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“Willow Withes Repairing Bone” (WWRB) is an ancient and mysterious technique in traditional Chinese medicine. In the 1950s, researchers of Chinese medicine made a lot of efforts hoping to revive the technique, but due to the poor osteogenic ability of willow withes, the research ended in a negative conclusion. Nonetheless, given the inherent advantages of the structure of willow withes, the authors of this paper decided to investigate the possibility of improving their osteogenicity. The results show that willow withes in a natural state show little ability to support HA biomineralization. Phosphorylation of the withes, however, can induce a significant degree of HA mineralization on their surface and in their pores by introducing phosphate groups through esterification, resulting in a remarkable improvement of the withes’ osteogenicity. Even better, phosphorylation does not affect the pore structure and biocompatibility of the withes. It does reduce their mechanical strength, but the amount of reduction is acceptable. This study should act as a step toward the revival of the WWRB technique.

Sedum aizoon L. is a medicinal plant that contains various flavonoids and phenolic acids, and plays positive roles in lowering blood pressure, hemostasis, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. However, the clinical application of Sedum aizoon L. is limited because of its low yield in natural state. Here, we aim to explore the application of adventitious root culture technology in Sedum aizoon L., further to improve the yield of Sedum aizoon L. and the production of secondary metabolites. We found that the callus of Sedum aizoon L. could be induced in MS medium containing 2.0 mg L−1 2,4-D and 0.5 mg L−1 BA. Then, the adventitious roots were obtained in Sedum aizoon L. with maximum induction rate (98.32%) when the callus were cultured in a stratified combination MS medium supplemented with 4.0 mg L−1 IBA, 1.0 mg L−1 KT, 1.0 mg·L−1 NAA and 60 mmol L−1 NO3−/NH4+ (5:1 ratio). Furthermore, the production of flavonoids in adventitious roots of S. aizoon L. (16.32±0.51 mg·g−1 DW) was obviously higher than those in the callus (3.66±0.65 mg g−1 DW). In conclusion, we determined that adventitious roots culture might be an effective alternative in improving the potential application of Sedum aizoon L..

Civil engineering science has evolved into the 21st century with concepts of recycling and sustainability. It is one of the most important goals of this century to create sustainable habitats by evaluating waste materials in building materials. This study aims to eliminate the boron waste dunes that have occurred and continue to occur in our country which has the world's largest boron reserves by using in road materials. Solid boron wastes obtained from the field were crushed and added to asphalt samples in certain ratios and the effect of Crushed Boron Waste (CBW) on asphalt samples were investigated. As a result of Marshall Design Method, it has been proved that boron wastes can be used in asphalt concrete within the specification limits. Besides, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was created for the evaluation of obtained data. As a result of Marshall Design Method, it has been proved that boron wastes can be used in asphalt concrete within the specification limits. Furthermore, examination of modelling and statistical analysis, mechanical performance of asphalt concrete samples with and without CBW addition has been predicted in noticeable manner. As a result of regression analysis, training and test sets r2 values are reached 0.95-0.91 for stability and 0.91-0.87 for flow values. Finally, a simulation was prepared with the created model and the effect of boron wastes on asphalt samples were examined in more detail.

The manifestations of the dipolar interaction in magnetic nano-devices can take subtle forms. In this work, we address the effects of dipolar interactions on skyrmions textures. The so-called twisted skyrmion is a natural state between the Bloch skyrmion, that arises from the bulk-like Dzyalonshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction, and the Neel-skyrmion, that results from the interfacial form of the DM interaction. Often neglected, or approximated by local interactions, we show how, when explicitly included, dipolar interactions generate gaps in the phase diagram for certain helicities. Besides, this interaction allows the existence of skyrmions with two chiralities, which are unstable when the dipolar interaction is approximated by a shape anisotropy.

The microbiomes of contaminated water bodies have altered microbial communities and functional capacity. Metagenomic data provides information on the microbiome at taxonomic and functional level. However, metagenomes from different environmental samples have shown that differences in taxonomy don’t always reflect changes in metabolic functions. Here, curated metagenome level network reconstructions for the highly contaminated Bogota River and five additional samples were constructed and compared through topological analysis and flux balance analysis, using a constraint-based optimization method. Active metabolic fluxes change depending on simulated conditions evidencing a distance between potential and active functions. Higher microbial diversity was found to have little effect on potential functions but a positive effect on metabolic network robustness. A high degree of contamination in the Bogota River has altered the microbiome’s metabolic functions making the system distant from a natural state. The microbiome of the Bogota River was found to be functionally similar to the microbiome of Produced Water. Metabolic network reconstructions increase the information obtainable from metagenomic data and allow modelling of complex ecosystems.

Tomatoes in its natural state remains highly sort after as a result of its domestic relevance in most homes. In a bit to reduce the amount of losses that occurs after harvest, storage amongst many others is seen to be a very germane consideration to enhancing the shelf life of tomatoes. Samples of red tomatoes were gotten from a popular market in omu-aran town, Kwara state, Nigeria and green tomatoes samples were gotten from the green house in Landmark University teaching and research farm, omu-aran, kwara state Nigeria. The samples were stored in an active evaporative cooling system for a period of seven days. A few samples were also placed in the ambient environment of the evaporative cooler to carry out a load-test on the cooler. The emerging result shows that after the seventh day, the red tomatoes and green tomatoes that was stored in cooler had a percentage weight loss of 8.65% and 1.54% respectively. While the red and green tomatoes samples that was stored in the ambient environment had a percentage weight loss of 47.20% and 5.14% respectively. This outcome implies that the evaporative cooler with an average cooling efficiency of 86.01% was able to optimize the shelf life of the red and green tomatoes.

