Method to measure tree-ring width,density,elemental composition,and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes using one sample

Tree-ring width(RW),density,elemental com-position,and stable carbon and oxygen isotope(δ^(13)C,δ^(18)O)are widely used as proxies to assess climate change,ecology,and environmental pollution;however,a specific pretreat-ment has been needed for each proxy.Here,we developed a method by which each proxy can be measured in the same sample.First,the sample is polished for ring width meas-urement.After obtaining the ring width data,the sample is cut to form a 1-mm-thick wood plate.The sample is then mounted in a vertical sample holder,and gradually scanned by an X-ray beam.Simultaneously,the count rates of the fluorescent photons of elements(for chemical characteriza-tion)and a radiographic grayscale image(for wood density)are obtained,i.e.the density and the element content are obtained.Then,cellulose is isolated from the 1-mm wood plate by removal of lignin,and hemicellulose.After producing this cellulose plate,cellulose subsamples are separated by knife under the microscope for inter-annual and intra-annual stable carbon and oxygen isotope(δ^(13)C,δ^(18)O)analysis.Based on this method,RW,density,elemental composition,δ^(13)C,and δ^(18)O can be measured from the same sample,which reduces sample amount and treatment time,and is helpful for multi-proxy comparison and combination research.

Elemental Composition of the Shell of the Testate Amoeba Difflugia tuberspinifera (Sarcodina:Rhizopoda)

X-ray microanalysis was used to study the elemental composition of the shell of the freshwater testate amoeba Difflugia tuberspinifera Hu et al.,1997 collected from Mulan Lake,Hubei province,China in July 2003.The results show that the shell is composed of ten elements:Si in greater quantity;then Ca and Al;and traces of K,Na,Cl,Fe,Mg,S and P.The analysis of results suggests that D.tuberspinifera in elemental composition appears to occupy a middle position between marine and soil testate amoebae.

Comparative Studies on the Fine Structure and Elemental Composition of Envelopes of Trachelomonas and Strombomonas (Euglenophyta)

Fine structure and elemental composition of envelopes of 10 taxa of Trachelomonas and Strombomonas from natural freshwater bodies in China were studied and phylogeny of both genera were discussed. The results indicate that iron (Fe) and silicon (Si) are the primary mineral elements of the envelopes. Composition of mineral elements was uncorrelated with envelope color, however, it was highly correlated with the microarchitecture of the envelopes. Content of Si was higher than that of Fe in all species of Strombomonas and some species of Trachelomonas with rough surface. In most species of Trachelomonas, especially those with dense and smoothy surface, content of Fe was higher than that of Si. Based on the above results, we propose to assign those species of Strombomonas into Trachelomonas and consider them as a group of the latter. These species were the most primitive among the group with envelopes in Euglenaceae.

Rice Grains from Slightly Saline Field Exhibited Unchanged Starch Physicochemical Properties but Enhanced Nutritional Values

This study aims to investigate grain quality and nutritional values of rice(Pokkali,a salt-tolerant cultivar;RD73,a new cultivar improved from KDML105 introgressed with Saltol QTL from Pokkali,and KDML105,a moderately salt-susceptible cultivar)grown under non-saline(0.04–0.87 dS/m)and slightly saline(1.08–4.83 dS/m)field conditions.The results revealed that salinity caused significant reduction in grain size but significant increments in reducing sugar and total protein contents in the grains.Nevertheless,the amounts of starch in the grains of KDML105 and Pokkali rice genotypes were unaffected by the stress.The starch granule size distribution was also unaffected by salinity.Interestingly,only starch from Pokkali was significantly diminished in amylose content,from 19.18%to 16.99%.Accordingly,parameters relating to starch gelatinization,retrogradation,and pasting properties of KDML105 and RD73 were unaffected by salinity;only Pokkali showed a significant increase in percentage of retrogradation along with a significant reduction in gelatinization enthalpy.In the saline field,total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in the grains of all rice cultivars tended to increase,particularly in Pokkali.On average,essential element contents in grains from the saline-treated plants showed a 33%,32%,32%,22%,20%,11%,and 10%increase in total P,N,K,Mg,Zn,Fe,and Ca content,respectively.Interestingly,total Fe content exhibited the greatest percentage of increments in KDML105(187%).Taken together,cultivation of rice in the slightly saline field did not alter its eating and cooking qualities,while enhanced some nutritional properties such as proteins,minerals,and secondary metabolites like phenolic compounds.

