Effect of aggregate graining compositions on skid resistance of Exposed Aggregate Concrete pavement

Science.gov (United States)

Wasilewska, Marta; Gardziejczyk, Wladysław; Gierasimiuk, Pawel

2018-05-01

The paper presents the evaluation of skid resistance of EAC (Exposed Aggregate Concrete) pavements which differ in aggregate graining compositions. The tests were carried out on concrete mixes with a maximum aggregate size of 8 mm. Three types of coarse aggregates were selected depending on their resistance to polishing which was determined on the basis of the PSV (Polished Stone Value). Basalt (PSV 48), gabbro (PSV 50) and trachybasalt (PSV 52) aggregates were chosen. For each type of aggregate three graining compositions were designed, which differed in the content of coarse aggregate > 4mm. Their content for each series was as follows: A - 38%, B - 50% and C - 68%. Evaluation of the skid resistance has been performed using the FAP (Friction After Polishing) test equipment also known as the Wehner/Schulze machine. Laboratory method enables to compare the skid resistance of different types of wearing course under specified conditions simulating polishing processes. In addition, macrotexture measurements were made on the surface of each specimen using the Elatexure laser profile. Analysis of variance showed that at significance level α = 0.05, aggregate graining compositions as well as the PSV have a significant influence on the obtained values of the friction coefficient μm of the tested EAC pavements. The highest values of the μm have been obtained for EAC with the lowest amount of coarse aggregates (compositions A). In these cases the resistance to polishing of the aggregate does not significantly affect the friction coefficients. This is related to the large areas of cement mortar between the exposed coarse grains. Based on the analysis of microscope images, it was observed that the coarse aggregates were not sufficiently exposed. It has been proved that PSV significantly affected the coefficient of friction in the case of compositions B and C. This is caused by large areas of exposed coarse aggregate. The best parameters were achieved for the EAC pavements

Effects of iron-aluminium oxides and organic carbon on aggregate stability of bauxite residues.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Feng; Li, Yubing; Xue, Shengguo; Hartley, William; Wu, Hao

2016-05-01

In order to successfully establish vegetation on bauxite residue, properties such as aggregate structure and stability require improvement. Spontaneous plant colonization on the deposits in Central China over the last 20 years has revealed that natural processes may improve the physical condition of bauxite residues. Samples from three different stacking ages were selected to determine aggregate formation and stability and its relationship with iron-aluminium oxides and organic carbon. The residue aggregate particles became coarser in both dry and wet sieving processes. The mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometry mean diameter (GMD) increased significantly, and the proportion of aggregate destruction (PAD) decreased. Natural stacking processes could increase aggregate stability and erosion resistant of bauxite residues. Free iron oxides and amorphous aluminium oxides were the major forms in bauxite residues, but there was no significant correlation between the iron-aluminium oxides and aggregate stability. Aromatic-C, alkanes-C, aliphatic-C and alkenes-C were the major functional groups present in the residues. With increasing stacking age, total organic carbon content and aggregate-associated organic carbon both increased. Alkanes-C, aliphatic-C and alkenes-C increased and were mainly distributed in macro-aggregates, whereas aromatic-C was mainly distributed in aluminium oxides maybe more important for stability of micro-aggregates.

[Research methods of carbon sequestration by soil aggregates: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiao-Xia; Liang, Ai-Zhen; Zhang, Xiao-Ping

2012-07-01

To increase soil organic carbon content is critical for maintaining soil fertility and agricultural sustainable development and for mitigating increased greenhouse gases and the effects of global climate change. Soil aggregates are the main components of soil, and have significant effects on soil physical and chemical properties. The physical protection of soil organic carbon by soil aggregates is the important mechanism of soil carbon sequestration. This paper reviewed the organic carbon sequestration by soil aggregates, and introduced the classic and current methods in studying the mechanisms of carbon sequestration by soil aggregates. The main problems and further research trends in this study field were also discussed.

Thermophoretic aggregation of particles in a protoplanetary disc

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Francis J.

2018-04-01

Thermophoresis causes particles to move down a temperature gradient to a cooler region of a neutral gas. An example is the temperature gradient in the gas around a large cold object, such as an aggregate of particles, cooled by radiation in a protoplanetary disc. Particles near this aggregate move down the temperature gradient to the aggregate, equivalent to the particles being attracted to it by an inter-particle thermophoretic force. This force is proportional to the temperature difference between gas and aggregate, to the gas density and to the cross-section of the aggregate. The force can be large. For example, calculations based on the equations of motion of the interacting particles show that it can be large enough in an optically thin environment to increase the rate of aggregation by up to six orders of magnitude when an aggregate radius lies between 0.1 μm and 1 mm. From 1 mm to about 10 cm aggregates drift inwards through the gas too quickly for the thermophoretic attraction to increase aggregation significantly; so they grow slowly, causing an observed accumulation of particles at these sizes. Particles above 10 cm move more quickly, causing aggregation due to collisions, but also causing fragmentation. However, calculations show that fragmenting particles and bouncing particles in inelastic collisions often have low enough relative velocities that thermophoresis brings them together again. This allows particles to grow above 1 m, which is otherwise difficult to explain.

Temperature dependence of erythrocyte aggregation in vitro by backscattering nephelometry

Science.gov (United States)

Sirko, Igor V.; Firsov, Nikolai N.; Ryaboshapka, Olga M.; Priezzhev, Alexander V.

1997-05-01

We apply backscattering nephelometry technique to register the alterations of the scattering signal from a whole blood sample due to appearance or disappearance of different types of erythrocyte aggregates in stasis and under controlled shear stress. The measured parameters are: the characteristic times of linear and 3D aggregates formation, and the strength of aggregates of different types. These parameters depend on the sample temperature in the range of 2 divided by 50 degrees C. Temporal parameters of the aggregation process strongly increase at temperature 45 degrees C. For samples of normal blood the aggregates strength parameters do not significantly depend on the sample temperature, whereas for blood samples from patients suffering Sjogren syndrome we observe high increase of the strength of 3D and linear aggregates and decrease of time of linear aggregates formation at low temperature of the sample. This combination of parameters is opposite to that observed in the samples of pathological blood at room temperature. Possible reasons of this behavior of aggregation state of blood and explanation of the observed effects will be discussed.

Marine Synechococcus Aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Neuer, S.; Deng, W.; Cruz, B. N.; Monks, L.

2016-02-01

Cyanobacteria are considered to play an important role in the oceanic biological carbon pump, especially in oligotrophic regions. But as single cells are too small to sink, their carbon export has to be mediated by aggregate formation and possible consumption by zooplankton producing sinking fecal pellets. Here we report results on the aggregation of the ubiquitous marine pico-cyanobacterium Synechococcus as a model organism. We first investigated the mechanism behind such aggregation by studying the potential role of transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) and the effects of nutrient (nitrogen or phosphorus) limitation on the TEP production and aggregate formation of these pico-cyanobacteria. We further studied the aggregation and subsequent settling in roller tanks and investigated the effects of the clays kaolinite and bentonite in a series of concentrations. Our results show that despite of the lowered growth rates, Synechococcus in nutrient limited cultures had larger cell-normalized TEP production, formed a greater volume of aggregates, and resulted in higher settling velocities compared to results from replete cultures. In addition, we found that despite their small size and lack of natural ballasting minerals, Synechococcus cells could still form aggregates and sink at measureable velocities in seawater. Clay minerals increased the number and reduced the size of aggregates, and their ballasting effects increased the sinking velocity and carbon export potential of aggregates. In comparison with the Synechococcus, we will also present results of the aggregation of the pico-cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus in roller tanks. These results contribute to our understanding in the physiology of marine Synechococcus as well as their role in the ecology and biogeochemistry in oligotrophic oceans.

Increased Durability of Concrete Made with Fine Recycled Concrete Aggregates Using Superplasticizers.

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Cartuxo, Francisco; de Brito, Jorge; Evangelista, Luis; Jiménez, José Ramón; Ledesma, Enrique F

2016-02-08

This paper evaluates the influence of two superplasticizers (SP) on the durability properties of concrete made with fine recycled concrete aggregate (FRCA). For this purpose, three families of concrete were tested: concrete without SP, concrete made with a regular superplasticizer and concrete made with a high-performance superplasticizer. Five volumetric replacement ratios of natural sand by FRCA were tested: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50% and 100%. Two natural gravels were used as coarse aggregates. All mixes had the same particle size distribution, cement content and amount of superplasticizer. The w/c ratio was calibrated to obtain similar slump. The results showed that the incorporation of FRCA increased the water absorption by immersion, the water absorption by capillary action, the carbonation depth and the chloride migration coefficient, while the use of superplasticizers highly improved these properties. The incorporation of FRCA jeopardized the SP's effectiveness. This research demonstrated that, from a durability point of view, the simultaneous incorporation of FRCA and high-performance SP is a viable sustainable solution for structural concrete production.

Acetylcholinesterase triggers the aggregation of PrP 106-126

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pera, M.; Roman, S.; Ratia, M.; Camps, P.; Munoz-Torrero, D.; Colombo, L.; Manzoni, C.; Salmona, M.; Badia, A.; Clos, M.V.

2006-01-01

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a senile plaque component, promotes amyloid-β-protein (Aβ) fibril formation in vitro. The presence of prion protein (PrP) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) senile plaques prompted us to assess if AChE could trigger the PrP peptides aggregation as well. Consequently, the efficacy of AChE on the PrP peptide spanning-residues 106-126 aggregation containing a coumarin fluorescence probe (coumarin-PrP 106-126) was studied. Kinetics of coumarin-PrP 106-126 aggregation showed a significant increase of maximum size of aggregates (MSA), which was dependent on AChE concentration. AChE-PrP 106-126 aggregates showed the tinctorial and optical amyloid properties as determined by polarized light and electronic microscopy analysis. A remarkable inhibition of MSA was obtained with propidium iodide, suggesting that AChE triggers PrP 106-126 and Aβ aggregation through a similar mechanism. Huprines (AChE inhibitors) also significantly decreased MSA induced by AChE as well, unveiling the potential interest for some AChE inhibitors as a novel class of potential anti-prion drugs

Increases in soil aggregation following phosphorus additions in a tropical premontane forest are not driven by root and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundances

Science.gov (United States)

Camenzind, Tessa; Papathanasiou, Helena; Foerster, Antje; Dietrich, Karla; Hertel, Dietrich; Homeier, Juergen; Oelmann, Yvonne; Olsson, Pål Axel; Suárez, Juan; Rillig, Matthias

2015-12-01

Tropical ecosystems have an important role in global change scenarios, in part because they serve as a large terrestrial carbon pool. Carbon protection is mediated by soil aggregation processes, whereby biotic and abiotic factors influence the formation and stability of aggregates. Nutrient additions may affect soil structure indirectly by simultaneous shifts in biotic factors, mainly roots and fungal hyphae, but also via impacts on abiotic soil properties. Here, we tested the hypothesis that soil aggregation will be affected by nutrient additions primarily via changes in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) hyphae and root length in a pristine tropical forest system. Therefore, the percentage of water-stable macroaggregates (> 250µm) (WSA) and the soil mean weight diameter (MWD) was analyzed, as well as nutrient contents, pH, root length and AMF abundance. Phosphorus additions significantly increased the amount of WSA, which was consistent across two different sampling times. Despite a positive effect of phosphorus additions on extraradical AMF biomass, no relationship between WSA and extra-radical AMF nor roots was revealed by regression analyses, contrary to the proposed hypothesis. These findings emphasize the importance of analyzing soil structure in understudied tropical systems, since it might be affected by increasing nutrient deposition expected in the future.

Increases in soil aggregation following phosphorus additions in a tropical premontane forest are not driven by root and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tessa eCamenzind

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Tropical ecosystems have an important role in global change scenarios, in part because they serve as a large terrestrial carbon pool. Carbon protection is mediated by soil aggregation processes, whereby biotic and abiotic factors influence the formation and stability of aggregates. Nutrient additions may affect soil structure indirectly by simultaneous shifts in biotic factors, mainly roots and fungal hyphae, but also via impacts on abiotic soil properties. Here, we tested the hypothesis that soil aggregation will be affected by nutrient additions primarily via changes in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF hyphae and root length in a pristine tropical forest system. Therefore, the percentage of water-stable macroaggregates (> 250µm (WSA and the soil mean weight diameter (MWD was analyzed, as well as nutrient contents, pH, root length and AMF abundance. Phosphorus additions significantly increased the amount of WSA, which was consistent across two different sampling times. Despite a positive effect of phosphorus additions on extraradical AMF biomass, no relationship between WSA and extra-radical AMF nor roots was revealed by regression analyses, contrary to the proposed hypothesis. These findings emphasize the importance of analyzing soil structure in understudied tropical systems, since it might be affected by increasing nutrient deposition expected in the future.

Physical and mechanical properties of mortars containing PET and PC waste aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannawi, Kinda; Kamali-Bernard, Siham; Prince, William

2010-11-01

Non-biodegradable plastic aggregates made of polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste are used as partial replacement of natural aggregates in mortar. Various volume fractions of sand 3%, 10%, 20% and 50% are replaced by the same volume of plastic. This paper investigates the physical and mechanical properties of the obtained composites. The main results of this study show the feasibility of the reuse of PC and PET waste aggregates materials as partial volume substitutes for natural aggregates in cementitious materials. Despite of some drawbacks like a decrease in compressive strength, the use of PC and PET waste aggregates presents various advantages. A reduction of the specific weight of the cementitious materials and a significant improvement of their post-peak flexural behaviour are observed. The calculated flexural toughness factors increase significantly with increasing volume fraction of PET and PC-aggregates. Thus, addition of PC and PET plastic aggregates in cementitious materials seems to give good energy absorbing materials which is very interesting for several civil engineering applications like structures subjected to dynamic or impact efforts. The present study has shown quite encouraging results and opened new way for the recycling of PC waste aggregate in cement and concrete composites. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[27- Hydroxycholesterol reverses estradiol induced inhibition of platelet aggregation in postmenopausal women].

Science.gov (United States)

Rocha, Gladys; Sierralta, Walter; Valladares, Luis

2016-11-01

The decline of estrogen levels increases cardiovascular risk in women. Platelets express estrogen receptors and 17β-estradiol- (E2) can produce a protective effect on thrombus formation. The hydroxylation of cholesterol generates several sterols and 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC) predominates in circulation. To evaluate the effect of 27HC as an endogenous antagonist of the anti-aggregating properties of E2 in platelets of postmenopausal women. Platelet function of postmenopausal women was evaluated ex-vivo. Platelets pre-incubated with 27HC in the presence or absence of E2, were stimulated with collagen. Aggregation was evaluated using turbidimetry using a Chrono-log aggregometer. Collagen-stimulated platelet aggregation was significantly inhibited by E2. The inhibitory effect of E2 on collagen-stimulated platelet aggregation was significantly reversed in the presence of 27HC. The suppressive effect of E2 on platelet aggregation is inhibited by 27HC, which could contribute to increase cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women.

[Effects of different cultivation patterns on soil aggregates and organic carbon fractions].

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Xiao-Lei; Zong, Liang-Gang; Liu, Yi-Fan; Du, Xia-Fei; Luo, Min; Wang, Run-Chi

2015-03-01

Combined with the research in an organic farm in the past 10 years, differences of soil aggregates composition, distribution and organic carbon fractions between organic and conventional cultivation were studied by simultaneous sampling analysis. The results showed that the percentages of aggregates (> 1 mm, 1-0.5 mm, 0.5-0.25 mm and organic cultivation were 9.73%, 18.41%, 24.46% and 43.90%, respectively. The percentage of organic cultivation than that in conventional cultivation. Organic cultivation increased soil organic carbon (average of 17.95 g x kg(-1)) and total nitrogen contents (average of 1.51 g x kg(-1)). Among the same aggregates in organic cultivation, the average content of heavy organic carbon fraction was significantly higher than that in conventional cultivation. This fraction accumulated in organic carbon. In organic cultivation, the content of labile organic carbon in > 1 mm macro-aggregates was significantly higher than that in conventional cultivation, while no significant difference was found among the other aggregates, indicating that the labile organic carbon was enriched in > 1 mm macro-aggregates. Organic cultivation increased the amounts of organic carbon and its fractions, reduced tillage damage to aggregates, and enhanced the stability of organic carbon. Organic cultivation was therefore beneficial for soil carbon sequestration. The findings of this research may provide theoretical basis for further acceleration of the organic agriculture development.

Comparative study of heavy and deuterium-depleted water on platelet aggregation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haulica, I.; Neagu, B.; Boisteanu, C.P.; Bild, W.; Mihaila, C.; Bajenariu, M.

2000-01-01

The effects of timed incubation of PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) with various concentrations of deuterium-depleted or deuterated water were tested. Aggregation curves were obtained under constant stirring at 20 deg.C and at 37 deg.C, using 5 - 10 μM ADP as aggregation trigger, using a Specord photo colorimeter. Incubation with 10 % deuterated water showed a significant decrease in the aggregation curves, an effect consistent with the data in the literature. Incubation with deuterium depleted water in the same conditions showed a marked increase in the aggregation curves, which suggests a powerful pro-aggregating effect of deuterium depleted water. (authors)

Biases in Farm-Level Yield Risk Analysis due to Data Aggregation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Finger, R.

2012-01-01

We investigate biases in farm-level yield risk analysis caused by data aggregation from the farm-level to regional and national levels using the example of Swiss wheat and barley yields. The estimated yield variability decreases significantly with increasing level of aggregation, with crop yield

Piecewise Polynomial Aggregation as Preprocessing for Data Numerical Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Dobronets, B. S.; Popova, O. A.

2018-05-01

Data aggregation issues for numerical modeling are reviewed in the present study. The authors discuss data aggregation procedures as preprocessing for subsequent numerical modeling. To calculate the data aggregation, the authors propose using numerical probabilistic analysis (NPA). An important feature of this study is how the authors represent the aggregated data. The study shows that the offered approach to data aggregation can be interpreted as the frequency distribution of a variable. To study its properties, the density function is used. For this purpose, the authors propose using the piecewise polynomial models. A suitable example of such approach is the spline. The authors show that their approach to data aggregation allows reducing the level of data uncertainty and significantly increasing the efficiency of numerical calculations. To demonstrate the degree of the correspondence of the proposed methods to reality, the authors developed a theoretical framework and considered numerical examples devoted to time series aggregation.

Do chemical gradients within soil aggregates reflect plant/soil interactions?

Science.gov (United States)

Krüger, Jaane; Hallas, Till; Kinsch, Lena; Stahr, Simon; Prietzel, Jörg; Lang, Friederike

2016-04-01

As roots and hyphae often accumulate at the surface of soil aggregates, their formation and turnover might be related to the bioavailability especially of immobile nutrients like phosphorus. Several methods have been developed to obtain specific samples from aggregate surfaces and aggregate cores and thus to investigate differences between aggregate shell and core. However, these methods are often complex and time-consuming; therefore most common methods of soil analysis neglect the distribution of nutrients within aggregates and yield bulk soil concentrations. We developed a new sequential aggregate peeling method to analyze the distribution of different nutrients within soil aggregates (4-20 mm) from four forest sites (Germany) differing in concentrations of easily available mineral P. Aggregates from three soil depths (Ah, BwAh, Bw) were isolated, air-dried, and peeled with a sieving machine performing four sieving levels with increasing sieving intensity. This procedure was repeated in quadruplicate, and fractions of the same sample and sieving level were pooled. Carbon and N concentration, citric acid-extractable PO4 and P, as well as total element concentrations (P, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Fe) were analyzed. Additionally, synchrotron-based P K-edge XANES spectroscopy was applied on selected samples to detect P speciation changes within the aggregates. The results reveal for most samples a significantly higher C and N concentration at the surface compared to the interior of the aggregates. Carbon and N gradients get more pronounced with increasing soil depth and decreasing P status of study sites. This might be explained by lower aggregate turnover rates of subsoil horizons and intense bioturbation on P-rich sites. This assumption is also confirmed by concentrations of citric acid-extractable PO4 and P: gradients within aggregates are getting more pronounced with increasing soil depth and decreasing P status. However, the direction of these gradients is site

Embryo Aggregation in Pig Improves Cloning Efficiency and Embryo Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Buemo, Carla Paola; Gambini, Andrés; Moro, Lucia Natalia; Hiriart, María Inés; Fernández-Martín, Rafael; Collas, Philippe; Salamone, Daniel Felipe

2016-01-01

In this study, we analyzed the effects of the cloned embryo aggregation on in vitro embryo development and embryo quality by measuring blastocyst diameter and cell number, DNA fragmentation levels and the expression of genes associated with pluripotency, apoptosis, trophoblast and DNA methylation in the porcine. Zona-free reconstructed cloned embryos were cultured in the well of the well system, placing one (1x non aggregated group) or three (3x group) embryos per microwell. Our results showed that aggregation of three embryos increased blastocyst formation rate and blastocyst diameter of cloned pig embryos. DNA fragmentation levels in 3x aggregated cloned blastocysts were significantly decreased compared to 1x blastocysts. Levels of Oct4, Klf4, Igf2, Bax and Dnmt 1 transcripts were significantly higher in aggregated embryos, whereas Nanog levels were not affected. Transcripts of Cdx2 and Bcl-xl were essentially non-detectable. Our study suggests that embryo aggregation in the porcine may be beneficial for cloned embryo development and embryo quality, through a reduction in apoptotic levels and an improvement in cell reprogramming.

Heating of Porous Icy Dust Aggregates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sirono, Sin-iti [Earth and Environmental Sciences, Nagoya University, Tikusa-ku, Furo-cho, Nagoya 464-8601 (Japan)

2017-06-10

At the beginning of planetary formation, highly porous dust aggregates are formed through coagulation of dust grains. Outside the snowline, the main component of an aggregate is H{sub 2}O ice. Because H{sub 2}O ice is formed in amorphous form, its thermal conductivity is extremely small. Therefore, the thermal conductivity of an icy dust aggregate is low. There is a possibility of heating inside an aggregate owing to the decay of radionuclides. It is shown that the temperature increases substantially inside an aggregate, leading to crystallization of amorphous ice. During the crystallization, the temperature further increases sufficiently to continue sintering. The mechanical properties of icy dust aggregates change, and the collisional evolution of dust aggregates is affected by the sintering.

Study on Concrete Containing Recycled Aggregates Immersed in Epoxy Resin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adnan Suraya Hani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In recent decades, engineers have sought a more sustainable method to dispose of concrete construction and demolition waste. One solution is to crush this waste concrete into a usable gradation for new concrete mixes. This not only reduces the amount of waste entering landfills but also alleviates the burden on existing sources of quality natural concrete aggregates. There are too many kinds of waste but here constructions waste will be the priority target that should be solved. It could be managed by several ways such as recycling and reusing the concrete components, and the best choice of these components is the aggregate, because of the ease process of recycle it. In addition, recycled aggregates and normal aggregates were immersed in epoxy resin and put in concrete mixtures with 0%, 5%, 10% and 20% which affected the concrete mixtures properties. The strength of the concrete for both normal and recycled aggregates has increased after immersed the aggregates in epoxy resin. The percentage of water absorption and the coefficient of water permeability decreased with the increasing of the normal and the recycled aggregates immersed in epoxy resin. Generally the tests which have been conducted to the concrete mixtures have a significant results after using the epoxy resin with both normal and recycled aggregates.

Significant effect of grain size distribution on compaction rates in granular aggregates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Niemeijer, André|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/370832132; Elsworth, Derek; Marone, Chris

2009-01-01

We investigate the role of pressure solution in deformation of upper- to mid-crustal rocks using aggregates of halite as a room temperature analog for fluid-assisted deformation processes in the Earth's crust. Experiments evaluate the effects of initial grain size distribution on macroscopic

Glycation precedes lens crystallin aggregation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swamy, M.S.; Perry, R.E.; Abraham, E.C.

1987-01-01

Non-enzymatic glycosylation (glycation) seems to have the potential to alter the structure of crystallins and make them susceptible to thiol oxidation leading to disulfide-linked high molecular weight (HMW) aggregate formation. They used streptozotocin diabetic rats during precataract and cataract stages and long-term cell-free glycation of bovine lens crystallins to study the relationship between glycation and lens crystallin aggregation. HMW aggregates and other protein components of the water-soluble (WS) and urea-soluble (US) fractions were separated by molecular sieve high performance liquid chromatography. Glycation was estimated by both [ 3 H]NaBH 4 reduction and phenylboronate agarose affinity chromatography. Levels of total glycated protein (GP) in the US fractions were about 2-fold higher than in the WS fractions and there was a linear increase in GP in both WS and US fractions. This increase was parallelled by a corresponding increase in HMW aggregates. Total GP extracted by the affinity method from the US fraction showed a predominance of HMW aggregates and vice versa. Cell-free glycation studies with bovine crystallins confirmed the results of the animals studies. Increasing glycation caused a corresponding increase in protein insolubilization and the insoluble fraction thus formed also contained more glycated protein. It appears that lens protein glycation, HMW aggregate formation, and protein insolubilization are interrelated

Aggregative stability of fungicidal nanomodifier based on zinc hydrosilicates

Science.gov (United States)

Grishina, Anna; Korolev, Evgeniy

2018-03-01

Currently, there is a strong need of high performance multi functional materials in high-rise construction. Obviously, such materials should be characterized by high strength; but for interior rooms biosafety is important as well. The promising direction to obtain both high strength and maintain biosafety in buildings and structures is to manage the structure of mineral binders by means of fungicidal nanomodifier based on zinc hydrosilicates. In the present work the aggregative stability of colloidal solutions of zinc hydrosilicates after one year of storage was studied. It has been established that the concentration of iron (III) hydroxide used to prepare the precursor of zinc hydrosilicates has a significant effect on the long-term aggregative stability: as the concentration of iron (III) hydroxide increases, the resistance of the fungicidal nanomodifier increases. It was found that, despite the minimal concentration of nano-sized zinc hydrosilicates (0.028%), the colloidal solution possesses a low long-term aggregative stability; while in the initial period (not less than 14 days) the colloidal solution of the nanomodifier is aggregatively stable. It is shown that when the ratio in the colloidal solution of the amount of the substance CH3COOH / SiO2 = 0.43 is reached, an increase in the polymerization rate is observed, which is the main cause of low aggregative stability. Colloidal solutions containing zinc hydrosilicates synthesized at a concentration of iron (III) hydroxide used to produce a precursor equal to 0.7% have a long-term aggregative stability and do not significantly change the reduced particle. Such compositions are to be expediently used for the nanomodifying of building composites in order to control their structure formation and to create conditions that impede the development of various mycelial fungi.

The common inhaled anesthetic isoflurane increases aggregation of huntingtin and alters calcium homeostasis in a cell model of Huntington's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Qiujun; Liang Ge; Yang Hui; Wang Shouping; Eckenhoff, Maryellen F.; Wei Huafeng

2011-01-01

Isoflurane is known to increase β-amyloid aggregation and neuronal damage. We hypothesized that isoflurane will have similar effects on the polyglutamine huntingtin protein and will cause alterations in intracellular calcium homeostasis. We tested this hypothesis in striatal cells from the expanded glutamine huntingtin knock-in mouse (STHdh Q111/Q111 ) and wild type (STHdh Q7/Q7 ) striatal neurons. The primary cultured neurons were exposed for 24 h to equipotent concentrations of isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane in the presence or absence of extracellular calcium and with or without xestospongin C, a potent endoplasmic reticulum inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP 3 ) receptor antagonist. Aggregation of huntingtin protein, cell viability, and calcium concentrations were measured. Isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane all increased the aggregation of huntingtin in STHdh Q111/Q111 cells, with isoflurane having the largest effect. Isoflurane induced greater calcium release from the ER and relatively more cell damage in the STHdh Q111/Q111 huntingtin cells than in the wild type STHdh Q7/Q7 striatal cells. However, sevoflurane and desflurane caused less calcium release from the ER and less cell damage. Xestospongin C inhibited the isoflurane-induced calcium release from the ER, aggregation of huntingtin, and cell damage in the STHdh Q111/Q111 cells. In summary, the Q111 form of huntingtin increases the vulnerability of striatal neurons to isoflurane neurotoxicity through combined actions on the ER IP 3 receptors. Calcium release from the ER contributes to the anesthetic induced huntingtin aggregation in STHdh Q111/Q111 striatal cells.

The effect of electrolytes on the aggregation kinetics of titanium dioxide nanoparticle aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shih Yanghsin; Zhuang Chengming; Tso Chihping; Lin Chenghan

2012-01-01

Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are receiving increasing attention due to their increased industrial production and potential hazardous effect. The process of aggregation plays a key role in the fate of NPs in the environment and the resultant health risk. The aggregation of commercial titanium dioxide NP powder (25 nm) was investigated with various environmentally relevant solution chemistries containing different concentrations of monovalent (Na + , K + ) and divalent (Ca 2+ ) electrolytes. Titanium dioxide particle size increased with the increase in ion concentration. The stability of titanium dioxide also depended on the ionic composition. Titanium dioxide aggregated to a higher degree in the presence of divalent cations than monovalent ones. The attachment efficiency of NPs was constructed through aggregation kinetics data, from which the critical coagulation concentrations for the various electrolytes are determined (80, 19, and 1 meq/L for Na + , K + , and Ca 2+ , respectively). Our results suggest that titanium dioxide NP powders are relatively unstable in water and could easily be removed by adding multivalent cations so hazardous potentials decrease in aquatic environment.

Cyclic Behavior of Low Rise Concrete Shear Walls Containing Recycled Coarse and Fine Aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Qiyun; Cao, Wanlin; Qian, Zhiwei; Li, Xiangyu; Zhang, Wenwen; Liu, Wenchao

2017-12-07

In this study, the cyclic behaviors of low rise concrete shear walls using recycled coarse or fine aggregates were investigated. Eight low rise Recycled Aggregates Concrete (RAC) shear wall specimens were designed and tested under a cyclic loading. The following parameters were varied: replacement percentages of recycled coarse or fine aggregates, reinforcement ratio, axial force ratio and X-shaped rebars brace. The failure characteristics, hysteretic behavior, strength and deformation capacity, strain characteristics and stiffness were studied. Test results showed that the using of the Recycled Coarse Aggregates (RCA) and its replacement ratio had almost no influence on the mechanical behavior of the shear wall; however, the using of Recycled Fine Aggregates (RFA) had a certain influence on the ductility of the shear wall. When the reinforcement ratio increased, the strength and ductility also increased. By increasing the axial force ratio, the strength increased but the ductility decreased significantly. The encased brace had a significant effect on enhancing the RAC shear walls. The experimental maximum strengths were evaluated with existing design codes, it was indicated that the strength evaluation of the low rise RAC shear walls can follow the existing design codes of the conventional concrete shear walls.

Effects of Uncrushed Aggregate on the Mechanical Properties of No-Fines Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Memon

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Concrete’s self-weight is a major aspect of a structure’s overall weight. Recently, the use of lightweight concrete (no-fines, foamed and cellular concrete has been increased. Normally no-fines concrete is produced with crushed coarse aggregate of uniform gradation. This study aims to investigate experimentally the effects of the use of uncrushed coarse aggregates on unit weight, compressive and tensile strength of the no-fines (NFC as well as conventional concrete (CC. In addition, the effects of coarse aggregate size on the mechanical properties were also studied. Four gradations of uncrushed coarse aggregates ranging between (5.5-4.75 mm, (10-4.75 mm, (20-4.75 mm and (25-4.75 mm were used for preparing the concretes. The fixed cement-aggregate ratios of 1:6 (with w/c ratio=0.4 and 1:2:4 (with w/c ratio=0.5 were adopted for NFC and CC respectively. It was found that the gradation of uncrushed coarse aggregate has a significant effect on the mechanical properties of NFC. A maximum of 16% reduction in self-weight of the concrete without fines was obtained, as compared to that with fines. Moreover, the compressive strength of no-fines concrete significantly improved by replacing crushed with uncrushed coarse aggregate. The compressive strength increased by 16% for the batch of (25-4.75 mm.

Influence of caffeine on blood pressure and platelet aggregation

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José Wilson S. Cavalcante

2000-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Studies have demonstrated that methylxanthines, such as caffeine, are A1 and A2 adenosine receptor antagonists found in the brain, heart, lungs, peripheral vessels, and platelets. Considering the high consumption of products with caffeine in their composition, in Brazil and throughout the rest of the world, the authors proposed to observe the effects of this substance on blood pressure and platelet aggregation. METHODS: Thirteen young adults, ranging from 21 to 27 years of age, participated in this study. Each individual took 750mg/day of caffeine (250mg tid, over a period of seven days. The effects on blood pressure were analyzed through the pressor test with handgrip, and platelet aggregation was analyzed using adenosine diphosphate, collagen, and adrenaline. RESULTS: Diastolic pressure showed a significant increase 24 hours after the first intake (p<0.05. This effect, however, disappeared in the subsequent days. The platelet aggregation tests did not reveal statistically significant alterations, at any time during the study. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that caffeine increases diastolic blood pressure at the beginning of caffeine intake. This hypertensive effect disappears with chronic use. The absence of alterations in platelet aggregation indicates the need for larger randomized studies.

Antiplatelet Effects of Qishen Yiqi Dropping Pill in Platelets Aggregation in Hyperlipidemic Rabbits

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Yi Wang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effects of Qishen Yiqi Dropping Pill (QSYQ on platelets aggregation and its possible mechanisms. Hyperlipidemic model in rabbits was produced by a high fat/cholesterol diet for 6 weeks, the therapeutic effect of QSYQ with 2.0 g/kg, 1.0 g/kg, and 0.5 g/kg was observed. Fourteen days after drug treatment, platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP, arachidonic acid (AA, and collagen (COLL was significantly reduced in rabbits of model group. Moreover, β-thromboglobulin (β-TG level decreased obviously but no significant change in P-selectin and platelet factor 4 (PF4 level, while QSYQ significantly decreased the ratio of thromboxane B2 (TXB2 to 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-Keto-PGF1α and increased cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP level in rabbits. In summary, QSYQ can improve platelets aggregation and inhibit the over-release of β-TG in hyperlipidemic rabbits; and the increased cAMP level may be involved in this process. These results suggest that the antiplatelet aggregation effect of QSYQ may be due to its ability to increase cAMP level for improving cAMP metabolism.

Spontaneous and Induced Platelet Aggregation during Pregnancy and Labor

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T. P. Bondar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate changes in characteristics of spontaneous platelet (Pt aggregation in patients with obstetric complications associated with hereditary thrombophilia.Materials and methods. Blood samples were taken from 52 recently confined women on the first day after labor; at that, ethic regulations for the preanalytical phase were followed. Determination of PlA1/ PlA2 polymorphism enotype was performed by means of amplificationrestriction analysis. Geometrical characteristics of patients' peripheral blood Pt aggregation were studied by means of AFM Integra Prima. The degree of confidence of the parameters under test was determined using the ttest, and the significance level was considered valid at P<0.05.Results. A statistical analysis of the findings demonstrated that the length of Pt aggregates in healthy pregnant women was significantly higher than that in healthy nonpregnant women at all study phases. Patients with the P1A1/P1A2 polymorphism in the GP IIb/IIIa Pt receptor gene demonstrated increased widthm height, and density of Pt aggregates. The changes were most significant during the incubation phase lasting for 15 and 30 minutes. The study of geometric parameters of different exposures demonstrated the following: the longer the incubation period, the greater the difference between geometric parameters of the aggregates (e.g. height, length, and width. Conclusion. The analysis of obtained data demonstrated that the presence of P1A1/P1A2 polymorphism in GP IIb/IIIa Pt gene receptor contributes to the decrease in the platelet response threshold and enhances the spontaneous Pt aggregation. The imaging of aggregates provides strong evidence for the accelerated growth of the aggregates in thrombotic complications of pregnancy.

Viral Aggregation: Impact on Virus Behavior in the Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerba, Charles P; Betancourt, Walter Q

2017-07-05

Aggregates of viruses can have a significant impact on quantification and behavior of viruses in the environment. Viral aggregates may be formed in numerous ways. Viruses may form crystal like structures and aggregates in the host cell during replication or may form due to changes in environmental conditions after virus particles are released from the host cells. Aggregates tend to form near the isoelectric point of the virus, under the influence of certain salts and salt concentrations in solution, cationic polymers, and suspended organic matter. The given conditions under which aggregates form in the environment are highly dependent on the type of virus, type of salts in solution (cation, anion. monovalent, divalent) and pH. However, virus type greatly influences the conditions when aggregation/disaggregation will occur, making predictions difficult under any given set of water quality conditions. Most studies have shown that viral aggregates increase the survival of viruses in the environment and resistance to disinfectants, especially with more reactive disinfectants. The presence of viral aggregates may also result in overestimation of removal by filtration processes. Virus aggregation-disaggregation is a complex process and predicting the behavior of any individual virus is difficult under a given set of environmental circumstances without actual experimental data.

Compressive strength improvement for recycled concrete aggregate

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Mohammed Dhiyaa

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Increasing amount of construction waste and, concrete remnants, in particular pose a serious problem. Concrete waste exist in large amounts, do not decay and need long time for disintegration. Therefore, in this work old demolished concrete is crashed and recycled to produce recycled concrete aggregate which can be reused in new concrete production. The effect of using recycled aggregate on concrete compressive strength has been experimentally investigated; silica fume admixture also is used to improve recycled concrete aggregate compressive strength. The main parameters in this study are recycled aggregate and silica fume admixture. The percent of recycled aggregate ranged from (0-100 %. While the silica fume ranged from (0-10 %. The experimental results show that the average concrete compressive strength decreases from 30.85 MPa to 17.58 MPa when the recycled aggregate percentage increased from 0% to 100%. While, when silica fume is used the concrete compressive strength increase again to 29.2 MPa for samples with 100% of recycled aggregate.

Partitioning of red blood cell aggregates in bifurcating microscale flows

Science.gov (United States)

Kaliviotis, E.; Sherwood, J. M.; Balabani, S.

2017-03-01

Microvascular flows are often considered to be free of red blood cell aggregates, however, recent studies have demonstrated that aggregates are present throughout the microvasculature, affecting cell distribution and blood perfusion. This work reports on the spatial distribution of red blood cell aggregates in a T-shaped bifurcation on the scale of a large microvessel. Non-aggregating and aggregating human red blood cell suspensions were studied for a range of flow splits in the daughter branches of the bifurcation. Aggregate sizes were determined using image processing. The mean aggregate size was marginally increased in the daughter branches for a range of flow rates, mainly due to the lower shear conditions and the close cell and aggregate proximity therein. A counterintuitive decrease in the mean aggregate size was apparent in the lower flow rate branches. This was attributed to the existence of regions depleted by aggregates of certain sizes in the parent branch, and to the change in the exact flow split location in the T-junction with flow ratio. The findings of the present investigation may have significant implications for microvascular flows and may help explain why the effects of physiological RBC aggregation are not deleterious in terms of in vivo vascular resistance.

Studies on recycled aggregates-based concrete.

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Rakshvir, Major; Barai, Sudhirkumar V

2006-06-01

Reduced extraction of raw materials, reduced transportation cost, improved profits, reduced environmental impact and fast-depleting reserves of conventional natural aggregates has necessitated the use of recycling, in order to be able to conserve conventional natural aggregate. In this study various physical and mechanical properties of recycled concrete aggregates were examined. Recycled concrete aggregates are different from natural aggregates and concrete made from them has specific properties. The percentages of recycled concrete aggregates were varied and it was observed that properties such as compressive strength showed a decrease of up to 10% as the percentage of recycled concrete aggregates increased. Water absorption of recycled aggregates was found to be greater than natural aggregates, and this needs to be compensated during mix design.

Microstructural characterization of concrete prepared with recycled aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Guedes, Mafalda; Evangelista, Luís; de Brito, Jorge; Ferro, Alberto C

2013-10-01

Several authors have reported the workability, mechanical properties, and durability of concrete produced with construction waste replacing the natural aggregate. However, a systematic microstructural characterization of recycled aggregate concrete has not been reported. This work studies the use of fine recycled aggregate to replace fine natural aggregate in the production of concrete and reports the resulting microstructures. The used raw materials were natural aggregate, recycled aggregate obtained from a standard concrete, and Portland cement. The substitution extent was 0, 10, 50, and 100 vol%; hydration was stopped at 9, 24, and 96 h and 28 days. Microscopy was focused on the cement/aggregate interfacial transition zone, enlightening the effect of incorporating recycled aggregate on the formation and morphology of the different concrete hydration products. The results show that concretes with recycled aggregates exhibit typical microstructural features of the transition zone in normal strength concrete. Although overall porosity increases with increasing replacement, the interfacial bond is apparently stronger when recycled aggregates are used. An addition of 10 vol% results in a decrease in porosity at the interface with a corresponding increase of the material hardness. This provides an opportunity for development of increased strength Portland cement concretes using controlled amounts of concrete waste.

Aggregation of polyQ proteins is increased upon yeast aging and affected by Sir2 and Hsf1: novel quantitative biochemical and microscopic assays.

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Aviv Cohen

Full Text Available Aging-related neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases, are characterized by accumulation of protein aggregates in distinct neuronal cells that eventually die. In Huntington's disease, the protein huntingtin forms aggregates, and the age of disease onset is inversely correlated to the length of the protein's poly-glutamine tract. Using quantitative assays to estimate microscopically and capture biochemically protein aggregates, here we study in Saccharomyces cerevisiae aging-related aggregation of GFP-tagged, huntingtin-derived proteins with different polyQ lengths. We find that the short 25Q protein never aggregates whereas the long 103Q version always aggregates. However, the mid-size 47Q protein is soluble in young logarithmically growing yeast but aggregates as the yeast cells enter the stationary phase and age, allowing us to plot an "aggregation timeline". This aging-dependent aggregation was associated with increased cytotoxicity. We also show that two aging-related genes, SIR2 and HSF1, affect aggregation of the polyQ proteins. In Δsir2 strain the aging-dependent aggregation of the 47Q protein is aggravated, while overexpression of the transcription factor Hsf1 attenuates aggregation. Thus, the mid-size 47Q protein and our quantitative aggregation assays provide valuable tools to unravel the roles of genes and environmental conditions that affect aging-related aggregation.

Cyclic Behavior of Low Rise Concrete Shear Walls Containing Recycled Coarse and Fine Aggregates

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Qiyun Qiao

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, the cyclic behaviors of low rise concrete shear walls using recycled coarse or fine aggregates were investigated. Eight low rise Recycled Aggregates Concrete (RAC shear wall specimens were designed and tested under a cyclic loading. The following parameters were varied: replacement percentages of recycled coarse or fine aggregates, reinforcement ratio, axial force ratio and X-shaped rebars brace. The failure characteristics, hysteretic behavior, strength and deformation capacity, strain characteristics and stiffness were studied. Test results showed that the using of the Recycled Coarse Aggregates (RCA and its replacement ratio had almost no influence on the mechanical behavior of the shear wall; however, the using of Recycled Fine Aggregates (RFA had a certain influence on the ductility of the shear wall. When the reinforcement ratio increased, the strength and ductility also increased. By increasing the axial force ratio, the strength increased but the ductility decreased significantly. The encased brace had a significant effect on enhancing the RAC shear walls. The experimental maximum strengths were evaluated with existing design codes, it was indicated that the strength evaluation of the low rise RAC shear walls can follow the existing design codes of the conventional concrete shear walls.

Artificial climate warming positively affects arbuscular mycorrhizae but decreases soil aggregate water stability in an annual grassland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rillig, M.C.; Wright, S.F.; Shaw, M.R.; Field, C.B.

2002-04-01

Despite the importance of arbuscular mycorrhizae to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. nutrient uptake, soil aggregation), and the increasing evidence of global warming, responses of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to climate warming are poorly understood. In a field experiment using infrared heaters, we found effects of warming on AMF after one growing season in an annual grassland, in the absence of any effects on measured root parameters (weight, length, average diameter). AMF soil hyphal length was increased by over 40% in the warmed plots, accompanied by a strong trend for AMF root colonization increase. In the following year, root weight was again not significantly changed, and AMF root colonization increased significantly in the warmed plots. Concentration of the soil protein glomalin, a glycoprotein produced by AMF hyphae with importance in soil aggregation, was decreased in the warmed plots. Soil aggregate water stability, measured for five diameter size classes, was also decreased significantly. In the following year, soil aggregate weight in two size classes was decreased significantly, but the effect size was very small. These results indicate that ecosystem warming may have stimulated carbon allocation to AMF. Other factors either influenced glomalin decomposition or production, hence influencing the role of these symbionts in soil aggregation. The observed small changes in soil aggregation, if widespread among terrestrial ecosystems, could have important consequences for soil carbon storage and erosion in a warmed climate, especially if there are cumulative effects of warming. (au)

Phytoplankton aggregate formation: observations of patterns and mechanisms of cell sticking and the significance of exopolymeric material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiørboe, Thomas; Hansen, Jorgen L. S.

1993-01-01

are sticky in themselves, and coagulation depends on cell-cell sticking and does not involve mucus. Aggregates are composed solely of cells. Cells of the diatom Chaetoceros affinis, on the other hand, are not in themselves sticky. Transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP), produced by the diatom, cause...... the cells to aggregate and coagulation depends on TEP-cell rather than cell-cell sticking. Aggregates are formed of a mixture of mucus and cells. We found several species of diatoms and one flagellate species to produce copious amounts of TEP. TEP from some species (e.g. Coscinodiscus sp.) is sticky and may...

