The laboratory generation and diagnosis of uniform near-critical-density (NCD) plasmas play critical roles in various studies and applications, such as fusion science, high energy density physics, astrophysics as well as relativistic electron beam generation. Here we successfully generated the quasistatic NCD plasma sample by heating a low-density tri-cellulose acetate (TCA) foam with the high-power-laser-driven hohlraum radiation. The temperature of the hohlraum is determined to be 20 eV by analyzing the spectra obtained with the transmission grating spectrometer. The single-order diffraction grating was employed to eliminate the high-order disturbance. The temperature of the heated foam is determined to be T = 16.8 ± 1.1 eV by analyzing the high-resolution spectra obtained with a flat-field grating spectrometer. The electron density of the heated foam is about $N_e=4.0\pm 0.3\times {10}^{20}{\text{cm}}^{-3}$ under the reasonable assumption of constant mass density.

In preparation for an experiment with a laser-generated intense proton beam at the Laser Fusion Research Center at Mianyang to investigate the 11B(p,α)2α reaction, we performed a measurement at very low proton energy between 140 keV and 172 keV using the high-voltage platform at the Institute of Modern Physics, Lanzhou. The aim of the experiment was to test the ability to use CR-39 track detectors for cross-section measurements and to remeasure the cross-section of this reaction close to the first resonance using the thick target approach. We obtained the cross-section σ = 45.6 ± 12.5 mb near 156 keV. Our result confirms the feasibility of CR-39 type track detector for nuclear reaction measurement also in low-energy regions.

Interception by plant canopies during wind dispersal can affect the final destination of diaspores. However, how the interaction of wind speed, canopy type and diaspore attributes affects interception of diaspores by the plant canopy has rarely been studied. We investigated canopy interception for 29 species with different diaspore attributes, six canopy types and six wind speeds in controlled experiments in a wind tunnel. Shrub canopy interception of diaspores were controlled by wind speed and diaspore attributes, but the latter had a greater influence on canopy interception than the former. At low wind speed, diaspore wing loading had a large influence on canopy interception, whereas at high wind speed, diaspore projection area had a large influence. The chance of canopy interception at a particular wind speed was additionally affected by the type of canopy. This study increases our knowledge of the dispersal process, corrects the previous understanding of diaspore dispersal potential and improves the theoretical basis for predicting spatial pattern and dynamics of plant populations.

Drug Safety Communications (DSCs) are used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to inform health care providers, patients, caregivers, and the general public about safety issues related to FDA-approved drugs. To assess patient knowledge of the messaging contained in DSCs related to the sleep aids zolpidem and eszopiclone, we conducted a large, cross-sectional patient survey of 1,982 commercially insured patients selected by stratified random sampling from the Optum Research Database who had filled at least two prescriptions for either zolpidem or eszopiclone between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013. Among the 594 respondents (32.7% response rate), two-thirds reported hearing generally about drug safety information prior to starting a new drug, with the remaining one-third “rarely” or “never” hearing such information. Providers and pharmacists were primary sources of drug safety information. Two-thirds of zolpidem users and half of eszopiclone users reported having heard about the related DSC messages, ability to accurately identify the major factual messages was limited (overall median 2 correct out of 5, with men and those reporting higher educational level scoring higher [2/5 vs. 1/5, p=0.001]). Respondents reacted to new drug safety information about their sleep aids by reporting that they would want to learn about alternative ways to help them sleep (70%) and seek out more information about the safety of their specific sleeping pill (59-78%). Opportunities may exist for the FDA to work with providers and pharmacies to help ensure the DSC information is more widely received and is more fully understood by those taking the affected medications.

In this paper, we review the status of the multifunctional experimental platform at the National Laboratory of High Power Laser and Physics (NLHPLP). The platform, including the SG-II laser facility, SG-II 9th beam, SG-II upgrade (SG-II UP) facility, and SG-II 5 PW facility, is operational and available for interested scientists studying inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and a broad range of high-energy-density physics. These facilities can provide important experimental capabilities by combining different pulse widths of nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond scales. In addition, the SG-II UP facility, consisting of a single petawatt system and an eight-beam nanosecond system, is introduced including several laser technologies that have been developed to ensure the performance of the facility. Recent developments of the SG-II 5 PW facility are also presented.

