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The Taihu Lake basin is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization with abundant archaeological sites, but the humid and acidic soil conditions of this part of China limit the application of studies using stable isotope ratios of bone collagen. To circumvent this problem, we explore the suitability of using bone hydroxyapatite for stable isotope ratio measurements of carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) as a substitute to collagen in order to obtain dietary and mobility information about humans (n = 22) and animals (n = 7) from the Neolithic site of Zhuangqiaofen. The human δ13C values range from −14.0‰ to −11.5‰ and have an average of −12.8 ± 0.7‰ which indicates that they were mainly consuming a C3 diet, most likely rice (Oryza sativa). The range of δ13C values of the dogs (−13.6‰ to −12.5‰; n = 5) and pigs (−13.9‰ and −12.7‰; n = 2) are similar to the humans and also suggest that they consumed C3 foods. Humans have a wide range of δ18O values (−12.7‰ to −8.5‰) with an average value of −10.8 ± 1.2‰, which suggests that they were mobile and ingested water from a variety of different sources. This human mobility might be attributed to: the need for labor to construct public works at larger sites in the area, trade networks involving jade and pottery in the Jianghuai region or to the unique funerary customs of the Liangzhu Culture that were based on blood relationships. In contrast, the dog δ18O values have a much smaller range (−12.0‰ to −11.4‰) and have an average value of −11.7 ± 0.2‰. The δ18O values of the two pigs are nearly identical at −12.1‰ and −12.2‰ and similar to the dogs, and these results can be used as an isotopic baseline with which to compare the human δ18O results.

Qiliting is an Early to Middle Pleistocene open-air site sealed within Vermiculated Laterite and Xiashu Loess in Zhejiang Province, southeast China. Based on palaeomagnetic work at this site and stratigraphic comparisons, the position of the artifacts in the Xiashu Loess indicates that human activities occurred in an upper cultural layer ca 0.30–0.12 Ma. A lower cultural layer in the Vermiculated Laterite is dated palaeomagentically by the Kamikatsura Event above this horizon in comparative section and the Santa Rosa Event below it, which estimated its age to 0.94–0.886 Ma BP. The flaking and tool modification strategies in the Qiliting assemblages are those of a typical Mode 1 industry, which includes simple flakes and cores, with limited modification of the modified tools, scrapers and picks. These features are also characteristic of the other regional sites, as well as of many other early sites in south China. No core preparation occurs, nor any extensively retouched specimens. The stone working is represented by a system of debitage sensu stricto and not by a compound system of debitage and shaping as occurs in Mode 2 industry.

Multiphase rifting with tectonic quiescence intervals is one of the most distinguishing features during the evolution of rift basins and rifted margins, which always produce oceanward rift migration. However, this law seems to be challenged in the proximal domain of the northern South China Sea (SCS) rifted margin. Based on high-quality 2D/3D seismic reflection data and borehole data from the Zhu 1 Depression located in the northern SCS, we examine the temporal and spatial variations of rifting. The regional unconformity, cyclicity of faulting, and rotation in extension direction indicate that the Zhu 1 Depression experienced continuous two-phase rifting with four stages but without distinct tectonic quiescence intervals. In Stage 1 of Syn-rift 1, rifts were distributed across the whole depression. They began to migrate towards the continent in stage 2 of Syn-rift 1, which continued until stage 1 of Syn-rift 2, and then migrated to the east. Rifting was also accompanied by a clockwise rotation of the strikes of fault systems, which were ~N065°E and ~N080°E in stage 1 and stage 2 of Syn-rift 1, respectively, and then rotated to ~ S085°E during Syn-rift 2. We suggest that the interactions between the pre-existing basement fabrics and the regional stress fields rotating clockwise can account for this rotation and the eastward rift migration. The rift migration towards the continent is supposed to be caused by the emplacement of the high-velocity lower crust (HVLC) underneath the Dongsha Uplift, which may initiate in the Eocene. The distinctive multidirectional, multiphase, and multi-mechanical rift migration reflects the uniqueness of the SCS rifted margin. This study helps us understand the complicated rifting process that interacts with pre-existing fabrics, regional stress field, and the emplacement of high-velocity lower crust.

In this paper, we have reported on a near-infrared diamond anti-reflective filter window and its application in industry. Using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method, a near-infrared diamond anti-reflective filter window was designed and fabricated. The detector with the diamond window was successfully used in the on-line position monitoring of seamless steel tubes at the Shanghai Baosteel Works. It was sensitive and reliable, and worked very well in the high temperature, corrosive environment.

Optical quality diamond thin films have been deposited using a hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) system. The diamond films were characterized by Raman shift spectra, X-ray diffraction spectra, scanning electron microscopy. Diamond near infrared antireflective filter window and diamond X-ray window have been fabricated using above technology. The diamond near infrared antireflective filter windows have been successfully used in on-line monitoring at Shanghai Baosteel Works. It has produced annual benefit as much as 2.4 million RMB Yuan.