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Numerous pollens and a few wood fossils with probable affinity to Podocarpus L’Heritier ex Persoon have been discovered from China. However, the leaf fossils of Podocarpus were not well documented....

A fossil eudicot, Gansufructus saligna gen. et sp. nov., is reported from the Early Cretaceous (late Aptian–early Albian) of the Gansu Province, Northwest China, based on numerous well-preserved axes with attached leaves and infructescences. The leaves are alternate, short petiolate and linear-lanceolate with low rank pinnate to reticulate venation. The infructescences are loose panicles bearing fruits in different stages of maturity, each containing four partly free carpels borne in a whorled arrangement. Each carpel has three to five seeds borne along its ventral margin. The nature of the leaves and axes indicates a terrestrial, herbaceous habit. In general organization, Gansufructus is closely similar to the fruit-bearing axes of Sinocarpus decussatus from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, as well as other more or less contemporaneous angiosperms from the Far East, which together provide evidence of diverse eudicot angiosperms of low stature colonizing areas close to environments of deposition., An exceptionally well-preserved herbaceous eudicot was reported from the Early Cretaceous of Northwest China, providing important insights into the morphology, diversification and ecological environments of early angiosperms.

Fossil leaves of Populus L. (Salicaceae Mirb.) were widely reported in the North Hemisphere during the Cenozoic. However, most of them are leaf impressions without details of cuticles or only preserved as tiny cuticle fragments. Here, we describe several fossil leaves of Populus with fine cuticular structures from the upper Pliocene of Tengchong, western Yunnan, China. The leaves have ovate, rhombic-ovate to orbicular leaf shape with long petioles, pinnate venation, rounded to cuneate bases, acuminate apices and serrate margins. They are pilose bilaterally with multicellular trichome bases and hypostomatic with paracytic stomata. According to the gross morphology and cuticle structures, the present fossils mostly resemble the extant species P. rotundifolia Griff. except that the fossils have denser trichome bases, and are therefore tentatively assigned to Populus cf. rotundifolia Griff. Nowadays, P. rotundifolia is distributed at mountain slopes above an elevation of 2000 m a.s.l. The present new finding indicates that western Yunnan might have approached its present height at least by the late Pliocene. Recent phylogenetic study proposed that the divergence of P. rotundifolia from P. davidiana Dode occurred at the Pleistocene (Calabrian, ca. 0.88 Ma). However, our fossil occurrence implies that such a divergence might have occurred at least by the late Pliocene (3.3–2.8 Ma), much earlier than the molecular estimation. In addition, the Hengduan Mountainous Region might be the species differentiation center of P. rotundifolia from P. davidiana based on their modern distributions and the present fossil occurrence.

The fossil records of Pinus L. are abundant since the Late Cretaceous, especially for the subgenus Pinus L. (the hard pines). However, those of the subgenus Strobus (D. Don) Lemmon (the white or so...

Premise of research. Cyclocarya Iljinskaya (Juglandaceae) is a genus with a single living species that is endemic to central and south China. The genus has an abundant North American and Eurasian fossil record from the Paleocene to the Pliocene, documenting its spread across Europe to western Siberia during the Oligocene and its arrival in Japan by the Miocene. However, there have been no fossil occurrences of Cyclocarya near its modern distribution. In this study, we describe a new species of Cyclocarya from the upper Miocene Nanlin Formation in Lianghe County, western Yunnan Province, southwest China, and discuss its biogeographic implications.Methodology. We examined the fossil fruit using LM and SEM, and we compared its morphology with fruits of fossil Cyclocarya and extant Cyclocarya paliurus (Batalin) Iljinsk.Pivotal results. The fossil fruit of Cyclocarya simipaliurus sp. nov. consists of a small nutlet that is surrounded by a circular and flange-like wing. The nutlet is circular in plan view and o...