Monte Carlo simulation of aggregate morphology for simultaneous coagulation and sintering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmid, Hans-Joachim; Tejwani, Saurabh; Artelt, Christian; Peukert, Wolfgang

2004-01-01

A model for simulation of the three-dimensional morphology of nano-structured aggregates formed by concurrent coagulation and sintering is presented. Diffusion controlled cluster-cluster aggregation is assumed to be the prevailing coagulation mechanism which is implemented using a Monte-Carlo algorithm. Sintering is modeled as a successive overlapping of spherical primary particles, which are allowed to grow as to preserve overall mass. Simulations are characterized by individual ratios τ of characteristic collision to fusion time. A number of resulting aggregate-structures is displayed and reveals structure formation by coagulation and sintering for different values of τ. These aggregates are described qualitatively and quantitatively by their mass fractal dimension D f and radius of gyration. The fractal dimension increases from 1.86 for pure aggregation to ∼ 2.75 for equal characteristic time scales. As sintering turns out to be more and more relevant, increasingly compact aggregates start to form and the radius of gyration decreases significantly. The simulation results clearly reveal a strong dependence of the fractal dimension on the kinetics of the concurrent coagulation and sintering processes. Considering appropriate values of D f in aerosol process simulations may therefore be important in many cases

Effects of long-term grassland management on the carbon and nitrogen pools of different soil aggregate fractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Egan, Gary; Crawley, Michael J; Fornara, Dario A

2018-02-01

Common grassland management practices include animal grazing and the repeated addition of lime and nutrient fertilizers to soils. These practices can greatly influence the size and distribution of different soil aggregate fractions, thus altering the cycling and storage of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in grassland soils. So far, very few studies have simultaneously addressed the potential long-term effect that multiple management practices might have on soil physical aggregation. Here we specifically ask whether and how grazing, liming and nutrient fertilization might influence C and N content (%) as well as C and N pools of different soil aggregate fractions in a long-term grassland experiment established in 1991 at Silwood Park, Berkshire, UK. We found that repeated liming applications over 23years significantly decreased the C pool (i.e. gCKg -1 soil) of Large Macro Aggregate (LMA>2mm) fractions and increased C pools within three smaller soil aggregate fractions: Small Macro Aggregate (SMA, 250μm-2mm), Micro Aggregate (MiA, 53-250μm), and Silt Clay Aggregate (SCAfractions was mainly caused by positive liming effects on aggregate fraction mass rather than on changes in soil C (and N) content (%). Liming effects could be explained by increases in soil pH, as this factor was significantly positively related to greater soil C and N pools of smaller aggregate fractions. Long-term grazing and inorganic nutrient fertilization had much weaker effects on both soil aggregate-fraction mass and on soil C and N concentrations, however, our evidence is that these practices could also contribute to greater C and N pools of smaller soil fractions. Overall our study demonstrates how agricultural liming can contribute to increase C pools of small (more stable) soil fractions with potential significant benefits for the long-term C balance of human-managed grassland soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aggregates from mineral wastes

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Baic Ireneusz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The problem concerning the growing demand for natural aggregates and the need to limit costs, including transportation from remote deposits, cause the increase in growth of interest in aggregates from mineral wastes as well as in technologies of their production and recovery. The paper presents the issue related to the group of aggregates other than natural. A common name is proposed for such material: “alternative aggregates”. The name seems to be fully justified due to adequacy of this term because of this raw materials origin and role, in comparison to the meaning of natural aggregates based on gravel and sand as well as crushed stones. The paper presents characteristics of the market and basic application of aggregates produced from mineral wastes, generated in the mining, power and metallurgical industries as well as material from demolished objects.

Changes on aggregation in mine waste amended with biochar and marble mud

Science.gov (United States)

Ángeles Muñoz, María; Guzmán, Jose; Zornoza, Raúl; Moreno-Barriga, Fabián; Faz, Ángel; Lal, Rattan

2016-04-01

Mining activities have produced large amounts of wastes over centuries accumulated in tailing ponds in Southeast Spain. Applications of biochar may have a high potential for reclamation of degraded soils. Distribution, size and stability of aggregates are important indices of soil physical quality. However, research data on aggregation processes at amended mining tailings with biochar are scanty. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of seven different treatments involving biochar and marble mud (MM) on the aggregation in mine waste (MW). Seven different treatments were tested after 90 days of incubation in the laboratory. These treatments were the mix of MW and: biochar from solid pig manure (PM), biochar from cotton crop residues (CR), biochar from municipal solid waste (MSW), marble mud (MM), PM+MM, CR+MM, MSW+MM and control without amendment. High sand percentages were identified in the MW. The biochars made from wastes (PM, CR, MSW) were obtained through pyrolysis of feedstocks. The water stability of soil aggregates was studied. The data on total aggregation were corrected for the primary particles considering the sandy texture of the MW. Moreover, partial aggregation was determined for each fraction and the mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates was computed. Soil bulk density and total porosity were also determined. No significant differences were observed in total aggregation and MWD among treatments including the control. For the size range of >4.75 mm, there were significant differences in aggregates > 4.75 mm between CR+MM in comparison with that for CT. There were also significant differences between MSW and PM+MM for the 1-0.425 mm fraction, and between CT and MM and CR for 0.425-0.162 mm aggregate size fractions. Therefore, CR-derived biochar applied with MM enhanced stability of macro-aggregates. Furthermore, soil bulk density was also the lowest bulk density and total porosity the highest for the CR-derived biochar

Mineral Trioxide Aggregate and Portland Cement for Direct Pulp Capping in Dog: A Histopathological Evaluation

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Maryam Bidar

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background and aims. Mineral trioxide aggregate and calcium hydroxide are considered the gold standard pulp-capping materials. Recently, Portland cement has been introduced with properties similar to those of mineral trioxide aggregate. His-topathological effects of direct pulp capping using mineral trioxide aggregate and Portland cements on dog dental pulp tis-sue were evaluated in the present study. Materials and methods. This histopatological study was carried out on 64 dog premolars. First, the pulp was exposedwith a sterile bur. Then, the exposed pulp was capped with white or gray mineral trioxide aggregates and white or gray Port-land cements in each quadrant and sealed with glass-ionomer. The specimens were evaluated under a light microscope after 6 months. Statistical analysis was carried out using Kruskal-Wallis test. Statistical significance was defined at α=5%. Results. There was no acute inflammation in any of the specimens. Chronic inflammation in white and gray mineral triox-ide aggregates and white and gray Portland cements was reported to be 45.5%, 27.3%, 57.1% and 34.1%, respectively. Al-though the differences were not statistically significant, severe inflammation was observed mostly adjacent to white mineral trioxide aggregate. The largest extent of increased vascularization (45% and the least increase in fibrous tissue were ob-served adjacent to white mineral trioxide aggregate, with no significant differences. In addition, the least calcified tissue formed adjacent to white mineral trioxide aggregate, although the difference was not significant. Conclusion. The materials used in this study were equally effective as pulp protection materials following direct pulp cap-ping in dog teeth.

Aggregation activity of blood formed elements in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus

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Boris Il'ich Kuznik

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Aims. To assess differences in blood formed elements aggregation activity in patients with type 1 (T1 and type 2 (T2 diabetes mellitus(DM. Materials and methods. We studied blood samples from 88 patients with T1 and T2 DM. Platelet aggregation activity was assessed bymeans of ?Biola? aggregometer; we also determined platelet-lymphocyte and leucocyte-erythrocyte adhesion intensity. Results. We show that spontaneous platelet aggregation is markedly increased in patients with T1DM but remains normal or slightlyelevated in case of T2DM. In blood from patients with T2DM platelet aggregation in response to ADP, epinephrine, ristomycineand contact with collagen was generally increased, whereas in T1DM we often observed its secondary reduction. Data on plateletlymphocyteadhesion in T1DM is controversial, but in T2DM this process seems to be significantly suppressed. Quantity of leucocyteerythrocyteaggregates was sharply increased in both T1DM and T2DM. Conclusion. We've determined significant difference in blood formed elements aggregation activity between patients with T1 and T2 DM.

[Quantitative studies on reversible thrombocyte aggregation during exertion].

Science.gov (United States)

Haber, P; Silberbauer, K; Sinzinger, H

1980-10-11

In 8 oarsmen aged 19 to 31 years a symptom-limited rectangular-progressive bicycle stress test has been conducted. Venous blood was taken before and at the end of the test, and 30 and 60 minutes afterwards. pH, base excess, pCO2, platelet count and platelet count ratio (WU and HOAK) were measured or calculated, the last in order to quantify the tendency of the platelets to form reversible aggregates. At the point of exhaustion there is a highly significant (p cunt ratio (= increase in reversible platelet aggregates). A highly significant correlation exists between base excess and the platelet count ratio. The regression line does not fall below the normal value of the platelet count ratio until the delta-base excess is -4 mval/l. This means that an increase in the tendency to form reversible platelet aggregates is not typical of the range of aerobic metabolism but of muscular work in the anaerobic range with high exercise-induced metabolic acidosis. The basis for sudden death in sport due to internal reasons is not uncommonly an unknown and asymptomatic coronary disease and platelet aggregates. Persons aged over 30 years and sports in which competition is also inherent (soccer, tennis) are often involved. Acute cardiac death in sport is not very frequent. Nevertheless, the following recomendation seems to be warranted: persons aged over 30 years in bad condition should not start competitive sports or other intensive muscular exercise. Before they do so, low-intensive, controlled, aerobic endurance training is necessary.

Effects of Wastes from the Brewing Industry in Lightweight Aggregates Manufactured with Clay for Green Roofs

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Romina D. Farías

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the effects of sieved wastes generated from the brewing industry on lightweight aggregates manufactured with clay. Sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, bagasse and diatomaceous earth were used to obtain the samples. These wastes are usually dumped in landfills, but the current increase in restrictions on dumping and interest in improving the environment make our proposal for gaining value from these wastes a significant contribution. Laboratory tests show that the new aggregate has low bulk density and increased water absorption and porosity. The thermographic camera results provide evidence that new aggregates have significant insulating properties and are suitable for use on green roofs.

Effects of Wastes from the Brewing Industry in Lightweight Aggregates Manufactured with Clay for Green Roofs

Science.gov (United States)

Farías, Romina D.; Martínez García, Carmen; Cotes Palomino, Teresa; Martínez Arellano, Myriam

2017-01-01

This study investigates the effects of sieved wastes generated from the brewing industry on lightweight aggregates manufactured with clay. Sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, bagasse and diatomaceous earth were used to obtain the samples. These wastes are usually dumped in landfills, but the current increase in restrictions on dumping and interest in improving the environment make our proposal for gaining value from these wastes a significant contribution. Laboratory tests show that the new aggregate has low bulk density and increased water absorption and porosity. The thermographic camera results provide evidence that new aggregates have significant insulating properties and are suitable for use on green roofs. PMID:28772892

Random access with adaptive packet aggregation in LTE/LTE-A.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Kaijie; Nikaein, Navid

While random access presents a promising solution for efficient uplink channel access, the preamble collision rate can significantly increase when massive number of devices simultaneously access the channel. To address this issue and improve the reliability of the random access, an adaptive packet aggregation method is proposed. With the proposed method, a device does not trigger a random access for every single packet. Instead, it starts a random access when the number of aggregated packets reaches a given threshold. This method reduces the packet collision rate at the expense of an extra latency, which is used to accumulate multiple packets into a single transmission unit. Therefore, the tradeoff between packet loss rate and channel access latency has to be carefully selected. We use semi-Markov model to derive the packet loss rate and channel access latency as functions of packet aggregation number. Hence, the optimal amount of aggregated packets can be found, which keeps the loss rate below the desired value while minimizing the access latency. We also apply for the idea of packet aggregation for power saving, where a device aggregates as many packets as possible until the latency constraint is reached. Simulations are carried out to evaluate our methods. We find that the packet loss rate and/or power consumption are significantly reduced with the proposed method.

Men with Sickle Cell Anemia and Priapism Exhibit Increased Hemolytic Rate, Decreased Red Blood Cell Deformability and Increased Red Blood Cell Aggregate Strength.

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Kizzy-Clara Cita

Full Text Available To investigate the association between priapism in men with sickle cell anemia (SCA and hemorheological and hemolytical parameters.Fifty-eight men with SCA (median age: 38 years were included; 28 who had experienced priapism at least once during their life (priapism group and 30 who never experienced this complication (control group. Twenty-two patients were treated with hydroxycarbamide, 11 in each group. All patients were at steady state at the time of inclusion. Hematological and biochemical parameters were obtained through routine procedures. The Laser-assisted Optical Rotational Cell Analyzer was used to measure red blood cell (RBC deformability at 30 Pa (ektacytometry and RBC aggregation properties (laser backscatter versus time. Blood viscosity was measured at a shear rate of 225 s-1 using a cone/plate viscometer. A principal component analysis was performed on 4 hemolytic markers (i.e., lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT, total bilirubin (BIL levels and reticulocyte (RET percentage to calculate a hemolytic index.Compared to the control group, patients with priapism exhibited higher ASAT (p = 0.01, LDH (p = 0.03, RET (p = 0.03 levels and hemolytic indices (p = 0.02. Higher RBC aggregates strength (p = 0.01 and lower RBC deformability (p = 0.005 were observed in patients with priapism compared to controls. After removing the hydroxycarbamide-treated patients, RBC deformability (p = 0.01 and RBC aggregate strength (p = 0.03 were still different between the two groups, and patients with priapism exhibited significantly higher hemolytic indices (p = 0.01 than controls.Our results confirm that priapism in SCA is associated with higher hemolytic rates and show for the first time that this complication is also associated with higher RBC aggregate strength and lower RBC deformability.

Protein aggregation and misfolding: good or evil?

Science.gov (United States)

Pastore, Annalisa; Temussi, Pierandrea

2012-06-01

Protein aggregation and misfolding have important implications in an increasing number of fields ranging from medicine to biology to nanotechnology and material science. The interest in understanding this field has accordingly increased steadily over the last two decades. During this time the number of publications that have been dedicated to protein aggregation has increased exponentially, tackling the problem from several different and sometime contradictory perspectives. This review is meant to summarize some of the highlights that come from these studies and introduce this topical issue on the subject. The factors that make a protein aggregate and the cellular strategies that defend from aggregation are discussed together with the perspectives that the accumulated knowledge may open.

Protein aggregation and misfolding: good or evil?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pastore, Annalisa; Temussi, Pierandrea

2012-01-01

Protein aggregation and misfolding have important implications in an increasing number of fields ranging from medicine to biology to nanotechnology and material science. The interest in understanding this field has accordingly increased steadily over the last two decades. During this time the number of publications that have been dedicated to protein aggregation has increased exponentially, tackling the problem from several different and sometime contradictory perspectives. This review is meant to summarize some of the highlights that come from these studies and introduce this topical issue on the subject. The factors that make a protein aggregate and the cellular strategies that defend from aggregation are discussed together with the perspectives that the accumulated knowledge may open. (topical review)

Carrier Transport Enhancement in Conjugated Polymers through Interfacial Self-Assembly of Solution-State Aggregates

KAUST Repository

Zhao, Kui

2016-07-13

We demonstrate that local and long range orders of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) semicrystalline films can be synergistically improved by combining chemical functionalization of the dielectric surface with solution-state disentanglement and pre-aggregation of P3HT in a theta solvent, leading to a very significant enhancement of the field effect carrier mobility. The pre-aggregation and surface functionalization effects combine to enhance the carrier mobility nearly 100-fold as compared with standard film preparation by spin-coating, and nearly 10-fold increase over the benefits of pre-aggregation alone. In situ quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) experiments reveal enhanced deposition of pre-aggregates on surfaces modified with an alkyl-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM) in comparison to un-aggregated polymer chains. Additional investigations reveal the combined pre-aggregation and surface functionalization significantly enhances local order of the conjugated polymer through planarization and extension of the conjugated backbone of the polymer which clearly translate to significant improvements of carrier transport at the semiconductor-dielectric interface in organic thin film transistors. This study points to opportunities in combining complementary routes, such as well-known pre-aggregation with substrate chemical functionalization, to enhance the polymer self-assembly and improve its interfacial order with benefits for transport properties.

INVESTIGATION OF SKID RESISTANCE PROPERTIES OF AGGREGATES USED IN AFYONKARAHISAR CITY PAVEMENTS

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Cahit GÜRER

2007-02-01

Full Text Available For a safe driving, pavement surface aggregates must have superior physical and mechanical properties. Although high rate of accidents is mainly due to drivers errors, pavement surface properties affect significantly occurance of traffic accidents. The most important factor in the highways leading to traffic accidents are the skid resistance. In this study, adherence test with Vialit plate, Nicholson stripping test, accelerated polishing test (PSV were carried out on four aggregate samples which were used in seal coats and hot mix asphalt in Afyonkarahisar City. Results were compared with values of specification limits. The results showed that particularly limestone aggregates polishing stone values are poorer than volcanic aggregates sample. Especially, use of aggregates having a good polishing resistance, will be an important factor increasing driving safety.

Pre-aggregation for Probability Distributions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Timko, Igor; Dyreson, Curtis E.; Pedersen, Torben Bach

Motivated by the increasing need to analyze complex uncertain multidimensional data (e.g., in order to optimize and personalize location-based services), this paper proposes novel types of {\\em probabilistic} OLAP queries that operate on aggregate values that are probability distributions...... and the techniques to process these queries. The paper also presents the methods for computing the probability distributions, which enables pre-aggregation, and for using the pre-aggregated distributions for further aggregation. In order to achieve good time and space efficiency, the methods perform approximate...... multidimensional data analysis that is considered in this paper (i.e., approximate processing of probabilistic OLAP queries over probability distributions)....

Mechanical properties of concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and ceramic waste as coarse aggregate replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Khalid, Faisal Sheikh; Azmi, Nurul Bazilah; Sumandi, Khairul Azwa Syafiq Mohd; Mazenan, Puteri Natasya

2017-10-01

Many construction and development activities today consume large amounts of concrete. The amount of construction waste is also increasing because of the demolition process. Much of this waste can be recycled to produce new products and increase the sustainability of construction projects. As recyclable construction wastes, concrete and ceramic can replace the natural aggregate in concrete because of their hard and strong physical properties. This research used 25%, 35%, and 45% recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and ceramic waste as coarse aggregate in producing concrete. Several tests, such as concrete cube compression and splitting tensile tests, were also performed to determine and compare the mechanical properties of the recycled concrete with those of the normal concrete that contains 100% natural aggregate. The concrete containing 35% RCA and 35% ceramic waste showed the best properties compared with the normal concrete.

Macrophage triggering by aggregated immunoglobulins. II. Comparison of IgE and IgG aggregates or immune complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pestel, J; Dessaint, J P; Joseph, M; Bazin, H; Capron, A

1984-01-01

Macrophages incubated with complexed or aggregated IgE released beta-glucuronidase (beta-G) within 30 min. In contrast in the presence of aggregated or complexed IgG, macrophages liberated equivalent amount of beta-G only after 6 h incubation. In addition the rapid macrophage stimulation induced by aggregated IgE was also followed by a faster 3H-glucosamine incorporation when compared to the delayed activation caused by aggregated IgG. However, macrophages stimulated either by IgG or by IgE oligomers produced the same percentage of plasminogen activator at 24 h. In contrast, while the interaction between macrophages and aggregated IgE was only followed by a peak of cyclic GMP and a beta-G release during the first 30 min of incubation, the interaction between macrophages and IgG oligomers was accompanied by a simultaneous increase of cyclic GMP and AMP nucleotides and by an absence of beta-G exocytosis. Moreover, the beta-G release induced by aggregated IgE was increased when macrophages were preincubated with aggregated IgG. This additive effect was not observed in the reverse situation. Finally macrophages activated by IgG oligomers were demonstrated to exert a cytotoxic effect on tumour cells and to kill schistosomula in the presence of a low level of complement. Taken together these results underline the peculiar ability of aggregated or complexed IgE to trigger rapidly the macrophage activation compared to aggregated IgG and can explain the important role of complexed IgE in some macrophage dependent cytotoxicity mechanisms (i.e. in parasitic diseases). PMID:6088135

Light-induced aggregation of microbial exopolymeric substances.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Luni; Xu, Chen; Zhang, Saijin; Lin, Peng; Schwehr, Kathleen A; Quigg, Antonietta; Chiu, Meng-Hsuen; Chin, Wei-Chun; Santschi, Peter H

2017-08-01

Sunlight can inhibit or disrupt the aggregation process of marine colloids via cleavage of high molecular weight compounds into smaller, less stable fragments. In contrast, some biomolecules, such as proteins excreted from bacteria can form aggregates via cross-linking due to photo-oxidation. To examine whether light-induced aggregation can occur in the marine environment, we conducted irradiation experiments on a well-characterized protein-containing exopolymeric substance (EPS) from the marine bacterium Sagitulla stellata. Our results show that after 1 h sunlight irradiation, the turbidity level of soluble EPS was 60% higher than in the dark control. Flow cytometry also confirmed that more particles of larger sized were formed by sunlight. In addition, we determined a higher mass of aggregates collected on filter in the irradiated samples. This suggests light can induce aggregation of this bacterial EPS. Reactive oxygen species hydroxyl radical and peroxide played critical roles in the photo-oxidation process, and salts assisted the aggregation process. The observation that Sagitulla stellata EPS with relatively high protein content promoted aggregation, was in contrast to the case where no significant differences were found in the aggregation of a non-protein containing phytoplankton EPS between the dark and light conditions. This, together with the evidence that protein-to-carbohydrate ratio of aggregates formed under light condition is significantly higher than that formed under dark condition suggest that proteins are likely the important component for aggregate formation. Light-induced aggregation provides new insights into polymer assembly, marine snow formation, and the fate/transport of organic carbon and nitrogen in the ocean. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blasted copper slag as fine aggregate in Portland cement concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Dos Anjos, M A G; Sales, A T C; Andrade, N

2017-07-01

The present work focuses on assessing the viability of applying blasted copper slag, produced during abrasive blasting, as fine aggregate for Portland cement concrete manufacturing, resulting in an alternative and safe disposal method. Leaching assays showed no toxicity for this material. Concrete mixtures were produced, with high aggregate replacement ratios, varying from 0% to 100%. Axial compressive strength, diametrical compressive strength, elastic modulus, physical indexes and durability were evaluated. Assays showed a significant improvement in workability, with the increase in substitution of fine aggregate. With 80% of replacement, the concrete presented lower levels of water absorption capacity. Axial compressive strength and diametrical compressive strength decreased, with the increase of residue replacement content. The greatest reductions of compressive strength were found when the replacement was over 40%. For tensile strength by diametrical compression, the greatest reduction occurred for the concrete with 80% of replacement. After the accelerated aging, results of mechanic properties showed a small reduction of the concrete with blasted copper slag performance, when compared with the reference mixture. Results indicated that the blasted copper slag is a technically viable material for application as fine aggregate for concrete mixtures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retiring the Short-Run Aggregate Supply Curve

Science.gov (United States)

Elwood, S. Kirk

2010-01-01

The author argues that the aggregate demand/aggregate supply (AD/AS) model is significantly improved--although certainly not perfected--by trimming it of the short-run aggregate supply (SRAS) curve. Problems with the SRAS curve are shown first for the AD/AS model that casts the AD curve as identifying the equilibrium level of output associated…

Single particle detection and characterization of synuclein co-aggregation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giese, Armin; Bader, Benedikt; Bieschke, Jan; Schaffar, Gregor; Odoy, Sabine; Kahle, Philipp J.; Haass, Christian; Kretzschmar, Hans

2005-01-01

Protein aggregation is the key event in a number of human diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. We present a general method to quantify and characterize protein aggregates by dual-colour scanning for intensely fluorescent targets (SIFT). In addition to high sensitivity, this approach offers a unique opportunity to study co-aggregation processes. As the ratio of two fluorescently labelled components can be analysed for each aggregate separately in a homogeneous assay, the molecular composition of aggregates can be studied even in samples containing a mixture of different types of aggregates. Using this method, we could show that wild-type α-synuclein forms co-aggregates with a mutant variant found in familial Parkinson's disease. Moreover, we found a striking increase in aggregate formation at non-equimolar mixing ratios, which may have important therapeutic implications, as lowering the relative amount of aberrant protein may cause an increase of protein aggregation leading to adverse effects

SHAPE ANALYSIS OF FINE AGGREGATES USED FOR CONCRETE

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Huan He

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Fine aggregate is one of the essential components in concrete and significantly influences the material properties. As parts of natures, physical characteristics of fine aggregate are highly relevant to its behaviors in concrete. The most of previous studies are mainly focused on the physical properties of coarse aggregate due to the equipment limitations. In this paper, two typical fine aggregates, i.e. river sand and crushed rock, are selected for shape characterization. The new developed digital image analysis systems are employed as the main approaches for the purpose. Some other technical methods, e.g. sieve test, laser diffraction method are also used for the comparable references. Shape characteristics of fine aggregates with different origins but in similar size ranges are revealed by this study. Compared with coarse aggregate, fine grains of different origins generally have similar shape differences. These differences are more significant in surface texture properties, which can be easily identified by an advanced shape parameter: bluntness. The new image analysis method is then approved to be efficient for the shape characterization of fine aggregate in concrete.

Computed Microtomography Quantification of Internal Pore Geometry of Soil Aggregates from Contrasting Land Management Types

Science.gov (United States)

Ananyeva, K.; Wang, W.; Smucker, A. J.; Kravchenko, A. N.; Chun, H. C.; Rivers, M. L.

2010-12-01

Structure of soil aggregate interiors controls intra-aggregate processes and provides important contributions to the biogeochemical processes of the soil profile. Applications of computed microtomography (CMT) to soil science have enabled the direct and nondestructive analyses of internal aggregate pore structures within soil volumes. The main objective of this study was to employ CMT to examine the internal pore structures of soil aggregates, 4 to 6.3 mm across, sampled at 0-20 cm depths from contrasting long-term land management types. Intra-aggregate pore-size distributions were compared among land management types. Porosity below CMT resolution (tillage, grass vegetation) than that of aggregates managed by conventional tillage (CT) used for agriculture. There was also greater percentage of intra-aggregate pores >400 µm in aggregates from NS than CT or NT management systems. In the range 15-100 µm, however, porosity of CT aggregates exceeded that of NS and NT aggregates. Total intra-aggregate porosities were similar and higher for both CT and NS (34.6 and 34.7%, correspondingly) than the 32.6% for NT aggregates. Although statistically significant, this difference (CT or NS vs. NT) was practically small, requiring at least 48 replications to be detected. These results indicate that long-term differences in management affected intra-aggregate pore size distributions. Increased 15-100 µm porosity in CT aggregates is probably related to their greater fragility. A combination of higher microporosity (400 µm in NS aggregates may generate more favorable conditions for microbial activity through a combination of larger intra-aggregate regions with high water-holding capacities and increased aeration and preferential flow pathways for intra-aggregate solute and gas transport. Our current focus is comparing and relating specifics of internal pore structures in the aggregates from contrasting land management types, to the measurements of solution and microbial flow

Influence of structure of iron nanoparticles in aggregates on their magnetic properties

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Rosická Dana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Zero-valent iron nanoparticles rapidly aggregate. One of the reasons is magnetic forces among the nanoparticles. Magnetic field around particles is caused by composition of the particles. Their core is formed from zero-valent iron, and shell is a layer of magnetite. The magnetic forces contribute to attractive forces among the nanoparticles and that leads to increasing of aggregation of the nanoparticles. This effect is undesirable for decreasing of remediation properties of iron particles and limited transport possibilities. The aggregation of iron nanoparticles was established for consequent processes: Brownian motion, sedimentation, velocity gradient of fluid around particles and electrostatic forces. In our previous work, an introduction of influence of magnetic forces among particles on the aggregation was presented. These forces have significant impact on the rate of aggregation. In this article, a numerical computation of magnetic forces between an aggregate and a nanoparticle and between two aggregates is shown. It is done for random position of nanoparticles in an aggregate and random or arranged directions of magnetic polarizations and for structured aggregates with arranged vectors of polarizations. Statistical computation by Monte Carlo is done, and range of dominant area of magnetic forces around particles is assessed.

Coagulation efficiency and aggregate formation in marine phytoplankton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiørboe, Thomas; Andersen, K.P.; Dam, H.G.

1990-01-01

, and even nutrient replete cells are significantly sticky. Stickiness is highest (> 10-1) for S. costatum cells in the transition between the exponential and the stationary growth phase. The implications for phytoplankton aggregate formation and subsequent sedimentation in the sea of these two different......Flocculation of phytoplankters into large, rapidly sinking aggregates has been implicated as a mechanism of vertical transport of phytoplankton to the sea floor which could have global significance. The formation rate of phytoplankton aggregates depends on the rate at which single cells collide...... and demonstrate that three species of diatoms grown in the laboratory (Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Thalassiosira pseudonana, Skeletonema costatum) are indeed significantly sticky and form aggregates upon collison. The dependency of stickiness on nutrient limitation and growth was studied in the two latter species...

Gas revenue increasingly significant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Megill, R.E.

1991-01-01

This paper briefly describes the wellhead prices of natural gas compared to crude oil over the past 70 years. Although natural gas prices have never reached price parity with crude oil, the relative value of a gas BTU has been increasing. It is one of the reasons that the total amount of money coming from natural gas wells is becoming more significant. From 1920 to 1955 the revenue at the wellhead for natural gas was only about 10% of the money received by producers. Most of the money needed for exploration, development, and production came from crude oil. At present, however, over 40% of the money from the upstream portion of the petroleum industry is from natural gas. As a result, in a few short years natural gas may become 50% of the money revenues generated from wellhead production facilities

Rotary culture enhances pre-osteoblast aggregation and mineralization.

Science.gov (United States)

Facer, S R; Zaharias, R S; Andracki, M E; Lafoon, J; Hunter, S K; Schneider, G B

2005-06-01

Three-dimensional environments have been shown to enhance cell aggregation and osteoblast differentiation. Thus, we hypothesized that three-dimensional (3D) growth environments would enhance the mineralization rate of human embryonic palatal mesenchymal (HEPM) pre-osteoblasts. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential use of rotary cell culture systems (RCCS) as a means to enhance the osteogenic potential of pre-osteoblast cells. HEPM cells were cultured in a RCCS to create 3D enviroments. Tissue culture plastic (2D) cultures served as our control. 3D environments promoted three-dimensional aggregate formations. Increased calcium and phosphorus deposition was significantly enhanced three- to 18-fold (P < 0.001) in 3D cultures as compared with 2D environments. 3D cultures mineralized in 1 wk as compared with the 2D cultures, which took 4 wks, a decrease in time of nearly 75%. In conclusion, our studies demonstrated that 3D environments enhanced osteoblast cell aggregation and mineralization.

Effects of Straw Incorporation on Soil Nutrients, Enzymes, and Aggregate Stability in Tobacco Fields of China

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Jiguang Zhang

2016-07-01

Full Text Available To determine the effects of straw incorporation on soil nutrients, enzyme activity, and aggregates in tobacco fields, we conducted experiments with different amounts of wheat and maize straw in Zhucheng area of southeast Shandong province for three years (2010–2012. In the final year of experiment (2012, straw incorporation increased soil organic carbon (SOC and related parameters, and improved soil enzyme activity proportionally with the amount of straw added, except for catalase when maize straw was used. And maize straw incorporation was more effective than wheat straw in the tobacco field. The percentage of aggregates >2 mm increased with straw incorporation when measured by either dry or wet sieving. The mean weight diameter (MWD and geometric mean diameter (GMD in straw incorporation treatments were higher than those in the no-straw control (CK. Maize straw increased soil aggregate stability more than wheat straw with the same incorporation amount. Alkaline phosphatase was significantly and negatively correlated with soil pH. Sucrase and urease were both significantly and positively correlated with soil alkali-hydrolysable N. Catalase was significantly but negatively correlated with soil extractable K (EK. The MWD and GMD by dry sieving had significantly positive correlations with SOC, total N, total K, and EK, but only significantly correlated with EK by wet sieving. Therefore, soil nutrients, metabolic enzyme activity, and aggregate stability might be increased by increasing the SOC content through the maize or wheat straw incorporation. Moreover, incorporation of maize straw at 7500 kg·hm−2 was the best choice to enhance soil fertility in the tobacco area of Eastern China.

PPARγ ligands decrease hydrostatic pressure-induced platelet aggregation and proinflammatory activity.

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Fang Rao

Full Text Available Hypertension is known to be associated with platelet overactivity, but the direct effects of hydrostatic pressure on platelet function remain unclear. The present study sought to investigate whether elevated hydrostatic pressure is responsible for platelet activation and to address the potential role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ. We observed that hypertensive patients had significantly higher platelet volume and rate of ADP-induced platelets aggregation compared to the controls. In vitro, Primary human platelets were cultured under standard (0 mmHg or increased (120, 180, 240 mmHg hydrostatic pressure for 18 h. Exposure to elevated pressure was associated with morphological changes in platelets. Platelet aggregation and PAC-1 (the active confirmation of GPIIb/IIIa binding were increased, CD40L was translocated from cytoplasm to the surface of platelet and soluble CD40L (sCD40L was released into the medium in response to elevated hydrostatic pressure (180 and 240 mmHg. The PPARγ activity was up-regulated as the pressure was increased from 120 mmHg to 180 mmHg. Pressure-induced platelet aggregation, PAC-1 binding, and translocation and release of CD40L were all attenuated by the PPARγ agonist Thiazolidinediones (TZDs. These results demonstrate that platelet activation and aggregation are increased by exposure to elevated pressure and that PPARγ may modulate platelet activation induced by high hydrostatic pressure.

PPARγ ligands decrease hydrostatic pressure-induced platelet aggregation and proinflammatory activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Fang; Yang, Ren-Qiang; Chen, Xiao-Shu; Xu, Jin-Song; Fu, Hui-Min; Su, Hai; Wang, Ling

2014-01-01

Hypertension is known to be associated with platelet overactivity, but the direct effects of hydrostatic pressure on platelet function remain unclear. The present study sought to investigate whether elevated hydrostatic pressure is responsible for platelet activation and to address the potential role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ). We observed that hypertensive patients had significantly higher platelet volume and rate of ADP-induced platelets aggregation compared to the controls. In vitro, Primary human platelets were cultured under standard (0 mmHg) or increased (120, 180, 240 mmHg) hydrostatic pressure for 18 h. Exposure to elevated pressure was associated with morphological changes in platelets. Platelet aggregation and PAC-1 (the active confirmation of GPIIb/IIIa) binding were increased, CD40L was translocated from cytoplasm to the surface of platelet and soluble CD40L (sCD40L) was released into the medium in response to elevated hydrostatic pressure (180 and 240 mmHg). The PPARγ activity was up-regulated as the pressure was increased from 120 mmHg to 180 mmHg. Pressure-induced platelet aggregation, PAC-1 binding, and translocation and release of CD40L were all attenuated by the PPARγ agonist Thiazolidinediones (TZDs). These results demonstrate that platelet activation and aggregation are increased by exposure to elevated pressure and that PPARγ may modulate platelet activation induced by high hydrostatic pressure.

Effects of Pig Manure Organic Fertilizer Application on Available Nutrient Content and Soil Aggregate Distribution in Fluvo-aquic Soil

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SHI Wen-xuan

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on environmental risk caused by livestock manure disorderly discharged from integrated livestock and poultry industry. 2-year pot experiment was carried out to study the effects of pig manure organic fertilizer on fluvo-aquic soil organic carbon, available nutrient content and soil aggregate distribution, which designed in 5 levels of organic fertilizer application(0, 6.7, 13.3, 26.7, 40.0 g·kg-1 soil. The results showed that the organic carbon, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available P and available K contents in soil were enhanced with organic fertilizer application increasing, and the indicators of soil were increased significantly in second year, such as organic carbon content was 2.7%~54.0% higher than that of the first year, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen content was higher 6.7%~34.6%, available P content was higher 36.8%~159.5% and available K content was higher 20.3%~35.7%. There was a significant linear relationship between soil organic carbon content and external organic carbon input. Organic fertilizer application could significantly improve lettuce yield, and it had a significant effect. The soil micro-aggregate contents for 0.053~0.25 mm and 0.5 mm soil macro-aggregates were increased with organic fertilizer application increasing. Organic fertilizer application could promote soil macro-aggregates formation, when the pig manure organic fertilizer applied 40.0 g·kg-1 soil, the contents of >0.25 mm soil aggregates reached maximum, and also the mean weight diameter(MWD and geometric average diameter(GWD of soil aggregates were higher than that of other treatments, the soil agglomeration became more stronger and the soil structure became more stable.

Engineering a fibrocartilage spectrum through modulation of aggregate redifferentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Meghan K; Masters, Taylor E; Hu, Jerry C; Athanasiou, Kyriacos A

2015-01-01

Expanded costochondral cells provide a clinically relevant cell source for engineering both fibrous and hyaline articular cartilage. Expanding chondrocytes in a monolayer results in a shift toward a proliferative, fibroblastic phenotype. Three-dimensional aggregate culture may, however, be used to recover chondrogenic matrix production. This study sought to engineer a spectrum of fibrous to hyaline neocartilage from a single cell source by varying the duration of three-dimensional culture following expansion. In third passage porcine costochondral cells, the effects of aggregate culture duration were assessed after 0, 8, 11, 14, and 21 days of aggregate culture and after 4 subsequent weeks of neocartilage formation. Varying the duration of aggregate redifferentiation generated a spectrum of fibrous to hyaline neocartilage. Within 8 days of aggregation, proliferation ceased, and collagen and glycosaminoglycan production increased, compared with monolayer cells. In self-assembled neocartilage, type II-to-I collagen ratio increased with increasing aggregate duration, yet glycosaminoglycan content varied minimally. Notably, 14 days of aggregate redifferentiation increased collagen content by 25%, tensile modulus by over 110%, and compressive moduli by over 50%, compared with tissue formed in the absence of redifferentiation. A spectrum of fibrous to hyaline cartilage was generated using a single, clinically relevant cell source, improving the translational potential of engineered cartilage.

Structural Analysis and Aggregation Propensity of Pyroglutamate Aβ(3-40 in Aqueous Trifluoroethanol.

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Christina Dammers

Full Text Available A hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD is the accumulation of extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ plaques in the brains of patients. N-terminally truncated pyroglutamate-modified Aβ (pEAβ has been described as a major compound of Aβ species in senile plaques. pEAβ is more resistant to degradation, shows higher toxicity and has increased aggregation propensity and β-sheet stabilization compared to non-modified Aβ. Here we characterized recombinant pEAβ(3-40 in aqueous trifluoroethanol (TFE solution regarding its aggregation propensity and structural changes in comparison to its non-pyroglutamate-modified variant Aβ(1-40. Secondary structure analysis by circular dichroism spectroscopy suggests that pEAβ(3-40 shows an increased tendency to form β-sheet-rich structures in 20% TFE containing solutions where Aβ(1-40 forms α-helices. Aggregation kinetics of pEAβ(3-40 in the presence of 20% TFE monitored by thioflavin-T (ThT assay showed a typical sigmoidal aggregation in contrast to Aβ(1-40, which lacks ThT positive structures under the same conditions. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that pEAβ(3-40 aggregated to large fibrils and high molecular weight aggregates in spite of the presence of the helix stabilizing co-solvent TFE. High resolution NMR spectroscopy of recombinantly produced and uniformly isotope labeled [U-15N]-pEAβ(3-40 in TFE containing solutions indicates that the pyroglutamate formation affects significantly the N-terminal region, which in turn leads to decreased monomer stability and increased aggregation propensity.

Trust-aware recommendation for improving aggregate diversity

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Haifeng; Bai, Xiaomei; Yang, Zhuo; Tolba, Amr; Xia, Feng

2015-10-01

Recommender systems are becoming increasingly important and prevalent because of the ability of solving information overload. In recent years, researchers are paying increasing attention to aggregate diversity as a key metric beyond accuracy, because improving aggregate recommendation diversity may increase long tails and sales diversity. Trust is often used to improve recommendation accuracy. However, how to utilize trust to improve aggregate recommendation diversity is unexplored. In this paper, we focus on solving this problem and propose a novel trust-aware recommendation method by incorporating time factor into similarity computation. The rationale underlying the proposed method is that, trustees with later creation time of trust relation can bring more diverse items to recommend to their trustors than other trustees with earlier creation time of trust relation. Through relevant experiments on publicly available dataset, we demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the baseline method in terms of aggregate diversity while maintaining almost the same recall.

Consequential secondary structure alterations and aggregation during prolonged casein glycation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jindal, Supriya; Naeem, Aabgeena

2013-05-01

Non-enzymatic glycosylation (glycation) of casein is a process used not just to ameliorate the quality of dairy products but also to increase the shelf life of canned foods, including baby milk supplements. Incubation of κ-casein with reducing sugars for 15 days at physiological temperature showed the formation of a molten globule state at day 9 and 12 during fructation and glucation respectively. This state exhibits substantial secondary structure and maximum ANS binding. Later on, glycation resulted in the formation of aggregates at day 12 in presence of fructose and day 15 in presence of glucose. Aggregates possess extensive β-sheet structure as revealed by far-UV CD and FTIR. These aggregates showed altered tryptophan environment, decrease ANS binding relative to molten globule state and increase in Thioflavin T fluorescence. Aggregates were also accompanied by the accumulation of AGEs, indicative of structural damage to the protein and formation of potentially harmful species at the physiological level. Fructose was more reactive than glucose and thus caused early and significant changes in the protein. From our studies, we conclude that controlling the extent of the Maillard reaction in the food industry is essential to counter its negative effects and expand its safety spectrum.

Optical network scaling: roles of spectral and spatial aggregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Arık, Sercan Ö; Ho, Keang-Po; Kahn, Joseph M

2014-12-01

As the bit rates of routed data streams exceed the throughput of single wavelength-division multiplexing channels, spectral and spatial traffic aggregation become essential for optical network scaling. These aggregation techniques reduce network routing complexity by increasing spectral efficiency to decrease the number of fibers, and by increasing switching granularity to decrease the number of switching components. Spectral aggregation yields a modest decrease in the number of fibers but a substantial decrease in the number of switching components. Spatial aggregation yields a substantial decrease in both the number of fibers and the number of switching components. To quantify routing complexity reduction, we analyze the number of multi-cast and wavelength-selective switches required in a colorless, directionless and contentionless reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer architecture. Traffic aggregation has two potential drawbacks: reduced routing power and increased switching component size.

The hemostatic agent ethamsylate promotes platelet/leukocyte aggregate formation in a model of vascular injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, Maria Rosa; Alvarez-Guerra, Miriam; Escolar, Ginés; Chiavaroli, Carlo; Hannaert, Patrick; Garay, Ricardo P

2004-08-01

The hemostatic agent ethamsylate enhances membrane expression of P-selectin in human platelets, but whether this promotes platelet-leukocyte aggregate formation is unknown. Here we investigated this point by flow cytometry determination of human platelet-leukocyte aggregates under basal conditions and after whole-blood perfusion through a damaged rabbit aorta segment. Actions of ethamsylate on adhesive molecules of platelets and leukocytes were investigated in parallel. Under basal conditions, ethamsylate was unable to modify whole-blood platelet-leukocyte aggregation, but following whole-blood perfusion through a damaged vessel, ethamsylate produced a modest, but significant increase in platelet-leukocyte aggregates (48+/-21 and 45+/-26% above control levels at ethamsylate 20 and 40 microm respectively). In isolated leukocyte plasma membranes, 14C-ethamsylate specifically bound up to an amount of 660 pmol/mg protein. Moreover, at concentrations > or =1 microm, ethamsylate induced an important (100-200%) and significant increase in the P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) fluorescence signal in isolated leukocytes and was unable to significantly modify the percentage of CD11b-positive cells. However, no significant changes in aggregate formation were found when ethamsylate was incubated with isolated leukocytes and blood was reconstituted and perfused. In isolated platelet cell membranes, anti-P-selectin antibody and the anti-integrin RGD-containing pentapeptide (GRDGS) were unable to displace 14C-ethamsylate binding. In conclusion, ethamsylate specifically binds to plasma membranes of leukocytes, enhances membrane PSGL-1 expression and promotes leukocyte-platelet aggregation in whole-blood perfused through a damaged vascular segment. These results together with the previously observed enhancement of platelet P-selectin membrane expression [Thromb. Res. (2002)107:329-335] confirms and extends the view that ethamsylate acts on the first step of hemostasis, by

Sand Cement Brick Containing Recycled Concrete Aggregate as Fine-Aggregate Replacement

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Sheikh Khalid Faisal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, the usage amount of the concrete is increasing drastically. The construction industry is a huge consumer of natural consumer. It is also producing the huge wastage products. The usage of concrete has been charged to be not environmentally friendly due to depletion of reserve natural resources, high energy consumption and disposal issues. The conservation of natural resources and reduction of disposal site by reuse and recycling waste material was interest possibilites. The aim of this study is to determine the physical and mechanical properties of sand cement brick containing recycled concrete aggregate and to determine the optimum mix ratio containing recycled concrete aggregate. An experiment done by comparing the result of control specimen using 100% natural sand with recycled concrete aggregate replacement specimen by weight for 55%, 65%, and 75%. The sample was tested under density, compressive strength, flexural strength and water absorption to study the effect of using recycled concrete aggregate on the physical and mechanical properties of bricks. The result shows that the replacement of natural sand by recycled concrete aggregate at the level of 55% provide the highest compressive and flexural strength compared to other percentage and control specimen. However, if the replacement higher than 55%, the strength of brick was decreased for compressive and flexural strength, respectively. The relationship of compressive-flexural strength is determined from statistical analysis and the predicted result can be obtained by using equation ff,RCA = 0.5375 (fc0.3272.

