The dewetting of thin nanofilms is significantly affected by thermal fluctuations, liquid–solid slip and disjoining pressure, which can be described by lubrication equations augmented by appropriately scaled noise terms, known as stochastic lubrication equations. Here molecular dynamics simulations along with a newly proposed slip-generating method are adopted to study the instability of nanofilms with arbitrary slip. These simulations show that strong-slip dewetting is distinct from weak-slip dewetting by faster growth of perturbations and fewer droplets after dewetting, which cannot be predicted by the existing stochastic lubrication equation. A new stochastic lubrication equation considering the strong-slip boundary condition is thus derived using a long-wave approximation to the equations of fluctuating hydrodynamics. The linear stability analysis of this equation, i.e. surface spectrum, agrees well with molecular simulations. Interestingly, strong slip can break down the usual Stokes limits adopted in weak-slip dewetting and bring the inertia into effect. The evolution of the standard deviation of the film height $W^2(t)={\overline {h^2}-{\bar {h}}^2}$ at the initial stage of the strong-slip dewetting is found to be $W\sim t^{1/4}$ in contrast to $W\sim t^{1/8}$ for the weak-slip dewetting.

The efficiency of water electrolysis is significantly impacted by the generation of micro- and nanobubbles on the electrodes. Here molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the dynamics of single electrolytic nanobubbles on nanoelectrodes. The simulations reveal that, depending on the value of current, nucleated nanobubbles either grow to an equilibrium state or grow unlimitedly and then detach. To account for these findings, the stability theory for surface nanobubbles is generalized by incorporating the electrolytic gas influx at the nanobubble's contact line and adopting a real gas law, leading to accurate predictions for the numerically observed transient growth and stationary states of the nanobubbles. With this theory, the minimum current for bubble detachment can also be derived analytically. In the detachment regime, the radius of the nanobubble first increases with time (t) as $R\propto t^{1/2}$ and then as $R\propto t^{1/3}$, up to bubble detachment.

Boundary conditions at a liquid–solid interface are crucial to dynamics of a liquid film coated on a fibre. Here, a theoretical framework based on axisymmetric Stokes equations is developed to explore the influence of liquid–solid slip on the Rayleigh–Plateau instability of a cylindrical film on a fibre. The new model not only shows that the slip-enhanced growth rate of perturbations is overestimated by the classical lubrication model, but also indicates a slip-dependent dominant wavelength, instead of a constant value obtained by the lubrication method, which leads to larger drops formed on a more slippery fibre. The theoretical findings are validated by direct numerical simulations of Navier–Stokes equations via a volume-of-fluid method. Additionally, the slip-dependent dominant wavelengths predicted by our model agree with the experimental results provided by Haefner et al. (Nat. Commun., vol. 6, issue 1, 2015, 7409).

We aim to determine the correlation between parental rearing, personality traits, and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) in different quantiles. In particular, we created an intermediary effect model in which parental rearing affects OCD through personality traits. All predictors were measured at the time of the survey, comprising parental rearing (paternal rearing and maternal rearing), demographics (grade and gender), and personality traits (neuroticism, extroversion, and psychoticism). These results suggest that (a) paternal emotional warmth was negatively correlated with OCD at the 0.40–0.80 quantile, while maternal emotional warmth was positively correlated with the OCD at the 0.45–0.69 quantile. (b) The correlation between negative parental rearing and OCD ranged from the 0.67 to 0.95 quantile for paternal punishment, 0.14–0.82 quantile for paternal overprotection, 0.05–0.36 and >0.50 quantile for maternal over-intervention and overprotection, and 0.08–0.88 quantile for maternal rejection. (c) Extroversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism were not only associated with OCD in a particular quantile but also mediated between parental rearing (namely parental emotional warmth, paternal punishment, paternal overprotection, maternal rejection, maternal over-intervention, and overprotection) and OCD. These findings provide targets for early interventions of OCD to improve the form of family education and personality traits and warrant validation.

The bacterial foraging optimisation (BFO) algorithm is a commonly adopted bio-inspired optimisation algorithm. However, BFO is not a proper choice in coping with continuous global path planning in the context of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). In this paper, a grid partition-based BFO algorithm, named AS-BFO, is proposed to address this issue in which the enhancement is contributed by the involvement of the A* algorithm. The chemotaxis operation is redesigned in AS-BFO. Through repeated simulations, the relative optimal parameter combination of the proposed algorithm is obtained and the most influential parameters are identified by sensitivity analysis. The performance of AS-BFO is evaluated via five size grid maps and the results show that AS-BFO has advantages in USV global path planning.

An atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo coupled with the embedded-atom method is used to simulate film growth and morphology evolution of a Cu–Zn–Sn precursor of Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells by single-step electrodeposition. The deposition and diffusion events of three different metallic atoms are described by the simulation. Moreover, the multibody Cu–Zn–Sn potential is used to calculate diffusion barrier energy. The effects of process factors, including temperature and electrode potential, on the cross-section morphology and surface roughness are explored, while keeping the elemental composition ratios constant. The lowest roughness with the smoothest morphology is obtained at the optimal parameters. The distribution and transformation behaviors of cluster sizes are investigated to describe the alloy film growth process. Furthermore, the comparison between deposition events and diffusion events reveals that deposition events depend primarily on individual deposition rates of different metallic atoms, but diffusion events are mainly dependent on the interaction of metallic atoms. The film morphology evolution is visualized by three-dimensional configuration with increasing numbers of atoms, which suggests a competing mechanism between nucleation and growth of the thin film alloy.

