In this paper, we prove that the ratio of the modulus of the iterates of two points in an escaping Fatou component could be bounded even if the orbit of the component contains a sequence of annuli whose moduli tend to infinity, and this cannot happen when the maximal modulus of the meromorphic function is uniformly large enough. In this way we extend certain related results for entire functions to meromorphic functions with infinitely many poles.

The Wulian complex is located on the northern margin of the Sulu orogenic belt, and was formed by collision between the North China Craton (NCC) to the north and South China Craton (SCC) to the south. It consists of the metasedimentary Wulian Group, gneissic granite and meta-diorite. The U–Pb analyses for the detrital zircons from the Wulian Group exhibit one predominant age population of 2600–2400 Ma with a peak at c. 2.5 Ga and several secondary age populations of > 3000, 3000–2800, 2800–2600, 2200–2000, 1900–1800, 1500–1300 and 1250–950 Ma; some metamorphic zircons have metamorphic ages of c. 2.7, 2.55–2.45, 2.1–2.0 and 1.95–1.80 Ga, which are consistent with magmatic-metamorphic events in the SCC. Additionally, the Wulian Group was intruded by the gneissic granite and meta-diorite at c. 0.76 Ga, attributed to Neoproterozoic syn-rifting bimodal magmatic activity in the SCC and derived from partial melting of Archaean continental crust and depleted mantle, respectively. The Wulian Group therefore has tectonic affinity to the SCC and was mainly sourced from the SCC. The detrital zircons have positive and negative ϵHf(t) values, indicating that their source rocks were derived from reworking of both ancient and juvenile crustal rocks. The major early Precambrian crustal growth took place during c. 3.4–2.5 Ga with a dominant peak at 2.96 Ga and several secondary peaks at 3.27, 2.74 and 2.52 Ga. The two oldest zircons with ages of 3307 and 3347 Ma record the recycling of ancient continental crust (> 3.35 Ga) and crustal growth prior to c. 3.95 Ga in the SCC.

In this paper, in terms of the hyperbolic metric, we give a condition under which the image of a hyperbolic domain of an analytic function contains a round annulus centred at the origin. From this, we establish results on the multiply connected wandering domains of a meromorphic function that contain large round annuli centred at the origin. We thereby successfully extend the results of transcendental meromorphic functions with finitely many poles to those with infinitely many poles.

Ca0.98Eu0.02Al1−4δ/3Si1+δN3 (δ = 0–0.36) red-emitting phosphors were prepared by carbothermal reduction and nitridation method with stable and inexpensive CaCO3 as Ca source. Optimal nominal composition was obtained at δ = 0.18, showing intense emission peaked at 625 nm and high external quantum efficiency of 71%. The emission wave length could be successfully tuned from 630 to 606 nm with increasing δ value. Ca0.98Eu0.02Al1−4δ/3Si1+δN3 phosphors provided two coordinated environments for Eu2+ ions, resulting in two fitted Gaussian peaks. Energy transfer from Eu2+ sites in Si-rich environments to those in Si/Al-equivalent modes has been confirmed by analysis of the decay curve of each peak. The decay behaviors suggested that energy transfer effect slowed with higher δ value. Finally, warm white light was created by combining as-prepared red-emitting Ca0.98Eu0.02Al0.76Si1.18N3 and yellow-emitting YAG:Ce3+ phosphors with a blue-emitting chip, exhibiting a color rendering index R a of 91 at a low correlated color temperature of 3500 K with a luminous efficiency of 79 lm/W.

The high repetition rate 10 J/10 ns Yb:YAG laser system and its key techniques are reported. The amplifiers in this system have a multi-pass V-shape structure and the heat in the amplifiers is removed by means of laminar water flow. In the main amplifier, the laser is four-pass, and an approximately 8.5 J/1 Hz/10 ns output is achieved in the primary test. The far-field of the output beam is approximately 10 times the diffraction limit. Because of the higher levels of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in the main amplifier, the output energy is lower than expected. At the end we discuss some measures that can improve the properties of the laser system.

Spermatogenesis is a process in adult male mammals supported by spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). The cultivation of SSCs has potential value, for example for the treatment of male infertility or spermatogonial transplantation. Testicular interstitial fluid was added to culture medium to a final concentration of 5, 10, 20, 30 or 40%, in order to investigate its effects on proliferation of mouse SSCs in vitro, Alkaline phosphatase (AKP) assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and indirect immunofluorescence of cells were performed to identify SSCs, and the proliferation rate and diameters of the SSCs colonies were measured. The results showed that the optimal addition of testicular interstitial fluid to culture medium was 30%. When medium supplemented with 30% testicular interstitial fluid was used to culture mouse SSCs, the optimum proliferation rate and diameter of the cell colonies were 72.53% and 249 μm, respectively, after 8 days in culture, values that were significant higher than those found for other groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, proliferation of mouse SSCs could be promoted significantly by supplementation of the culture medium with 30% testicular interstitial fluid. More research is needed to evaluate and understand the precise physiological role of testicular interstitial fluid during cultivation of SSCs.