This study analyzed and assessed publication trends in articles on “disaster medicine,” using scientometric analysis. Data were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) of Thomson Reuters on March 27, 2017. A total of 564 publications on disaster medicine were identified. There was a mild increase in the number of articles on disaster medicine from 2008 (n=55) to 2016 (n=83). Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness published the most articles, the majority of articles were published in the United States, and the leading institute was Tohoku University. F. Della Corte, M. D. Christian, and P. L. Ingrassia were the top authors on the topic, and the field of public health generated the most publications. Terms analysis indicated that emergency medicine, public health, disaster preparedness, natural disasters, medicine, and management were the research hotspots, whereas Hurricane Katrina, mechanical ventilation, occupational medicine, intensive care, and European journals represented the frontiers of disaster medicine research. Overall, our analysis revealed that disaster medicine studies are closely related to other medical fields and provides researchers and policy-makers in this area with new insight into the hotspots and dynamic directions. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:165–172)

A sediment core from Hulun Lake, Inner Mongolia was analyzed for species assemblages and shell chemistry of ostracodes to investigate changes in the hydrology and climate of the East Asian summer monsoon margin during the Holocene. Darwinula stevensoni was abundant, Ilyocypris spp. scarce, littoral ostracodes absent and Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and δ18O were low 11,100 to 8300 yr ago, indicating high lake levels and cool/fresh waters. Darwinula stevensoni declined largely, Ilyocypris spp. throve, littoral ostracodes were rare and chemical indicators remained in low values 8300 to 6200 yr ago, suggesting that the lake continued high stands but water became warm. The lake then contracted and water became cool/brackish 6200 to 4300 yr ago. Littoral ostracodes flourished 4300 to 3350 yr ago, marking the lowest lake levels of the entire Holocene. The lake level recovered and water salinity decreased 3350 to 1900 yr ago. From 1900 to 500 yr ago, the lake maintained the preceding status albeit lowered stands and increased salinities 1100 to 800 yr ago. During the recent 500 yr, the lake expanded and water salinity decreased. The data imply that the East Asian summer monsoon did not intensify until 8300 yr ago and weakened dramatically 4300 to 3350 yr ago.

A diode-pumped alkali vapor laser (DPAL) is one of the most promising candidates of the next-generation high-powered laser source. As the saturated number density of alkali vapor is highly dependent on the temperature inside a vapor cell, the temperature distribution in the cross-section of a cell will greatly affect the homogeneity of a laser medium and the output characteristics of a DPAL. In this paper, we developed an algorithm based on the regime concluding quasi-Hilbert transform to evaluate the phase aberration of a wavefront when the probe beam passes through the vapor cell placed in one arm of a Mach–Zehnder interference setup. According to the theoretical algorithm, we deduced the temperature distribution of a cesium vapor cell for different heating conditions. The study is thought to be useful for development of a high-powered laser.

A diode-pumped alkali laser (DPAL) provides the significant promise for high-powered performances. In this paper, a mathematical model is introduced for examination of the kinetic processes of a diode-pumped cesium vapor hollow-core photonic-crystal fiber (HC-PCF) laser, in which the cesium vapor is filled in the center hole of a photonic-bandgap fiber instead of a glass cell. The influence of deleterious processes including energy pooling, photo-ionization, and Penning ionization on the physical features of a fiber DPAL is studied in this report. It has been theoretically demonstrated that the deleterious processes cannot be ignored in a high-powered fiber-DPAL system.