Principles of Technology for Bottling Medicinal Mineral Waters of Sairme Using the Example of Source №3a

Sairme mineral water, one of the famous mineral waters in Georgia, is renowned for its exceptional healing properties. The distinctiveness and therapeutic benefits of the naturally sourced mineral water, known as “Sairme”, stem from its rich array of microelements, notably including iron and manganese. Since 1948, the bottling of Sairme mineral water has been a prominent activity. Named after the Sairme deposit, this mineral water is packaged in various formats to cater to diverse consumer preferences. The bottling process involves transporting the mineral water from wells to the bottling plant through pipelines. Prior to bottling, the mineral water undergoes meticulous processing stages in adherence to current Georgian and international regulations. This process ensures that the concentration of trace elements in the bottled water is minimized, maintaining its purity and quality. Given the importance of preserving the microelements present in bottled mineral water, our research is dedicated to optimizing the technological process. Our objective is to safeguard the valuable microelements while ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety in the final product.

Elemental Composition and Geochemical Characteristics of Iron-Manganese Nodules in Main Soils of China

Elemental composition and geochemical characteristics of iron-manganese nodules from nine main soils in China were studied by chemical and multivariate statistical analyses to better understand the reactions and functions of iron-manganese nodules in soils and sediment. Compared to the corresponding soils, Mn, Ba, Cd, Co and Pb had strong accumulation, Ni had moderate accumulation, while Ca, Cu, Fe, Na, P, Sr and Zn accumulated to a minor degree in the iron-manganese nodules. In contrast, Si, Al, K, Mg and Ti were reduced in the iron-manganese nodules. The contents of Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were positively and significantly correlated with that of MnO2 in the iron-manganese nodules, while the contents of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were positively and significantly correlated with that of Fe2O3 in soils. Based on a principle component analysis, the elements of iron-manganese nodules were divided into four groups: 1) Mn, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Li, Ni, Pb and Zn that were associated with Mn oxides, 2) Fe, Cr and P that were associated with Fe oxides, 3) Si, K, and Mg that were included in the elemental composition of phyllosilicate, and 4) Ca, Na, Al and Ti that existed in todorokite, birnessite, lithiophorite and phyllosilicate. It was suggested that accumulation, mineralization and specific adsorption were involved in the formation processes of soil iron-manganese nodules.

Characteristics of Elemental Composition of PM_(2.5) in the Spring Period at Tongyu in the Semi-arid Region of Northeast China

Continuous observations of mass concentration and elemental composition of aerosol particles （PM2.5） were conducted at Tongyu, a semi-arid site in Northeast China in the spring of 2006. The average mass concentration of PM2.5 at Tongyu station was 260.9±274.4 μg m^-3 during the observation period. Nine dust events were monitored with a mean concentration of 528.0±302.7 μgm^-3. The PM2.5 level during non- dust storm （NDS） period was 111.65±63.37 μg m^-3. High mass concentration shows that fine-size particles pollution was very serious in the semi-arid area in Northeast China. The enrichment factor values for crust elements during the dust storm （DS） period are close to those in the NDS period, while the enrichment factor values for pollution elements during the NDS period are much higher than those in the DS period, showing these elements were from anthropogenic sources. The ratios of dust elements to Fe were relative constant during the DS period. The Ca/Fe ratio in dust aerosols at Tongyu is remarkably different from that observed in other source regions and downwind regions. Meteorological analysis shows that dust events at Tongyu are usually associated with dry, low pressure and high wind speed weather conditions. Air mass back-trajectory analysis identified three kinds of general pathways were associated with the aerosol particle transport to Tongyu, and the northwest direction pathway was the main transport route.

Siderophile Element Compositions of Pyroxenes in HED Meteorites: Implications for the Differentiation of Magma Ocean on Vesta

1 Introduction The howardite,eucrite and diogenite(HED)meteorites are ultramafic and mafic igneous rocks and impact-engendered breccias derived from a thoroughly differentiated asteroid 4 Vesta.Diogenites include dunites,

Predictions of elemental composition of coal and biomass from their proximate analyses using ANFIS, ANN and MLR

The elemental composition of coal and biomass provides significant parameters used in the design of almost all energy conversion systems and projects.The laboratory tests to determine the elemental composition of coal and biomass is time-consuming and costly.However,limited research has suggested that there is a correlation between parameters obtained from elemental and proximate analyses of these materials.In this study,some predictive models of the elemental composition of coal and biomass using soft computing and regression analyses have been developed.Thirty-one samples including parameters of elemental and proximate analyses were used during the analyses to develop multiple prediction models.Dependent variables for multiple prediction models were selected as carbon,hydrogen,and oxygen.Using volatile matter,fixed carbon,moisture and ash contents as independent variables,three different prediction models were developed for each dependent parameter using ANFIS,ANN,and MLR.In addition,a routine for selecting the best predictive model was suggested in the study.The reliability of the established models was tested by using various prediction performance indices and the models were found to be satisfactory.Therefore,the developed models can be used to determine the elemental composition of coal and biomass for practical purposes.