Abundant fossil records indicate that the genus Smilax L was widely distributed in North America and Europe during the Paleogene and thrived in the Miocene. However, since the early Pliocene, the fossil occurrence of Smilax has become very rare. In this study, we describe three leaf taxa of Smilax from the upper Pliocene of West Yunnan, Southwest China based on their leaf architecture and cuticle features. Smilax tengchongensis sp. nov. and Smilax cf. bracteata Presl differ from each other both in leaf shape and cuticle features. The leaves of Smilax sp. possess a different shape and venation but share similar cuticle features with those of S. tengchongensis sp. nov. The morphological diversity of our fossils indicates that a warm and humid climate with a multilayered structure existed in the Pliocene forests of West Yunnan. Moreover, recent molecular studies indicate that both New World and Old World species of Smilax exhibited an intercontinental disjunct distribution via the Beringia land bridge between East Asia and North America. However, this biogeographic disjunction is not well demonstrated by the fossil records as a result of inadequate paleobotanical data. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mesozoic strata are well developed in Huating County, Gansu Province, Northwest China. However, few megafossil plants from this region have been reported in detail and thus the fossil plant diversify is unclear. In this study, the new conifer species Storgaardia gansuensis n. sp. is described based on recent collections from Aalenian to Bajocian at Xihua coal mine of Huating, Gansu Province, China. The specimens are characterized by leafy shoots alternately or sub-oppositely arranged, linear to linear-lanceolate, hypostomatic leaves with thin cuticles. On the basis of the epidermal structures of St. gansuensis and comparison with extant conifers, we propose that Storgaardia is allied with Amentotaxus of Taxaceae. The paleogeographic distribution suggests that Storgaardia probably originated in the Late Triassic in East Asia, and later spread from Asia to Europe and further to East Greenland. The paleogeographic distribution of Storgaardia and associated plants indicates that they lived under a warm-temperate to temperate climate during the Middle Jurassic in East Gansu Province, Northwest China. 2016 Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the genus Podocarpus diverged around the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary, and two monophyletic subgenera Podocarpus and Foliolatus had differentiated during the Paleogene. Most of described fossil remains were related to the subgenus Podocarpus, but those of the subgenus Foliolatus have not been well documented. Here, we described a new species of Podocarpus, P. yunnanensis sp. nov., and P. cf. forrestii from the lower Pliocene of western Yunnan, China based on a detailed comparisons of gross leaf morphology and cuticular structures between the studied fossils and extant Podocarpus. These two fossil taxa together with P. pliomacrophyllus H. Chen et J.Y. Wu from the same horizon, revealed a thriving of Podocarpus in western Yunnan during the Pliocene. For the subgenus Foliolatus, its early representatives might originate from Australasia and spread northward to northeastern India at least during the late Oligocene. The Neriifolius subclade within the subgenus is much older than the estimate of molecular clock studies, and the Indochinese subclade is probably derived from a rapid diversification driven by the continuous uplift of Hengduan Mountains (HDM) with the accompanying climate fluctuations since the late Miocene. Moreover, the thriving of Podocarpus in the Pliocene of western Yunnan reveals a warm and humid climate during that period. The Pleistocene glaciation and the geographic barriers posted by the HDM might contribute to the modern distribution of Podocarpus in South China and Indochina Peninsula.

Six well-preserved seed cones of Tsuga with fine bract-scale complexes were discovered from the late Miocene (Tortonian; 9.2–10.8 Ma) deposits of the Shengxian Formation at the border of Ninghai and Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province, eastern China. The fossil cones possess ovate to elliptic shape, spirally arranged and obovate-orbicular ovuliferous scales, and cuneate-rhombic bracts hidden behind the scales with 2-lobed apex. Based on detailed comparison with extant and fossil cones of Tsuga, the present fossils are assigned to Tsuga cf. dumosa (D. Don) Eichler. The discovery of the fossil cones indicate that Tsuga had a wider distribution during the late Miocene than at the present. The increase of the difference in temperature between the coldest and warmest months since the late Miocene had forced Tsuga to retreat from eastern Zhejiang.

The first megafossil record of the genus Neolepisorus Ching from the late Miocene of Yunnan Province, SW China, is reported. Neolepisorus chingii sp. nov. is represented by a simple fertile frond with one line exindusiate, elliptic-fusiform sori along the lower part of the midrib, and a basal contractive sterile frond with a sinuolate margin. The venation is characterized by a strong midrib, prominent zigzagging lateral veins, and reticulate higher order veins with free-ending veinlets (simple or forked once). The combination of these characters confirms the genus Neolepisorus (Polypodiaceae), now distributed in subtropical Southeast Asia, except for one species, which inhabits Madagascar of tropical Africa. It has a distribution center south of the Yangtze River in China. So far, no megafossil assigned to Neolepisorus has been reported, and the occurrence of Neolepisorus chingii in SW China associated with other types of fern occurrence adds increased evidence of fern radiation during the Neogene in Yunnan Province in response to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.