Based on the birth record data from the National Vital Statistics in the 1990 Census of China, the present study analyzed the differences between urban and rural areas on monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin rates by maternal age in 1989. The twins by zygosity were calculated with Weinberg's differential method. Results show that the MZ and DZ twinning rates in China were associated with maternal age and that there were substantial differences between urban and rural areas. The MZ twinning rates in urban and rural areas were 2.36 pairs and 2.11 pairs per 1000 deliveries respectively, significantly lower than that in most studied populations. Furthermore, our analysis indicated that MZ twinning rates remained relatively constant for mothers under the age group of 36 to 38 years, but rose over this age group in both areas, albeit with a different slope. The DZ twinning rates were strikingly affected by maternal age, but the age for peak DZ rates was found within the age group of 33 to 35 years. In all maternal age groups except for 24 to 26 years, the DZ twinning rates in urban areas were higher than in rural areas. It remains unclear as to why the DZ twinning rates reversed to reach higher values within the older maternal age groups in China, but it is almost certain that the high twinning rates had nothing to do with in vitro fertilization.

We investigate when the boundary of a multiply connected wandering domain of an entire function is uniformly perfect. We give a general criterion implying that it is not uniformly perfect. This criterion applies in particular to examples of multiply connected wandering domains given by Baker. We also provide examples of infinitely connected wandering domains whose boundary is uniformly perfect.

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) are widely used in diets for patients with obesity. To develop a delivery system for suppressing dietary fat accumulation into adipose tissue, MCFA were encapsulated in nanoliposomes (NL), which can overcome the drawbacks of MCFA and keep their properties unchanged. In the present study, crude liposomes were first produced by the thin-layer dispersion method, and then dynamic high-pressure microfluidisation (DHPM) and DHPM combined with freeze–thawing methods were used to prepare MCFA NL (NL-1 and NL-2, respectively). NL-1 exhibited smaller average size (77·6 (sd 4·3) nm), higher zeta potential ( − 40·8 (sd 1·7) mV) and entrapment efficiency (73·3 (sd 16·1) %) and better stability, while NL-2 showed narrower distribution (polydispersion index 0·193 (sd 0·016)). The body fat reduction property of NL-1 and NL-2 were evaluated by short-term (2 weeks) and long-term (6 weeks) experiments of mice. In contrast to the MCFA group, the NL groups had overcome the poor palatability of MCFA because the normal diet of mice was maintained. The body fat and total cholesterol (TCH) of NL-1 (1·54 (sd 0·30) g, P = 0·039 and 2·33 (sd 0·44) mmol/l, P = 0·021, respectively) and NL-2 (1·58 (sd 0·69) g, P = 0·041 and 2·29 (sd 0·38) mmol/l, P = 0·015, respectively) significantly decreased when compared with the control group (2·11 (sd 0·82) g and 2·99 (sd 0·48) mmol/l, respectively). The TAG concentration of the NL-1 group (0·55 (sd 0·14) mmol/l) was remarkably lower (P = 0·045) than the control group (0·94 (sd 0·37) mmol/l). No significant difference in weight and fat gain, TCH and TAG was detected between the MCFA NL and MCFA groups. Therefore, MCFA NL could be potential nutritional candidates for obesity to suppress body fat accumulation.

An ecofriendly process has been successfully developed to synthesize the polycrystalline silver nanopolyhedrons with a high yield at large scale. By using tannic acid in the presence of poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), high quality silver nanopolyhedrons were obtained in an aqueous one-pot reaction without any templates or auxiliaries. The film made from the silver nanostructures exhibits an electrical conductivity higher than 104 S/cm on both rigid and flexible substrates. The supreme mechanical strength of this silver film recommends its wide application in printing and flexible electronics.

Zircon U–Pb age, whole-rock elemental and Sr–Nd isotopic data are presented for the Rushan intrusive complex from the northern Sulu orogen, China. The intrusion, emplaced at c. 111 Ma, consists mainly of biotite-bearing gabbro and pyroxene-bearing diorite. The rocks are high-K calc-alkaline in major elements, and enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE), depleted in high field strength elements (HFSE), and possess narrow ranges of initial 87Sr/86Sr (0.70746–0.70827) and ɛNd(t) (−12.37 to −8.26). The complex is interpreted to originate from decompression melting of spinel-facies cratonic mantle that was metasomatized by the subducted Yangtze crustal materials and the melts experienced fractionation of olivine, clinopyroxene, apatite and Fe–Ti oxides. The Rushan complex is similar in composition to other Early Cretaceous mafic-intermediate complexes from the southern margin of the North China Craton, such as the Fangcheng basalts and Yinan gabbros, implying the mantle source of the Rushan intrusion is tectonically affiliated to the southern wedge of the Craton. We infer that the Rushan complex formed in an extensional regime corresponding to the asthenosphere upwelling during gradual erosion and replacement of the cratonic mantle by the fertile lithosphere beneath the eastern North China Craton.