Most business cycle theories originate from a paradigmatic vision with a two fold simplicity. The first of which is that firms are bound through simple relations in which they influence each other anonymously via prices but not directly through non-price rivalrous competition. And the second is that firms have immutable and transparent cores. These presumptions yield an economy whose natural state is one of stability. Macroeconomic dynamics, or change more generally, is brought about by exogenous shocks. This paper develops an alternate vision for understanding business cycle dynamics. We consider the dynamics that emerge from micro changes that originate from deep within firms. Each firm is surprised by externally visible innovations of other firms because they cannot observe each others' high dimensional interiors. Innovations can cascade because of the complex microeconomic interrelations between the plans of firms. The interaction between external-observable attributes and internal-unobservable active cores of firms is capable of generating change without exogenous shocks.

Quantifying the therapeutic effect of acupuncture is one of the biggest challenges in the modernization of acupuncture treatment. Based on the relationship between acupuncture and human microcirculation, this paper presents a therapeutic effect detection method based on laser speckle blood perfusion imaging (LSBPI). And a blood perfusion index (PI) was defined to measure the therapeutic effect of acupuncture. Aiming at the problem of image contrast reduction caused by human shaking and other factors in acupuncture process, an automatic image matching method was proposed. The LSBPI system was tested by a simulation experiment consisting of water pump and hoses. Acupuncture experiments were performed on 10 volunteers at the point of Waiguan, and the variance of PI of the different area on the hand was compared. The results showed that the PI of the finger during the acupuncture is more than 60% higher than that in the natural state. This new technique may have practical significance in the detection of therapy effects of acupuncture.

The heat of hydration of cast-in-place pile foundations may cause an increase of ground temperature and lower the bearing capacity of pile foundation. Observed temperature data indicated that the cast-in-place pile foundation of the Chalaping Bridge, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, without any cooling measure required two years to freezeback to a natural state. A cold air refrigerant system (CARS) is proposed to reduce the refreezing time. The CARS operates in winter, and the exhaust fan forces circulation of cold air in the pile foundation and removes heat from the ground. Experimental data indicated the concrete strength of pile foundation met the design criteria after curing 99 days under cold conditions. Based on the experimental result, the operation time of CARS can be established. A three-dimensional FEM model of the cast-in-place pile foundation of Chalaping Bridge with CARS was developed and the cooling effect of CARS was evaluated. The results showed that CARS might decrease the freezeback time by one year.

Deep mining of mineral resources leads to disturbances in the natural state of equilibrium which has formed in the rock mass for hundreds and thousands of years. Hard coal mining with longwall system which is carried out in the Upper Silesia Coal Basin (USCB) in Poland causes deformation of the rock mass. The effect of these are, among other things, the observed seismic tremors which are also called mining tremors. The time of occurrence of these tremors is connected with exceeding the boundary states in the rock mass and releasing a relatively large amount of energy. The observed mining tremors are characterized by energy reaching up to 10*e9J which corresponds to the local magnitude ML = 4.2. In this paper, an attempt was made to relate the time of occurrence of mining tremors with changes in the gravitational load of the rock mass caused by the Earth tides. The statistics of the number of tremors at the time of gravitational loading and unloading of the rock mass indicates that there is a relationship between the time of tremor and Earth tides.

Biochar (BC) will gradually age over time after its application to soil due to the effects of environmental factors, such as long-term oxidation and acid rain. The changes in the physical and chemical properties and structure of BC after aging are not well understood. In this study, soil burial (S), oxidation (O), and acidification (A) methods were used to simulate the aging of walnut shell BC based on comparisons with fresh BC (F-BC). The differences in the physicochemical properties and structure of the BC before and after aging were studied using an elemental analyzer, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. We found that the hydrophilicity of BC increased after aging whereas the aromaticity decreased. The surface pore structures were severely damaged on O-BC and A-BC compared with F-BC. Many clay particles were attached to the surface of BC. The adsorption performance of S-BC was not significantly lower than that of F-BC. According to the Langmuir model, the Q 0 values for F-BC, S-BC, O-BC, and A-BC were determined as 33.78 mg g − 1 , 32.47 mg g − 1 , 18.62 mg g − 1 , and 19.12 mg g − 1 , respectively. Finally, based on the three types of aging processes, we analyzed the adsorption mechanism for BC after aging in its natural state and evaluated the environmental benefits of BC aging. Our results provide a theoretical basis for practical applications of BC aging in soil.

References areas are sites that have undergone little or no anthropogenic impact and therefore represent the natural state of an environment. The objective of this study was to test if the Camamu Bay (CB), Bahia, can be used as a reference area for tropical coastal environments. Trace and major elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and the structure of the benthic macrofauna were determined. To compare the studied sites and identify the possible occurrence of anomalous concentrations, trace elements were normalized by Al and linear regressions were also performed. For all trace elements (except Cu), regressions showed a significant correlation (p

According to the requirements set by European BSS the exposure of humans and biota to ionizing radiation originating from natural radionuclides but under anthropogenically changed conditions should be managed within the same regulatory framework as other practices. Such situation creates the strong needs to have a reliable method to distinguish whether the particular case of natural radioactivity occurrence has resulted from human activity or it is pure natural phenomenon. In case of current activity of particular NORM industry there are no doubts however, in case of a legacy site, such question becomes crucial. One of the first warnings that the evaluated case has resulted from human deliberate or accidental activity is the lack of secular equilibrium among radionuclides constituting natural decay series. On the other hand some radionuclides, deposited on the ground surface due to radioactive fallout (e.g. caesium or lead isotope 210Pb), create in long term perspective a specific pattern that remains characteristic for un undisturbed soil. Hence, it can be assumed that every observed change in it proves a human activity. In order to check this 19 soil profiles taken at undisturbed area and around different NORM heaps were analyzed. The measured radionuclides concentrations were used to anatomize any alternation of natural state, assess radionuclides migration and even investigate the history of a site of concern in the time horizon, usually long enough to identify any human activity. Results procured an easy method of identification different NORM sites based on observed ratios of particular natural radionuclides.