To investigate the P absorption and gene expression levels of related co-transporters, type IIb sodium-dependent phosphate co-transporter (NaPi-IIb), inorganic phosphate transporter 1 (PiT-1) and inorganic phosphate transporter 2 (PiT-2) in the small intestine of broilers, 450 1-d-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly allocated to one of three treatments with ten replicate cages of fifteen birds per cage for each treatment in a completely randomised design. Chickens were fed a diet with no added inorganic P (containing 0·06 % non-phytate P (NPP)) or with either 0·21 or 0·44 % NPP for 21 d. Plasma P concentration in the hepatic portal vein, mRNA and protein expression levels of NaPi-IIb, PiT-1 and PiT-2 were determined at 7, 14 and 21 d of age. The results showed that the concentration of P in plasma in the hepatic portal vein increased as dietary NPP increased (P<0·0001). At 14 and 21 d of age, the increase in dietary NPP inhibited (P<0·003) NaPi-IIb mRNA expression level in the duodenum, as well as PiT-1 mRNA and protein expression levels in the ileum, but promoted NaPi-IIb protein expression level (P<0·002) and PiT-2 mRNA and protein expression levels (P<0·04) in the duodenum. These results suggest that NaPi-IIb, PiT-1 and PiT-2 might be important P transporters in the small intestine of broilers. Higher intestinal P absorption may be achieved by up-regulating the protein expression levels of NaPi-IIb and PiT-2 and down-regulating the protein expression of PiT-1.

A novel luminogen-functionalized SBA-15, denoted as SNT, was developed by incorporating tris(4-bromophenyl)amine (TBPA) into SBA-15 via a “fixation-induced emission” strategy. The emission of TBPA on the matrix of SBA-15 was greatly enhanced, making the SNT possible as a fluorescence sensor. Cefalexin, a typical antibiotic, was chosen as the model analyte to be assayed and sensitive detection performance was achieved. This is the first time for cefalexin to be detected by a fluorescent method. Moreover, the SNT can be recycled by simply washing with proper solvents then used for next detection. This work provides a strategy to greatly improve the emission characteristics of fluorophores, even if a mediocre small fluorophore. It can be extended to design practical fluorescent sensors with high performance and recyclability by this strategy.

The Diancang Massif is located in a region linking the Tibetan and Yungui Plateaus. Climatically, it is in a transition belt between the south and middle subtropical zones, controlled by Indian monsoon and westerlies. Thus, this study provides more evidences on the evolution of Indian monsoon since the Holocene. We reconstruct the history of climate on the Diancang Massif since 11.5 ka, using integrated correlation of glacial activities, early human settlement sites, and climate proxies abstracted from variations in grain size, magnetic susceptibility, geochemical composition, and pollen in lacustrine sediments. Six climatic stages have been identified. Stage I, from 11.5 ka to 9.0 ka, is a relatively wet period, corresponding to the onset of the Holocene; from 9.5 ka to 6.0 ka, the climate is arid; a cold period follows from 6.0 ka to 5.3 ka, and this is succeeded by a temperate stage from 5.3 ka to 4.0 ka; from 4.0 ka to 0.73 ka the climate is again arid. Compared with other regions dominated by the Indian monsoon, there is a delay in response of the climate on the Diancang Massif to the onset of the Holocene.

In waist-worn pedestrian navigation systems, the periodic vertical acceleration peak signal at body centre of gravity is widely used for detecting steps. Due to vibration and waist shaking interference, accelerometer output signals contain false peaks and thus reduce step detection accuracy. This paper analyses the relationship between periodic acceleration at pedestrian centre of gravity and walking stance during walking. An adaptive dual-window step detection method is proposed based on this analysis. The peak signal is detected by a dual-window and the window length is adjusted according to the change in step frequency. The adaptive dual window approach is shown to successfully suppress the effects of vibration and waist shaking, thereby improving the step detection accuracy. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated through step detection experiments and pedestrian navigation positioning experiments respectively. The step detection error rate was found to be less than 0·15% in repeated experiments consisting of 345 steps, while the longer (about 1·3 km) pedestrian navigation experiments demonstrated typical positioning error was around 0·67% of the distance travelled.

Quaternary GaxIn1−xAs1−ySby and ternary GaxIn1−xSb alloys have been grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The effects of growth parameters on the solid compositions, x, y for GaxIn1−xAs1−ySby and x for GaxIn1−x Sb alloys are described in detail. Concentrations of the reactants have major effects on the corresponding solid compositions in the two kinds of alloys. The growth temperature dependence of the solid compositions in both GaxIn1−xAs1−ySby and GaxIn1−xSb was obviously observed and the growth kinetic factor was considered to account for this dependence. It was found that III/V ratio in vapor has a great effect on x in GaxIn1−xSb alloy but little effect on x and y in GaxIn1−xAs1−ySby alloy.

GaInAsSb/GaSb heterostructures have been grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The optical properties were characterized using low temperature(71K) photoluminescence(PL) and infrared transmission spectroscopy. The FWHM of the typical PL spectrum peaked at 2.3μm is 30meV. Hall measurement results for undoped GaInAsSb layers are presented showing a p-type background and low hole concentration of 6.5 × 1015cm−3. The room temperature performances of the p-GaInAsSb/n-GaSb photodiodes are reported. Its responsivity spectrum is peaked at 2.2 5μm and cuts off at 1.7μm in the short wavelength and at 2.4μm in the long wavelength, respectively. The room temperature detectivity D* is of 1 × 109cm.Hz1/2.W−2