Fossil Ginkgophyta are one of the most widely used indicators for estimating the paleoatmospheric CO2 levels from the Triassic to present day. There are quite a few CO2 estimates for the Triassic to Jurassic interval; however, the data from China are still limited. In this study, two fossil Ginkgoites species, Ginkgoites magnifolius Du Toit and Ginkgoites obrutschewii (Seward) Seward, are described based on recent collections from the Upper Triassic and Middle Jurassic in Huating County, Gansu Province, Northwest China. The fossil leaf morphology and epidermal structure were studied and the stomatal parameters were analyzed for the reconstruction of paleoatmospheric CO2 concentrations. The paleoatmospheric CO2 concentration during the Late Triassic of China is estimated for the first time based on fossil material from Gansu. Our fossils yield paleo-CO2 values of 1962 ppmv in the Late Triassic and 1320 ppmv in the Middle Jurassic. Compared with previous estimates of atmospheric CO2 concentration based on stomatal parameter of fossil Ginkgo/Ginkgoites from Northwest China, the change of Jurassic paleo-CO2 levels accord with the trend of CO2 concentration proposed by GEOCARB III and Crustal Production models. The results demonstrate that the paleo-CO2 of the Late Triassic was higher than that of the Early to Middle Jurassic; but an increasing trend of paleo-CO2 could be detected from the Early to the Middle Jurassic. However, the GEOCARBSULF model indicates a decreasing trend during this interval. Therefore, the present data provide an independent check for the paleo-CO2 value estimation based on isotopic analysis.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the prevalence and types of drug resistance mutations among patients failing first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: Plasma samples from 112 patients with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) were collected for virus RNA extract and gene amplification. The mutations related to drug resistance were detected and the incidence was statistically analyzed, and the drug resistance rate against common drugs was also evaluated. Results: 103 cases were successfully amplified, and the main drug resistance mutations in the reverse transcriptase (RT) region were M184V (50.49%), K103N (28.16%), Y181C (25.24%), and K65R (27.18%), while no drug main resistance mutation was found in the protease (PR) region. The incidence of drug resistance mutations was significantly different among patients with different ages, routes of infection, duration of treatment, initial ART regimens and viral load. The drug resistance rate to the common drugs was assessed, including Efavirenz (EFV, 71.84%), Nevirapine (NVP, 74.76%), Lamivudine (3TC, 66.02%), Zidovudine (AZT, 4.85%), Stavudine (D4T, 16.51%), and Tenofovir (TDF, 21.36%). Conclusion: The drug resistance mutations to NRTIs and NNRTIs are complex and highly prevalent, which was the leading cause of first-line ART failure. This study provides significant theoretical support for developing the second-line and third-line therapeutic schemes. Keywords: HIV-1, Drug resistance mutations, First-line ART, Drug resistance rate, NRTIs, NNRTIs

The fossil record of Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis can be traced back to the Late Eocene of eastern Asia based on fossil foliage and acorns. We refer new occurrences of leaf and acorn fossils from the upper Miocene of Tiantai, eastern Zhejiang, China, to two new species, Quercus paraglauca sp. nov. and Quercus heterobracteolata sp. nov.. Q. heterobracteolata represents the earliest confirmed fossil acorn of the subgenus Cyclobalanopsis in China. A review of other occurrences reported in the literature reveals that the divergence of subgenus Cyclobalanopsis occurred not later than the Eocene, and in the Miocene Cyclobalanopsis was already widely distributed. Comparisons of cuticular structure between Q. paraglauca and its nearest living relative species (NLR) Q. glauca suggest that: 1) atmospheric CO2 concentration in the late Miocene was ca. 400 ppmv, i.e. higher than the present natural CO2 concentration, eliminating the industrial influence; 2) the Q. glauca trichome base density is sensitive to the environmental changes; and 3) the late Miocene climate of Zhejiang (eastern China) was warmer and more humid than today.

