Tibetan plateau aridification linked to global cooling at the Eocene-Oligocene transition

Continental aridification and the intensification of the monsoons in Asia are generally attributed to uplift of the Tibetan plateau and to the land-sea redistributions associated with the continental collision of India and Asia, whereas some studies suggest that past changes in Asian environments are mainly governed by global climate. The most dramatic climate event since the onset of the collision of India and Asia is the Eocene-Oligocene transition, an abrupt cooling step associated with the onset of glaciation in Antarctica 34 million years ago. However, the influence of this global event on Asian environments is poorly understood. Here we use magnetostratigraphy and cyclostratigraphy to show that aridification, which is indicated by the disappearance of playa lake deposits in the northeastern Tibetan plateau, occurred precisely at the time of the Eocene-Oligocene transition. Our findings suggest that this global transition is linked to significant aridification and cooling in continental Asia recorded by palaeontological and palaeoenvironmental changes, and thus support the idea that global cooling is associated with the Eocene-Oligocene transition. We show that, with sufficient age control on the sedimentary records, global climate can be distinguished from tectonism and recognized as a major contributor to continental Asian environments.     

Stimulated influences of Lake Agassiz on the climate of central North America 11,000 years ago

Eleven thousand years ago, large lakes existed in central and eastern North America along the margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. The large-scale North American climate at this time has been simulated with atmospheric general circulation models, but these relatively coarse global models do not resolve potentially important features of the mesoscale circulation that arise from interactions among the atmosphere, ice sheet, and proglacial lakes. Here we present simulations of the climate of central and eastern North America 11,000 years ago with a high-resolution, regional climate model nested within a general circulation model. The simulated climate is in general agreement with that inferred from palaeoecological evidence. Our experiments indicate that through mesoscale atmospheric feedbacks, the annual delivery of moisture to the Laurentide Ice Sheet was diminished at times of a large, cold Lake Agassiz relative to periods of lower lake stands. The resulting changes in the mass balance of the ice sheet may have contributed to fluctuations of the ice margin, thus affecting the routing of fresh water to the North Atlantic Ocean. A retreating ice margin during periods of high lake level may have opened an outlet for discharge of Lake Agassiz into the North Atlantic. A subsequent advance of the ice margin due to greater moisture delivery associated with a low lake level could have dammed the outlet, thereby reducing discharge to the North Atlantic. These variations may have been decisive in causing the Younger Dryas cold event.     

美国西部开发中的城市化

美国西部开发中的城市化，与十叶当时的区域关系、采矿业、横贯大陆铁路铺设联系紧密。这种城市的崛起，推动了西部经济体系的形成和发展。     

North Pacific seasonality and the glaciation of North America 2.7 million years ago

In the context of gradual Cenozoic cooling, the timing of the onset of significant Northern Hemisphere glaciation 2.7 million years ago is consistent with Milankovitch's orbital theory, which posited that ice sheets grow when polar summertime insolation and temperature are low. However, the role of moisture supply in the initiation of large Northern Hemisphere ice sheets has remained unclear. The subarctic Pacific Ocean represents a significant source of water vapour to boreal North America, but it has been largely overlooked in efforts to explain Northern Hemisphere glaciation. Here we present alkenone unsaturation ratios and diatom oxygen isotope ratios from a sediment core in the western subarctic Pacific Ocean, indicating that 2.7 million years ago late-summer sea surface temperatures in this ocean region rose in response to an increase in stratification. At the same time, winter sea surface temperatures cooled, winter floating ice became more abundant and global climate descended into glacial conditions. We suggest that the observed summer warming extended into the autumn, providing water vapour to northern North America, where it precipitated and accumulated as snow, and thus allowed the initiation of Northern Hemisphere glaciation.     

