We recently reported Cambrowania ovata Tang and Xiao in Tang et al., 2019, from the early Cambrian Hetang Formation in South China and interpreted it as a problematic animal fossil, possibly related to either sponges or bivalved arthropods (Tang et al., 2019). Slater and Budd (2019) contested our taxonomic identification and phylogenetic interpretation; instead, they claimed that Cambrowania ovata is a large acritarch referable to morphotaxon Leiosphaeridia Eisenack, 1958, and thus is not an animal. Here we refute their criticisms, clarify the differences between Cambrowania and Leiosphaeridia and other acritarchs, and reiterate why an animal affinity for Cambrowania cannot be ruled out.

Laser pulses of 200 ps with extremely high intensities and high energies are sufficient to satisfy the demand of shock ignition, which is an alternative path to ignition in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). This paper reports a type of Brillouin scheme to obtain high-intensity 200-ps laser pulses, where the pulse durations are a challenge for conventional pulsed laser amplification systems. In the amplification process, excited Brillouin acoustic waves fulfill the nonlinear optical effect through which the high energy of a long pump pulse is entirely transferred to a 200-ps laser pulse. This method was introduced and achieved within the SG-III prototype system in China. Compared favorably with the intensity of $2~\text{GW}/\text{cm}^{2}$ in existing ICF laser drivers, a 6.96- $\text{GW}/\text{cm}^{2}$ pulse with a width of 170 ps was obtained in our experiment. The practical scalability of the results to larger ICF laser drivers is discussed.

The lower-middle Hetang Formation (Cambrian Stage 2–3) deposited in slope-basinal facies in South China is well known for its preservation of the earliest articulated sponge fossils, providing an important taphonomic window into the Cambrian Explosion. However, the Hetang Formation also hosts a number of problematic animal fossils that have not been systematically described. This omission results in an incomplete picture of the Hetang biota and limits its contribution to the understanding of the early evolution of animals. Here we describe a new animal taxon, Cambrowania ovata Tang and Xiao, new genus new species, from the middle Hetang Formation in the Lantian area of southern Anhui Province, South China. Specimens are preserved as carbonaceous compressions, although some are secondarily mineralized. A comprehensive analysis using reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and micro-CT reveals that the new species is characterized by a spheroidal to fusoidal truss-like structure consisting of rafter-like crossbars, some of which are secondarily baritized and may have been internally hollow. Some specimens have aperture-like structures that are broadly similar to oscula of sponges, whereas others show evidence of a medial split reminiscent of gaping carapaces. While the phylogenetic affinity of Cambrowania ovata Tang and Xiao, n. gen. n. sp. remains problematic, we propose that it may represent carapaces of bivalved arthropods or more likely sponges in early life stages. Along with other problematic metazoan fossils such as hyolithids and sphenothallids, Cambrowania ovata Tang and Xiao, n. gen. n. sp. adds to the diversity of the sponge-dominated Hetang biota in an early Cambrian deepwater slope-basinal environment.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/44de9472-7e3f-42d1-9554-7b3434df91d9

The turbulence state in a supersonic boundary layer subjected to a transverse sonic jet is studied by conducting direct numerical simulations. Turbulence statistics for two jet-to-cross-flow momentum flux ratios $(J)$ of 2.3 and 5.5 based on the previous simulation (Sun & Hu, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 850, 2018, pp. 551–583) are given and compared with a flat-plate boundary layer without a jet $(J=0.0)$ . The instantaneous and time-averaged flow features around the transverse jet in the supersonic boundary layer are analysed. It is found that, in the near-wall region, turbulence is suppressed significantly with increasing $J$ in the lateral boundary layer around the jet and the turbulence decay is retained in the downstream recovery region. The local boundary-layer thickness decreases noticeably in the lateral downstream of the jet. Analysis of the cross-flow streamlines reveals a double-expansion character in the vicinity of the jet, which involves the reattachment expansion related to the flow over the jet windward separation bubble and the jet lateral expansion related to the flow around the jet barrel shock. The double expansion leads to the turbulence decay in the jet lateral boundary layer and causes a slow recovery of the outer layer in the far-field boundary layer. A preliminary experiment based on the nanoparticle laser scattering technique is conducted and confirms the existence of the turbulence decay phenomenon.

