings demonstrate that EWSR1 is a negative regulator of B cell responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we analyze the meromorphic solutions of the following two types of nonlinear differential-difference equation: fn f′ + p(z)f (z + c) = p1 eα1z + p2 eα2z and fn f′ + q(z)f (z + c) eQ(z) = p1 eα1z + p2 eα2z, where p1, p2 and α1, α2 are nonzero constants, p(z), Q(z) are non-vanishing polynomials and q(z) is a rational function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective memory, especially the memory of war, is of critical importance to the cohesion of an ethnic group. This paper takes an interest in the collective memory of ethnic war in Kazuo Ishiguro's The Buried Giant. It firstly examines the influence of the loss and recall of collective war memory, which impacts the (re)shaping of group identity. It then introduces the idea of "symbolic politics", and illustrates that the stories in the novel and their real-world parallels suggest that the manipulative elites could consolidate particular collective war memories for their own interests or the needs of the present. Collective war memory could be constructed to build ethnic myths which could evoke emotions like hatred and fear. However, neither the deliberate suppressing/forgetting of the traumatic memory of war, nor the sudden remembering/emphasising of fear and crisis are the way to coexist in harmony with others. It concludes that some key factors of forgiveness emphasised in the novel might help with peacebuilding in the postwar world and finally complete the process of reconciliation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel The New Story of the Stone (新石头记, Xinshitouji [1908] 2016), by Wu Jianren, is one of the most representative Chinese utopian works of the late Qing dynasty, or the early 20th-century. The novel is evenly divided into two parts. The first 20 chapters probe into the political and social conditions of late Qing China through the depictions of the protagonist's travels to cities such as Shanghai, Wuhan and Beijing where the relations with the West had been established. The last 20 chapters, which are antithetical to the first part, depict a utopia - the Civilized World. There is a twisted mirror-image relationship between Shanghai and the Civilized World. The Civilized World alludes to civilized Shanghai with advanced hospitals, factories, museums, schools for women, trading markets and so on. Based on the image of Shanghai, the highly westernized and modernized Chinese metropolis, the author works out this "genuine civilized country" in the hope of competing with the "false civilized Western country". Therefore, by making the geographic location of "the Civilized World" both fictional and real, the author finds his way to imagining a unique Chinese utopia which might surpass the Western civilization in the late Qing China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polysaccharide pectin is a major component of the plant cell wall. The pectic glycan homogalacturonan (HG) is a proportionally small but important component of a specialized seed cell wall called mucilage. HG is synthesized in a highly methylesterified form, and, following secretion, is de-methylesterified by pectin methylesterases (PMEs). The degree of methylesterification of HG determines the structural and functional properties of pectin, but how methylesterification is regulated remains largely unknown. Here, we identified two BEL1-Like homeodomain (BLH) transcription factors, BLH2 and BLH4, as positive regulators of HG de-methylesterification in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seed coat mucilage. BLH2 and BLH4 were significantly expressed in mucilage secretory cells during seed mucilage production. BLH2 and BLH4 single mutants exhibited no obvious mucilage phenotype, but the blh2 blh4 double mutant displayed significantly reduced mucilage adherence to the seed. Reduced mucilage adherence in blh2 blh4 was caused by decreased PME activity in the seed coat, which increased the degree of methylesterification of HG in mucilage. The expression of several PME metabolism-related genes, including PME58, PECTIN METHYLESTERASE INHIBITOR6, SEEDSTICK, and MYB52 was significantly altered in blh2 blh4 seeds. BLH2 and BLH4 directly activated PME58 expression by binding to its TGACAGGT cis-element. Moreover, pme58 mutants exhibited reduced mucilage adherence similar to that of blh2 blh4, and the blh2 blh4 pme58 triple mutant exhibited no additional mucilage adherence defects. Furthermore, overexpression of PME58 in blh2 blh4 rescued the mucilage adherence defect. Together, these results demonstrate that BLH2 and BLH4 redundantly regulate de-methylesterification of HG in seed mucilage by directly activating PME58. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion “intermediate text” refers to a somewhat neglected genre or type of text emerging through the mutual interaction between local literatures and world literature. “Intermediate text” as a category comprises texts from a local literature influenced by the hypercanon of world literature, yet at the same time approaching the canon from a critical and local perspective. Such intermediate texts play a role as critical mediators between the local and the global, also assuming the function of a contestatory canon from a local point of view as well as forming a “shadow canon” on the global scene. In this article, intermediate texts will be characterized by three features: historicity, mediation, and absorption. The primary texts are works by Mo Yan and Julian Barnes, both of whom, as a Nobel Prize winner and a Man Booker Prize winner, have a potential for acquiring both local and international canonicity. Inspired by William Faulkner and Gabriel García Márquez, Mo Yan builds on an international canon, while also creating works with strong Chinese elements. Unlike Mo Yan's intermediate texts, Julian Barnes's novels situate themselves within the network of canonical writers such as Gustave Flaubert, yet without “writing back” on local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complexity of the crustal medium and stratigraphic boundaries, seismic waves typically exhibit attenuation and dispersion after propagation through the medium. By studying the regularity of seismic wave dispersion, soil layer information can be extracted. Current spectral decomposition techniques take less account of signal filtering processing of seismic waves, and the complexity of the stratigraphy tends to reduce the accuracy of dispersion analysis. Based on the above, a new method for calculating the dispersion characteristics of a site from surface and downhole ground vibration recordings is proposed, which is simpler than the spectra analysis of surface waves (SASW) method and eliminates the need for multiple pickups and additional equipment. This method is based on wavelet decomposition and seismic wave filtering, and a numerical simulation example is established to verify the effectiveness of the method. Then, the records of the Tohoku earthquake on March 11, 2011 are used as actual strong earthquake examples for filtering and dispersion analysis. Finally, it is concluded that the seismic wave dispersion analysis method based on wavelet decomposition can effectively filter and analyze seismic waves in specific frequency bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oncogenic gammaherpesviruses, including human Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68, γHV68, MuHV-4) establish life-long latency in circulating B cells. The precise determinants that mediate in vivo gammaherpesvirus latency and tumorigenesis remain unclear. The EBV-encoded RNAs (EBERs) are among the first noncoding RNAs ever identified and have been the subject of decades of studies; however, their biological roles during in vivo infection remain unknown. Herein, we use a series of refined virus mutants to define the active isoform of MHV68 noncoding RNA TMER4 and demonstrate that EBV EBER1 functionally conserves this activity in vivo to promote egress of infected B cells from lymph nodes into peripheral circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article cites a research study that examines defect-engineered epitaxial vanadium dioxide for the purpose of elastic strain engineering. It is said that the structural and chemical similarity of the film and substrate determines the effectiveness of strain engineering in either epitaxial films or nanocomposites.

