Temperature-sensitive gold-nanotube array membranes modified with poly（N-isopropylacrylamide）

A kind of temperature-sensitive nanotube array membrane was developed by modifying gold-nanotube array membranes with poly（N-isopropylacrylamide） （PNIPAm）. The permeation ability of the mem-branes at different temperatures was investigated using sodium fluorescein and quantum dots as probes. The results showed that the pore diameter of nanotube was changed due to the reversible response of PNIPAm-modified membranes to temperature, and then the permeation ability of the mem-branes was changed. The permeation of fluorescence probes was slow and even almost blocked at 25℃ （below the lower critical solution temperature, LCST）, since PNIPAm formed expanded structures and decreased the pore size. While at 40℃ （above the LCST）, the permeation was increased, since PNIPAm became compact structures and the pore diameter was increased. Furthermore, the permeation ability of the temperature-sensitive nanotube array membranes could be adjusted reversibly and it is possible to use the membranes in nanofluidic devices, nanogates, etc.     

Cellulose-hydrogen production from corn stalk biomass by anaerobic fermentation

Cellulose-hydrogen production from corn stalk by lesser panda manure was carried out in batch tests and a 5 L scale-up continuously stirred anaerobic bioreactor(CSABR),respectively.The bio-pretreatment of corn stalk was found most effective at 25℃ using microbe additive of 7.5 g/kg,in which the yields of soluble saccharides(SS) and lactic acid were 212 mg/g-TS and 21 mg/g-TS,respectively.The maximum cumulative H2 yield(176 ml/g-TS) and H2 production rate(14.5 ml/g-TS h-1) were obtained at pH 5.5,36℃ by trea...     

Three-dimensional observation of the phase structure of high density polyethylene （HDPE）/poly（ethyleneco-butene） （PEB） blend by laser scanning confocal microscopy

In this paper,high density polyethylene (HDPE)/poly(ethylene-co-butene) (PEB) blend (50/50 wt%) was prepared through solution blending and then compression molding,and subsequently examined by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). The PEB used in this experiment was labeled with a small quantity of a fluorescein derivative to render fluorescence. The initial films showed uniform dye dis-tribution and no indication of phase separation within the resolution of optical microscopy. Sample films annealing at 140℃ followed by rapid cooling to room temperature showed obvious phase sepa-ration and bicontinuous structure. The present work indicates that by labeling one component with fluorescein derivative,LSCM can efficiently perform in situ depth profiling of polymer blends.     

Interdecadal shift in the western North Pacific Summer SST anomaly in the late 1980s

An interdecadal shift in summer (June―August) sea surface temperature (SST) variations during the period of 1968―2002 was identified in the late 1980s, which is characterized by a phase alternating from negative to positive phases of the leading mode of the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the summer monthly mean SST in the Pacific domain 100°―180°E and 0°―40°N, accounting for 30.5% of the total variance. During the period of 1968―1987, the leading mode with a mean negative phase state (mean standard deviation = ?0.586) controlled SST variability in the western North Pacific. Correspondingly, negative SST anomalies occupied the western North Pacific south of Japan and Chinese marginal seas. During the period of 1988―2002, the leading mode shifted to its strong positive polarity (mean standard deviation = 0.781), thus positive SST anomalies appeared in the western North Pacific. Accompanied by the interdecadal shift in summer mean SST, summer mean rainfall increased in southern and southeastern China during the late period, particularly in southeastern China where increase in summer mean rainfall exceeded 40 mm, at the 0.05 significance level.     

A study on the double melting behavior of poly（trimethylene terephthalate）

Double melting behavior of poly（trimethylene terephthalate） （PTT） was studied in detail by means of differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） and optical microscopy. The results indicate that the low-temperature melting peak of PTT at ca. 218℃ for the samples crystallized isothermally at 203℃ is associated with the melting of crystals produced by secondary crystallization, while the high-temperature melting peak of it at about 227℃ is related to the melting of the crystals produced by primary crystallization. The results further demonstrate that the PTT crystals growing non-isothermally during cooling process are thermodynamically unstable and can undergo structure reorganization during the DSC heating scan. The reorganized crystals melt at temperature higher than the crystals produced by secondary crystallization at 203℃. Consequently, for the non-fully crystallized samples, the crystals grown during cooling also exhibit contribution to the high-temperature melting peak.     

Application of atomic force microscopy to living samples from cells to fresh tissues

Atomic force microscopy is a novel method for imaging and characterization in biomedicine. However, high-resolution imaging of living samples from cells to tissues still remains a challenge. In this paper, two types of AFM working mode （contact mode and tapping mode） which are utilized for the imaging of living cells and tissues are discussed. A new magnetic tapping mode （MAC mode）, which is more suitable for living samples, and a novel data collecting system named TREC, are also introduced.     