This paper examines the ability of volumetric and deviatoric creep laws associated with constitutive models to simulate the creep behaviour of a soft soil in its natural state or chemically stabilised state. Initially, the models/laws are validated by oedometer and triaxial creep tests, for the stabilised and unstabilised soils. Finally, the long-term behaviour of an embankment built on a soft soil reinforced with deep mixing columns is predicted based on the properties for a curing time of 28 days. The results show that the creep phenomenon should be considered in a long-term analysis of deep mixing columns.

This paper aimed at the prediction and control of NH 3 -N in the transportation of leachate under the monitored natural attenuation (MNA) of a landfill in the coalmine subsidence area of Huainan, Anhui province, China, and four scenarios were analyzed: (1) natural state without biodegradation, (2) natural state with biodegradation, (3) closure state without biodegradation, (4) closure state with biodegradation. The results showed that the leachate could be well controlled by anti-seepage wall and that the biodegradation played an important role in MNA process of NH 3 -N in leachate. The feasibility of anti-seepage measures was put forward in terms of leachate control in landfill and conclusions according to the evaluation could be applied for actual contamination sites.

Synchrony is thought to provide fitness advantages to group-living animals, but little is known how animals maintain synchrony. We investigated intensity of synchrony factors (milking, feed-provision) in cattle herds. Intensity decreased from dairy cows milked in a parlour to cows milked by a robot to suckler cows raising calves. On 30 farms, 10 of each type, we recorded synchrony in lying and feeding. Peaks in lying synchronously were visible in the early morning, around noon, and late at night. These peaks decreased from the suckler cows to the cows milked in a parlour and to the cows milked by a robot. Complementary peaks were found for synchronous feeding. The asynchronous milking times with the milking robot decreased synchrony. Unexpectedly, the suckler cows with the weakest synchrony factors also showed a high level of synchrony. These results indicate that internal motivations for synchrony may be present in addition to external synchrony factors.

The Colorado River’s naturalized flow at Lee’s Ferry is commonly used by water officials, scientists, researchers, and the media as a single, quasi-official measure of the river’s flow. While choosing a single number has become a convenient benchmark for considering “the flow of the Colorado River”, those using it should be aware of the limitations and risks. The source, the Bureau of Reclamation’s Natural Flow Data Base (NFDB) represents our best current understanding of the river’s hydrology in its natural state. But its use should be approached with an understanding of significant caveats.

Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is an exceptional imaging modality which is limited in visualizing soft biological tissues that need pre-examination contrasting steps, which can cause serious deformation to sizeable specimens like engorged ticks. The aim of this study was to develop a new technique to bypass these limitations and allow the imaging of fed ticks in their natural state. To accomplish this, adult Ixodes ricinus females were allowed to engorge in vitro on blood supplemented with PEGylated gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNPs). In total, 73/120 females divided into 6 groups engorged on blood enriched with 0.07–2.16 mg PEG-AuNPs per ml of blood. No toxic effect was observed for any of the tested groups compared to the control group, in which 12/20 females engorged on clear blood. The ticks were scanned on a Bruker micro-CT SkyScan 1276. The mean radiodensity of the examined ticks exceeded 0 Hounsfield Units only in the case of the two groups with the highest concentration. The best contrast was observed in ticks engorged on blood with the highest tested concentration of 2.16 mg/mL PEG-AuNPs. In these ticks, the midgut and rectal sac were clearly visible. Also, the midgut lumen volume was computed from segmented image data. The reduction in midgut volume was documented during the egg development process. According to this pilot study, micro-CT of ticks engorged on blood supplemented with contrasting agents in vitro may reveal additional information regarding the engorged ticks’ anatomy.

This paper presents a 3D numerical model for the north-west (NW) Sabalan geothermal system, including the unsaturated vadose zone overlying the system, based on a conceptual model derived from data gathered from 10 deep exploration wells. To achieve the goal, the EOS3 (water-air state equation) module of the Tough2 simulator was utilized to develop the model. The model was constructed from a rectangular prism, which is 11.5 km long, 8 km wide, and variable depths ranging from 3.8–5.11 km. The 21 horizontal layers with a thickness range of 100−1000 m were expanded from the maximum height of 4110 to -1000 masl. A total of 22 rock types were distributed within the model based on the availability of rock units and geological structures derived from the exploration wells. The permeability of these rock types varied from 1.0 × 10−17 to 9.0 × 10-13 m2. The model was initially run to match the natural state of the reservoir. A close agreement was obtained between the measured data from the exploration wells, and the model results for subsurface temperatures and pressures. In the calibrated model, a high temperature upflow zone was required in the southeast part of the area (below the exploration sites D and E). This flow rises to the land surface through permeable zones, faults, and fractures, and finally appears on the earth’s surface as hot springs in the northwestern part of the area. This model was then used as the initial model to predict the reservoir performance for the 50 MWe scenario. The results showed that the reservoir can generate about 45 MWe by assigning two makeup wells and remain at this level for more than 30 years.