Cell therapy using macrophages requires large amounts of cells, which are difficult to collect from patients. Patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) discard huge numbers of peritoneal macrophages in dialysate daily. Macrophages can be modulated to become regulatory macrophages, which have shown great promise as a therapeutic strategy in experimental kidney disease and human kidney transplantation. This study aimed to examine the potential of using peritoneal macrophages (PMs) from peritoneal dialysate to treat kidney disease. Monocytes/macrophages accounted for >40% of total peritoneal leukocytes in both patients and mice undergoing PD. PMs from patients and mice undergoing PD were more mature than peripheral monocytes/macrophages, as shown by low expression of C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) and morphological changes during in vitro culture. PMs from patients and mice undergoing PD displayed normal macrophage function and could be modulated into a regulatory (M2) phenotype. In vivo, adoptive transfer of peritoneal M2 macrophages derived from PD mice effectively protected against kidney injury in mice with adriamycin nephropathy (AN). Importantly, the transfused peritoneal M2 macrophages maintained their M2 phenotype in kidney of AN mice. In conclusion, PMs derived from patients and mice undergoing PD exhibited conventional macrophage features. Peritoneal M2 macrophages derived from PD mice are able to reduce kidney injury in AN, suggesting that peritoneal macrophages from patients undergoing PD may have the potential for clinical therapeutic application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numerical simulation and wind tunnel experiment are employed to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of automobile. The object is to investigate the sensibility of aerodynamic characteristic to the underbody, and summarize the influence of aerodynamic attachments on the aerodynamic drag, which can provide more useful date as a reference to underbody design of automobile. In the wind tunnel experiments, the aerodynamic drag of automobile with simplified flat underbody is measured. The realizable k-ε model is employed to compute the aerodynamic drag. The computational results show a good agreement with the experimental date, which proving the accuracy of the numerical calculation method. Then the numerical calculation model with real underbody structure is established on this basis. Calculation results show that there are many separation vortexes in the automotive underbody and with a great influence on the aerodynamic characteristics, which is the main reason for the formation of aerodynamic drag and make the aerodynamic drag increased by 23.4 %. In order to reduce drag, A kind of wheel spoiler and three kinds of underbody spoiler are designed, and the influence of the key parameters on aerodynamic drag is analyzed, which both had effective influence for reducing aerodynamic drag, and the largest drop of drag coefficient are 4.86 % and 7.05 % with the reasonable structure designs. The results of calculation and analysis can give suggestion for vehicle designing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid numerical approach was used on a three-dimensional cavity at a non-zero inclination angle of the upstream section to reveal the mechanism of self-oscillation and the characteristics of far-field sound field. In this hybrid approach, the unsteady flow physics was captured by a compressible large eddy simulation, and the far-field sound field was calculated by the FW–H integral equation, with the noise source provided by near-field calculation. The mechanism of selfoscillation was revealed based on the instantaneous flow field structure and the pressure inside the cavity. The effects of the position of opening, inclination angle and neck thickness on the frequency and amplitude of the fluctuation pressure inside the cavity were examined. Results showed that the frequency and the amplitude were sensitive to the inclination angle but not to the position of the opening. Under varying neck thicknesses, the fundamental frequencies changed, but the amplitude remained almost constant. The influences of the boundary layer thickness on the amplitude of the fluctuation pressure was also investigated. Results revealed that the oscillation was suppressed once the boundary layer thickness reached a critical value. The findings could provide a reference for a quiet car with a low sunroof buffeting noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) composed of Gα, Gβ, and Gγ subunits are conserved signal transduction molecules in animals and plants. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), there are three Gα-like proteins named EXTRA-LARGE G PROTEINs (XLGs) in addition to the canonical Gα protein GPA1. XLGs have been reported to be implicated in multiple pathways, although the underlying mechanisms of their action remain elusive. Here, we report that all three XLGs interact with two closely related plant U-box (PUB) E3 ligases, PUB2 and PUB4. Three XLGs are predominantly localized at the plasma membrane, whereas XLG2 and XLG3 also show nuclear localization. The interactions between PUB2/4 and XLGs suggest that they might function in the same pathways. Indeed, we found that a newly obtained xlg1/2/3 triple knockout mutant, the pub4 mutant, and the pub2/4 double mutant all exhibited defects in cytokinin responses, stamen development, tapetum development, and male fertility. However, the xlg single mutants and the pub2 mutant did not exhibit an obvious defect in these processes, which suggests functional redundancy among the three XLGs and between PUB2 and PUB4. Overexpressing ARR10 to enhance the cytokinin response in pub4 or in the xlg1/2/3 triple mutant partially restored several phenotypes caused by the pub4 and xlg1/2/3 mutations. Our findings reveal that the XLGs and PUB2/4 are components in the complex cytokinin signaling networks regulating many developmental and physiological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wurtzite (W) and zinc-blende (ZB) polytypism has long been observed in epitaxial CdS thin films. The present work, based on van der Waals epitaxial CdS thin films, is an attempt to explain which crystal modification, W or ZB, is favored under different growth conditions. In this van der Waals epitaxy system where the substrate influence is considered weak, it is found that the substrate temperature plays a crucial role in determining the crystal modification of CdS, that is, W and ZB CdS are more stable at low and high ends of substrate temperature, respectively. We attribute this temperature effect to the entropy difference (SW