Zr-in-rutile thermometry in eclogite at Jinheqiao in the Dabie orogen and its geochemical implications

Trace element analysis was made by an electron microprobe on rutiles from ultrahigh-pressure ec-Iogite at Jinheqiao in the Dabie orogen. The results show Zr contents of 37 to 118 μg.g^-l, with signifi-cant variations between grains within the same thin section. Zr-in-rutile temperatures were calculated by the pressure-dependent thermometer, yielding 595 to 678℃ at 4.1 GPa for the upper limit of meta- morphic pressures. The temperatures are about 200 to 250℃ lower than temperatures of 846±70℃ calculated from garnet-omphacite Fe-Mg partition geothermometry, but 150 to 200℃ higher than -460℃ from quartz-ruUle O isotope temperatures and rutile Pb diffusion closure temperature for the same specimen. This indicates that the diffusion rate of Zr in ruUle is remarkably slower than that of Pb and O in rutile, and that the temperature of Zr-in-rutile is higher than the closure temperature corre-sponding to cooling age as dated by rutile U-Pb radiometric system. The latter is consistent with ex-perimental result of Zr diffusion in rutile. Diffusion and re-crystallization with intensive retrograde fluid during exhumation of UHP metamorphic rocks may be the major reason why the Zr contents in rutile decreased and thus did not provide the record of the peak metamorphic temperatures. The remarkable difference in Zr content between rutile grains suggests that the distribution of Zr in rutile was in the state of disequilibrium due to differential diffusion and retrograde resetting.     

C-H···Pd(II) interaction-driven homochiral M helix formation of neutral (R,R)-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethyl- eneamino) cyclohexane palladium(II) complex

A chiral complex of (R,R)-Pd was prepared by reaction of optically pure (R,R)-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethyl-eneamino) cyclohexane ligand with Pd(OAc)2·2H2O under the base condition at room temperature. The weak intermolecular C-H···Pd interaction was found to be responsible for the homochiral M helix for-mation of the neutral,chiral,mononuclear (R,R)-Pd in the crystal packing.     

Coesite in eclogite from the North Qaidam Mountains and its implications

Coesite provides direct evidence for ultrahigh pressure metamorphism. Although coesite has been found as inclusions in zircon in paragneiss of the north Qaidam Mountains, it has never been identified in eclogite. In this contribution, based on petrographic observations and in situ Raman microprobe spectroscopy, coesite was identified as inclusions in garnet of eclogite from the Aercituoshan, Dulan UHP metamorphic unit, north Qaidam Mountains. Coesite is partly replaced by quartz, showing a pali-sade texture. This is the first report on coesite in eclogite from the north Qaidam Mountains, and is also supported by garnet-omphacite-phengite geothermobarometry (2.7―3.25 GPa, 670―730℃). Coesite and its pseudomorphs have not been found in eclogites and associated rocks of other units of the north Qaidam Mountains. Further studies are required to confirm if all metamorphic units in the north Qaidam Mountains underwent the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion, Yunnan Province, SW China

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating gives ages of 260.6± 3.5 Ma and 260.7± 5.6 Ma for serpentinised wehrlite and plag-hornblendite in the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion, respectively. The results indicate that the Jinbaoshan intrusion was emplaced at ca.260 Ma and contemporaneous with the Emeishan continental flood basalts (ECFB), similar to other mafic-ultramafic intrusions of the Emeishan large igneous province (LIP). The new ages provide a geochronological constraint on the origin of the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion. It confirms that the Jinbaoshan ultramafic intrusion belongs to the Emeishan LIP that formed at ca. 260 Ma. Supported by Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-111), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40573020 and 40773033) and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB411408)     

Multistage evolution of continental collision orogen: A case study for western Dabie orogen

The foramtion and evolution of collisional orogen is a prominent feature along convergent plate margins, and is generally a complex process. This article presents an integrated study of zircon genesis, U-Pb age and Lu-Hf isotope composition as well as geological characteristics for the western Dabie orogen to constrain its multi-stage evolution history. The results suggest that the formation of oceanic crust in the Huwan area was constrained at ca. 400--430 Ma, which was slightly later than the collision of the northern Qinling with the North China Block. It formed in a marginal basin in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block. The peak metamorphism of eclogite in the Huwan area occurred at ca. 310 Ma, and the timing of the initial exhumation of oceanic eclogite was about 270 Ma. The high to ultrahigh pressure （HP-UHP） metamorphic rocks in the Xinxian and the Hong＇an metamorphic zones have the same ages and natures as those of the HP-UHP metamorphic rocks in the other Dabie-Sulu terrains, and also have experienced multi-stage exhumation, and thus can be taken as a coherent part of the Dabie-Sulu orogen. Therefore, the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogen is a typical multi-stage continental collision orogen, with an amalgamation process extending more than 200 Ma.     