This study reviews the results of the surgical management of 154 cases of ruptured aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva. Of the patients0 73% were male, with an average age of 28 years. An associated ventricular septal defect was found in 40% and 23% had aortic valvar regurgitation. The aneurysms originated from the right coronary sinus in 79% and from the non-coronary sinus in the remainders. The aneurysms ruptured into the right ventricle in 73%, into the right atrium in 27% and into the left ventricle in less than 1%. Operative mortality was 4.5%. Long-term follow-up was achieved in 80% of patients, with a mean duration of 5.7 years and a range from two months to 29 years. Preoperative aortic regurgitation and preoperative functional class (NYHA III or IV) were both predictive of a worse long-term outcome. The optimal surgical approach was closure of the distal end of the fistula by direct suture together with reinforcement of the aortic sinus with a Dacron patch.

A real-time fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was established to detect Streptococcus suis serotype 2. Primers and Taqman probe were designed according to cps2I (capsular polysaccharide 2I) gene using bio-software Primer Express2.0 and Oligo6.0. An 81 bp DNA fragment was amplified from S. suis serotype 2 genomic DNA, and the PCR product was cloned into pMD18-T vector and confirmed by DNA sequencing. The real-time fluorescent PCR amplification curve on a Lightcycler® showed that the method is accurate and specific for S. suis serotype 2 amplification, whereas reference bacteria S. suis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella sp., Listeria monocytogenes strains and a blank control were all negative. Tenfold serial dilutions of S. suis serotype 2 were used to measure the sensitivity of real-time fluorescent PCR: ten copies of bacteria could be detected in one PCR reaction and only 30 min were required for a single test. To examine the stability of the real-time fluorescent PCR, the positive control was detected at two different times. The threshold cycle (Ct) values showed no statistical differences (P>0.05). Thus, this method was stable and repeatable. These results indicate that this real-time fluorescent PCR technique could be applied for epidemic supervision in entry–exit inspection and quarantine.

In this paper, we study the residual Julia sets of meromorphic functions. In fact, we prove that if a meromorphic function $f$ belongs to the class ${\bf S}$ and its Julia set is locally connected, then the residual Julia set of $f$ is empty if and only if its Fatou set $F(f)$ has a completely invariant component or consists of only two components. We also show that if $f$ is a meromorphic function which is not of the form $\alpha + (z\,-\,\alpha)^{-k}e^{g(z)}$, where $k$ is a natural number, $\alpha$ is a complex number and $g$ is an entire function, then $f$ has buried components provided that $f$ has no completely invariant components and its Julia set $J(f)$ is disconnected. Moreover, if $F(f)$ has an infinitely connected component, then the singleton buried components are dense in $J(f)$. This generalizes a result of Baker and Domínguez. Finally, we give some examples of meromorphic functions with buried points but without any buried components.

In this paper, by using Ahlfors' theory of covering surfaces, we establish the existence of a new singular direction for a meromorphic functions f, namely a T direction for f, for which the Nevanlinna characteristic function T(r, f) is used as a comparison function.

In this paper we investigate the uniqueness of transcendental meromorphic function dealing with the shared values in some angular domains instead of the whole complex plane.

One-dimensional CdS nanocrystallites were used as precursors for preparation of mesoporous CdS nanorods through an ion-exchange process at room temperature. The results from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray analysis, and x-ray powder diffraction techniques showed that Ag+ did not affect the electronic structure of CdS or cause the disorder of crystal structure although the product contained a considerable amount of Ag2S. The visible absorption of Ag2S nanoparticles in the mesoporous structure led to the result that the intensities of Raman scattering peaks of the mesoporous nanorods were weaker than those of CdS initial nanorods.

Let $f(z)$ be a transcendental meromorphic function. The paper investigates, using the hyperbolic metric, the relation between the forward orbit $P(f)$ of singularities of $f^{-1}$ and limit functions of iterations of $f$ in its Fatou components. It is mainly proved, among other things, that for a wandering domain $U$, all the limit functions of $\{f^n\vert_U\}$ lie in the derived set of $P(f)$ and that if $f^{np}\vert_V\rightarrow q(n\rightarrow +\infty)$ for a Fatou component $V$, then either $q$ is in the derived set of $S_p(f)$ or $f^p(q) = q$. As applications of main theorems, some sufficient conditions of the non-existence of wandering domains and Baker domains are given.

The radial distribution of Julia sets and non-existence of unbounded Fatou components of transcendental meromorphic functions are investigated in this paper.

We investigate uniform perfectness of the Julia set of a transcendental meromorphic function with finitely many poles and prove that the Julia set of such a meromorphic function is not uniformly perfect if it has only bounded components. The Julia set of an entire function is uniformly perfect if and only if the Julia set including infinity is connected and every component of the Fatou set is simply connected. Furthermore if an entire function has a finite deficient value in the sense of Nevanlinna, then it has no multiply connected stable domains. Finally, we give some examples of meromorphic functions with uniformly perfect Julia sets.