One-dimensional nanoscale epitaxial arrays serve as a great model in studying fundamental physics and for emerging applications. With an increasing focus laid on the Cs-based inorganic halide perovskite out of its outstanding material stability, we have applied vapor phase epitaxy to grow well aligned horizontal CsPbX3 (X: Cl, Br, or I or their mixed) nanowire arrays in large scale on mica substrate. The as-grown nanowire features a triangular prism morphology with typical length ranging from a few tens of micrometers to a few millimeters. Structural analysis reveals that the wire arrays follow the symmetry of mica substrate through incommensurate epitaxy, paving a way for a universally applicable method to grow a broad family of halide perovskite materials. The unique photon transport in the one-dimensional structure has been studied in the all-inorganic Cs-based perovskite wires via temperature dependent and spatially resolved photoluminescence. Epitaxy of well oriented wire arrays in halide perovskite would be a promising direction for enabling the circuit-level applications of halide perovskite in high-performance electro-optics and optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palaearctic species of Periclistus Förster has been systematically described, but a new inquiline gall-wasp, Periclistus qinghainensis sp. n., is described from China. This species was obtained from an unknown stem gall induced on Rosa sp. Diagnosis, distribution and biology of the new species are described in this paper. After examining the types of P. idoneus Belizin, 1973 and P. capillatus Belizin, 1968, it is concluded that P. idoneus belongs to genus Aulacidea, and P. capillatus is a valid species of Periclistus. A key to the Palaearctic Periclistus species is also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Teliphasa Moore, 1888 from China is reviewed. Nine species are treated, including descriptions of four new species: Teliphasa spinosa Li, sp. n., T. similalbifusa Li, sp. n., T. erythrina Li, sp. n., and T. hamata Li, sp. n. Photographs of adults, wing venation, and both male and female genitalia are provided, along with a key for the identification of all the Chinese species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Van der Waals epitaxialgrowth had been thought to have trivial contribution on inducing substantial epitaxial strain in thin films due to its weak nature of van der Waals interfacial energy. Due to this, electrical and optical structure engineering via van der Waals epitaxial strain has been rarely studied. In this report, we show that significant band structure engineering could be achieved in a soft thin film material PbI2 via van der Waals epitaxy. The thickness dependent photoluminescence of single crystal PbI2 flakes was studied and attributed to the substrate-film coupling effect via incommensurate van der Waals epitaxy. It is proposed that the van der Waals strain is resulted from the soft nature of PbI2 and large van der Waals interaction due to the involvement of heavy elements. Such strain plays vital roles in modifying the band gap of PbI2. The deformation potential theory is used to quantitatively unveil the correlation between thickness, strain, and band gap change. Our hypothesis is confirmed by the subsequent mechanical bending test and Raman characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of emerging materialsphysics and prospective applicationsof two-dimensional materials greatly relies on the growth controlof their thickness, phases, morphologies, and film–substrateinteractions. Though substantial progress has been made for the developmentof two-dimensional films from conventional layered bulky materials,particular challenges remain for obtaining ultrathin, single crystalline,dislocation-free films from intrinsically non-van der Waals-type three-dimensionalmaterials. In this report, with the successful demonstration of singlecrystalline ultrathin large-scale perovskite halide material, we revealand identify the favorable role of weak van der Waals film–substrateinteraction on the nucleation and growth of the two-dimensional morphologyout of nonlayered materials compared to conventional epitaxy. We alsoshow how the bonding nature of the three-dimensional material itselfaffects the kinetic energy landscape of ultrathin film growth. Bystudying the formation of fractal perovskites assisted with MonteCarlo simulations, we demonstrate that the competition between thevan der Waals diffusion and surface free energy of the perovskiteleads to film thickening, suggesting that extra strategies such assurface passivation may be needed for the growth of monolayer andfew-layer films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CD166, an adhesion molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is one of the crucial effectors that traffic lymphocytes into tissues. Till now, the expression and role of CD166 in the chronic kidney disease remains unknown. Objectives: In the present study, we are to examine the expression of CD166 in the chronic kidney disease, and to explore its function with CD4+ T cells. Materials and Methods: CD166 expression was tested by Flow Cytometry (FACS) in the primary macrophages stimulated with LPS. In vivo, the expression of CD166 and CD4 were examined in the kidney tissues of adriamycin-induced nephropathy (AN) mice by immnohistochemistry. Macrophages and lymphocytes were co-cultured, the interaction between CD166 and CD4 was tested by immunofluorescent staining. Furthermore, the effects of CD166 on the activation and proliferation of T cells were explored. Results: In this study, CD166 expression was found to be upregulated on activated macrophages and glomerular endothelia in the adriamycin-induced nephropathy (AN) mice and CD4+ T cells were increased with CD166 expression in the AN mice. The interaction between macrophages and CD4+ T cells indicated that CD166 played a key role in the recruitment of lymphocytes in the chronic kidney disease, and neither proliferation nor activation of T cells was affected by CD166. Conclusions: CD166 expressed on macrophages and endothelia in AN kidney, and the function was related to the recruitment of CD4+ T cells into inflamed kidney, indicating that CD166 may be a potential target for reducing the inflammatory infiltrates in the chronic kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have suggested that ginsenoside Rg3 (GSRg3) extract from the medicinal plant Panax ginseng, may increase nitric oxide production via increases in the phosphorylation and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). The present study used an in vitro neonatal rat cardiomyocyte (NRC) model of anoxia-reoxygenation injury and an in vivo rat model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury. Hemodynamic, histopathological and biochemical assessment of the myocardial injury was performed and the expression levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase and creatine kinase (CK) were measured in serum from the animal model, which may reflect myocardial injury. NRC injury