The aim of this work is the preparation of activated carbon from coffee grounds waste in order to use it as adsorbent in the removal of Paracetamol (PCM) largely existing in wastewaters rejected by pharmaceutical industries. The coffee ground was used in three forms: natural state (NAC), thermally activated at 450 °C (TAC) and chemically activated in the presence of phosphoric acid (CAC). The three biomaterials were analyzed by XRD, FTIR, SEM and BET in order to identify eventual structural and adsorptive characteristics. The specific area has significantly increased from 102.2 m2/g for NAC to 648.6 and 888.1 m2/g for TAC and CAC, respectively. The adsorption tests showed a very remarkable solid-liquid affinity with the following efficiency sequence: CAC

The total lead (Pb) concentrations of the surface soil, sub surface soil, vegetation and surface waters of outdoor shooting ranges are extremely high and above regulatory limits. Lead is dangerous at high concentrations and can cause a variety of serious health problems. Shooters and range workers are exposed to lead dust and can even take Pb dust home to their families while some animals around the shooting range can ingest the Pb bullets. The toxicity of Pb depends on its bioavailability which has been determined to be influenced greatly by the geochemical properties of each site. The bioavailability of Pb in shooting ranges has been found to be higher than other metal contaminated soils probably because of its very low residual Pb (

The Chingshui geothermal power plant was decommissioned in 1993 due to a continued decline in production. Although some geothermal exploration and field investigation had been exercised, the production potential of the reservoir is still not well understood. In this paper, numerical modeling approaches for characterization of the geothermal reservoir, investigation of reservoir production performance, and evaluation of exploitation scheme design are presented. At first, a site-scale refined grid numerical model was developed for simulating the natural state of Chingshui geothermal reservoir. Through the model, the production potential of the geothermal reservoir was estimated and the availability of water resources was assessed. We further built production model to simulate the production history during 1981–1993. From the production model, we can conclude that the abnormal drop of the reservoir production capacity is mainly caused by carbonate scaling. Potential production schemes with different reinjection designs were evaluated through the model. Simulation results indicated that a sustainable hot water production capacity of Chingshui geothermal reservoir is about 200 t/h without reinjection, and 300 t/h or even higher with reinjection which is enough for a 3 MWe power plant. The simulation results indicate that reinjection provides an effective approach for maintaining reservoir pressure during hot water/steam production.

Magna Carta is often heralded as the foundation stone for the subsequent emergence of the rule of law in England. But what made it enforceable and ensured that its terms were adhered to by subsequent monarchs? This paper develops an institutional account of the emergence of the rule of law in medieval England that draws on the work of North, Wallis and Weingast (2009) . I argue that the Magna Carta should be seen as just one episode in the long process of establishing a centralized but constrained state in England. Similar documents to Magna Carta were common throughout medieval Europe. It was the subsequent development of a consensus-based tax state that was of decisive important for the later emergence of the rule of law in medieval and early modern England.

Urban and peri-urban forests and woodlands provide an important recreational service for citizens. However, these forests are facing increasing pressure due to the ongoing land-use encroachment and increased demands for wood-based products. Same time the world is getting more urbanized and living in cities is associated with mental health problems and exposure to air pollution and noise. Conversely, forests are known to create more healthy environments, and the need for effectively restorative forests is even more evident. In this study we investigated whether the restorative effects of forests on people vary according to the forests’ different management decisions and/or ages. We selected four spruce-dominated forests that represent well the different management outcomes: 1) an urban recreation forest, 2) a mature commercial forest, 3) a young commercial forest, and 4) an old-growth forest in its natural state. The study participants (39 women and 27 men) visited each forest once. The experiment included 15 min of observation, followed by 30 min of walking. We measured the restorative effects: perceived restorative outcomes, vitality and positive and negative emotions. The restorative effects increased significantly in all forests. The old-growth forest and mature commercial forest were significantly most restorative. The urban recreation forest was less restorative than these two, but more restorative than the young commercial forest which was at least restorative. In conclusion, it is important to preserve forests with old stands close to residential areas. As the forest management decisions and stand age affect restorative qualities, they should be taken into account in forest management and land use planning.

Uncaria guianensis (UG) and Uncaria tomentosa (UT) are widely found in the South America rainforest. Both species, popularly known as cat's claw, can be easily differentiated in natural state through their morphological characteristics. However, the discrimination of their derivatives, such as dried extracts, is limited to differences in their chemical composition. This work establishes differentiation criteria between both cat's claw species by multivariate analysis from FT-IR, UV, and LC-PDA data, as well as for adulteration recognition in UT stem bark. Eight authentic UT and UG stem bark samples and eighteen UT samples spiked with UG at three levels (10%, 30% and 50%, w/w) were extracted and analyzed by FT-IR analysis; direct UV analysis; UV analysis after basification and complexation with KOH and AlCl3, respectively; LC-PDA analysis of oxindole alkaloids, quinovic acid glycosides, and polyphenols. Classification (SIMCA and k-NN models) and calibration (PCR and PLS models) multivariate models were applied for adulteration recognition and quantification of their level, respectively. The authentic UT samples could not be differentiated those purposely spiked with UG from LC-PDA analysis of oxindole alkaloids. In contrast, LC-PDA analysis of polyphenols and UV analysis coupled to SIMCA and PLS multivariate models, allowed the differentiation between UT and UG and adulteration recognition in UT. Flavonoids were key compounds in both cases. Both UV and LC-PDA analysis of polyphenols coupled to multivariate analysis were effective for differentiation between cat's claw species, as well as adulteration recognition in the UT.

The amount of rice husk waste generated in Nigeria is posing serious threat to the environment and the ecosystem. Utilizing these wastes for productive purposes has been of interest to government and researchers. This study evaluated rice hush ash (RHA) reinforced clay for use as road subgrade, using the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) as prescribed in ASTM D1883. The clay was mixed with RHA/Portland cement in the ratios of 0% (control), 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%. Results showed that the physical properties of the soil in its natural form did not meet the FMWH thus there was a need to stabilize the soil. As the percentage of RHA increased, the strength of the soil increased, with the maximum strength observed at 5% RHA, beyond which there was decrease in the load bearing capacity of the soil. Optimal CBR ratio of 9.35% was obtained at 5% RHA, 5% Portland cement and 90% clay soil. Comparing this result with the soil at natural state (CBR=1.55%), it shows that RHA is a good improvement agent for the soil. This research can be beneficial to highway road construction in areas with similar soil conditions.