In-situ LA-ICP-MS trace element and oxygen isotope signatures of magnetite from the Yamansu deposit,NW China,and their significance

The Yamansu iron deposit is hosted in submarine volcanic rocks in the Aqishan–Yamansu belt of Eastern Tianshan,NW China.A geological cross-section for the Carboniferous strata in the ore district shows that ore bodies in the Yamansu deposit are hosted in andesitic crystal tuff of the third cycle of the Carboniferous Yamansu Formation.This indicates an association between mineralization and volcanism.The orebodies are strata bound and lensoid and generally share the occurrence state of the host rocks.Magnetite mineralization mainly occurs asbreccia ores,ores in the mineralized volcanic rocks,massive ores,and sulfide-rich ores according to their structures and sequences of formation.Trace element compositions of magnetite from various types of ores were determined by LA-ICP-MS.The dataset indicates thatdifferent types of magnetite havedistinct trace element contents correlated to their formation environments.Magnetite crystals from breccia ores have high Ti,Ni,V,Cr,and Co and low Si,Al,Ca,and Mg contents,indicating crystallization from a volcanic magmatic eruption,which is consistent with field evidence of coexisting altered volcanic breccia.Magnetite crystals from ores in the mineralized volcanic rocks have moderate Ti,Ni,V,Cr,and Co contents.In contrast,magnetite from massive ores and sulfide-rich ores have low concentrations of Ti,Cr,Ni,and V,high concentrations of Si,Al,Ca,and Mg,and evidence of hydrothermal magnetite.In-situ magnetite compositions imply a magmatic-hydrothermal process.Although d18 O values for magnetite grains from Yamansu vary(?1.3 to?7.0%),they all plot in the range field of volcanic iron deposits,and they also record a magmatic-hydrothermal process.The compositions of Yamansu magnetites are interpreted as controlled mainly by temperature,fluid,host rock buffering,oxygen fugacity,and sulfur fugacity.The metallogenic conditions of the Yamansu deposit changed from high temperature and low oxygen fugacity to low temperature and high oxygen fugacity.However,more fluid-rock reactions and higher sulfur fugacity were involved during the deposition of massive ores and sulfiderich ores.

Elemental Composition Method in Thermodynamics of Mul- tireaction Systems (I) Molar Number, Thermodynamic Properties and Partial Properties Relations

When species in the solution undergo multiple chemical reactions, the solution may be treated as a solution of all species actually present or as a hypothetical solution composed of elemental species. Based on the fundamental thermodynamic principle, the relationships of mole numbers, molar fractions, thermodynamic properties, partial molar properties, potential and fugacity between the hypothetical solution of elemental species and the equilibrated solution of actual species were derived. The hypothetical elemental solution provides a way of reducing the dimensionality of problem, simplifying the analysis and visualizing the phase behavior.

Determination of element composition of three lichens and their distribution in King George Island, Antarctica

Cross-section slices of Usnea antarctica Du Rietz, Usnea aurantiaco-atra (Jacq.) Bory. and Cladonia sp. at upper, middle and basal positions were prepared, respectively. The element composition and relative content were determined by SEM and EDS at the surface, intermediate and inner layers in each slice, respectively. The result indicated that the composition of element is mostly same in these lichens. The relative content of Al, Si, K and Ca elements is high,and P is close at each position. The result is of benefit to study the structure and physiological characteristics of lichens, and to analyze geological environment in Antarctica.

Structural Performance of Light Weight Multicellular FRP Composite Bridge Deck Using Finite Element Analysis

Fiber reinforced polymer （FRP） composite materials having advantages such as higher strength to weight than conventional engineering materials, non-corrosiveness and modularization, which should help engineers to obtain more efficient and cost effective structural materials and systems. Currently, FRP composites are becoming more popular in civil engineering applications. The objectives of this research are to study performance and behavior of light weight multi-cellular FRP composite bridge decks （both module and system levels） under various loading conditions through finite element modeling, and to validate analytical response of FRP composite bridge decks with data from laboratory evaluations. The relative deflection, equivalent flexural rigidity, failure load （mode） and load distribution factors （LDF） based on FE results have been compared with experimental data and discussed in detail. The finite element results showing good correlations with experimental data are presented in this work.

GLOBAL COMPOSITE ELEMENT ITERATION FOR ANALYSIS OF SEEPAGE FREE SURFACE

As one of the most difficult topics in rock mass hydromechanics, seepage free surface plays an important part in slope stability researches. Based on analysis of numerical methods to solve seepage free surface, global composite element iteration (GCEI) is presented in this paper. FEM program is made by using GCEI. Calculation shows that not only the program is simple using GCEI, but also the tolerance is higher after 5 iterations.