was determined using a Cell Counting kit-8. The GSRg3 anti-apoptotic effects were assessed using flow cytometry to investigate the number of early-late apoptotic cells and western blot analysis was performed to analyze the protein expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-9, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), phosphorylated (p-)Akt and eNOS. The results suggested that pretreatment with GSRg3 (60 mg/kg) significantly improved rat cardiac function, as demonstrated by increased left ventricular systolic pressure, heart rate and first derivative of left ventricular pressure. GSRg3 also reduced the size of the myocardial infarct and LDH/CK levels in the blood following MI/R. In vitro investigations revealed that GSRg3 (10 mM) decreased NRC apoptosis through inhibiting the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, and increasing the expression levels of p-Akt, eNOS and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax). Overall, the present study revealed that GSRg3 mediated a cardioprotective effect against MI/R-induced apoptosis via Akt/eNOS signaling and the Bcl-2/Bax pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar heating and nocturnal radiant cooling techniques are combined aiming at a novel solar heating and cooling panel (termed as SHCP) to be easily assembled as construction components for building roofing or envelope and also compatible with surroundings for its versatile coating colors, which can remove the double-skin mode from conventional solar equipment. SHCP has two functions for heating and cooling collecting. In this paper, the heating and cooling performances were analyzed in detail based on a small scale experimental system and effects of air gap and coatings were investigated. The results show that in sunny day of extreme cold January in Tianjin, China, the daily average heat-collecting efficiency is 39% with the maximum of 65%, while in sunny night during hot seasons the average cooling capacity can reach 87 W/m 2 . When two different coatings were sprayed on SHCP without air gap, its heating and cooling performances were all analyzed, the daily average heat-collecting efficiency was 39% and 27% with the maximum points of 65% and 49%, respectively, and the cooling capacity was almost the same of 30 W/m 2 in January. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as important posttranscriptional regulators involved in various biological and pathological processes of cells, but their association with tumor chemoresistance has not been fully understood. Methods: We detected miR-27a expression in two lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, A549 and A549/CDDP, and then investigated the effects of miR-27a on the metastasis and the chemosensitivity of cancer cells, using both gain- and loss-of-function studies. The correlation between miR-27a level and chemoresistance was further investigated in clinical lung adenocarcinoma specimens. Results: miR-27a was significantly up-regulated in cisplatin-resistant lung adenocarcinoma A549/CDDP cells compared with parental A549 cells. miR-27a regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cisplatin resistance in vitro and modulates response of lung adenocarcinoma cells to cisplatin in vivo. Further studies identified Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP) as a direct and functional target of miR-27a. Small interfering RNA-mediated RKIP knockdown revealed similar effects as that of ectopic miR-27a expression, while overexpression of RKIP attenuated the function of miR-27a in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Increased miR-27a expression was also detected in tumor tissues sampled from lung adenocarcinoma patients treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy and was proved to be correlated with low expression of RKIP, decreased sensitivity to cisplatin, and poor prognosis. Conclusion: Our results suggest that up-regulation of miR-27a could suppress RKIP expression and in turn contribute to chemoresistance of lung adenocarcinoma cells to cisplatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophages (Mɸ) are located throughout kidney tissue, where they play important roles in homeostasis, surveillance, tolerance, and cytoprotection. Mɸ are highly heterogeneous cells and exhibit distinct phenotypic and functional characteristics depending on their microenvironment and the disease type and stage. Recent studies have identified a dual role for Mɸ in several murine models of kidney disease. In this review, we discuss the pathogenic and protective roles of the various Mɸ subsets in experimental and human kidney diseases and summarize current progress toward the therapeutic use of Mɸ in kidney diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a study on the inquilinous cynipids belonging to the tribe Synergini (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipinae) in the Chinese fauna, we report in the present paper three species of the genus Ceroptres Hartig from that country, including C. masudai Abe, 1997 and two new species, C. distinctus sp. nov. and C. setosus sp. nov. In addition to detailed descriptions of the new species, we also provide an illustrated key to the species of the genus known from the Palaearctic region and a brief comparison between the Palaearctic and Nearctic Ceroptres species. Type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Parasitic Hymenoptera Collection, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China (ZJUH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In low-temperature pulsed growth two-dimensional islands form and coarsen into ~10 nm features. The islands produce well-defined displaced x-ray diffraction peaks due to relaxation of anisotropic surface stress of the (2 x 1) reconstruction with expansion and contraction present in orthogonal directions. We infer that the island distribution differs from continuous deposition, enhancing the population of size-selected islands exhibiting anisotropic relaxation. The relaxation carries over into multilevel islands, suggesting that domains in subsequent layers form metastable stress domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alternatively activated macrophages (M2 macrophages) are able to reduce renal injury in murine adriamycin nephropathy. However, the effect of M2 macrophages in other renal diseases such as diabetic nephropathy remains unknown. Methods: Macrophages were separated from splenocytes and polarized with IL-4 and IL-13 into a protective phenotype. Mice underwent adoptive transfer with M2 macrophages, and then diabetes was induced by tail vein injection with streptozotocin (STZ). Blood glucose levels were monitored daily. Mice were sacrificed at week 10 after STZ. Renal function and histopathological injury were assessed quantitatively. Results: Transfused M2 macrophages accumulated progressively in kidneys