In this paper, a systematic investigation of turbulence modulation by particles and its underlying physical mechanisms in decaying compressible isotropic turbulence is performed by using direct numerical simulations with the Eulerian–Lagrangian point-source approach. Particles interact with turbulence through two-way coupling and the initial turbulent Mach number is 1.2. Five simulations with different particle diameters (or initial Stokes numbers, $St_{0}$ ) are conducted while fixing both their volume fraction and particle densities. The underlying physical mechanisms responsible for turbulence modulation are analysed through investigating the particle motion in the different cases and the transport equations of turbulent kinetic energy, vorticity and dilatation, especially the two-way coupling terms. Our results show that microparticles ( $St_{0}\leqslant 0.5$ ) augment turbulent kinetic energy and the rotational motion of fluid, critical particles ( $St_{0}\approx 1.0$ ) enhance the rotational motion of fluid, and large particles ( $St_{0}\geqslant 5.0$ ) attenuate turbulent kinetic energy and the rotational motion of fluid. The compressibility of the turbulence field is suppressed for all the cases, and the suppression is more significant if the Stokes number of particles is close to 1. The modifications of turbulent kinetic energy, the rotational motion and the compressibility are all related with the particle inertia and distributions, and the suppression of the compressibility is attributed to the preferential concentration and the inertia of particles.

Novel mixed micelle was successfully fabricated by the synergistic self-assembly of poly(methacrylate isobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-co-N-isopropylacrylamide-co-oligo(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate-co-acrylic acid) (P(methacrylate isobutyl (MAPOSS)-co-NIPAM-co-OEGMA-co-AA)) and poly(methacrylate isobutyl POSS-co-N-isopropylacrylamide-co-oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-2-vinylpyridine) (P(MAPOSS-co-NIPAM-co-OEGMA-co-2VP)). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy characterizations demonstrate that the formation of mixed micelles is driven by electrostatic interaction. The formation of the mixed micelles was further implied by a simple fluorescence resonance energy transfer based technique. The mixed micelle possesses the biggest size at pH = 7.0, which is attributed to the strongest electrostatic interaction between the two kinds of micelles. The zeta potential under different pH was detected to further investigate the surface charges corroborating the discussions. DLS and UV-vis indicate that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) is pH dependent. The mixed micelles reach the highest LCST at pH 7.0. The LCST of the mixed micelle can be tuned by adjusting the volume ratio of the two kinds of micelles as well. Moreover, the thermo-responsive behavior of the mixed micelle is absolutely reversible.

Evidence suggests a role of Mg and the ratio of Ca:Mg intakes in the prevention of colonic carcinogenesis. The association between these nutrients and oesophageal adenocarcinoma – a tumour with increasing incidence in developed countries and poor survival rates – has yet to be explored. The aim of this investigation was to explore the association between Mg intake and related nutrients and risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma and its precursor conditions, Barrett’s oesophagus and reflux oesophagitis. This analysis included cases of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (n 218), Barrett’s oesophagus (n 212), reflux oesophagitis (n 208) and population-based controls (n 252) recruited between 2002 and 2005 throughout the island of Ireland. All the subjects completed a 101-item FFQ. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was applied to determine odds of disease according to dietary intakes of Mg, Ca and Ca:Mg ratio. After adjustment for potential confounders, individuals consuming the highest amounts of Mg from foods had significant reductions in the odds of reflux oesophagitis (OR 0·31; 95 % CI 0·11, 0·87) and Barrett’s oesophagus (OR 0·29; 95 % CI 0·12, 0·71) compared with individuals consuming the lowest amounts of Mg. The protective effect of Mg was more apparent in the context of a low Ca:Mg intake ratio. No significant associations were observed for Mg intake and oesophageal adenocarcinoma risk (OR 0·77; 95 % CI 0·30, 1·99 comparing the highest and the lowest tertiles of consumption). In conclusion, dietary Mg intakes were inversely associated with reflux oesophagitis and Barrett’s oesophagus risk in this Irish population.

This paper studies the buckling analysis for a ring-stiffened cylindrical shell consisted of functionally graded material (FGM) subjected to hydrostatic pressure and thermal loads. Material properties of the ring-stiffened FGM cylindrical shell are assumed to be temperature-dependent, and vary smoothly through the thickness direction of the structure according to a volume exponent. Based on the Donnell assumptions, buckling loads of the ring-stiffened FGM cylindrical shell are presented by utilizing the Galerkin method. Numerical results reveal that thermal loads, volume exponent and geometric parameters have significant effects on the buckling behavior of the ring-stiffened cylindrical shell.