Behavior of crushed rock aggregates used in road construction exposed to cold climate conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsova, Elena; Pérez Fortes, Ana Patricia; Anastasio, Sara; Willy Danielsen, Svein

2016-04-01

Presently, about 90% of the aggregate production in Europe comes from naturally occurring resources: quarries and pits. Due to the increased demand for sand and gravel for construction purposes, not only in building but also in road construction, the last decade has seen a significant trend towards the use of more crushed rock aggregates. This resource has been more and more preferred to sand and gravel thanks to the significant technological development of its process and use phase. The performance of the aggregates is generally evaluated depending on three main factors: the geological origin (mineral composition, texture, structure, degree of weathering), the aggregate processing (crushing, sieving, washing, storing) and the user technology for a specific area of use (e.g. road construction, asphalt binders). Nevertheless climatic conditions should carefully be taken into account in application such as road construction. Large temperature gradients and high levels of humidity are known to significantly affect the performance of the material. Although the problem is, at least in the asphalt field, considered mostly from the binder point of view, this article aims to investigate the effect of aggregate properties on road performance in cold climatic conditions. Two different climatic areas will be taken into account: Norway and Spain. While both these countries are listed among the main European producers of aggregates, they represent significantly different climatic regions. While Norwegian weather is characterized by humid cold winters and relatively mild summers, Spain has temperate climate with cold regions in mountainous and internal areas. Both countries have been significantly affected by climate change with increasing temperature variations and instability. At the same time, similar winter maintenance measures, including the use of a considerable amount of solid and liquid chemicals to avoid ice formation (e.g. NaCl) and/or to provide better friction, are

SHAPE ANALYSIS OF FINE AGGREGATES USED FOR CONCRETE

OpenAIRE

HE, Huan; Courard, Luc; Pirard, Eric; Michel, Frédéric

2016-01-01

Fine aggregate is one of the essential components in concrete and significantly influences the material properties. As parts of natures, physical characteristics of fine aggregate are highly relevant to its behaviors in concrete. The most of previous studies are mainly focused on the physical properties of coarse aggregate due to the equipment limitations. In this paper, two typical fine aggregates, i.e. river sand and crushed rock, are selected for shape characterization. The new developed d...

Age- and Hypertension-Associated Protein Aggregates in Mouse Heart Have Similar Proteomic Profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayyadevara, Srinivas; Mercanti, Federico; Wang, Xianwei; Mackintosh, Samuel G; Tackett, Alan J; Prayaga, Sastry V S; Romeo, Francesco; Shmookler Reis, Robert J; Mehta, Jawahar L

2016-05-01

Neurodegenerative diseases are largely defined by protein aggregates in affected tissues. Aggregates contain some shared components as well as proteins thought to be specific for each disease. Aggregation has not previously been reported in the normal, aging heart or the hypertensive heart. Detergent-insoluble protein aggregates were isolated from mouse heart and characterized on 2-dimensional gels. Their levels increased markedly and significantly with aging and after sustained angiotensin II-induced hypertension. Of the aggregate components identified by high-resolution proteomics, half changed in abundance with age (392/787) or with sustained hypertension (459/824), whereas 30% (273/901) changed concordantly in both, each Phypertensive hearts, we posited that aging of fibroblasts may contribute to the aggregates observed in cardiac tissue. Indeed, as cardiac myofibroblasts "senesced" (approached their replicative limit) in vitro, they accrued aggregates with many of the same constituent proteins observed in vivo during natural aging or sustained hypertension. In summary, we have shown for the first time that compact (detergent-insoluble) protein aggregates accumulate during natural aging, chronic hypertension, and in vitro myofibroblast senescence, sharing many common proteins. Thus, aggregates that arise from disparate causes (aging, hypertension, and replicative senescence) may have common underlying mechanisms of accrual. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Long-term manure amendments reduced soil aggregate stability via redistribution of the glomalin-related soil protein in macroaggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Hongtu; Li, Jianwei; Zhang, Bin; Wang, Lianfeng; Wang, Jingkuan; He, Hongbo; Zhang, Xudong

2015-01-01

Glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) contributes to the formation and maintenance of soil aggregates, it is however remains unclear whether long-term intensive manure amendments alter soil aggregates stability and whether GRSP regulates these changes. Based on a three-decade long fertilization experiment in northeast China, this study examined the impact of long-term manure input on soil organic carbon (SOC), total and easily extractable GRSP (GRSPt and GRSPe) and their respective allocations in four soil aggregates (>2000 μm; 2000–250 μm; 250–53 μm; and soil and SOC in each aggregate generally increased with increasing manure input, GRSPt and GRSPe in each aggregate showed varying changes with manure input. Both GRSP in macroaggregates (2000–250 μm) were significantly higher under low manure input, a pattern consistent with changes in soil aggregate stability. Constituting 38~49% of soil mass, macroaggregates likely contributed to the nonlinear changes of aggregate stability under manure amendments. The regulatory process of GRSP allocations in soil aggregates has important implications for manure management under intensive agriculture. PMID:26423355

Effect of porosity on physical properties of lightweight cement composite with foamed glass aggregate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurpińska Marzena

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on a study of physical properties of lightweight cement composite. We investigate the possibility of replacing traditional aggregate with Granulated Ash Aggregate (GAA and above all with Granulated Expanded Glass Aggregate (GEGA. For this purpose, 15 specimens of different percentage share of each aggregate in total aggregate volume were tested: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of foam glass aggregate (GEGA partially replaced by ash aggregate (GAA content in the cement composite. The water-cement ratio was constant and equal to w/c=0.5. Three grain sizes were analyzed: 2mm, 4mm (both GEGA and 8mm (GAA. Numerical simulations of concrete specimen behavior under static loading were conducted with the implementation of elastic plastic model of each component. The study shows a significant impact of grain type and size on physical properties of lightweight concrete. Due to lower density of foamed glass aggregate, specimens shows various apparent density and porosity, which affect concrete properties. Compressive strength of concrete decreases with the increase in foam glass aggregate content; however specimens show different workability and in consequence porosity of lightweight concrete.

Widespread protein aggregation as an inherent part of aging in C. elegans.

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Della C David

Full Text Available Aberrant protein aggregation is a hallmark of many age-related diseases, yet little is known about whether proteins aggregate with age in a non-disease setting. Using a systematic proteomics approach, we identified several hundred proteins that become more insoluble with age in the multicellular organism Caenorhabditis elegans. These proteins are predicted to be significantly enriched in beta-sheets, which promote disease protein aggregation. Strikingly, these insoluble proteins are highly over-represented in aggregates found in human neurodegeneration. We examined several of these proteins in vivo and confirmed their propensity to aggregate with age. Different proteins aggregated in different tissues and cellular compartments. Protein insolubility and aggregation were significantly delayed or even halted by reduced insulin/IGF-1-signaling, which also slows aging. We found a significant overlap between proteins that become insoluble and proteins that influence lifespan and/or polyglutamine-repeat aggregation. Moreover, overexpressing one aggregating protein enhanced polyglutamine-repeat pathology. Together our findings indicate that widespread protein insolubility and aggregation is an inherent part of aging and that it may influence both lifespan and neurodegenerative disease.

Multivalent scaffolds induce galectin-3 aggregation into nanoparticles

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Candace K. Goodman

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Galectin-3 meditates cell surface glycoprotein clustering, cross linking, and lattice formation. In cancer biology, galectin-3 has been reported to play a role in aggregation processes that lead to tumor embolization and survival. Here, we show that lactose-functionalized dendrimers interact with galectin-3 in a multivalent fashion to form aggregates. The glycodendrimer–galectin aggregates were characterized by dynamic light scattering and fluorescence microscopy methodologies and were found to be discrete particles that increased in size as the dendrimer generation was increased. These results show that nucleated aggregation of galectin-3 can be regulated by the nucleating polymer and provide insights that improve the general understanding of the binding and function of sugar-binding proteins.

Observing Convective Aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Holloway, Christopher E.; Wing, Allison A.; Bony, Sandrine; Muller, Caroline; Masunaga, Hirohiko; L'Ecuyer, Tristan S.; Turner, David D.; Zuidema, Paquita

2017-11-01

Convective self-aggregation, the spontaneous organization of initially scattered convection into isolated convective clusters despite spatially homogeneous boundary conditions and forcing, was first recognized and studied in idealized numerical simulations. While there is a rich history of observational work on convective clustering and organization, there have been only a few studies that have analyzed observations to look specifically for processes related to self-aggregation in models. Here we review observational work in both of these categories and motivate the need for more of this work. We acknowledge that self-aggregation may appear to be far-removed from observed convective organization in terms of time scales, initial conditions, initiation processes, and mean state extremes, but we argue that these differences vary greatly across the diverse range of model simulations in the literature and that these comparisons are already offering important insights into real tropical phenomena. Some preliminary new findings are presented, including results showing that a self-aggregation simulation with square geometry has too broad distribution of humidity and is too dry in the driest regions when compared with radiosonde records from Nauru, while an elongated channel simulation has realistic representations of atmospheric humidity and its variability. We discuss recent work increasing our understanding of how organized convection and climate change may interact, and how model discrepancies related to this question are prompting interest in observational comparisons. We also propose possible future directions for observational work related to convective aggregation, including novel satellite approaches and a ground-based observational network.

Impacts of Cropping Systems on Aggregates Associated Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in a Semiarid Highland Agroecosystem.

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Jiashu Chu

Full Text Available The effect of cropping system on the distribution of organic carbon (OC and nitrogen (N in soil aggregates has not been well addressed, which is important for understanding the sequestration of OC and N in agricultural soils. We analyzed the distribution of OC and N associated with soil aggregates in three unfertilized cropping systems in a 27-year field experiment: continuously cropped alfalfa, continuously cropped wheat and a legume-grain rotation. The objectives were to understand the effect of cropping system on the distribution of OC and N in aggregates and to examine the relationships between the changes in OC and N stocks in total soils and in aggregates. The cropping systems increased the stocks of OC and N in total soils (0-40 cm at mean rates of 15.6 g OC m-2 yr-1 and 1.2 g N m-2 yr-1 relative to a fallow control. The continuous cropping of alfalfa produced the largest increases at the 0-20 cm depth. The OC and N stocks in total soils were significantly correlated with the changes in the >0.053 mm aggregates. 27-year of cropping increased OC stocks in the >0.053 mm size class of aggregates and N stocks in the >0.25 mm size class but decreased OC stocks in the 0.25 mm aggregate size class accounted for more than 97% of the total increases in the continuous wheat and the legume-grain rotation systems. These results suggested that long-term cropping has the potential to sequester OC and N in soils and that the increases in soil OC and N stocks were mainly due to increases associated with aggregates >0.053 mm.

Compressive strength and resistance to chloride ion penetration and carbonation of recycled aggregate concrete with varying amount of fly ash and fine recycled aggregate.

Science.gov (United States)

Sim, Jongsung; Park, Cheolwoo

2011-11-01

Construction and demolition waste has been dramatically increased in the last decade, and social and environmental concerns on the recycling have consequently been increased. Recent technology has greatly improved the recycling process for waste concrete. This study investigates the fundamental characteristics of concrete using recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) for its application to structural concrete members. The specimens used 100% coarse RCA, various replacement levels of natural aggregate with fine RCA, and several levels of fly ash addition. Compressive strength of mortar and concrete which used RCA gradually decreased as the amount of the recycled materials increased. Regardless of curing conditions and fly ash addition, the 28 days strength of the recycled aggregate concrete was greater than the design strength, 40 MPa, with a complete replacement of coarse aggregate and a replacement level of natural fine aggregate by fine RCA up to 60%. The recycled aggregate concrete achieved sufficient resistance to the chloride ion penetration. The measured carbonation depth did not indicate a clear relationship to the fine RCA replacement ratio but the recycled aggregate concrete could also attain adequate carbonation resistance. Based on the results from the experimental investigations, it is believed that the recycled aggregate concrete can be successfully applied to structural concrete members. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth hormone aggregates in the rat adenohypophysis

Science.gov (United States)

Farrington, M.; Hymer, W. C.

1990-01-01

Although it has been known for some time that GH aggregates are contained within the rat anterior pituitary gland, the role that they might play in pituitary function is unknown. The present study examines this issue using the technique of Western blotting, which permitted visualization of 11 GH variants with apparent mol wt ranging from 14-88K. Electroelution of the higher mol wt variants from gels followed by their chemical reduction with beta-mercaptoethanol increased GH immunoassayability by about 5-fold. With the blot procedure we found 1) that GH aggregates greater than 44K were associated with a 40,000 x g sedimentable fraction; 2) that GH aggregates were not present in glands from thyroidectomized rats, but were in glands from the thyroidectomized rats injected with T4; 3) that GH aggregates were uniquely associated with a heavily granulated somatotroph subpopulation isolated by density gradient centrifugation; and 4) that high mol wt GH forms were released from the dense somatotrophs in culture, since treatment of the culture medium with beta-mercaptoethanol increased GH immunoassayability by about 5-fold. Taken together, the results show that high mol wt GH aggregates are contained in secretory granules of certain somatotrophs and are also released in aggregate form from these cells in vitro.

Lignin-based polyoxyethylene ether enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocelluloses by dispersing cellulase aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Xuliang; Qiu, Xueqing; Yuan, Long; Li, Zihao; Lou, Hongming; Zhou, Mingsong; Yang, Dongjie

2015-06-01

Water-soluble lignin-based polyoxyethylene ether (EHL-PEG), prepared from enzymatic hydrolysis lignin (EHL) and polyethylene glycol (PEG1000), was used to improve enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of corn stover. The glucose yield of corn stover at 72h was increased from 16.7% to 70.1% by EHL-PEG, while increase in yield with PEG4600 alone was 52.3%. With the increase of lignin content, EHL-PEG improved enzymatic hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose more obvious than PEG4600. EHL-PEG could reduce at least 88% of the adsorption of cellulase on the lignin film measured by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), while reduction with PEG4600 was 43%. Cellulase aggregated at 1220nm in acetate buffer analyzed by dynamic light scattering. EHL-PEG dispersed cellulase aggregates and formed smaller aggregates with cellulase, thereby, reduced significantly nonproductive adsorption of cellulase on lignin and enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocelluloses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Curcumin inhibits aggregation of alpha-synuclein.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Neeraj; Strider, Jeffrey; Nolan, William C; Yan, Sherry X; Galvin, James E

2008-04-01

Aggregation of amyloid-beta protein (Abeta) is a key pathogenic event in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Curcumin, a constituent of the Indian spice Turmeric is structurally similar to Congo Red and has been demonstrated to bind Abeta amyloid and prevent further oligomerization of Abeta monomers onto growing amyloid beta-sheets. Reasoning that oligomerization kinetics and mechanism of amyloid formation are similar in Parkinson's disease (PD) and AD, we investigated the effect of curcumin on alpha-synuclein (AS) protein aggregation. In vitro model of AS aggregation was developed by treatment of purified AS protein (wild-type) with 1 mM Fe3+ (Fenton reaction). It was observed that the addition of curcumin inhibited aggregation in a dose-dependent manner and increased AS solubility. The aggregation-inhibiting effect of curcumin was next investigated in cell culture utilizing catecholaminergic SH-SY5Y cell line. A model system was developed in which the red fluorescent protein (DsRed2) was fused with A53T mutant of AS and its aggregation examined under different concentrations of curcumin. To estimate aggregation in an unbiased manner, a protocol was developed in which the images were captured automatically through a high-throughput cell-based screening microscope. The obtained images were processed automatically for aggregates within a defined dimension of 1-6 microm. Greater than 32% decrease in mutant alpha-synuclein aggregation was observed within 48 h subsequent to curcumin addition. Our data suggest that curcumin inhibits AS oligomerization into higher molecular weight aggregates and therefore should be further explored as a potential therapeutic compound for PD and related disorders.

Stripping in hot mix asphalt produced by aggregates from construction and demolition waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, I; Pasandín, A R; Gallego, J

2012-01-01

This paper analyses the effect of water on the durability of hot asphalt mixtures made with recycled aggregates from construction and demolition debris. Indirect tensile stress tests were carried out to evaluate stripping behaviour. The mixtures tested were fabricated with 0, 20, 40 and 60% recycled aggregates. Two types of natural aggregates were used: schist and calcite dolomite. An increase in the percentage of recycled aggregates was found to produce a decrease in the tensile stress ratio of the hot asphalt mixtures. To study this phenomenon, two and three factor analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed with indirect tensile stress being used as the dependent variable. The factors studied were the percentage of recycled aggregates (0, 20, 40 and 60%), the moisture state (dry, wet) and the type of natural aggregate (schist, calcite). On the basis of the ANOVA results, it was found that the most important factor affecting resistance was the moisture state (dry, wet) of the specimens. The percentage of recycled aggregate also affected indirect tensile stress, especially in the dry state. The type of natural aggregate did not have a significant effect on indirect tensile stress. The hot asphalt mixture specimens made with different percentages of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition debris and of natural quarry aggregates showed poor stripping behaviour. This stripping behaviour can be related to both the poor adhesion of the recycled aggregates and the high absorption of the mortar of cement adhered to them.

An overview of aggregate resources in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Langer, William H.; Scott, P.W.; Bristow, C.M.

2002-01-01

In 2000 the USA produced about 2.7 billion tonnes of aggregate worth about $13.7 billion. Both crushed stone and sand and gravel are produced in virtually every State, although limited quantities are available in the Gulf Coastal Plain, the Colorado Plateau , the Wyoming Basin and the Great Plains. Prices vary depending on the product and location. Most aggregates are transported by road, and minor amounts by railroad, barge on navigable inland channels, and through the Great Lake ports. Imports and exports of aggregates are very minor. A major amount f crushed stone aggregates is consumed by concrete aggregate. Recycled aggregates account for about 8% of total demand, although the amount recycled is thought to be increasing. Current issues facing the inductry unclude the differences in quality specifications between States, adjusting to the increasing concern for the impact of aggregate mining on the environmentm, health issues from particulate matter and crystalline silica, and the complexity of obtaining permits for extraction. Redcustion in the number od companies extracting aggregrates is likely to occur through acquisitions.

Deletion of vitamin D receptor leads to premature emphysema/COPD by increased matrix metalloproteinases and lymphoid aggregates formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundar, Isaac K.; Hwang, Jae-Woong [Department of Environmental Medicine, Lung Biology and Disease Program, University of Rochester Medical Center, Box 850, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642 (United States); Wu, Shaoping [Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (United States); Sun, Jun [Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (United States); The Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (United States); The James Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY (United States); Rahman, Irfan, E-mail: irfan_rahman@urmc.rochester.edu [Department of Environmental Medicine, Lung Biology and Disease Program, University of Rochester Medical Center, Box 850, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642 (United States)

2011-03-04

Research highlights: {yields} Vitamin D deficiency is linked to accelerated decline in lung function. {yields} Levels of vitamin D receptor (VDR) are decreased in lungs of patients with COPD. {yields} VDR knock-out mouse showed increased lung inflammation and emphysema. {yields} This was associated with decline in lung function and increased MMPs. {yields} VDR knock-out mouse model is useful for studying the mechanisms of lung diseases. -- Abstract: Deficiency of vitamin D is associated with accelerated decline in lung function. Vitamin D is a ligand for nuclear hormone vitamin D receptor (VDR), and upon binding it modulates various cellular functions. The level of VDR is reduced in lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which led us to hypothesize that deficiency of VDR leads to significant alterations in lung phenotype that are characteristics of COPD/emphysema associated with increased inflammatory response. We found that VDR knock-out (VDR{sup -/-}) mice had increased influx of inflammatory cells, phospho-acetylation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-{kappa}B) associated with increased proinflammatory mediators, and up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-12 in the lung. This was associated with emphysema and decline in lung function associated with lymphoid aggregates formation compared to WT mice. These findings suggest that deficiency of VDR in mouse lung can lead to an early onset of emphysema/COPD because of chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and lung destruction.

Deletion of vitamin D receptor leads to premature emphysema/COPD by increased matrix metalloproteinases and lymphoid aggregates formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundar, Isaac K.; Hwang, Jae-Woong; Wu, Shaoping; Sun, Jun; Rahman, Irfan

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Vitamin D deficiency is linked to accelerated decline in lung function. → Levels of vitamin D receptor (VDR) are decreased in lungs of patients with COPD. → VDR knock-out mouse showed increased lung inflammation and emphysema. → This was associated with decline in lung function and increased MMPs. → VDR knock-out mouse model is useful for studying the mechanisms of lung diseases. -- Abstract: Deficiency of vitamin D is associated with accelerated decline in lung function. Vitamin D is a ligand for nuclear hormone vitamin D receptor (VDR), and upon binding it modulates various cellular functions. The level of VDR is reduced in lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which led us to hypothesize that deficiency of VDR leads to significant alterations in lung phenotype that are characteristics of COPD/emphysema associated with increased inflammatory response. We found that VDR knock-out (VDR -/- ) mice had increased influx of inflammatory cells, phospho-acetylation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) associated with increased proinflammatory mediators, and up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-12 in the lung. This was associated with emphysema and decline in lung function associated with lymphoid aggregates formation compared to WT mice. These findings suggest that deficiency of VDR in mouse lung can lead to an early onset of emphysema/COPD because of chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and lung destruction.

Rydberg aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Wüster, S.; Rost, J.-M.

2018-02-01

We review Rydberg aggregates, assemblies of a few Rydberg atoms exhibiting energy transport through collective eigenstates, considering isolated atoms or assemblies embedded within clouds of cold ground-state atoms. We classify Rydberg aggregates, and provide an overview of their possible applications as quantum simulators for phenomena from chemical or biological physics. Our main focus is on flexible Rydberg aggregates, in which atomic motion is an essential feature. In these, simultaneous control over Rydberg-Rydberg interactions, external trapping and electronic energies, allows Born-Oppenheimer surfaces for the motion of the entire aggregate to be tailored as desired. This is illustrated with theory proposals towards the demonstration of joint motion and excitation transport, conical intersections and non-adiabatic effects. Additional flexibility for quantum simulations is enabled by the use of dressed dipole-dipole interactions or the embedding of the aggregate in a cold gas or Bose-Einstein condensate environment. Finally we provide some guidance regarding the parameter regimes that are most suitable for the realization of either static or flexible Rydberg aggregates based on Li or Rb atoms. The current status of experimental progress towards enabling Rydberg aggregates is also reviewed.

The structure of microbial community in aggregates of a typical chernozem aggregates under contrasting variants of its agricultural use

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanova, E. A.; Kutovaya, O. V.; Tkhakakhova, A. K.; Chernov, T. I.; Pershina, E. V.; Markina, L. G.; Andronov, E. E.; Kogut, B. M.

2015-11-01

The taxonomic structure of microbiomes in aggregates of different sizes from typical chernozems was investigated using sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The aggregate fractions of 7 mm obtained by sieving of the soil samples at natural moisture were used for analysis. The highest prokaryote biomass (bacteria, archaea) was determined in the fractions permanent black fallow > permanent winter wheat. The greatest number of fungi was recorded in the fraction wheat. The system of agricultural use affected more significantly the structure of the prokaryote community in the chernozem than the size of aggregate fractions did. The most diverse microbial community was recorded in the soil samples of the fallow; the statistically significant maximums of the Shannon diversity indices and indices of phylogenetic diversity (PD) were recorded in the fractions <0.25 and 2-5 mm from the fallow soil. On the whole, the fine soil fractions (<0.25 mm) were characterized by higher diversity indices in comparison with those of the coarser aggregate fractions.

Building, Sharing and Exploiting Spatio-Temporal Aggregates in Vehicular Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorsaf Zekri

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on data aggregation in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs. In such networks, data produced by sensors or crowdsourcers are exchanged between vehicles in order to warn or inform drivers when an event occurs (e.g., an accident, a traffic congestion, a parking space released, a vehicle with non-functioning brake lights, etc.. In the following, we propose to generate spatio-temporal aggregates containing these data in order to keep a summary of past events. We therefore use Flajolet-Martin sketches. Our goal is then to exploit these aggregates to better assist the drivers. These aggregates may indeed produce additional knowledge that may be useful when no event has been recently transmitted by surrounding vehicles or when some knowledge about the global demand may improve the decision that need to be taken at the vehicle level. To prove the effectiveness of our approach, an extensive experimental evaluation has been performed considering vehicles looking for an available parking space, that proves the interest of our proposal. The experimentations indeed show that the use of our aggregation structure significantly reduces the time needed to actually find a parking space. It also increases the percentage of vehicles finding such a resource in a bounded time in congested situations.

Implications Of Aggregate Demand Elasticity For The Phillips Curve

OpenAIRE

Ben L. Kyer; Gary E. Maggs

2004-01-01

While the general relationship between the aggregate supply curve and the Phillips curve is recognized, the importance of aggregate demand and, in particular, aggregate demand elasticity, for the inflation-unemployment relationship has been untreated. We believe, however, that the elasticity of aggregate demand with respect to the general price level does have some significance for the short-run Phillips curve since, on a general level, the economy's equilibrium price level, inflation rate, r...

Determinants of Aggregate Agricultural Productivity among High ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development ... Determinants of Aggregate Agricultural Productivity among High External Input Technology Farms in a ... of aggregate agricultural productivity in an environment where policy on ... to increase the farm sizes through re-examination of the existing land laws.

PE859, a novel tau aggregation inhibitor, reduces aggregated tau and prevents onset and progression of neural dysfunction in vivo.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michiaki Okuda

Full Text Available In tauopathies, a neural microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT is abnormally aggregated and forms neurofibrillary tangle. Therefore, inhibition of the tau aggregation is one of the key approaches for the treatment of these diseases. Here, we have identified a novel tau aggregation inhibitor, PE859. An oral administration of PE859 resulted in the significant reduction of sarkosyl-insoluble aggregated tau along with the prevention of onset and progression of the motor dysfunction in JNPL3 P301L-mutated human tau transgenic mice. These results suggest that PE859 is useful for the treatment of tauopathies.

Extending Practical Pre-Aggregation in On-Line Analytical Processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Torben Bach; Jensen, Christian Søndergaard; Dyreson, Curtis E.

On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) based on a dimensional view of data is being used increasingly in traditional business applications as well as in applications such as health care for the purpose of analyzing very large amounts of data. Pre-aggregation, the prior materialization of aggregate...... select combinations of aggregates and then re-use these for efficiently computing other aggregates. However, this re-use of aggregates is contingent on the dimension hierarchies and the relationships between facts and dimensions satisfying stringent constraints. This severely limits the scope...

A comparison of aggregated models for simulation and operational optimisation of district heating networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Helge V.; Bøhm, Benny; Wigbels, M.

2004-01-01

as a test case. For the 23 substations in Ishoej, heat loads and primary and secondary supply and return temperatures were available every 5 min for the period December 19–24, 2000. The accuracy of the aggregation models has been documented as the errors in heat production and in return temperature......Work on aggregation of district heating networks has been in progress during the last decade. Two methods have independently been developed in Denmark and Germany. In this article, a comparison of the two methods is first presented. Next, the district heating system Ishoej near Copenhagen is used...... at the DH plant between the physical network and the aggregated model. Both the Danish and the German aggregation methods work well. It is concluded that the number of pipes can be reduced from 44 to three when using the Danish method of aggregation without significantly increasing the error in heat...

Properties of concrete blocks prepared with low grade recycled aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Poon, Chi-Sun; Kou, Shi-cong; Wan, Hui-wen; Etxeberria, Miren

2009-08-01

Low grade recycled aggregates obtained from a construction waste sorting facility were tested to assess the feasibility of using these in the production of concrete blocks. The characteristics of the sorted construction waste are significantly different from that of crushed concrete rubbles that are mostly derived from demolition waste streams. This is due to the presence of higher percentages of non-concrete components (e.g. >10% soil, brick, tiles etc.) in the sorted construction waste. In the study reported in this paper, three series of concrete block mixtures were prepared by using the low grade recycled aggregates to replace (i) natural coarse granite (10mm), and (ii) 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% replacement levels of crushed stone fine (crushed natural granite concrete blocks. Test results on properties such as density, compressive strength, transverse strength and drying shrinkage as well as strength reduction after exposure to 800 degrees C are presented below. The results show that the soil content in the recycled fine aggregate was an important factor in affecting the properties of the blocks produced and the mechanical strength deceased with increasing low grade recycled fine aggregate content. But the higher soil content in the recycled aggregates reduced the reduction of compressive strength of the blocks after exposure to high temperature due probably to the formation of a new crystalline phase. The results show that the low grade recycled aggregates obtained from the construction waste sorting facility has potential to be used as aggregates for making non-structural pre-cast concrete blocks.

Characterization of effects of thermal property of aggregate on the carbon footprint of asphalt industries in China

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Ali Jamshidi

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In this study, the effects of the thermal properties of asphalt binders and aggregate materials were characterized in terms of the specific heat capacity (C for energy consumption and environmental footprints of hot mix asphalt (HMA and warm mix asphalt (WMA. Asphalt mixes produced using low-C aggregate are found to be more energy-efficient and environmental friendly, irrespective of the binder type and construction technology. Therefore, different fractions of aggregate blends were replaced with the aggregate provided from a low-C source or sustainable source. Analysis of energy consumption clearly indicated that the specific energy and environmental footprints decrease linearly as the low-C aggregate content increases. The amount of energy saving realized in the asphalt industries by the use of low-C aggregate is significant on a national scale in China. In this regard, China was chosen as a case study. Analysis of fuel requirement clearly indicated that the production of WMA using high thermal sensitivity aggregate can yield significant energy saving sufficient to fuel 44,007 to 664,880 Chinese households per year. Therefore, use of low C aggregate in asphalt mix production can be adopted as a strategy to produce WMA and HMA.

Characterization and modeling of thermal diffusion and aggregation in nanofluids.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gharagozloo, Patricia E.; Goodson, Kenneth E. (Stanford University, Stanford, CA)

2010-05-01

Fluids with higher thermal conductivities are sought for fluidic cooling systems in applications including microprocessors and high-power lasers. By adding high thermal conductivity nanoscale metal and metal oxide particles to a fluid the thermal conductivity of the fluid is enhanced. While particle aggregates play a central role in recent models for the thermal conductivity of nanofluids, the effect of particle diffusion in a temperature field on the aggregation and transport has yet to be studied in depth. The present work separates the effects of particle aggregation and diffusion using parallel plate experiments, infrared microscopy, light scattering, Monte Carlo simulations, and rate equations for particle and heat transport in a well dispersed nanofluid. Experimental data show non-uniform temporal increases in thermal conductivity above effective medium theory and can be well described through simulation of the combination of particle aggregation and diffusion. The simulation shows large concentration distributions due to thermal diffusion causing variations in aggregation, thermal conductivity and viscosity. Static light scattering shows aggregates form more quickly at higher concentrations and temperatures, which explains the increased enhancement with temperature reported by other research groups. The permanent aggregates in the nanofluid are found to have a fractal dimension of 2.4 and the aggregate formations that grow over time are found to have a fractal dimension of 1.8, which is consistent with diffusion limited aggregation. Calculations show as aggregates grow the viscosity increases at a faster rate than thermal conductivity making the highly aggregated nanofluids unfavorable, especially at the low fractal dimension of 1.8. An optimum nanoparticle diameter for these particular fluid properties is calculated to be 130 nm to optimize the fluid stability by reducing settling, thermal diffusion and aggregation.

Particle Aggregation During Fe(III) Bioreduction in Nontronite

Science.gov (United States)

Jaisi, D. P.; Dong, H.; Hi, Z.; Kim, J.

2005-12-01

This study was performed to evaluate the rate and mechanism of particle aggregation during bacterial Fe (III) reduction in different size fractions of nontronite and to investigate the role of different factors contributing to particle aggregation. To achieve this goal, microbial Fe(III) reduction experiments were performed with lactate as an electron donor, Fe(III) in nontronite as an electron acceptor, and AQDS as an electron shuttle in bicarbonate buffer using Shewanella putrefaceins CN32. These experiments were performed with and without Na- pyrophosphate as a dispersant in four size fractions of nontronite (0.12-0.22, 0.41-0.69, 0.73-0.96 and 1.42-1.8 mm). The rate of nontronite aggregation during the Fe(III) bioreduction was measured by analyzing particle size distribution using photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and SEM images analysis. Similarly, the changes in particle morphology during particle aggregation were determined by analyses of SEM images. Changes in particle surface charge were measured with electrophoretic mobility analyzer. The protein and carbohydrate fraction of EPS produced by cells during Fe(III) bioreduction was measured using Bradford and phenol-sulfuric acid extraction method, respectively. In the presence of the dispersant, the extent of Fe(III) bioreduction was 11.5-12.2% within the first 56 hours of the experiment. There was no measurable particle aggregation in control experiments. The PCS measurements showed that the increase in the effective diameter (95% percentile) was by a factor of 3.1 and 1.9 for particle size of 0.12-0.22 mm and 1.42-1.80 mm, respectively. The SEM image analyses also gave the similar magnitude of increase in particle size. In the absence of the dispersant, the extent of Fe(III) bioreduction was 13.4-14.5% in 56 hours of the experiment. The rate of aggregation was higher than that in the presence of the dispersant. The increase in the effective diameter (95% percentile) was by a factor of 13.6 and 4.1 for

Measurement of the temperature-dependent threshold shear-stress of red blood cell aggregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Hyun-Jung; Nam, Jeong-Hun; Lee, Yong-Jin; Shin, Sehyun

2009-09-01

Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation is becoming an important hemorheological parameter, which typically exhibits temperature dependence. Quite recently, a critical shear-stress was proposed as a new dimensional index to represent the aggregative and disaggregative behaviors of RBCs. The present study investigated the effect of the temperature on the critical shear-stress that is required to keep RBC aggregates dispersed. The critical shear-stress was measured at various temperatures (4, 10, 20, 30, and 37 degrees C) through the use of a transient microfluidic aggregometry. The critical shear-stress significantly increased as the blood temperature lowered, which accorded with the increase in the low-shear blood viscosity with the lowering of the temperature. Furthermore, the critical shear-stress also showed good agreement with the threshold shear-stress, as measured in a rotational Couette flow. These findings assist in rheologically validating the critical shear-stress, as defined in the microfluidic aggregometry.

A Comparative Study of Spatial Aggregation Methodologies under the BioEarth Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasekharan, B.; Rajagopalan, K.; Malek, K.; Stockle, C. O.; Adam, J. C.; Brady, M.

2014-12-01

The increasing probability of water resource scarcity due to climate change has highlighted the need for adopting an economic focus in modelling water resource uses. Hydro-economic models, developed by integrating economic optimization with biophysical crop models, are driven by the economic value of water, revealing it's most efficient uses and helping policymakers evaluate different water management strategies. One of the challenges in integrating biophysical models with economic models is the difference in the spatial scales in which they operate. Biophysical models that provide crop production functions typically run at smaller scale than economic models, and substantial spatial aggregation is required. However, any aggregation introduces a bias, i.e., a discrepancy between the functional value at the higher spatial scale and the value at the spatial scale of the aggregated units. The objective of this work is to study the sensitivity of net economic benefits in the Yakima River basin (YRB) to different spatial aggregation methods for crop production functions. The spatial aggregation methodologies that we compare involve agro-ecological zones (AEZs) and aggregation levels that reflect water management regimes (e.g. irrigation districts). Aggregation bias can distort the underlying data and result in extreme solutions. In order to avoid this we use an economic optimization model that incorporates the synthetic and historical crop mixes approach (Onal & Chen, 2012). This restricts the solutions between the weighted averages of historical and simulated feasible planting decisions, with the weights associated with crop mixes being treated as endogenous variables. This study is focused on 5 major irrigation districts of the YRB in the Pacific Northwest US. The biophysical modeling framework we use, BioEarth, includes the coupled hydrology and crop growth model, VIC-Cropsyst and an economic optimization model. Preliminary findings indicate that the standard approach

Petrography study on altered flint aggregate by alkali-silica reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulteel, D.; Rafai, N.; Degrugilliers, P.; Garcia-Diaz, E.

2004-01-01

The aim of our study is to improve our understanding of an alkali-silica reaction (ASR) via petrography. We used a chemical concrete subsystem: flint aggregate, portlandite and KOH. The altered flint aggregate is followed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after acid treatment at different intervals. After acid treatment, the observations showed an increase in aggregate porosity and revealed internal degradation of the aggregate. This degradation created amorphous zones. Before acid treatment, the analyses on polished sections by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) enabled visualization of K + and Ca 2+ penetration into the aggregate. The appearance of amorphous zones and penetration of positive ions into the aggregate are correlated with the increase in the molar fraction of silanol sites. This degradation is specific to the alkali-silica reaction

Balancing energy flexibilities through aggregation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Valsomatzis, Emmanouil; Hose, Katja; Pedersen, Torben Bach

2014-01-01

One of the main goals of recent developments in the Smart Grid area is to increase the use of renewable energy sources. These sources are characterized by energy fluctuations that might lead to energy imbalances and congestions in the electricity grid. Exploiting inherent flexibilities, which exist...... in both energy production and consumption, is the key to solving these problems. Flexibilities can be expressed as flex-offers, which due to their high number need to be aggregated to reduce the complexity of energy scheduling. In this paper, we discuss balance aggregation techniques that already during...... aggregation aim at balancing flexibilities in production and consumption to reduce the probability of congestions and reduce the complexity of scheduling. We present results of our extensive experiments....

One stone, two birds: silica nanospheres significantly increase photocatalytic activity and colloidal stability of photocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Rasamani, Kowsalya D.; Foley, Jonathan J., IV; Sun, Yugang

2018-03-01

Silver-doped silver chloride [AgCl(Ag)] nanoparticles represent a unique class of visible-light-driven photocatalysts, in which the silver dopants introduce electron-abundant mid-gap energy levels to lower the bandgap of AgCl. However, free-standing AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles, particularly those with small sizes and large surface areas, exhibit low colloidal stability and low compositional stability upon exposure to light irradiation, leading to easy aggregation and conversion to metallic silver and thus a loss of photocatalytic activity. These problems could be eliminated by attaching the small AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles to the surfaces of spherical dielectric silica particles with submicrometer sizes. The high optical transparency in the visible spectral region (400-800 nm), colloidal stability, and chemical/electronic inertness displayed by the silica spheres make them ideal for supporting photocatalysts and significantly improving their stability. The spherical morphology of the dielectric silica particles can support light scattering resonances to generate significantly enhanced electric fields near the silica particle surfaces, on which the optical absorption cross-section of the AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles is dramatically increased to promote their photocatalytic activity. The hybrid silica/AgCl(Ag) structures exhibit superior photocatalytic activity and stability, suitable for supporting photocatalysis sustainably; for instance, their efficiency in the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue decreases by only ˜9% even after ten cycles of operation.

Live Cell Characterization of DNA Aggregation Delivered through Lipofection.

Science.gov (United States)

Mieruszynski, Stephen; Briggs, Candida; Digman, Michelle A; Gratton, Enrico; Jones, Mark R

2015-05-27

DNA trafficking phenomena, such as information on where and to what extent DNA aggregation occurs, have yet to be fully characterised in the live cell. Here we characterise the aggregation of DNA when delivered through lipofection by applying the Number and Brightness (N&B) approach. The N&B analysis demonstrates extensive aggregation throughout the live cell with DNA clusters in the extremity of the cell and peri-nuclear areas. Once within the nucleus aggregation had decreased 3-fold. In addition, we show that increasing serum concentration of cell media results in greater cytoplasmic aggregation. Further, the effects of the DNA fragment size on aggregation was explored, where larger DNA constructs exhibited less aggregation. This study demonstrates the first quantification of DNA aggregation when delivered through lipofection in live cells. In addition, this study has presents a model for alternative uses of this imaging approach, which was originally developed to study protein oligomerization and aggregation.

Effect of fly ash on the strength of porous concrete using recycled coarse aggregate to replace low-quality natural coarse aggregate

Science.gov (United States)

Arifi, Eva; Cahya, Evi Nur; Christin Remayanti, N.

2017-09-01

The performance of porous concrete made of recycled coarse aggregate was investigated. Fly ash was used as cement partial replacement. In this study, the strength of recycled aggregate was coMPared to low quality natural coarse aggregate which has high water absorption. Compression strength and tensile splitting strength test were conducted to evaluate the performance of porous concrete using fly ash as cement replacement. Results have shown that the utilization of recycled coarse aggregate up to 75% to replace low quality natural coarse aggregate with high water absorption increases compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of porous concrete. Using fly ash up to 25% as cement replacement improves compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of porous concrete.

The alkali-aggregate reaction - concrete microstructure evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Regourd, M.; Hornain, H.; Poitevin, P.

1981-01-01

The alkali-aggregate reaction has been studied by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis, electron probe microanalysis, and X-ray diffraction in concretes containing glass aggregates or hornfels and greywacke aggregates. The surface reaction of the natural aggregates in alkaline solutions has been analysed by X-ray photo-electron spectrometry. The study of concretes with glass aggregates stored at 20 degrees Celcius and 100 percent relative humidity has revealed, irrespective of alkali content and type of cement, the formation of a gel containing SiO 2 , Na 2 O, CaO, MgO and Al 2 O 3 . Under heat and pressure (210 degrees Celcius at MPa for 48 hours), the gel crystallizes and yields silicates not very different from tobermorite found in autoclaved normal concretes but cotaining Na and K in solid solutions. The alkali reaction in two natural aggregate concretes, is also shown by the formation of gels and silicate crystals. The progressive structuring of the gels in silicate crystals is promoted by an increase in temperature. Ettringite and Ca(OH) 2 reinforce the alkali-aggregate reaction which may be looked upon as a hydration reaction, partially of the pozzolanic type

Platelet aggregation following trauma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Windeløv, Nis A; Sørensen, Anne M; Perner, Anders

2014-01-01

We aimed to elucidate platelet function in trauma patients, as it is pivotal for hemostasis yet remains scarcely investigated in this population. We conducted a prospective observational study of platelet aggregation capacity in 213 adult trauma patients on admission to an emergency department (ED...... severity score (ISS) was 17; 14 (7%) patients received 10 or more units of red blood cells in the ED (massive transfusion); 24 (11%) patients died within 28 days of trauma: 17 due to cerebral injuries, four due to exsanguination, and three from other causes. No significant association was found between...... aggregation response and ISS. Higher TRAP values were associated with death due to cerebral injuries (P 

Alkali Release from Typical Danish Aggregates to Potential ASR Reactive Concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Hans Christian Brolin; Grelk, Bent; Barbosa, Ricardo Antonio

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in concrete is a well-known deterioration mechanism affecting the long term durability of Danish concrete structures. Deleterious ASR cracking can be significantly reduced or prevented by limiting the total alkali content of concrete under a certain threshold limit......, which in Denmark is recommended to 3 kg/m3 Na2Oeq.. However, this threshold limit does not account for the possible internal contribution of alkali to the concrete pore solution by release from aggregates or external contributions from varies sources. This study indicates that certain Danish aggregates...... are capable of releasing more than 0.46 kg/m3 Na2Oeq. at 13 weeks of exposure in laboratory test which may increase the risk for deleterious cracking due to an increase in alkali content in the concrete....

Towards Better Understanding of Concrete Containing Recycled Concrete Aggregate

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Hisham Qasrawi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of using recycled concrete aggregates (RCA on the basic properties of normal concrete is studied. First, recycled aggregate properties have been determined and compared to those of normal aggregates. Except for absorption, there was not a significant difference between the two. Later, recycled aggregates were introduced in concrete mixes. In these mixes, natural coarse aggregate was partly or totally replaced by recycled aggregates. Results show that the use of recycled aggregates has an adverse effect on the workability and air content of fresh concrete. Depending on the water/cement ratio and on the percent of the normal aggregate replaced by RCA, the concrete strength is reduced by 5% to 25%, while the tensile strength is reduced by 4% to 14%. All results are compared with previous research. As new in this research, the paper introduces a simple formula for the prediction of the modulus of elasticity of RCA concrete. Furthermore, the paper shows the variation of the air content of RAC.