The need to source for local components of drilling mud in Nigeria has necessitated the assessment of the properties (in natural state and when beneficiated) of clays from three geological units: namely; Asu River Group (Albian), Eze Aku Group (Turonian) and Imo Shale Formation (Paleocene). Analysis on the raw clays indicates that they are predominantly smectite (notable for high plasticity and swellability) and mixed layer clay types but posses other rheological properties that fall short of the requirements for good drilling mud materials. On account of beneficiation, with 4% Na 2 CO 3, most of the swellability and rheological parameters, such as liquid limit, plasticity index, free swell index, and viscosity improved. With 4% barite, the specific gravity of the clays increased significantly from 2.42–2.64 to 2.72–2.90. However, the improvement especially in the swellability quality is considerably low when compared with swellability data on naturally active bentonites from Wyoming and Texas, and activated clays from Manitoba and India. The quality of these referenced clays served as standard for assessing clays for oil-based drilling mud. Study suggests marginal performance of clays both in raw and beneficiated states, especially in oil-based drilling mud, as they failed to meet most specifications.

L'hydrogene sulfure (H2S) est un gaz toxique retrouve a l'etat naturel et dans certains milieux industriels, a l'origine d'intoxication accidentelle, mais pouvant etre egalement et facilement synthetise de maniere domestique. Des cas de suicide par hydrogene sulfure ont ainsi ete decrits a partir de produits menagers dans la litterature depuis 2009, aux Etats-Unis et au Japon. La plupart presentait des delais post mortem (DPM) courts (moins de 72 heures). En France, les intoxications aigues a l'H2S demeurent rares et sont le plus souvent liees a des accidents du travail. Nous rapportons ici le cas d'un homme âge de 37 ans decouvert a son domicile, en etat de decomposition avancee avec un DPM de deux mois. Compte tenu de la presence d'une importante signaletique avisant du danger potentiel d'exposition a l'H2S, des mesures de precaution ont ete mises en oeuvre des la decouverte du corps et poursuivies jusqu'aux operations d'autopsie. Les analyses toxicologiques ont confirme la presence d'H2S au niveau des prelevements de cerveau et de muscle. Le cas presente constitue le premier cas de suicide avec un delai post mortem long a l'H2S rapporte en France. Dans la litterature, les constatations macroscopiques a l'autopsie ne sont pas specifiques tandis que les analyses toxicologiques reposent essentiellement sur la recherche et la quantification d'H2S. En raison de leur redistribution post mortem, les resultats de ces analyses doivent etre interpretes avec prudence, et encore plus en cas de delai post mortem long et de phenomenes de putrefaction qui peuvent egalement etre une source de generation d'H2S post mortem. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) which is a poisonous gas found either in the natural state or in industrial environments and potentially linked with accidental intoxication, can also be easily handmade. Several cases of suicide by inhaling H2S produced by mixing household products have been reported in the literature since 2009 in USA and Japan. Most of them involved short post mortem delays up to 72 hours. In France, acute H2S poisoning remains rare and mostly accidental. We report the case of a 37-year-old man found at home, in an advanced stage of decomposition with a 2-month post mortem delay. As numerous warning signs about a high risk of H2S exposure were present, some precautionary measures were taken from the discovery of the cadaver to the autopsy. Toxicological analyses confirmed the presence of H2S in brain and muscle samples. This observation is the first French case with a long post mortem delay. As macroscopic findings in such cases are described to be unspecific in literature, toxicological analysis must focus on the detection and the quantification of H2S. However, due to the phenomena of post mortem drug redistribution and neo-formation, their results should be interpreted with much more caution when the post mortem delay is long. The potential increase in such voluntary-intoxication-related-deaths in France, similar to the recent Japanese and American waves of suicides, requires for forensic scientists, a good knowledge of both thanatological and toxicological pictures, and precautionary measures to adopt in such situations.

When a beach is lost, society has to make a decision as to whether it is worth the effort to replace it. The objective of this study was to compare the social benefits and expenditures generated by a rural beach with the cost to replace the entirety of its sediment. To identify the potential social benefits to users on a Matagorda, Texas beach, we used survey questionnaires to determine user demographic characteristics, social perspectives and opinions. We found that users preferred leaving wrack on the beach in its natural state and keeping it family-friendly. These preferences suggested that they visit this beach over other beaches on the Upper Texas Coast, at least partially because of its rural nature. To identify expenditures generated by the beach, we queried users in terms of their spending and travel habits. We found the average beach use expenditure to be $1201 per person per year (in 2010 US Dollars). The average values were lowest for those surveyed during the ‘Off Season’ (winter) at $665 and highest during ‘Spring Break’ at $1647. We then calculated the cost of nearby restoration projects, to assess the potential cost of replacing the sediment along the same extent of beach, a value on the order of 2 million dollars. For user expenditures to exceed this replacement cost, there would need to be approximately 15 times more individuals visiting the study site beach than we had surveyed, a number easily exceeded in a single year. We conclude that the expenditures generated by this rural beach well exceed its replacement cost.