Recent temperature increase recorded in an ice core in the source region of Yangtze River

Interests on climate change in the source region of Yangtze River have been raised since it is a region with the greatest warming over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). A 70-year history of precipitation δ~(18)O has been recovered using an ice core record retrieved in a plat portion of the firn area in the Guoqu Glacier (33°34′37.8″N, 91°10′35.3″E, 5720 m a.s.l.), Mt. Geladaindong (the source region of Yangtze River), in November, 2005. By using a significant positive relationship between ice core δ~(18)O record and summer air temperature (July to September) from the nearby meteorological stations, a history of summer air temperature has been reconstructed for the last 70 years. Summer temperature was relatively low in 1940s and high in 1950s to the middle of 1960s. The lowest temperature occurred in the middle of 1970s. Temperature was low in 1980s and dramatically increased since 1990s, keeping the trend to the begin-ning of the 21st century. The warming rate recorded in the ice core with 0.5℃/10 a since 1970s is much higher that that in the central TP and the Northern Hemisphere (NH), and it becomes 1.1℃/10 a since 1990s which is also higher than these from the central TP and the NH, reflecting an accelerated warm-ing and a more sensitive response to global warming in the high elevation region.     

Arctic dipole anomaly and summer rainfall in Northeast China

A dipole structure anomaly in summer Arctic atmospheric variability is identified in this study, which is characterized by the second mode of empirical orthogonal function （EOF） analysis of summer monthly mean sea level pressure （SLP） north of 70°N, accounting for 12.94% of the variance. The dipole anomaly shows a quasi-barotropic structure with opposite anomalous centers over the Canadian Arctic and the Beaufort Sea and between the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. The dipole anomaly reflects alternating variations in location of the polar vortex between the western and eastern Arctic regions. The positive phase of the dipole anomaly corresponds to the center of the polar vortex over the western Arctic, leading to an increase in summer mean rainfall in Northeast China. The dipole anomaly has a predominant 6-year periodicity, and shows interdecadal variations in recent decades.     

Detection of infrared photons with a superconductor

A superconductor single photon detector based on NbN nanowire was fabricated using electron beam lithography （EBL） and reactive ion etching （RIE） for infrared photon detection. When biased well below its critical current at 4.2 K, NbN nanowire is very sensitive to the incident photons. Typical telecommunication photons with a wavelength of 1550 nm were detected by this detector. Data analysis indicates the repeating rate of the device with 200 nm NbN nanowire may be up to 100 MHz, and the quantum efficiency is about 0,01% when biased at 0.95/c.     

Geochronology and geochemistry of the Fangcheng Neoproterozoic alkali-syenites in East Qinling orogen and its geodynamic implications

Finding of Neoproterozoic syenites at Fangcheng in the northern Qinling region of the East Qinling orogen provides an important constraint on timing of tectonic transformation to extensional regime. The alkaline pluton consists mainly of nepheline syenite, aegirine syenite, and alkali-feldspar syenite. The syenites are of intermediate （SiO2 = 54%-62%）, rich in alkali （K2O＋Na2O = 12%-15%）, aluminum （Al2O3= 16.81%-23.26%） and large ion lithophile elements （LILE）, without any obvious Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf anomalies. The Fangcheng syenites are geochemically characterized by relative enrichment of LREE, minor differentiation of HREE, significant negative Eu anomalies （Eu = 0.13-0.23）, less negative εNd（t） values of -1.37 to-3.90, young Nd model ages of 1364 to 1569 Ma, and high zircon saturation temperatures of 915 to 1044℃. The syenitic magmas probably originated from small proportion melting of upper mantle in an extensional regime of intraplate-anorogenic tectonic setting, and have been slightly contaminated by crustal materials during ascending and/or emplacement. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating yields ages of 844.3±1.6 Ma （MSWD=0.86）, suggesting that the Fangcheng alkaline syenites formed in the early Neoproterozoic. They are the oldest Neoproterozoic alkaline rocks ever recognized in the Qinling orogen as well as in South China. This implies that the tectonic regime of the Qinling region would have transformed from post-collisional stretch to intraplate-anorogenic extension no later than 844 Ma.     

