A new type of bubble solutions for a critical fractional Schr\"{o}dinger equation

We consider the following critical fractional Schr\"{o}dinger equation \begin{equation*} (-\Delta)^s u+V(|y'|,y'')u=u^{2_s^*-1},\quad u>0,\quad y =(y',y'') \in \mathbb{R}^3\times\mathbb{R}^{N-3}, \end{equation*} where $N\geq 3,s\in(0,1)$, $2_s^*=\frac{2N}{N-2s}$ is the fractional critical Sobolev exponent and $V(|y'|,y'')$ is a bounded non-negative function in $\mathbb{R}^3\times\mathbb{R}^{N-3}$. If $r^{2s}V(r,y'')$ has a stable critical point $(r_0,y_0'')$ with $r_0>0$ and $V(r_0,y_0'')>0$, by using a modified finite-dimensional reduction method and various local Pohozaev identities, we prove that the problem above has a new type of infinitely many solutions which concentrate at points lying on the top and the bottom of a cylinder. And the concentration points of the bubble solutions include saddle points of the function $r^{2s}V(r,y'')$. We choose cleverly one of the reduced parameters $\bar{h}$ which depends on the scaling parameter $\lambda$ and avoid to compute the first partial derivative of the reduced functional with respect to $\bar{h}$ directly. Also we have to overcome some difficulties caused by the fractional Laplacian.Comment: 47 page

Global budget of black carbon aerosol and implications for climate forcing

This thesis explores the factors controlling the distribution of black carbon (BC) in the atmosphere/troposphere and its implications for climate forcing. BC is of great climate interest because of its warming potential. Estimates of BC climate forcing have large uncertainty, in part due to poor knowledge of the distribution of BC in the atmosphere. This dissertation first examines the factors controlling the sources of BC in the Arctic in winter and spring using a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem). Emission inventories of BC and wet scavenging of aerosols in the model are updated to reproduce observed atmospheric concentrations of BC as well as observed snow BC content in the Arctic in winter-spring. The simulation shows a dominant contribution of fuel (fossil fuel and biofuel) combustion to BC in Arctic spring. Arctic snow BC content is dominated by fuel combustion sources in winter, but has equal contributions from open fires and fuel combustion in spring. The estimated decrease in Arctic snow albedo due to BC deposition in spring is 0.6%, resulting in a regional surface radiative forcing of 1.2 W m-2. The dissertation then extends the evaluation of the BC simulation to the global scale using aircraft observations over source regions, continental outflow and remote regions and ground-based measurements. The observed low BC concentrations over the remote oceans imply more efficient BC removal than is currently implemented in models. The simulation that has total BC emissions of 6.5 Tg C a-1 and a mean tropospheric lifetime of 4.2 days for 2009 (vs. 6.8 &plusmn 1.8 days for the AeroCom models) captures the principal features of observed BC. The simulation estimates a global mean BC absorbing aerosol optical depth of 0.0017 and a top-of-atmosphere direct radiative forcing (DRF) of 0.19 W m-2, with a range of 0.17-0.31 W m-2 based on uncertainties in the BC atmospheric distribution. The DRF is lower than previous estimates, which could be biased high because of excessive BC concentrations over the oceans and in the free troposphere.Engineering and Applied Science

Integrating Second Life into an EFL Program: Students’ Perspectives

Second Life (SL) is a three dimension virtual world imagined and created by its users. To explore various facets of language learning within SL, faculty members of an American university and a Chinese university took an evaluation research approach to search for appropriate ways to integrate SL into an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) program. This paper reports a part of the research efforts with a focus on the Chinese students’ perspectives of an EFL Program in SL. Specifically included in this paper are (a) the Chinese students’ perceived technology readiness to use SL for EFL learning, (b) their perceptions of SL, and (c) the EFL Program implemented in SL. The paper reviews related literature and theoretical support, describes the study’s context and its implementation procedures, and discusses the evaluation results and implications. Finally, the paper shares with the audience some considerations for integrating SL into an EFL progra

Associations between pregnancy loss and common mental disorders in women: a large prospective cohort study

BackgroundIncreasing evidence suggests that pregnancy loss can lead to negative emotional outcomes, such as anxiety and depression, for women. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the long-term risk of mental disorders among individuals who have experienced pregnancy loss.ObjectiveTo investigate the associations between pregnancy loss and the risk of common mental disorders.MethodsIn the UK Biobank, a total of 218,990 women without any mental disorder at baseline were enrolled between 2006 and 2010 and followed until October 2022. Information on the history of pregnancy loss was obtained through self-reported questionnaires at baseline. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between pregnancy loss and common mental disorders.ResultsDuring a median follow-up time of 13.36 years, there were 26,930 incident cases of common mental disorders. Incidence rates of common mental disorders were elevated among women with a history of stillbirth (HR 1.15, 95% CI: 1.07–1.23), miscarriage (HR 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02–1.10), or pregnancy termination (HR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.17–1.25) compared to those without such experiences. Furthermore, the risk of common mental disorders significantly increased in women with two or more miscarriages (HR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08–1.19) or two or more pregnancy terminations (HR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.30–1.48).ConclusionsPregnancy loss is associated with an increased risk of common mental disorders in women later in life. These findings may contribute to the enhancement of long-term monitoring and prevention of common mental disorders for women with such a history

Probing Single DNA Molecule Transport Using Fabricated Nanopores

Nanopores can serve as high throughput, single-molecule sensing devices that provide insight into the distribution of static and dynamic molecular activities, properties, or interactions. We have studied double stranded DNA electrophoretic transport dynamics through fabricated nanopores in silicon nitride. A fabricated pore enables us to interrogate a broader range of molecules with a wider range of conditions than can be investigated in a self-assembled protein pore in a lipid membrane.Molecular and Cellular Biolog

Measurement of Interphase Forces based on Dual-modality ERT/DP Sensor in Horizontal Two-phase Flow Gas-water

In order to better understand the mechanisms of two-phase flow and the prevailing flow regimes in horizontal pipelines, the evaluation of interphase forces is paramount. This study develops a method to quantitatively estimate the interphase force in two-phase gas-water flow in horizontal pipeline. The electrical resistance tomography technology is used to measure the void fraction, while the differential pressure perpendicular to the horizontal pipe is measured in different flow patterns via a Differential Pressure sensor. The inner pipe diameter is 50 mm, the water flow range from 3.26 m3/h to 7.36 m3/h, the gas flowrate range from 1 to 60 l/min, which covered a range of flow patterns, the absolute pressure range from0.07 MPa to 0.12 MPa. The relationship between the differential pressure drop and interphase force is established, and the effects of these forces on the flow are analyzed. Experimental results indicate that the dual-modality measurement system was successfully provided a quantitative evaluation of inter-phase forces in two-phase horizontal gas-water flow

A new species of the Pholcus phungiformes species group (Araneae, Pholcidae) from Liaoning, China, with identification keys to four closely related species

A new species of pholcid spiders, Pholcus fengmeii Zhang, He & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), is described from Liaoning Province, China. The new species belongs to the speciose phungiformes species group. Taxonomic keys to four closely related species are provided