In the preparation process for scanning electron microscopy (SEM), flexed silkworm embryos typically assume several curled shapes with irregular postures that obscure morphological details during SEM observation. We describe a preparation technique based on glycerol substitution for better SEM visualization of straight and flat silkworm embryos. Glycerol has high viscosity, low vapor pressure, and sufficient electrical conductivity. Silkworm embryos were infiltrated with glycerol and arranged in a straight posture or flattened using a cover slip. Samples were directly observed by SEM without additional dehydration, drying, or coating procedures. The complete ventral side could be easily viewed in one image. Recoating alleviated the charging phenomenon. This represents a simple method for preparation of straight and flat samples from curled biological specimens for SEM observation.

Results in the literature indicate that C12 etches GaAs at room temperature but HCl etches GaAs at a measurable rate only at temperatures above ∼670 K. In this work, molecular beam scattering and surface analysis techniques have been applied to address the fundamental kinetic differences between these two systems. The results indicate that the onset of GaAs etching by C12 is determined by the kinetics of Ga-removal as GaC13 while etching by HCl is limited by As evaporation as As2. The results also suggest that HCl selectively etches gallium from GaAs at temperatures between 600 and 650 K.

Vanadium oxide nanotube dispersions were investigated in water suspensions and characterized by TEM, absorption spectroscopy and optical limiting testing. The results show that the nanotubes are unrolled and oxidized after 6-day aging, resulting in some change of optical limiting property at the two wavelengths (532 and 1064 nm). The 1.27-eV absorption band is assigned as a superposition of both V d→d and V4+→V5+ charge-transfer excitations, and the features at 2.9 eV are attributed to O 2p→V 3d charge-transfer excitations.

Novel cross-linkable, highly fluorinated poly(arylene ether ketone/sulfone)s have been prepared by copolycondensation reactions of a perfluorinated aromatic ketone or sulfone with 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphenol (6F-BPA)/4,4'-isopropylidene bis(2,6-dibromophenol) (4Br-BPA) and a tetrafluorostyrol-containing bisphenol, at low temperature in the presence of calcium hydride and cesium fluoride. Property investigations have shown that these polymers can be easily processed into thin films, have good thermal stability, and exhibit low optical loss at 1550 nm (0.4 – 0.5 dB/cm). The refractive index can be tailored over a range of 1.50 to 1.57, allowing the polymers to be used as both core and cladding materials in optical waveguiding applications.

A number of former forest farms in southern Sichuan province, south-west China have been designated as protected areas following the 1998 logging ban in the upper Yangtze basin. These are within the range of the endemic Sichuan Partridge Arborophila rufipectus which has a fragmented distribution in the remnant broadleaf forests of this region, and is currently listed as ‘Endangered’ by IUCN. The design of a robust conservation plan for this species has been hampered by a lack of knowledge about its habitat preferences in a heavily modified environment. To remedy this, ranging behaviour and habitat utilization by this species was studied through a combination of a call count method and radio tracking of individual birds. The results indicate that A. rufipectus significantly prefers primary and older planted secondary broadleaf forest compared to forest degraded by human activity or scrub. Individual birds were found on the upper parts of slopes and made particular use of areas with a dense canopy and open understorey, whilst avoiding the lower slopes and areas close to trails where human disturbance is likely to be greater. The ongoing conservation programme for this partridge species is based on these findings and includes further protected area designations and management plans, the establishment of new forest corridors, and better control of hunting and other forms of forest exploitation.

This study aimed to explore high-throughput cDNA array monitoring technology and to apply it to the gene expression spectrum analysis of salinity-challenged tobacco plants. A Nicotiana tabacum cDNA library was sequenced and found to consist of 5927 high-quality sequences (GenBank accession nos CV015900-CV021826). By analysing the expressed sequence tags (ESTs), the proportion of N. tabacum genes was identified at the EST level. A cDNA array was constructed based on the tentative unique transcripts (TUTs) derived from EST assembling results. A total of 42 differentially expressed genes were identified, including plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2a, ethylene-responsive proteinase and pre-mRNA splicing factor prp31 gene, suggesting that there was a complicated biological response in N. tabacum under saline stress.