for up to 10 weeks after STZ. Kidneys from diabetic mice transfused with M2 macrophages had less tubular atrophy, glomerular hypertrophy and interstitial expansion than did control diabetic mice. M2 macrophages suppressed the development of interstitial fibrosis. In addition, the degree of pancreatic islet injury, as assessed by insulin staining, haemoglobin A1c and blood glucose was reduced after transfusion of M2 macrophages. In vivo, activation of kidney endogenous macrophage cytokine expression was inhibited by M2 macrophages. Conclusion: Our findings show that M2 macrophages can protect against islet and renal injury in streptozotocin-induced diabetes, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solar assisted heat pump (SAHP) system was designed by using a roof-integrated solar collector as the evaporator, and then it was demonstrated to provide space heating for a villa in Tianjin, China. A building energy simulation tool was used to predict the space heating load and a three dimensional theoretical model was established to analyze the heat collection performance of the solar roof collector. A floor radiant heating unit was used to decrease the energy demand. The measurement results during the winter test period show that the system can provide a comfortable living space in winter, when the room temperature averaged 18.9 °C. The average COP of the heat pump system is 2.97 and with a maximum around 4.16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural killer (NK) cells are important effectors in the immune response to tumors. A number of cell-surface inhibitory and activating receptors on NK cells tightly regulate their interaction with target cell ligands. In particular, the strength of an anti-tumor immune response appears to depend critically on surface levels of one activating receptor, NKG2D. Correspondingly, expression of NKG2D ligands on target cells is a requirement for effective tumor immunosurveillance and the elimination of pathogen-infected cells. Sodium butyrate, a potent repressor of histone deacetylase (HDAC), has recently been proposed as a potential agent in cancer treatment based on its ability to modify, in several cancer cell types, the expression of a variety of genes related to cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. Here we report that, in the HeLa and HepG2 tumor cell lines, sodium butyrate upregulated the expression of the MHC class I-related chain molecules A and B (MICA and MICB) at both the mRNA and protein levels, resulting in an enhanced susceptibility of cells in both lines to NK lysis. It also led to an elevated expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and transcription factor Sp1, and increased the binding of transcription factors Sp1 and heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) to the MICA/B promoter, resulting in increased expression of MICA and MICB. siRNA targeting Sp1 significantly attenuate the enhancement of MICA expression by sodium butyrate. These results suggest that sodium butyrate and other HDAC inhibitors may have therapeutic potential by enhancing the immune response to cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thioredoxin system consists of thioredoxin (Trx), thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and NADPH, which plays several key roles in maintaining the redox environment of the cell. In Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, thioredoxin system may play important functions in the activity regulation of periplasmic proteins and energy metabolism. Here, we cloned thioredoxin ( trx) and thioredoxin reductase ( trxR) genes from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, and expressed the genes in Escherichia coli. His-Trx and His-TrxR were purified to homogeneity with one-step Ni-NTA affinity column chromatography. Site-directed mutagenesis results confirmed that Cys33, Cys36 of thioredoxin, and Cys142, Cys145 of thioredoxin reductase were active-site residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because macrophages are considered to be possible effectors of disease in Adriamycin (ADR) nephrosis, we hypothesized that depletion of macrophages might protect against the initiation of renal injury. In the present study, a monoclonal antibody (ED7) directed against CD11b/CD18 integrin, which is expressed by macrophages, was used to investigate the pathogenetic effects of macrophages in ADR nephropathy. Methods: Male Wistar rats were treated with ED7 antibody, starting 1 day prior to ADR (7.5 mg/kg) treatment, or 7 days post-ADR when overt proteinuria was established. Results: Circulating ED7-positive cells were reduced by approximately 30% in rats with ADR nephrosis by the ED7 antibody, while the number of macrophages in the renal cortex of ADR rats was reduced by nearly 50% with the ED7 treatment, whether administered before or after ADR. Creatinine clearance was significantly ameliorated by ED7 when commenced pre-ADR ( P < 0.05), but not when commenced post-ADR ( P = NS) in comparison to untreated ADR rats. However, proteinuria was not alleviated by either ED7 treatment. Morphometric analysis showed less glomerular sclerosis when ED7 was commenced pre-ADR compared with ADR alone ( P < 0.01), but not when commenced post-ADR ( P = NS). Tubular atrophy was reduced by ED7 when it was commenced pre-ADR (tubular cell height and tubular diameter: P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively), as was interstitial expansion ( P < 0.01) compared with ADR alone. Cortical macrophage infiltration was reduced by 50% compared with ADR alone by the ED7 commenced before or after ADR. The number of cortical CD4+ T cells fell with ED7 starting pre-ADR, but not with the ED7 treatment commencing after ADR. Conclusion: Partial macrophage depletion starting before but not after ADR protected both renal function and structure in this model of chronic proteinuric renal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA vaccination with naked DNA encoding MCP-1 and RANTES protects against renal injury in adriamycin nephropathy.Background.We have previously shown that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) are significantly increased in renal cortex in adriamycin nephropathy. In this study, we tested the effect of DNA vaccination encoding the C-C chemokines MCP-1 and RANTES in a rat model of adriamycin nephropathy.Methods.Both reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) products of MCP-1 and RANTES used as constructs were cloned into a pTarget vector for naked DNA vaccination. Two hundred micrograms of DNA was injected into the tibialis anterior muscle four times at weekly intervals. One week after the last DNA vaccination, rats received adriamycin. All animals were sacrificed 4 weeks after adriamycin administration. Changes in renal function and histologic features were assessed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot were used for autoantibody determination. Antibody specificity was assessed in in vitro transmigration assays.Results.Chemokine DNA vaccination significantly reduced proteinuria (P<0.05) and ameliorated creatinine clearance (P<0.05) at 2, 3, and 4 weeks after adriamycin administration. Morphometric analysis showed less glomerular sclerosis (P<0.001) and interstitial infiltrates (P<0.005) in chemokine DNA vaccination group compared with control groups. Anti-MCP-1 and RANTES autoantibodies were detected in higher concentrations in chemokine DNA vaccinated rats than in control rats (P<0.001) and serum from vaccinated rats blocked T-cell transmigration to MCP-1 and RANTES.Conclusion.In this study, we have shown that naked DNA vaccination against MCP-1 and RANTES ameliorates the progression of renal disease in the rat adriamycin nephropathy model of chronic proteinuric renal disease. The protective mechanism may involve the production of autoantibodies against MCP-1 and RANTES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of tubulointerstitial inflammation.Background.Exploration of the role of tubulointerstitial inflammation in experimental chronic renal disease (CRD) is an essential step to understanding and finding new treatments for human CRD. Adriamycin nephrosis (AN) is an experimental analogue of human focal glomerular sclerosis and tubulointerstitial inflammation.Methods.Using murine and rat AN, we have systematically investigated the pathogenic roles of chemokines, costimulatory molecules, and inflammatory cells, such as macrophages and effector and regulatory T lymphocytes. The profile of humoral and cellular mediators was studied in vitro and in vivo. The pathogenic significance of various factors was investigated by DNA vaccination, leukocyte reconstitution and depletion, retroviral transduction, and blockade with monoclonal antibodies.Results.Renal cortical and tubular cell CC-chemokines, including MCP-1, RANTES, and MIP-1α, were up-regulated via mediation of NFκB, and contributed to disease by attracting inflammatory cells into the interstitium. The role of these chemokines was confirmed by DNA vaccination. CD40-CD40L costimulation signals were involved in expansion and activation of the inflammatory infiltrate, whereas PD-1 signals were inhibitory, and CD28-B7 appeared to have a neutral effect. Macrophage and CD8+ T cells were shown to be effectors of injury, whereas CD4+CD25+ andγδ T cells acted as regulatory cells. FoxP3 transduction was able to convert naïve T cells to CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells.Conclusion.There is a broad range of humoral and cellular factors involved in the pathogenesis of experimental CRD, some of which are potential targets for treatment of human CRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular hypoxia has been proposed as a major factor in the pathogenesis of chronic renal injury, yet to date there has been no direct evidence to support its importance. Therefore, we examined cortical hypoxia in an animal model of chronic renal injury (murine adriamycin nephrosis; AN) by assessing nuclear localization of the oxygen-dependent α-subunit of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-α) in animals 7, 14, and 28 days after adriamycin. Results were assessed in conjunction with quantitation of the cortical microvasculature (by CD34 immunostaining) and cortical expression of VEGF. Cortical apoptosis was also examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining. A dramatic and significant increase in nuclear localization of HIF-1α was seen 28 days after adriamycin in the context of severe glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage. Areas of nuclear HIF-1α staining did not colocalize with areas of cellular apoptosis. AN was also associated with a significant attenuation of the peritubular capillaries that was significant at 14 and 28 days after adriamycin. Cortical VEGF expression fell in a stepwise manner from day 7 until day 28 after adriamycin. In conclusion, these data are consistent with a significant increase in cellular hypoxia occurring in the advanced stages of murine AN. Increased cortical hypoxia was preceded by significant reductions in both the number of peritubular capillaries (i.e., oxygen supply) and the angiogenic cytokine VEGF. Apart from providing the first direct evidence for cellular hypoxia in a model of chronic renal disease, these results suggest that a primary dysregulation of angiogenesis may be the cause of increased hypoxia in this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proximal tubule cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide inhibit macrophage activation. Background. Tubule cells can produce a variety of cytokines, extracellular matrix (ECM) components, and adhesion molecules in vitro and in vivo. It is generally assumed that stimulated tubule cells are proinflammatory and at least partially responsible for interstitial inflammation. However, the overall effect of tubular cells on interstitial cells is unknown. In this study, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production and net effects on macrophages of tubule cells activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined. Methods. Tubule cells stimulated with LPS expressed tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-12, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-10, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Conditioned media werecollected from confluent monolayers of rat tubule cells stimulated, or not, by LPS for 4 and 18 hours, respectively. Macrophages were cultured with conditioned media and/or LPS (0.5 μg/mL) for 18 hours. Results. TNF-α and IL-lβ mRNA of macrophages stimulated by LPS increased more than fivefold when cultured with control conditioned media from unstimulated tubule cells. Surprisingly, TNF-α and IL-lβ levels of macrophages stimulated by LPS were not increased when cultured with conditioned media from activated tubule cells. Neutralizing antibodies to IL-10 and TGF-β were used to define the inhibitory component(s) in conditioned medium. Anti-IL-10, but not anti-TGF-β, abolished partially the inhibitory effects of conditioned media on macrophages. Conclusion. Tubule cells produce both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and the net effect, partially explained by IL-10, of tubule cells activated with LPS is to inhibit activity of macrophages. Thus, the net effect of activated tubule cells on interstitial pathology may in certain circumstances, be anti- rather than pro-inflammatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the role of CD4[sup+] T cells to disease progression and loss of renal function in chronic proteinuric renal disease (CPRD). Combination of adriamycin and CD4[sup+] depletion mice; Effects of CD4 depletion on recruitment of inflammatory cells; Number of inflammatory infiltrates.