Creep and shrinkage behaviour of concrete with mixed recycled aggregates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hordijk, D.A.; Uijl, J. den

1999-01-01

For environmental reasons the interest in possibilities to use recycled aggregates in concrete is strongly increasing. World-wide, most attention with respect to recycled aggregates is paid to the quality of the aggregates. Still only limited information is available for the mechanica! properties of

Development of construction materials using nano-silica and aggregates recycled from construction and demolition waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukharjee, Bibhuti Bhusan; Barai, Sudhirkumar V

2015-06-01

The present work addresses the development of novel construction materials utilising commercial grade nano-silica and recycled aggregates retrieved from construction and demolition waste. For this, experimental work has been carried out to examine the influence of nano-silica and recycled aggregates on compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, water absorption, density and volume of voids of concrete. Fully natural and recycled aggregate concrete mixes are designed by replacing cement with three levels (0.75%, 1.5% and 3%) of nano-silica. The results of the present investigation depict that improvement in early days compressive strength is achieved with the incorporation of nano-silica in addition to the restoration of reduction in compressive strength of recycled aggregate concrete mixes caused owing to the replacement of natural aggregates by recycled aggregates. Moreover, the increase in water absorption and volume of voids with a reduction of bulk density was detected with the incorporation of recycled aggregates in place of natural aggregates. However, enhancement in density and reduction in water absorption and volume of voids of recycled aggregate concrete resulted from the addition of nano-silica. In addition, the results of the study reveal that nano-silica has no significant effect on elastic modulus of concrete. © The Author(s) 2015.

Sorbitol crystallization-induced aggregation in frozen mAb formulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Piedmonte, Deirdre Murphy; Hair, Alison; Baker, Priti; Brych, Lejla; Nagapudi, Karthik; Lin, Hong; Cao, Wenjin; Hershenson, Susan; Ratnaswamy, Gayathri

2015-02-01

Sorbitol crystallization-induced aggregation of mAbs in the frozen state was evaluated. The effect of protein aggregation resulting from sorbitol crystallization was measured as a function of formulation variables such as protein concentration and pH. Long-term studies were performed on both IgG1 and IgG2 mAbs over the protein concentration range of 0.1-120 mg/mL. Protein aggregation was measured by size-exclusion HPLC (SE-HPLC) and further characterized by capillary-electrophoresis SDS. Sorbitol crystallization was monitored and characterized by subambient differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Aggregation due to sorbitol crystallization is inversely proportional to both protein concentration and formulation pH. At high protein concentrations, sorbitol crystallization was suppressed, and minimal aggregation by SE-HPLC resulted, presumably because of self-stabilization of the mAbs. The glass transition temperature (Tg ') and fragility index measurements were made to assess the influence of molecular mobility on the crystallization of sorbitol. Tg ' increased with increasing protein concentration for both mAbs. The fragility index decreased with increasing protein concentration, suggesting that it is increasingly difficult for sorbitol to crystallize at high protein concentrations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Sequence dependent aggregation of peptides and fibril formation

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Nguyen Ba; Le, Duy-Manh; Hoang, Trinh X.

2017-09-01

Deciphering the links between amino acid sequence and amyloid fibril formation is key for understanding protein misfolding diseases. Here we use Monte Carlo simulations to study the aggregation of short peptides in a coarse-grained model with hydrophobic-polar (HP) amino acid sequences and correlated side chain orientations for hydrophobic contacts. A significant heterogeneity is observed in the aggregate structures and in the thermodynamics of aggregation for systems of different HP sequences and different numbers of peptides. Fibril-like ordered aggregates are found for several sequences that contain the common HPH pattern, while other sequences may form helix bundles or disordered aggregates. A wide variation of the aggregation transition temperatures among sequences, even among those of the same hydrophobic fraction, indicates that not all sequences undergo aggregation at a presumable physiological temperature. The transition is found to be the most cooperative for sequences forming fibril-like structures. For a fibril-prone sequence, it is shown that fibril formation follows the nucleation and growth mechanism. Interestingly, a binary mixture of peptides of an aggregation-prone and a non-aggregation-prone sequence shows the association and conversion of the latter to the fibrillar structure. Our study highlights the role of a sequence in selecting fibril-like aggregates and also the impact of a structural template on fibril formation by peptides of unrelated sequences.

Programming spiders, bots, and aggregators in Java

CERN Document Server

Heaton, Jeff

2006-01-01

The content and services available on the web continue to be accessed mostly through direct human control. But this is changing. Increasingly, users rely on automated agents that save them time and effort by programmatically retrieving content, performing complex interactions, and aggregating data from diverse sources. Programming Spiders, Bots, and Aggregators in Java teaches you how to build and deploy a wide variety of these agents-from single-purpose bots to exploratory spiders to aggregators that present a unified view of information from multiple user accounts. You will quickly build on

Flexural Behaviour Of Reinforced Concrete Beams Containing Expanded Glass As Lightweight Aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khatib Jamal

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The flexural properties of reinforced concrete beams containing expanded glass as a partial fine aggregate (sand replacement are investigated. Four concrete mixes were employed to conduct this study. The fine aggregate was replaced with 0%, 25%, 50% and 100% (by volume expanded glass. The results suggest that the incorporation of 50% expanded glass increased the workability of the concrete. The compressive strength was decreasing linearly with the increasing amount of expanded glass. The ductility of the concrete beam significantly improved with the incorporation of the expanded glass. However, the load-carrying capacity of the beam and load at which the first crack occurs was reduced. It was concluded that the inclusion of expanded glass in structural concrete applications is feasible.

Positron annihilation spectroscopy of vacancy aggregates in neutron-irradiated MgO crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pareja, R.; De La Cruz, R.M.; Gonzalez, R.; Chen, Y.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC

1992-01-01

Positron annihilation measurements in neutron-irradiated MgO crystals show that the positron lifetime is shorter than in as-grown crystals, suggesting that most of the defects produced by neutron irradiations are positively charged. The concentration of the neutral anion vacancy (possibly also the neutral anion divacancy) is estimated to be no more than ∼ 10 16 cm -3 for samples irradiated to a dose of 10 17 to 10 19 n cm -2 . Annealing experiments on the neutron-irradiated crystals show a significant increase in the positron lifetime after anneals at 900 K. The increase is attributed to positron trapping by anion-vacancy aggregates. A lifetime of (284±15)ps is tentatively assigned to positrons trapped in these aggregates. (Author)

Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Structural Concrete Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirjana Malešev

2010-04-01

Full Text Available A comparative analysis of the experimental results of the properties of fresh and hardened concrete with different replacement ratios of natural with recycled coarse aggregate is presented in the paper. Recycled aggregate was made by crushing the waste concrete of laboratory test cubes and precast concrete columns. Three types of concrete mixtures were tested: concrete made entirely with natural aggregate (NAC as a control concrete and two types of concrete made with natural fine and recycled coarse aggregate (50% and 100% replacement of coarse recycled aggregate. Ninety-nine specimens were made for the testing of the basic properties of hardened concrete. Load testing of reinforced concrete beams made of the investigated concrete types is also presented in the paper. Regardless of the replacement ratio, recycled aggregate concrete (RAC had a satisfactory performance, which did not differ significantly from the performance of control concrete in this experimental research. However, for this to be fulfilled, it is necessary to use quality recycled concrete coarse aggregate and to follow the specific rules for design and production of this new concrete type.

Evaluation of recycled concrete aggregates for their suitability in construction activities: An experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Puthussery, Joseph V; Kumar, Rakesh; Garg, Anurag

2017-02-01

Construction and demolition waste disposal is a major challenge in developing nations due to its ever increasing quantities. In this study, the recycling potential of waste concrete as aggregates in construction activities was studied. The metal leaching from the recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) collected from the demolition site of a 50year old building, was evaluated by performing three different leaching tests (compliance, availability and Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure). The metal leaching was found mostly within the permissible limit except for Hg. Several tests were performed to determine the physical and mechanical properties of the fine and coarse aggregates produced from recycled concrete. The properties of recycled aggregates were found to be satisfactory for their utilization in road construction activities. The suitability of using recycled fine and coarse aggregates with Portland pozzolanic cement to make a sustainable and environmental friendly concrete mix design was also analyzed. No significant difference was observed in the compressive strength of various concrete mixes prepared by natural and recycled aggregates. However, only the tensile strength of the mix prepared with 25% recycled fine aggregates was comparable to that of the control concrete. For other mixes, the tensile strength of the concrete was found to drop significantly. In summary, RCA should be considered seriously as a building material for road construction, mass concrete works, lightly reinforced sections, etc. The present work will be useful for the waste managers and policy makers particularly in developing nations where proper guidelines are still lacking. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regime of aggregate structures and magneto-rheological characteristics of a magnetic rod-like particle suspension: Monte Carlo and Brownian dynamics simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okada, Kazuya [School of Akita Prefectural University, Yurihonjo (Japan); Satoh, Akira, E-mail: asatoh@akita-pu.ac.jp [Department of Machine Intelligence and System Engineering, Akita Prefectural University, Yurihonjo (Japan)

2017-09-01

Highlights: • Monte Carlo simulations have been employed for the aggregate structures. • Brownian dynamics simulations have been employed for the magneto-rheology. • Even a weak shear flow induces a significant regime change in the aggregates. • A strong external magnetic field drastically changes the aggregates. • The dependence of the viscosity on these factors is governed in a complex manner. - Abstract: In the present study, we address a suspension composed ferromagnetic rod-like particles to elucidate a regime change in the aggregate structures and the magneto-rheological characteristics. Monte Carlo simulations have been employed for investigating the aggregate structures in thermodynamic equilibrium, and Brownian dynamics simulations for magneto-rheological features in a simple shear flow. The main results obtained here are summarized as follows. For the case of thermodynamic equilibrium, the rod-like particles aggregate to form thick chain-like clusters and the neighboring clusters incline in opposite directions. If the external magnetic field is increased, the thick chain-like clusters in the magnetic field direction grow thicker by adsorbing the neighboring clusters that incline in the opposite direction. Hence, a significant phase change in the particle aggregates is not induced by an increase in the magnetic field strength. For the case of a simple shear flow, even a weak shear flow induces a significant regime change from the thick chain-like clusters of thermodynamic equilibrium into wall-like aggregates composed of short raft-like clusters. A strong external magnetic field drastically changes these aggregates into wall-like aggregates composed of thick chain-like clusters rather than the short raft-like clusters. The internal structure of these aggregates is not strongly influenced by a shear flow, and the formation of the short raft-like clusters is maintained inside the aggregates. The main contribution to the net viscosity is the

Effect of protein-surfactant interactions on aggregation of β-lactoglobulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansted, Jon G; Wejse, Peter L; Bertelsen, Hans; Otzen, Daniel E

2011-05-01

The milk protein β-lactoglobulin (βLG) dominates the properties of whey aggregates in food products. Here we use spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques to elucidate how anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactants interact with bovine βLG and modulate its heat-induced aggregation. Alkyl trimethyl ammonium chlorides (xTAC) strongly promote aggregation, while sodium alkyl sulfates (SxS) and alkyl maltopyranosides (xM) reduce aggregation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) binds to non-aggregated βLG in several steps, but reduction of aggregation was associated with the first binding step, which occurs far below the critical micelle concentration. In contrast, micellar concentrations of xMs are required to reduce aggregation. The ranking order for reduction of aggregation (normalized to their tendency to self-associate) was C10-C12>C8>C14 for SxS and C8>C10>C12>C14>C16 for xM. xTAC promote aggregation in the same ranking order as xM reduce it. We conclude that SxS reduce aggregation by stabilizing the protein's ligand-bound state (the melting temperature t(m) increases by up to 10°C) and altering its charge potential. xM monomers also stabilize the protein's ligand-bound state (increasing t(m) up to 6°C) but in the absence of charged head groups this is not sufficient by itself to prevent aggregation. Although micelles of both anionic and non-ionic surfactants destabilize βLG, they also solubilize unfolded protein monomers, leaving them unavailable for protein-protein association and thus inhibiting aggregation. Cationic surfactants promote aggregation by a combination of destabilization and charge neutralization. The food compatible surfactant sodium dodecanoate also inhibited aggregation well below the cmc, suggesting that surfactants may be a practical way to modulate whey protein properties. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Turbulent breakage of ductile aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchioli, Cristian; Soldati, Alfredo

2015-05-01

In this paper we study breakage rate statistics of small colloidal aggregates in nonhomogeneous anisotropic turbulence. We use pseudospectral direct numerical simulation of turbulent channel flow and Lagrangian tracking to follow the motion of the aggregates, modeled as sub-Kolmogorov massless particles. We focus specifically on the effects produced by ductile rupture: This rupture is initially activated when fluctuating hydrodynamic stresses exceed a critical value, σ>σ(cr), and is brought to completion when the energy absorbed by the aggregate meets the critical breakage value. We show that ductile rupture breakage rates are significantly reduced with respect to the case of instantaneous brittle rupture (i.e., breakage occurs as soon as σ>σ(cr)). These discrepancies are due to the different energy values at play as well as to the statistical features of energy distribution in the anisotropic turbulence case examined.

Familial Aggregation of Insomnia.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarrin, Denise C; Morin, Charles M; Rochefort, Amélie; Ivers, Hans; Dauvilliers, Yves A; Savard, Josée; LeBlanc, Mélanie; Merette, Chantal

2017-02-01

There is little information about familial aggregation of insomnia; however, this type of information is important to (1) improve our understanding of insomnia risk factors and (2) to design more effective treatment and prevention programs. This study aimed to investigate evidence of familial aggregation of insomnia among first-degree relatives of probands with and without insomnia. Cases (n = 134) and controls (n = 145) enrolled in a larger epidemiological study were solicited to invite their first-degree relatives and spouses to complete a standardized sleep/insomnia survey. In total, 371 first-degree relatives (Mage = 51.9 years, SD = 18.0; 34.3% male) and 138 spouses (Mage = 55.5 years, SD = 12.2; 68.1% male) completed the survey assessing the nature, severity, and frequency of sleep disturbances. The dependent variable was insomnia in first-degree relatives and spouses. Familial aggregation was claimed if the risk of insomnia was significantly higher in the exposed (relatives of cases) compared to the unexposed cohort (relatives of controls). The risk of insomnia was also compared between spouses in the exposed (spouses of cases) and unexposed cohort (spouses of controls). The risk of insomnia in exposed and unexposed biological relatives was 18.6% and 10.4%, respectively, yielding a relative risk (RR) of 1.80 (p = .04) after controlling for age and sex. The risk of insomnia in exposed and unexposed spouses was 9.1% and 4.2%, respectively; however, corresponding RR of 2.13 (p = .28) did not differ significantly. Results demonstrate evidence of strong familial aggregation of insomnia. Additional research is warranted to further clarify and disentangle the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors in insomnia. © Sleep Research Society 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Aggregation of montmorillonite and organic matter in aqueous media containing artificial seawater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Jinwook

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The dispersion-aggregation behaviors of suspended colloids in rivers and estuaries are affected by the compositions of suspended materials (i.e., clay minerals vs. organic macromolecules and salinity. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the dispersion and aggregation mechanisms of suspended particles under simulated river and estuarine conditions. The average hydrodynamic diameters of suspended particles (representing degree of aggregation and zeta potential (representing the electrokinetic properties of suspended colloids and aggregates were determined for systems containing suspended montmorillonite, humic acid, and/or chitin at the circumneutral pH over a range of salinity (0 – 7.2 psu. Results The montmorillonite-only system increased the degree of aggregation with salinity increase, as would be expected for suspended colloids whose dispersion-aggregation behavior is largely controlled by the surface electrostatic properties and van der Waals forces. When montmorillonite is combined with humic acid or chitin, the aggregation of montmorillonite was effectively inhibited. The surface interaction energy model calculations reveal that the steric repulsion, rather than the increase in electronegativity, is the primary cause for the inhibition of aggregation by the addition of humic acid or chitin. Conclusion These results help explain the range of dispersion-aggregation behaviors observed in natural river and estuarine systems. It is postulated that the composition of suspended particles, specifically the availability of steric polymers such as those contained in humic acid, determine whether the river suspension is rapidly aggregated and settled or remains dispersed in suspension when it encounters increasingly saline environments of estuaries and oceans.

Sustainable normal and high strength recycled aggregate concretes using crushed tested cylinders as coarse aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bilal S. Hamad

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper reports on a research program that was designed at the American University of Beirut (AUB to investigate the fresh and hardened mechanical properties of a high performance concrete mix produced with partial or full substitution of crushed natural lime-stone aggregates with recycled aggregates from crushed tested cylinders in batching plants. Choosing crushed cylinders as source of recycling would result in reusing portion of the waste products of the concrete production industry. An extensive concrete batching and testing program was conducted to achieve two optimum normal and high strength concrete mixes. The variables were the nominal concrete strength (28 or 60 MPa and the percentage replacement of natural coarse aggregates with recycled aggregates from crushed tested cylinders (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, or 100%. Normal strength tested cylinders were used as source of the recycled aggregates for the normal strength concrete (NSC mix and high strength tested cylinders were used for the high strength concrete (HSC mix. Tests on the trial batches included plastic state slump and hardened state mechanical properties including cylinder compressive strength, cylinder splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and standard beams flexural strength. The results indicated no significant effect on the slump and around 10% average reduction in the hardened mechanical properties for both investigated levels of concrete compressive strength.

Durability and Shrinkage Characteristics of Self-Compacting Concretes Containing Recycled Coarse and/or Fine Aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Gesoglu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses durability and shrinkage performance of the self-compacting concretes (SCCs in which natural coarse aggregate (NCA and/or natural fine aggregate (NFA were replaced by recycled coarse aggregate (RCA and/or recycled fine aggregate (RFA, respectively. A total of 16 SCCs were produced and classified into four series, each of which included four mixes designed with two water to binder (w/b ratios of 0.3 and 0.43 and two silica fume replacement levels of 0 and 10%. Durability properties of SCCs were tested for rapid chloride penetration, water sorptivity, gas permeability, and water permeability at 56 days. Also, drying shrinkage accompanied by the water loss and restrained shrinkage of SCCs were monitored over 56 days of drying period. Test results revealed that incorporating recycled coarse and/or fine aggregates aggravated the durability properties of SCCs tested in this study. The drying shrinkage and restrained shrinkage cracking of recycled aggregate (RA concretes had significantly poorer performance than natural aggregate (NA concretes. The time of cracking greatly prolonged as the RAs were used along with the increase in water/binder ratio.

Nattokinase improves blood flow by inhibiting platelet aggregation and thrombus formation

OpenAIRE

Jang, Ja-Young; Kim, Tae-Su; Cai, Jingmei; Kim, Jihyun; Kim, Youngeun; Shin, Kyungha; Kim, Kwang Sei; Park, Sung Kyeong; Lee, Sung-Pyo; Choi, Ehn-Kyoung; Rhee, Man Hee; Kim, Yun-Bae

2013-01-01

The effects of nattokinase on the in vitro platelet aggregation and in vivo thrombosis were investigated in comparison with aspirin. Rabbit platelet-rich plasma was incubated with nattokinase and aggregation inducers collagen and thrombin, and the platelet aggregation rate was analyzed. Nattokinase significantly inhibited both the collagen- and thrombin-induced platelet aggregations. Nattokinase also reduced thromboxane B2 formation from collagen-activated platelets in a concentration-depende...

Influence of pore structure on carbon retention/loss in soil macro-aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Quigley, Michelle; Kravchenko, Alexandra; Rivers, Mark

2017-04-01

carbon protect were disparate. In intact-structure aggregates, prior to incubation, there was no association between carbon distribution and pores. After incubation, significant correlations (α=0.05) were observed between abundance of 6-40 μm pores and both soil organic carbon (SOC) and δ13C. Sections containing more 6-40 μm pores also had increased amounts of SOC (r2=0.23) with higher presence of C4 carbon (r2=0.27). This indicates preferential preservation of older carbon in the pores of this size range. Prior to incubation, destroyed-structure aggregates had higher amounts of C3 carbon associated with 40-95 μm pores (r2=0.14), pointing to a greater presence of newly added carbon within these pores. However, after incubation there was a significant loss of SOC from these pores (r2=0.22) and, specifically, the loss of C3 carbon (r2=0.16). In the studied soil, pores of 6-40 μm size range appeared to control the preservation of older carbon, while 40-95 μm pores controlled the fate of newly added carbon. Older carbon preservation in 6-40 μm pores was mostly observed in macro-aggregates from the soil with intact structure, while the associations between 40-95 μm pores and gains and losses of newly added carbon were primarily observed in the macro-aggregates that were formed anew in the sieved soil during the plant growing experiment.

Aggregate-level lead exposure, gun violence, homicide, and rape.

Science.gov (United States)

Boutwell, Brian B; Nelson, Erik J; Qian, Zhengmin; Vaughn, Michael G; Wright, John P; Beaver, Kevin M; Barnes, J C; Petkovsek, Melissa; Lewis, Roger; Schootman, Mario; Rosenfeld, Richard

2017-01-01

An increasing body of research has linked the geographic distribution of lead with various indicators of criminal and antisocial behavior. The current study, using data from an ongoing project related to lead exposure in St. Louis City, MO, analyzed the association between aggregate blood lead levels and specific indicators violent crime within the city. Ecological study. St. Louis, Missouri. Blood lead levels. Official reports of violent crimes were categorized as 1) crimes involving a firearm (yes/no), 2) assault crimes (with or without a firearm), 3) robbery crimes (with or without a firearm), 4) homicides and 5) rape. With the exception of rape, aggregate blood-lead levels were statistically significant predictors of violent crime at the census tract level. The risk ratios for each of the outcome measures were as follows: firearm crimes 1.03 (1.03-1.04), assault crimes 1.03 (1.02-1.03), robbery crimes 1.03 (1.02-1.04), homicide 1.03 (1.01, 1.04), and rape 1.01 (0.99-1.03). Extending prior research in St. Louis, results suggest that aggregated lead exposure at the census tract level predicted crime outcomes, even after accounting for important sociological variables. Moving forward, a more developed understanding of aggregate level crime may necessitate a shift toward studying the synergy between sociological and biological risk factors such as lead exposure.

Transportation and utilization of aggregates for road construction

Science.gov (United States)

Fladvad, Marit; Wigum, Børge Johannes; Aurstad, Joralf

2017-04-01

Road construction relies on non-renewable aggregate resources as the main construction material. Sources for high-quality aggregate resources are scattered, and requirements for aggregate quality can cause long transport distances between quarry and road construction site. In European countries, the average aggregate consumption per capita is 5 tonnes per year (European Aggregates Association, 2016), while the corresponding figure for Norway is 11 tonnes (Neeb, 2015). Half the Norwegian aggregate production (sand, gravel and crushed rock) is used for road construction. In Norway, aggregate resources have been considered abundant. However, stricter requirement for aggregate quality, and increased concern for sustainability and environmental issues have spurred focus on reduction of transport lengths through better utilization of local aggregate materials. In this research project, information about pavement design and aggregate quality requirements were gathered from a questionnaire sent to selected experts from the World Road Organization (PIARC), European Committee for Standardization (CEN), and Nordic Road Association (NVF). The gathered data was compared to identify differences and similarities for aggregate use in the participating countries. Further, the data was compared to known data from Norway regarding: - amount of aggregates required for a road structure - aggregate transport lengths and related costs A total of 18 countries participated in the survey, represented by either road authorities, research institutions, or contractors. There are large variations in practice for aggregate use among the represented countries, and the selection of countries is sufficient to illustrate a variety in pavement designs, aggregate sizes, and quality requirements for road construction. There are considerable differences in both pavement thickness and aggregate sizes used in the studied countries. Total thicknesses for pavement structures varies from 220 mm to 2400 mm

Effects of Polymer Hydrophobicity on Protein Structure and Aggregation Kinetics in Crowded Milieu.

Science.gov (United States)

Breydo, Leonid; Sales, Amanda E; Frege, Telma; Howell, Mark C; Zaslavsky, Boris Y; Uversky, Vladimir N

2015-05-19

We examined the effects of water-soluble polymers of various degrees of hydrophobicity on the folding and aggregation of proteins. The polymers we chose were polyethylene glycol (PEG) and UCON (1:1 copolymer of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol). The presence of additional methyl groups in UCON makes it more hydrophobic than PEG. Our earlier analysis revealed that similarly sized PEG and UCON produced different changes in the solvent properties of water in their solutions and induced morphologically different α-synuclein aggregates [Ferreira, L. A., et al. (2015) Role of solvent properties of aqueous media in macromolecular crowding effects. J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn., in press]. To improve our understanding of molecular mechanisms defining behavior of proteins in a crowded environment, we tested the effects of these polymers on secondary and tertiary structure and aromatic residue solvent accessibility of 10 proteins [five folded proteins, two hybrid proteins; i.e., protein containing ordered and disordered domains, and three intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs)] and on the aggregation kinetics of insulin and α-synuclein. We found that effects of both polymers on secondary and tertiary structures of folded and hybrid proteins were rather limited with slight unfolding observed in some cases. Solvent accessibility of aromatic residues was significantly increased for the majority of the studied proteins in the presence of UCON but not PEG. PEG also accelerated the aggregation of protein into amyloid fibrils, whereas UCON promoted aggregation to amyloid oligomers instead. These results indicate that even a relatively small change in polymer structure leads to a significant change in the effect of this polymer on protein folding and aggregation. This is an indication that protein folding and especially aggregation are highly sensitive to the presence of other macromolecules, and an excluded volume effect is insufficient to describe their effect.

FEATURES OF ASH OF THERMAL POWER PLANTS AS AGGREGATE FOR CONCRETES

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M. A. Storozhuk

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The scientific work is dedicated to development of scientific-technical bases of production and application of concrete on the basis of ashes of thermal power plants (TPP. Methodology. The properties of TPP ash, as well as the peculiarities of its behavior in a concrete mix as a fine aggregate, have been studied. It is shown that the hydrolysis and hydration of cement occur in the active environment of ash, which has a huge specific surface area. This significantly affects the course of these processes and the quality of the concrete produced. A new technology of application of ash of TPP for preparation of concrete mixes is offered. Vibrated and vibrovacuumized concretes of optimum composition from slag and ash, as well as from granite crushed stone and ash, are tested. The chara-cteristics of ordinary concrete (from granite crushed stone and quartz sand are given to compare. Findings. The results of the tests showed the possibility of obtaining concretes of class C20/25…C25/30 on the basis of slag and ash of TPP at a limited consumption of cement. It is shown that the concrete with traditional aggregates has a lower strength than the concrete, which has ash as fine aggregate. This research results contribute to the increased use of ash in construction that solves the problem of aggregates as well as thermal power plants waste recycling. Originality. New method and technology of application of TPP ashes in concrete are developed. Ash concrete mix has rational flowability, which produces the greatest strength of ash vacuum concrete. This strength is twice or more as large as the strength of vibrated ash concrete mix with flowability S1. Practical value. The physico-chemical properties of TPP ash as aggregate for concrete are presented. Significant difference of ash from ordinary aggregates is shown. Chemical activity of the ash is justified. The special conditions of cement hardening in the case of using ash as aggregate for concrete

Bacterial density and community structure associated with aggregate size fractions of soil-feeding termite mounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Fall, S; Nazaret, S; Chotte, J L; Brauman, A

2004-08-01

The building and foraging activities of termites are known to modify soil characteristics such as the heterogeneity. In tropical savannas the impact of the activity of soil-feeding termites ( Cubitermes niokoloensis) has been shown to affect the properties of the soil at the aggregate level by creating new soil microenvironments (aggregate size fractions) [13]. These changes were investigated in greater depth by looking at the microbial density (AODC) and the genetic structure (automated rRNA intergenic spacer analysis: ARISA) of the communities in the different aggregate size fractions (i.e., coarse sand, fine sand, coarse silt, fine silt, and dispersible clays) separated from compartments (internal and external wall) of three Cubitermes niokoloensis mounds. The bacterial density of the mounds was significantly higher (1.5 to 3 times) than that of the surrounding soil. Within the aggregate size fractions, the termite building activity resulted in a significant increase in bacterial density within the coarser fractions (>20 mum). Multivariate analysis of the ARISA profiles revealed that the bacterial genetic structures of unfractionated soil and soil aggregate size fractions of the three mounds was noticeably different from the savanna soil used as a reference. Moreover, the microbial community associated with the different microenvironments in the three termite mounds revealed three distinct clusters formed by the aggregate size fractions of each mound. Except for the 2-20 mum fraction, these results suggest that the mound microbial genetic structure is more dependent upon microbial pool affiliation (the termite mound) than on the soil location (aggregate size fraction). The causes of the specificity of the microbial community structure of termite mound aggregate size fractions are discussed.

A comparison of aggregated models for simulation and operational optimisation of district heating networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, Helge V.; Boehm, Benny; Wigbels, Michael

2004-01-01

Work on aggregation of district heating networks has been in progress during the last decade. Two methods have independently been developed in Denmark and Germany. In this article, a comparison of the two methods is first presented. Next, the district heating system Ishoej near Copenhagen is used as a test case. For the 23 substations in Ishoej, heat loads and primary and secondary supply and return temperatures were available every 5 min for the period December 19-24, 2000. The accuracy of the aggregation models has been documented as the errors in heat production and in return temperature at the DH plant between the physical network and the aggregated model. Both the Danish and the German aggregation methods work well. It is concluded that the number of pipes can be reduced from 44 to three when using the Danish method of aggregation without significantly increasing the error in heat production or return temperature at the plant. In the case of the German method, the number of pipes should not be reduced much below 10 in the Ishoej case

Defining and systematic analyses of aggregation indices to evaluate degree of calcium oxalate crystal aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Chaiyarit, Sakdithep; Thongboonkerd, Visith

2017-12-01

Crystal aggregation is one of the most crucial steps in kidney stone pathogenesis. However, previous studies of crystal aggregation were rarely done and quantitative analysis of aggregation degree was handicapped by a lack of the standard measurement. We thus performed an in vitro assay to generate aggregation of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals with various concentrations (25-800 µg/ml) in saturated aggregation buffer. The crystal aggregates were analyzed by microscopic examination, UV-visible spectrophotometry, and GraphPad Prism6 software to define a total of 12 aggregation indices (including number of aggregates, aggregated mass index, optical density, aggregation coefficient, span, number of aggregates at plateau time-point, aggregated area index, aggregated diameter index, aggregated symmetry index, time constant, half-life, and rate constant). The data showed linear correlation between crystal concentration and almost all of these indices, except only for rate constant. Among these, number of aggregates provided the greatest regression coefficient (r=0.997; pr=0.993; pr=‑0.993; pr=0.991; p<0.001 for both). These five indices are thus recommended as the most appropriate indices for quantitative analysis of COM crystal aggregation in vitro.

Compressive strength performance of OPS lightweight aggregate concrete containing coal bottom ash as partial fine aggregate replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Muthusamy, K.; Mohamad Hafizuddin, R.; Mat Yahaya, F.; Sulaiman, M. A.; Syed Mohsin, S. M.; Tukimat, N. N.; Omar, R.; Chin, S. C.

2018-04-01

Concerns regarding the negative impact towards environment due to the increasing use of natural sand in construction industry and dumping of industrial solid wastes namely coal bottom ash (CBA) and oil palm shell (OPS) has resulted in the development of environmental friendly lightweight concrete. The present study investigates the effect of coal bottom ash as partial fine aggregate replacement towards workability and compressive strength of oil palm shell lightweight aggregate concrete (OPS LWAC). The fresh and mechanical properties of this concrete containing various percentage of coal bottom ash as partial fine aggregate replacement were investigated. The result was compared to OPS LWAC with 100 % sand as a control specimen. The concrete workability investigated by conducting slump test. All specimens were cast in form of cubes and water cured until the testing age. The compressive strength test was carried out at 7 and 28 days. The finding shows that integration of coal bottom ash at suitable proportion enhances the strength of oil palm shell lightweight aggregate concrete.

Methylglyoxal-induced modification causes aggregation of myoglobin

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Sauradipta; Maity, Subhajit; Chakraborti, Abhay Sankar

2016-02-01

Post-translational modification of proteins by Maillard reaction, known as glycation, is thought to be the root cause of different complications, particularly in diabetes mellitus and age-related disorders. Methylglyoxal (MG), a reactive α-oxoaldehyde, increases in diabetic condition and reacts with proteins to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs) following Maillard-like reaction. We have investigated the in vitro effect of MG (200 μM) on the monomeric heme protein myoglobin (Mb) (100 μM) in a time-dependent manner (7 to 18 days incubation at 25 °C). MG induces significant structural alterations of the heme protein, including heme loss, changes in tryptophan fluorescence, decrease of α-helicity with increased β-sheet content etc. These changes occur gradually with increased period of incubation. Incubation of Mb with MG for 7 days results in formation of the AGE adducts: carboxyethyllysine at Lys-16, carboxymethyllysine at Lys-87 and carboxyethyllysine or pyrraline-carboxymethyllysine at Lys-133. On increasing the period of incubation up to 14 days, additional AGEs namely, carboxyethyllysine at Lys-42 and hydroimidazolone or argpyrimidine at Arg-31 and Arg-139 have been detected. MG also induces aggregation of Mb, which is clearly evident with longer period of incubation (18 days), and appears to have amyloid nature. MG-derived AGEs may thus have an important role as the precursors of protein aggregation, which, in turn, may be associated with physiological complications.

NADIM-Travel: A Multiagent Platform for Travel Services Aggregation

OpenAIRE

Ben Ameur, Houssein; Bédard, François; Vaucher, Stéphane; Kropf, Peter; Chaib-draaa, Brahim; Gérin-Lajoie, Robert

2010-01-01

With the Internet as a growing channel for travel services distribution, sophisticated travel services aggregators are increasingly in demand. A travel services aggregation platform should be able to manage the heterogeneous characteristics of the many existing travel services. It should also be as scalable, robust, and flexible as possible. Using multiagent technology, we designed and implemented a multiagent platform for travel services aggregation called NADIM-Travel. In this platform, a p...

Investigation of the hydrodynamic behavior of diatom aggregates using particle image velocimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Feng; Li, Xiaoyan; Lam, Kitming; Wang, Dongsheng

2012-01-01

The hydrodynamic behavior of diatom aggregates has a significant influence on the interactions and flocculation kinetics of algae. However, characterization of the hydrodynamics of diatoms and diatom aggregates in water is rather difficult. In this laboratory study, an advanced visualization technique in particle image velocimetry (PIV) was employed to investigate the hydrodynamic properties of settling diatom aggregates. The experiments were conducted in a settling column filled with a suspension of fluorescent polymeric beads as seed tracers. A laser light sheet was generated by the PIV setup to illuminate a thin vertical planar region in the settling column, while the motions of particles were recorded by a high speed charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. This technique was able to capture the trajectories of the tracers when a diatom aggregate settled through the tracer suspension. The PIV results indicated directly the curvilinear feature of the streamlines around diatom aggregates. The rectilinear collision model largely overestimated the collision areas of the settling particles. Algae aggregates appeared to be highly porous and fractal, which allowed streamlines to penetrate into the aggregate interior. The diatom aggregates have a fluid collection efficiency of 10%-40%. The permeable feature of aggregates can significantly enhance the collisions and flocculation between the aggregates and other small particles including algal cells in water.

Commercial Building Tenant Energy Usage Aggregation and Privacy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Livingston, Olga V.; Pulsipher, Trenton C.; Anderson, David M.; Wang, Na

2014-10-31

A growing number of building owners are benchmarking their building energy use. This requires the building owner to acquire monthly whole-building energy usage information, which can be challenging for buildings in which individual tenants have their own utility meters and accounts with the utility. Some utilities and utility regulators have turned to aggregation of customer energy use data (CEUD) as a way to give building owners whole-building energy usage data while protecting customer privacy. Meter profile aggregation adds a layer of protection that decreases the risk of revealing CEUD as the number of meters aggregated increases. The report statistically characterizes the similarity between individual energy usage patterns and whole-building totals at various levels of meter aggregation.

Effects of oil palm shell coarse aggregate species on high strength lightweight concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Yew, Ming Kun; Bin Mahmud, Hilmi; Ang, Bee Chin; Yew, Ming Chian

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different species of oil palm shell (OPS) coarse aggregates on the properties of high strength lightweight concrete (HSLWC). Original and crushed OPS coarse aggregates of different species and age categories were investigated in this study. The research focused on two OPS species (dura and tenera), in which the coarse aggregates were taken from oil palm trees of the following age categories (3-5, 6-9, and 10-15 years old). The results showed that the workability and dry density of the oil palm shell concrete (OPSC) increase with an increase in age category of OPS species. The compressive strength of specimen CD3 increases significantly compared to specimen CT3 by 21.8%. The maximum achievable 28-day and 90-day compressive strength is 54 and 56 MPa, respectively, which is within the range for 10-15-year-old crushed dura OPS. The water absorption was determined to be within the range for good concrete for the different species of OPSC. In addition, the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) results showed that the OPS HSLWC attain good condition at the age of 3 days.

Optimal trading of plug-in electric vehicle aggregation agents in a market environment for sustainability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shafie-khah, M.; Heydarian-Forushani, E.; Golshan, M.E.H.; Siano, P.; Moghaddam, M.P.; Sheikh-El-Eslami, M.K.; Catalão, J.P.S.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Proposing a multi-stage stochastic model of a PEV aggregation agent. • Reflecting several uncertainties using a stochastic model and appropriate scenarios. • Updating bids/offers of PEV aggregation agents by taking part in the intraday market. • Taking part in Demand Response eXchange (DRX) markets. - Abstract: Ever since energy sustainability is an emergent concern, Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) significantly affect the approaching smart grids. Indeed, Demand Response (DR) brings a positive effect on the uncertainties of renewable energy sources, improving market efficiency and enhancing system reliability. This paper proposes a multi-stage stochastic model of a PEV aggregation agent to participate in day-ahead and intraday electricity markets. The stochastic model reflects several uncertainties such as the behaviour of PEV owners, electricity market prices, and activated quantity of reserve by the system operator. For this purpose, appropriate scenarios are utilized to realize the uncertain feature of the problem. Furthermore, in the proposed model, the PEV aggregation agents can update their bids/offers by taking part in the intraday market. To this end, these aggregation agents take part in Demand Response eXchange (DRX) markets designed in the intraday session by employing DR resources. The numerical results show that DR provides a perfect opportunity for PEV aggregation agents to increase the profit. In addition, the results reveal that the PEV aggregation agent not only can increase its profit by participating in the DRX market, but also can become an important player in the mentioned market.

The role of alginate in Azotobacter vinelandii aggregation in submerged culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edith Coronado

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The culture of strain LA21, a non-mucoid strain of Azotobacter vinelandii derivative of ATCC 9046, revealed that alginate is not necessary for aggregate formation. In fact, the non-mucoid strain LA21 developed aggregates significantly larger than those of the mucoid strain (ATCC 9046, which suggests that alginate has a detrimental effect on the aggregate size, due to its properties as a surface active agent. Treating the aggregates with a protease caused a decrease in the equivalent diameter of the structures, suggesting the participation of extracellular proteins in the aggregation. Key words: Aggregation; Azotobacter vinelandii; alginate; mutant strain; mucoid.

Size- and time-dependent growth properties of human induced pluripotent stem cells in the culture of single aggregate.

Science.gov (United States)

Nath, Suman C; Horie, Masanobu; Nagamori, Eiji; Kino-Oka, Masahiro

2017-10-01

Aggregate culture of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is a promising method to obtain high number of cells for cell therapy applications. This study quantitatively evaluated the effects of initial cell number and culture time on the growth of hiPSCs in the culture of single aggregate. Small size aggregates ((1.1 ± 0.4) × 10 1 -(2.8 ± 0.5) × 10 1 cells/aggregate) showed a lower growth rate in comparison to medium size aggregates ((8.8 ± 0.8) × 10 1 -(6.8 ± 1.1) × 10 2 cells/aggregate) during early-stage of culture (24-72 h). However, when small size aggregates were cultured in conditioned medium, their growth rate increased significantly. On the other hand, large size aggregates ((1.1 ± 0.2) × 10 3 -(3.5 ± 1.1) × 10 3 cells/aggregate) showed a lower growth rate and lower expression level of proliferation marker (ki-67) in the center region of aggregate in comparison to medium size aggregate during early-stage of culture. Medium size aggregates showed the highest growth rate during early-stage of culture. Furthermore, hiPSCs proliferation was dependent on culture time because the growth rate decreased significantly during late-stage of culture (72-120 h) at which point collagen type I accumulated on the periphery of aggregate, suggesting blockage of diffusive transport of nutrients, oxygen and metabolites into and out of the aggregates. Consideration of initial cell number and culture time are important to maintain balance between autocrine factors secretion and extracellular matrix accumulation on the aggregate periphery to achieve optimal growth of hiPSCs in the culture of single aggregate. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeling coupled nanoparticle aggregation and transport in porous media: a Lagrangian approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Taghavy, Amir; Pennell, Kurt D; Abriola, Linda M

2015-01-01

Changes in nanoparticle size and shape due to particle-particle interactions (i.e., aggregation or agglomeration) may significantly alter particle mobility and retention in porous media. To date, however, few modeling studies have considered the coupling of transport and particle aggregation processes. The majority of particle transport models employ an Eulerian modeling framework and are, consequently, limited in the types of collisions and aggregate sizes that can be considered. In this work, a more general Lagrangian modeling framework is developed and implemented to explore coupled nanoparticle aggregation and transport processes. The model was verified through comparison of model simulations to published results of an experimental and Eulerian modeling study (Raychoudhury et al., 2012) of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-modified nano-sized zero-valent iron particle (nZVI) transport and retention in water-saturated sand columns. A model sensitivity analysis reveals the influence of influent particle concentration (ca. 70 to 700 mg/L), primary particle size (10-100 nm) and pore water velocity (ca. 1-6 m/day) on particle-particle, and, consequently, particle-collector interactions. Model simulations demonstrate that, when environmental conditions promote particle-particle interactions, neglecting aggregation effects can lead to under- or over-estimation of nanoparticle mobility. Results also suggest that the extent to which higher order particle-particle collisions influence aggregation kinetics will increase with the fraction of primary particles. This work demonstrates the potential importance of time-dependent aggregation processes on nanoparticle mobility and provides a numerical model capable of capturing/describing these interactions in water-saturated porous media. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SOIL MICROBIAL BIOMASS, AGGREGATE STABILITY AND AGGREGATE ASSOCIATED-C: A MECHANISTIC APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrizia Guidi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available For the identification of C pools involved in soil aggregation, a physically-based aggregate fractionation was proposed, and  additional pretreatments were used in the measurement of the 1-2 mm aggregate stability in order to elucidate the relevance of the role of soil microorganisms with respect to the different aggregate breakdown mechanisms. The study was carried out on three clay loam Regosols, developed on calcareous shales, known history of organic cultivation.Our results showed that the soil C pool controlling the process of stabilisation of aggregates was related to the microbial community. We identified the resistance to fast wetting as the major mechanism of aggregate stability driven by microorganims. The plausible hypothesis is that organic farming promotes fungi growth, improving water repellency of soil aggregates by fungal hydrophobic substances. By contrast, we failed in the identification of C pools controlling the formation of aggregates, probably because of the disturbance of mechanical tillage which contributes to the breakdown of soil aggregates.The physically-based aggregate fractionation proposed in this study resulted useful in the  mechanistically understanding of the role of microorganisms in soil aggregation and it might be suggested for studying the impact of management on C pools, aggregates properties and their relationships in agricultural soils.

Green frame aggregation scheme for Wi-Fi networks

KAUST Repository

Alaslani, Maha S.

2015-07-01

Frame aggregation is a major enhancement in the IEEE 802.11 family to boost the network performance. The increasing awareness about energy efficiency motivates the re-think of frame aggregation design. In this paper, we propose a novel Green Frame Aggregation (GFA) scheduling scheme that optimizes the aggregate size based on channel quality in order to minimize the consumed energy. GFA selects an optimal sub-frame size that satisfies the loss constraint for real-time applications as well as the energy budget of the ideal channel. This scheme is implemented and evaluated using a testbed deployment. The experimental analysis shows that GFA outperforms the conventional frame aggregation methodology in terms of energy efficiency by about 6x in the presence of severe interference conditions. Moreover, GFA outperforms the static frame sizing method in terms of network goodput while maintaining the same end-to-end latency.

Reversible aggregation of lysozyme in a biodegradable amphiphilic multiblock copolymer.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Weert, Marco; van Dijkhuizen-Radersma, Riemke; Bezemer, Jeroen M; Hennink, Wim E; Crommelin, Daan J A

2002-07-01

Lysozyme-loaded poly(ethylene glycol terephthalate)-poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEGT/PBT) films were prepared using a water-in-oil emulsification solvent evaporation method. Infrared spectroscopic analysis of the dried films indicated the presence of non-covalent lysozyme aggregates in the polymer matrix. The use of methanol to enhance the drying rate of the films increased the relative amount of aggregates. Surprisingly, quantitative in-vitro release of fully active, non-aggregated lysozyme was observed, indicating that lysozyme forms reversible aggregates during encapsulation in PEGT/PBT films.

Quantitative characterization of non-classic polarization of cations on clay aggregate stability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feinan Hu

Full Text Available Soil particle interactions are strongly influenced by the concentration, valence and ion species and the pH of the bulk solution, which will also affect aggregate stability and particle transport. In this study, we investigated clay aggregate stability in the presence of different alkali ions (Li+, Na+, K+, and Cs+ at concentrations from10-5 to 10-1 mol L-1. Strong specific ion effects on clay aggregate stability were observed, and showed the order Cs+>K+>Na+>Li+. We found that it was not the effects of ion size, hydration, and dispersion forces in the cation-surface interactions but strong non-classic polarization of adsorbed cations that resulted in these specific effects. In this study, the non-classic dipole moments of each cation species resulting from the non-classic polarization were estimated. By comparing non-classic dipole moments with classic values, the observed dipole moments of adsorbed cations were up to 104 times larger than the classic values for the same cation. The observed non-classic dipole moments sharply increased with decreasing electrolyte concentration. We conclude that strong non-classic polarization could significantly suppress the thickness of the diffuse layer, thereby weakening the electric field near the clay surface and resulting in improved clay aggregate stability. Even though we only demonstrated specific ion effects on aggregate stability with several alkali ions, our results indicate that these effects could be universally important in soil aggregate stability.

