Collisionless charged particle motion and its transport in the two-wire model (TWM) with no axial magnetic fields is investigated numerically. The TWM configuration contains a magnetic X-point, and single particle motions in such a field have two conserved quantities: the total kinetic energy and the base field line value which is a quantity derived from the axial canonical momentum. As gyrating particles travel along the field lines, they may reach near the X-point region where the magnetic moment, the first adiabatic invariant, can be occasionally shifted due to a large gradient of the field. When the magnetic moment becomes large, resulting in a large Larmor radius, particles probabilistically cross the X-point to migrate to the opposite side of the TWM configuration. These phenomena are investigated with single particle simulations. We find that the statistical behaviour of the seemingly chaotic magnetic moment shifts are completely determined by the two aforementioned conserved quantities, and also that there exists a threshold energy, determined by the base field line value, allowing only particles with a higher energy to cross the separatrix and migrate. It is found that the crossing time is distributed exponentially, and that the migration confinement time, which is the average crossing time, is shorter for particles with a base field line closer to the separatrix and a higher energy. We provide an empirical expression, derived with the simulations, for estimating the collisionless migration confinement time.

In real gas turbines, multiple nozzles are used instead of a single-nozzle; therefore, interactions between flames are inevitable. In this study, the effects of flame-flame interaction on the emission characteristics and lean blowout limit were analysed in a CH4-fueled single- and dual-nozzle combustor. OH* chemiluminescence imaging showed that a flame-interacting region, where the two flames from the nozzles were merged, was present in the dual-nozzle combustor, unlike the single-nozzle combustor. Flow-field measurements using particle image velocimetry confirmed that a faster velocity region was formed at the flame merging region, thereby hindering flame stabilisation. In addition, we compared the emission indices of NOx and CO between the two combustors. The emission indices of CO were not significantly different; however, a distinct effect of flame-flame interaction was indicated in NOx. To understand the effect of flame-flame interaction on NOx emissions, we measured temperature distribution using a multi-point thermocouple. Results showed that a wider high-temperature region was formed in the dual-nozzle combustor compared to the single-nozzle combustor; this was attributable to the high OH* chemiluminescence intensity in the flame-interacting region. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the size of this interacting region caused the deformation of the temperature distribution in the combustor, which can induce a difference in the increase ratio of NOx emission between high and low equivalence ratio ranges. In conclusion, we confirmed that flame-flame interaction significantly affected temperature distribution in the downstream of the flame, and the change in temperature distribution contributed primarily to the varying concentration of the emission gas.

We consider the estimation methods for the rank of a beta matrix corresponding to a multifactor model and study which method would be appropriate for data with a large number of assets. Our simulation results indicate that a restricted version of Cragg and Donald’s (1997) Bayesian information criterion estimator is quite reliable for such data. We use this estimator to analyze some selected asset pricing models with U.S. stock returns. Our results indicate that the beta matrix from many models fails to have full column rank, suggesting that risk premiums in these models are underidentified.

One common assumption in interpreting ice-core CO2 records is that diffusion in the ice does not affect the concentration profile. However, this assumption remains untested because the extremely small CO2 diffusion coefficient in ice has not been accurately determined in the laboratory. In this study we take advantage of high levels of CO2 associated with refrozen layers in an ice core from Siple Dome, Antarctica, to study CO2 diffusion rates. We use noble gases (Xe/Ar and Kr/Ar), electrical conductivity and Ca2+ ion concentrations to show that substantial CO2 diffusion may occur in ice on timescales of thousands of years. We estimate the permeation coefficient for CO2 in ice is ∼4 × 10−21 mol m−1 s−1 Pa−1 at −23°C in the top 287 m (corresponding to 2.74 kyr). Smoothing of the CO2 record by diffusion at this depth/age is one or two orders of magnitude smaller than the smoothing in the firn. However, simulations for depths of ∼930–950 m (∼60–70 kyr) indicate that smoothing of the CO2 record by diffusion in deep ice is comparable to smoothing in the firn. Other types of diffusion (e.g. via liquid in ice grain boundaries or veins) may also be important but their influence has not been quantified.