对北美文化多样性与教育的反思

通过对一群亚裔加拿大社会服务从业者与来自其同一族裔社区的妇女工作的经验的描述 ,就文化适切实践模式对文化的假设提出质疑 ,并论述了文化的复杂性和多变性 ,阐述了文化适切实践的话语如何把殖民和种族权力的关系简约为文化问题。     

Origin of extant domesticated sunflowers in eastern North America

Eastern North America is one of at least six regions of the world where agriculture is thought to have arisen wholly independently. The primary evidence for this hypothesis derives from morphological changes in the archaeobotanical record of three important crops--squash, goosefoot and sunflower--as well as an extinct minor cultigen, sumpweed. However, the geographical origins of two of the three primary domesticates--squash and goosefoot--are now debated, and until recently sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has been considered the only undisputed eastern North American domesticate. The discovery of 4,000-year-old domesticated sunflower remains from San Andrés, Tabasco, implies an earlier and possibly independent origin of domestication in Mexico and has stimulated a re-examination of the geographical origin of domesticated sunflower. Here we describe the genetic relationships and pattern of genetic drift between extant domesticated strains and wild populations collected from throughout the USA and Mexico. We show that extant domesticates arose in eastern North America, with a substantial genetic bottleneck occurring during domestication.     

Investigation of the thermal conductivities across metal-insulator transition in polycrystalline VO2

Previous reports about the thermal conductivities of VO2 showed various temperature dependences across metal-insulator transition (MIT) temperature. In this work, polycrystalline VO2 samples were fabricated by spark plasma sintering of VO2 powder. Temperature dependences of their thermal conductivities were investigated using laser flash technique, and the thermal conductivity showed a significant decrease trend from metal-phase to insulator phase. Electrical transport properties were investigated to confirm both carrier and lattice contribution to the thermal conductivity. It is found that the lattice thermal conductivity decreased significantly across MIT point, which may be caused by soft phonon mode in metal phase of VO2 .     

An Arctic mammal fauna from the Early Pliocene of North America

A peat deposit on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, allows a unique glimpse of the Early Pliocene terrestrial biota north of the Arctic Circle. The peat accumulated in a beaver pond surrounded by boreal larch forest near regional tree line in coastal hills close to the Arctic Ocean. The ecological affinities of the plant and beetle remains contained in the peat indicate that winter temperatures on Ellesmere Island were nearly 15 degrees C higher and summer temperatures 10 degrees C higher than they are today. Here we show that the mammalian remains buried in the peat represent mainly taxa of Eurasiatic zoogeographic and phyletic affinities, including the first North American occurrence of a meline badger (Arctomeles). This deposit contains direct evidence of the composition of an Early Pliocene (4-5 million years ago) arctic mammalian fauna during an active period of interchange between Asia and North America.     

A transitional snake from the Late Cretaceous period of North America

Snakes are the most diverse group of lizards, but their origins and early evolution remain poorly understood owing to a lack of transitional forms. Several major issues remain outstanding, such as whether snakes originated in a marine or terrestrial environment and how their unique feeding mechanism evolved. The Cretaceous Coniophis precedens was among the first Mesozoic snakes discovered, but until now only an isolated vertebra has been described and it has therefore been overlooked in discussions of snake evolution. Here we report on previously undescribed material from this ancient snake, including the maxilla, dentary and additional vertebrae. Coniophis is not an anilioid as previously thought a revised phylogenetic analysis of Ophidia shows that it instead represents the most primitive known snake. Accordingly, its morphology and ecology are critical to understanding snake evolution. Coniophis occurs in a continental floodplain environment, consistent with a terrestrial rather than a marine origin; furthermore, its small size and reduced neural spines indicate fossorial habits, suggesting that snakes evolved from burrowing lizards. The skull is intermediate between that of lizards and snakes. Hooked teeth and an intramandibular joint indicate that Coniophis fed on relatively large, soft-bodied prey. However, the maxilla is firmly united with the skull, indicating an akinetic rostrum. Coniophis therefore represents a transitional snake, combining a snake-like body and a lizard-like head. Subsequent to the evolution of a serpentine body and carnivory, snakes evolved a highly specialized, kinetic skull, which was followed by a major adaptive radiation in the Early Cretaceous period. This pattern suggests that the kinetic skull was a key innovation that permitted the diversification of snakes.     