Quantitative Characterization of Non-Classic Polarization of Cations on Clay Aggregate Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Feinan; Li, Hang; Liu, Xinmin; Li, Song; Ding, Wuquan; Xu, Chenyang; Li, Yue; Zhu, Longhui

2015-01-01

Soil particle interactions are strongly influenced by the concentration, valence and ion species and the pH of the bulk solution, which will also affect aggregate stability and particle transport. In this study, we investigated clay aggregate stability in the presence of different alkali ions (Li+, Na+, K+, and Cs+) at concentrations from10−5 to 10−1 mol L−1. Strong specific ion effects on clay aggregate stability were observed, and showed the order Cs+>K+>Na+>Li+. We found that it was not the effects of ion size, hydration, and dispersion forces in the cation–surface interactions but strong non-classic polarization of adsorbed cations that resulted in these specific effects. In this study, the non-classic dipole moments of each cation species resulting from the non-classic polarization were estimated. By comparing non-classic dipole moments with classic values, the observed dipole moments of adsorbed cations were up to 104 times larger than the classic values for the same cation. The observed non-classic dipole moments sharply increased with decreasing electrolyte concentration. We conclude that strong non-classic polarization could significantly suppress the thickness of the diffuse layer, thereby weakening the electric field near the clay surface and resulting in improved clay aggregate stability. Even though we only demonstrated specific ion effects on aggregate stability with several alkali ions, our results indicate that these effects could be universally important in soil aggregate stability. PMID:25874864

Burst Transmission and Frame Aggregation for VANET Communications

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Wei Kuang Lai

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs, due to highly mobile and frequently changing topology, available resources and transmission opportunities are restricted. To address this, we propose a burst transmission and frame aggregation (FAB scheme to enhance transmission opportunity (TXOP efficiency of IEEE 802.11p. Aggregation and TXOP techniques are useful for improving transmission performance. FAB aggregates frames in the relay node and utilizes the TXOP to transmit these frames to the next hop with a burst transmission. Simulation results show that the proposed FAB scheme can significantly improve the performance of inter-vehicle communications.

Patterns of [PSI+] aggregation allow insights into cellular organization of yeast prion aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Tyedmers, Jens

2012-01-01

The yeast prion phenomenon is very widespread and mounting evidence suggests that it has an impact on cellular regulatory mechanisms related to phenotypic responses to changing environments. Studying the aggregation patterns of prion amyloids during different stages of the prion life cycle is a first key step to understand major principles of how and where cells generate, organize and turn-over prion aggregates. The induction of the [PSI+] state involves the actin cytoskeleton and quality control compartments such as the Insoluble Protein Deposit (IPOD). An initially unstable transitional induction state can be visualized by overexpression of the prion determinant and displays characteristic large ring- and ribbon-shaped aggregates consisting of poorly fragmented bundles of very long prion fibrils. In the mature prion state, the aggregation pattern is characterized by highly fragmented, shorter prion fibrils that form aggregates, which can be visualized through tagging with fluorescent proteins. The number of aggregates formed varies, ranging from a single large aggregate at the IPOD to multiple smaller ones, depending on several parameters discussed. Aggregate units below the resolution of light microscopy that are detectable by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy are in equilibrium with larger aggregates in this stage and can mediate faithful inheritance of the prion state. Loss of the prion state is often characterized by reduced fragmentation of prion fibrils and fewer, larger aggregates. PMID:22449721

Diversity, intent, and aggregated search

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Rijke, M.

2014-01-01

Diversity, intent and aggregated search are three core retrieval concepts that receive significant attention. In search result diversification one typically considers the relevance of a document in light of other retrieved documents. The goal is to identify the probable "aspects" of an ambiguous

Production of lightweight aggregates from washing aggregate sludge and fly ash

Science.gov (United States)

González-Corrochano, Beatriz; Alonso-Azcárate, Jacinto; Rodas, Magdalena

2010-05-01

Increasing generation of wastes is one of the main environmental problems in industrialised countries. Heat treatment at high temperatures can convert some types of wastes into ceramic products with a wide range of microstructural features and properties (Bethanis et al., 2004). A lightweight aggregate (LWA) is a granular material with a bulk density (bd) not exceeding 1.20 g/cm3 or with a particle density not exceeding 2.00 g/cm3 (UNE-EN-13055-1, 2003). They have become a focus of interest because the low particle density and the low bulk density entail a decrease in the load transmitted to the ground, and less work and effort are required to transport them (De' Gennaro et al., 2004). The benefits associated with these low densities, which are due to the formation of voids and pores, are very good thermal and acoustic insulation and materials with a good resistance to fire (Benbow, 1987; Fakhfakh et al., 2007). The objective was to recycle fly ash, used motor oil from cars and mineral wastes from washing aggregate sludge, in order to obtain a usable material such as lightweight aggregates, and also to ensure that they are of good quality for different applications. Raw materials have been physically, chemically and mineralogically characterized. On the basis of the results obtained, they were mixed, milled to a grain size of less than 200 μm (Yasuda, 1991), formed into pellets, pre-heated for 5 min and sintered in a rotary kiln at 1150°C, 1175°C, 1200°C and 1225°C for 10 and 15 min at each temperature (Theating). Effects of raw material characteristics, heating temperature and dwell time on the following LWAs properties were determined: loss on ignition (LOI), bloating index (BI), loose bulk density (bd), apparent and dry particle density (ad, dd), voids (H), water absorption (WA24h) and compressive strength (S). The products obtained were lightweight aggregates in accordance with norm UNE-EN-13055-1 (bd ≤1.20 g/cm3 or particle density ≤2.00 g/cm3). LWAs

A molecular dynamics (MD simulation on tire-aggregate friction

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Fengyan Sun

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The friction between tire and road surface is fundamentally depending on the molecular forces. In this paper, the nanoscale 3D contact model is employed to investigate the tire-aggregate friction mechanism. The tire and aggregate micro-structure are both constructed to evaluate the microscopic performance of tire-aggregate friction influence. Simulation results show for a high velocity, the energy dissipation of sliding on crystal structure is small, which results in a small friction coefficient; temperature will have influences on the friction coefficient, and with the increasing of velocity, the effect will gradually reduce. Keywords: Tire, Aggregate, Friction coefficient, Microscopic mechanism, MD simulation

Recycled construction and demolition concrete waste as aggregate for structural concrete

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Ashraf M. Wagih

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In major Egyptian cities there is a surge in construction and demolition waste (CDW quantities causing an adverse effect on the environment. The use of such waste as recycled aggregate in concrete can be useful for both environmental and economical aspects in the construction industry. This study discusses the possibility to replace natural coarse aggregate (NA with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA in structural concrete. An investigation into the properties of RCA is made using crushing and grading of concrete rubble collected from different demolition sites and landfill locations around Cairo. Aggregates used in the study were: natural sand, dolomite and crushed concretes obtained from different sources. A total of 50 concrete mixes forming eight groups were cast. Groups were designed to study the effect of recycled coarse aggregates quality/content, cement dosage, use of superplasticizer and silica fume. Tests were carried out for: compressive strength, splitting strength and elastic modulus. The results showed that the concrete rubble could be transformed into useful recycled aggregate and used in concrete production with properties suitable for most structural concrete applications in Egypt. A significant reduction in the properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC made of 100% RCA was seen when compared to natural aggregate concrete (NAC, while the properties of RAC made of a blend of 75% NA and 25% RCA showed no significant change in concrete properties.

Role of foam drainage in producing protein aggregates in foam fractionation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui; Zhang, Yuran; Chang, Yunkang; Wu, Zhaoliang; Wang, Yanji; Chen, Xiang'e; Wang, Tao

2017-10-01

It is essential to obtain a clear understanding of the foam-induced protein aggregation to reduce the loss of protein functionality in foam fractionation. The major effort of this work is to explore the roles of foam drainage in protein aggregation in the entire process of foam fractionation with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. The results show that enhancing foam drainage increased the desorption of BSA molecules from the gas-liquid interface and the local concentration of desorbed molecules in foam. Therefore, it intensified the aggregation of BSA in foam fractionation. Simultaneously, it also accelerated the flow of BSA aggregates from rising foam into the residual solution along with the drained liquid. Because enhancing foam drainage increased the relative content of BSA molecules adsorbed at the gas-liquid interface, it also intensified the aggregation of BSA during both the defoaming process and the storage of the foamate. Furthermore, enhancing foam drainage more readily resulted in the formation of insoluble BSA aggregates. The results are highly important for a better understanding of foam-induced protein aggregation in foam fractionation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the contribution of the root system of alpine vegetation in the soil aggregate stability of moraine

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Csilla Hudek

2017-03-01

stability was significantly increased by the presence of roots. The lowest soil aggregate stability was found with Epilobium fleischeri followed by Minuartia recurva and Leucanthemopsis alpina. The highest aggregate stability was found with the graminoid species. These results show a close relationship between the development of root systems of the studied species and soil aggregate stability, a factor which can be taken into consideration in order to improve the accuracy of existing susceptibility mapping for early warning and civilian protection.

Concrete produced with recycled aggregates

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J. J. L. Tenório

Full Text Available This paper presents the analysis of the mechanical and durable properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC for using in concrete. The porosity of recycled coarse aggregates is known to influence the fresh and hardened concrete properties and these properties are related to the specific mass of the recycled coarse aggregates, which directly influences the mechanical properties of the concrete. The recycled aggregates were obtained from construction and demolition wastes (CDW, which were divided into recycled sand (fine and coarse aggregates. Besides this, a recycled coarse aggregate of a specific mass with a greater density was obtained by mixing the recycled aggregates of the CDW with the recycled aggregates of concrete wastes (CW. The concrete was produced in laboratory by combining three water-cement ratios, the ratios were used in agreement with NBR 6118 for structural concretes, with each recycled coarse aggregates and recycled sand or river sand, and the reference concrete was produced with natural aggregates. It was observed that recycled aggregates can be used in concrete with properties for structural concrete. In general, the use of recycled coarse aggregate in combination with recycled sand did not provide good results; but when the less porous was used, or the recycled coarse aggregate of a specific mass with a greater density, the properties of the concrete showed better results. Some RAC reached bigger strengths than the reference concrete.

Valorization of lignite combustion residues and ferroalumina in the production of aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Anagnostopoulos, I M; Stivanakis, V E; Angelopoulos, G N; Papamantellos, D C

2010-02-15

The present research study investigates the synergy of industrial solid by-products from lignite combustion (fly ash and bottom ash) and aluminum production (ferroalumina) in the production of lightweight aggregates (LWA). The process consists of two stages, pelletization and sintering. Bottom ash (BA) is used as the principal raw material in mixtures while ferroalumina (FAL) is added in lower percentages (5-30 wt%). BA carbon content is used as the fuel of sintering process in high temperatures, around 1250 degrees C, and gas generation is responsible for porous structure formation. Physical properties such as porosity, water absorption and bulk density, of sintering products are measured. Increase of FAL percentage in sintering mixtures results in decrease of porosity from 61% to 35% and of water absorption from 61% to 21% and in increase of bulk density from 1.02 g/cm(3) to 1.80 g/cm(3) of the produced aggregates. Aggregates produced by FAL addition up to 20 wt% are characterized as LWA. Aggregates formed are used in the production of concrete specimens. Compressive strength of concrete increases by increasing FAL addition in aggregates from 5 wt% to 15 wt% (highest strength value), while decrease by increasing FAL addition from 20 wt% to 30 wt%. FAL addition in lignite ashes sintering mixtures (up to 15 wt%) is considered as an important parameter for enhancing aggregates strength.

Aggregation and sampling in deterministic chaos: implications for chaos identification in hydrological processes

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J. D. Salas

2005-01-01

Full Text Available A review of the literature reveals conflicting results regarding the existence and inherent nature of chaos in hydrological processes such as precipitation and streamflow, i.e. whether they are low dimensional chaotic or stochastic. This issue is examined further in this paper, particularly the effect that certain types of transformations, such as aggregation and sampling, may have on the identification of the dynamics of the underlying system. First, we investigate the dynamics of daily streamflows for two rivers in Florida, one with strong surface and groundwater storage contributions and the other with a lesser basin storage contribution. Based on estimates of the delay time, the delay time window, and the correlation integral, our results suggest that the river with the stronger basin storage contribution departs significantly from the behavior of a chaotic system, while the departure is less significant for the river with the smaller basin storage contribution. We pose the hypothesis that the chaotic behavior depicted on continuous precipitation fields or small time-step precipitation series becomes less identifiable as the aggregation (or sampling time step increases. Similarly, because streamflows result from a complex transformation of precipitation that involves accumulating and routing excess rainfall throughout the basin and adding surface and groundwater flows, the end result may be that streamflows at the outlet of the basin depart from low dimensional chaotic behavior. We also investigate the effect of aggregation and sampling using series derived from the Lorenz equations and show that, as the aggregation and sampling scales increase, the chaotic behavior deteriorates and eventually ceases to show evidence of low dimensional determinism.

The Effect of Zeolite on Aggregate Stability Indices

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F. Sohrab

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Soil structural stability affects the profitability and sustainability of agricultural systems. Particle size distribution (PSD and aggregate stability are the important characteristics of soil. Aggregate stability has a significant impact on the development of the root system, water and carbon cycle and soil resistance against soil erosion. Soil aggregate stability, defined as the ability of the aggregates to remain intact when subject to a given stress, is an important soil property that affects the movement and storage of water, aeration, erosion, biological activity and growth of crops. Dry soil aggregate stability (Mean Weight Diameter (MWD, Geometric Mean Diameter (GMD and Wet Aggregate Stability (WAS are important indices for evaluating soil aggregate stability.To improve soil physical properties, including modifying aggregate, using various additives (organic, inorganic and chemicals, zeolites are among what has been studied.According to traditional definition, zeolites are hydratealuminosilicates of alkaline and alkaline-earth minerals. Their structure is made up of a framework of[SiO4]−4 and [AlO4]−5 tetrahedron linked to each other's cornersby sharing oxygen atoms. The substitution of Si+4 by Al+3 intetrahedral sites results inmore negative charges and a high cation exchange capacity.Zeolites, as natural cation exchangers, are suitable substitutes to remove toxic cations. Among the natural zeolites,Clinoptilolite seems to be the most efficient ion exchanger and ion-selective material forremoving and stabilizing heavy metals.Due to theexisting insufficient technical information on the effects of using different levels of zeolite on physical properties of different types of soils in Iran, the aim of this research was to assess the effects of two different types of zeolite (Clinoptilolite natural zeolite, Z4, and Synthetic zeolite, A4 on aggregate stability indicesof soil. Materials and Methods: In this study at first

Graph Aggregation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Endriss, U.; Grandi, U.

Graph aggregation is the process of computing a single output graph that constitutes a good compromise between several input graphs, each provided by a different source. One needs to perform graph aggregation in a wide variety of situations, e.g., when applying a voting rule (graphs as preference

p53 Aggregates penetrate cells and induce the co-aggregation of intracellular p53.

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Karolyn J Forget

Full Text Available Prion diseases are unique pathologies in which the infectious particles are prions, a protein aggregate. The prion protein has many particular features, such as spontaneous aggregation, conformation transmission to other native PrP proteins and transmission from an individual to another. Protein aggregation is now frequently associated to many human diseases, for example Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease or type 2 diabetes. A few proteins associated to these conformational diseases are part of a new category of proteins, called prionoids: proteins that share some, but not all, of the characteristics associated with prions. The p53 protein, a transcription factor that plays a major role in cancer, has recently been suggested to be a possible prionoid. The protein has been shown to accumulate in multiple cancer cell types, and its aggregation has also been reproduced in vitro by many independent groups. These observations suggest a role for p53 aggregates in cancer development. This study aims to test the «prion-like» features of p53. Our results show in vitro aggregation of the full length and N-terminally truncated protein (p53C, and penetration of these aggregates into cells. According to our findings, the aggregates enter cells using macropinocytosis, a non-specific pathway of entry. Lastly, we also show that once internalized by the cell, p53C aggregates can co-aggregate with endogenous p53 protein. Together, these findings suggest prion-like characteristics for p53 protein, based on the fact that p53 can spontaneously aggregate, these aggregates can penetrate cells and co-aggregate with cellular p53.

Aggregation patterns of fetal rat brain cells following exposure to X-irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoji, R.; Suzuki, K.; Lee, I.P.

1980-01-01

In our search for a simplified in vitro test system to assess the teratogenic effects of physical factors, we studied the effects of total maternal body X-irradiation on aggregation patterns of enzymatically isolated fetal rat brain cells and on ultrastructural aggregate changes. The fetal brain cells were derived from day 14 gestation fetuses of pregnant Sprague-Dawley (CD strain) rats exposed to X-irradiation (25 - 200 R) one hour prior to sacrifice. Notable changes in the cell aggregates following X-irradiation included a reduction in cell aggregate size and an increase in number. The frequency of cell aggregates was higher in the treated than in the control group, and the mean diameter of cell aggregates was inversely related to increasing X-irradiation doses. Transmission electron microscopy revealed in isolated cells features of degenerative process which were similar to those found in intact fetal brain lesions caused by maternal X-irradiation. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy revealed that inhibition of cell aggregation following X-irradiation could probably be attributed to inhibition of membrane filopodia development and a consequent failure of cell aggregates to fuse into a greater cell aggregate mass. These results suggest that the membrane factors which influence cell aggregation may be a useful parameter to assess early effects of X-irradiation-induced brain deformity. Presently, the cell aggregation culture system is being further evaluated as a short term test system for environmental teratogens

Probing size-dependent electrokinetics of hematite aggregates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kedra-Królik, Karolina; Rosso, Kevin M.; Zarzycki, Piotr

2017-02-01

Aqueous particle suspensions of many kinds are stabilized by the electrostatic potential developed at their surfaces from reaction with water and ions. An important and less well understood aspect of this stabilization is the dependence of the electrostatic surface potential on particle size. Surface electrostatics are typically probed by measuring particle electrophoretic mobilities and quantified in the electrokinetic potential (f), using commercially available Zeta Potential Analyzers (ZPA). Even though ZPAs provide frequency-spectra (histograms) of electrophoretic mobility and hydrodynamic diameter, typically only the maximal-intensity values are reported, despite the information in the remainder of the spectra. Here we propose a mapping procedure that inter-correlates these histograms to extract additional insight, in this case to probe particle size-dependent electrokinetics. Our method is illustrated for a suspension of prototypical iron (III) oxide (hematite, a-Fe2O3). We found that the electrophoretic mobility and f-potential are a linear function of the aggregate size. By analyzing the distribution of surface site types as a function of aggregate size we show that site coordination increases with increasing aggregate diameter. This observation explains why the acidity of the iron oxide particles decreases with increasing particle size.

Behaviour of fibre reinforced concrete using steel slag coarse aggregate produced in Qatar

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Alnahhal Wael

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The state of Qatar suffers from the shortage of natural resources needed for concrete production. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the feasibility of using by-product recycled materials as aggregates to maintain the concrete construction industry. Several types of recyclable materials are currently used in concrete. One of the potential resources of recycled concrete is steel slag. Knowing that Steel slag is the most significant solid waste generated by Qatar Steel Company in Qatar, replacing of natural coarse aggregate with steel slag aggregate will have a significant environmental and economic impact to the state of Qatar. This paper presents the compression and flexural test results of different concrete mixes made of steel slag coarse aggregate combined with a newly developed basalt chopped fibres. The parameters investigated included the volume fraction of the fibre used and the type of coarse aggregates (natural aggregates “Gabbro” and steel slag aggregates. Plain concrete specimens containing natural coarse aggregates and steel slag aggregates with no fibres added were also tested to serve as control. Test results showed that adding the basalt chopped fibres to the concrete mixes enhanced their flexural tensile strengths at different percentages. In addition, the compressive strength of concrete made with steel slag aggregate was higher than that made with natural gabbro aggregate. Test results clearly showed that steel slag aggregates can be used as sustainable and eco-friendly alternative materials in concrete structures.

Aggregation, sedimentation, dissolution and bioavailability of ...

Science.gov (United States)

To understand their fate and transport in estuarine systems, the aggregation, sedimentation, and dissolution of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) in seawater were investigated. Hydrodynamic size increased from 40 to 60 nm to >1 mm within 1 h in seawater, and the aggregates were highly polydispersed. Their sedimentation rates in seawater were measured to be 4–10 mm/day. Humic acid (HA), further increased their size and polydispersity, and slowed sedimentation. Light increased their dissolution and release of dissolved Cd. The ZnS shell also slowed release of Cd ions. With sufficient light, HA increased the dissolution of QDs, while with low light, HA alone did not change their dissolution. The benthic zone in estuarine systems is the most probable long-term destination of QDs due to aggregation and sedimentation. The bioavailability of was evaluated using the mysid Americamysis bahia. The 7-day LC50s of particulate and dissolved QDs were 290 and 23 μg (total Cd)/L, respectively. For mysids, the acute toxicity appears to be from Cd ions; however, research on the effects of QDs should be conducted with other organisms where QDs may be lodged in critical tissues such as gills or filtering apparatus and Cd ions may be released and delivered directly to those tissues. Because of their increasing use and value to society, cadmium-based quantum dots (QDs) will inevitably find their way into marine systems. In an effort to understand the fate and transport of CdSe QDs in estuar

Evaluation of sound extinction and echo interference in densely aggregated zooplankton

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Natalia Gorska

2000-09-01

Full Text Available The investigation of sound extinction and echo interference is important as regards the accurate assessment of the abundance of densely aggregated zooplankton. To study these effects,the analytical model describing sound backscattering by an aggregation of isotropic scatterers (Rytov et al. 1978, Sun & Gimenez 1992 has been extended to the case of densely aggregated elongated zooplankton. The evaluation of the effects in the case of a dense krill aggregation demonstrates that they can be significant and should be taken into account.

Determination of the dynamic elastic constants of recycled aggregate concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Tsoumani, A. A.; Barkoula, N.-M.; Matikas, T. E.

2015-03-01

Nowadays, construction and demolition waste constitutes a major portion of the total solid waste production in the world. Due to both environmental and economical reasons, an increasing interest concerning the use of recycled aggregate to replace aggregate from natural sources is generated. This paper presents an investigation on the properties of recycled aggregate concrete. Concrete mixes are prepared using recycled aggregates at a substitution level between 0 and 100% of the total coarse aggregate. The influence of this replacement on strengthened concrete's properties is being investigated. The properties estimated are: density and dynamic modulus of elasticity at the age of both 7 and 28 days. Also, flexural strength of 28 days specimens is estimated. The determination of the dynamic elastic modulus was made using the ultrasonic pulse velocity method. The results reveal that the existence of recycled aggregates affects the properties of concrete negatively; however, in low levels of substitution the influence of using recycled aggregates is almost negligible. Concluding, the controlled use of recycled aggregates in concrete production may help solve a vital environmental issue apart from being a solution to the problem of inadequate concrete aggregates.

Effects of Oil Palm Shell Coarse Aggregate Species on High Strength Lightweight Concrete

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Ming Kun Yew

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different species of oil palm shell (OPS coarse aggregates on the properties of high strength lightweight concrete (HSLWC. Original and crushed OPS coarse aggregates of different species and age categories were investigated in this study. The research focused on two OPS species (dura and tenera, in which the coarse aggregates were taken from oil palm trees of the following age categories (3–5, 6–9, and 10–15 years old. The results showed that the workability and dry density of the oil palm shell concrete (OPSC increase with an increase in age category of OPS species. The compressive strength of specimen CD3 increases significantly compared to specimen CT3 by 21.8%. The maximum achievable 28-day and 90-day compressive strength is 54 and 56 MPa, respectively, which is within the range for 10–15-year-old crushed dura OPS. The water absorption was determined to be within the range for good concrete for the different species of OPSC. In addition, the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV results showed that the OPS HSLWC attain good condition at the age of 3 days.

Information Aggregation in Organizations

OpenAIRE

Schulte, Elisabeth

2006-01-01

This dissertation contributes to the analysis of information aggregation procedures within organizations. Facing uncertainty about the consequences of a collective decision, information has to be aggregated before making a choice. Two main questions are addressed. Firstly, how well is an organization suited for the aggregation of decision-relevant information? Secondly, how should an organization be designed in order to aggregate information efficiently? The main part deals with information a...

Familial aggregation of age-related macular degeneration in the Utah population.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Ling; Harmon, Jennifer; Yang, Xian; Chen, Haoyu; Patel, Shrena; Mineau, Geraldine; Yang, Zhenglin; Constantine, Ryan; Buehler, Jeanette; Kaminoh, Yuuki; Ma, Xiang; Wong, Tien Y; Zhang, Maonian; Zhang, Kang

2008-02-01

We examined familial aggregation and risk of age-related macular degeneration in the Utah population using a population-based case-control study. Over one million unique patient records were searched within the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and the Utah Population Database (UPDB), identifying 4764 patients with AMD. Specialized kinship analysis software was used to test for familial aggregation of disease, estimate the magnitude of familial risks, and identify families at high risk for disease. The population-attributable risk (PAR) for AMD was calculated to be 0.34. Recurrence risks in relatives indicate increased relative risks in siblings (2.95), first cousins (1.29), second cousins (1.13), and parents (5.66) of affected cases. There were 16 extended large families with AMD identified for potential use in genetic studies. Each family had five or more living affected members. The familial aggregation of AMD shown in this study exemplifies the merit of the UPDB and supports recent research demonstrating significant genetic contribution to disease development and progression.

Sulfur dioxide induced aggregation of wine thaumatin-like proteins: Role of disulfide bonds.

Science.gov (United States)

Chagas, Ricardo; Laia, César A T; Ferreira, Ricardo B; Ferreira, Luísa M

2018-09-01

Aggregation of heat unstable wine proteins is responsible for the economically and technologically detrimental problem called wine protein haze. This is caused by the aggregation of thermally unfolded proteins that can precipitate in bottled wine. To study the influence of SO 2 in this phenomenon, wine proteins were isolated and thaumatins were identified has the most prone to aggregate in the presence of this compound. Isolated wine thaumatins aggregation was followed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Our experimental results demonstrate that protein thermal unfolding after exposure of the protein to 70 °C does not present differences whether SO 2 is present or not. Conversely, when the protein solution is cooled to 15 °C (after heat stress) significant analytical changes can be observed between samples with and without SO 2 . A remarkable change of circular dichroism spectra in the region 220-230 nm is observed (which can be related to S-S torsion angles), as well as an increase in tryptophan fluorescence intensity (absence of fluorescence quenching by S-S bonds). Formation of covalently-linked dimeric and tetrameric protein species were also detected by SEC. The ability to dissolve the aggregates with 8 M urea seems to indicate that hydrophobic interactions are prevalent in the formed aggregates. Also, the reduction of these aggregates with tris (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine (TCEP) to only monomeric species reveals the presence of intermolecular S-S bonds. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DNA-mediated bacterial aggregation is dictated by acid-base interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Das, Theerthankar; Krom, Bastiaan P.; van der Mei, Henny C.; Busscher, Henk J.; Sharma, Prashant K.

2011-01-01

Extracellular DNA (eDNA) plays a significant role in bacterial biofilm formation and aggregation. Here, for the first time, we present a physico-chemical analysis of the DNA-mediated aggregation for three bacterial strains (Streptococcus mutans LT11, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Staphylococcus

A Novel Method to Quantify Soil Aggregate Stability by Measuring Aggregate Bond Energies

Science.gov (United States)

Efrat, Rachel; Rawlins, Barry G.; Quinton, John N.; Watts, Chris W.; Whitmore, Andy P.

2016-04-01

Soil aggregate stability is a key indicator of soil quality because it controls physical, biological and chemical functions important in cultivated soils. Micro-aggregates are responsible for the long term sequestration of carbon in soil, therefore determine soils role in the carbon cycle. It is thus vital that techniques to measure aggregate stability are accurate, consistent and reliable, in order to appropriately manage and monitor soil quality, and to develop our understanding and estimates of soil as a carbon store to appropriately incorporate in carbon cycle models. Practices used to assess the stability of aggregates vary in sample preparation, operational technique and unit of results. They use proxies and lack quantification. Conflicting results are therefore drawn between projects that do not provide methodological or resultant comparability. Typical modern stability tests suspend aggregates in water and monitor fragmentation upon exposure to an un-quantified amount of ultrasonic energy, utilising a laser granulometer to measure the change in mean weight diameter. In this project a novel approach has been developed based on that of Zhu et al., (2009), to accurately quantify the stability of aggregates by specifically measuring their bond energies. The bond energies are measured operating a combination of calorimetry and a high powered ultrasonic probe, with computable output function. Temperature change during sonication is monitored by an array of probes which enables calculation of the energy spent heating the system (Ph). Our novel technique suspends aggregates in heavy liquid lithium heteropolytungstate, as opposed to water, to avoid exposing aggregates to an immeasurable disruptive energy source, due to cavitation, collisions and clay swelling. Mean weight diameter is measured by a laser granulometer to monitor aggregate breakdown after successive periods of calculated ultrasonic energy input (Pi), until complete dispersion is achieved and bond

Aggregate complexes of HIV-1 induced by multimeric antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Stieh, Daniel J; King, Deborah F; Klein, Katja; Liu, Pinghuang; Shen, Xiaoying; Hwang, Kwan Ki; Ferrari, Guido; Montefiori, David C; Haynes, Barton; Pitisuttithum, Punnee; Kaewkungwal, Jaranit; Nitayaphan, Sorachai; Rerks-Ngarm, Supachai; Michael, Nelson L; Robb, Merlin L; Kim, Jerome H; Denny, Thomas N; Tomaras, Georgia D; Shattock, Robin J

2014-10-02

Antibody mediated viral aggregation may impede viral transfer across mucosal surfaces by hindering viral movement in mucus, preventing transcytosis, or reducing inter-cellular penetration of epithelia thereby limiting access to susceptible mucosal CD4 T cells and dendritic cells. These functions may work together to provide effective immune exclusion of virus from mucosal tissue; however little is known about the antibody characteristics required to induce HIV aggregation. Such knowledge may be critical to the design of successful immunization strategies to facilitate viral immune exclusion at the mucosal portals of entry. The potential of neutralizing and non-neutralizing IgG and IgA monoclonals (mAbs) to induce HIV-1 aggregation was assessed by Dynamic light scattering (DLS). Although neutralizing and non-neutralizing IgG mAbs and polyclonal HIV-Ig efficiently aggregated soluble Env trimers, they were not capable of forming viral aggregates. In contrast, dimeric (but not monomeric) IgA mAbs induced stable viral aggregate populations that could be separated from uncomplexed virions. Epitope specificity influenced both the degree of aggregation and formation of higher order complexes by dIgA. IgA purified from serum of uninfected RV144 vaccine trial responders were able to efficiently opsonize viral particles in the absence of significant aggregation, reflective of monomeric IgA. These results collectively demonstrate that dIgA is capable of forming stable viral aggregates providing a plausible basis for testing the effectiveness of aggregation as a potential protection mechanism at the mucosal portals of viral entry.

Minimizing mixing intensity to improve the performance of rice straw anaerobic digestion via enhanced development of microbe-substrate aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Moonkyung; Kim, Byung-Chul; Choi, Yongju; Nam, Kyoungphile

2017-12-01

The aim of this work was to study the effect of the differential development of microbe-substrate aggregates at different mixing intensities on the performance of anaerobic digestion of rice straw. Batch and semi-continuous reactors were operated for up to 50 and 300days, respectively, under different mixing intensities. In both batch and semi-continuous reactors, minimal mixing conditions exhibited maximum methane production and lignocellulose biodegradability, which both had strong correlations with the development of microbe-substrate aggregates. The results implied that the aggregated microorganisms on the particulate substrate played a key role in rice straw hydrolysis, determining the performance of anaerobic digestion. Increasing the mixing speed from 50 to 150rpm significantly reduced the methane production rate by disintegrating the microbe-substrate aggregates in the semi-continuous reactor. A temporary stress of high-speed mixing fundamentally affected the microbial communities, increasing the possibility of chronic reactor failure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parsley extract inhibits in vitro and ex vivo platelet aggregation and prolongs bleeding time in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadi, Dounia; Bnouham, Mohamed; Aziz, Mohammed; Ziyyat, Abderrahim; Legssyer, Abdelkhaleq; Legrand, Chantal; Lafeve, Françoise Fauvel; Mekhfi, Hassane

2009-08-17

Many cardiovascular diseases are associated with an increase in blood platelet activity. In Morocco, parsley (Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae) is one of the medicinal herbs used to treat cardiovascular diseases such as arterial hypertension. In this study, crude aqueous extract (CAE) of parsley was evaluated for its anti-platelet activity in experimental animals on platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo; and on bleeding time in vivo. The in vitro aggregation was monitored after pre-incubation of platelets with CAE. The bleeding time and ex vivo aggregation were performed after oral treatment. CAE inhibited dose dependently platelet aggregation in vitro induced by thrombin, ADP, collagen and epinephrine. The oral administration of CAE (3g/kg) inhibited significantly (pparsley may be benefit in the normalization of platelet hyperactivation, in the nutritional prevention of cardiovascular diseases and are potentially interesting in the development of new prevention strategies.

Lithuanian Quarry Aggregates Concrete Effects of Alkaline Corrosion Tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurimas Rutkauskas

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Aggregate alkaline corrosion of cement in concrete is going to respond in sodium and potassium hydroxide (lye with active SiO2 found in some aggregates. During this reaction, the concrete has resulted in significant internal stresses which cause deformation of the concrete, cracking and disintegration. The reaction is slow and concrete signs of decomposition appear only after a few months or years. The study used two different aggregates quarries. Studies show that Lithuania gravel contaminated with reactive particles having amorphous silicon dioxide reacting with cement in sodium and potassium hydroxide and the resulting alkaline concrete corrosion. It was found that, according to AAR 2 large aggregates include Group II – potentially reactive because of their expansion after 14 days, higher than 0.1%.

Chemical-mineralogical characterisation of coarse recycled concrete aggregate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Limbachiya, M.C.; Marrocchino, E.; Koulouris, A.

2007-01-01

The construction industry is now putting greater emphasis than ever before on increasing recycling and promoting more sustainable waste management practices. In keeping with this approach, many sectors of the industry have actively sought to encourage the use of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as an alternative to primary aggregates in concrete production. The results of a laboratory experimental programme aimed at establishing chemical and mineralogical characteristics of coarse RCA and its likely influence on concrete performance are reported in this paper. Commercially produced coarse RCA and natural aggregates (16-4 mm size fraction) were tested. Results of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses showed that original source of RCA had a negligible effect on the major elements and a comparable chemical composition between recycled and natural aggregates. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses results indicated the presence of calcite, portlandite and minor peaks of muscovite/illite in recycled aggregates, although they were directly proportioned to their original composition. The influence of 30%, 50%, and 100% coarse RCA on the chemical composition of equal design strength concrete has been established, and its suitability for use in a concrete application has been assessed. In this work, coarse RCA was used as a direct replacement for natural gravel in concrete production. Test results indicated that up to 30% coarse RCA had no effect on the main three oxides (SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 and CaO) of concrete, but thereafter there was a marginal decrease in SiO 2 and increase in Al 2 O 3 and CaO contents with increase in RCA content in the mix, reflecting the original constituent's composition

Chemical-mineralogical characterisation of coarse recycled concrete aggregate.

Science.gov (United States)

Limbachiya, M C; Marrocchino, E; Koulouris, A

2007-01-01

The construction industry is now putting greater emphasis than ever before on increasing recycling and promoting more sustainable waste management practices. In keeping with this approach, many sectors of the industry have actively sought to encourage the use of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as an alternative to primary aggregates in concrete production. The results of a laboratory experimental programme aimed at establishing chemical and mineralogical characteristics of coarse RCA and its likely influence on concrete performance are reported in this paper. Commercially produced coarse RCA and natural aggregates (16-4 mm size fraction) were tested. Results of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses showed that original source of RCA had a negligible effect on the major elements and a comparable chemical composition between recycled and natural aggregates. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses results indicated the presence of calcite, portlandite and minor peaks of muscovite/illite in recycled aggregates, although they were directly proportioned to their original composition. The influence of 30%, 50%, and 100% coarse RCA on the chemical composition of equal design strength concrete has been established, and its suitability for use in a concrete application has been assessed. In this work, coarse RCA was used as a direct replacement for natural gravel in concrete production. Test results indicated that up to 30% coarse RCA had no effect on the main three oxides (SiO2, Al2O3 and CaO) of concrete, but thereafter there was a marginal decrease in SiO2 and increase in Al2O3 and CaO contents with increase in RCA content in the mix, reflecting the original constituent's composition.

Curcumin Attenuates Amyloid-β Aggregate Toxicity and Modulates Amyloid-β Aggregation Pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Thapa, Arjun; Jett, Stephen D; Chi, Eva Y

2016-01-20

The abnormal misfolding and aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides into β-sheet enriched insoluble deposits initiates a cascade of events leading to pathological processes and culminating in cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, soluble oligomeric/prefibrillar Aβ have been shown to be potent neurotoxins. The naturally occurring polyphenol curcumin has been shown to exert a neuroprotective effect against age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. However, its protective mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of curcumin on the aggregation of Aβ40 as well as Aβ40 aggregate induced neurotoxicity. Our results show that the curcumin does not inhibit Aβ fibril formation, but rather enriches the population of "off-pathway" soluble oligomers and prefibrillar aggregates that were nontoxic. Curcumin also exerted a nonspecific neuroprotective effect, reducing toxicities induced by a range of Aβ conformers, including monomeric, oligomeric, prefibrillar, and fibrillar Aβ. The neuroprotective effect is possibly membrane-mediated, as curcumin reduced the extent of cell membrane permeabilization induced by Aβ aggregates. Taken together, our study shows that curcumin exerts its neuroprotective effect against Aβ induced toxicity through at least two concerted pathways, modifying the Aβ aggregation pathway toward the formation of nontoxic aggregates and ameliorating Aβ-induced toxicity possibly through a nonspecific pathway.

The effect of magnetic field induced aggregates on ultrasound propagation in aqueous magnetic fluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parekh, Kinnari; Upadhyay, R.V.

2017-01-01

Ultrasonic wave propagation in the aqueous magnetic fluid is investigated for different particle concentrations. The sound velocity decreases while acoustic impedance increases with increasing concentrations. The velocity anisotropy is observed upon application of magnetic field. The velocity anisotropy fits with Tarapov’s theory suggests the presence of aggregates in the system. We report that these aggregates are thermodynamically unstable and the length of aggregate changes continuously with increasing concentration and, or magnetic field and resulted in a decrease in effective magnetic moment. The Taketomi's theory fits well with the experimental data suggesting that the particle clusters are aligned in the direction of the magnetic field. The radius of cluster found to increase with increasing concentration, and then decreases whereas the elastic force constant increases and then becomes constant. The increase in cluster radius indicates elongation of aggregate length due to tip-to-tip interaction of aggregates whereas for higher concentration, the lateral alignment is more favorable than tip-to-tip alignment of aggregates which reduces the cluster radius making elastic force constant to raise. Optical images show that the chains are fluctuating and confirming the lateral alignment of chains at higher fields. - Highlights: • Magnetic field induced aggregates investigated using ultrasonic wave in aqueous magnetic fluid. • Velocity anisotropy induces upon applications of magnetic field. • Tarapov’s theory fit shows reduction in effective magnetic moment as concentration increases. • Taketomi's theory shows alignment of clusters in field direction. • Cluster radius increases and then decreases with increasing volume fractions. • Optical images show that fluctuating chains and lateral alignment of chains at higher fields.

The effect of magnetic field induced aggregates on ultrasound propagation in aqueous magnetic fluid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parekh, Kinnari, E-mail: kinnariparekh.rnd@charusat.ac.in [Dr. KC Patel R& D Center, Charotar University of Science & Technology, Changa, 388421 Dist. Anand, Gujarat (India); Upadhyay, R.V. [PD Patel Institute of Applied Sciences, Charotar University of Science & Technology, Changa, 388421 Dist. Anand, Gujarat (India)

2017-06-01

Ultrasonic wave propagation in the aqueous magnetic fluid is investigated for different particle concentrations. The sound velocity decreases while acoustic impedance increases with increasing concentrations. The velocity anisotropy is observed upon application of magnetic field. The velocity anisotropy fits with Tarapov’s theory suggests the presence of aggregates in the system. We report that these aggregates are thermodynamically unstable and the length of aggregate changes continuously with increasing concentration and, or magnetic field and resulted in a decrease in effective magnetic moment. The Taketomi's theory fits well with the experimental data suggesting that the particle clusters are aligned in the direction of the magnetic field. The radius of cluster found to increase with increasing concentration, and then decreases whereas the elastic force constant increases and then becomes constant. The increase in cluster radius indicates elongation of aggregate length due to tip-to-tip interaction of aggregates whereas for higher concentration, the lateral alignment is more favorable than tip-to-tip alignment of aggregates which reduces the cluster radius making elastic force constant to raise. Optical images show that the chains are fluctuating and confirming the lateral alignment of chains at higher fields. - Highlights: • Magnetic field induced aggregates investigated using ultrasonic wave in aqueous magnetic fluid. • Velocity anisotropy induces upon applications of magnetic field. • Tarapov’s theory fit shows reduction in effective magnetic moment as concentration increases. • Taketomi's theory shows alignment of clusters in field direction. • Cluster radius increases and then decreases with increasing volume fractions. • Optical images show that fluctuating chains and lateral alignment of chains at higher fields.

Localization of protein aggregation in Escherichia coli is governed by diffusion and nucleoid macromolecular crowding effect.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne-Sophie Coquel

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Aggregates of misfolded proteins are a hallmark of many age-related diseases. Recently, they have been linked to aging of Escherichia coli (E. coli where protein aggregates accumulate at the old pole region of the aging bacterium. Because of the potential of E. coli as a model organism, elucidating aging and protein aggregation in this bacterium may pave the way to significant advances in our global understanding of aging. A first obstacle along this path is to decipher the mechanisms by which protein aggregates are targeted to specific intercellular locations. Here, using an integrated approach based on individual-based modeling, time-lapse fluorescence microscopy and automated image analysis, we show that the movement of aging-related protein aggregates in E. coli is purely diffusive (Brownian. Using single-particle tracking of protein aggregates in live E. coli cells, we estimated the average size and diffusion constant of the aggregates. Our results provide evidence that the aggregates passively diffuse within the cell, with diffusion constants that depend on their size in agreement with the Stokes-Einstein law. However, the aggregate displacements along the cell long axis are confined to a region that roughly corresponds to the nucleoid-free space in the cell pole, thus confirming the importance of increased macromolecular crowding in the nucleoids. We thus used 3D individual-based modeling to show that these three ingredients (diffusion, aggregation and diffusion hindrance in the nucleoids are sufficient and necessary to reproduce the available experimental data on aggregate localization in the cells. Taken together, our results strongly support the hypothesis that the localization of aging-related protein aggregates in the poles of E. coli results from the coupling of passive diffusion-aggregation with spatially non-homogeneous macromolecular crowding. They further support the importance of "soft" intracellular structuring (based on

Recycled aggregates concrete: aggregate and mix properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

González-Fonteboa, B.

2005-09-01

Full Text Available This study of structural concrete made with recycled concrete aggregate focuses on two issues: 1. The characterization of such aggregate on the Spanish market. This involved conducting standard tests to determine density, water absorption, grading, shape, flakiness and hardness. The results obtained show that, despite the considerable differences with respect to density and water absorption between these and natural aggregates, on the whole recycled aggregate is apt for use in concrete production. 2. Testing to determine the values of basic concrete properties: mix design parameters were established for structural concrete in non-aggressive environments. These parameters were used to produce conventional concrete, and then adjusted to manufacture recycled concrete aggregate (RCA concrete, in which 50% of the coarse aggregate was replaced by the recycled material. Tests were conducted to determine the physical (density of the fresh and hardened material, water absorption and mechanical (compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and modulus of elasticity properties. The results showed that, from the standpoint of its physical and mechanical properties, concrete in which RCA accounted for 50% of the coarse aggregate compared favourably to conventional concrete.

Se aborda el estudio de hormigones estructurales fabricados con áridos reciclados procedentes de hormigón, incidiéndose en dos aspectos: 1. Caracterización de tales áridos, procedentes del mercado español. Para ello se llevan a cabo ensayos de densidad, absorción, granulometría, coeficiente de forma, índice de lajas y dureza. Los resultados obtenidos han puesto de manifiesto que, a pesar de que existen diferencias notables (sobre todo en cuanto a densidad y absorción con los áridos naturales, las características de los áridos hacen posible la fabricación de hormigones. 2. Ensayos sobre propiedades básicas de los hormigones: se establecen parámetros de dosificaci

Towards General Temporal Aggregation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boehlen, Michael H.; Gamper, Johann; Jensen, Christian Søndergaard

2008-01-01

associated with the management of temporal data. Indeed, temporal aggregation is complex and among the most difficult, and thus interesting, temporal functionality to support. This paper presents a general framework for temporal aggregation that accommodates existing kinds of aggregation, and it identifies...

