The Open Quantum Materials Database(OQMD)is a high-throughput database currently consisting of nearly 300,000 density functional theory(DFT)total energy calculations of compounds from the Inorganic Crystal Structure D...The Open Quantum Materials Database(OQMD)is a high-throughput database currently consisting of nearly 300,000 density functional theory(DFT)total energy calculations of compounds from the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database(ICSD)and decorations of commonly occurring crystal structures.To maximise the impact of these data,the entire database is being made available,without restrictions,at www.oqmd.org/download.In this paper,we outline the structure and contents of the database,and then use it to evaluate the accuracy of the calculations therein by comparing DFT predictions with experimental measurements for the stability of all elemental ground-state structures and 1,670 experimental formation energies of compounds.This represents the largest comparison between DFT and experimental formation energies to date.The apparent mean absolute error between experimental measurements and our calculations is 0.096 eV/atom.In order to estimate how much error to attribute to the DFT calculations,we also examine deviation between different experimental measurements themselves where multiple sources are available,and find a surprisingly large mean absolute error of 0.082 eV/atom.Hence,we suggest that a significant fraction of the error between DFT and experimental formation energies may be attributed to experimental uncertainties.Finally,we evaluate the stability of compounds in the OQMD(including compounds obtained from the ICSD as well as hypothetical structures),which allows us to predict the existence of~3,200 new compounds that have not been experimentally characterised and uncover trends in material discovery,based on historical data available within the ICSD.展开更多
The black soldier fly,Hermetia illucens,comes with big promises for industrial purposes since its larvae feed polyphagously on a broad spectrum of organic substrates.However,research focusing on adult flies is scarce,...The black soldier fly,Hermetia illucens,comes with big promises for industrial purposes since its larvae feed polyphagously on a broad spectrum of organic substrates.However,research focusing on adult flies is scarce,which is inconsistent with their reproductive relevance within the rearing cycle.In particular,directed oviposition is a challenge in artificial systems.Currently,decomposing organic matter is commonly used as oviposition substrate,which has extensive potential for improvement in view of the lack of standardization and the risk of microbial contamination.Here,we identified three fatty acids and one fatty acid methyl ester derived from the surface of old oviposition sites and targeted to elucidate their effect on preference behavior and oviposition site selection using Y-olfactometry and prepared oviposition sites,respectively.Exposure to tetradecanoic acid attracted gravid females and stimulated oviposition most strongly,while decanoic acid demonstrated a repulsive effect.Females kept in mixed-sex populations were attracted by tetradecanoic acid,resulting in a higher egg mass found in the compound box(3.0–11.4 fold),a≥2.3 fold reduction of nonspecifically deposited eggs,and the highest total egg mass.Conversely,decanoic and dodecanoic acid caused females to lay a greater proportion of eggs nonspecifically outside both boxes.Our data suggest that fatty acids,especially tetradecanoic acid,are important cues for oviposition site selection in black soldier flies.In order to achieve a directed oviposition behavior,the role of further short-and long-chain fatty acids as attractants should be examined.展开更多
Background For a long time, enteroviruses have been considered to be the most common cause of acute viral myocarditis(MC), with possible transition from MC to dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM). Recent investigations have sh...Background For a long time, enteroviruses have been considered to be the most common cause of acute viral myocarditis(MC), with possible transition from MC to dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM). Recent investigations have shown, however, that other viruses are also frequently encountered in MC patients, suggesting that persistence of various virus species may play a pathogenic role in the transition from MC to DCM. The purpose of this study was to screen endomyocardial biopsies(EMBs) from patients with “ idiopathic” DCM for the presence of viral genomes by using polymerase chain reaction(PCR) to assess the frequency of cardiac viral infections that may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Methods and Results EMBs were obtained for PCR analysis from 245 consecutive patients(median left ventricular ejection fraction, 35.0% ; range, 9% to 59% ). PCR and reverse transcription- PCR were performed to detect the genomic sequences of enterovirus(EV), adenovirus(ADV), human