Elemental Composition Method in Thermodynamics of Multireaction Systems (II) Residual Properties, Property Changes of Mixing and Excess Properties Relations

Based on the concept of “element” and the fundamental thermodynamic principle,the relationships of the residual properties,the property changes of mixing,excess properties,fugacity coefficients and activity coefficients between the hypothetical solution of elemental species and the equilibrated solution of actual species were established.The hypothetical solution of elemental species provides a way of reducing the dimensionality of problem, simplifying the analysis and visualizing the phase behavior.

Zircon Mineralogy and Trace Elements Composition of the Metallogenic Granites in the Nanshankeng Mine,Eastern Nanling

1 Introduction Nanshankeng tungsten-tin polymetallic mine,which is located in the eastern Nanling metallogenic belt,is newly discovered by geological investigation and evaluation with prospecting potential(Xiao et

A Study of Changes in the Element Composition and Structure of Surfaces under Irradiation of Dense Xenon Gas （270 bar） by y-Rays with a Maximum Energy of 10 MeV

A high-pressure chamber filled with natural xenon （XeHPC） under initial pressure 270 bar was irradiated during 43 hours by braking γ-rays with a maximum energy of 10 MeV at the MT-25 electron accelerator at an average beam intensity of 20-22 μA. After about 14 hours of irradiation, the pressure in the XeHPC dropped to 185 bar and did not change till the end of the irradiation cycle. Upon completion of exposure, part of the gas from XeHPC was bypassed into a separate reservoir to measure the xenon composition by mass-analyzer QMA-200. After the opening of the XeHPC, an inner assembly without xenon was fixed at the Ge-detector for measurement of γ-spectra of radionuclides produced in the XeHPC and the background during 15 hours. A visual inspection of the inner assembly indicated that the surfaces of its elements were covered with a siskin green layer. Using SEM （scanning electron microscopy） studies and MPRA （microprobe roentgen analysis） , the element compositions of the synthesized micro-objects and micro-particles were determined. In order to explain the observed anomalies in the formation of new elements in the micro-particles and micro-objects, nuclear fission and synthesis reactions should be used.

Calibration of Discrete Element Heat Transfer Parameters by Central Composite Design

The efficiency and precision of parameter calibration in discrete element method （DEM） are not satisfactory, and parameter calibration for granular heat transfer is rarely involved. Accordingly, parameter calibration for granular heat transfer with the DEM is studied. The heat transfer in granular assemblies is simulated with DEM, and the effective thermal conductivity （ETC） of these granular assemblies is measured with the transient method in simulations. The measurement testbed is designed to test the ETC of the granular assemblies under normal pressure and a vacuum based on the steady method. Central composite design （CCD） is used to simulate the impact of the DEM parameters on the ETC of granular assemblies, and the heat transfer parameters are calibrated and compared with experimental data. The results show that, within the scope of the considered parameters, the ETC of the granular assemblies increases with an increasing particle thermal conductivity and decreases with an increasing particle shear modulus and particle diameter. The particle thermal conductivity has the greatest impact on the ETC of granular assemblies followed by the particle shear modulus and then the particle diameter. The calibration results show good agreement with the experimental results. The error is less than 4%, which is within a reasonable range for the scope of the CCD parameters. The proposed research provides high efficiency and high accuracy parameter calibration for granular heat transfer in DEM.

The finite element analysis of articular cartilage fiber-reinforced composite model under rolling load

Articular cartilage is a layer of low-friction,load-bearing soft hydrated tissue covering bone-ends in diarthrosis,which plays an important role in spreading the load,reducing the joint contact stress,joint friction and wear during exercise.The vital mechanical function

Effect of Surface Treatment on Elemental Composition of Recast NiCr Alloy

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different surface treatments on the elemental composition stability of as-received and recast types of NiCr casting alloys. Material and Methods: Six commercial NiCr dental casting alloys (Kera N, Nodelco, Bellabond, Wiron 99, Metaplus VK, and Tritech D) were used in this study. Seventy-two specimens (12 × 12 × 1.2 mm) were produced using the lost-wax casting process. Three casting protocols were established in relation to the proportion of as-received and recast alloys: Group A (100% as-received metal), Group B (50 wt% new metal, 50 wt% once-recast metal), and Group C (100% once-recast metal). Two specimens in every group received two different surface treatments: sandblasting with 110 μmm Al2O3 or oxidation firing. An elemental analysis was performed with x-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Results were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and Tukey HSD tests. Results: The elemental composition was significantly different in the casting groups and treatment groups (p < 0.05). The lowest mean weight percentage Ni value was recorded for Group C and the highest for Group A. Aluminum-oxide sandblasting of the alloy surface reduced the mean weight percentage for Cr. Conclusion: Recasting metal alloys may adversely affect surface quality.