Aggregate-associated carbon and nitrogen in reclaimed sandy loam soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wick, A.F.; Stahl, P.D.; Ingram, L.J. [Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA (United States)

2009-11-15

Minimal research has been conducted on aggregate, C, and N in coarse-textured soils used to reclaim surface coal mine lands. Furthermore, little is known about the contribution different plant communities make to the recovery of aggregation in these soils. Two chronosequences of semiarid reclaimed sites with sandy loam soils were sampled under shrub- and grass-dominated communities. Aggregation, aggregate fractions, and associated C and N were measured. No definitive trends of increasing macroaggregates between sites were observed undershrubs; however, macro- and microaggregation was greater in the 16-yr-old (0.20 and 0.23 kg aggregate kg{sup -1} soil, respectively) than in the 5-yr-old soils (0.02 and 0.08 kg aggregate kg{sup -1} soil, respectively) under grasses. Although C and N concentrations were drastically reduced (50-75%) with mining activity between the <1-yr-old and native soils, aggregate C and N concentrations tinder shrubs and grasses were similar to each other and to the native soils in the 5-yr-old site. Sods under grass in the 16-yr-old site had lower available and aggregate-occluded C and N concentrations than the 5-yr-old site, while C and N concentrations did not change between 5- and 16-yr-old soils under shrubs. Conversely, aggregate C and N pool sizes under shrubs and grasses both increased with site age to conditions similar to those observed in the native soil. Reclaimed shrub site soils had consistently higher C concentrations in the older reclaimed sites (10 and 16 yr old) than the soils under grasses, indicating greater accumulation and retention of C and N in organic material under shrub than grass communities in semiarid reclaimed sites.

Building energy demand aggregation and simulation tools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gianniou, Panagiota; Heller, Alfred; Rode, Carsten

2015-01-01

to neighbourhoods and cities. Buildings occupy a key place in the development of smart cities as they represent an important potential to integrate smart energy solutions. Building energy consumption affects significantly the performance of the entire energy network. Therefore, a realistic estimation...... of the aggregated building energy use will not only ensure security of supply but also enhance the stabilization of national energy balances. In this study, the aggregation of building energy demand was investigated for a real case in Sønderborg, Denmark. Sixteen single-family houses -mainly built in the 1960s......- were examined, all connected to the regional district heating network. The aggregation of building energy demands was carried out according to typologies, being represented by archetype buildings. These houses were modelled with dynamic energy simulation software and with a simplified simulation tool...

Optimal policies for aggregate recycling from decommissioned forest roads.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Matthew; Sessions, John

2008-08-01

To mitigate the adverse environmental impact of forest roads, especially degradation of endangered salmonid habitat, many public and private land managers in the western United States are actively decommissioning roads where practical and affordable. Road decommissioning is associated with reduced long-term environmental impact. When decommissioning a road, it may be possible to recover some aggregate (crushed rock) from the road surface. Aggregate is used on many low volume forest roads to reduce wheel stresses transferred to the subgrade, reduce erosion, reduce maintenance costs, and improve driver comfort. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential for aggregate to be recovered and used elsewhere on the road network, at a reduced cost compared to purchasing aggregate from a quarry. This article investigates the potential for aggregate recycling to provide an economic incentive to decommission additional roads by reducing transport distance and aggregate procurement costs for other actively used roads. Decommissioning additional roads may, in turn, result in improved aquatic habitat. We present real-world examples of aggregate recycling and discuss the advantages of doing so. Further, we present mixed integer formulations to determine optimal levels of aggregate recycling under economic and environmental objectives. Tested on an example road network, incorporation of aggregate recycling demonstrates substantial cost-savings relative to a baseline scenario without recycling, increasing the likelihood of road decommissioning and reduced habitat degradation. We find that aggregate recycling can result in up to 24% in cost savings (economic objective) and up to 890% in additional length of roads decommissioned (environmental objective).

Protein aggregation studied by forward light scattering and light transmission analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Penzkofer, A.; Shirdel, J.; Zirak, P.; Breitkreuz, H.; Wolf, E.

2007-12-01

The aggregation of the circadian blue-light photo-receptor cryptochrome from Drosophila melanogaster (dCry) is studied by transmission and forward light scattering measurement in the protein transparent wavelength region. The light scattering in forward direction is caused by Rayleigh scattering which is proportional to the degree of aggregation. The light transmission through the samples in the transparent region is reduced by Mie light scattering in all directions. It depends on the degree of aggregation and the monomer volume fill factor of the aggregates (less total scattering with decreasing monomer volume fill factor of protein globule) allowing a distinction between tightly packed protein aggregation (monomer volume fill factor 1) and loosely packed protein aggregation (monomer volume fill factor less than 1). An increase in aggregation with temperature, concentration, and blue-light exposure is observed. At a temperature of 4 °C and a protein concentration of less than 0.135 mM no dCry aggregation was observed, while at 24 °C and 0.327 mM gelation occurred (loosely packed aggregates occupying the whole solution volume).

Development of Ecoefficient Engineered Cementitious Composites Using Supplementary Cementitious Materials as a Binder and Bottom Ash Aggregate as Fine Aggregate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Wook Bang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to develop ecoefficient engineered cementitious composites (ECC using supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs, including fly ash (FA and blast furnace slag (SL as a binder material. The cement content of the ECC mixtures was replaced by FA and SL with a replacement rate of 25%. In addition, the fine aggregate of the ECC was replaced by bottom ash aggregate (BA with a substitution rate of 10%, 20%, and 30%. The influences of ecofriendly aggregates on fresh concrete properties and on mechanical properties were experimentally investigated. The test results revealed that the substitution of SCMs has an advantageous effect on fresh concrete’s properties; however, the increased water absorption and the irregular shape of the BA can potentially affect the fresh concrete’s properties. The substitution of FA and SL in ECC led to an increase in frictional bond at the interface between PVA fibers and matrix, improved the fiber dispersion, and showed a tensile strain capacity ranging from 3.3% to 3.5%. It is suggested that the combination of SCMs (12.5% FA and 12.5% SL and the BA aggregate with the substitution rate of 10% can be effectively used in ECC preparation.

Response of soil aggregate stability to storage time of soil samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerzabek, M.H.; Roessner, H.

1993-04-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the well known phenomenon of changing aggregate stability values as result of soil sample storage. In order to evaluate the impact of soil microbial activity, the soil sample was split into three subsamples. Two samples were sterilized by means of chloroform fumigation and gamma irradiation, respectively. However, the aggregate stability measurements at three different dates were not correlated with the microbial activity (dehydrogenase activity). The moisture content of the aggregate samples seems to be of higher significance. Samples with lower moisture content (range: 0.4 to 1.9%) exhibited higher aggregate stabilities. Thus, airdried aggregate samples without further treatment don't seem to be suitable for standardized stability measurements. (authors)

Evaluation of Different Mineral Filler Aggregates for Asphalt Mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Wasilewska, Marta; Małaszkiewicz, Dorota; Ignatiuk, Natalia

2017-10-01

Mineral filler aggregates play an important role in asphalt mixtures because they fill voids in paving mix and improve the cohesion of asphalt binder. Limestone powder containing over 90% of CaCO3 is the most frequently used type of filler. Waste material from the production of coarse aggregate can be successfully used as a mineral filler aggregate for hot asphalt concrete mixtures as the limestone powder replacement. This paper presents the experimental results of selected properties of filler aggregates which were obtained from rocks with different mineral composition and origin. Five types of rocks were used as a source of the mineral filler aggregate: granite, gabbro, trachybasalt, quartz sandstone and rocks from postglacial deposits. Limestone filler was used in this study as the reference material. The following tests were performed: grading (air jet sieving), quality of fines according to methylene blue test, water content by drying in a ventilated oven, particle density using pyknometer method, Delta ring and ball test, Bitumen Number, fineness determined as Blaine specific surface area. Mineral filler aggregates showed significant differences when they were mixed with bitumen and stiffening effect in Delta ring and ball test was evaluated. The highest values were achieved when gabbro and granite fillers were used. Additionally, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis of grain shape and size was carried out. Significant differences in grain size and shape were observed. The highest non-homogeneity in size was determined for quartz sandstone, gabbro and granite filler. Their Blaine specific surface area was lower than 2800 cm2/g, while for limestone and postglacial fillers with regular and round grains it exceeded 3000 cm2/g. All examined mineral filler aggregates met requirements of Polish National Specification WT-1: 2014 and could be used in asphalt mixtures.

Proteins aggregation and human diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Chin-Kun

2015-01-01

Many human diseases and the death of most supercentenarians are related to protein aggregation. Neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), Parkinson's disease (PD), frontotemporallobar degeneration, etc. Such diseases are due to progressive loss of structure or function of neurons caused by protein aggregation. For example, AD is considered to be related to aggregation of Aβ40 (peptide with 40 amino acids) and Aβ42 (peptide with 42 amino acids) and HD is considered to be related to aggregation of polyQ (polyglutamine) peptides. In this paper, we briefly review our recent discovery of key factors for protein aggregation. We used a lattice model to study the aggregation rates of proteins and found that the probability for a protein sequence to appear in the conformation of the aggregated state can be used to determine the temperature at which proteins can aggregate most quickly. We used molecular dynamics and simple models of polymer chains to study relaxation and aggregation of proteins under various conditions and found that when the bending-angle dependent and torsion-angle dependent interactions are zero or very small, then protein chains tend to aggregate at lower temperatures. All atom models were used to identify a key peptide chain for the aggregation of insulin chains and to find that two polyQ chains prefer anti-parallel conformation. It is pointed out that in many cases, protein aggregation does not result from protein mis-folding. A potential drug from Chinese medicine was found for Alzheimer's disease. (paper)

Proteins aggregation and human diseases

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Chin-Kun

2015-04-01

Many human diseases and the death of most supercentenarians are related to protein aggregation. Neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), Parkinson's disease (PD), frontotemporallobar degeneration, etc. Such diseases are due to progressive loss of structure or function of neurons caused by protein aggregation. For example, AD is considered to be related to aggregation of Aβ40 (peptide with 40 amino acids) and Aβ42 (peptide with 42 amino acids) and HD is considered to be related to aggregation of polyQ (polyglutamine) peptides. In this paper, we briefly review our recent discovery of key factors for protein aggregation. We used a lattice model to study the aggregation rates of proteins and found that the probability for a protein sequence to appear in the conformation of the aggregated state can be used to determine the temperature at which proteins can aggregate most quickly. We used molecular dynamics and simple models of polymer chains to study relaxation and aggregation of proteins under various conditions and found that when the bending-angle dependent and torsion-angle dependent interactions are zero or very small, then protein chains tend to aggregate at lower temperatures. All atom models were used to identify a key peptide chain for the aggregation of insulin chains and to find that two polyQ chains prefer anti-parallel conformation. It is pointed out that in many cases, protein aggregation does not result from protein mis-folding. A potential drug from Chinese medicine was found for Alzheimer's disease.

Measurement of γ-Ray Attenuation Coefficient for Concrete with Different Aggregate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Jeong Hwan [Jeju National University, Jeju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jea Hyung; Mun, Young Bum; Choi, Hyun Kook [Sungshin Cement Co, Sejong (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Soo Seok [Jeju National University, Jeju (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

In this work, we used different aggregates in a concrete to examine their effect on gamma-ray shielding. In addition, attenuation coefficient has been evaluated using a gamma-ray measuring system. The attenuation coefficient represents the amount of attenuated radiation by the thickness of a given sample material. Shielding performance improvement is expected to effect on the increasing high-weight aggregate rather than unit weigh and it is consider that additional research is needed for mixing condition of aggregates. In this study, shielding performance of concrete was confirmed to increase, according to the increasing in unit weight and aggregate. However, Iron ore is the density greater than oxidizing slag gravel, but attenuation coefficient is lower than including oxidizing slag gravel. The demand of radiation shielding material for a safe transport and storage of radioactive materials increases rapidly with the commencement of the medium and low-level radioactive waste disposal facility. It is because radioactive materials from a nuclear reactor, spent nuclear fuels, fission products, and many industrial application of radiation influences on environment over a long period by releasing gamma-ray and neutron continuously. Typical radiation shielding materials are lead, boron, iron, water, heavy-weight concrete, etc. In heavy-weight concrete, oxidizing slag from an electric arc furnace, magnetite and barite are used as an aggregate. The radiation shielding rate of the heavy-weight concrete which used oxidizing slag was studied. Both size of coarse aggregate and experiment sample is a few cm thicknesses. Therefore, location of shielding material including metal component in sample is important, according to direction of radiation.

Aggregate Stability of Tropical Soils Under Long-Term Eucalyptus Cultivation

Science.gov (United States)

Eucalyptus cultivation has increased in all Brazilian regions. Despite the large amount of cultivated area, little is known about how this kind of management system affects soil properties, mainly the aggregate stability. Aggregate stability analyses have proved to be a sensitive tool to measure soi...

Multi-Dimensional Aggregation for Temporal Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Böhlen, M. H.; Gamper, J.; Jensen, Christian Søndergaard

2006-01-01

Business Intelligence solutions, encompassing technologies such as multi-dimensional data modeling and aggregate query processing, are being applied increasingly to non-traditional data. This paper extends multi-dimensional aggregation to apply to data with associated interval values that capture...... that the data holds for each point in the interval, as well as the case where the data holds only for the entire interval, but must be adjusted to apply to sub-intervals. The paper reports on an implementation of the new operator and on an empirical study that indicates that the operator scales to large data...

Molecular dynamics simulation of cyclodextrin aggregation and extraction of Anthracene from non-aqueous liquid phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Xinzhe [Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Coastal Ocean Dynamic and Environment, Division of Ocean Science and Technology, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Wu, Guozhong [Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Coastal Ocean Dynamic and Environment, Division of Ocean Science and Technology, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Chen, Daoyi, E-mail: chen.daoyi@sz.tsinghua.edu.cn [Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Coastal Ocean Dynamic and Environment, Division of Ocean Science and Technology, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China)

2016-12-15

Cyclodextrin (CD) extraction is widely used for the remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) pollution, but it remains unclear about the influence of CD aggregation on the PAH transport from non-aqueous liquid phase to water. The atomistic adsorption and complexation of PAHs (32 anthracenes) by CD aggregates (48 β-cyclodextrins) were studied by molecular dynamics simulations at hundreds of nanoseconds time scale. Results indicated that high temperature promoted the βCD aggregation in bulk oil, which was not found in bulk water. Nevertheless, the fractions of anthracenes entrapped inside the βCDs cavity in both scenarios were significantly increased when temperature increased from 298 to 328 K. Free energy calculation for the sub-steps of CD extraction demonstrated that the anthracenes could be extracted when the βCDs arrived at the water-oil interface or after the βCDs entered the bulk oil. The former was kinetic-controlled while the latter was thermodynamic-limited process. Results also highlighted the formation of porous structures by CD aggregates in water, which was able to sequestrate PAH clusters with the size obviously larger than the cavity diameter of individual CD. This provided an opportunity for the extraction of recalcitrant PAHs with molecular size larger than anthracenes by cyclodextrins.

Computational design and biophysical characterization of aggregation-resistant point mutations for γD crystallin illustrate a balance of conformational stability and intrinsic aggregation propensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahin, Erinc; Jordan, Jacob L; Spatara, Michelle L; Naranjo, Andrea; Costanzo, Joseph A; Weiss, William F; Robinson, Anne Skaja; Fernandez, Erik J; Roberts, Christopher J

2011-02-08

γD crystallin is a natively monomeric eye-lens protein that is associated with hereditary juvenile cataract formation. It is an attractive model system as a multidomain Greek-key protein that aggregates through partially folded intermediates. Point mutations M69Q and S130P were used to test (1) whether the protein-design algorithm RosettaDesign would successfully predict mutants that are resistant to aggregation when combined with informatic sequence-based predictors of peptide aggregation propensity and (2) how the mutations affected relative unfolding free energies (ΔΔG(un)) and intrinsic aggregation propensity (IAP). M69Q was predicted to have ΔΔG(un) ≫ 0, without significantly affecting IAP. S130P was predicted to have ΔΔG(un) ∼ 0 but with reduced IAP. The stability, conformation, and aggregation kinetics in acidic solution were experimentally characterized and compared for the variants and wild-type (WT) protein using circular dichroism and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, calorimetric and chemical unfolding, thioflavin-T binding, chromatography, static laser light scattering, and kinetic modeling. Monomer secondary and tertiary structures of both variants were indistinguishable from WT, while ΔΔG(un) > 0 for M69Q and ΔΔG(un) < 0 for S130P. Surprisingly, despite being the least conformationally stable, S130P was the most resistant to aggregation, indicating a significant decrease of its IAP compared to WT and M69Q.

Rheology of three-dimensional packings of aggregates: microstructure and effects of nonconvexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Azéma, Emilien; Radjaï, Farhang; Saint-Cyr, Baptiste; Delenne, Jean-Yves; Sornay, Philippe

2013-05-01

We use three-dimensional contact dynamics simulations to analyze the rheological properties of granular materials composed of rigid aggregates. The aggregates are made from four overlapping spheres and described by a nonconvexity parameter depending on the relative positions of the spheres. The macroscopic and microstructural properties of several sheared packings are analyzed as a function of the degree of nonconvexity of the aggregates. We find that the internal angle of friction increases with the nonconvexity. In contrast, the packing fraction first increases to a maximum value but declines as the nonconvexity increases further. At a high level of nonconvexity, the packings are looser but show a higher shear strength. At the microscopic scale, the fabric and force anisotropy, as well as the friction mobilization, are enhanced by multiple contacts between aggregates and interlocking, thus revealings the mechanical and geometrical origins of shear strength.

The aggregation of climate change damages. A welfare theoretic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fankhauser, S.; Pearce, D.W.; Tol, R.S.J.

1997-01-01

The economic value of environmental goods is commonly determined using the concepts of willingness to pay (WTP) or willingness to accept (WTA). However, the WTP/WTA observed in different countries (or between individuals) will differ according to socio-economic characteristics, in particular income. This notion of differentiated values for otherwise identical goods (say, a given reduction in mortality risk) has been criticized as unethical, most recently in the context of the 'social cost' chapter of the IPCC Second Assessment Report. These critics argue that, being a function of income, WTP/WTA estimates reflect the unfairness in the current income distribution, and for equity reasons uniform per-unit values should therefore be applied across individuals and countries. This paper analyses the role of equity in the aggregation of climate change damage estimates, using basic tools of welfare economics. It shows one way of how WTP/WTA estimates can be corrected in aggregation if the underlying income distribution is considered unfair. It proposes that in the aggregation process individual estimates be weighted with an equity factor derived from the social welfare and utility functions. Equity weighting can significantly increase aggregate (global) damage figures, although some specifications of weighting functions also imply reduced estimates. The paper also shows that while the postulate of uniform per-unit values is compatible with a wide range of 'reasonable' utility and welfare specifications, there are also cases where the common-value notion is not compatible with defensible welfare concepts. 3 tabs., 32 refs

Asphaltene Aggregation and Fouling Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Derakhshesh, Marzie

This thesis explored the properties of asphaltene nano-aggregates in crude oil and toluene based solutions and fouling at process furnace temperatures, and the links between these two phenomena. The link between stability of asphaltenes at ambient conditions and fouling at the conditions of a delayed coker furnace, at over 450 °C, was examined by blending crude oil with an aliphatic diluent in different ratios. The stability of the blends were measured using a S-value analyzer, then fouling rates were measured on electrically heated stainless steel 316 wires in an autoclave reactor. The less stable the blend, the greater the rate and extent of fouling. The most severe fouling occurred with the unstable asphaltenes. SEM imaging of the foulant illustrates very different textures, with the structure becoming more porous with lower stability. Under cross-polarized light, the coke shows the presence of mesophase in the foulant layer. These data suggest a correlation between the fouling rate at high temperature furnace conditions and the stability index of the crude oil. Three organic polysulfides were introduced to the crude oil to examine their effect on fouling. The polysulfides are able to reduce coking and carbon monoxide generation in steam crackers. The fouling results demonstrated that polysulfide with more sulfur content increased the amount of corrosion-fouling of the wire. Various additives, solvents, ultrasound, and heat were employed to attempt to completely disaggregate the asphaltene nano-aggregates in solution at room temperature. The primary analytical technique used to monitor the nano-aggregation state of the asphaltenes in solution was the UV-visible spectroscopy. The results indicate that stronger solvents, such as pyridine and quinoline, combined with ionic liquids yield a slight reduction in the apparent absorbance at longer wavelengths, indicative of a decrease in the nano-aggregate size although the magnitude of the decrease is not significant

Effect of supine exercise on platelet aggregation and fibrinolytic activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dag, B; Fornitz, Gitte Gleerup; Bak, A M

1994-01-01

In 12 healthy young men, strenuous cycling exercise in the supine position, caused platelet aggregability to decrease and the ADP threshold to rise from 7.0 microM resting, to 9.5 exercising (P ... from 178 to 68 min, PAI-1 fell from 8.91 to 5.16 IU ml-1, and t-PA rose from 0.56 to 3.95 IU ml-1, all three values were significant to P exercise, it did not increase platelet activity as expected, but caused a modest increase...... of fibrinolytic activity. These results suggest that supine exercise will not affect the haemostatic system adversely....

Representative volume element size of a polycrystalline aggregate with embedded short crack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonovski, I.; Cizelj, L.

2007-01-01

A random polycrystalline aggregate model is proposed for evaluation of a representative volume element size (RVE) of a 316L stainless steel with embedded surface crack. RVE size is important since it defines the size of specimen where the influence of local microstructural features averages out, resulting in the same macroscopic response for geometrically similar specimen. On the other hand macroscopic responses of specimen with size smaller than RVE will, due to the microstructural features, differ significantly. Different sizes and orientations of grains, inclusions, voids,... etc are examples of such microstructural features. If a specimen size is above RVE size, classical continuum mechanics can be applied. On the other hand, advanced material models should be used for specimen with size below RVE. This paper proposes one such model, where random size, shape and orientation of grains are explicitly modeled. Crystal plasticity constitutive model is used to account for slip in the grains. RVE size is estimated by calculating the crack tip opening displacements of aggregates with different grain numbers. Progressively larger number of grains are included in the aggregates until the crack tip displacements for two consecutive aggregates of increasing size differ less than 1 %. At this point the model has reached RVE size. (author)

Denitrification in Soil Aggregate Analogues-Effect of Aggregate Size and Oxygen Diffusion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steffen Schlüter

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Soil-borne nitrous oxide (N2O emissions have a high spatial and temporal variability which is commonly attributed to the occurrence of hotspots and hot moments for microbial activity in aggregated soil. Yet there is only limited information about the biophysical processes that regulate the production and consumption of N2O on microscopic scales in undisturbed soil. In this study, we introduce an experimental framework relying on simplified porous media that circumvents some of the complexities occuring in natural soils while fully accounting for physical constraints believed to control microbial activity in general and denitrification in particular. We used this framework to explore the impact of aggregate size and external oxygen concentration on the kinetics of O2 consumption, as well as CO2 and N2O production. Model aggregates of different sizes (3.5 vs. 7 mm diameter composed of porous, sintered glass were saturated with a defined growth medium containing roughly 109 cells ml−1 of the facultative anaerobic, nosZ-deficient denitrifier Agrobacterium tumefaciens with N2O as final denitrification product and incubated at five different oxygen levels (0–13 vol-%. We demonstrate that the onset of denitrification depends on the amount of external oxygen and the size of aggregates. Smaller aggregates were better supplied with oxygen due to a larger surface-to-volume ratio, which resulted in faster growth and an earlier onset of denitrification. In larger aggregates, the onset of denitrification was more gradual, but with comparably higher N2O production rates once the anoxic aggregate centers were fully developed. The normalized electron flow from the reduced carbon substrate to N-oxyanions (edenit-/etotal- ratio could be solely described as a function of initial oxygen concentration in the headspace with a simple, hyperbolic model, for which the two empirical parameters changed with aggregate size in a consistent way. These findings confirm the

Characterization of Nanoparticles and Colloids in Aquatic Systems 1. Small Angle Neutron Scattering Investigations of Suwannee River Fulvic Acid Aggregates in Aqueous Solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diallo, Mamadou S.; Glinka, Charles J.; Goddard, William A.; Johnson, James H.

2005-01-01

Fulvic acids (FA) and humic acids (HA) constitute 30-50% of dissolved organic matter in natural aquatic systems. In aqueous solutions, a commonly accepted view is that FA and HA exist as soluble macroligands at low concentration and as supramolecular aggregates at higher concentration. The size, shape and structure of these aggregates are still the subject of ongoing debate in the environmental chemistry literature. In this article, we use small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to assess the effects of solute concentration, solution pH and background electrolyte (NaCl) concentration on the structures of Suwannee River FA (SRFA) aggregates in D 2 O. The qualitative features of the SANS curves and data analysis are not consistent with the view point that SRFA forms micelle-like aggregates as its concentration in aqueous solution increases. We find that SRFA forms fractal aggregates in D 2 0 with size greater than 242 nm. The SRFA aggregates undergo a significant degree of restructuring in compactness as solution pH, solute concentration and NaCl concentration increase

Privacy-Preserving Data Aggregation Protocol for Fog Computing-Assisted Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Scenario

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanan Chen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I communication enables moving vehicles to upload real-time data about road surface situation to the Internet via fixed roadside units (RSU. Thanks to the resource restriction of mobile vehicles, fog computation-enhanced V2I communication scenario has received increasing attention recently. However, how to aggregate the sensed data from vehicles securely and efficiently still remains open to the V2I communication scenario. In this paper, a light-weight and anonymous aggregation protocol is proposed for the fog computing-based V2I communication scenario. With the proposed protocol, the data collected by the vehicles can be efficiently obtained by the RSU in a privacy-preserving manner. Particularly, we first suggest a certificateless aggregate signcryption (CL-A-SC scheme and prove its security in the random oracle model. The suggested CL-A-SC scheme, which is of independent interest, can achieve the merits of certificateless cryptography and signcryption scheme simultaneously. Then we put forward the anonymous aggregation protocol for V2I communication scenario as one extension of the suggested CL-A-SC scheme. Security analysis demonstrates that the proposed aggregation protocol achieves desirable security properties. The performance comparison shows that the proposed protocol significantly reduces the computation and communication overhead compared with the up-to-date protocols in this field.

Effect of the Aggregate Size on Strength Properties of Recycled Aggregate Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ma Kang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The study on preparation technology of recycled concrete with economical and technical feasibility has gained more serious attention in each country due to its involvement and effect on the environment protection and the sustainable development of human society. In this study, we conducted a control variable test to investigate and assess the influence of the aggregate size on the strength characteristics of concrete with different diameters of recycled aggregates. Concrete with recycled aggregates of 5∼15 mm (A, 15∼20 mm (B, 20∼30 mm (C, and their combinations were subjected to a series of unconfined pressure tests after curing for 28 days. Based on the results obtained from the tests, an effort was made to study the relationship between the mechanical characteristics of recycled aggregate concrete and aggregate particle size. Also, a regression model of recycled concrete was proposed to predict the elasticity modulus and to adjust the design of mixture proportion. It is believed that these experiment results would contribute to adjust the remediation mixture for recycling plants by considering the influence of recycled aggregate size.

Infiltration Variability in Agricultural Soil Aggregates Caused by Air Slaking

Science.gov (United States)

Korenkova, L.; Urik, M.

2018-04-01

This article reports on variation in infiltration rates of soil aggregates as a result of phenomenon known as air slaking. Air slaking is caused by the compression and subsequent escape of air captured inside soil aggregates during water saturation. Although it has been generally assumed that it occurs mostly when dry aggregates are rapidly wetted, the measurements used for this paper have proved that it takes place even if the wetting is gradual, not just immediate. It is a phenomenon that contributes to an infiltration variability of soils. In measuring the course of water flow through the soil, several small aggregates of five agricultural soils were exposed to distilled water at zero tension in order to characterize their hydraulic properties. Infiltration curves obtained for these aggregates demonstrate the effect of entrapped air on the increase and decrease of infiltration rates. The measurements were performed under various moisture conditions of the A-horizon aggregates using a simple device.

Oil-Price Shocks: Beyond Standard Aggregate Demand/Aggregate Supply Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Elwood, S. Kirk

2001-01-01

Explores the problems of portraying oil-price shocks using the aggregate demand/aggregate supply model. Presents a simple modification of the model that differentiates between production and absorption of goods, which enables it to better reflect the effects of oil-price shocks on open economies. (RLH)

Acoustic emission monitoring of recycled aggregate concrete under bending

Science.gov (United States)

Tsoumani, A. A.; Barkoula, N.-M.; Matikas, T. E.

2015-03-01

The amount of construction and demolition waste has increased considerably over the last few years, making desirable the reuse of this waste in the concrete industry. In the present study concrete specimens are subjected at the age of 28 days to four-point bending with concurrent monitoring of their acoustic emission (AE) activity. Several concrete mixtures prepared using recycled aggregates at various percentages of the total coarse aggregate and also a reference mix using natural aggregates, were included to investigate their influence of the recycled aggregates on the load bearing capacity, as well as on the fracture mechanisms. The results reveal that for low levels of substitution the influence of using recycled aggregates on the flexural strength is negligible while higher levels of substitution lead into its deterioration. The total AE activity, as well as the AE signals emitted during failure, was related to flexural strength. The results obtained during test processing were found to be in agreement with visual observation.

The chaperone-like activity of α-synuclein attenuates aggregation of its alternatively spliced isoform, 112-synuclein in vitro: plausible cross-talk between isoforms in protein aggregation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krishna Madhuri Manda

Full Text Available Abnormal oligomerization and aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn/WT-syn has been shown to be a precipitating factor in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD. Earlier observations on the induced-alternative splicing of α-syn by Parkinsonism mimetics as well as identification of region specific abnormalities in the transcript levels of 112-synuclein (112-syn in diseased subjects underscores the role of 112-syn in the pathophysiology of PD. In the present study, we sought to identify the aggregation potential of 112-syn in the presence or absence of WT-syn to predict its plausible role in protein aggregation events. Results demonstrate that unlike WT-syn, lack of 28 aa in the C-terminus results in the loss of chaperone-like activity with a concomitant gain in vulnerability to heat-induced aggregation and time-dependent fibrillation. The effects were dose and time-dependent and a significant aggregation of 112-syn was evident at as low as 45 °C following 10 min of incubation. The heat-induced aggregates were found to be ill-defined structures and weakly positive towards Thioflavin-T (ThT staining as compared to clearly distinguishable ThT positive extended fibrils resulting upon 24 h of incubation at 37 °C. Further, the chaperone-like activity of WT-syn significantly attenuated heat-induced aggregation of 112-syn in a dose and time-dependent manner. On contrary, WT-syn synergistically enhanced fibrillation of 112-syn. Overall, the present findings highlight a plausible cross-talk between isoforms of α-syn and the relative abundance of these isoforms may dictate the nature and fate of protein aggregates.

Design of non-aggregating variants of Aβ peptide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caine, Joanne M., E-mail: jo.caine@csiro.au [CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Preventative Health Flagship, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); CRC for Mental Health, Level 2, 161 Barry Street, Carlton South, Victoria 3053 (Australia); Churches, Quentin; Waddington, Lynne [CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Preventative Health Flagship, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Nigro, Julie; Breheney, Kerry [CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Preventative Health Flagship, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); CRC for Mental Health, Level 2, 161 Barry Street, Carlton South, Victoria 3053 (Australia); Masters, Colin L. [CRC for Mental Health, Level 2, 161 Barry Street, Carlton South, Victoria 3053 (Australia); Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Nuttall, Stewart D. [CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Preventative Health Flagship, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); CRC for Mental Health, Level 2, 161 Barry Street, Carlton South, Victoria 3053 (Australia); Streltsov, Victor A., E-mail: victor.streltsov@csiro.au [CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Preventative Health Flagship, 343 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); CRC for Mental Health, Level 2, 161 Barry Street, Carlton South, Victoria 3053 (Australia)

2014-10-24

Highlights: • Non-aggregating, non-toxic variants of Aβ peptide were designed using Aβ structure. • Mutations reduce aggregation by stabilising Aβ into small non-toxic oligomers. • Identification of these residues will assist the design of future therapeutic peptides. - Abstract: Self association of the amyloid-β (Aβ{sub 42}) peptide into oligomers, high molecular weight forms, fibrils and ultimately neuritic plaques, has been correlated with progressive cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, insights into the drivers of the aggregation pathway have the capacity to significantly contribute to our understanding of disease mechanism. Functional assays and a three-dimensional crystal structure of the P3 amyloidogenic region 18–41 of Aβ were used to identify residues important in self-association and to design novel non-aggregating variants of the peptide. Biophysical studies (gel filtration, SDS–PAGE, dynamic light scattering, thioflavin T assay, and electron microscopy) demonstrate that in contrast to wild type Aβ these targeted mutations lose the ability to self-associate. Loss of aggregation also correlates with reduced neuronal toxicity. Our results highlight residues and regions of the Aβ peptide important for future targeting agents aimed at the amelioration of Alzheimer’s disease.

Clay based superior aggregate for making light construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumarnadi, Eko Tri; Sudaryanto; Zulkarnain, Iskandar

2002-01-01

Aggregate is defined as material consisting of solid minerals with grain size ranging from sand to gravel. This material is usually used for filling components of concrete. Clay based aggregate has special properties that can be useful for making light construction in wet environment. Concrete build using the aggregate is not impermeable, but it can adsorb water in significant amount, so that is very useful to be used as paving block for walker zone (trotoir) and zone surrounding swimming pool. Laboratory test results show that the aggregate has grain size in zone 1 type with specific gravity between 1360 - 1840 kg/cm 3. Its abrasive factor about 35.32 % in average and it can be used as building material for light construction. Concrete with mixing ratio cement/aggregate of 1 to 6 with slump condition 3 to 6 cm and curing time of 28 days indicates compressive strength of 10 N/cm 3. Qualitative cost analysis reflected that the paving block production cost is relatively low and it will be more profitable if they are product from failed pentile having fail between 10 to 30 %

Environmentalism and natural aggregate mining

Science.gov (United States)

Drew, L.J.; Langer, W.H.; Sachs, J.S.

2002-01-01

Sustaining a developed economy and expanding a developing one require the use of large volumes of natural aggregate. Almost all human activity (commercial, recreational, or leisure) is transacted in or on facilities constructed from natural aggregate. In our urban and suburban worlds, we are almost totally dependent on supplies of water collected behind dams and transported through aqueducts made from concrete. Natural aggregate is essential to the facilities that produce energy-hydroelectric dams and coal-fired powerplants. Ironically, the utility created for mankind by the use of natural aggregate is rarely compared favorably with the environmental impacts of mining it. Instead, the empty quarries and pits are seen as large negative environmental consequences. At the root of this disassociation is the philosophy of environmentalism, which flavors our perceptions of the excavation, processing, and distribution of natural aggregate. The two end-member ideas in this philosophy are ecocentrism and anthropocentrism. Ecocentrism takes the position that the natural world is a organism whose arteries are the rivers-their flow must not be altered. The soil is another vital organ and must not be covered with concrete and asphalt. The motto of the ecocentrist is "man must live more lightly on the land." The anthropocentrist wants clean water and air and an uncluttered landscape for human use. Mining is allowed and even encouraged, but dust and noise from quarry and pit operations must be minimized. The large volume of truck traffic is viewed as a real menace to human life and should be regulated and isolated. The environmental problems that the producers of natural aggregate (crushed stone and sand and gravel) face today are mostly difficult social and political concerns associated with the large holes dug in the ground and the large volume of heavy truck traffic associated with quarry and pit operations. These concerns have increased in recent years as society's demand for

Comparative environmental assessment of natural and recycled aggregate concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Marinković, S; Radonjanin, V; Malešev, M; Ignjatović, I

2010-11-01

Constant and rapid increase in construction and demolition (C&D) waste generation and consumption of natural aggregate for concrete production became one of the biggest environmental problems in the construction industry. Recycling of C&D waste represents one way to convert a waste product into a resource but the environment benefits through energy consumption, emissions and fallouts reductions are not certain. The main purpose of this study is to determine the potentials of recycled aggregate concrete (concrete made with recycled concrete aggregate) for structural applications and to compare the environmental impact of the production of two types of ready-mixed concrete: natural aggregate concrete (NAC) made entirely with river aggregate and recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) made with natural fine and recycled coarse aggregate. Based on the analysis of up-to-date experimental evidence, including own tests results, it is concluded that utilization of RAC for low-to-middle strength structural concrete and non-aggressive exposure conditions is technically feasible. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is performed for raw material extraction and material production part of the concrete life cycle including transport. Assessment is based on local LCI data and on typical conditions in Serbia. Results of this specific case study show that impacts of aggregate and cement production phases are slightly larger for RAC than for NAC but the total environmental impacts depend on the natural and recycled aggregates transport distances and on transport types. Limit natural aggregate transport distances above which the environmental impacts of RAC can be equal or even lower than the impacts of NAC are calculated for the specific case study. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photo-induced reorganization of molecular packing of amphi-PIC J-aggregates (single J-aggregate spectroscopy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malyukin, Yu.V.; Sorokin, A.V.; Yefimova, S.L.; Lebedenko, A.N.

2005-01-01

Confocal luminescence microscopy has been used to excite and collect luminescence from single amphi-PIC J-aggregate. Two types of J-aggregates have been revealed in the luminescence image: bead-like J-aggregates, which diameter is less than 1 μm and rod-like ones, which length is about 3 μm and diameter is less than 1 μm. It has been found that single rod-like and bead-like J-aggregates exhibit different luminescence bands with different decay parameters. At the off-resonance blue tail excitation, the J-aggregate exciton luminescence disappeared within a certain time period and a new band appeared, which cannot be attributed to the monomer emission. The luminescence image shows that the J-aggregate is not destroyed. However, J-aggregate storage in darkness does not recover its exciton luminescence

Soil aggregation and slope stability related to soil density, root length, and mycorrhiza

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Frank; Frei, Martin

2013-04-01

Eco-engineering measures combine the use of living plants and inert mechanical constructions to protect slopes against erosion and shallow mass movement. Whereas in geotechnical engineering several performance standards and guidelines for structural safety and serviceability of construction exist, there is a lack of comparable tools in the field of ecological restoration. Various indicators have been proposed, including the fractal dimension of soil particle size distribution, microbiological parameters, and soil aggregate stability. We present results of an soil aggregate stability investigation and compare them with literature data of the angle of internal friction ?' which is conventionally used in slope stability analysis and soil failure calculation. Aggregate stability tests were performed with samples of differently treated moraine, including soil at low (~15.5 kN/m³) and high (~19.0 kN/m³) dry unit weight, soil planted with Alnus incana (White Alder) as well as the combination of soil planted with alder and inoculated with the mycorrhizal fungus Melanogaster variegatus s.l. After a 20 weeks growth period in a greenhouse, a total of 100 samples was tested and evaluated. Positive correlations were found between the soil aggregate stability and the three variables dry unit weight, root length per soil volume, and degree of mycorrhization. Based on robust statistics it turned out that dry unit weight and mycorrhization degree were strongest correlated with soil aggregate stability. Compared to the non-inoculated control plants, mycorrhized White Alder produced significantly more roots and higher soil aggregate stability. Furthermore, the combined biological effect of plant roots and mycorrhizal mycelia on aggregate stability on soil with low density (~15.5 kN/m³) was comparable to the compaction effect of the pure soil from 15.5 to ~19.0 kN/m³. Literature data on the effect of vegetation on the angle of internal friction ?' of the same moraine showed

Acid resistance of quaternary blended recycled aggregate concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Jagannadha Rao

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The possibility of reusing the aggregate from demolished structures in fresh concrete, in order to reduce the CO2 impact on the environment [23] and to preserve natural resources, was explored worldwide and it is established that recycled aggregates can be used as a partial replacement of natural aggregates. Due to its potential to be used in eco-friendly structures and shortage of supply of natural aggregates in some parts of the world, there is an increasing interest in using the recycled aggregate. The durability aspects are also of equal concern along with the strength and economy of any material to be used in the construction. Studies reveal that the behaviour of ternary and quaternary blended concretes is superior from durability point of view compared to conventional concrete. Therefore a study is conducted to assess the acid resistance of recycled aggregate based Quaternary Blended Cement Concrete (QBCC of two grades M40 and M60. Fly ash and silica fume are fixed at 20% and 10% respectively from the previous studies while two percentages of Nano silica (2 and 3% were used along with the cement to obtain QBCC. Three percentages of recycled aggregates as partial replacement of conventional aggregate (0%, 50% and 75% were used in this study. Two different acids (HCL and H2SO4 with different concentrations (3 and 5% were used in this study. Acid resistance of QBCC with Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA is assessed in terms of visual appearance, weight loss, and compressive strength loss by destructive and non-destructive tests at regular intervals for a period of 56 days. The test results showed marginal weight loss and strength loss in both M40 and M60 grades of concretes. The Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV results show that the quality of QBCC is good even after being subjected to acid exposure. Keywords: Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA, Quaternary blended cement concrete (QBCC, Acid resistance, Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV, Mineral

Electrostatic interactions drive native-like aggregation of human alanine:glyoxylate aminostransferase.

Science.gov (United States)

Dindo, Mirco; Conter, Carolina; Cellini, Barbara

2017-11-01

Protein aggregate formation is the basis of several misfolding diseases, including those displaying loss-of-function pathogenesis. Although aggregation is often attributed to the population of intermediates exposing hydrophobic surfaces, the contribution of electrostatic forces has recently gained attention. Here, we combined computational and in vitro studies to investigate the aggregation process of human peroxisomal alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGT), a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme involved in glyoxylate detoxification. We demonstrated that AGT is susceptible to electrostatic aggregation due to its peculiar surface charge anisotropy and that PLP binding counteracts the self-association process. The two polymorphic mutations P11L and I340M exert opposite effects. The P11L substitution enhances the aggregation tendency, probably by increasing surface charge anisotropy, while I340M plays a stabilizing role. In light of these results, we examined the effects of the most common missense mutations leading to primary hyperoxaluria type I (PH1), a rare genetic disorder associated with abnormal calcium oxalate precipitation in the urinary tract. All of them endow AGT with a strong electrostatic aggregation propensity. Moreover, we predicted that pathogenic mutations of surface residues could alter charge distribution, thus inducing aggregation under physiological conditions. A global model describing the AGT aggregation process is provided. Overall, the results indicate that the contribution of electrostatic interactions in determining the fate of proteins and the effect of amino acid substitutions should not be underestimated and provide the basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies for PH1 aimed at increasing AGT stability. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Incorporation of Biochar Carbon into Stable Soil Aggregates: The Role of Clay Mineralogy and Other Soil Characteristics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Charlene N.KELLY; Joseph BENJAMIN; Francisco C.CALDER(O)N; Maysoon M.MIKHA; David W.RUTHERFORD; Colleen E.ROSTAD

2017-01-01

Aggregation and structure plav key roles in water-holding capacity and stability of soils.In this study,the incorporation of carbon (C) from switchgrass biochar into stable aggregate size fractions was assessed in an Aridisol (from Colorado,USA) dominated by 2:1 clays and an Alfisol (from Virginia,USA) containing weathered mixed 1∶1 and 2∶1 mineralogy,to evaluate the effect of biochar addition on soil characteristics.The biochar was applied at 4 levels,0,25,50,and 100 g kg-1,to the soils grown with wheat in a growth chamber experiment.The changes in soil strength and water-holding capacity using water release curves were measured.In the Colorado soil,the proportion of soil occurring in large aggregates decreased,with concomitant increases in small size fractions.No changes in aggregate size fractions occurred in the Virginia soil.In the Colorado soil,C content increased from 3.3 to 16.8 g kg-1,whereas in the ＜ 53 μm fraction C content increased from 5.7 to 22.6 g kg-1 with 100 g kg-1 biochar addition.In the Virginia soil,C content within aggregate size fractions increased for each size fraction,except the ＞ 2 000 μm fraction.The greatest increase (from 6.2 to 22.0 g kg-1) occurred in the 53-250 μm fraction.The results indicated that C was incorporated into larger aggregates in the Virginia soil,but remained largely unassociated to soil particles in the Colorado soil.Biochar addition had no significant effect on water-holding capacity or strength measurements.Adding biochar to more weathered soils with high native soil organic content may result in greater stabilization of incorporated C and result in less loss because of erosion and transport,compared with the soils dominated by 2∶1 clays and low native soil organic content.

An exact approach for aggregated formulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gamst, Mette; Spoorendonk, Simon; Røpke, Stefan

Aggregating formulations is a powerful approach for problems to take on tractable forms. Aggregation may lead to loss of information, i.e. the aggregated formulation may be an approximation of the original problem. In branch-and-bound context, aggregation can also complicate branching, e.g. when...... optimality cannot be guaranteed by branching on aggregated variables. We present a generic exact solution method to remedy the drawbacks of aggregation. It combines the original and aggregated formulations and applies Benders' decomposition. We apply the method to the Split Delivery Vehicle Routing Problem....

