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An ultrasensitive detection and effective removal material was successfully developed by using a pillar[n]arene-based supramolecular polymer gel (MTP5⊃HB). The MTP5⊃HB can ultrasensitively recognize Cu2+ and Fe3+, and the limits of detection (LODs) for Cu2+ and Fe3+ are 1.55 and 2.68 nmol/L, respectively. Additionally, the in-situ generated metallogel MTP5⊃HB-Cu can exclusively detect CN−, and the LOD for CN− is 1.13 nmol/L. Noticeably, the xerogel of MTP5⊃HB-Cu can effectively remove CN− from aqueous solution with 94.40% removal rate. Test kit based on MTP5⊃HB-Cu is also prepared for convenient detection of CN−.

This paper presents a modified circular-cut multiband fractal antenna with good radiation patterns designed for digital cellular system (DCS), personal communication system (PCS), 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz wireless local area networks (WLAN) and 2.5/3.5/5.5 GHz worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) applications simultaneously. Originally, the modified circular monopole antenna is designed to resonate at around 2.1 GHz and 3.6 GHz. After subtracting the circular iterative tree fractal structure, it can produce three other resonances at around 5.6 GHz, 6.47 GHz and 7.89 GHz. Besides, as the number of iterations increases, not only do the new frequency bands appear (it demonstrates the good self-similarity property of the proposed antenna), but also the operating bands shift from high frequency to low frequency (it shows the well space filling property). Furthermore, the proposed antenna owns a compact structure, which can achieve the 5.28 dBi of relative high gain. And the measured results are basically accordant to simulated results, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed antenna.

At present, the regional economic cooperation in Asia is progressing quite fast and well with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) at the centre and major Asian nations such as China, Japan and India, participating at the periphery. The cooperation is refelctive of the ongoing process of Asia's economic unification.The unification process may result in the forging of an Asian economic community at some time in future. The authors not only describe the recent trends in Asian economic cooperation but also believe that the economic integration process should be the best way of helping Asian nations repair and transcend the ‘fault lines’ as mentioned in Samuel Huntington's paradigm1 and finally be united economically and politically. The outcome of China's opening up and reform since 1978, and the subsequent rapid economic growth in recent years have captured the attention of the world. In recent years, China has been positively engaged in the globalisation process and participates actively in the regional cooperation in Asia. To answer the contention of the ‘China threat’, the thesis also analyses and elaborates China's role in the Asian economic unification process. It opines that the process shall enhance China's political and democratic reforms and help it become a solid pier in Asia's peace structure, and not a threat for the world.