The discovery of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational wave signal has generated follow-up observations by over 50 facilities world-wide, ushering in the new era of multi-messenger astronomy. In this paper, we present follow-up observations of the gravitational wave event GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart SSS17a/DLT17ck (IAU label AT2017gfo) by 14 Australian telescopes and partner observatories as part of Australian-based and Australian-led research programs. We report early- to late-time multi-wavelength observations, including optical imaging and spectroscopy, mid-infrared imaging, radio imaging, and searches for fast radio bursts. Our optical spectra reveal that the transient source emission cooled from approximately 6 400 K to 2 100 K over a 7-d period and produced no significant optical emission lines. The spectral profiles, cooling rate, and photometric light curves are consistent with the expected outburst and subsequent processes of a binary neutron star merger. Star formation in the host galaxy probably ceased at least a Gyr ago, although there is evidence for a galaxy merger. Binary pulsars with short (100 Myr) decay times are therefore unlikely progenitors, but pulsars like PSR B1534+12 with its 2.7 Gyr coalescence time could produce such a merger. The displacement (~2.2 kpc) of the binary star system from the centre of the main galaxy is not unusual for stars in the host galaxy or stars originating in the merging galaxy, and therefore any constraints on the kick velocity imparted to the progenitor are poor.

The aim of the present work was to determine maternal and fetal outcomes of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) in twin pregnancies. All twin pregnancies delivered above 28 gestational weeks in West China Second University Hospital from January 2013 to May 2015 were included. Data on maternal demographics and obstetric complications together with fetal outcomes were collected. The risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes were determined in relation to ICP by crude odds ratios (OR) and adjusted ORs (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup analysis concentrated on the effect of assisted reproductive technology (ART), ICP severity, and onset time. A total of 1,472 twin pregnancies were included, of which 362 were cholestasis patients and 677 were conceived by ART. Higher rates of preeclampsia (aOR 1.96; 95% CI 1.35, 2.85), meconium-stained amniotic fluid (aOR 3.10; 95% CI 2.10, 4.61), and preterm deliveries (aOR 3.20; 95% CI 2.35, 4.37) were observed in ICP patients. Subgroup analysis revealed higher incidences of adverse outcomes in severe and early onset ICP groups. In conclusion, adverse maternal and fetal outcomes were strongly associated with ICP in twin patients. Active management and close antenatal monitoring are needed, especially in the early onset and severe groups.

SG-III laser facility is now the largest laser driver for inertial confinement fusion research in China. The whole laser facility can deliver 180 kJ energy and 60 TW power ultraviolet laser onto target, with power balance better than 10%. We review the laser system and introduce the SG-III laser performance here.

Optics surface phase defects induced intensity modulation in high-power laser facility for inertial confinement fusion research is studied. Calculations and experiments reveal an exact mapping of the modulation patterns and the optics damage spot distributions from the surface phase defects. Origins are discussed during the processes of optics manufacturing and diagnostics, revealing potential improvements for future optics manufacturing techniques and diagnostic index, which is meaningful for fusion level laser facility construction and its operation safety.

The evolution behavior of Ni2(Cr, Mo) phase with Pt2Mo-type structure in the Ni–Cr–Mo alloy with a low atomic Mo/Cr ratio subjected to a long-term thermal exposure of 100–340 h at 600 °C was investigated using transmission electron microscopy and microhardness. Results demonstrate that there is a linear relationship between major axis cube (L 3) of ordered domain and thermal exposure time (t) followed by a coarsening regime described by the Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner model, as well as between the aspect ratio (D) of ordered domain and thermal exposure time. The volume fraction of ordered domain increases with increasing thermal exposure time, whereas the hardening of samples decreases due to growth-coarsening of ordered domain. Prolonged thermal exposure time led to the coarsening of ordered domain by rate of (3.39 ± 0.02) × 10−30 m3/s without changing their crystallography and ordering characteristics during thermal exposure. Plastic deformation before thermal exposure do not lead to decomposition of initial Ni2(Cr, Mo) phase, but both plastic deformation and thermal exposure affect their morphology and distribution.