Investigates the effects of antioxidants on the transcription factor nuclear factor-kB (NFkB) activation and cytokine transcription in primary cultured rat proximal tubular epithelial cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharides. Protective effects of pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate-mediated NFkB inhibition in tubulointerstitial disease in vivo.

A fiber Bragg grating strain sensor demodulation system based on the wavelength-tunable fiber-ring laser (WTFRL) is developed. The finite impulse response (FIR) digital filter and the centriod detection algorithm (CDA) are implemented to reduce the system noises and to improve the resolution of the Bragg wavelength-shifts detection. The experiments show that with this signal processing technique, the resolution of the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensor is 1.39 μℇ, which is much better than the resolution (10.1 μℇ) of the direct peak-detection method. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1391–1393, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21638 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most important optical component in an optical fiber endoscope is its objective lens. To achieve a high imaging performance level, the development of an ultra-compact objective lens is thus the key to an ultra-thin optical fiber endoscope. In this work, we use femtosecond laser 3D printing to develop a series of micro objective lenses with different optical designs. The imaging resolution and field-of-view performances of these printed micro objective lenses are investigated via both simulations and experiments. For the first time, multiple micro objective lenses with different fields of view are printed on the end face of a single imaging optical fiber, thus realizing the perfect integration of an optical fiber and objective lenses. This work demonstrates the considerable potential of femtosecond laser 3D printing in the fabrication of micro-optical systems and provides a reliable solution for the development of an ultrathin fiber endoscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) based on seismic ground motion is an important index to study site conditions and dynamic characteristics (seismic effect). Due to the influence of the vertical dynamic amplification effect of the site, the Fourier spectral ratio calculated according to the surface motion and downhole motion is quite different from that of the horizontal and vertical ground motion in the case of strong vibration input. However, our recent research shows that when considering the time-varying characteristics of ground motion, the time-varying surface-downhole spectral ratio and time-varying HVSR are almost the same. Based on this discovery, the time-varying HVSR is used to study the dynamic characteristics of the site (site effect). First, a new method for calculating the natural period and damping ratio of the site is proposed. Secondly, based on tremendous strong motion records, the prediction formulas of natural period and damping ratio are studied. Finally, the effects of various influencing factors on the natural period and damping ratio are compared. The results of this paper can provide a basis for selecting and synthesizing appropriate ground motions in structural seismic design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apoplast of plant leaves, the intercellular space between mesophyll cells, is normally largely filled with air with a minimal amount of liquid water in it, which is essential for key physiological processes such as gas exchange to occur. Phytopathogens exploit virulence factors to induce a water-rich environment, or "water-soaked" area, in the apoplast of the infected leaf tissue to promote disease. We propose that plants evolved a "water soaking" pathway, which normally keeps a nonflooded leaf apoplast for plant growth but is disturbed by microbial pathogens to facilitate infection. Investigation of the "water soaking" pathway and leaf water control mechanisms is a fundamental, yet previously overlooked, aspect of plant physiology. To identify key components in the "water soaking" pathway, we performed a genetic screen to isolate Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) severe water soaking (sws) mutants that show liquid water overaccumulation in the leaf under high air humidity, a condition required for visible water soaking. Here, we report the sws1 mutant, which displays rapid water soaking upon high humidity treatment due to a loss-of-function mutation in CURLY LEAF (CLF), encoding a histone methyltransferase in the POLYCOMB REPRESSIVE COMPLEX 2 (PRC2). We found that the sws1 (clf) mutant exhibits enhanced abscisic acid (ABA) levels and stomatal closure, which are indispensable for its water soaking phenotype and mediated by CLF's epigenetic regulation of a group of ABA-associated NAM, ATAF, and CUC (NAC) transcription factor genes, NAC019/055/072. The clf mutant showed weakened immunity, which likely also contributes to the water soaking phenotype. In addition, the clf plant supports a substantially higher level of Pseudomonas syringae pathogen-induced water soaking and bacterial multiplication, in an ABA pathway and NAC019/055/072-dependent manner. Collectively, our study sheds light on an important question in plant biology and demonstrates CLF as a key modulator of leaf liquid water status via epigenetic regulation of the ABA pathway and stomatal movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have identified circular RNAs (circRNAs) expressed from the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) human DNA tumor viruses. To gain initial insights into the potential relevance of EBV circRNAs in virus biology and disease, we assessed the circRNAome of the interspecies homologue rhesus macaque lymphocryptovirus (rLCV) in a naturally occurring lymphoma from a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaque. This analysis revealed rLCV orthologues of the latency-associated EBV circular RNAs circRPMS1_E4_E3a and circEBNA_U. Also identified in two samples displaying unusually high lytic gene expression was a novel rLCV circRNA that contains both conserved and rLCV-specific RPMS1 exons and whose backsplice junctions flank an rLCV lytic origin of replication (OriLyt). Analysis of a lytic infection model for the murid herpesvirus 68 (MHV68) rhadinovirus identified a cluster of circRNAs near an MHV68 lytic origin of replication, with the most abundant of these, circM11_ORF69, spanning the OriLyt. Lastly, analysis of KSHV latency and reactivation models revealed the latency associated circRNA originating from the