Table of Content

25 August 2016, Volume 38 Issue 4

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Invited Special Paper

The process and driving force for peopling the Tibetan Plateau during prehistoric periods

CHEN Fahu, LIU Fengwen, ZHANG Dongju, DONG Guanghui

2016, 38(4):  235-240.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.001

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The Tibetan Plateau is one of the most hostile areas for human permanent settlement in the current world. To study when and how prehistoric human colonized the high areas of the Tibetan Plateau, is valuable for understanding the mechanism of human adaptation to high-cold and hypoxic environments. Based on the analysis of artifacts and biological remains unearthed from prehistoric sites on the Tibetan Plateau, in comparison to dating results and paleoclimate studies, we argue that prehistoric human expanded upward to high-altitude areas of the Tibetan Plateau mainly by three steps. Foragers occasionally and seasonly occupied high areas of the Tibetan Plateau before 15 000 BP; Neolithic groups extensively settled below 2 500 m asl in the margin areas of east Tibetan Plateau during 5 200~3 600 BP; human permanently settled above 3 000 m asl post 3 600 BP. Climate change promoted human activities on the Tibetan Plateau during Paleolithic period, while agriculture development and diffusion across the Eurasia was the primary factor for human extensive and year-round settlement on the “Roof of the world” during Neolithic and Bronze Ages.



Demystifying quantum cryptography, quantum entanglement and quantum teleportation

SHI Yu

2016, 38(4):  241-247.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.002

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Exemplified by the polarized states of photons, we make a concise, accurate and easily comprehensible introduction to the concepts of quantum mechanics, quantum states, quantum cryptography, quantum entanglement and quantum teleportation. First, the fundamental ideas of quantum mechanics and the meaning of quantum states are introduced through the comparison with classical physics. Then the BB84 scheme of quantum key distribution in quantum cryptography is explained. Afterwards, the concept of quantum entanglement is introduced, with the emphasis that it does not violate the theory of relativity. On the basis of this, quantum teleportation is explained, with the necessity of classical communication in the process emphasized.

Review Article

Cultural expansion and its influencing factors during Neolithic period in the Yellow River valley, northern China

DONG Guanghui, LIU Fengwen, YANG Yishi, WANG Lin, CHEN Fahu

2016, 38(4):  248-252.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.003

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The development of Neolithic cultures in the Yellow River valley promoted the emergence of Chinese ancient civilization. Three phases of the temporal-spatial variation of Neolithic culture evolution can be decerned based on archaeological survey, the distribution range of Neolithic sites was mainly limited to foothills during the pre-Yangshao period (9 000~7 000 BP), which widely expanded to the valleys of the Yellow River and its tributaries during the Yangshao period (7 000~5 000 BP), and further extended to hilly areas during the Longshan period (5 000~4 000 BP). With the comparison to the results of palaeoclimate and archaeometry studies, we argue that the spatial expansion of Neolithic cultures was primarily facilitated by the development of millet-based agriculture in the Yellow River valley, which was further affected by the climate changes.

The encounter connected wheat and noodles

AN Chengbang

2016, 38(4):  253-256.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.004

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Noodles are originated from China as early as 4000 years ago. Wheat was firstly cultivated in the West Asia, while it was discovered in many sites of ancient China around 4000 years ago. The dietary habits of China was mainly dominated by grains food. During that period, wheat was inferior to millet. During Tang-Song Dynasties, wheat took the place of millet and noodles and became popular, on the basis of development of mill stone and the application of flour ferment. Since wheat has more protein than millet, it is easy to process wheat flour into noodles. And noodles spread from China to the world to be a worldwide cuisine.

The history for origin and diffusion of “Six livestock”

REN Lele, DONG Guanghui

2016, 38(4):  257-262.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.005

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The history for the domestication and introduction of “Six livestock” including pig, dog, cattle, sheep, horse and chicken to China has been studied, based on the review and analysis of zooarchaeological evidences in Eurasia. The results suggest that pig and dog were domesticated in northern China during 10 000～9 000 BP, cattle and sheep were firstly domesticated in Western Asia around 10 000 BP, and introduced to the Central Plains of China before 4 500 BP. Horse was probably domesticated in Central Asia around 5 500 BP, and introduced to China during Xia and Shang Dynasties (4 000～3 000 BP). Domesticated chicken emerged in northern China before 3600 BP, while the timing and center for chicken domestication is still in debate. These six important domestic animals had been widely utilized in China before the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD).

Progress

Microscopic characteristics of manganates in deep sea ferromanganese nodules

QIAO Zhiguo, TU Xiaoxia, ZHOU Huaiyang

2016, 38(4):  263-270.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.006

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This is a mini-review paper about microscopic characteristics of manganates in ferromanganese nodules. The manganates in diagenetic nodules are mainly todorokite, buserite and birnessite. The manganates in hydrogenetic nodules are mainly vernadite.The crystal structure of todorokite is tunnel structure. The crystal structure of buserite, birnessite and vernadite is layered structure. Both transition metals (Co, Ni, Cu, V, Mo, W, and Pt) and rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Y and Sc) are enriched in manganates. Mechanisms for enrichment of transition metals are the specialistic adsorption and the selective adsorption. Currently, it is generally believed that rare earth elements are adsorbed by manganates through electrostatic attraction.

Pastlife of antibody and antibody drug

XU Zhuobin, WANG Min

2016, 38(4):  271-277.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.007

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Antibody drug plays a critical role in biotechnology pharmaceutical field. It is a long term goal for antibody to diagnose and treat disease by its specific for antigen recognition. The discovery and application of antibody are inseparable from immunology. From the immune system, a detailed description of the historical process of discovery and clinical application of antibody was carried out. In recent years, cell engineering and genetic engineering technology as the main antibody engineering technology have been a hot field of pharmaceutical biotechnology. Antibody drug development and industrialization are entering a new age rapidly.

History of Natural Science

The invention of CRISPR-Cas9 technology: 25-years scientific journey

GUO Xiaoqiang

2016, 38(4):  278-286.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.008

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CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-CRISPR-associated) is an important acquired immune system for prokaryotes. CRISPR sequences can be transcribed and processed into non-coding RNA, crRNA (CRISPRRNA). These Cas proteins can complete the RNA mediated target DNA cut using their DNA exonuclease, which is important for bacteriophage and plasmid DNA invader defense in prokaryotes. The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing was invented on the system, which is widely used in life science. In the article, the following knowledge was described including discovery of CRISPR sequence,
nomenclature of CRISPR, prediction of biological role, confirmation of experiment, research on mechanism and improvement of system. It is important for the comprehensive understanding of CRISPR-Cas9 technology invention.

Portraits

Memory of the great scientist Guo Shoujing of the Yuan Dynasty in China — On the 700th anniversary of his death

BIAN Yulin

2016, 38(4):  297-306.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.010

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The life and brilliant achievements of Guo Shoujing (1231—1316), an outstanding scientist of the world at his time, the Yuan Dynasty in China, are briefly reviewed in this paper.

The father of modern visual science — David Hubel

GU Fanji

2016, 38(4):  307-312.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2016.04.011

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A biography of American neuroscientist David Hubel, father of modern visual science, is presented in this article. His contribution to visual research and his approach of scholarship are also given.