Few studies have explored the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Evidence from non-Western areas is particularly lacking. In the present study, we aimed to examine the associations between dietary patterns and the risk of GDM in a Chinese population. A total of 3063 pregnant Chinese women from an ongoing prospective cohort study were included. Data on dietary intake were collected using a FFQ at 24–27 weeks of gestation. GDM was diagnosed using a 75 g, 2 h oral glucose tolerance test. Dietary patterns were determined by principal components factor analysis. A log-binomial regression model was used to examine the associations between dietary pattern and the risk of GDM. The analysis identified four dietary patterns: vegetable pattern; protein-rich pattern; prudent pattern; sweets and seafood pattern. Multivariate analysis showed that the highest tertile of the vegetable pattern was associated with a decreased risk of GDM (relative risk (RR) 0·79, 95 % CI 0·64, 0·97), compared with the lowest tertile, whereas the highest tertile of the sweets and seafood pattern was associated with an increased risk of GDM (RR 1·23, 95 % CI 1·02, 1·49). No significant association was found for either the protein-rich or the prudent pattern. The protective effect of a high vegetable pattern score was more evident among women who had a family history of diabetes (P for interaction = 0·022). These findings suggest that the vegetable pattern was associated with a decreased risk of GDM, while the sweets and seafood pattern was associated with an increased risk of GDM. These findings may be useful in dietary counselling during pregnancy.

Ultra thin films of chromia (Cr2O3), less than 3 nm thick, grown epitaxial on α-Al2O3 (sapphire), and are thus compressively strained in-plane. The resulting films show evidence of some magnetic ordering above the Néel temperature of chromia (307 K). The observed higher temperature hysteresis effect observed are very likely a strain effect, and not associated with the typical antiferromagnetic ordering expected of chromia.

This paper studies the influence of inert gas additions He, Ar, Kr and Xe on breakdown voltage within dielectric barrier discharge reactor with oxygen feed gas. The density-normalized effective ionization coefficients αeff/N are calculated for inert gas/O2 mixtures, the critical reduced field E/Ncr is obtained where the electron ionization exactly balances the attachment. Adding inert gases would lead to the decreasing critical reduced field strength E/Ncr due to the enhancement of effective ionization coefficient. In addition, inert gas additions have shown to reduce the breakdown voltage. Moreover the numerical breakdown voltage values and the experimental data are plotted for the sake of comparison and results show that calculated results are in agreement with the experimental values. Parametric study offers substantial insight in plasma physics, as well as in ozone generation applications.

In present paper, the locomotion of an oblate jellyfish is numerically investigated by using a momentum exchange-based immersed boundary-Lattice Boltzmann method based on a dynamic model describing the oblate jellyfish. The present investigation is agreed fairly well with the previous experimental works. The Reynolds number and the mass density of the jellyfish are found to have significant effects on the locomotion of the oblate jellyfish. Increasing Reynolds number, the motion frequency of the jellyfish becomes slow due to the reduced work done for the pulsations, and decreases and increases before and after the mass density ratio of the jellyfish to the carried fluid is 0.1. The total work increases rapidly at small mass density ratios and slowly increases to a constant value at large mass density ratio. Moreover, as mass density ratio increases, the maximum forward velocity significantly reduces in the contraction stage, while the minimum forward velocity increases in the relaxation stage.

In 2006 we initiated an enhanced laboratory-based surveillance of Salmonella and Shigella infections in Shanghai, China. A total of 4483 Salmonella and 2226 Shigella isolates were recovered from stool specimens by 2012. In 80 identified Salmonella serovars, Enteritidis (34·5%) and Typhimurium (26·2%) were the most common. Shigella (S.) sonnei accounted for 63·9% of human Shigella infections over the same time period, and replaced S. flexneri to become the primary cause of shigellosis since 2010. Overall, a high level of antimicrobial resistance was observed in Salmonella and Shigella, particularly to nalidixic acid, ampicillin, and tetracycline. Ciprofloxacin resistance was common in Salmonella Typhimurium (21·0%) and S. flexneri (37·6%). The cephalosporin resistance in both pathogens also increased over the years, ranging from 3·4% to 7·0% in Salmonella, and from 10·4% to 28·6% in Shigella. Resistance to multiple antimicrobials was also identified in a large number of the isolates. This study provides insight into the distribution of Salmonella and Shigella in diarrhoeal diseases.

An interesting discretization method for Helmholtz equations was introduced in B. Després [1]. This method is based on the ultra weak variational formulation (UWVF) and the wave shape functions, which are exact solutions of the governing Helmholtz equation. In this paper we are concerned with fast solver for the system generated by the method in [1]. We propose a new preconditioner for such system, which can be viewed as a combination between a coarse solver and the block diagonal preconditioner introduced in [13]. In our numerical experiments, this preconditioner is applied to solve both two-dimensional and three-dimensional Helmholtz equations, and the numerical results illustrate that the new preconditioner is much more efficient than the original block diagonal preconditioner.