The distribution of long-chain n-alkan-2-ones in peat can be used to infer past changes in pH

Long-chain (C21-C33) n-alkan-2-ones are biomarkers ubiquitous in peat deposits. However, their paleoenvironmental significance lacks constraints. Here we evaluate the influence pH exerts on the occurrence of long-chain n-alkan-2-ones in Chinese peats. A comparison of the distribution in a collection (n= 65) of modern peat samples with different pH (pH values 4.4-8.6) from China demonstrates that their distribution is significantly different in acid compared to alkaline peat. This difference can be explained by the pH control on the conversion of n-alkan-2-one precursor compounds (n-alkanes and fatty acids). Transfer functions between pH and n-alkan-2-one ratios were established using linear and logarithmic regression models. We then applied these proxies to reconstruct variations of paleo-pH in the Dajiuhu peat sequence to identify the history of peatland acidification over the last 13 kyr. We find significant changes in paleo-pH during the deglaciation/early Holocene and relate these to times of dry climate in the region. The drought-induced peat acidification is supported by observations from modern drying events in the peatland. We propose that long-chain n-alkan-2-ones in peats have potential to trace paleo-pH changes across the deglaciation and Holocene, although further research from different peatlands and time periods is still needed

Minimizing the Makespan for Scheduling Problems with General Deterioration Effects

This paper investigates the scheduling problems with general deterioration models. By the deterioration models, the actual processing time functions of jobs depend not only on the scheduled position in the job sequence but also on the total weighted normal processing times of the jobs already processed. In this paper, the objective is to minimize the makespan. For the single-machine scheduling problems with general deterioration effects, we show that the considered problems are polynomially solvable. For the flow shop scheduling problems with general deterioration effects, we also show that the problems can be optimally solved in polynomial time under the proposed conditions

Response of carbon cycle to drier conditions in the mid-Holocene in central China

The effect of Asian summer monsoon hydrological changes on key biogeochemical processes remains poorly understood. Here, using a suite of biomarkers, the authors reconstruct palaeohydrological conditions during the Holocene and show that the peatland carbon cycle is strongly sensitive to paleohydrological changes

Hydrogenated core-shell MAX@K2Ti8O17 pseudocapacitance with ultrafast sodium storage and long-term cycling.

Sodium-ion batteries are considered alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for energy storage devices due to their competitive cost and source abundance. However, the development of electrode materials with long-term stability and high capacity remains a great challenge. Here, this paper describes for the first time the synthesis of a new class of core-shell MAX@K2Ti8O17 by alkaline hydrothermal reaction and hydrogenation of MAX, which grants high sodium ion-intercalation pseudocapacitance. This composite electrode displays extraordinary reversible capacities of 190 mA h g-1 at 200 mA g-1 (0.9 C, theoretical value of ~219 mA h g-1) and 150 mA h g-1 at 1000 mA g-1 (4.6 C). More importantly, a reversible capacity of 75 mA h g-1 at 10 000 mA g-1 (46 C) is retained without any apparent capacity decay even after more than 10 000 cycles. Experimental tests and first-principle calculations confirm that the increase in Ti3+ on the surface layers of MAX@K2Ti8O17 by hydrogenation increases its conductivity in addition to enhancing the sodium-ion intercalation pseudocapacitive process. Furthermore, the distorted dodecahedrons between Ti and O layers not only provide abundant sites for sodium-ion accommodation but also act as wide tunnels for sodium-ion transport

A Survey of Chinese Pig Farms and Human Healthcare Isolates Reveals Separate Human and Animal Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Populations.

There has been increasing concern that the overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming is contributing to the burden of antimicrobial resistance in people. Farmed animals in Europe and North America, particularly pigs, provide a reservoir for livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA ST398 lineage) found in people. This study is designed to investigate the contribution of MRSA from Chinese pig farms to human infection. A collection of 483 MRSA are isolated from 55 farms and 4 hospitals in central China, a high pig farming density area. CC9 MRSA accounts for 97.2% of all farm isolates, but is not present in hospital isolates. ST398 isolates are found on farms and hospitals, but none of them formed part of the "LA-MRSA ST398 lineage" present in Europe and North America. The hospital ST398 MRSA isolate form a clade that is clearly separate from the farm ST398 isolates. Despite the presence of high levels of MRSA found on Chinese pig farms, the authors find no evidence of them spilling over to the human population. Nevertheless, the ST398 MRSA obtained from hospitals appear to be part of a widely distributed lineage in China. The new animal-adapted ST398 lineage that has emerged in China is of concern