To support emerging pairing-based protocols related to cloud computing, an efficient algorithm/hardware codesign methodology of $\eta_{T}$ pairing over characteristic three is presented. By mathematical manipulation and hardware scheduling, a single Miller's loop can be executed within 17 clock cycles. Furthermore, we employ torus representation and exploit the Frobenius map to lower the computation cost of final exponentiation. Pipelining and parallelization datapath are also exploited to shorten the critical path delay. Finally, by choosing suitable multiplier architecture and selecting an appropriate number of multipliers, Miller's loop and final exponentiation can be computed in a fully pipelined manner. With these schemes, a test chip for the proposed pairing accelerator has been fabricated in 90-nm CMOS 1P9M technology with a core area of 1.52 $\,\times\,$ 0.97 ${\rm mm}^{2}$ . It performs a bilinear pairing computation over $F(3^{97})$ in 4.76 $\mu{\rm s}$ under 1.0 V supply and achieves 178% improvement to relative works in terms of area–time (AT) product. To support higher level of security, a 126-bit secure pairing accelerator that can complete a bilinear pairing computation over $F(3^{709})$ in 36.2 $\mu{\rm s}$ is implemented and this result is at least 31% better than relative works in terms of AT product.

Two fossil leaves identified as Castanopsis presclerophylla n. sp. collected from a diatomite bed in the upper Pliocene (3.3–2.8 Ma) in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, Southwest China, are characterized by elliptic laminar shapes with acuminate apex, convex base, simple trichome bases and cyclocytic stomata. The cuticles of extant leaves from six selected Castanopsis species that are similar to the Pliocene fossil leaves in laminar shape were examined in detail for the comparison. Based on the analysis of leaf architecture and cuticular characteristics, the present fossil leaves most closely resemble the extant leaves of Castanopsis sclerophylla (Lindl.) Schott., which prefers a subtropical climate. The published fossil records of Castanopsis also indicate that it was once widely distributed in North America, Europe and Asia before the Pliocene, and then rapidly retreated to the East and Southeast Asia as a result of the Pleistocene glaciation.

The Cretaceous was one of the most remarkable periods in geological history, with a “greenhouse” climate and several important geological events. Reconstructions of atmospheric CO2 using proxies are crucial for understanding the Cretaceous “greenhouse.” In this paper we summarize the major approaches for reconstructing CO2 based on paleobotanical or geochemical data, and synthesize the CO2 variations throughout the Cretaceous. The results show that atmospheric CO2 levels remained relatively high throughout the Cretaceous, but were lower in the early Cretaceous, highest in the mid-Cretaceous and gradually declined during the late Cretaceous. However, this overall trend was interrupted by several rapid changes associated with ocean anoxic events (OAEs) and the end-Cretaceous catastrophic event. New data on paleo-CO2 levels from paleobotanical and paleosol evidences support not only the overall trends indicated by geochemical models, but provide more precise records of the short-term fluctuations related to brief episodes of climate change. Temporal resolution within the long quiet magnetic period in the middle Cretaceous is one of the obstacles preventing us from a more comprehensive understanding of the CO2 climate linkage. But new paleo-CO2 determinations and climatic data from stratigraphic sections of sediments intercalated with datable volcanic rocks will allow a better understanding of the relationships between fluctuations of atmospheric CO2, climate change, and geological events.