Properties of Concrete with Tire Derived Aggregate Partially Replacing Coarse Aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Siringi, Gideon; Abolmaali, Ali; Aswath, Pranesh B

2015-01-01

Tire derived aggregate (TDA) has been proposed as a possible lightweight replacement for mineral aggregate in concrete. The role played by the amount of TDA replacing coarse aggregate as well as different treatment and additives in concrete on its properties is examined. Conventional concrete (without TDA) and concrete containing TDA are compared by examining their compressive strength based on ASTM C39, workability based on ASTM C143, splitting tensile strength based on ASTM C496, modulus of rupture (flexural strength) based on ASTM C78, and bond stress based on ASTM C234. Results indicate that while replacement of coarse aggregates with TDA results in reduction in strength, it may be mitigated with addition of silica fume to obtain the desired strength. The greatest benefit of using TDA is in the development of a higher ductile product while utilizing recycled TDA.

Protein aggregate turbidity: Simulation of turbidity profiles for mixed-aggregation reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Damien; Zhao, Ran; Dehlsen, Ian; Bloomfield, Nathaniel; Williams, Steven R; Arisaka, Fumio; Goto, Yuji; Carver, John A

2016-04-01

Due to their colloidal nature, all protein aggregates scatter light in the visible wavelength region when formed in aqueous solution. This phenomenon makes solution turbidity, a quantity proportional to the relative loss in forward intensity of scattered light, a convenient method for monitoring protein aggregation in biochemical assays. Although turbidity is often taken to be a linear descriptor of the progress of aggregation reactions, this assumption is usually made without performing the necessary checks to provide it with a firm underlying basis. In this article, we outline utilitarian methods for simulating the turbidity generated by homogeneous and mixed-protein aggregation reactions containing fibrous, amorphous, and crystalline structures. The approach is based on a combination of Rayleigh-Gans-Debye theory and approximate forms of the Mie scattering equations. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Xenon contrast CT-CBF measurements in patients with pre- and post-correction of platelet hyper-aggregability, and in the white matter lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, Shigekiyo

2004-01-01

About 10 years ago, the author found that, patients with headache, vertigo, dizziness and dementia, had a high prevalence (about 70%) of platelet hyper-aggregability which was especially prevalent (up to 100%) in Binswanger's dementia. Correction of the platelet hyper-aggregability in those patients led to remarkable improvement of symptoms. Based on this effective result with treatment of platelet hyper-aggregability, the author hypothesized that patients may show improvement or recovery of cerebral blood flow from the decreased blood flow by the correction of the platelet hyper-aggregability. The present report consist of two parts: 1) comparison of regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) before and after correction of platelet hyper-aggregability, 2) measurements of CBF in patients with severe white matter lesions, and the CBF within white matter lesions. The results of 1) showed CBF was decreased by about 20 to 30% before treatment and marked increase to normal CBF after correction of platelet hyper-aggregability, particularly in the thalamus and cortex. The increase was statistically significant except in bilateral frontal cortex and bilateral anterior white matter and left posterior white matter. From these results, it is confirmed that platelet hyper-aggregability is associated with decreased CBF, and after correction of platelet hyper-aggregability, CBF increases markedly. The results of 2) showed moderate to severe decreases of blood flow in all areas of the brain, and marked decreases of CBF in white matter lesions, 12.8±2.7 m1/100 g/min on average, which corresponded approximately to 60% of normal white matter CBF. (author)

Variation in soil aggregate-size distribution affects the dissipation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in long-term field-contaminated soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Ran; Ni, Jinzhi; Chen, Weifeng; Yang, Yusheng

2017-10-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) is the main adsorbent for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the principal aggregating agent for soil aggregation that can affect PAH bioavailability and bioaccessibility in soils. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between PAH dissipation and variation in soil aggregate-size distribution in two field-contaminated soils with different soil organic C (SOC) content (Anthrosols, 1.41% SOC; Phaeozems, 8.51% SOC) in phytoremediation with alfalfa. The results showed that there were significant reductions of 10.2 and 15.4% of the total PAHs in unplanted and planted treatments, respectively, for Anthrosols. However, there was no significant reduction of total PAHs in either unplanted or planted treatment for Phaeozems. For Anthrosols, mass percentages of coarse sand and fine sand were significantly reduced while coarse silt and fine silt were significantly increased for the planted soil compared to the initial soil (p soil was slightly reduced. The main reason for the dissipation of PAHs in Anthrosols could be that macroaggregates were broken into microaggregates, which made some trapped PAHs become bioaccessible to soil microorganisms.

Plasmon enhanced fluorescence with aggregated shell-isolated nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Osorio-Román, Igor O; Guerrero, Ariel R; Albella, Pablo; Aroca, Ricardo F

2014-10-21

Shell-isolated nanoparticles (SHINs) nanostructures provide a versatile substrate where the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) are well-defined. For SHINEF, the silver (or gold) metal core is protected by the SiO2 coating, which is thicker than the critical distance for minimum quenching by the metal. In the present work, it is shown that an increase in the SHINEF enhancement factor may be achieved by inducing SHIN aggregation with electrolytes in solution. The proof of concept is demonstrated using NaCl as aggregating agent, although other inorganic salts will also aggregate SHIN nanoparticles. As much as a 10-fold enhancement in the SHINEF enhancement factor (EF) may be achieved by tuning the electrolyte concentrations in solution. The SHINEF experiments include the study of the aggregation effect controlling gold SHIN's surface concentration via spraying. Au-SHINs are sprayed onto layer-by-layer (LbL) and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films, and samples are fabricated using fluorophores with low and also high quantum yield.

NMR of α-synuclein–polyamine complexes elucidates the mechanism and kinetics of induced aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, Claudio O; Hoyer, Wolfgang; Zweckstetter, Markus; Jares-Erijman, Elizabeth A; Subramaniam, Vinod; Griesinger, Christian; Jovin, Thomas M

2004-01-01

The aggregation of α-synuclein is characteristic of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative synucleinopathies. The 140-aa protein is natively unstructured; thus, ligands binding to the monomeric form are of therapeutic interest. Biogenic polyamines promote the aggregation of α-synuclein and may constitute endogenous agents modulating the pathogenesis of PD. We characterized the complexes of natural and synthetic polyamines with α-synuclein by NMR and assigned the binding site to C-terminal residues 109–140. Dissociation constants were derived from chemical shift perturbations. Greater polyamine charge (+2 → +5) correlated with increased affinity and enhancement of fibrillation, for which we propose a simple kinetic mechanism involving a dimeric nucleation center. According to the analysis, polyamines increase the extent of nucleation by ∼104 and the rate of monomer addition ∼40-fold. Significant secondary structure is not induced in monomeric α-synuclein by polyamines at 15°C. Instead, NMR reveals changes in a region (aa 22–93) far removed from the polyamine binding site and presumed to adopt the β-sheet conformation characteristic of fibrillar α-synuclein. We conclude that the C-terminal domain acts as a regulator of α-synuclein aggregation. PMID:15103328

Aggregated Computational Toxicology Online Resource

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Aggregated Computational Toxicology Online Resource (AcTOR) is EPA's online aggregator of all the public sources of chemical toxicity data. ACToR aggregates data...

Biogenic silica dissolution in diatom aggregates: insights from reactive transport modelling

KAUST Repository

Moriceau, B

2014-12-15

© Inter-Research 2014. Diatom aggregates contribute significantly to the vertical sinking flux of particulate matter in the ocean. These fragile structures form a specific microhabitat for the aggregated cells, but their internal chemical and physical characteristics remain largely unknown. Studies on the impact of aggregation on the Si cycle led to apparent inconsistency. Despite a lower biogenic silica (bSiO2) dissolution rate and diffusion of the silicic acid (dSi) being similar in aggregates and in sea-water, dSi surprisingly accumulates in aggregates. A reaction-diffusion model helps to clarify this incoherence by reconstructing dSi accumulation measured during batch experiments with aggregated and non-aggregated Skeletonema marinoi and Chaetoceros decipiens. The model calculates the effective bSiO2 dissolution rate as opposed to the experimental apparent bSiO2 dissolution rate, which is the results of the effective dissolution of bSiO2 and transport of dSi out of the aggregate. In the model, dSi transport out of the aggregate is modulated by alternatively considering retention (decrease of the dSi diffusion constant) and adsorption (reversible chemical bonds between dSi and the aggregate matrix) processes. Modelled bSiO2 dissolution is modulated by the impact of dSi concentration inside aggregates and diatom viability, as enhanced persistence of metabolically active diatoms has been observed in aggregates. Adsorption better explains dSi accumulation within and outside aggregates, raising the possible importance of dSi travelling within aggregates to the deep sea (potentially representing 20% of the total silica flux). The model indicates that bSiO2 dissolution is effectively decreased in aggregates mainly due to higher diatom viability but also to other parameters discussed herein.

Aggregation and pH-temperature phase behavior for aggregates of an IgG2 antibody.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahin, Erinc; Weiss, William F; Kroetsch, Andrew M; King, Kevin R; Kessler, R Kendall; Das, Tapan K; Roberts, Christopher J

2012-05-01

Monomer unfolding and thermally accelerated aggregation kinetics to produce soluble oligomers or insoluble macroscopic aggregates were characterized as a function of pH for an IgG2 antibody using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Aggregate size was quantified via laser light scattering, and aggregate solubility via turbidity and visual inspection. Interestingly, nonnative oligomers were soluble at pH 5.5 above approximately 15°C, but converted reversibly to visible/insoluble particles at lower temperatures. Lower pH values yielded only soluble aggregates, whereas higher pH resulted in insoluble aggregates, regardless of the solution temperature. Unlike the growing body of literature that supports the three-endotherm model of IgG1 unfolding in DSC, the results here also illustrate limitations of that model for other monoclonal antibodies. Comparison of DSC with monomer loss (via SEC) from samples during thermal scanning indicates that the least conformationally stable domain is not the most aggregation prone, and that a number of the domains remain intact within the constituent monomers of the resulting aggregates. This highlights continued challenges with predicting a priori which domain(s) or thermal transition(s) is(are) most relevant for product stability with respect to aggregation. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Effects of Different Fine Recycled Concrete Aggregates on the Properties of Mortar

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Cheng-Chih; Huang, Ran; Hwang, Howard; Chao, Sao-Jeng

2015-01-01

The practical use of recycled concrete aggregate produced by crushing concrete waste reduces the consumption of natural aggregate and the amount of concrete waste that ends up in landfills. This study investigated two methods used in the production of fine recycled concrete aggregate: (1) a method that produces fine as well as coarse aggregate, and (2) a method that produces only fine aggregate. Mortar specimens were tested using a variety of mix proportions to determine how the characteristics of fine recycled concrete aggregate affect the physical and mechanical properties of the resulting mortars. Our results demonstrate the superiority of mortar produced using aggregate produced using the second of the two methods. Nonetheless, far more energy is required to render concrete into fine aggregate than is required to produce coarse as well as fine aggregate simultaneously. Thus, the performance benefits of using only fine recycled concrete aggregate must be balanced against the increased impact on the environment.

The infrared spectral transmittance of Aspergillus niger spore aggregated particle swarm

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xinying; Hu, Yihua; Gu, Youlin; Li, Le

2015-10-01

Microorganism aggregated particle swarm, which is quite an important composition of complex media environment, can be developed as a new kind of infrared functional materials. Current researches mainly focus on the optical properties of single microorganism particle. As for the swarm, especially the microorganism aggregated particle swarm, a more accurate simulation model should be proposed to calculate its extinction effect. At the same time, certain parameters deserve to be discussed, which helps to better develop the microorganism aggregated particle swarm as a new kind of infrared functional materials. In this paper, take Aspergillus Niger spore as an example. On the one hand, a new calculation model is established. Firstly, the cluster-cluster aggregation (CCA) model is used to simulate the structure of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle. Secondly, the single scattering extinction parameters for Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle are calculated by using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method. Thirdly, the transmittance of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle swarm is simulated by using Monte Carlo method. On the other hand, based on the model proposed above, what influences can wavelength causes has been studied, including the spectral distribution of scattering intensity of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle and the infrared spectral transmittance of the aggregated particle swarm within the range of 8-14μm incident infrared wavelengths. Numerical results indicate that the scattering intensity of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle reduces with the increase of incident wavelengths at each scattering angle. Scattering energy mainly concentrates on the scattering angle between 0-40°, forward scattering has an obvious effect. In addition, the infrared transmittance of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle swarm goes up with the increase of incident wavelengths. However, some turning points of the trend are

Inflammation Induces TDP-43 Mislocalization and Aggregation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Sofia Correia

Full Text Available TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43 is a major component in aggregates of ubiquitinated proteins in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD. Here we report that lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced inflammation can promote TDP-43 mislocalization and aggregation. In culture, microglia and astrocytes exhibited TDP-43 mislocalization after exposure to LPS. Likewise, treatment of the motoneuron-like NSC-34 cells with TNF-alpha (TNF-α increased the cytoplasmic levels of TDP-43. In addition, the chronic intraperitoneal injection of LPS at a dose of 1mg/kg in TDP-43(A315T transgenic mice exacerbated the pathological TDP-43 accumulation in the cytoplasm of spinal motor neurons and it enhanced the levels of TDP-43 aggregation. These results suggest that inflammation may contribute to development or exacerbation of TDP-43 proteinopathies in neurodegenerative disorders.

DNA binding and aggregation by carbon nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, Hongjie; Liu, Qingdai; Ji, Qiaoli; Jin, Bo

2010-01-01

Significant environmental and health risks due to the increasing applications of engineered nanoparticles in medical and industrial activities have been concerned by many communities. The interactions between nanomaterials and genomes have been poorly studied so far. This study examined interactions of DNA with carbon nanoparticles (CNP) using atomic force microscopy (AFM). We experimentally assessed how CNP affect DNA molecule and bacterial growth of Escherichia coli. We found that CNP were bound to the DNA molecules during the DNA replication in vivo. The results revealed that the interaction of DNA with CNP resulted in DNA molecule binding and aggregation both in vivo and in vitro in a dose-dependent manner, and consequently inhabiting the E. coli growth. While this was a preliminary study, our results showed that this nanoparticle may have a significant impact on genomic activities.

Reference intervals for platelet aggregation assessed by multiple electrode platelet aggregometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rubak, Peter; Villadsen, Kirsten; Hvas, Anne-Mette

2012-01-01

Abstract Introduction Analyses of platelet aggregation in hirudin whole blood using Multiplate® was validated. Reference intervals for the most commonly used agonists were established, and the association between platelet aggregation, age, gender and haematological values was analysed. Material...... and methods We included 121 healthy individuals to establish reference intervals and six healthy individuals for evaluation of the day-to-day variation. Platelet aggregation was evaluated on hirudin whole blood employing Multiplate® induced by arachidonic acid, ADP, collagen and ristocetin (RISTOlow...... after adjusting for age and gender except for RISTOhigh. A positive significant association was found between platelet count and platelet aggregation (p

Atomistic Structure of Mineral Nano-aggregates from Simulated Compaction and Dewatering.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Tuan Anh; Greathouse, Jeffery A; Wang, Yifeng; Criscenti, Louise J

2017-11-10

The porosity of clay aggregates is an important property governing chemical reactions and fluid flow in low-permeability geologic formations and clay-based engineered barrier systems. Pore spaces in clays include interlayer and interparticle pores. Under compaction and dewatering, the size and geometry of such pore spaces may vary significantly (sub-nanometer to microns) depending on ambient physical and chemical conditions. Here we report a molecular dynamics simulation method to construct a complex and realistic clay-like nanoparticle aggregate with interparticle pores and grain boundaries. The model structure is then used to investigate the effect of dewatering and water content on micro-porosity of the aggregates. The results suggest that slow dewatering would create more compact aggregates compared to fast dewatering. Furthermore, the amount of water present in the aggregates strongly affects the particle-particle interactions and hence the aggregate structure. Detailed analyses of particle-particle and water-particle interactions provide a molecular-scale view of porosity and texture development of the aggregates. The simulation method developed here may also aid in modeling the synthesis of nanostructured materials through self-assembly of nanoparticles.

In vitro effect of sodium nitrite on platelet aggregation in human platelet rich plasma--preliminary report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadan, M; Doğanci, S; Yildirim, V; Özgür, G; Erol, G; Karabacak, K; Avcu, F

2015-10-01

The role of nitrates and nitric oxide on platelet functions has obtained an increasing attention with respect to their potential effects on cardiovascular disorders. In this study we aimed to analyze the effect of sodium nitrite on platelet functions in human platelets. This in vitro study was designed to show the effect of sodium nitrite on platelet functions in seven healthy volunteers. Blood samples were centrifuged to prepare platelet rich plasma and platelet poor plasma. Platelet rich plasma was diluted with the platelet poor plasma to have a final count of 300,000 ± 25,000 platelets. Platelet rich plasma was incubated with six different increasing doses (from 10 μM to 5 mM) of sodium nitrite for 1 hour at 37°C. Then stimulating agents including collagen (3 μg ml-1), adenosine diphosphate (10 μM), and epinephrine (10 μM) were added to the cuvette. Changes in light transmission were observed for 10 minutes. In addition spontaneous aggregation were performed in control group with all aggregating agents separately. Effect of sodium nitrite on agonist-induced platelet aggregation depends on the concentration of sodium nitrite. Compared with control group, agonist-induced platelet aggregations were significantly suppressed by sodium nitrite at the concentration of 5, 1.0 and 0.5 mM. Our results suggested that sodium nitrite has inhibitory effects in vitro on platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner.

Influence of plankton community structure on the sinking velocity of marine aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Bach, L. T.; Boxhammer, T.; Larsen, A.; Hildebrandt, N.; Schulz, K. G.; Riebesell, U.

2016-08-01

About 50 Gt of carbon is fixed photosynthetically by surface ocean phytoplankton communities every year. Part of this organic matter is reprocessed within the plankton community to form aggregates which eventually sink and export carbon into the deep ocean. The fraction of organic matter leaving the surface ocean is partly dependent on aggregate sinking velocity which accelerates with increasing aggregate size and density, where the latter is controlled by ballast load and aggregate porosity. In May 2011, we moored nine 25 m deep mesocosms in a Norwegian fjord to assess on a daily basis how plankton community structure affects material properties and sinking velocities of aggregates (Ø 80-400 µm) collected in the mesocosms' sediment traps. We noted that sinking velocity was not necessarily accelerated by opal ballast during diatom blooms, which could be due to relatively high porosity of these rather fresh aggregates. Furthermore, estimated aggregate porosity (Pestimated) decreased as the picoautotroph (0.2-2 µm) fraction of the phytoplankton biomass increased. Thus, picoautotroph-dominated communities may be indicative for food webs promoting a high degree of aggregate repackaging with potential for accelerated sinking. Blooms of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi revealed that cell concentrations of 1500 cells/mL accelerate sinking by about 35-40%, which we estimate (by one-dimensional modeling) to elevate organic matter transfer efficiency through the mesopelagic from 14 to 24%. Our results indicate that sinking velocities are influenced by the complex interplay between the availability of ballast minerals and aggregate packaging; both of which are controlled by plankton community structure.

GPP Webinar: The Power of Aggregated Purchasing

Science.gov (United States)

Green Power Partnership webinar examining the use of an aggregated model for renewable energy purchases which can lead to significant energy, environmental and financial benefits by addressing administrative cost barriers and leveraging the shared purchasi

Targeting tumor multicellular aggregation through IGPR-1 inhibits colon cancer growth and improves chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Woolf, N; Pearson, B E; Bondzie, P A; Meyer, R D; Lavaei, M; Belkina, A C; Chitalia, V; Rahimi, N

2017-09-18

Adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucially important for survival of normal epithelial cells as detachment from ECM triggers specific apoptosis known as anoikis. As tumor cells lose the requirement for anchorage to ECM, they rely on cell-cell adhesion 'multicellular aggregation' for survival. Multicellular aggregation of tumor cells also significantly determines the sensitivity of tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutics. In this report, we demonstrate that expression of immunoglobulin containing and proline-rich receptor-1 (IGPR-1) is upregulated in human primary colon cancer. Our study demonstrates that IGPR-1 promotes tumor multicellular aggregation, and interfering with its adhesive function inhibits multicellular aggregation and, increases cell death. IGPR-1 supports colon carcinoma tumor xenograft growth in mouse, and inhibiting its activity by shRNA or blocking antibody inhibits tumor growth. More importantly, IGPR-1 regulates sensitivity of tumor cells to the chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin/adriamycin by a mechanism that involves doxorubicin-induced AKT activation and phosphorylation of IGPR-1 at Ser220. Our findings offer novel insight into IGPR-1's role in colorectal tumor growth, tumor chemosensitivity, and as a possible novel anti-cancer target.

Dynamics of protein aggregation and oligomer formation governed by secondary nucleation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michaels, Thomas C. T., E-mail: tctm3@cam.ac.uk; Lazell, Hamish W.; Arosio, Paolo; Knowles, Tuomas P. J., E-mail: tpjk2@cam.ac.uk [Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW (United Kingdom)

2015-08-07

The formation of aggregates in many protein systems can be significantly accelerated by secondary nucleation, a process where existing assemblies catalyse the nucleation of new species. In particular, secondary nucleation has emerged as a central process controlling the proliferation of many filamentous protein structures, including molecular species related to diseases such as sickle cell anemia and a range of neurodegenerative conditions. Increasing evidence suggests that the physical size of protein filaments plays a key role in determining their potential for deleterious interactions with living cells, with smaller aggregates of misfolded proteins, oligomers, being particularly toxic. It is thus crucial to progress towards an understanding of the factors that control the sizes of protein aggregates. However, the influence of secondary nucleation on the time evolution of aggregate size distributions has been challenging to quantify. This difficulty originates in large part from the fact that secondary nucleation couples the dynamics of species distant in size space. Here, we approach this problem by presenting an analytical treatment of the master equation describing the growth kinetics of linear protein structures proliferating through secondary nucleation and provide closed-form expressions for the temporal evolution of the resulting aggregate size distribution. We show how the availability of analytical solutions for the full filament distribution allows us to identify the key physical parameters that control the sizes of growing protein filaments. Furthermore, we use these results to probe the dynamics of the populations of small oligomeric species as they are formed through secondary nucleation and discuss the implications of our work for understanding the factors that promote or curtail the production of these species with a potentially high deleterious biological activity.

Properties of Concrete with Tire Derived Aggregate Partially Replacing Coarse Aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Siringi, Gideon; Abolmaali, Ali; Aswath, Pranesh B.

2015-01-01

Tire derived aggregate (TDA) has been proposed as a possible lightweight replacement for mineral aggregate in concrete. The role played by the amount of TDA replacing coarse aggregate as well as different treatment and additives in concrete on its properties is examined. Conventional concrete (without TDA) and concrete containing TDA are compared by examining their compressive strength based on ASTM C39, workability based on ASTM C143, splitting tensile strength based on ASTM C496, modulus of rupture (flexural strength) based on ASTM C78, and bond stress based on ASTM C234. Results indicate that while replacement of coarse aggregates with TDA results in reduction in strength, it may be mitigated with addition of silica fume to obtain the desired strength. The greatest benefit of using TDA is in the development of a higher ductile product while utilizing recycled TDA. PMID:26161440

Properties of Concrete with Tire Derived Aggregate Partially Replacing Coarse Aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gideon Siringi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Tire derived aggregate (TDA has been proposed as a possible lightweight replacement for mineral aggregate in concrete. The role played by the amount of TDA replacing coarse aggregate as well as different treatment and additives in concrete on its properties is examined. Conventional concrete (without TDA and concrete containing TDA are compared by examining their compressive strength based on ASTM C39, workability based on ASTM C143, splitting tensile strength based on ASTM C496, modulus of rupture (flexural strength based on ASTM C78, and bond stress based on ASTM C234. Results indicate that while replacement of coarse aggregates with TDA results in reduction in strength, it may be mitigated with addition of silica fume to obtain the desired strength. The greatest benefit of using TDA is in the development of a higher ductile product while utilizing recycled TDA.

Developmental competence of porcine chimeric embryos produced by aggregation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Juan; Jakobsen, Jannik E.; Xiong, Qiang

2015-01-01

The purpose of our study was to compare the developmental competence and blastomere allocation of porcine chimeric embryos formed by micro-well aggregation. Chimeras were created by aggregating either two blastomeres originating from 2-cell embryos or two whole embryos, where embryos were produced...... either by parthenogenetic activation (PA) or handmade cloning (HMC). Results showed that the developmental competence of chimeric embryos, evaluated based on their blastocyst rate and total cell number per blastocyst, was increased when two whole 2-cell stage embryos (PA or HMC) were aggregated....... In comparison, when two blastomeres were aggregated, the developmental competence of the chimeric embryos decreased if the blastomeres were either from PA or from HMC embryos, but not if they were from different sources, i.e. one PA and one HMC blastomere. To evaluate the cell contribution in embryo formation...

Durability Indicators in High Absorption Recycled Aggregate Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis F. Jiménez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The use of recycled aggregates in structural concrete production has the inconvenience of increasing the fluid transport properties, such as porosity, sorptivity, and permeability, which reduces the resistance against penetration of environmental loads such as carbon dioxide and chloride ion. In this paper, behavior of ten concrete mixtures with different percentages of coarse aggregate replacement was studied. The recycled material was recovered by crushing of concrete rubble and had high absorption values. The results showed that it is possible to achieve good resistance to carbonation and chloride penetration with up to 50% replacement of recycled coarse aggregate for 0.5 water/cement ratio. Finally, new indexes for porosity and sorptivity were proposed to assess the quality of concrete.

Total organic carbon in aggregates as a soil recovery indicator

Science.gov (United States)

Luciene Maltoni, Katia; Rodrigues Cassiolato, Ana Maria; Amorim Faria, Glaucia; Dubbin, William

2015-04-01

The soil aggregation promotes physical protection of organic matter, preservation of which is crucial to improve soil structure, fertility and ensure the agro-ecosystems sustainability. The no-tillage cultivation system has been considered as one of the strategies to increase total soil organic carbono (TOC) contents and soil aggregation, both are closely related and influenced by soil management systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of soil aggregates and the total organic carbon inside aggregates, with regard to soil recovery, under 3 different soil management systems, i.e. 10 and 20 years of no-tillage cultivation as compared with soil under natural vegetation (Cerrado). Undisturbed soils (0-5; 5-10; and 10-20 cm depth) were collected from Brazil, Central Region. The soils, Oxisols from Cerrado, were collected from a field under Natural Vegetation-Cerrado (NV), and from fields that were under conventional tillage since 1970s, and 10 and 20 years ago were changed to no-tillage cultivation system (NT-10; NT-20 respectively). The undisturbed samples were sieved (4mm) and the aggregates retained were further fractionated by wet sieving through five sieves (2000, 1000, 500, 250, and 50 μm) with the aggregates distribution expressed as percentage retained by each sieve. The TOC was determined, for each aggregate size, by combustion (Thermo-Finnigan). A predominance of aggregates >2000 μm was observed under NV treatment (92, 91, 82 %), NT-10 (64, 73, 61 %), and NT-20 (71, 79, 63 %) for all three depths (0-5; 5-10; 10-20 cm). In addition greater quantities of aggregates in sizes 1000, 500, 250 and 50 μm under NT-10 and NT-20 treatments, explain the lower aggregate stability under these treatments compared to the soil under NV. The organic C concentration for NV in aggregates >2000 μm was 24,4; 14,2; 8,7 mg/g for each depth (0-5; 5-10; 10-20 cm, respectively), higher than in aggregates sized 250-50 μm (7,2; 5,5; 4,4 mg/g) for all depths

Biochar Effects on Soil Aggregate Properties Under No-Till Maize

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khademalrasoul, Ataalah; Naveed, Muhammad; Heckrath, Goswin Johann

2014-01-01

of biochar particles had higher TS and SRE probably because of bonding effects. Based on the improved soil aggregate properties, we suggest that biochar can be effective for increasing and sustaining overall soil quality, for example, related to minimizing the soil erosion potential.......Soil aggregates are useful indicators of soil structure and stability, and the impact on physical and mechanical aggregate properties is critical for the sustainable use of organic amendments in agricultural soil. In this work, we evaluated the short-term soil quality effects of applying biochar (0......–10 kg m−2), in combination with swine manure (2.1 and 4.2 kg m−2), to a no-till maize (Zea mays L.) cropping system on a sandy loam soil in Denmark. Topsoil (0–20 cm) aggregates were analyzed for clay dispersibility, aggregate stability, tensile strength (TS), and specific rupture energy (SRE) using end...

The specific role of fungal community structure on soil aggregation and carbon sequestration: results from long-term field study in a paddy soil

Science.gov (United States)

Murugan, Rajasekaran; Kumar, Sanjay

2015-04-01

Soil aggregate stability is a crucial soil property that affects soil biota, biogeochemical processes and C sequestration. The relationship between soil aggregate stability and soil C cycling is well known but the influence of specific fungal community structure on this relationship is largely unknown in paddy soils. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term fertilisation (mineral fertiliser-MIN; farmyard manure-FYM; groundnut oil cake-GOC) effects on soil fungal community shifts associated with soil aggregates under rice-monoculture (RRR) and rice-legume-rice (RLR) systems. Fungal and bacterial communities were characterized using phospholipid fatty acids, and glucosamine and muramic acid were used as biomarkers for fungal and bacterial residues, respectively. Microbial biomass C and N, fungal biomass and residues were significantly higher in the organic fertiliser treatments than in the MIN treatment, for all aggregate sizes under both crop rotation systems. In general, fungal/bacterial biomass ratio and fungal residue C/bacterial residue C ratio were significantly higher in macroaggregate fractions (> 2000 and 250-2000 μm) than in microaggregate fractions (53-250 and crop rotation systems, the long-term application of FYM and GOC led to increased accumulation of saprotrophic fungi (SF) in aggregate fractions > 2000 μm. In contrast, we found that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was surprisingly higher in aggregate fractions > 2000 μm than in aggregate fraction 250-2000 μm under MIN treatment. The RLR system showed significantly higher AMF biomass and fungal residue C/ bacterial residue C ratio in both macroaggregate fractions compared to the RRR system. The strong relationships between SF, AMF and water stable aggregates shows the specific contribution of fungi community on soil aggregate stability. Our results highlight the fact that changes within fungal community structure play an important role in shaping the soil aggregate stability

A synergistic aggregation pheromone component in the banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus Germar 1824 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Cerda, H; Mori, K; Nakayama, T; Jaffe, K

1998-01-01

Cosmopolites sordidus is an important pest on banana plantations worldwide. The chemistry of the aggregation pheromone of this insect has been recently resolved and here we present the first evidence from field trails that sordidin, a compound from the male released aggregation pheromone, attracts significant number of weevils only if host plant odors are also present. Sordidin attracts few insects when it is presented without the host plant tissue. However, the attractiveness of host plant tissue increases more than tenfold when it is presented simultaneously with sordidin in field traps. We confirm experimentally that sordidin may be used as part of a system for mass trapping and monitoring this insect.

Formation of thermally induced aggregates of the soya globulin beta-conglycinin.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, E N; Huang, L; Noel, T R; Gunning, A P; Morris, V J

2001-06-11

The effect of ionic strength (I) on the formation of thermally induced aggregates by the 7S globular storage protein of soya, beta-conglycinin, has been studied using atomic force microscopy. Aggregates were only apparent when I> or =0.1, and had a fibrous appearance, with a height (diameter) of 8-11 nm. At high ionic strength (I=1.0) the aggregates appeared to associate into clumps. When aggregate formation was studied at I=0.2, it was clear that aggregation only began at temperatures above the main thermal transition for the protein at 75 degrees C, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. This coincided with a small change in secondary structure, as indicated by circular dichroism spectroscopy, suggesting that a degree of unfolding was necessary for aggregation to proceed. Despite prolonged heating the size of the aggregates did not increase indefinitely, suggesting that certain beta-conglycinin isoforms were able to act as chain terminators. At higher protein concentrations (1% w/v) the linear aggregates appeared to form large macroaggregates, which may be the precursors of protein gel formation. The ability of beta-conglycinin to form such distinctive aggregates is discussed in relation to the presence of acidic inserts in certain of the beta-conglycinin subunits, which may play an important role in limiting aggregate length.

Steel Slag as an Aggregate Replacement in Malaysian Hot Mix Asphalt

OpenAIRE

Hainin, Mohd Rosli; Yusoff, Nur Izzi Md.; Mohammad Sabri, Mohd Fahmi; Abdul Aziz, Mohd Azizi; Sahul Hameed, Mohd Anwar; Farooq Reshi, Wasid

2012-01-01

As natural aggregate sources are becoming depleted due to high demand in road construction and the amount of disposed waste material keeps increasing, researchers are exploring the use of alternative materials which could preserve natural sources and save the environment. In this study, steel slag was used as an aggregate replacement in conventional dense graded asphalt mixes (ACW14 and ACB28). Steel slag was selected due to its characteristics, which are almost similar to conventional aggreg...

Polyelectrolyte-induced aggregation of liposomes: a new cluster phase with interesting applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bordi, F; Sennato, S; Truzzolillo, D

2009-01-01

Different charged colloidal particles have been shown to be able to self-assemble, when mixed in an aqueous solvent with oppositely charged linear polyelectrolytes, forming long-lived finite-size mesoscopic aggregates. On increasing the polyelectrolyte content, with the progressive reduction of the net charge of the primary polyelectrolyte-decorated particles, larger and larger clusters are observed. Close to the isoelectric point, where the charge of the adsorbed polyelectrolytes neutralizes the original charge of the particles' surface, the aggregates reach their maximum size, while beyond this point any further increase of the polyelectrolyte-particle charge ratio causes the formation of aggregates whose size is progressively reduced. This re-entrant condensation behavior is accompanied by a significant overcharging. Overcharging, or charge inversion, occurs when more polyelectrolyte chains adsorb on a particle than are needed to neutralize its original charge so that, eventually, the sign of the net charge of the polymer-decorated particle is inverted. The stability of the finite-size long-lived clusters that this aggregation process yields results from a fine balance between long-range repulsive and short-range attractive interactions, both of electrostatic nature. For the latter, besides the ubiquitous dispersion forces, whose supply becomes relevant only at high ionic strength, the main contribution appears due to the non-uniform correlated distribution of the charge on the surface of the polyelectrolyte-decorated particles ('charge-patch' attraction). The interesting phenomenology shown by these system has a high potential for biotechnological applications, particularly when the primary colloidal particles are bio-compatible lipid vesicles. Possible applications of these systems as multi-compartment vectors for the simultaneous intra-cellular delivery of different pharmacologically active substances will be briefly discussed. (topical review)

Light scattering method to measure red blood cell aggregation during incubation

Science.gov (United States)

Grzegorzewski, B.; Szołna-Chodór, A.; Baryła, J.; DreŻek, D.

2018-01-01

Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation can be observed both in vivo as well as in vitro. This process is a cause of alterations of blood flow in microvascular network. Enhanced RBC aggregation makes oxygen and nutrients delivery difficult. Measurements of RBC aggregation usually give a description of the process for a sample where the state of a solution and cells is well-defined and the system reached an equilibrium. Incubation of RBCs in various solutions is frequently used to study the effects of the solutions on the RBC aggregation. The aggregation parameters are compared before and after incubation while the detailed changes of the parameters during incubation remain unknown. In this paper we have proposed a method to measure red blood cell aggregation during incubation based on the well-known technique where backscattered light is used to assess the parameters of the RBC aggregation. Couette system consisting of two cylinders is adopted in the method. The incubation is observed in the Couette system. In the proposed method following sequence of rotations is adapted. Two minutes rotation is followed by two minutes stop. In this way we have obtained a time series of back scattered intensity consisting of signals respective for disaggregation and aggregation. It is shown that the temporal changes of the intensity manifest changes of RBC aggregation during incubation. To show the ability of the method to assess the effect of incubation time on RBC aggregation the results are shown for solutions that cause an increase of RBC aggregation as well as for the case where the aggregation is decreased.

Bifenthrin activates homotypic aggregation in human T-cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Nataly; Tran, Van; Daniyan, Anthony; Ojugbele, Olutosin; Pryor, Stephen C; Bonventre, Josephine A; Flynn, Katherine; Weeks, Benjamin S

2006-03-01

Here, we addressed the concern that, despite the lack of overt toxicity, exposure to low levels of the common household pyrethroid pesticide, bifenthrin, could cause harm to the immune system. To do this, we measure the effect of bifenthrin on phytohemagglutinin (PHA) activation of homotypic aggregation in human T-cell lines. The human CD4+ H9, and Jurkat cell lines and the human promonocyte U937 cell line, were exposed to varying concentrations of bifenthrin. Cell viability was determined using the AlmarBlue Toxicity Assay. Concentrations of bifenthrin which did not reduce cell viability were determined and these concentrations were tested for the effect of bifenthrin on PHA-mediated homotypic aggregation. Blocking antibodies to ICAM and LFA-1 were used to disrupt aggregation and a nonspecific IgG was used as a control. Bifenthrin was found to be nontoxic at concentrations ranging from 10(-4) to 10(-13) M. Bifenthrin did not inhibit PHA induced cell aggregation in all cell lines tested. However, at 10(-4) M, bifenthrin to form aggregates stimulated homotypic aggregation in the H9 and Jurkat T-cell lines. The bifenthrin-induced aggregate formation, like that seen with PHA, was blocked by treating the cells with antibodies to either LFA-1 or ICAM. The results here show that bifenthrin activates T-cell function by stimulating ICAM/LFA-1 mediated homotypic aggregation. This data suggests that exposure to bifenthrin, even at "acceptable" limits, can increase the risk for and frequency of inflammatory responses and diseases such as asthma.

Kinetics of aggregation with choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Naim, E; Krapivsky, P L

2016-12-01

We generalize the ordinary aggregation process to allow for choice. In ordinary aggregation, two random clusters merge and form a larger aggregate. In our implementation of choice, a target cluster and two candidate clusters are randomly selected and the target cluster merges with the larger of the two candidate clusters. We study the long-time asymptotic behavior and find that as in ordinary aggregation, the size density adheres to the standard scaling form. However, aggregation with choice exhibits a number of different features. First, the density of the smallest clusters exhibits anomalous scaling. Second, both the small-size and the large-size tails of the density are overpopulated, at the expense of the density of moderate-size clusters. We also study the complementary case where the smaller candidate cluster participates in the aggregation process and find an abundance of moderate clusters at the expense of small and large clusters. Additionally, we investigate aggregation processes with choice among multiple candidate clusters and a symmetric implementation where the choice is between two pairs of clusters.

Improvement of Bearing Capacity in Recycled Aggregates Suitable for Use as Unbound Road Sub-Base

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Garach

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Recycled concrete aggregates and mixed recycled aggregates are specified as types of aggregates with lower densities, higher water absorption capacities, and lower mechanical strength than natural aggregates. In this paper, the mechanical behaviour and microstructural properties of natural aggregates, recycled concrete aggregates and mixed recycled aggregates were compared. Different specimens of unbound recycled mixtures demonstrated increased resistance properties. The formation of new cement hydrated particles was observed, and pozzolanic reactions were discovered by electronon microscopy in these novel materials. The properties of recycled concrete aggregates and mixed recycled aggregates suggest that these recycled materials can be used in unbound road layers to improve their mechanical behaviour in the long term.

Kinetic Behaviors of Catalysis-Driven Growth of Three-Species Aggregates on Base of Exchange-Driven Aggregations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Yunfei; Chen Dan; Lin Zhenquan; Ke Jianhong

2009-01-01

We propose a solvable aggregation model to mimic the evolution of population A, asset B, and the quantifiable resource C in a society. In this system, the population and asset aggregates themselves grow through self-exchanges with the rate kernels K 1 (k, j) = K 1 kj and K 2 (k, j) = K 2 kj, respectively. The actions of the population and asset aggregations on the aggregation evolution of resource aggregates are described by the population-catalyzed monomer death of resource aggregates and asset-catalyzed monomer birth of resource aggregates with the rate kernels J 1 (k, j) = J 1 k and J 2 (k, j) = J 2 k, respectively. Meanwhile, the asset and resource aggregates conjunctly catalyze the monomer birth of population aggregates with the rate kernel I 1 (k, i, j) = I 1 ki μ j η , and population and resource aggregates conjunctly catalyze the monomer birth of asset aggregates with the rate kernel I 2 (k, i, j) = I 2 ki v j η . The kinetic behaviors of species A, B, and C are investigated by means of the mean-field rate equation approach. The effects of the population-catalyzed death and asset-catalyzed birth on the evolution of resource aggregates based on the self-exchanges of population and asset appear in effective forms. The coefficients of the effective population-catalyzed death and the asset-catalyzed birth are expressed as J 1e = J 1 /K 1 and J 2e = J 2 /K 2 , respectively. The aggregate size distribution of C species is found to be crucially dominated by the competition between the effective death and the effective birth. It satisfies the conventional scaling form, generalized scaling form, and modified scaling form in the cases of J 1e 2e , J 1e = J 2e , and J 1e > J 2e , respectively. Meanwhile, we also find the aggregate size distributions of populations and assets both fall into two distinct categories for different parameters μ, ν, and η: (i) When μ = ν = η = 0 and μ = ν = 0, η = 1, the population and asset aggregates obey the generalized

The evaluation of the factors that cause aggregation during recombinant expression in E. coli is simplified by the employment of an aggregation-sensitive reporter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martinez Lucia

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The yields of soluble recombinant proteins expressed in bacteria are often low due to the tendency of the heterologous proteins to form aggregates. Therefore, aggregation reporters have been envisaged to simplify the comparison among different expression conditions and to speed up the identification of suitable protocols that improve the solubility. The probe we used is composed by an IbpAB promoter specifically activated by protein aggregates fused to a sequence coding the β-galactosidase, the activity of which becomes, therefore, indicative of the aggregation degree. Results The collected data show that the probe is reliable in terms of reproducibility inside a range of experimental conditions and faster and more sensitive than the analysis methods based on SDS-PAGE and successive western blot. The β-galactosidase probe was useful to identify which parameters could influence the aggregation of the model proteins and to set up an optimized expression protocol. The effect of growth temperature, induction modality, co-expression with molecular chaperones and addition of osmolytes on the accumulation of aggregates were evaluated following the β-galactosidase activity. Interestingly, a significant correlation was observed between estimated decreased aggregation and higher yields of soluble protein. We also compared a set of expression vectors with various regulative features and found that the single characteristics, like promoter, copy number or polymerase, were not relevant for controlling the recombinant protein aggregation whilst the crucial factor resulted being the total expression rate of the system. Conclusion The aggregation reporter used in our experiments represents a useful tool to evaluate the different factors that can be modulated to optimize a recombinant expression protocol. Furthermore, the rapid estimation of the aggregation degree enables to discriminate this from other causes responsible for scarce

Electrically conductive bulk composites through a contact-connected aggregate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahsan I Nawroj

Full Text Available This paper introduces a concept that allows the creation of low-resistance composites using a network of compliant conductive aggregate units, connected through contact, embedded within the composite. Due to the straight-forward fabrication method of the aggregate, conductive composites can be created in nearly arbitrary shapes and sizes, with a lower bound near the length scale of the conductive cell used in the aggregate. The described instantiation involves aggregate cells that are approximately spherical copper coils-of-coils within a polymeric matrix, but the concept can be implemented with a wide range of conductor elements, cell geometries, and matrix materials due to its lack of reliance on specific material chemistries. The aggregate cell network provides a conductive pathway that can have orders of magnitude lower resistance than that of the matrix material--from 10(12 ohm-cm (approx. for pure silicone rubber to as low as 1 ohm-cm for the silicone/copper composite at room temperature for the presented example. After describing the basic concept and key factors involved in its success, three methods of implementing the aggregate into a matrix are then addressed--unjammed packing, jammed packing, and pre-stressed jammed packing--with an analysis of the tradeoffs between increased stiffness and improved resistivity.

Aggregation, sedimentation, dissolution and bioavailability of quantum dots in estuarine systems.

Science.gov (United States)

To understand their fate and transport in estuarine systems, the aggregation, sedimentation, and dissolution of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) in seawater were investigated. Hydrodynamic size increased from 40 to 60 nm to >1 mm within 1 h in seawater, and the aggregates were highly p...

Assessment of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 aggregates for salt tolerance and plant growth promoting characteristics for bio-inoculant development.

Science.gov (United States)

Chanratana, Mak; Han, Gwang Hyun; Roy Choudhury, Aritra; Sundaram, Seshadri; Halim, Md Abdul; Krishnamoorthy, Ramasamy; Kang, Yeongyeong; Sa, Tongmin

2017-11-21

Salinity is one of the major factors contributing to the loss of crop productivity and thereby impacting livelihood of people in more than 100 countries of the world and the area of land affected by salinity is increasing day by day. This will worsen due to various factors such as drought that might result in high soil salinity. Use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria is one of the promising eco-friendly strategies for salinity stress management as part of sustainable agricultural practices. However, it requires selecting rhizobacteria with good survivability and adaptation to salt stress. In this study we report aggregation of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 cells grown in media containing high C/N ratio (30:1) than in media containing low C/N ratio (7:1). Aggregated Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 cells exhibited enhanced tolerance to UV irradiation, heat, desiccation, different temperature regimes, oxidative stress, starvation and supported higher population in media. Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate accumulation, exopolysaccharide production, proline accumulation and biofilm formation were good at 100 mM salt concentration with good microbial cell hydrophobicity at both 50 and 100 mM than other concentrations. Both the aggregated and non-aggregated cells grown under 0-200 mM salt concentrations produced IAA even at 200 mM salt concentration with a peak at 100 mM concentration with aggregated cells producing significantly higher quantities. ACC deaminase activity was observed in all NaCl concentrations studied with gradual and drastic reduction in aggregated and non-aggregated cells over increased salt concentrations.