Complex oxides and semiconductors exhibit distinct yet complementary propertiesowing to their respective ionic and covalent natures. By electrically couplingoxides to semiconductors within epitaxial heterostructures, enhanced or novelfunctionalities beyond those of the constituent materials can potentially berealized. Key to electrically coupling oxides to semiconductors is controllingthe physical and electronic structure of semiconductor – crystallineoxide heterostructures. Here we discuss how composition of the oxide can bemanipulated to control physical and electronic structure inBa1-xSrxTiO3/ Ge andSrZrxTi1-xO3/Ge heterostructures. In thecase of the former we discuss how strain can be engineered through compositionto enable the re-orientable ferroelectric polarization to be coupled to carriersin the semiconductor. In the case of the latter we discuss how composition canbe exploited to control the band offset at the semiconductor - oxide interface.The ability to control the band offset, i.e. band-gap engineering, provides apathway to electrically couple crystalline oxides to semiconductors to realize ahost of functionalities.

Trematode tyrosinases (TYRs) play a major role in the tanning process during eggshell formation. We investigated the molecular and biochemical features of Paragonimus westermani TYR (PwTYR). The PwTYR cDNA was composed of 1568-bp encompassing a 1422-bp-long open reading frame (474-amino acid polypeptide). A strong phylogenetic relationship with Platyhelminthes and Deuterostomian orthologues was evident. The recombinant PwTYR expressed in prokaryotic cells promptly oxidized diphenol substrates, with a preferential affinity toward ortho-positioned hydroxyl groups. It demonstrated fairly weak activity for monophenol compounds. Diphenol oxidase activity was augmented with an increase of pH from 5·0 to 8·0, while monophenol oxidase activity was highest at an acidic pH and gradually decreased as pH increased. Transcription profile of PwTYR was temporally upregulated along with worm development. PwTYR was specifically localized in vitellocytes and eggs. The results suggested that conversion of tyrosine to L-dihydroxyphenylalanine by PwTYR monophenol oxidase activity might be rate-limiting step during the sclerotization process of P. westermani eggs. The pH-dependent pattern of monophenol and diphenol oxidase activity further proposes that the initial hydroxylation might slowly but steadily progress in acidic secreted vesicles of vitellocytes and the second oxidation process might be rapidly accelerated by neural or weak alkaline pH environments within the ootype.

Flavour, one of the most important factors affecting consumers’meat-buying behaviour and preferences, comprises mainly of taste and aroma. Thecooked meat flavour, that is important from the producer and consumer point ofview, is affected by several pre- and post-slaughter factors, including breed,diet, post-mortem ageing, and method ofcooking. Moreover, chicken meat is prone to the development of off-flavoursthrough lipid oxidation, which reduce the quality of the chicken meat. The aimof this review is to discuss the main factors affecting cooked chicken meatflavour which helps producers and consumers to produce the most flavoured andconsistent product possible. Cooked chicken meat flavour is thermally derivedvia the Maillard reaction, the degradation of lipids, and interaction betweenthese two reactions. Factors affecting the flavour of cooked chicken meat wereidentified as breed/strain of the chicken, diet of the bird, presence of freeamino acids and nucleotides, irradiation, high pressure treatment, cooking,antioxidants, pH, and ageing.

The Slewing Mirror Telescope (SMT) is the UV/optical telescope of UFFO-pathfinder. TheSMT optical system is a Ritchey-Chrétien (RC) telescope of 100 mm diameter pointed bymeans of a gimbal-mounted flat mirror in front of the telescope. The RC telescope has a17 × 17arcmin2 in Field of View and 4.3 arcsec resolution (full width halfmaximum of the point spread function) The beam-steering mirror enables the SMT to access a35 × 35degree region and point and settle within 1 sec. All mirrors were fabricated toabout 0.02 wavelengths RMS in wave front error (WFE) and 84.7% average reflectivity over200 nm ~ 650 nm. The RC telescope was aligned to 0.05 wavelengths RMS in WFE (testwavelength 632.8 nm). In this paper, the technical details of the RC telescope and slewingmirror system assembly, integration, and testing are given shortly, and performance testsof the full SMT optical system are reported.