vIRF4 gene as the predominant viral circRNA. Together, the results of this study broaden our appreciation for circRNA repertoires in the Lymphocryptovirus and Rhadinovirus genera of gammaherpesviruses and provide evolutionary support for viral circRNA functions in latency and viral replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism underlying how transcription factors regulate mesenchymal stem cell lineage commitment remains unclear. To determine the role of core-binding factor subunit beta (Cbfβ) in osteoblast lineage commitment, we generated three mouse models by deleting Cbfβ at different osteoblast lineage stages. We demonstrated that the Cbfβf/fPrx1-Cre, Cbfβf/fCol2α1-Cre, and Cbfβf/fOsx-Cre mice exhibited severe osteoporosis with substantial accumulation of marrow adipocytes resembling aged bone from enhanced adipogenesis, indicating that mesenchymal stem cells and osteoblasts can be programed and reprogramed, respectively, into adipocytes. Consistently, Cbfβ-deficient calvarial cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells displayed strong adipogenic potential, with 5- to ~70-fold increased adipocyte gene expression, which can be rescued by Cbfβ overexpression. Canonical Wnt signaling was impeded in the Cbfβ-deficient cells, with ~80% decrease of Wnt10b expression. Accordingly, ChIP and luciferase assays demonstrated that Cbfβ/RUNX2 binds to Wnt10b promoter driving Wnt10b expression. Furthermore, Wnt3a suppressed adipogenesis but did not rescue osteoblastogenesis in Cbfβ-deficient cells. Notably, mixing culture of Cbfβ-deficient with normal cells demonstrates that Cbfβ functions not only through WNT paracrine pathway but also through endogenous signaling. Further analysis shows that Cbfβ/RUNX2 inhibits c/ebpα expression at transcriptional level. Our results show that, besides its osteogenic role, Cbfβ governs osteoblast-adipocyte lineage commitment both cell nonautonomously through enhancing β-catenin signaling and cell autonomously through suppressing adipogenesis gene expression to maintain osteoblast lineage commitment, indicating Cbfβ may be a therapeutic target for osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chronic high fat diet results in hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction and induction of peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation (FAO); whether specific inhibition of peroxisomal FAO benefits mitochondrial FAO and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism remains unclear. In this study a specific inhibitor for the rate-limiting enzyme involved in peroxisomal FAO, acyl-CoA oxidase-1 (ACOX1) was developed and used for the investigation of peroxisomal FAO inhibition upon mitochondrial FAO and ROS metabolism. Specific inhibition of ACOX1 by 10,12-tricosadiynoic acid increased hepatic mitochondrial FAO via activation of the SIRT1-AMPK (adenosine 5′-monophosphateactivated protein kinase) pathway and proliferator activator receptor α and reduced hydrogen peroxide accumulation in high fat diet-fed rats, which significantly decreased hepatic lipid and ROS contents, reduced body weight gain, and decreased serum triglyceride and insulin levels. Inhibition of ACOX1 is a novel and effective approach for the treatment of high fat dietor obesity-induced metabolic diseases by improving mitochondrial lipid and ROS metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

van der Waals epitaxy (vdWE) facilitates the epitaxial growth of materials having a large lattice mismatch with the substrate. Although vdWE of two-dimensional (2D) materials on 2D materials have been extensively studied, the vdWE for three-dimensional (3D) materials on 2D substrates remains a challenge. It is perceived that a 2D substrate passes little information to dictate the 3D growth. In this article, we demonstrated the vdWE growth of the CdTe(111) thin film on a graphene buffered SiO2/Si substrate using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique, despite a 46% large lattice mismatch between CdTe and graphene and a symmetry change from cubic to hexagonal. Our CdTe films produce a very narrow X-ray rocking curve, and the X-ray pole figure analysis showed 12 CdTe (111) peaks at a chi angle of 70°. This was attributed to two sets of parallel epitaxy of CdTe on graphene with a 30° relative orientation giving rise to a 12-fold symmetry in the pole figure. First-principles calculations reveal that, despite the relatively small energy differences, the graphene buffer layer does pass epitaxial information to CdTe as the parallel epitaxy, obtained in the experiment, is energetically favored. The work paves a way for the growth of high quality CdTe film on a large area as well as on the amorphous substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard magnetic nanoparticles based on the Sm2Co17 and SmCo5 systems have been successfully produced using a surfactant-assisted ball milling technique. A size-selection process has been developed to obtain nanoparticles of different sizes with narrow size distribution. Significant room-temperature coercivity up to 3.1 kOe has been achieved with the Sm2Co17-based nanoparticles of an average size of 23 nm. It has been found that surfactants play multifold roles in the processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BIPV (building integrated photovoltaics) has progressed in the past years and become an element to be considered in city planning. BIPV has significant influence on microclimate in urban environments and the performance of BIPV is also affected by urban climate. The thermal model and electrical performance model of ventilated BIPV are combined to predict PV temperature and PV power output in Tianjin, China. Then, by using dynamic building energy model, the building cooling load for installing BIPV is calculated. A multi-layer model AUSSSM of urban canopy layer is used to assess the effect of BIPV on the Urban Heat Island (UHI). The simulation results show that in comparison with the conventional roof, the total building cooling load with ventilation PV roof may be decreased by 10%. The UHI effect after using BIPV relies on the surface absorptivity of original building. In this case, the daily total PV electricity output in urban areas may be reduced by 13% compared with the suburban areas due to UHI and solar radiation attenuation because of urban air pollution. The calculation results reveal that it is necessary to pay attention to and further analyze interactions between BIPV and microclimate in urban environments to decrease urban pollution, improve BIPV performance and reduce cooling load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]