Neodymium isotopes distribution and transport in the central North Pacific deep water

Radiogenic Neodymium (Nd) isotopes in the central North Pacific deep water have been generally interpreted as reflecting Pacific arcs input according to previous studies, while little is known about the specific path and mode of radiogenic Nd from these arcs to deep water. In this study, Nd isotopic data from surface scrapings of 17 Fe-Mn crusts from the central North Pacific deep water (around 20°N) have been reported. Based on these data together with recently published data on dissolved Nd isotopes in seawater for this region, we propose that radiogenic Nd isotopes in North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW 300–800 m) from the western Pacific margin is an important source for the central North Pacific deep water, while the surface water of this area has little influence on dominating deep water Nd isotopes. Such a view emphasizes the role of vertical mixing and advection of the marginal ocean currents in balancing Nd isotopes in central North Pacific deep water, and helps to understand oceanic Nd cycling. Moreover, the values of ε _Nd from surface scrapings of Fe-Mn crusts are relatively homogenous, with an average value of about −3.4, which is higher than that of modern seawater (∼−3.9). This difference over short time scales reflects the quick evolution of Nd isotopes in central North Pacific deep water.     

升降温条件对约束钢梁抗火性能的影响

采用有限元方法对约束钢梁的火灾性能进行模拟,并与试验结果进行比较,在验证仿真模型正确的基础上,研究不同升降温条件下钢梁的火灾响应,分析各参数对钢梁抗火性能的影响。结果表明:升温最高温度Tmax和形状系数Sc越大,升温速率越大,梁的耐火时间越短,变形越大;到达最高温度所用时间Tmax越大,升温越慢,且受火时间越长,变形越大,但相应的耐火时间也增长。短热模型较长冷模型耐火时间长,变形小,对抗火有利。降温段约束梁的挠度均有恢复,但升温时变形越大,降温后的残余变形也越大.     

Reconciling the temperature dependence of respiration across timescales and ecosystem types

Ecosystem respiration is the biotic conversion of organic carbon to carbon dioxide by all of the organisms in an ecosystem, including both consumers and primary producers. Respiration exhibits an exponential temperature dependence at the subcellular and individual levels, but at the ecosystem level respiration can be modified by many variables including community abundance and biomass, which vary substantially among ecosystems. Despite its importance for predicting the responses of the biosphere to climate change, it is as yet unknown whether the temperature dependence of ecosystem respiration varies systematically between aquatic and terrestrial environments. Here we use the largest database of respiratory measurements yet compiled to show that the sensitivity of ecosystem respiration to seasonal changes in temperature is remarkably similar for diverse environments encompassing lakes, rivers, estuaries, the open ocean and forested and non-forested terrestrial ecosystems, with an average activation energy similar to that of the respiratory complex (approximately 0.65?electronvolts (eV)). By contrast, annual ecosystem respiration shows a substantially greater temperature dependence across aquatic (approximately 0.65?eV) versus terrestrial ecosystems (approximately 0.32?eV) that span broad geographic gradients in temperature. Using a model derived from metabolic theory, these findings can be reconciled by similarities in the biochemical kinetics of metabolism at the subcellular level, and fundamental differences in the importance of other variables besides temperature—such as primary productivity and allochthonous carbon inputs—on the structure of aquatic and terrestrial biota at the community level.     

转换温度中Berthelot物态方程内压强项温度指数的修正

设定Berthelot实际气体物态方程内压强项中待定的温度指数参数为α,根据热力学理论推导出具有温度指数参数的Berthelot实际气体转换温度与压强的函数关系式,应用计算机MATLAB模拟仿真技术绘制反转曲线,将其与气体实验反转曲线进行对比,确定两者拟合情况较好时的指数修正参数,得到修正后的Berthelot实际气体物态方程.修正后的Berthelot实际气体物态方程在描述气体通过节流手段获得低温时更贴近气体的实验行为,在节流制冷工艺流程中具有更强的使用价值和理论指导意义.     