cytomegalovirus(HCMV), herpes simplex virus, Epstein- Barr virus(EBV), human herpesvirus 6(HHV- 6), parvovirus B19(PVB19), and influenza A and B viruses. Myocardial inflammation was assessed by histological and immunohistological analyses. Viral genomes could be amplified from EMBs of 165(67.4% ) of the 245 DCM patients: EV=23(9.4% ), ADV=4(1.6% ), PVB19=126(51.4% ), HHV- 6=53(21.6% ), EBV=5(2.0% ), HCMV=2(0.8% ), including n=45 cases(27.3% ) with multiple infections. Active or borderline myocarditis according to the Dallas classification did not exist in any case. Lymphocyte and macrophage infiltrates were not significantly different in virus- positive versus virus- negative patients. Conclusions Viral genomes were frequently detected in EMB of patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction. Our data suggest that myocardial persistence of various viruses, often presenting as multiple infections, may play a role in the pathogenesis of DCM far more frequently than suspected so far.展开更多
Kinetic parameters of the decomposition of hazardous chemicals can be applied for the estimation of their thermal behavior under any temperature profile.Presented paper describes the application of the advanced kineti...Kinetic parameters of the decomposition of hazardous chemicals can be applied for the estimation of their thermal behavior under any temperature profile.Presented paper describes the application of the advanced kinetic approach for the determination of the thermal behavior also under adiabatic conditions occurring e.g.in batch reactors in case of cooling failure.The kinetics of the decomposition of different samples(different manufacturers and batches) of 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol were investigated by conventional DSC in non-isothermal(few heating rates varying from 0.25 to 8.0K/min) and isothermal(range of 200~260℃) modes.The kinetic parameters obtained with AKTS-Thermokinetics Software were applied for calculating reaction rate and progress under different heating rates and temperatures and verified by comparing simulated and experimental signals.After application of the heat balance to compare the amount of heat generated during reaction and its removal from the system,the knowledge of reaction rate at any temperature profiles allowed the determination of the temperature increase due to the self-heating in adiabatic and pseudo-adiabatic conditions.Applied advanced kinetic approach allowed simulation the course of the Heat-Wait-Search(HWS) mode of operation of adiabatic calorimeters.The thermal safety diagram depicting dependence of Time to Maximum Rate(TMR) on the initial temperature was calculated and compared with the results of HWS experiments carried out in the system with Ф-factor amounting to 3.2.The influence of the Ф-factor and reaction progress reached at the end of the HWS monitoring on the TMR is discussed.Presented calculations clearly indicate that even very minor reaction progress reduces the TMRad of 24h characteristic for a sample with initial reaction progress amounting to zero.Described estimation method can be verified by just one HWS-ARC,or by one correctly chosen ISO-ARC run of reasonable duration by knowing in advance the dependence of the TMR on the initial temperature for any Ф-factor展开更多
The recent achievement of fusion ignition with laser-driven technologies at the National Ignition Facility sets a historic accomplishment in fusion energy research.This accomplishment paves the way for using laser ine...The recent achievement of fusion ignition with laser-driven technologies at the National Ignition Facility sets a historic accomplishment in fusion energy research.This accomplishment paves the way for using laser inertial fusion as a viable approach for future energy production.Europe has a unique opportunity to empower research in this field internationally,and the scientific community is eager to engage in this journey.We propose establishing a European programme on inertial-fusion energy with the mission to demonstrate laser-driven ignition in the direct-drive scheme and to develop pathway technologies for the commercial fusion reactor.The proposed roadmap is based on four complementary axes:(ⅰ)the physics of laser-plasma interaction and burning plasmas;(ⅱ)high-energy high repetition rate laser technology;(ⅲ)fusion reactor technology and materials;and(ⅳ)reinforcement of the laser fusion community by international education and training programmes.We foresee collaboration with universities,research centres and industry and establishing joint activities with the private sector involved in laser fusion.This project aims to stimulate a broad range of high-profile industrial developments in laser,plasma and radiation technologies along with the expected high-level socio-economic impact.展开更多