Compressions of leafy twigs, pollen cones and seed cones of Athrotaxites yumenensis C. Dong et B.N. Sun sp. nov. (Cupressaceae) are abundant in certain layers of the Lower Cretaceous Zhonggou Formation in western Gansu Province, northwestern China. The leafy branches are stiff and ascending. The leaves are scale-like, spirally arranged and closely appressed to the stem. The seed cones are located terminally, globular, with 8-11 helically arranged bract-scale complexes. The bracts are intimately fused with, and more massive than, the seed-bearing portion, and each scale has two seeds. The seeds are oval, 0.9 -1.1 mm long and 1 mm wide with two wings derived from the seed coat. A single pollen cone occurs at the ends of the ordinary branches with 10-16 microsporophylls. The microsporophylls are wedge-shaped and spirally arranged. Terminal microsporophylls fall away from the cone axis after pollen dispersal. The pollen sacs are ovate and produced more than 20 pollen grains per sac. The pollen grains are spherical, lack air bladders and have small germinal papilla and pores. Compared to the extant Tasmanian genus Athrotaxis in morphological, structural and cuticular features of leafy shoots, as well as seed cones and pollen cones, the study fossil consistently shares many characteristics with the extant genus, especially the extant species Athrotaxis cupressoides, but differs from it in other aspects; thus, it has been placed in a new genus. The similar characteristics, however, suggest that the fossil has the closest affinity with the extant Athrotaxis cupressoides. A detailed comparison of leaf morphology and the macro- and microstructure of the pollen and seed cones with related fossil species of Athrotaxis and Athrotaxis-like species reveals that the present fossil is a new species. Additionally, the occurrence of the fossil in the Zhonggou Formation and its similar characteristics with another fossil species, Athrotaxites berryi, suggests that Athrotaxites yumenensis sp. nov. might be an intermediate between Athrotaxites berryi and the extant Athrotaxis and that the new species is more closely aligned with extant Athrotaxis than with Athrotaxites berryi. Crown Copyright (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moving object detection is an important and fundamental step for intelligent video surveillance systems because it provides a focus of attention for post-processing. A multilayer codebook-based background subtraction (MCBS) model is proposed for video sequences to detect moving objects. Combining the multilayer block-based strategy and the adaptive feature extraction from blocks of various sizes, the proposed method can remove most of the nonstationary (dynamic) background and significantly increase the processing efficiency. Moreover, the pixel-based classification is adopted for refining the results from the block-based background subtraction, which can further classify pixels as foreground, shadows, and highlights. As a result, the proposed scheme can provide a high precision and efficient processing speed to meet the requirements of real-time moving object detection.

A long shoot with needles and two immature seed cones, and some isolated organs of shoot, needles and seed cones from the late Miocene Shengxian Formation in Zhejiang Province, East China are described. A detailed comparison of the gross morphology and cuticle micromorphology of needles and seed cones with previously published Cenozoic fossils and related extant pine species reveals that the present fossils can be identified as a new species, Pinus premassoniana sp. nov., which has the closest affinity with extant Pinus massoniana. A pollen cone with copious bisaccate pollen grains from the same locality is identified as an indeterminate species of subgenus Pinus. The pollen grains show a verrucate external sculpture on the corpus and sacci and an alveolae internal structure in the sacci. The fossil needle cuticles and pollen cone of the genus Pinus from China are reported for the first time. The modern distribution indicates that P. premassoniana sp. nov. should also live under a warm and humid climate. Hitherto, there is no any reliable fossil record that has an affinity with the extant P. massoniana. The occurrence of the present fossils suggests that P. premassoniana has existed in East China since at least in the late Miocene.

Macrofossils of Carpinus have been widely reported from the Cenozoic of the Northern Hemisphere. However, the leaf cuticules of the genus have rarely been described. A new species, named Carpinus tengchongensis Dai et B.N. Sun, sp. nov., is identified based on 13 leaf fossils, collected from the late Pliocene Mangbang Formation, Tengchong County of Yunnan Province, China. The important characters of the fossil are its oblong-ovate leaf shape, obliquely cordate base, doubly serrulate margin, straight and moderately thick primary vein, pinnate secondary veins, percurrent tertiary veins, orthogonally reticulate areoles, absence of veinlets, anomocytic stomata with double-layered stomatal rim, well-formed T-pieces and trichome bases, which indicates an affinity within the genus Carpinus section Carpinus subsection Monbeigianae, especially with C. tsaiana. Carpinus fossils were present from the Eocene to Pliocene with disjunctive distribution in the North Temperate Zone, which broadly reflected the present distribution pattern and probably demonstrates the tolerance of Carpinus to environmental change.

