Here is a case of bladder stone of average size dated to the Late Neolithic period, found in the multiple burial of the B1S passage-grave in Chenon (Charente, France). Chemical analysis showed a ...mixed composition. The core, intermediate and surface envelopes consist in calcium phosphate apatite associated with whitlockite and amorphous carbonated calcium phosphate, all clarified by Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy. Calcium phosphatic stones are characteristic of communities, such as those of the Neolithic period, where the diet was rich in cereal carbohydrates and poor in animal proteins. The excavation of such extra-skeletal objects is an event that is particularly interesting as it provides documents on the history of diseases and diets in ancient populations. The complete set of data suggests that this bladder stone was formed during a urinary tract infection with a germ possessing a very active urease.
Background and Objectives
Quantifying the acid value of stored wheat is of great significance for timely treatment and avoiding waste. For the low‐fat content in wheat, the aim of this study is to ...propose a microchemical way for the acid value analysis.
Findings
Twenty‐four wheat samples are taken from the grain reserve depot and the acid values of them are analyzed by the spectral response of one phthalocyanine dye, tetra‐α‐octoxy substituted zinc phthalocyanine, to a fatty acid. Under the experimental conditions, a linear relation exists between the absorbance of this dye at 749 nm (A749 nm) and the concentration logarithm (lncb) of fatty acid (palmitic acid) in chloroform, R2 = 1.000.
Conclusions
By the aforesaid linearity, 1 µl of extracted wheat oil is enough to determine the acid values of wheat samples, which can avoid the interference from the color of the sample in traditional titration.
Significance and Novelty
The UV‐visible method has great potential in the actual analysis of the acid value of wheat samples and has important reference value for the analysis of other related agricultural products, food and drugs, and so on.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The effect of non-isothermal creep aging (NICA) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance of 7075 alloy was investigated. The results showed that ...the tensile strength of the alloy increased to 565 MPa when the alloy was heated to 210 °C (CH210) and reached 580 MPa when it was subsequently cooled to 120 °C (CC120). Simultaneously, the SCC susceptibility of rtf increased from 50.8 % to 98.4 %. As compared with traditional creep aging process 1, a large strength increment with excellent stress corrosion resistance have been obtained by NICA. The microstructure revealed that a lot of dislocations have been introduced by creep during the heating stage which could improve the precipitates volume fraction and accelerate the diffusion of solutes; while during the cooling stage, η′ was greatly refined, and GPI and GPⅡ were re-precipitated from the matrix due to the decreased solid solubility and increased critical radius R*; both of them are responsible for the continuous strength increase during NICA. Moreover, the width of the precipitate free zone (PFZ) was narrowed from 46.1 nm (CH210) to 28.6 nm (CC120). The microchemical analysis reveals that solutes were more homogenously distributed in grain boundary precipitates (GB-ppts), matrix precipitates, the PFZ, and the matrix with the help of creep. The narrower PFZ and homogeneous solute distribution are responsible for improving the SCC susceptibility in the CC120 alloy.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
River sharks (Glyphis spp.) and some sawfishes (Pristidae) inhabit riverine environments, although their long‐term habitat use patterns are poorly known. We investigated the diadromous movements of ...the northern river shark (Glyphis garricki), speartooth shark (Glyphis glyphis), narrow sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata), and largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) using in situ laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) on vertebrae to recover elemental ratios over each individual's lifetime. We also measured elemental ratios for the bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) and a range of inshore and offshore stenohaline marine species to assist in interpretation of results. Barium (Ba) was found to be an effective indicator of freshwater use, whereas lithium (Li) and strontium (Sr) were effective indicators of marine water use. The relationships between Ba and Li and Ba and Sr were negatively correlated, whereas the relationship between Li and Sr was positively correlated. Both river shark species had elemental signatures indicative of prolonged use of upper‐estuarine environments, whereas adults appear to mainly use lower‐estuarine environments rather than marine environments. Decreases in Li:Ba and Sr:Ba at the end of the prenatal growth zone of P. pristis samples indicated that parturition likely occurs in fresh water. There was limited evidence of prolonged riverine habitat use for A. cuspidata. The results of this study support elemental–environment relationships observed in teleost otoliths and indicate that in situ LA‐ICP‐MS elemental characterization is applicable to a wide range of elasmobranch species as a discriminator for use and movement across salinity gradients. A greater understanding of processes that lead to element incorporation in vertebrae, and relative concentrations in vertebrae with respect to the ambient environment, will improve the applicability of elemental analysis to understand movements across the life history of elasmobranchs into the future.