We investigated central Mediterranean Pinus halepensis plantations under semi-arid climate in order to evaluate the combined effect of soil treatment and afforestation practices on spontaneous plant species compositio...We investigated central Mediterranean Pinus halepensis plantations under semi-arid climate in order to evaluate the combined effect of soil treatment and afforestation practices on spontaneous plant species composition, richness and evenness, and on the trend and speed of vegetation dynamics. Phytosociological releves of three different plot typologies, i.e. （1） soil-treatment and plantation, （2） only soil-treatment, （3） no soil-treatment and no plantation, were compared by （a） multivari- ate analysis and （b） with reference to species richness and evenness. Moreover, in order to compare vegetation dynamics within the planta- tions with those ones ongoing in semi-natural garrigue communities, we compared life form and syntaxonomic spectra between phytosociological relev6s taken at 8 years of distance. DCA showed that floristic species composition and similarity are influenced by the canopy cover of Pine trees as well as by soil-treatment practices. Although species richness and evenness are not clearly related to neither soil treatment nor Pine afforestation, canopy cover clearly plays a major role： in fact, the highest Ph cover rates correspond to the lowest values of understory species richness. This is true also if only species of biogeographical/conservation interest are considered. Regarding vegetation dynamics, sites with dense Pine canopy cover evolve much slower than the adjacent garrigue communities. The same factors invoqued to explain the patterns of floristic composition and similarity （i.e. allelopathy and competition for light, water and nutrients） may also explain the lowering of diversity of therophytes and the strong decline of the cover perfomed by both therophytes and hemicryptophytes underneath the canopy of dense Ph plantations. Thus, in sites where Ph cover exceeds about 80%, thinning is recommended not only in order to accelerate succession, but also to give a natural ＇shape＇ to afforestations.展开更多
Viral infections like Herpes simplex increasingly pose a serious threat to European health care systems and welfare of the population. Indirect transmission routes of infections via inanimate surfaces are often undere...Viral infections like Herpes simplex increasingly pose a serious threat to European health care systems and welfare of the population. Indirect transmission routes of infections via inanimate surfaces are often underestimated. In this study, we investigated the adhesion and persistence of Herpes simplex virus on cotton fabrics as well as its inactivation by domestic laundry. Virus adhesion to textile fibers was distinct, because viral DNA was detectable on fabrics for at least 48 hours after contamination as well as after home laundry. Particles remained infectious for several hours at room temperature and partially for 48 hours at 2℃ - 8℃. Nevertheless, domestic laundry was able to inactivate virus particles given that detergents were adequately used. This confirmed that standard household laundry processes, as established in Europe, are a suitable tool to reduce infectious Herpes virus particles from textiles, thereby supporting the prevention of infections circulating in the household and community.展开更多
The optical properties of large InAs/GaAs quantum dots were investigated by low-temperature photoluminescence as a function of the excitation-power density. The presence of excited states was clearly detected below th...The optical properties of large InAs/GaAs quantum dots were investigated by low-temperature photoluminescence as a function of the excitation-power density. The presence of excited states was clearly detected below the saturation regime of the ground state. We analyzed the dependence of the integrated-photoluminescence intensity on the excitation-power density and the type of radiative recombination involving the electronic ground state and the excited states inside the quantum dots. We concluded that the probability to have more than one exciton by dots must be considered, and the usual equation , must be revised to correctly describe the origin of the recombination and must include other factors as scattering, relaxation time, radiative recombination rate, and others.展开更多
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs)are well known for their capacity to suppress antitumor T-cell responses,but their effects on B-cell function and antibody production remain unclear.Here,we found that MDSCs that...Myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs)are well known for their capacity to suppress antitumor T-cell responses,but their effects on B-cell function and antibody production remain unclear.Here,we found that MDSCs that accumulated around the germinal center in the spleen of tumor-bearing mice co-located with B cells.In the presence of MDSCs,the antibody reaction to a surrogate antigen was significantly enhanced in mice,especially the immunoglobulin(Ig)A subtype.Co-culture with MDSCs promoted both proliferation and differentiation of B cells into IgA-producing plasma cells in vitro.Interestingly,the cross talk between MDSCs and B cells required cell-cell contact.MDSCs from tumor necrosis factor receptor(TNFR)2^(−/−)mice,but not from TNFR1^(−/−)mice,failed to promote B-cell responses.Further investigation suggested that interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β1 were crucial for the MDSC-mediated promotion of IgA responses.These results demonstrate a novel mechanism of MDSC-mediated immune regulation during tumor growth.展开更多