Two types of fronds belonging to a new species, Drynaria dimorpha sp. nov., are described from the upper Pliocene Mangbang Formation in western Yunnan, southwestern China. The base frond is lobate and the lobes are incised up to 2/3 or more of the width. The foliage frond is preserved as individual fertile or sterile pinnae with serrated margin and constricted basal part. Circular son are arranged in one row on either side of the primary vein. In situ spores are monolete and planoconvex, elliptical in polar view and bean-shaped in equatorial view. A detailed morphological comparison suggests that none of the previously described drynarioid fossils and extant species is in accord with the present ferns. The discovery of this new fern indicates that a developed humus-collecting structure of Drynaria had existed and a species-level radiation of this genus had taken place at least by the late Pliocene. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

There're two issues should be concerned about during the optimization design of structural concept. The one is The using performance of structure, the another is the cost of foundation should be contained in the cost of whole structure. And it is suggested that The cost performance in value engineering should be used during the optimization design of structural concept. In this paper, the method and the process of the optimum structural design is expounded by optimizing a structural concept of project.

Smilax tiantaiensis sp. nov. is described from the Late Miocene Shenxian Formation in Zhejiang Province, East China based on five fossil leaves with fine venation and well preserved cuticles. The fossil leaves are characterized by an ovate shape, entire margin, mucronate apex, rounded base, five primary basal acrodromous veins with reticulate venation in between; leaves hypostomatic, anticlinal walls undulated and stomatal apparatus anomocytic. The fossils have been compared with extant and other fossil species hitherto described in this genus. Some fossil stromata, hyphae and spores identified as Callimothallus pertusus Dilcher (Microthyriaceae) were discovered on the both epidermides of S. tiantaiensis. The climbing habit of Smilax and the presence of the epiphyllous fungus of C. pertusus on the fossil leaves may indicate that the multistratified forest was growing under a humid climate during the Miocene in Zhejiang. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neogene climates and vegetation history of western Yunnan are reconstructed on the basis of known fossil plants using the Coexistence Approach (CA) and Leaf Margin Analysis (LMA). Four Neogene leaf floras from Tengchong, Jianchuan and Eryuan in southwestern China are analyzed by the CA, and the paleoclimatic data of one Miocene carpoflora from Longling and three Pliocene palynofloras from Longling, Yangyi and Eryuan are used for comparison. The Miocene vegetation of the whole of West Yunnan is subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest, and a similar mean annual precipitation is inferred for Tengchong, Longling and Jianchuan. However, by the Late Pliocene a large difference in vegetation occurred between the two slopes of Gaoligong Mountain, western Yunnan. The region of Tengchong retained a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest vegetation, whereas in Yangyi and Eryuan a vertical vegetation zonation had developed, which consists, in ascending order, of humid evergreen broad-leaved, needle and broad-leaved mixed evergreen, and coniferous forests. Distinctively, the Late Pliocene vegetational patterns of West Yunnan were already very similar to those of the present, and the Pliocene mean annual precipitation in Tengchong was markedly higher than that of Yangyi and Eryuan. Considering that the overall vegetation of West Yunnan and the precipitation at Yangyi and Eryuan have undergone no distinct change since the Late Pliocene, we conclude that the Hengduan Mountains on the northern boundary of West Yunnan must have arisen after the Miocene and approached their highest elevation before the Late Pliocene. Furthermore, the fact of the eastern portion of the Tibetan Plateau underwent a slight uplift after the Late Pliocene is also supported. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Well preserved late Pliocene-early Pleistocene megafossil leaves of Betula yunnanensis Zhi-Cheng Lin et Bai-Nian Sun sp. nov. were collected from the Mangbang Formation in southeastern Tengchong County, West Yunnan Province, China. Species determination was achieved by comparing the leaf architecture, cuticle and fine venation of the newly discovered specimens with thirty-four extant Betula species occurring in China and Japan, and four selected extinct species from China and Poland. Leaf architecture shows that the fossil species are most similar to the species of section Betulaster. Cuticular analysis of all the six species found in China and Japan belonging to section Betulaster (including Betula alnoides, B. rhombibracteata, B. cylindrostachya, B. luminifera, B. maximowicziana, B. fujianensis) was subsequently performed. Comparisons made between the extant and the extinct species confirm that based on leaf size, numbers of lateral vein and trichome types, B. yunnanensis is a new species. An explanation of why and how the peltate scales are only preserved as shield remains in the fossil materials is given. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Specimens of Palaeocarya (Juglandaceae) were collected from the upper Pliocene of western Yunnan Province, which is a new geographical and age range record of engelhardioid winged fruits in China. A numerical taxonomic investigation based on 14 morphological characters of fossil and extant specimens of engelhardioid winged fruits in China was conducted using multivariate methods. Phenetic clustering shows that there are four morphotypical groups which we assign to four species. Two groups are assigned to the previously described fossil species, Palaeocarya guangxiensis Li Hao-Min et Chen Yun-Fa, 2003 and Palaeocarya koreanica (Oishi) Manchester, 1987. Two new species are recognized, Palaeocarya yunnanensis and Palaeocarya longialata. These Neogene Engelhardieae fruits provide fossil data for understanding the origin and evolution of the Engelhardia species that now inhabit South China.