亦正亦邪的统一体--北美本土文化英雄传说中的恶作剧者形象解读

恶作剧者是北美本土文化英雄传说中的一个鲜明而又奇特的形象。他是非善亦非恶的象征,既扮演着神圣的创世者和部落文化英雄的角色,又是边缘化的颠覆者和社会道德评判体系的逾越者。以恶作剧者学说理论分析本土文化英雄——传说中的恶作剧者代表形象郊狼卡约蒂,以揭示恶作剧者本身的复杂性,即神圣和罪恶。     

转换温度中Berthelot物态方程内压强项温度指数的修正

设定Berthelot实际气体物态方程内压强项中待定的温度指数参数为α,根据热力学理论推导出具有温度指数参数的Berthelot实际气体转换温度与压强的函数关系式,应用计算机MATLAB模拟仿真技术绘制反转曲线,将其与气体实验反转曲线进行对比,确定两者拟合情况较好时的指数修正参数,得到修正后的Berthelot实际气体物态方程。修正后的Berthelot实际气体物态方程在描述气体通过节流手段获得低温时更贴近气体的实验行为,在节流制冷工艺流程中具有更强的使用价值和理论指导意义。     

板块构造对我国东南沿海地区植物区系与东亚—北美间断分布的关系

我国福建、浙江、台湾、广东沿海及海南和南海等东南沿海,在地质上属华夏地块和台湾,从各地植物区系的相似性以及古植物区系地理的研究表明;我国东南沿海地区植物区系是一个统一的整体。东亚-北美间断分布是板块构造运动的结果,我国东南沿海地区有着丰富而古老的东亚-北美间断分布的属种,并有一些主要的原始的科属和种类,可能是东亚-北美间断分布的发源地之一。     

烧结温度对SiC多孔陶瓷中过渡层的影响

为研究过渡层对多孔陶瓷材料的影响,在不同烧结温度下制备具有过渡层的SiC多孔陶瓷.陶瓷纤维过渡层中各成分(莫来石纤维:硅酸铝纤维:羧甲基纤维素钠(CMC):去离子水)的质量比为1:1:1.5:70.采用甩膜法将过渡层浆料均匀涂覆在支撑体上,样品烧结温度分别为1 225、1 250、1 275、1 300和1 325℃.利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、过滤压降测试系统和阿基米德排水法分别对烧结后样品的表面形貌、过滤压降和气孔率等性能进行分析.实验结果显示:烧结温度从1 225℃升高后,样品气孔孔径逐渐增大,气孔的连通度越来越好,气孔率越来越大,并在烧结温度为1 300℃时达到最佳值.当温度高于1 300℃时,部分气孔堵塞,样品出现陶瓷化现象随着温度升高,过渡层和支撑体整体的过滤压降先减小后增大,在1300℃时过滤压降最小.     

借鉴北美英语教法的EDA技术教学探讨

探讨了北美英语教法对EDA技术教学的借鉴意义.针对EDA技术课程实践性强的特点,论述了将北美英语教法强调的原则贯穿于EDA技术教学过程的可行性,并提出了具体的教学实施过程.结果显示,与传统教学方法相比,这种借鉴可以更好地激发学生的学习兴趣,取得良好的教学效果.     

Two new carnivores from an unusual late Tertiary forest biota in eastern North America

Late Cenozoic terrestrial fossil records of North America are biased by a predominance of mid-latitude deposits, mostly in the western half of the continent. Consequently, the biological history of eastern North America, including the eastern deciduous forest, remains largely hidden. Unfortunately, vertebrate fossil sites from this vast region are rare, and few pertain to the critically important late Tertiary period, during which intensified global climatic changes took place. Moreover, strong phylogenetic affinities between the flora of eastern North America and eastern Asia clearly demonstrate formerly contiguous connections, but disparity among shared genera (eastern Asia-eastern North America disjunction) implies significant periods of separation since at least the Miocene epoch. Lacustrine sediments deposited within a former sinkhole in the southern Appalachian Mountains provide a rare example of a late Miocene to early Pliocene terrestrial biota from a forested ecosystem. Here we show that the vertebrate remains contained within this deposit represent a unique combination of North American and Eurasian taxa. A new genus and species of the red (lesser) panda (Pristinailurus bristoli), the earliest and most primitive so far known, was recovered. Also among the fauna are a new species of Eurasian badger (Arctomeles dimolodontus) and the largest concentration of fossil tapirs ever recorded. Cladistical analyses of the two new carnivores strongly suggest immigration events that were earlier than and distinct from previous records, and that the close faunal affinities between eastern North America and eastern Asia in the late Tertiary period are consistent with the contemporaneous botanical record.