The present study evaluated the effects of dietary microbial phytase on the growth and gut health of hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus ♀×Oreochromis aureus ♂), focusing on the effect on intestinal histology, adhesive microbiota and expression of immune-related cytokine genes. Tilapia were fed either control diet or diet supplemented with microbial phytase (1000 U/kg). Each diet was randomly assigned to four groups of fish reared in cages (3×3×2 m). After 12 weeks of feeding, weight gain and feed conversion ratio of tilapia were not significantly improved by dietary microbial phytase supplementation. However, significantly higher level of P content in the scales, tighter and more regular intestinal mucosa folds were observed in the microbial phytase group and the microvilli density was significantly increased. The adhesive gut bacterial communities were strikingly altered by microbial phytase supplementation (0·41<similarity coefficient<0·54). Stimulated intestinal inflammation and stress status were observed in the fish fed diet supplemented with microbial phytase, as indicated by the up-regulated intestinal expressions of the cytokine genes (tnf-α and tgf-β) and hsp70. In addition, the gut microvilli height was significantly decreased in the phytase group. These results indicate that dietary microbial phytase may exert mixed effects on hybrid tilapia, and can guide our future selection of phytases as aquafeed additives – that is, eliminating those that can stimulate intestinal inflammation.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of different dietary sustained-release microencapsulated sodium butyrate (MSB) products (0 (non-supplement), 1·5 and 3·0 h) for a control or oxidised soyabean oil (SBO) diet on fish production, intestinal mucosal condition, immunity and intestinal bacteria in juvenile common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Dietary MSB increased weight gain and reduced the feed conversion ratio within the control and oxidised SBO groups. Gut mucosa was damaged in the oxidised SBO group fed without MSB, in contrast to a normal appearance found in fish fed the MSB1·5 and MSB3·0 diets in the oxidised SBO group. Microvillus density increased in fish fed the MSB1·5 and MSB3·0 diets in the oxidised SBO group (P< 0·001); however, microvillus density was affected by the different pre-fed diets in the midgut (P< 0·001) and by the different sustained-release times of MSB in the distal gut (DG) (P= 0·003). The interaction between the pre-fed diets and the sustained-release times of dietary MSB was significant for the relative gene expression levels of gut heat shock protein-70 (HSP70), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (transforming growth factor-β) within each gut segment, except for HSP70 in the DG and IL-1β in the foregut. Modulation of adherent bacterial communities within each gut segment investigated was not obvious when the common carp were fed the diets with MSB, as similarity coefficients of >0·79 were observed. These results indicated that MSB can be used as a dietary supplement to repair or prevent intestinal damage in carp fed oxidised SBO.

Trade records show that since the 1990s China has changed from a net exporting to a net importing country with respect to some species of snakes. Imports of snakes to China increased up to 2002, when the National Wildlife Management Authority imposed a suspension of international trade in snakes. We investigated the impact of the ban using the same methods as an earlier study of this trade for the period 1990–2001. We found that both imports and exports of snakes recorded in the CITES Trade Database and the Wild Animal and Plant International Trade Database of China have decreased markedly since 2004. The combination of national-level control measures and CITES regulations appear to have controlled the previously unsustainable utilization of snakes in China.

Grain boundary engineering (GBE) has been carried out in nickel-based Alloy 690 with different initial grain sizes. The microstructure evolution during GBE-processing is characterized using electron backscatter diffraction to study the initial grain size effects on the grain boundary network (GBN). The microstructures of the partially recrystallized samples revealed that the GBE-processing is a strain-recrystallization process, during which each grain-cluster is formed by “multiple twinning” starting from a single recrystallization nucleus. Taking into consideration the coincidence site lattices (CSLs) and ∑, which is defined as the reciprocal density of coincidence sites, a high proportion of low-∑ CSL grain boundaries (GBs) and large grain-clusters are found to be the features of GBE-processed GBN. The initial grain size has a combined effect on the low-∑ CSL GBs proportion. A large initial grain size reduces the number of recrystallization nuclei that form, increasing the cluster size, but decreasing twin boundary density. On the other hand, smaller initial grain sizes increase the density of twin boundary after recrystallization, while decreasing grain-cluster size. Neither the grain-cluster size nor the twin boundary density is the sole factor influencing the proportion of low-∑ CSL GBs. The ratio of the grain cluster size over the grain size governs the proportion of low-∑ CSL GBs.