Preclinical studies show that estradiol enhances sensitization to cocaine in females by mechanisms not fully understood. These studies consistently show that ovariectomized (OVX) rats exhibit little or no sensitization to cocaine compared to OVX rats administered estradiol. In this study we varied the dose of cocaine (10, 15, and 30mg/kg), the length of cocaine treatment (from 5 to 10days) and the context of cocaine injections to determine if these factors play a role on estradiol's effects on cocaine sensitization. Because OVX rats are hormonally compromised, they are not representative of the natural state of the animal, and thus the physiological context of these studies remains unclear. To address this issue, we blocked ERs in gonadally intact females by icv administration of the antiestrogen ICI-182,780. Varying the dose or length of exposure to cocaine does not alter estradiol's effect on cocaine sensitization. In contrast, a highly context-dependent sensitization protocol results in robust sensitization even in OVX rats. Interestingly, using this protocol, sensitization in OVX rats diminished with time, suggesting that estradiol is necessary for the maintenance of cocaine sensitization. Blocking brain ERs with ICI completely abolishes the development and expression of cocaine sensitization in gonadally intact female rats, even when tested in a highly context-dependent sensitization protocol. Given these findings, we propose that activation of brain ERs is required for the development and maintenance of sensitization and CPP.

The very high level of requirements for certification procedures often limit research and development departments to innovate using increments and iterations during the design process for medical devices (MD). Instead of this semi-empirical approach, a structured procedure, a breakthrough innovation should be used when designing an articular MD (prosthesis, implant). The search for concepts can be based on functional analysis and producing behavioural models of the joint in its natural state and/or equipped with the prosthesis. This paper shows how anatomical variables can be managed and integrated using a modular design approach. This study has been realized under the two joint action projects PESSOA 14630YA and PTDC/EME-PME/112977.

Summary A superposition of several thermal processes leads to an elevation of groundwater temperatures of up to 9 °C above the natural state in the city of Basel, Switzerland. The urban thermal groundwater regime is influenced by: (1) urbanization and annual heating periods; (2) thermal groundwater use; (3) seasonal trends; (4) river-groundwater interaction; and (5) climate change and consequences thereof. The combination of short- and long-term data analysis, including conventional and high-resolution multilevel groundwater temperature monitoring, as well as 3D numerical groundwater flow and heat-transport modeling allowed quantifying the thermal influences on the investigated urban groundwater body. Results facilitate to describe the “present state” of the urban thermal groundwater regime and to derive a “potential natural state” of the investigated groundwater body. The study originated from a request of the executive council to provide a basis for cost estimates of infrastructure adaptation measures necessary to mitigate the impact of climate change. It is shown that the principal trigger for the observed thermal development is not climate change but that local and regional anthropogenic factors are dominating. Although in urban areas, groundwater is increasingly used for cooling purposes; the geothermal potential, resulting from elevated groundwater temperatures, is generally not exploited. The presented approach provides a basis for the setup of combined and thermally balanced heating and cooling systems.

Circaea lutetiana L. is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the family of Oenotheraceae (Onagraceae). It occurs as a common herb in forests of North America, Europe and Asia. Native Americans have used infusions of Circaea as a remedy for wounds and as a wash on injured parts of the body (Moerman, 1998). This study investigates the aerial parts of C. lutetiana L., which were collected from natural state in Bremen (Germany) in the period of blooming in August 2011. Plant material was authenticated by Dr. Anna Kiss and Dr. Wojciech Szypu1a (Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Medical University of Warsaw) based on morphological characters. Voucher specimen (no. CL082011) has been deposited in the Plant Collection, Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.

Understanding the molecular basis for the astringent response of red wine remains an active area of research. The first component of this review examines the evidence for the existence of molecular assembly processes, particularly involving proanthocyanidins, proteins and polysaccharides. The need for competitive studies involving other wine components on the aggregation processes is identified. Secondly, we examine the impact of molecular assembly on the methodology used to assess astringency, arguing that gustation experiments should be designed around wine in its natural state. Finally, the possibility of finding commonalities between sensory descriptors for astringency and analytical measurements on the wine in its natural state is outlined.

The capabilities of atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been rapidly expanding beyond topographical imaging to now allow for the analysis of a wide range of properties of diverse materials. The technique of nanoindentation, traditionally performed via dedicated indenters can now be reliably achieved using AFM instrumentation, enabling mechanical property determination at the nanoscale using the high spatial and force resolutions of the AFM. In the study of biological systems, from biomolecules to complexes, this technique provides insight into how mesoscale properties and functions may arise from a myriad of single biomolecules. In vivo and in situ analyses of native structures under physiological conditions as well as the rapid analysis of molecular species under a variety of experimental treatments are made possible with this technique. As a result, AFM nanoindentation has emerged as a critical tool for the study of biological systems in their natural state, further contributing to both biomaterial design and pharmacological research. In this review, we detail the theory and progression of AFM-based nanoindentation, and present several applications of this technique as it has been used to probe biomolecules and biological nanostructures from single proteins to complex assemblies. We further detail the many challenges associated with mechanical models and required assumptions for model validity. AFM nanoindentation capabilities have provided an excellent improvement over conventional nanomechanical tools and by integration of topographical data from imaging, enabled the rapid extraction and presentation of mechanical data for biological samples.

A three dimensional numerical model of the northwest (NW) Sabalan geothermal system was developed on the basis of the designed conceptual model from available field data. A numerical model of the reservoir was expressed with a grid system of a rectangular prism of 12 km × 8 km with 4.6 km height, giving a total area of 96 km2. The model has 14 horizontal layers ranging in thickness between 100 m to 1000 m extending from a maximum of 3600 to −1000 m a.s.l. Fifteen rock types were used in the model to assign different horizontal permeabilities from 5.0 × 10−18 to 4.0 × 10−13 m2 based on the conceptual model. Natural state modeling of the reservoir was performed, and the results indicated good agreements with measured temperature and pressure in wells. Numerical simulations were conducted for predicting reservoir performances by allocating production and reinjection wells at specified locations. Three different exploitation scenarios were examined for sustainability of reservoir for the next 30 years. Effects of reinjection location and required number of makeup wells to maintain the specified fluid production were evaluated. The results showed that reinjecting at Site B, immediate adjacent to production zone, is most effective for pressure maintenance of the system. On the base of existing data and assumptions the reservoir can sustain producing fluid equivalent to 50 MWe of electricity for more than 30 years. The reservoir can produce the maximum amount of fluids equivalent to 90–100 MWe for only 5 years, but the production capacity decreases to 50 MWe after 20 years of operation because of pressure and enthalpy drop. The reservoir can sustain 50 MWe over 100 years that can be defined as a sustainable production level of the field.