We present a study of laser-driven ion acceleration with micrometre and sub-micrometre thick targets,which focuses on the enhancement of the maximum proton energy and the total number of accelerated particles at the P...We present a study of laser-driven ion acceleration with micrometre and sub-micrometre thick targets,which focuses on the enhancement of the maximum proton energy and the total number of accelerated particles at the PHELIX facility.Using laser pulses with a nanosecond temporal contrast of up to 10^-12 and an intensity of the order of 1020 W/cm^2,proton energies up to 93 MeV are achieved.Additionally,the conversion efficiency at 45°incidence angle was increased when changing the laser polarization to p,enabling similar proton energies and particle numbers as in the case of normal incidence and s-polarization,but reducing the debris on the last focusing optic.展开更多
The industrial cultivated basidiomycete Agrocybe aegerita, also known as “Pioppino” in Italy or “Samthaube” in Germany, is a high quality mushroom with a delicious aroma. Cultivation of A. aegerita on wheat straw ...The industrial cultivated basidiomycete Agrocybe aegerita, also known as “Pioppino” in Italy or “Samthaube” in Germany, is a high quality mushroom with a delicious aroma. Cultivation of A. aegerita on wheat straw supplemented with different residues of the food industry showed the highest yields in fruiting body production with a biological efficiency of 36% when black tea pomace was added. The addition of other substrates resulted in biological efficiencies of 23% to 33%. Besides the mushroom yields, the number and size of fruiting bodies harvested on the different substrates were determined. A comparison of the aroma profiles of A. aegerita grown on wheat straw and on wheat straw supplemented with black tea by means of GC/MS/MS/O is presented.展开更多
Cardiomyopathies are acute or chronic disorders of myocardium. Diagnostic characterization of disease entities demands endomyocardial biopsy analyses with histological, immunohistochemical and molecular biological tis...Cardiomyopathies are acute or chronic disorders of myocardium. Diagnostic characterization of disease entities demands endomyocardial biopsy analyses with histological, immunohistochemical and molecular biological tissue evaluations to establish a final diagnosis. Only such biopsy-based information allows so far a specific treatment of distinct cardiomyopathy subgroups. In order to reduce sampling error, tissue specimens have to be obtained and analyzed to get clinically relevant data for specific treatment options. Specific gene expression and microRNA (miRNAs) profiles as well as genetic markers add additional valuable information which not only reduce the sampling error but also improve patient management. Advantages of such biomarkers result from their general expression within the entire altered myocardium. Thus, obtained information does not depend on small tissue areas reached by biopsy. This very fact allows prediction of a myocardial infection even in virus-negative areas adjoining positive biopsy specimen. The combination of multiple deregulated miRNAs or genes into one disease specific diagnostic profile demands the integration of new profiling technologies in the routine workflows of cardiological laboratories. In future, multiplex approaches allowing rapid and absolutely reliable identification of inflammatory or virally-induced myocardial diseases will replace singleplex methods such as direct detection of viral genomes in one single biopsy. miRNAs are stable biomarkers which are not only detectable in tissue samples but also in body fluids. Consequently, the determination of distinct miRNA patterns in e.g. peripheral blood samples will provide a systemic diagnostic approach for the characterization of distinct cardiomyopathies by means of non-invasive methods. This will reduce the number of undiagnosed patients who have to undergo endomyocardial biopsy for final confirmation of their myocardial complaints. The resulting molecular diagnostics will pave the way from biopsy focused interpretation to s展开更多
基金the U.S.Department of Energy,Office of Science,Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC00010543(JWD)the Ford-Boeing-Northwestern Alliance(JES)+2 种基金support by DOE under Grant No.DE-FG02-07ER46433(BM and AT)The Dow Chemical Company(MA)and the National Science Foundation under grant DRL-1348800(CW)supported by the Office of Science of the U.S.Department of Energy under Contract No.DE-AC02-05CH11231.
