Sedimentary records from the Kumtag (also known as Kumtagh) Desert (KMD) in northwestern China are investigated to better understand Late Quaternary paleoenvironmental changes in this hyper-arid region. Presented here are the results of probably the first systematic survey of sedimentary sequences from the KMD, with the chronology determined by the optically stimulated luminescence dating. The variation of sedimentary facies, supported by granular and geochemical paleoenvironmental proxies, is used to decipher the history of Late Quaternary environment changes. The results demonstrate that a constantly dry condition characterized the eastern KMD since the last glacial maximum, but with occurrences of wetter periods. From ca. 17 to 15 ka, fluvial activity was probably triggered by melting of glaciers in mountains located south of the KMD. A distinctly drier stage (ca. 13–7 ka) was recognized due to the prominent occurrence of aeolian sands. A wetter environment likely persisted between ca. 4.4 and 2.2 ka, consistent with evidence of human activities. While the causes of paleoenvironmental changes in the eastern KMD are still a matter of debate, the melting of glaciers in the Altyn-Tagh Mountains in the south must be considered as an important factor.

Parabronema skrjabini is one of the most harmful nematodes to camels and is responsible for economic losses in animal husbandry industry. There is an urgent need for in-depth studies of potential vectors of the nematode due to its scant regarding information. As previous studies indicated that flies may be the vectors of P. skrjabini, we captured flies in the main camel-producing areas of Inner Mongolia. After autopsy of the specimens of two species of horn flies, we observed the morphology of the suspected nematode larvae found in them. Internal transcribed spacer ribosomal-DNA gene sequences were considered the best candidate to confirm the species of the larvae found. Our results showed that the homology compared with P. skrjabini was 99.5% in GenBank. Subsequently, we preliminarily identified two species of horn flies through morphological observation and then sequenced the mitochondrial-DNA-gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I obtained from two species of horn flies, with 100 and 99.2% similarity to sequences deposited in GenBank, respectively. Thus, we identified Haematobia titillans and Haematobia irritans and provided evidence for their potential role as vectors of parabronemosis. Our study provides reference for future research on the life history of the nematode and the vectors of parabronemosis.

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.

We present a high-order discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method for the time domain Maxwell's equations in three-dimensional heterogeneous media. New hierarchical orthonormal basis functions on unstructured tetrahedral meshes are used for spatial discretization while Runge-Kutta methods for time discretization. A uniaxial perfectly matched layer (UPML) is employed to terminate the computational domain. Exponential convergence with respect to the order of the basis functions is observed and large parallel speedup is obtained for a plane-wave scattering model. The rapid decay of the out-going wave in the UPML is shown in a dipole radiation simulation. Moreover, the low frequency electromagnetic fields excited by a horizontal electric dipole (HED) and a vertical magnetic dipole (VMD) over a layered conductive half-space and a high frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR) detection for an underground structure are investigated, showing the high accuracy and broadband simulation capability of the proposed method.

Large areas in western China were wetlands or less arid between 40 and 30 ka, corresponding to the “Greatest Lake Period” on the adjacent Tibetan Plateau. During the last glacial maximum, some of these western Chinese deserts again experienced wetter conditions; however, at the same time the sandy lands in the eastern Chinese desert belt experienced an activation of aeolian dunes. While interpretations of the mid-Holocene environment in the deserts of China are controversial, it is quite likely that it was more humid not only in the eastern areas influenced by monsoon climate systems but also in the western deserts where moisture is currently associated with westerlies. Evaluation of lacustrine records in the lakes recharged by dryland rivers and the complex interactions of these systems, as well as other paleoenvironmental proxies such as the Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae ratio, should be interpreted with greater caution. Facing the highlighted uncertainties in our understanding of climate changes in Chinese deserts, it is hoped that this special issue will improve our knowledge considerably.

We present new estimates on evaporation and groundwater recharge in the Badain Jaran Desert, western Inner Mongolia of northwestern China, based on a modified Penman Equation suitable for lakes in China. Geochemical data and water balance calculations suggest that local rainfall makes a significant contribution to groundwater recharge and that past lake-level variations in this desert environment should reflect palaeoclimatic changes. The chronology of lake-level change, established by radiocarbon and U-series disequilibrium dating methods, indicates high lake levels and a wetter climate beginning at ca. 10 ka and lasting until the late mid-Holocene in the Badain Jaran Desert. The greatest extension of lakes in the inter-dune depressions indicates that the water availability was greatest during the mid-Holocene. Relicts of Neolithic tools and pottery of Qijia Culture (2400–1900 BC) suggest relatively intensive human activity in the Badain Jaran Desert during the early and middle Holocene, supporting our interpretation of a less harsh environment. Wetter climates during the Holocene were likely triggered by an intensified East Asian summer monsoon associated with strong insolation.

Owing to the difficulty in obtaining mammary gland tissue from lactating animals, it is difficult to test the expression levels of genes in mammary gland. The aim of the current study was to identify if milk fat globule (MFG) in buffalo milk was an alternative to mammary gland (MG) and milk somatic cell (MSC) for gene expression analysis. Six buffalos in late lactation were selected to collect MFG and MSC, and then MG was obtained by surgery. MFG was stained with acridine orange to successfully visualise RNA and several cytoplasmic crescents in MFG. The total RNA in MFG was successfully isolated and the integrity was assessed by agarose gel electrophoresis. We analysed the cellular components in MFG, MG and MSC through testing the expression of cell-specific genes by qRT-PCR. The results showed that adipocyte-specific gene (AdipoQ) and leucocyte-specific genes (CD43, CSF1 and IL1α) in MFG were not detected, whereas epithelial cell marker genes (Keratin 8 and Keratin 18) in MFG were higher than in MSC and lower than in MG, fibroblast marker gene (vimentin) in MFG was significantly lower than in MG and MSC, milk protein genes (LALBA, BLG and CSN2) and milk fat synthesis-related genes (ACC, BTN1A1, FABP3 and FAS) in MFG were higher than in MG and MSC. In conclusion, the total RNA in MFG mainly derives from mammary epithelial cells and can be used to study the functional gene expression of mammary epithelial cells.