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Because trace elements of otoliths are considered a natural marker capable of recognizing the chemical composition of ambient water and fish migration history, these elements could be potentially ...used to analyse the movement of reproductive (R) and non‐reproductive (NR) mature‐sized fish. Supposedly, it is not essential for NR individuals to migrate to rivers for spawning because they do not have developed gonads. To investigate the potential differences in migration history between female R and NR kutum, Rutilus frisii, in the southwest waters of the Caspian Sea, the ratios of Sr, Ba, Mg, Na, K and P to Ca in otoliths (from the core to the edge) were examined using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. In NR fish, a significant increase in Sr:Ca ratio in the otoliths' growth rings, likely due to greater seawater residency, and an increase in Ba:Ca ratio in the last two rings were observed. Increased Ba:Ca ratio could be due to the movement of NR mature‐sized fish to the coastal zones for foraging. Seasonal physiological factors such as gonad maturation and spawning activity are more likely to be involved in differences in the other elemental ratios (Mg, Na, K and P). These results suggest that microchemical analyses of growth rings of otolith can be used as a valuable tool for better understanding the movement pattern of different types of adult fish, which could be completed with data from other methods like tagging.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Crystal structure, microstructural chemical analysis, magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect for 'as cast' and annealed Gd
4−x
Tb
x
Co
3
(x = 0-4) were investigated. Only Gd
4
Co
3
was ...homogeneous and crystallised in the hexagonal Ho
4
Co
3
-type of crystal structure. Samples substituted with terbium proved to be a mixture of (Gd,Tb)
12
Co
7
and (Gd,Tb)Co
2
phases. With the increase of terbium content the entropy change increased and for the samples with x = 3, 4 reached the highest values. Even 'as-cast' samples exhibit pronounced values of the magnetocaloric parameters.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Jiatang scroll paintings listed in the Chinese intangible cultural heritage list are an important form of family trees. In this paper, a Jiatang scroll painting drawn in the seventh year of Guangxu ...(AD 1881) was chosen as a prototype to analyze its components. Samples were taken from different parts of the Jiatang scroll painting to analyze the composition of fibers, pigments, and adhesives. Herein, fiber analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Herzberg stain were conducted to identify the type of fiber used. Microstructural and microchemical analyses by means of SEM-EDX and Raman spectroscopy were performed to characterize the pigments present in the painting, while the nature of the adhesive was examined using pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The results show that the painting fiber is from cotton, while the red, black, and green pigments were identified as cinnabar, carbon black, and emerald green, respectively. Finally, the adhesive is a mixture of animal glue, benzoin gum, and starch. The research results provide a basis for the protection and restoration of this precious cultural heritage in the future.
Purpose: This paper present thermal and microstructural and microchemical analyses
were conducted on the unmodified experimental alloy Al20Si3Cu (B390.1) solidified in
the High Temperature Universal ...Metallurgical Simulator and Analyser (HT UMSA) under
atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa) and a relatively low solidification rate (-1.2 K/s just after end
of solidification), for identification of the thermal events during solidification and the phases
in the as-cast structure. Design/methodology/approach: The HT UMSA platform, using a
low thermal mass stainless steel cup, enabled the acquisition of high resolution thermal
analysis data.
Design/methodology/approach: A new approach for de-convolution of the first
derivative thermal curves allowed detailed thermal and microstructural phase histories to be
documented for solidification of Al-Si alloys. Recently developed SEM/EDS methodology
allowed to determine composition and distribution of individual phases that are smaller than
the X–ray volume.
Findings: Simultaneous consideration of thermal microstructural and microchemical
information allowed detailed understanding of the series of events that take place during
solidification of Al casting alloy with complex chemistry. In our hypereutectic alloy we
document growth of Al(1) dendrites and formation of secondary Si(2) and Al(2) phases all at
temperatures higher than the binary equilibrium Al-Si eutectic temperature of 850 K.
Practical implications: Even at this slow solidification rate detailed understanding of
the solidification microstructure requires consideration of non-equilibrium processes during
solidification.
Originality/value: We propose an original set of hypotheses that consistently explain the
observed non-equilibrium solidification behaviour. Proof of these hypotheses is beyond the
scope of this work.
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