文摘The Open Quantum Materials Database(OQMD)is a high-throughput database currently consisting of nearly 300,000 density functional theory(DFT)total energy calculations of compounds from the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database(ICSD)and decorations of commonly occurring crystal structures.To maximise the impact of these data,the entire database is being made available,without restrictions,at www.oqmd.org/download.In this paper,we outline the structure and contents of the database,and then use it to evaluate the accuracy of the calculations therein by comparing DFT predictions with experimental measurements for the stability of all elemental ground-state structures and 1,670 experimental formation energies of compounds.This represents the largest comparison between DFT and experimental formation energies to date.The apparent mean absolute error between experimental measurements and our calculations is 0.096 eV/atom.In order to estimate how much error to attribute to the DFT calculations,we also examine deviation between different experimental measurements themselves where multiple sources are available,and find a surprisingly large mean absolute error of 0.082 eV/atom.Hence,we suggest that a significant fraction of the error between DFT and experimental formation energies may be attributed to experimental uncertainties.Finally,we evaluate the stability of compounds in the OQMD(including compounds obtained from the ICSD as well as hypothetical structures),which allows us to predict the existence of~3,200 new compounds that have not been experimentally characterised and uncover trends in material discovery,based on historical data available within the ICSD.
基金supported by grants from the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education,Research and the Arts via the LOEWE Center for Insect Biotechnologyby the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research(BMBF)grant FKZ 031B1291B(InA)within the BioBall innovation spaceOpen access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
文摘The black soldier fly,Hermetia illucens,comes with big promises for industrial purposes since its larvae feed polyphagously on a broad spectrum of organic substrates.However,research focusing on adult flies is scarce,which is inconsistent with their reproductive relevance within the rearing cycle.In particular,directed oviposition is a challenge in artificial systems.Currently,decomposing organic matter is commonly used as oviposition substrate,which has extensive potential for improvement in view of the lack of standardization and the risk of microbial contamination.Here,we identified three fatty acids and one fatty acid methyl ester derived from the surface of old oviposition sites and targeted to elucidate their effect on preference behavior and oviposition site selection using Y-olfactometry and prepared oviposition sites,respectively.Exposure to tetradecanoic acid attracted gravid females and stimulated oviposition most strongly,while decanoic acid demonstrated a repulsive effect.Females kept in mixed-sex populations were attracted by tetradecanoic acid,resulting in a higher egg mass found in the compound box(3.0–11.4 fold),a≥2.3 fold reduction of nonspecifically deposited eggs,and the highest total egg mass.Conversely,decanoic and dodecanoic acid caused females to lay a greater proportion of eggs nonspecifically outside both boxes.Our data suggest that fatty acids,especially tetradecanoic acid,are important cues for oviposition site selection in black soldier flies.In order to achieve a directed oviposition behavior,the role of further short-and long-chain fatty acids as attractants should be examined.