Although both fossil pollen and molecular data support a long evolutionary history for the Aquifoliaceae, reliable macrofossils have rarely been described. Here, a new species, Ilex protocornuta Xiang-Chuan Li et Bai-Nian Sun sp. nov. from the Late Miocene Xiananshan Formation of Zhejiang Province, East China, which is unequivocally identified based on eighteen leaf macrofossils, can be placed in the subgenus Ilex section Ilex subsection. The new species shows the closest affinity to Ilex cornuta Lindley et Paxton. A survey of Ilex fossil records (pollen and leaves) from the Cretaceous to the Pliocene in China suggests that the past distribution of fossil Ilex species is much wider than that of extant species, while the occurrence of the probably evergreen I. protocornuta may indicate that a warm and humid climate similar to that of today existed in East China during the Late Miocene, which is also supported by the co-occurring plants that prefer a tropical, subtropical or warm-temperate habitat (i.e. Smilax, Lagerstroemia and evergreen Quercus). (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eight fossil leaves identified as Exbucklandia tengchongensis sp. nov. (Hamamelidaceae) were collected from the Pliocene Mangbang Formation in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The fossil leaves are characterized by the overall rounded lamina with entire margin, actinodromous venation, and cyclocytic stomata, which suggest the affinity within the genus Exbucklandia , particularly with E. populnea . A survey on the cuticles of the sun and shade leaves of modern E. populnea indicates that the shade leaves generally possess more pronounced undulate anticlinal cell walls and a much lower stomatal density than the sun leaves. Two morphotypes, i.e. sun vs. shade types, of the fossil leaves were therefore recognized. The distribution of the modern Exbucklandia suggests that the genus lives under a warm climate with a mean annual temperature (MAT) from 13 °C to 27 °C and a mean annual precipitation (MAP) from 800 mm to 2500 mm. Hence, E. tengchongensis might also live under a similar climatic condition in the Pliocene. Leaf margin analysis on the Tengchong flora supports this result. The little change of Neogene MAT in Southwest China is therefore supported.

The commercial activated carbons are typically prepared by activation from coconut shell char or coal char containing lots of inorganic impurities. They also have pore structure and pore size distribution depending on nanostructure of precursor materials. In this study, two types of commercial activated carbons were applied for EDLC electrode by removing impurities with acid treatments, and controlling pore size distribution and contents of functional group with heat treatment. The effect of the surface functional groups on electrochemical performance of the activated carbon electrodes was investigated. The initial gravimetric and volumetric capacitance of coconut based activated carbon electrode which was acid treated by HNO3 and then heat treated at 800oC were 90 F/g and 42 F/cc respectively showing 94% of charge-discharge efficiency. Such a good electrochemical performance can be possibly applied to the medium capacitance of EDLC. Keywords : EDLC electrode, activated carbon, acid treatment, heat treatment, functional group, electrochemical properties

Carbon/silicon composites were synthesized by mixing silicon powders with petroleum pitch and subsequent heat-treatment. The resultant composites were composed of carbon and nano-size crystalline silicon identified by XRD and EDX. FIB images and SEM images were taken respectively to detect the existence of silicon impregnated in carbon and the distribution of silicon on the carbon surface. The obtained carbon/silicon materials were assembled as half cell anodes for lithium ion secondary battery and their electrochemical properties were tested. The pitch/silicon composite (3 : 1 wt. ratio) heat treated at 1000℃ and mixed with 55.5 wt.% of graphite showed relatively good electrochemical properties such as the initial efficiency of 78%, the initial discharge capacity of 605 mAh/g, and the discharge capacity of 500 mAh/g after 20 cycles.