The Ultra-Fast Flash Observatory (UFFO) is a space observatory for optical follow-ups ofgamma ray bursts (GRBs), aiming to explore the first 60 seconds of GRBs optical emission.UFFO is utilized to catch early optical emissions from GRBs within few sec after triggerusing a Gimbal mirror which redirects the optical path rather than slewing entirespacecraft. We have developed a 15 cm two-axis Gimbal mirror stage for the UFFO-Pathfinderwhich is going to be on board the Lomonosov satellite which is to be launched in 2013. Thestage is designed for fast and accurate motion with given budgets of 3 kg of mass and 3Watt of power. By employing stepping motors, the slewing mirror can rotate faster than 15deg/sec so that objects in the UFFO coverage (60 deg × 60 deg) can be targeted in~1 sec. The obtained targeting resolution is better 2 arcmin using a close-loopcontrol with high precision rotary encoder. In this presentation, we will discuss detailsof design, manufacturing, space qualification tests, as well as performance tests.

Hypermucoviscous (HV) isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae have been linked to virulence potential in experimental infections. We examined 33 isolates of K. pneumoniae from patients with bacteraemia for the HV phenotype on agar culture, and determined their virulence potential by screening for capsular (K) serotype by polymerase chain reaction and the presence of seven virulence factor genes. Fourteen (42·4%) isolates expressed the HV phenotype and 11 of these were serotype K1 or K2; these serotypes were not identified in HV-negative isolates. The genes rmpA, rmpA2, aerobactin, wabG and allS were significantly more frequent in HV than non-HV isolates. Multilocus sequence typing identified 21 sequence types (ST), eight of which were found in HV-positive isolates and the clonal relatedness of isolates of the most frequent types (ST23 and ST11) from different hospitals was confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The HV phenotype was more associated with community-acquired infection with a lower frequency of fatal underlying illness, but with significantly more focal infections, notably liver abscesses. Clinicians should be aware of such clinical impacts of the HV phenotype.

Five types of mulches (black plastic, stone chippings and three types of grass) and a control were used on young clonal tea plants following transplanting. Soil temperature differences were observed in the first two years but disappeared when the tea canopy had developed to cover over 40% or more of the soil surface. Stem diameter, yield (during the first two years) and total dry matter production were positively correlated with soil temperatures over the range 14–21°C. Beneficial effects of raising soil temperature by black plastic mulch were short-lived, but the detrimental effect of reducing temperature by grass mulches was more severe and long lasting. Grass mulches induced shallow rooting, as a result of which the tea was more susceptible to drought.

The descending aorta appears small relative to unusually large pulmonary arteries in infants with atrioventricular septal defects. To determine whether this discrepancy in great arterial size influences the outcome after repair of atrioventricular septal defects, we reviewed our experience with 34 infants younger than one-year-old undergoing primary repair. There were four early deaths (11.8%), one in 16 patients with normal chromosomes (6.3%), and three of 18 with Down's syndrome (16.7%). There was no difference between survivors and non-survivors in terms of either the size of the aorta at the level of the diaphragm (descending aortic index, 149±34 versus 139±46 mm2/m2), the pulmonary arterial index (675±170 versus 745±182 mm2/m2), or the ratio of the descending aorta to the pulmonary trunk arterial (4.85±1.6 versus 5.93±2.8). Compared with survivors, non-survivors had higher ratios of vascular resistance (0.48±0.42 versus 0.23±0.14, p<0.05), and tended to have larger preoperative cardiothoracic ratios (0.63±0.05 versus 0.55±0.08, p=0.12) Compared to patients with normal chromosomes, the patients with Down's syndrome tended to have smaller descending aortas (140±34 versus 159±34 mm2/m2, p=0.12), higher ratios of vascular resistance (0.32±0.2 versus 0.18±0.1, p=0.08), and higher mean pulmonary arterial pressures (47±11 versus 39±18 mm Hg, p=0.12), suggesting that pulmonary vascular obstructive disease may be more severe in patients with Down's syndrome. The size of the descending aorta and pulmonary arteries do not influence outcome after repair of atrioventricular septal defect in infants.