文摘Background For a long time, enteroviruses have been considered to be the most common cause of acute viral myocarditis(MC), with possible transition from MC to dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM). Recent investigations have shown, however, that other viruses are also frequently encountered in MC patients, suggesting that persistence of various virus species may play a pathogenic role in the transition from MC to DCM. The purpose of this study was to screen endomyocardial biopsies(EMBs) from patients with “ idiopathic” DCM for the presence of viral genomes by using polymerase chain reaction(PCR) to assess the frequency of cardiac viral infections that may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Methods and Results EMBs were obtained for PCR analysis from 245 consecutive patients(median left ventricular ejection fraction, 35.0% ; range, 9% to 59% ). PCR and reverse transcription- PCR were performed to detect the genomic sequences of enterovirus(EV), adenovirus(ADV), human cytomegalovirus(HCMV), herpes simplex virus, Epstein- Barr virus(EBV), human herpesvirus 6(HHV- 6), parvovirus B19(PVB19), and influenza A and B viruses. Myocardial inflammation was assessed by histological and immunohistological analyses. Viral genomes could be amplified from EMBs of 165(67.4% ) of the 245 DCM patients: EV=23(9.4% ), ADV=4(1.6% ), PVB19=126(51.4% ), HHV- 6=53(21.6% ), EBV=5(2.0% ), HCMV=2(0.8% ), including n=45 cases(27.3% ) with multiple infections. Active or borderline myocarditis according to the Dallas classification did not exist in any case. Lymphocyte and macrophage infiltrates were not significantly different in virus- positive versus virus- negative patients. Conclusions Viral genomes were frequently detected in EMB of patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction. Our data suggest that myocardial persistence of various viruses, often presenting as multiple infections, may play a role in the pathogenesis of DCM far more frequently than suspected so far.
文摘Kinetic parameters of the decomposition of hazardous chemicals can be applied for the estimation of their thermal behavior under any temperature profile.Presented paper describes the application of the advanced kinetic approach for the determination of the thermal behavior also under adiabatic conditions occurring e.g.in batch reactors in case of cooling failure.The kinetics of the decomposition of different samples(different manufacturers and batches) of 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol were investigated by conventional DSC in non-isothermal(few heating rates varying from 0.25 to 8.0K/min) and isothermal(range of 200~260℃) modes.The kinetic parameters obtained with AKTS-Thermokinetics Software were applied for calculating reaction rate and progress under different heating rates and temperatures and verified by comparing simulated and experimental signals.After application of the heat balance to compare the amount of heat generated during reaction and its removal from the system,the knowledge of reaction rate at any temperature profiles allowed the determination of the temperature increase due to the self-heating in adiabatic and pseudo-adiabatic conditions.Applied advanced kinetic approach allowed simulation the course of the Heat-Wait-Search(HWS) mode of operation of adiabatic calorimeters.The thermal safety diagram depicting dependence of Time to Maximum Rate(TMR) on the initial temperature was calculated and compared with the results of HWS experiments carried out in the system with Ф-factor amounting to 3.2.The influence of the Ф-factor and reaction progress reached at the end of the HWS monitoring on the TMR is discussed.Presented calculations clearly indicate that even very minor reaction progress reduces the TMRad of 24h characteristic for a sample with initial reaction progress amounting to zero.Described estimation method can be verified by just one HWS-ARC,or by one correctly chosen ISO-ARC run of reasonable duration by knowing in advance the dependence of the TMR on the initial temperature for any Ф-factor
文摘The recent achievement of fusion ignition with laser-driven technologies at the National Ignition Facility sets a historic accomplishment in fusion energy research.This accomplishment paves the way for using laser inertial fusion as a viable approach for future energy production.Europe has a unique opportunity to empower research in this field internationally,and the scientific community is eager to engage in this journey.We propose establishing a European programme on inertial-fusion energy with the mission to demonstrate laser-driven ignition in the direct-drive scheme and to develop pathway technologies for the commercial fusion reactor.The proposed roadmap is based on four complementary axes:(ⅰ)the physics of laser-plasma interaction and burning plasmas;(ⅱ)high-energy high repetition rate laser technology;(ⅲ)fusion reactor technology and materials;and(ⅳ)reinforcement of the laser fusion community by international education and training programmes.We foresee collaboration with universities,research centres and industry and establishing joint activities with the private sector involved in laser fusion.This project aims to stimulate a broad range of high-profile industrial developments in laser,plasma and radiation technologies along with the expected high-level socio-economic impact.