Behavior and mechanism of the adsorption/desorption of tectonically deformed coals

The physical and chemical texture of tectonically deformed coals produced by various formational mechanisms are different from those of primary coals, thus resulting in major differences among the physical properties of the reservoirs of these coals. We have studied the adsorption/desorption behavior of tectonically deformed coals by the use of isothermal adsorption/desorption experiments under equilibrium moisture condition. Experiments of isothermal adsorption/desorption of methane or multi-component gases have indicated that, the adsorption curves of coals with a low degree of tectonic deformation conform to the type of isothermal adsorption curve described by the Langmuir equation; the methane adsorption curves of coals with strong tectonic deformation cannot be described by the Langmuir equation. The adsorption/desorption process of methane and multi-component gases in the deformed coals is not consistent with primary coals, which form an effect of hysteresis in different kinds of tectonically deformed coals. With the change of pore structure of tectonically deformed coals at reservoir condition, the added adsorbed CH₄ in the experiments is desorbed on the pore surface of coals during the pressure reduction process. Thus, the result shows that the adsorption volume in the process of desorbing is greater than that in adsorbing. Because of the deformation, structural change, and transformation of the adsorption potential field of coals, it is essential to form a new kind of isothermal adsorption curve and the hysteresis effect of the desorption process. Supported by National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2006CB202201 and 2009CB219601) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40772135, 40642013 and 40172058)     

Study on wavy distribution of rainfall associated with typhoon Matsa （2005）

An analysis is made to investigate the structure features of the extensive heavy rainfall left by typhoon Matsa, after its landfall in mainland China in August 2005, based on a range of observational results, including surface intensive observation data, TBB data from China's FY-2 satellite, and NCEP 1°×1° reanalysis data. The study tries to explore the interaction between atmospheric waves, 3-D atmospheric structures, and typhoon rainbands. Observational facts, diagnostic analysis, and atmospheric wave theory are used to look into the formation mechanism of distant typhoon rainbands. Results show that (1) Matsa rainbands have the features of noticeable wave train distribution and long distance propaga-tion; (2) the typhoon rainbands extend as far as 2000 km northwardly from the typhoon center, with a wavelength of 500―1000 km and a wave period of 12―24 h; (3) the wave structure of Matsa rainbands is closely associated with the corresponding wave variation of the ambient 3-D atmospheric structures, including disturbance vorticity, divergence field, vertical motion field, water vapor flux divergence field, etc. (4) both observational facts and theoretical analysis show that the northward extending typhoon rainbands are associated with the mixed effects of atmospheric inertia wave and internal gravity wave; (5) only under proper atmospheric stratification and vertical wavenumber of gravity wave, can a ty-phoon stimulate such a wave being able to reach such a distance, and result in extending wavy rain-bands.     

An experimental study of tin partition between melt and aqueous fluid in F/Cl-coexisting magma

In order to investigate the formation mechanism of tin ores associated with F-bearing granite, an ex-perimental study of tin partition between F-bearing granitic melt and coexisting HCl-bearing aqueous fluid was conducted at 850℃ and 100MPa with fo2 approaching NNO. Geochemical behavior of tin was traced by changes in starting solid materials with different alumina saturation index ASI, in F content and in starting fluids of various HCl concentrations. The results show that DSn increases with ASI of melt and peraluminous melt is favorable for tin partition into aqueous fluid in the F/Cl-coexisting sys-tem. Aqueous fluid of higher HCl concentrations is advantageous for enrichment of tin. Furthermore, chlorine contents in glass run products correlate positively with F and Cl contents in the magma. In the F/Cl-coexisting system, granitic melts with high F contents (> ~1 wt%) could extract and enrich tin in the melt which can serve as a reservoir for the formation of tin ores. However, the partition coefficient of tin would increase significantly when F contents in the melt were below 1 wt%. Therefore, the de-crease of F contents is favorable to the partition of tin into aqueous fluid with high HCl contents, thus promoting deposition of hydrothermal tin ores.     

Spatiotemporal characteristics of the energy radiation sources of the three great earthquakes near Sumatra Island in September 2007

Three strong earthquakes with magnitudes of Mw 8.4, Mw 7.9 and Mw 7.0 occurred in the sea west of Sumatra Island on September 12 and 13, 2007. We relocated the epicenters and focal depths of the three events by means of the reversal-time imaging technique using broadband digital seismic data from worldwide stations ranging from 30° to 90°, imaged the spatiotemporal variation of the energy radiation sources by means of the nonplane wave array technique using the broadband digital seismic data from a generalized array made up of 33 stations of the Capital Region Digital Seismograph Network （CRDSN）, and obtained the rupture duration times, extents and rupture velocities. Also, we discussed the correlations between the locations of the energy radiation sources of the three events.     

Facile synthesis of gold nanoribbons by L-cysteine at room temperature

Highly crystalline gold nanoribbons have been synthesized via a simple method by L-cysteine reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions at room temperature, without additional capping agent or surfactant. Based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-vis absorption studies for the intermediate products, the formation of gold nanoribbons is regarded as a kind of oriented attachment growth. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 90406023 and 90406024), National Important Basic Research Program of China (Great Nos. 2006CB933206 and 2006CB705606) and Foundation for Top Doctoral Candidate of Southeast University.