White sponge nevus (WSN) in the oral mucosa is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disease. The involved mucosa is white or greyish, thickened, folded and spongy. The genes associated with WSN include mutant cytokeratin keratin 4 (KRT4) and keratin 13 (KRT13). In recent years, new cases of WSN and associated mutations have been reported. Here, we summarise the recent progress in our understanding of WSN, including clinical reports, genetics, animal models, treatment, pathogenic mechanisms and future directions. Gene-based diagnosis and gene therapy for WSN may become available in the near future and could provide a reference and instruction for treating other KRT-associated diseases.

We first prove existence and uniqueness of optimal transportation maps for the Monge’s problem associated to a cost function with a strictly convex constraint in the Euclidean plane ℝ2. The cost function coincides with the Euclidean distance if the displacement y − x belongs to a given strictly convex set, and it is infinite otherwise. Secondly, we give a sufficient condition for existence and uniqueness of optimal transportation maps for the original Monge’s problem in ℝ2. Finally, we get existence of optimal transportation maps for a cost function with a convex constraint, i.e. y − x belongs to a given convex set with at most countable flat parts.

In Carnot groups of step  ≤ 3, all subriemannian geodesics are proved to be normal. Theproof is based on a reduction argument and the Goh condition for minimality of singularcurves. The Goh condition is deduced from a reformulation and a calculus of the end-pointmapping which boils down to the graded structures of Carnot groups.

In this work, the ultrafine nanoporous Ag ribbons were achieved through addition of 2 at.%–6 at.% Ce into the melt-spun Cu-Ag alloys and applying different electrochemical dealloying potentials. The dendritic morphology of the ligaments in the dealloyed Cu80Ag20 alloy varied to be equiaxial due to the addition of Ce, and the pore size reduced from 200 nm to less than 60 nm. The nanoporous Ag with an average pore size of ∼15 nm was obtained from the Cu74Ag20Ce6 alloy. The pore and ligament sizes of the nanoporous Ag prepared from the Cu76Ag20Ce4 alloy exhibited an increasing tendency with the increase of applied potentials, while the dealloyed Cu78Ag20Ce2 had an opposite variation. Moreover, the addition of Ce into the Cu-Ag alloys also promoted the dealloying. Nanoporous Ag exhibited the stronger enhancement of the surface enhanced Raman scattering effects with the increase of Ce contents in the precursory alloys.

The grain refinement effect of a pulsed magnetic field on superalloy IN718 was investigated. The experimental results show that fine equiaxed grains are acquired under the pulsed magnetic field. The refinement effect of the pulsed magnetic field is affected by the mold temperature. And the mixed grains are found in the solidified microstructures under the pulsed magnetic field. The origin of nuclei under the pulsed magnetic field is from the mold wall because of the rough mold surface, the undercooling, and the melt vibration, which all contribute to the refinement of solidified grains.

The refinement mechanism of pulsed magnetic field (PMF) was discussed by experimental investigation, and the effects of exciting frequency, exciting voltage, and delay time of PMF on grains refinement of superalloy were studied. The experimental results show that, as exciting frequency or exciting voltage is increased, the grains are refined. However, the grains become coarse when frequency increases further. As delay time of PMF increases, the grain size increases. The refinement effect of PMF is attributed to the detachment of heterogeneous nuclei on the mold wall and subsequently separation of nuclei in the melt. The Joule heat can prolong the continuous nucleation process. However, the refinement effect will be impaired if the Joule heat is strong enough to remelt the detached nuclei.

In this paper we consider the initialboundary value problem of a parabolic-elliptic system for imageinpainting, and establish the existence and uniqueness of weaksolutions to the system in dimension two.

The grain refinement effect of a pulsed magnetic field on superalloy K417 was studied. The experimental results show that fine equiaxed grains are acquired with proper thermal control under the pulsed magnetic field. The refinement effect of the pulsed magnetic field is affected by the melt cooling rate and the melt superheating. The refinement effect of the pulsed magnetic field is attributed to the dissociation of nuclei from the mold wall by melt vibration and the subsequent dispersion of nuclei by melt convection. The Joule heat and the melt convection caused by the pulsed magnetic field may defer the formation of solidified shell, which prolongs the continuous refinement process. The decrease of melt cooling rate reduces the number of nuclei produced on the mold wall but prolongs the duration for the nuclei to depart from the mold wall and disperse in the melt, which enhances the refinement effect of the pulsed magnetic field. The increase of melt superheating lessens the survival probability of the nuclei in the melt, which weakens the refinement effect of the pulsed magnetic field.

Nanociystalline Z1O2 powders, prepared by plasma-chemical method, were sintered by microwave heating. The experimental results indicated that the thermal runaway and hot spot are two important obstacles to successful microwave sintering of nanocrystalline ZrO2. By controlling ratio of dielectric loss between sintered ZrO2 compact and adjacent thermal insulator, the ZrO2 compact with diameter larger than 30 mm could be microwave-heated rapidly and uniformly from room temperature to 1600 °C in 80 minutes, the mean grain size of ZrCh ( 96% T.D. sintered at 1500°C for 5 minutes) is lower than 20 nm determined by means of quantitative XRD and TEM. The change of ZrO2 grain size may be related to phase transformation (t→m).