基金funded by Regione Siciliana,Dipartimento Interventi Infrastrutturali,Area Studi e Programmazione
文摘We investigated central Mediterranean Pinus halepensis plantations under semi-arid climate in order to evaluate the combined effect of soil treatment and afforestation practices on spontaneous plant species composition, richness and evenness, and on the trend and speed of vegetation dynamics. Phytosociological releves of three different plot typologies, i.e. （1） soil-treatment and plantation, （2） only soil-treatment, （3） no soil-treatment and no plantation, were compared by （a） multivari- ate analysis and （b） with reference to species richness and evenness. Moreover, in order to compare vegetation dynamics within the planta- tions with those ones ongoing in semi-natural garrigue communities, we compared life form and syntaxonomic spectra between phytosociological relev6s taken at 8 years of distance. DCA showed that floristic species composition and similarity are influenced by the canopy cover of Pine trees as well as by soil-treatment practices. Although species richness and evenness are not clearly related to neither soil treatment nor Pine afforestation, canopy cover clearly plays a major role： in fact, the highest Ph cover rates correspond to the lowest values of understory species richness. This is true also if only species of biogeographical/conservation interest are considered. Regarding vegetation dynamics, sites with dense Pine canopy cover evolve much slower than the adjacent garrigue communities. The same factors invoqued to explain the patterns of floristic composition and similarity （i.e. allelopathy and competition for light, water and nutrients） may also explain the lowering of diversity of therophytes and the strong decline of the cover perfomed by both therophytes and hemicryptophytes underneath the canopy of dense Ph plantations. Thus, in sites where Ph cover exceeds about 80%, thinning is recommended not only in order to accelerate succession, but also to give a natural ＇shape＇ to afforestations.
文摘Viral infections like Herpes simplex increasingly pose a serious threat to European health care systems and welfare of the population. Indirect transmission routes of infections via inanimate surfaces are often underestimated. In this study, we investigated the adhesion and persistence of Herpes simplex virus on cotton fabrics as well as its inactivation by domestic laundry. Virus adhesion to textile fibers was distinct, because viral DNA was detectable on fabrics for at least 48 hours after contamination as well as after home laundry. Particles remained infectious for several hours at room temperature and partially for 48 hours at 2℃ - 8℃. Nevertheless, domestic laundry was able to inactivate virus particles given that detergents were adequately used. This confirmed that standard household laundry processes, as established in Europe, are a suitable tool to reduce infectious Herpes virus particles from textiles, thereby supporting the prevention of infections circulating in the household and community.
文摘The optical properties of large InAs/GaAs quantum dots were investigated by low-temperature photoluminescence as a function of the excitation-power density. The presence of excited states was clearly detected below the saturation regime of the ground state. We analyzed the dependence of the integrated-photoluminescence intensity on the excitation-power density and the type of radiative recombination involving the electronic ground state and the excited states inside the quantum dots. We concluded that the probability to have more than one exciton by dots must be considered, and the usual equation , must be revised to correctly describe the origin of the recombination and must include other factors as scattering, relaxation time, radiative recombination rate, and others.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2012CB917103,2012CB934003)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(91229203)the German Research Foundation(DFG 749-6/1 and SFB 633)。
文摘Myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs)are well known for their capacity to suppress antitumor T-cell responses,but their effects on B-cell function and antibody production remain unclear.Here,we found that MDSCs that accumulated around the germinal center in the spleen of tumor-bearing mice co-located with B cells.In the presence of MDSCs,the antibody reaction to a surrogate antigen was significantly enhanced in mice,especially the immunoglobulin(Ig)A subtype.Co-culture with MDSCs promoted both proliferation and differentiation of B cells into IgA-producing plasma cells in vitro.Interestingly,the cross talk between MDSCs and B cells required cell-cell contact.MDSCs from tumor necrosis factor receptor(TNFR)2^(−/−)mice,but not from TNFR1^(−/−)mice,failed to promote B-cell responses.Further investigation suggested that interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β1 were crucial for the MDSC-mediated promotion of IgA responses.These results demonstrate a novel mechanism of MDSC-mediated immune regulation during tumor growth.
