Subdominant H60 antigen-specific CD8 T-cell response precedes dominant H4 antigen-specific response during the initial phase of allogenic skin graft rejection

In allogeneic transplantation, including the B6 anti-BALB.B settings, H60 and H4 are two representative dominant minor histocompatibility antigens that induce strong CD8 T-cell responses. With different distribution patterns, H60 expression is restricted to hematopoietic cells, whereas H4 is ubiquitously expressed. H60-specific CD8 T-cell response has been known to be dominant in most cases of B6 anti-BALB.B allo-responses, except in the case of skin transplantation. To understand the mechanism underlying the subdominance of H60 during allogeneic skin transplantation, we investigated the dynamics of the H60-specific CD8 T cells in B6 mice transplanted with allogeneic BALB.B tail skin. Unexpectedly, longitudinal bioluminescence imaging and flow cytometric analyses revealed that H60-specific CD8 T cells were not always subdominant to H4-specific cells but instead showed a brief dominance before the H4 response became predominant. H60-specific CD8 T cells could expand in the draining lymph node and migrate to the BALB.B allografts, indicating their active participation in the anti-BALB.B allo-response. Enhancing the frequencies of H60-reactive CD8 T cells prior to skin transplantation reversed the immune hierarchy between H60 and H4. Additionally, H60 became predominant when antigen presentation was limited to the direct pathway. However, when antigen presentation was restricted to the indirect pathway, the expansion of H60-specific CD8 T cells was limited, whereas H4-specific CD8 T cells expanded significantly, suggesting that the temporary immunodominance and eventual subdominance of H60 could be due to their reliance on the direct antigen presentation pathway. These results enhance our understanding of the immunodominance phenomenon following allogeneic tissue transplantation.     

On the redox reactions between allyl radicals and NOx

NO_x mitigation is a central focus of combustion technologies with increasingly stringent emission regulations. NO_x can also enhance the autoignition of hydrocarbon fuels and can promote soot oxidation. The reaction between allyl radical (C₃H₅) and NO_x plays an important role in the oxidation kinetics of propene. In this work, we measured the absolute rate coefficients for the redox reaction between C₃H₅ and NO_x over the temperature range of 1000–1252 K and pressure range of 1.5–5.0 bar using a shock tube and UV laser absorption technique. We produced C₃H₅ by shock heating of C₃H₅I behind reflected shock waves. Using a Ti:Sapphire laser system with frequency quadrupling, we monitored the kinetics of C₃H₅ at 220 nm. Unlike low-temperature chemistry, the two target reactions, C₃H₅ + NO → products (R1) and C₃H₅ + NO₂ → products (R2), exhibited a strong positive temperature dependence for this radical-radical type reaction. However, these reactions did not show any pressure dependence over the pressure range of 1.5–5.0 bar, indicating that the measured rate coefficients are close to the high-pressure limit. The measured values of the rate coefficients resulted in the following Arrhenius expressions (in unit of cm³/molecule/s):$k_1\left({\mathrm{C}}_3{\mathrm{H}}_5+\text{NO}\right)=1.49\times {10}^{?10}\exp \left(?6083.6\frac{\mathrm{K}}{T}\right)\left(1017?1252K\right)$$k_2\left({\mathrm{C}}_3{\mathrm{H}}_5+\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_2\right)=1.71\times {10}^{?10}\exp \left(?3675.7\frac{\mathrm{K}}{T}\right)\left(1062?1250K\right)$To our knowledge, these are the first high-temperature measurements of allyl + NO_x reactions. The reported data will be highly useful in understanding the interaction of NO_x with resonantly stabilized radicals as well as the mutual sensitization effect of NO_x on hydrocarbon fuels.     

