Ocean University of China

Abstract: Due to its rapidly expanding economic and industrial developments, China is currently considered to be the engine of the world's economic growth. China's economic growth has been accompanied by an expansion of the urban area population and the emergence of a number of mega cities since the 1990. This expansion has resulted in tremendous increases in energy consumption, emissions of air pollutants and the number of poor air quality days in mega cities and their immediate vicinities. Air pollution has become one of the top environmental concerns in China. Currently, Beijing, Shanghai, and the Pearl River Delta region including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and their immediate vicinities are the most economically vibrant regions in China. They accounted for about 20% of the total GDP in China in 2005. These are also areas where many air pollution studies have been conducted, especially over the last 6 years. Based on these previous studies, this review presents the current state of understanding of the air pollution problems in China's mega cities and identifies the immediate challenges to understanding and controlling air pollution in these densely populated areas.

Abstract: Owing to its high biodegradability, and nontoxicity and antimicrobial properties, chitosan is widely-used as an antimicrobial agent either alone or blended with other natural polymers. To broaden chitosan's antimicrobial applicability, comprehensive knowledge of its activity is necessary. The paper reviews the current trend of investigation on antimicrobial activities of chitosan and its mode of action. Chitosan-mediated inhibition is affected by several factors can be classified into four types as intrinsic, environmental, microorganism and physical state, according to their respective roles. In this review, different physical states are comparatively discussed. Mode of antimicrobial action is discussed in parts of the active compound (chitosan) and the target (microorganisms) collectively and independently in same complex. Finally, the general antimicrobial applications of chitosan and perspectives about future studies in this field are considered.

Abstract: Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which are edge-bound nanometer-size graphene pieces, have fascinating optical and electronic properties. These have been synthesized either by nanolithography or from starting materials such as graphene oxide (GO) by the chemical breakdown of their extended planar structure, both of which are multistep tedious processes. Here, we report that during the acid treatment and chemical exfoliation of traditional pitch-based carbon fibers, that are both cheap and commercially available, the stacked graphitic submicrometer domains of the fibers are easily broken down, leading to the creation of GQDs with different size distribution in scalable amounts. The as-produced GQDs, in the size range of 1–4 nm, show two-dimensional morphology, most of which present zigzag edge structure, and are 1–3 atomic layers thick. The photoluminescence of the GQDs can be tailored through varying the size of the GQDs by changing process parameters. Due to the luminescence stability, nanosecond lifetime, ...

Abstract: A recently proposed model for the evolution of the North China Craton envisages discrete Eastern and Western Blocks that developed independently during the Archean and collided along the Trans-North China Orogen during a Paleoproterozoic orogenic event. This model has been further refined and modified by new structural, petrological and geochronological data obtained over the past few years. These new data indicate that the Western Block formed by amalgamation of the Ordos Block in the south and the Yinshan Block in the north along the east-west-trending Khondalite Belt some time before the collision of the Western and Eastern Blocks. The data also suggest that the Eastern Block underwent Paleoproterozoic rifting along its eastern continental margin in the period 2.2–1.9 Ga, and was accompanied by deposition of the Fenzishan and Jingshan Groups in Eastern Shandong, South and North Liaohe Groups in Liaoning, Laoling and Ji’an Groups in Southern Jilin, and possibly the Macheonayeong Group in North Korea. The final closure of this rift system at ∼1.9 Ga led to the formation of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt. In the late Archean to early Paleoproterozoic, the western margin of the Eastern Block faced a major ocean, and the east-dipping subduction beneath the western margin of the Eastern Block led to the formation of magmatic arcs that were subsequently incorporated into the Trans-North China Orogen. Continued subduction resulted in a major continent-continent collision, leading to extensive thrusting and high-pressure metamorphism. The available age data for metamorphism and deformation in the Trans-North China Orogen indicate that this collisional event occurred at about 1.85 Ga ago, resulting in the formation of the Trans-North China Orogen and final amalgamation of the North China Craton.

Abstract: Extreme El Nino events cause global disruption of weather patterns and affect ecosystems and agriculture through changes in rainfall. Model projections show that a doubling in the occurrence of such extreme episodes is caused by increased surface warming of the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, which results in the atmospheric conditions required for these event to occur.