Inorganic and organic double templates were used to fabricate silica nanospheres and nanotubes with nanochannels perpendicular to the shells. Sphere and needle like CaCO3 nanoparticles, synthesized by a high gravity reactive precipitation method, were used as inorganic templates and C16H33N(CH3)3Br (C16-CTAB) was used as an organic surfactant template. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to characterize the nanoporous structure. The nanochannels were found perpendicular to the surface of nanospheres and nanotubes. The size of nanochannels is about 3~5 nm. The size of hollow nanosphers and nanotubes can be controlled by the inorganic CaCO3 nanoparticle templates and the nanochannels in the shells can be tuned by different surfactant micelles. The nanospheres and nanotubes with nanochannels perpendicular to the shells have a potential application in chemical bio-catalyst, bio-separation, and drug delivery.

The enthalpy of formation of Y2Ba4Cu7O14.864 at room temperature has been determined by using high-temperature reaction calorimetry. The standard enthalpy of formation of the 247 phase is ΔH°f = −5463 ± 18 kJ mol−1. Phase relationships among the superconductors, namely, the 123, 124, and 247, are assessed. It is intrinsic that impurity phases, such as Y2Cu2O5, BaCuO2, CuO, etc., coexist with the superconductors at equilibrium. Equilibria among the superconductor phases in the Y2O3–BaO–Cu–O system have been determined. The results show that, at the 124 bulk composition, the 247 phase coexists with the excess CuO in a narrow area of pO2 ∼ T space confined by the stability fields of the 124 phase and a mixture of the 123 + CuO. The standard free energies of carbonation and hydration of the 247 phase are also determined, which are −629 ± 13 kJ mol−1 and −873 ± 45 kJ mol−1, respectively. Like the 123 and 124 phases, the 247 phase is thermodynamically unstable for corrosion by water vapor and carbon dioxide in ambient atmosphere.

The partial molar entropy of solution of oxygen in YBa2Cu3Ox, δsO, has been computed using equilibrium data and the recently measured partial molar enthalpy of oxygen. While δhO is independent of oxygen content (6 < x < 7), δsO depends on x. The po2, T location of phase equilibrium between the 123 and 124 superconducting phases is calculated. The standard free energies of interactions of the superconducting phases with carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O) have been assessed. The free energies of carbonation of the fully oxidized 123 and 124 phases are −323 ± 22 kJ mol−1 and −291 ± 32 kJ mol−1, respectively. The free energies of hydration of the 123 and 124 are −397 ± 22 kJ mol−1 and −469 ± 32 kJ mol−1, respectively. These large exothermic values show that degradation of these superconductors at ambient conditions is thermodynamically favorable.

High temperature reaction calorimetry using molten lead borate as a solvent is used to study the thermochemistry of phases in the Y2O3–BaO–Cu–O system. Enthalpies of formation of YBa2Cu3Ox (6 < x < 7), YBa2Cu4O8, Y2BaCuO5, Y2Cu2O5, and BaCuO2.01 phases have been determined. The thermodynamic relationships among these phases at room temperature have been assessed. The results show that the 123 phase is not thermodynamically stable with respect to assemblages containing combinations of Y2BaCuO5, Y2Cu2O5, BaCuO2, Y2O3, and CuO. The fully oxidized 123 phase is not stable with respect to the 124 and the above assemblages. Reactions at room temperature are shown as follows: YBa2Cu3O7 (s) + CuO (s) → YBa2Cu4O8 (s); δH = −31.9 ± 22.3 kJ mol−1 and YBa2Cu3O6.76 (s) → ½YBa2Cu4O8 (s) + ¼Y2BaCuO5 (s) + ¾BaCuO2.01 (s); δH = −78.9 ± 21.0 kJ mol−1.

A silicon epitaxial structure containing spatially confined arrays of misfit dislocations has been used in order to investigate the interaction between hydrogen and individual extended defects. Hydrogen was introduced using a Kaufman plasma ion beam source. A characteristic Si-H peak at 2100 cm-1 was obtained using multiple internal reflection infrared spectrophotometry. Microdefects such as gas bubbles and {111} planar defects were found near the surface, as well as at the misfit dislocation interfaces, using transmission electron microscopy. A heavily damaged region was obtained on the top Si surface and an extended area SEM/EBIC contrast was obtained due to a surface electrical field.