UV–visible emission in Tb–Yb codoped tellurite glass on 980-nm excitation

UV–visible upconversion emission from terbium in a Tb–Yb codoped tellurite glass has been observed on 980-nm excitation. The ultraviolet and violet upconversion emissions involve three photons and the blue, green, yellow, and red emissions arise due to two incident photons. The mechanism involved in these emissions is discussed. The effects of doping concentration and of the sample temperature on the upconversion emissions have also been studied. PACS 74.25.Gz; 42.70.Hj; 73.61.Jc; 76.30.Kg; 42.70.Ce     

Working group report: Neutrino and astroparticle physics

This is the report of neutrino and astroparticle physics working group at WHEPP-7. Discussions and work on CP violation in long baseline neutrino experiments, ultra high energy neutrinos, supernova neutrinos and water Cerenkov detectors are discussed.     

Effect of heavy quark symmetry on the mass difference ofB-system in minimal left right symmetric model

An estimation of the mass difference of system with heavy quark symmetry formalism is presented. The effective Hamiltonian describing the transition (whereh=b forB _d ⁰ -system) is considered in a manifest left right symmetric (MLRS) model along with contribution from neutral Higgs boson. We use the spin and flavor symmetry for heavy quarks to obtain the transition matrix element 〈B _d ⁰ |ℋ_eff(x)| _d ⁰ 〉 in terms of Isgur-Wise function. Assuming thatB _d ⁰ and states are at rest, we find that Isgur-Wise function turns out to be unity. However using the experimental values of ΔM _K and as input, we find thatM _R=835 GeV andM _H⩾2·9 TeV.     

Highly efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution promoted by O–Mo–C interfaces of ultrafine β-Mo2C nanostructures

Optimizing interfacial contacts and thus electron transfer phenomena in heterogeneous electrocatalysts is an effective approach for enhancing electrocatalytic performance. Herein, we successfully synthesized ultrafine β-Mo₂C nanoparticles confined within hollow capsules of nitrogen-doped porous carbon (β-Mo₂C@NPCC) and found that the surface layer of molybdenum atoms was further oxidized to a single Mo–O surface layer, thus producing intimate O–Mo–C interfaces. An arsenal of complementary technologies, including XPS, atomic-resolution HAADF-STEM, and XAS analysis clearly reveals the existence of O–Mo–C interfaces for these surface-engineered ultrafine nanostructures. The β-Mo₂C@NPCC electrocatalyst exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in water. Theoretical studies indicate that the highly accessible ultrathin O–Mo–C interfaces serving as the active sites are crucial to the HER performance and underpinned the outstanding electrocatalytic performance of β-Mo₂C@NPCC. This proof-of-concept study opens a new avenue for the fabrication of highly efficient catalysts for HER and other applications, whilst further demonstrating the importance of exposed interfaces and interfacial contacts in efficient electrocatalysis.

Ultrafine β-Mo₂C nanostructures encapsulated in N-doped carbon capsules featuring O–Mo–C interfaces as the active sites for HER have been unveiled.     

EFFECT OF FLAME SUPPORT LAYER GEOMETRY AND MATERIALS ON THE RADIANT EFFICIENCY OF GAS RADIANT BURNERS

Parallel rods / tubes flame support layers were used to study variations in geometry and materials on radiant burner performance. An increased density of rods increased the efficiency, as more surface area was provided to extract the heat of combustion. This effect was attenuated far fraction closed areas above 0·33 because of increased interference of direct base-to-load radiation. Thinner rods (with fraction closed area constant), having a lower thermal conduction resistance, fostered higher efficiency. Greater distances between the base and rods decreased efficiency due to air entrainment. This functioned to cool the base, increasing the range of combustion intensities where a portion of combustion lifted from the burner base. Isolation of radiating materials from conducting to the burner housing resulted in a ～ 5% upward shift in efficiency. Low to high efficiency was measured for alumina, mullite, and oxidized stainless steel rods, respectively; this was related directly to the emittances of the materials used. SiC and MoSi₂ coatings on alumina rods resulted in burners which were as efficient as one with stainless steel rods. A burner designed as a restricted band spectral emitter was not as efficient in its high-emission range as a more graybody emitter under the same combustion intensity; the higher-temperature spectral emitter discouraged extraction of sensible heat from the combustion product stream.