基金This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014–2018 and 2019–2020 under grant agreement No.633053.
文摘We present a study of laser-driven ion acceleration with micrometre and sub-micrometre thick targets,which focuses on the enhancement of the maximum proton energy and the total number of accelerated particles at the PHELIX facility.Using laser pulses with a nanosecond temporal contrast of up to 10^-12 and an intensity of the order of 1020 W/cm^2,proton energies up to 93 MeV are achieved.Additionally,the conversion efficiency at 45°incidence angle was increased when changing the laser polarization to p,enabling similar proton energies and particle numbers as in the case of normal incidence and s-polarization,but reducing the debris on the last focusing optic.
文摘The industrial cultivated basidiomycete Agrocybe aegerita, also known as “Pioppino” in Italy or “Samthaube” in Germany, is a high quality mushroom with a delicious aroma. Cultivation of A. aegerita on wheat straw supplemented with different residues of the food industry showed the highest yields in fruiting body production with a biological efficiency of 36% when black tea pomace was added. The addition of other substrates resulted in biological efficiencies of 23% to 33%. Besides the mushroom yields, the number and size of fruiting bodies harvested on the different substrates were determined. A comparison of the aroma profiles of A. aegerita grown on wheat straw and on wheat straw supplemented with black tea by means of GC/MS/MS/O is presented.
基金Development of some diagnostic procedures and treat-ment strategies were supported by grants of the German Research Foundation(DFG),Transregional Collabora-tive Research Centre“Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy-Molecular Pathogenesis and Therapy”(SFB TR19,Z1)and two grants of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research(BMBF,Germany)for KMU innovative pro-gram(No.616 0315296,0316141A).
文摘Cardiomyopathies are acute or chronic disorders of myocardium. Diagnostic characterization of disease entities demands endomyocardial biopsy analyses with histological, immunohistochemical and molecular biological tissue evaluations to establish a final diagnosis. Only such biopsy-based information allows so far a specific treatment of distinct cardiomyopathy subgroups. In order to reduce sampling error, tissue specimens have to be obtained and analyzed to get clinically relevant data for specific treatment options. Specific gene expression and microRNA (miRNAs) profiles as well as genetic markers add additional valuable information which not only reduce the sampling error but also improve patient management. Advantages of such biomarkers result from their general expression within the entire altered myocardium. Thus, obtained information does not depend on small tissue areas reached by biopsy. This very fact allows prediction of a myocardial infection even in virus-negative areas adjoining positive biopsy specimen. The combination of multiple deregulated miRNAs or genes into one disease specific diagnostic profile demands the integration of new profiling technologies in the routine workflows of cardiological laboratories. In future, multiplex approaches allowing rapid and absolutely reliable identification of inflammatory or virally-induced myocardial diseases will replace singleplex methods such as direct detection of viral genomes in one single biopsy. miRNAs are stable biomarkers which are not only detectable in tissue samples but also in body fluids. Consequently, the determination of distinct miRNA patterns in e.g. peripheral blood samples will provide a systemic diagnostic approach for the characterization of distinct cardiomyopathies by means of non-invasive methods. This will reduce the number of undiagnosed patients who have to undergo endomyocardial biopsy for final confirmation of their myocardial complaints. The resulting molecular diagnostics will pave the way from biopsy focused interpretation to s