In this work we develop and analyze a mathematical model describing the dynamics of infection by a virus of a host population in a freshwater environment. Our model, which consists of a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, includes an intrinsic quota, that is, we use a nutrient (e.g., phosphorus) as a limiting element for the host and potentially for the virus. Motivation for such a model arises from studies that raise the possibility that on the one hand, viruses may be limited by phosphorus (Bratbak et al. [17]), and on the other, that they may have a role in stimulating the host to acquire the nutrient (Wilson [18]). We perform an in-depth mathematical analysis of the system including the existence and uniqueness of solutions, equilibria, asymptotic, and persistence analysis. We compare the model with experimental data, and find that biologically meaningful parameter values provide a good fit. We conclude that the mathematical model supports the hypothesized role of stored nutrient regulating the dynamics, and that the coexistence of virus and host is the natural state of the system.

Daily perception entails an immediate awareness of the environment surrounding the body. To explore its dynamic nature during locomotion, this study tests the hypothesis that significant changes in spatial volume induce the directional focusing (i.e., anisotropy) of environmental perception. To capture perceptual activity in its natural state, we have attempted an approach using the feeling of visual pressure (i.e., felt presence) caused by the surrounding environment. In the present experiment that uses a virtual reality setup, participants were required to continuously rate their feelings while moving along a virtual outdoor route. Their ratings were analyzed in relation to environmental measurements along the route, such as the visible area of buildings and the horizontal extent of surrounding space. The relationship between the ratings and measurements was explored by using two prediction models: with and without consideration of perceptual anisotropy. The results suggested that a consideration of anisotropy improved the prediction accuracy, thereby supporting our hypothesis.

Isometric heat capacity c v and isobaric heat capacity c p of Pt with stable and metastable phases were calculated by using pure element systematic theory. These results are in excellent agreement with of SGTE (Scientific Group Thermodata Europe) database and JANAF (Joint Army-Navy-Air Force) experimental values. The calculation results of c v and c p of Pt metal in natural state are in good agreement with those calculated by FP(first-principles) method. It is found that the electron devotion to heat capacity is important to adjust in OA(one-atom) method while calculating heat capacity. The full information about thermodynamic properties of Pt metal with stable and metastable phases, such as entropy( S ), enthalpy( H ) and Gibbs energy( G ) were calculated from 0 K to random temperature. The results are in good agreement with JANAF experimental value. In contrast to SGTE database, the thermodynamic properties from 0 K to 298.15 K are implemented.

The concept of naturalness is one of the more studied concepts in landscape preference research and describes how close a landscape is to a perceived natural state. In this study we explored the relationship between landscape preference and three landscape indicators of naturalness (level of succession, number of woodland patches and shape index of edges). We used computer-generated visualisations of a hypothetical landscape containing pasture and broadleaved woodland. In the landscape simulations we altered the values of the naturalness indicators between the levels of low, medium and high, creating 27 different visualisations. The survey was distributed as an on-line survey in seven different languages and obtained 703 respondents. The study showed a strong relationship with preference for both the level of succession and number of woodland patches, and a weaker relationship with shape index of edges. The two demographic factors which were shown to contribute most to the formation of preference were gender and having a landscape related profession. The results suggest that the selected indicators are more important drivers of preference than demographic factors.

Boolean networks can be used as simple but general models for complex self-organizing systems. The freedom to choose different rules and structures of interactions makes this model applicable to a wide variety of complex phenomena. It is known that the damage dynamics in annealed Boolean systems should fall in the same universality class of the directed percolation model. In this work we present results about the behavior of this model at and near the critically ordered condition for both the annealed and the quenched versions of the model. Our study concentrates on the way the system responds to a small perturbation. We show that the characteristic correlation time, i.e., the time in which any memory of this perturbation is lost, diverges as one moves towards criticality. Exactly at the critical point, we observe that the time for returning to the natural state after the perturbation follows a power-law distribution. This indicates that most perturbations are quickly restored, while few events may have a global effect on the system, suggesting a mechanism that assures at the same time robustness and adaptability. The critical exponents obtained are in agreement with the values expected for the universality class of mean-field directed percolation both in the annealed and in the quenched Boolean network model. This gives further evidence that annealed Boolean networks may in certain conditions provide a good model for understanding the behavior of regulatory systems. Our results may give insight into the way real self-organizing systems respond to external stimuli, and why critically ordered systems are often observed in Nature.

The natural state of the interior of a living cell is extremely dense with numerous molecules packed into a tiny amount of space. Such a physiological environment is known as “crowded” and can exert profound effects on the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of the molecules. In general most biochemical experiments involve low molecular concentrations and in the process, underestimate many reaction rates. This paper reports work on a microfluidic system fabricated using polydimethylsiloxane, and relied on chaotic advection to rapidly mix crowded biological solutions that have been isolated in droplets (slugs). By forcing the slugs through a pillar matrix, the slugs were compelled to stretch and fold repeatedly, creating unsteady fluid flows that rapidly mixed the slug contents in tens of milliseconds at Reynolds number in the order of 10−3. Both straight and serpentine channels containing pillars were used for mixing the slug contents. Our results suggested that the pillars generated a significant amount of interfacial stresses on the slugs and in the process induced rapid mixing. This makes the system suitable for the study of reaction kinetics, which requires reactants to be mixed faster than the actual reaction time itself.

