Description: Based on observations and ocean reanalysis, this study analyzes the variability of salinity and its related ocean dynamics in the equatorial Indian Ocean (IO). The results show significant interannual variability of salinity associated with the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) mode in the boreal fall. During the positive phase of IOD (pIOD), when anomalous easterly winds prevail, westward advection along the equator strengthens in summer, while the eastward advection associated with the Yoshida-Wyrtki Jet weakens in fall. Analysis of salinity budget indicates that salinity anomalies are mainly due to advection, of which zonal component is dominant. As zonal current anomalies are symmetric with respect to the equator, the equatorward large northern IO zonal salinity gradient is more important than the current anomalies in determining the asymmetric distribution of low-salinity advection. During the mature phase of pIOD, low-salinity water is advected westward, which in turn shoals the surface mixed layer, thereby providing a favorable condition for warmer sea-surface temperature in the western equatorial IO. During the decay phase of pIOD, low-salinity water is advected across the equator to the southwestern IO. When pIOD concurs along with El Niño, the strengthened off-equatorial anticyclonic circulations, which is associated with El Niño, advect low-salinity water poleward after the decay phase.

Description: Background: Many studies have been carried out to test the hypothesis that the NQO1 C609T polymorphism might be associated with the risk of esophageal cancer. However, the results are poorly consistent, partly due to genetic or other sources of heterogeneity. To investigate the association between this polymorphism and the risk of esophageal cancer, a meta-analysis was performed. Methods: We used odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the strength of association. The frequency of the putative risk allele in the controls was estimated by the inverse-variance method. Cochran's Q statistic and the inconsistency index (I2) were used to check heterogeneity. Egger's test and an inverted funnel plot were used to assess the publication bias. Results: Our study included eight published case-control studies about the NQO1 C609T polymorphism and esophageal cancer, including a total of 1,217 esophageal cancer patients and 1,560 controls. Overall, a significant association was found between the NQO1 C609T variant and esophageal cancer under a recessive model (OR = 1.647; 95% CI = 1.233-2.200). Regarding histological type, more significant evidence was found for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (OR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.29-3.19) than esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) (OR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.01-2.56) under a recessive model. Conclusions: The meta-analysis suggests that the NQO1 C609T polymorphism considerably increases the risk of esophageal cancer.

Description: Negative trends of measured pan evaporation are widely reported. Studies of the factors that underlie this reduction in pan evaporation have not reached a consensus about the controlling factors. Most studies employ statistical analysis (correlation analysis or step-wise regression) to identify the controlling climatic variables; in contrast, few studies have employed physical-based theory. In addition, observations of pan evaporation and related climatic variables are reported to be influenced by anthropogenic activities. Consequently, the observed trends of climatic variables in a nature reserve would be useful for understanding regional climate change. The present study site is located in Ailaoshan National Nature Reserve, SW China, which is free of anthropogenic activity. In this study, we firstly applied the adjusted PenPan model to estimate the pan evaporation. Then, using this physical-based model, we identified a positive trend in pan evaporation, with a much larger increase in the dry season than in the wet season. The model results indicate that the change in the aerodynamic component is larger than that in the radiative component. In contrast to the reduction in wind speed and sunshine hours that has been reported in previous studies at various sites, we found that wind speed and sunshine hours have increased in recent decades, thereby explaining the increase of pan evaporation rate. Wind speed made the greatest contribution to the change in pan evaporation, followed by sunshine duration. This study indicates that the potential evaporation has increased at this site, despite the widely reported reduction in measured pan evaporation. During the dry season, the availability of water for agriculture and agroforestry could be threatened. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Description: The organization of lubricant molecules confined between two solid surfaces when the lubricant film thickness is at the nanoscale is unknown. In this work, an ordering process of nematic liquid crystal molecules is observed by in situ polarized Raman spectroscopy of the lubricated point contact area. Our experimental results indicate that 4-n-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl liquid crystal molecules orient along the rotation direction when the linear speed exceeds 12.6 mm/s, and the degree of order increases with linear speed. The relationship between the observed orientation and physical properties of the lubricant film is investigated. Isotropic orientation is observed at the outlet area of the contact region. The orientation behavior of liquid crystal molecules in a confined area is observed and the relationship between lubrication conditions and molecular orientation is discussed.

Description: Question Do the three chosen species ( Caltha palustris, Veratrum nigrum and Stellera chamaejasme ) in humid alpine meadows take up water from different depths? Do these species differ in their responsiveness to rainfall? Location Mt. Balang, China. Methods Rainwater, soil water and plant water were collected from three plots over a 15-day period during June–July 2006, and water isotopes analysed. The linear mixed models procedure was used to compare δ D and δ 18 O values across soil depths, while three-factor ANOVA was performed to compare δ D and δ 18 O values among the three species. The contributions of different soil depths to plant water sources were analysed using MixSir. A classic two-endmember linear mixed model was used to calculate the proportion of rainwater in plant stem water. Results Soil water showed substantial temporal shifts in isotopic profile from day to day, as influenced by rainwater input. The three plant species, C. palustris (CP), V. nigrum (VN) and S. chamaejasme (SC), acquired water from different soil depths, with their reliance on deeper soil water increasing in the order of CP 〈 VN 〈 SC. Moreover, CP, VN and SC absorbed 69.18%, 35.50% and 13.46% of their stem water, respectively, from the 4 July rainwater, suggesting that their responsiveness to rain pulses significantly differed in the order of CP 〉 VN 〉 SC. Conclusions The isotopic profiles of soil water shifted dramatically in response to rainfall, suggesting rapid movement of soil water. There was separation of the plant water uptake depths among the three species, with SC depending less on surface soil and being associated with drier soil habitats compared with CP and VN. Moreover, CP absorbed rainwater before it percolated below the root zone, while VN and SC did not; the differential responsiveness to water pulses may be related to their different water requirements as a result of adaptation to different soil water conditions. Our study demonstrates inter-specific differentiation in plant water uptake in humid alpine meadows. Such information is important for species co-existence and plant community composition. This paper revealed inter-specific differentiation in plant water use in the humid alpine meadows of western China. Analysis of stable isotopic signal of plants and soils indicated that alpine plants absorbed water from different soil depths and responded differentially to rain pulses. This finding may have important implications for species coexistence and the high plant diversity of alpine meadows.