SYNOPSIS The objective of this paper is to cohesively introduce the notion of natural optimism into the accounting literature and to provide insights into the role of natural optimism in financial reporting on the part of firm managers. To accomplish this, we first discuss the research that demonstrates that optimism is the natural state of mind for most people and therefore we posit that firm managers involved in preparing financial statements are likely to exhibit naturally occurring optimism. Second, we identify where natural optimism is most likely to have an impact on financial reporting. Third, we address the challenges involved with mitigating or eliminating natural optimism in financial reporting. Finally, we address the relationship between optimism and two other constructs often found in accounting—namely, overconfidence and motivated reasoning.

There are a number of problems associated with the HIV/AIDS endemic which at present is the second leading cause of death throughout the world amongst young adults. The alarming rate of deaths has provoked a litany of cures, some of which work if caught early. Herein a solution exists that involves diluting otherwise toxic materials that can be found naturally within the body, to resume the bodies' natural state as rapidly as possible. The cure involves isolating a component of boric acid (where common isotopes can be extracted by removing the toxic substance(s) from boric acid which would otherwise be lethal) and sulfur (as a diluted buffer, though not toxic in ready amounts although to further the extent by which injected boric acid does not cause harm). Injection should be limited to the affected regions, it is used to treat vaginitis locally, thus demonstrating its potential to effectively treat a sexually transmitted disease without causing harm. Boric acid produced through natural means is simply not enough to cure the disease, and should HIV/AIDS present itself in a more lethal form, it becomes necessary to inject a prepared solution, with boric acid reduced to pH 0.05 insofar as to attract it to viral components. It should also be stated, that through research in artificial white blood cells, it becomes possible to yield a much more efficient solution, although because this is a newly researched topic it may take years to perfect the technology. Both solutions will be explored, with the former corresponding to a universal vaccine.

What strategies do rising states use to challenge the established international order and bring about its transformation? This question has received surprisingly little attention, as both realist and liberal theorists have focused on whether or not there will be a demand for change on the part of rising powers. Both schools assume that change will involve open and violent confrontation between status quo powers and challengers. Realists see this as the natural state of affairs and regard great power confrontation to be the major engine of change in international relations. Liberals are more optimistic and argue that rising powers will be more inclined to accept the established order because they find the costs of challenging it to be prohibitive.We believe that these arguments are flawed in that they limit rising powers to only two options: they can either “beat ‘em” or “join ‘em”. Rising states can either acquiesce to the existing order or wage a full-out frontal assault to overthrow and replace it. In examining the behavior of post-Soviet Russia (the contemporary rising power that has been the most proactive in its opposition to the established order), we find that rising powers have a wider menu of effective strategies available to them – from simply ignoring the parts of the established order that they do not like, to forming new relationships and institutions that achieve specific aims. These strategies allow rising powers to resist the established order and work towards its gradual transformation.

An electroless Ni-B film was deposited in natural state of the plating bath. The structure and composition distribution in depth of the film were explored by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) after the deposition. It was found that the film experienced morphologic transformations during the deposition. The morphology of the film varied in-step with its structure and was presumably relevant with the changes of depositing rate. The mechanism that leads to the morphologic transformations has been discussed.

We investigate numerically 10 - dimensional Euclidean quantum gravity (with discretized Einstein - Hilbert action) in the framework of the dynamical triangulation approach. For the considered values of the gravitational coupling we observed two phases, the behavior of which is found to be similar to that of the crumpled and elongated phases of 3, 4 and 5 dimensional models. Surprisingly, (for the observed lattice sizes) the natural state of the 10 D system (when the Einstein - Hilbert action is turned off) is found to resemble branched polymer while in the low dimensional systems the natural state belongs to the crumpled phase., accepted for the publication in Phys.Lett.B

Given that biological samples are particularly soft in their natural state and that a liquid is the most difficult operating environment for non-contact mode scanning force microscopy, the development of a scanning force microscope that is optimised to image biological samples in vitro presents significant challenges. The performance of the instrument described here has been optimised for such an application by incorporating magnetic excitation and active-Q control of the cantilever. The application of this instrument has been validated by imaging monolayers of immobilised antibodies in liquid and achieving image qualities comparable to those achieved in air for such samples.

Probe-free imaging of redox intermediate radicals must become a crucial method and diagnosis. DNP (dynamic nuclear polarization)-MRI, a new imaging method for free radical (Lurie, et al. 1988), utilizes Overhauser effect that nuclear spin close to free radical is 300 times higher polarized than that of natural state by inducing the electron spin resonance of free radical. The advantage of DNP-MRI is the high sensitivity and resolution, theoretically similar to that in MRI. We installed the custom-made DNP-MRI from Philips and succeeded in the imaging of redox status in disease models and the spectroscopic imaging of redox intermediate radicals from FMN, FAD, CoQ10, and vitamin E. It has, however, the large disadvantage of poor sensitivity and heating by ESR irradiation, because of its low magnetic field (15mT MRI). Here, we developed the novel field-cycling DNP-MRI system for clinical trial, in which free radicals are visualized with 0.3T MRI as the polarized proton by irradiating the free radicals at 5mT, and demonstrated the clear images of the phantoms containing FAD radical with less than 0.5 mm of the spatial resolution. The image of FAD radical placed under healthy volunteer hand was superimposed on the anatomical MRI image. The intrinsic radical, melanin, could be also visualized. Overhauser effect is known to be occurred in the various kind of free radicals, metal-complex, etc., and also in lipid membranes. The newly developed DNP-MRI could demonstrate the functional/metabolic imaging by visualizing intrinsic radials, redox intermediates and/or metal enzymes in disease models and also in patients.