Research on Judgment Aggregation Based on Logic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Dai

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Preference aggregation and judgment aggregation are two basic research models of group decision making. And preference aggregation has been deeply studied in social choice theory. However, researches of social choice theory gradually focus on judgment aggregation which appears recently. Judgment aggregation focuses on how to aggregate many consistent logical formulas into one, from the perspective of logic. We try to start with judgment aggregation model based on logic and then explore different solutions to problem of judgment aggregation.

Geometrical Aspects During Formation of Compact Aggregates of Red Blood Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cardoso A.V.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available In the past forty years considerable progress has been achieved on the knowledge of human blood as a non-Newtonian shear-thinning suspension, whose initial state, that is at rest (stasis or at very low shear rates, has a gel-like internal structure which is destroyed as shear stress increases. The main goal of this communication is to describe the role of geometrical aspects during RBC (red blood cell aggregate formation, growth and compaction on naturally aggregate (porcine blood and non-aggregate (bovine blood samples. We consider how these aspects coupled with tension equilibrium are decisive to transform red cell linear roleaux to three-dimensional aggregates or clusters. Geometrical aspects are also crucial on the compaction of red blood cell aggregates. These densely packed aggregates could precipitate out of blood- either as dangerous deposits on arterial walls, or as clots which travel in suspension until they block some crucial capillary.

Bacterial exopolysaccharide and biofilm formation stimulate chickpea growth and soil aggregation under salt stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aisha Waheed Qurashi

2012-09-01

Full Text Available To compensate for stress imposed by salinity, biofilm formation and exopolysaccharide production are significant strategies of salt tolerant bacteria to assist metabolism. We hypothesized that two previously isolated salt-tolerant strains Halomonas variabilis (HT1 and Planococcus rifietoensis (RT4 have an ability to improve plant growth, These strains can form biofilm and accumulate exopolysacharides at increasing salt stress. These results showed that bacteria might be involved in developing microbial communities under salt stress and helpful in colonizing of bacterial strains to plant roots and soil particles. Eventually, it can add to the plant growth and soil structure. We investigated the comparative effect of exopolysacharide and biofilm formation in two bacterial strains Halomonas variabilis (HT1 and Planococcus rifietoensis (RT4 in response to varying salt stress. We found that biofilm formation and exopolysaccharide accumulation increased at higher salinity. To check the effect of bacterial inoculation on the plant (Cicer arietinum Var. CM-98 growth and soil aggregation, pot experiment was conducted by growing seedlings under salt stress. Inoculation of both strains increased plant growth at elevated salt stress. Weight of soil aggregates attached with roots and present in soil were added at higher salt concentrations compared to untreated controls. Soil aggregation was higher at plant roots under salinity. These results suggest the feasibility of using above strains in improving plant growth and soil fertility under salinity.

Benzbromarone, Quercetin, and Folic Acid Inhibit Amylin Aggregation

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Laura C. López

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Human Amylin, or islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP, is a small hormone secreted by pancreatic β-cells that forms aggregates under insulin deficiency metabolic conditions, and it constitutes a pathological hallmark of type II diabetes mellitus. In type II diabetes patients, amylin is abnormally increased, self-assembled into amyloid aggregates, and ultimately contributes to the apoptotic death of β-cells by mechanisms that are not completely understood. We have screened a library of approved drugs in order to identify inhibitors of amylin aggregation that could be used as tools to investigate the role of amylin aggregation in type II diabetes or as therapeutics in order to reduce β-cell damage. Interestingly, three of the compounds analyzed—benzbromarone, quercetin, and folic acid—are able to slow down amylin fiber formation according to Thioflavin T binding, turbidimetry, and Transmission Electron Microscopy assays. In addition to the in vitro assays, we have tested the effect of these compounds in an amyloid toxicity cell culture model and we have found that one of them, quercetin, has the ability to partly protect cultured pancreatic insulinoma cells from the cytotoxic effect of amylin. Our data suggests that quercetin can contribute to reduce oxidative damage in pancreatic insulinoma β cells by modulating the aggregation propensity of amylin.

Viral aggregating and opsonizing activity in collectin trimers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartshorn, Kevan L; White, Mitchell R; Tecle, Tesfaldet

2010-01-01

of bovine serum collectin CL-46 induces aggregation of influenza A virus (IAV) and potently increases IAV uptake by neutrophils. CL-46-NCRD showed calcium-dependent and sugar-sensitive binding to both neutrophils and IAV. Replacement of specific residues of the CRD of human SP-D with those found in bovine...... were further increased by cross-linking of hSP-D-NCRD/R343V trimers with mAbs directed against areas of the hSP-D-NCRD not involved in viral binding. Unlike the wild-type human SP-D hSP-D-NCRD, hSP-D-NCRD/R343V also induced viral aggregation. These results indicate that collectins can act as opsonins...

Loss of keratin K2 expression causes aberrant aggregation of K10, hyperkeratosis, and inflammation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Heinz; Langbein, Lutz; Reichelt, Julia; Praetzel-Wunder, Silke; Buchberger, Maria; Ghannadan, Minoo; Tschachler, Erwin; Eckhart, Leopold

2014-10-01

Keratin K2 is one of the most abundant structural proteins of the epidermis; however, its biological significance has remained elusive. Here we show that suprabasal type II keratins, K1 and K2, are expressed in a mutually exclusive manner at different body sites of the mouse, with K2 being confined to the ear, sole, and tail skin. Deletion of K2 caused acanthosis and hyperkeratosis of the ear and the tail epidermis, corneocyte fragility, increased transepidermal water loss, and local inflammation in the ear skin. The loss of K2 was partially compensated by upregulation of K1 expression. However, a significant portion of K2-deficient suprabasal keratinocytes lacked a regular cytoskeleton and developed massive aggregates of the type I keratin, K10. Aggregate formation, but not hyperkeratosis, was suppressed by the deletion of both K2 and K10, whereas deletion of K10 alone caused clumping of K2 in ear skin. Taken together, this study demonstrates that K2 is a necessary and sufficient binding partner of K10 at distinct body sites of the mouse and that unbalanced expression of these keratins results in aggregate formation.

Green Frame Aggregation Scheme for IEEE 802.11n Networks

KAUST Repository

Alaslani, Maha S.

2015-04-01

Frame aggregation is one of the major MAC layer enhancements in the IEEE 802.11 family that boosts the network throughput performance. It aims to achieve higher throughput by transmitting huge amount of data in a single transmit oppor- tunity. With the increasing awareness of energy e ciency, it has become vital to rethink about the design of such frame aggregation protocol. Aggregation techniques help to reduce energy consumption over ideal channel conditions. However, in a noisy channel environment, a new energy-aware frame aggregation scheme is required. In this thesis, a novel Green Frame Aggregation (GFA) scheduling scheme has been proposed and evaluated. GFA optimizes the aggregate size based on channel quality in order to minimize the consumed energy. GFA selects the optimal sub-frame size that satisfies the loss constraint for real-time applications as well as the energy budget of the ideal channel situations. The design, the implementation, and evaluation of GFA using testbed deployment is done. The experimental analysis shows that GFA outperforms the conventional frame aggregation methodology in terms of energy e ciency by about 6⇥ in the presence of severe interference conditions. Moreover, GFA also outperforms the static frame sizing method in terms of network goodput and maintains almost the same end- to-end latency.

Effects of Phytoplankton Growth Phase on Delayed Settling Behavior of Marine Snow Aggregates at Sharp Density Transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Proctor, K. W.; Montgomery, Q. W.; Prairie, J. C.

2016-02-01

Marine snow aggregates play a fundamental role in the marine carbon cycle. Since marine snow aggregates are larger and thus sink faster than individual phytoplankton, aggregates often dominate carbon flux. Previous studies have shown that marine snow aggregates will significantly decrease their settling velocity when passing through sharp density transitions within the ocean, a phenomenon defined as delayed settling. Given the importance of aggregate settling to carbon export, these small-scale changes in aggregate settling dynamics may have significant impacts on the efficiency of the biological pump. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about how different physical properties of aggregates can affect this delayed settling. In this study, we investigated the effect of phytoplankton growth phase on delayed settling behavior. Using phytoplankton cultures stopped at four different growth phases, we formed marine snow aggregates in the laboratory in rotating cylindrical tanks. We then observed individual aggregates as they settled through a stratified tank. We will present data which illustrates that aggregates experience greatly reduced settling rates when passing through sharp density gradients and that the growth phase of the phytoplankton used to form these aggregates has a significant effect on this delayed settling behavior. A thorough understanding of the impact of phytoplankton growth phase on the delayed settling behavior of marine snow will offer insight into the way phytoplankton growth phase may influence the efficiency of the biological pump, carbon flux, and the carbon cycle as a whole.

[Inhibitory mechanism of ifenprodil tartrate on rabbit platelet aggregation].

Science.gov (United States)

Irino, O; Saitoh, K; Hayashi, T; Ohkubo, K

1985-05-01

The effects of dl-erythro-4-benzyl-alpha-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-beta-methyl-l-piperidine-eth anol tartrate (ifenprodil tartrate) on rabbit platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo were studied. Ifenprodil tartrate inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro induced by ADP, collagen and epinephrine. It also inhibited 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) uptake into platelets and 5-HT release from platelets. Since these inhibitory effects of ifenprodil tartrate on the functions of rabbit platelets were similar to the effects of imipramine, the effects of ifenprodil tartrate may be due to the stabilizing action of ifenprodil tartrate on the platelet membrane. The platelet aggregation by ADP was significantly inhibited in rabbits after oral administration of ifenprodil tartrate, the maximal plasma level of ifenprodil being reached at 20 ng/ml ex vivo, while the maximal level was only 1/40 of the minimal concentration of ifenprodil tartrate necessary to inhibit platelet aggregation in vitro. These results indicate that factors other than ifenprodil tartrate acting directly on the platelets (e.g., PGI2 which is an endogenous inhibitor of platelet aggregation) are involved in inducing the inhibitory effects of ifenprodil tartrate on platelet aggregation ex vivo. The effects of ifenprodil tartrate on both PGI2 release from the aorta and the inhibitory effects of PGI2 on platelet aggregation in vitro were investigated: PGI2 was found to intensify the inhibitory effects of ifenprodil tartrate on platelet aggregation in vitro, but there was little effect, if any, on PGI2 release. Therefore, it is considered that the ex vivo effects of ifenprodil tartrate might be due to its interaction with endogenous PGI2 in the blood.

[Platelet function in acute myeloid leukemia. II. Aggregation of isolated platelets].

Science.gov (United States)

Zawilska, K; Komarnicki, M; Mańka, B

1978-01-01

In 22 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (17 cases of myeloblastic leukaemia, 4 cases of myelomonocytic leukaemia and 1 case of undifferentiated-cell leukaemia) platelets were isolated from the plasma by the method of Nicholls and Hampton as modified by Levy-Toledano by centrifugation in albumin gradient. The aim of platelet isolation was their "concentration" in cases of thrombocytopenia to values making possible aggregation tests, and platelet separation from the influence of plasma factors. Then aggregation of isolated platelets caused by ADP was studied. In 16 out of 22 patients a fall of aggregation was observed, with the mean values of aggregation rate and intensity were significantly lower. Parallelly done determinations of aggregating activity released from the platelets by thrombin showed lower values as compared with platelets from healthy subjects. In might be thought, in this connection, that the demonstrated reduction of isolated platelets is associated with a diminution of the nucleotide pool or disturbances of the platelet release reaction. The disturbances of the platelet release reaction. The disturbances of aggregation of isolated platelets and reduction of the aggregating activity were most pronounced in acute myelomonocytic leukaemia.

The fractal character of radiation defects aggregation in crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akylbekov, A.; Akimbekov, E.; Baktybekov, K.; Vasil'eva, I.

2002-01-01

In processes of self-organization, which characterize open systems, the source of ordering is a non-equilibrium. One of the samples of ordering system is radiation-stimulated aggregation of defects in solids. In real work the analysis of criterions of ordering defects structures in solid, which is continuously irradiate at low temperature is presented. The method of cellular automata used in simulation of irradiation. It allowed us to imitate processes of defects formation and recombination. The simulation realized on the surfaces up to 1000x1000 units with initial concentration of defects C n (the power of dose) 0.1-1 %. The number of iterations N (duration of irradiation) mounted to 10 6 cycles. The single centers, which are the sources of formation aggregates, survive in the result of probabilistic nature of formation and recombination genetic pairs of defects and with strictly fixed radius of recombination (the minimum inter anionic distance). For determination the character of same type defects distribution the potential of their interaction depending of defects type and reciprocal distance is calculated. For more detailed study of processes, proceeding in cells with certain sizes of aggregates, the time dependence of potential interaction is constructed. It is shown, that on primary stage the potential is negative, then it increase and approach the saturation in positive area. The minimum of interaction potential corresponds to state of physical chaos in system. Its increasing occurs with formation of same type defects aggregates. Further transition to saturation and 'undulating' character of curves explains by formation and destruction aggregates. The data indicated that - these processes occur simultaneously in cells with different sizes. It allows us to assume that the radiation defects aggregation have a fractal nature

Generation of urban road dust from anti-skid and asphalt concrete aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Tervahattu, Heikki; Kupiainen, Kaarle J; Räisänen, Mika; Mäkelä, Timo; Hillamo, Risto

2006-04-30

Road dust forms an important component of airborne particulate matter in urban areas. In many winter cities the use of anti-skid aggregates and studded tires enhance the generation of mineral particles. The abrasion particles dominate the PM10 during springtime when the material deposited in snow is resuspended. This paper summarizes the results from three test series performed in a test facility to assess the factors that affect the generation of abrasion components of road dust. Concentrations, mass size distribution and composition of the particles were studied. Over 90% of the particles were aluminosilicates from either anti-skid or asphalt concrete aggregates. Mineral particles were observed mainly in the PM10 fraction, the fine fraction being 12% and submicron size being 6% of PM10 mass. The PM10 concentrations increased as a function of the amount of anti-skid aggregate dispersed. The use of anti-skid aggregate increased substantially the amount of PM10 originated from the asphalt concrete. It was concluded that anti-skid aggregate grains contribute to pavement wear. The particle size distribution of the anti-skid aggregates had great impact on PM10 emissions which were additionally enhanced by studded tires, modal composition, and texture of anti-skid aggregates. The results emphasize the interaction of tires, anti-skid aggregate, and asphalt concrete pavement in the production of dust emissions. They all must be taken into account when measures to reduce road dust are considered. The winter maintenance and springtime cleaning must be performed properly with methods which are efficient in reducing PM10 dust.

RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AGGREGATE STABILITY AND ORGANIC CARBON CHARACTERISTICS IN A FORESTED ECOSYSTEM OF NORTHERN NIGERIA

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Halima Mohammed Lawal

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Soil organic matter associated with different size aggregates differ in structure and function; therefore, play different roles in soil organic carbon (SOC turnover. This study assessed the relationship between aggregate stability and soil organic carbon fractions in a forested soil. Aggregate stability characterized by mean weight diameter (MWD was correlated with the various pools of SOC in a regression model. Mean weight diameter presented a 46% influence on total organic carbon (TOC while, TOC accounts for 21.8% 0f aggregate stability. The unprotected and physically protected soil organic carbon did not significantly dictate stability of these soils. However, chemically protected and biochemically protected SOC influenced significantly aggregate stability of these forested soils.

Long Memory, Fractional Integration, and Cross-Sectional Aggregation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haldrup, Niels; Vera-Valdés, Eduardo

under certain conditions and that the aggregated series will have an autocorrelation function that exhibits hyperbolic decay. In this paper, we further analyze this phenomenon. We demonstrate that the aggregation argument leading to long memory is consistent with a wide range of definitions of long...... memory. In a simulation study we seek to quantify Granger's result and find that indeed both the time series and cross-sectional dimensions have to be rather significant to reflect the theoretical asymptotic results. Long memory can result even for moderate T,N dimensions but can vary considerably from...

Intra-aggregate CO2 enrichment: a modelling approach for aerobic soils

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Schlotter, D.; Schack-Kirchner, H.

2013-02-01

CO2 concentration gradients inside soil aggregates, caused by the respiration of soil microorganisms and fungal hyphae, might lead to variations in the soil solution chemistry on a mm-scale, and to an underestimation of the CO2 storage. But, up to now, there seems to be no feasible method for measuring CO2 inside natural aggregates with sufficient spatial resolution. We combined a one-dimensional model for gas diffusion in the inter-aggregate pore space with a cylinder diffusion model, simulating the consumption/production and diffusion of O2 and CO2 inside soil aggregates with air- and water-filled pores. Our model predicts that for aerobic respiration (respiratory quotient = 1) the intra-aggregate increase in the CO2 partial pressure can never be higher than 0.9 kPa for siliceous, and 0.1 kPa for calcaric aggregates, independent of the level of water-saturation. This suggests that only for siliceous aggregates CO2 produced by aerobic respiration might cause a high small-scale spatial variability in the soil solution chemistry. In calcaric aggregates, however, the contribution of carbonate species to the CO2 transport should lead to secondary carbonates on the aggregate surfaces. As regards the total CO2 storage in aerobic soils, both siliceous and calcaric, the effect of intra-aggregate CO2 gradients seems to be negligible. To assess the effect of anaerobic respiration on the intra-aggregate CO2 gradients, the development of a device for measuring CO2 on a mm-scale in soils is indispensable.

GENERAL: Kinetic Behaviors of Catalysis-Driven Growth of Three-Species Aggregates on Base of Exchange-Driven Aggregations

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yun-Fei; Chen, Dan; Lin, Zhen-Quan; Ke, Jian-Hong

2009-06-01

We propose a solvable aggregation model to mimic the evolution of population A, asset B, and the quantifiable resource C in a society. In this system, the population and asset aggregates themselves grow through self-exchanges with the rate kernels K1(k, j) = K1kj and K2(k, j) = K2kj, respectively. The actions of the population and asset aggregations on the aggregation evolution of resource aggregates are described by the population-catalyzed monomer death of resource aggregates and asset-catalyzed monomer birth of resource aggregates with the rate kernels J1(k, j) = J1k and J2(k, j) = J2k, respectively. Meanwhile, the asset and resource aggregates conjunctly catalyze the monomer birth of population aggregates with the rate kernel I1(k, i, j) = I1kiμjη, and population and resource aggregates conjunctly catalyze the monomer birth of asset aggregates with the rate kernel I2(k, i, j) = I2kivjη. The kinetic behaviors of species A, B, and C are investigated by means of the mean-field rate equation approach. The effects of the population-catalyzed death and asset-catalyzed birth on the evolution of resource aggregates based on the self-exchanges of population and asset appear in effective forms. The coefficients of the effective population-catalyzed death and the asset-catalyzed birth are expressed as J1e = J1/K1 and J2e = J2/K2, respectively. The aggregate size distribution of C species is found to be crucially dominated by the competition between the effective death and the effective birth. It satisfies the conventional scaling form, generalized scaling form, and modified scaling form in the cases of J1e J2e, respectively. Meanwhile, we also find the aggregate size distributions of populations and assets both fall into two distinct categories for different parameters μ, ν, and η: (i) When μ = ν = η = 0 and μ = ν = 0, η = 1, the population and asset aggregates obey the generalized scaling forms; and (ii) When μ = ν = 1, η = 0, and μ = ν = η = 1, the

Model for amorphous aggregation processes

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Stranks, Samuel D.; Ecroyd, Heath; van Sluyter, Steven; Waters, Elizabeth J.; Carver, John A.; von Smekal, Lorenz

2009-11-01

The amorphous aggregation of proteins is associated with many phenomena, ranging from the formation of protein wine haze to the development of cataract in the eye lens and the precipitation of recombinant proteins during their expression and purification. While much literature exists describing models for linear protein aggregation, such as amyloid fibril formation, there are few reports of models which address amorphous aggregation. Here, we propose a model to describe the amorphous aggregation of proteins which is also more widely applicable to other situations where a similar process occurs, such as in the formation of colloids and nanoclusters. As first applications of the model, we have tested it against experimental turbidimetry data of three proteins relevant to the wine industry and biochemistry, namely, thaumatin, a thaumatinlike protein, and α -lactalbumin. The model is very robust and describes amorphous experimental data to a high degree of accuracy. Details about the aggregation process, such as shape parameters of the aggregates and rate constants, can also be extracted.

Aggregation of MBP in chronic demyelination.

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Frid, Kati; Einstein, Ofira; Friedman-Levi, Yael; Binyamin, Orli; Ben-Hur, Tamir; Gabizon, Ruth

2015-07-01

Misfolding of key disease proteins to an insoluble state is associated with most neurodegenerative conditions, such as prion, Parkinson, and Alzheimer's diseases. In this work, and by studying animal models of multiple sclerosis, we asked whether this is also the case for myelin basic protein (MBP) in the late and neurodegenerative phases of demyelinating diseases. To this effect, we tested whether MBP, an essential myelin component, present prion-like properties in animal models of MS, as is the case for Cuprizone-induced chronic demyelination or chronic phases of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE). We show here that while total levels of MBP were not reduced following extensive demyelination, part of these molecules accumulated thereafter as aggregates inside oligodendrocytes or around neuronal cells. In chronic EAE, MBP precipitated concomitantly with Tau, a marker of diverse neurodegenerative conditions, including MS. Most important, analysis of fractions from Triton X-100 floatation gradients suggest that the lipid composition of brain membranes in chronic EAE differs significantly from that of naïve mice, an effect which may relate to oxidative insults and subsequently prevent the appropriate insertion and compaction of new MBP in the myelin sheath, thereby causing its misfolding and aggregation. Prion-like aggregation of MBP following chronic demyelination may result from an aberrant lipid composition accompanying this pathological status. Such aggregation of MBP may contribute to neuronal damage that occurs in the progressive phase of MS.

Distinct role of hydration water in protein misfolding and aggregation revealed by fluctuating thermodynamics analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, Song-Ho; Ham, Sihyun

2015-04-21

decrease in solvation free energy, harnessing the monomer solvation free energy earned during the misfolding. The second step, where a compact dimer structure is formed, is driven by direct protein-protein interactions, but again it is accompanied by an increase in solvation free energy. The increased solvation free energy of the dimer will function as the driving force to recruit another Aβ protein in the approach stage of subsequent oligomerizations. The fluctuating thermodynamics analysis of the misfolding and dimerization of the Aβ protein indicates that the interaction of the protein with surrounding water plays a critical role in protein aggregation. Such a water-centric perspective is further corroborated by demonstrating that, for a large number of Aβ mutants and mutants of other protein systems, the change in the experimental aggregation propensity upon mutation has a significant correlation with the protein solvation free energy change. We also find striking discrimination between the positively and negatively charged residues on the protein surface by surrounding water molecules, which is shown to play a crucial role in determining the protein aggregation propensity. We argue that the protein total charge dictates such striking behavior of the surrounding water molecules. Our results provide new insights for understanding and predicting the protein aggregation propensity, thereby offering novel design principles for producing aggregation-resistant proteins for biotherapeutics.

[Effect of mineral N fertilizer reduction and organic fertilizer substitution on soil biological properties and aggregate characteristics in drip-irrigated cotton field.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui; Tai, Rui; Wang, Dan; Chu, Gui-Xin

2017-10-01

A four year field study was conducted to determine how soil biological properties and soil aggregate stability changed when organic fertilizer and biofertilizer were used to reduce chemical fertilizer application to a drip irrigated cotton field. The study consisted of six fertilization treatments: unfertilized (CK); chemical fertilizer (CF, 300 kg N·hm -2 ; 90 kg P2O5 · hm -2 , 60 kg K2 O·hm -2 ); 80% CF plus 3000 kg·hm -2 organic fertilizer (80%CF+OF); 60% CF plus 6000 kg·hm -2 organic fertilizer (60%CF+OF); 80% CF plus 3000 kg·hm -2 biofertilizer (80%CF+BF); and 60% CF plus 6000 kg·hm -2 biofertilizer (60%CF+BF). The relationships among soil organic C, soil biological properties, and soil aggregate size distribution were determined. The results showed that organic fertilizer and biofertilizer both significantly increased soil enzyme activities. Compared with CF, the biofertilizer treatments increased urease activity by 55.6%-84.0%, alkaline phosphatise activity by 53.1%-74.0%, invertase activity by 15.1%-38.0%, β-glucosidase activity by 38.2%-68.0%, polyphenoloxidase activity by 29.6%-52.0%, and arylsulfatase activity by 35.4%-58.9%. Soil enzyme activity increased as the amount of organic fertilizer and biofertilizer increased (i.e., 60%CF+OF > 80%CF+OF, 60%CF+BF > 80%CF+BF). Soil basal respiration decreased significantly in the order BF > OF > CF > CK. Soil microbial biomass C and N were 22.3% and 43.5% greater, respectively, in 60%CF+BF than in CF. The microbial biomass C:N was significantly lower in 60%CF+BF than in CF. The organic fertilizer and the biofertilizer both improved soil aggregate structure. Soil mass in the >0.25 mm fraction was 7.1% greater in 80%CF+OF and 8.0% greater in (60%CF+OF) than in CF. The geometric mean diameter was 9.2% greater in 80%CF+BF than in 80%CF+OF. Redundancy analysis and cluster analysis both demonstrated that soil aggregate structure and biological activities increased when organic fertilizer and biofertilizer were

A comparative study on the aggregating effects of guanidine thiocyanate, guanidine hydrochloride and urea on lysozyme aggregation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emadi, Saeed, E-mail: emadi@iasbs.ac.ir; Behzadi, Maliheh

2014-08-08

Highlights: • Lysozyme aggregated in guanidine thiocyanate (1.0 and 2.0 M). • Lysozyme aggregated in guanidine hydrochloride (4 and 5 M). • Lysozyme did not aggregated at any concentration (0.5–5 M) of urea. • Unfolding pathway is more important than unfolding per se in aggregation. - Abstract: Protein aggregation and its subsequent deposition in different tissues culminate in a diverse range of diseases collectively known as amyloidoses. Aggregation of hen or human lysozyme depends on certain conditions, namely acidic pH or the presence of additives. In the present study, the effects on the aggregation of hen egg-white lysozyme via incubation in concentrated solutions of three different chaotropic agents namely guanidine thiocyanate, guanidine hydrochloride and urea were investigated. Here we used three different methods for the detection of the aggregates, thioflavin T fluorescence, circular dichroism spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Our results showed that upon incubation with different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 M) of the chemical denaturants, lysozyme was aggregated at low concentrations of guanidine thiocyanate (1.0 and 2.0 M) and at high concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride (4 and 5 M), although no fibril formation was detected. In the case of urea, no aggregation was observed at any concentration.

The history of aggregate development in the denver, Co area

Science.gov (United States)

Langer, W.H.

2009-01-01

At the start of the 20th century Denver's population was 203,795. Most streets were unpaved. Buildings were constructed of wood frame or masonry. Transport was by horse-drawn-wagon or rail. Statewide, aggregate consumption was less than 0.25 metric tons per person per year. One hundred years later Denver had a population of 2,365,345. Today Denver is a major metropolitan area at the crossroads of two interstates, home to a new international airport, and in the process of expanding its light rail transit system. The skyline is punctuated with skyscrapers. The urban center is surrounded with edge cities. These changes required huge amounts of aggregate. Statewide, aggregate consumption increased 50 fold to over 13 metric tons per person per year. Denver has a large potential supply of aggregate, but sand and gravel quality decreases downstream from the mountain front and potential sources of crushed stone occur in areas prized for their scenic beauty. These issues, along with urban encroachment and citizen opposition, have complicated aggregate development and have paved a new path for future aggregate development including sustainable resource management and reclamation techniques.

Aggregation pheromone of coconut rhinoceros beetle,Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) (coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Hallett, R H; Perez, A L; Gries, G; Gries, R; Pierce, H D; Yue, J; Oehlschlager, A C; Gonzalez, L M; Borden, J H

1995-10-01

Male coconut rhinoceros beetles,Oryctes rhinoceros (L.), produce three sex-specific compounds, ethyl 4-methyloctanoate, ethyl 4-methylheptanoate, and 4-methyloctanoic acid, the first of which is an aggregation pheromone. Synthesis of these compounds involving conjugate addition of organocuprates to ethyl acrylate is reported. In field trapping experiments, (4S)-ethyl 4-methyloctanoate and the racemic mixture were equally attractive and 10 times more effective in attracting beetles than ethyl chrysanthemumate, a previously recommended attractant. Ethyl 4-methylheptanoate was as attractive as ethyl chrysanthemumate and more attractive than 4-methyloctanoic acid, but further studies are required before it can be classed as an aggregation pheromone. Compared to ethyl 4-methyloctanoate alone, combinations of the three male-produced compounds did not increase attraction, whereas addition of freshly rotting oil palm fruit bunches to pheromone-baited traps significantly enhanced attraction. With increasing dose, captures ofO. rhinoceros increased, but doses of 6, 9, and 18 mg/day were competitive with 30 mg/day lures. Newly designed vane traps were more effective in capturing beetles than were barrier or pitfall traps. Results of this study indicate that there is potential for using ethyl 4-methyloctanoate in operational programs to controlO. rhinoceros in oil palm plantations.

Evaluation of platelet aggregation in platelet concentrates: storage implications

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Neiva Teresinha J.C.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The use of hemo-derivatives is nowadays a fundamentally important therapeutic modality in the exercise of medicine. Among the various hemo-components employed, we have the platelet concentrate (PC, indicated in cases of hemorrhagic disturbances. We previously showed that platelet function in blood donors is reduced in their screening phase and after the separation process of PCs. Currently, we are providing evidence for the existence of biochemical and functional changes in PC preparations stored for three days at temperatures of 20 ± 2 ºC. Platelet concentrates from 40 healthy donors, collected in CPD anticoagulant and PL-146 polyvinylchloride containers, were examined in order to determine the pH value, pCO2 ,pO2 and lactate concentrations. In addition, the aggregation of platelets with thrombin and collagen were examined to evaluate platelet function. A pH increase from 7.07 ± 0.04 to 7.36 ± 0.07 (p < 0.01 was observed. The pCO2 concentration decreased progressively from 69.2 ± 7.7 mmHg to 28.8 ± 6.2 mmHg (p < 0.001 during the storage period. In contrast, pO2 value increase from 103.4 ± 30.6 to 152.3 ± 24.6 mmHg (p < 0.001 was evidenced during the 48 hours of storage. The lactate concentration increased from 17.97 ± 5.2 to 57.21 ± 5.7 mg/dl (p < 0.001. Platelet aggregation using 0.25 U/ml-thrombin and 2.0 µg/ml-collagen showed significant hypofunction from 61.8 ± 2.7% to 24.8 ± 9.8% and 62.7±5.0 to 33.4± 6.2 (p < 0.001, respectively. We concluded that the evaluated biochemical parameters and the platelet function changed significantly when the platelets were kept under routine storage conditions.

Multi-user MIMO and carrier aggregation in 4G systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cattoni, Andrea Fabio; Nguyen, Hung Tuan; Duplicy, Jonathan

2012-01-01

The market success of broadband multimediaenabled devices such as smart phones, tablets, and laptops is increasing the demand for wireless data capacity in mobile cellular systems. In order to meet such requirements, the introduction of advanced techniques for increasing the efficiency in spectrum...... usage was required. Multi User -Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) and Carrier Aggregation (CA) are two important techniques addressed by 3GPP for LTE and LTE-Advanced. The aim of the EU FP7 project on ”Spectrum Aggregation and Multiuser-MIMO: real-World Impact” (SAMURAI) is to investigate...

Corrosion Behavior of Steel Reinforcement in Concrete with Recycled Aggregates, Fly Ash and Spent Cracking Catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurdián, Hebé; García-Alcocel, Eva; Baeza-Brotons, Francisco; Garcés, Pedro; Zornoza, Emilio

2014-04-21

The main strategy to reduce the environmental impact of the concrete industry is to reuse the waste materials. This research has considered the combination of cement replacement by industrial by-products, and natural coarse aggregate substitution by recycled aggregate. The aim is to evaluate the behavior of concretes with a reduced impact on the environment by replacing a 50% of cement by industrial by-products (15% of spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst and 35% of fly ash) and a 100% of natural coarse aggregate by recycled aggregate. The concretes prepared according to these considerations have been tested in terms of mechanical strengths and the protection offered against steel reinforcement corrosion under carbonation attack and chloride-contaminated environments. The proposed concrete combinations reduced the mechanical performance of concretes in terms of elastic modulus, compressive strength, and flexural strength. In addition, an increase in open porosity due to the presence of recycled aggregate was observed, which is coherent with the changes observed in mechanical tests. Regarding corrosion tests, no significant differences were observed in the case of the resistance of these types of concretes under a natural chloride attack. In the case of carbonation attack, although all concretes did not stand the highly aggressive conditions, those concretes with cement replacement behaved worse than Portland cement concretes.

New Cyclolignans from Origanumglandulosum Active Against b -amyloid Aggregation

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Abdelkader Basli

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Origanum glandulosum Desf is an endemic flavoring herb widely distributed in North Africa that is commonly used in traditional medicine. This oregano species is rich in essential oils but little is known about its phenolic composition. In the present study, a crude extract of O. glandulosum was prepared in order to isolate and investigate its neuroprotective potential to inhibit β-amyloid peptide (Aβ aggregation. The three major compounds of the extract were isolated: rosmarinic acid and two cyclolignans in Origanum genus, globoidnan A and a new derivative named globoidnan B. Rosmarinic acid and globoidnan A showed significant anti-aggregative activity against β amyloid aggregation (IC50 7.0 and 12.0 µM, respectively. In contrast, globoidnan B was found to be less active.

Influence of granitic aggregates from Northeast Brazil on the alkali-aggregate reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomes Neto, David de Paiva; Santana, Rodrigo Soares de; Barreto, Ledjane Silva, E-mail: pvgomes@uol.com.br [Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Sao Cristovao, SE (Brazil). Dept. de Ciencias dos Materiais e Engenharia; Conceicao, Herbert; Lisboa, Vinicios Anselmo Carvalho [Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Sao Cristovao, SE (Brazil). Dept. de Geologia

2014-08-15

The alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR) in concrete structures is a problem that has concerned engineers and researchers for decades. This reaction occurs when silicates in the aggregates react with the alkalis, forming an expanded gel that can cause cracks in the concrete and reduce its lifespan. The aim of this study was to characterize three coarse granitic aggregates employed in concrete production in northeastern Brazil, correlating petrographic analysis with the kinetics of silica dissolution and the evolution of expansions in mortar bars, assisted by SEM/EDS, XRD, and EDX. The presence of grains showing recrystallization into individual microcrystalline quartz subgrains was associated with faster dissolution of silica and greater expansion in mortar bars. Aggregates showing substantial deformation, such as stretched grains of quartz with strong undulatory extinction, experienced slower dissolution, with reaction and expansion occurring over longer periods that could not be detected using accelerated tests with mortar bars. (author)

Dynamics of transparent exopolymer particle (TEP) production and aggregation during viral infection of the coccolithophore, Emiliania huxleyi.

Science.gov (United States)

Nissimov, Jozef I; Vandzura, Rebecca; Johns, Christopher T; Natale, Frank; Haramaty, Liti; Bidle, Kay D

2018-06-19

Emiliania huxleyi produces calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) coccoliths and transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), sticky, acidic carbohydrates that facilitate aggregation. E. huxleyi's extensive oceanic blooms are often terminated by coccolithoviruses (EhVs) with the transport of cellular debris and associated particulate organic carbon (POC) to depth being facilitated by TEP-bound "marine snow" aggregates. The dynamics of TEP production and particle aggregation in response to EhV infection are poorly understood. Using flow cytometry, spectrophotometry, and FlowCam visualization of alcian blue (AB)-stained aggregates, we assessed TEP production and the size spectrum of aggregates for E. huxleyi possessing different degrees of calcification and cellular CaCO 3 :POC mass ratios, when challenged with two EhVs (EhV207 and EhV99B1). FlowCam imaging also qualitatively assessed the relative amount of AB-stainable TEP (i.e. blue:red ratio of each particle). We show significant increases in TEP during early phase EhV207-infection (∼24 hours) of calcifying strains and a shift towards large aggregates following EhV99B1-infection. We also observed the formation of large aggregates with low blue:red ratios, suggesting that other exopolymer substances contribute towards aggregation. Our findings show the potential for virus infection and the associated response of their hosts to impact carbon flux dynamics and provide incentive to explore these dynamics in natural populations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of Aggregation on Blood Sedimentation and Conductivity

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Zhbanov, Alexander; Yang, Sung

2015-01-01

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test has been used for over a century. The Westergren method is routinely used in a variety of clinics. However, the mechanism of erythrocyte sedimentation remains unclear, and the 60 min required for the test seems excessive. We investigated the effects of cell aggregation during blood sedimentation and electrical conductivity at different hematocrits. A sample of blood was drop cast into a small chamber with two planar electrodes placed on the bottom. The measured blood conductivity increased slightly during the first minute and decreased thereafter. We explored various methods of enhancing or retarding the erythrocyte aggregation. Using experimental measurements and theoretical calculations, we show that the initial increase in blood conductivity was indeed caused by aggregation, while the subsequent decrease in conductivity resulted from the deposition of erythrocytes. We present a method for calculating blood conductivity based on effective medium theory. Erythrocytes are modeled as conducting spheroids surrounded by a thin insulating membrane. A digital camera was used to investigate the erythrocyte sedimentation behavior and the distribution of the cell volume fraction in a capillary tube. Experimental observations and theoretical estimations of the settling velocity are provided. We experimentally demonstrate that the disaggregated cells settle much slower than the aggregated cells. We show that our method of measuring the electrical conductivity credibly reflected the ESR. The method was very sensitive to the initial stage of aggregation and sedimentation, while the sedimentation curve for the Westergren ESR test has a very mild slope in the initial time. We tested our method for rapid estimation of the Westergren ESR. We show a correlation between our method of measuring changes in blood conductivity and standard Westergren ESR method. In the future, our method could be examined as a potential means of accelerating

CD147 and CD98 complex-mediated homotypic aggregation attenuates the CypA-induced chemotactic effect on Jurkat T cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Na; Zhang, Kui; Lv, Minghua; Miao, Jinlin; Chen, Zhinan; Zhu, Ping

2015-02-01

Homotypic cell aggregation plays important roles in physiological and pathological processes, including embryogenesis, immune responses, angiogenesis, tumor cell invasion and metastasis. CD147 has been implicated in most of these phenomena, and it was identified as a T cell activation-associated antigen due to its obvious up-regulation in activated T cells. However, the explicit function and mechanism of CD147 in T cells have not been fully elucidated. In this study, large and compact aggregates were observed in Jurkat T cells after treatment with the specific CD147 monoclonal antibody HAb18 or after the expression of CD147 was silenced by RNA interference, which indicated an inhibitory effect of CD147 in T cell homotypic aggregation. Knocking down CD147 expression resulted in a significant decrease in CD98, along with prominent cell aggregation, similar to that treated by CD98 and CD147 monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, decreased cell chemotactic activity was observed following CD147- and CD98-mediated cell aggregation, and increased aggregation was correlated with a decrease in the chemotactic ability of the Jurkat T cells, suggesting that CD147- and CD98-mediated homotypic cell aggregation plays a negative role in T cell chemotaxis. Our data also showed that p-ERK, p-ZAP70, p-CD3ζ and p-LCK were significantly decreased in the CD147- and CD98-knocked down Jurkat T cells, which suggested that decreased CD147- and/or CD98-induced homotypic T cell aggregation and aggregation-inhibited chemotaxis might be associated with these signaling pathways. A role for CD147 in cell aggregation and chemotaxis was further indicated in primary CD4(+) T cells. Similarly, low expression of CD147 in primary T cells induced prominent cell aggregation and this aggregation attenuated primary T cell chemotactic ability in response to CypA. Our results have demonstrated the correlation between homotypic cell aggregation and the chemotactic response of T cells to CypA, and these data

Biochar Improves Soil Aggregate Stability and Water Availability in a Mollisol after Three Years of Field Application

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yulan; Yang, Lijie; Yu, Chunxiao; Yin, Guanghua; Doane, Timothy A.; Wu, Zhijie; Zhu, Ping; Ma, Xingzhu

2016-01-01

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of organic amendments on soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, bulk density, aggregate stability, field capacity and plant available water in a representative Chinese Mollisol. Four treatments were as follows: no fertilization (CK), application of inorganic fertilizer (NPK), combined application of inorganic fertilizer with maize straw (NPK+S) and addition of biochar with inorganic fertilizer (NPK+B). Our results showed that after three consecutive years of application, the values of soil bulk density were significantly lower in both organic amendment-treated plots than in unamended (CK and NPK) plots. Compared with NPK, NPK+B more effectively increased the contents of soil organic carbon, improved the relative proportion of soil macro-aggregates and mean weight diameter, and enhanced field capacity as well as plant available water. Organic amendments had no obvious effect on soil C/N ratio or wilting coefficient. The results of linear regression indicated that the improvement in soil water retention could be attributed to the increases in soil organic carbon and aggregate stability. PMID:27191160

Biochar Improves Soil Aggregate Stability and Water Availability in a Mollisol after Three Years of Field Application.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ningning; Zhang, Lili; Zhang, Yulan; Yang, Lijie; Yu, Chunxiao; Yin, Guanghua; Doane, Timothy A; Wu, Zhijie; Zhu, Ping; Ma, Xingzhu

2016-01-01

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of organic amendments on soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, bulk density, aggregate stability, field capacity and plant available water in a representative Chinese Mollisol. Four treatments were as follows: no fertilization (CK), application of inorganic fertilizer (NPK), combined application of inorganic fertilizer with maize straw (NPK+S) and addition of biochar with inorganic fertilizer (NPK+B). Our results showed that after three consecutive years of application, the values of soil bulk density were significantly lower in both organic amendment-treated plots than in unamended (CK and NPK) plots. Compared with NPK, NPK+B more effectively increased the contents of soil organic carbon, improved the relative proportion of soil macro-aggregates and mean weight diameter, and enhanced field capacity as well as plant available water. Organic amendments had no obvious effect on soil C/N ratio or wilting coefficient. The results of linear regression indicated that the improvement in soil water retention could be attributed to the increases in soil organic carbon and aggregate stability.

Biochar Improves Soil Aggregate Stability and Water Availability in a Mollisol after Three Years of Field Application.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ningning Ma

Full Text Available A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of organic amendments on soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, bulk density, aggregate stability, field capacity and plant available water in a representative Chinese Mollisol. Four treatments were as follows: no fertilization (CK, application of inorganic fertilizer (NPK, combined application of inorganic fertilizer with maize straw (NPK+S and addition of biochar with inorganic fertilizer (NPK+B. Our results showed that after three consecutive years of application, the values of soil bulk density were significantly lower in both organic amendment-treated plots than in unamended (CK and NPK plots. Compared with NPK, NPK+B more effectively increased the contents of soil organic carbon, improved the relative proportion of soil macro-aggregates and mean weight diameter, and enhanced field capacity as well as plant available water. Organic amendments had no obvious effect on soil C/N ratio or wilting coefficient. The results of linear regression indicated that the improvement in soil water retention could be attributed to the increases in soil organic carbon and aggregate stability.

Effect of particulate aggregation in aquatic environments on the beam attenuation and its utility as a proxy for particulate mass.

Science.gov (United States)

Boss, Emmanuel; Slade, Wayne; Hill, Paul

2009-05-25

Marine aggregates, agglomerations of particles and dissolved materials, are an important particulate pool in aquatic environments, but their optical properties are not well understood. To improve understanding of the optical properties of aggregates, two related studies are presented. In the first, an in situ manipulation experiment is described, in which beam attenuation of undisturbed and sheared suspensions are compared. Results show that in the sheared treatment bulk particle size decreases and beam attenuation increases, consistent with the hypothesis that a significant fraction of mass in suspension is contained in fragile aggregates. Interestingly, the magnitude of increase in beam attenuation is less than expected if the aggregates are modeled as solid spheres. Motivated by this result, a second study is presented, in which marine aggregates are modeled to assess how the beam attenuation of aggregates differs from that of their constituent particles and from solid particles of the same mass. The model used is based on that of Latimer [Appl. Opt. 24, 3231 (1985)] and mass specific attenuation is compared with that based on homogeneous and solid particles, the standard model for aquatic particles. In the modeling we use recent research relating size and solid fraction of aquatic aggregates. In contrast with Mie theory, this model provides a rather size-insensitive mass specific attenuation for most relevant sizes. This insensitivity is consistent with the observations that mass specific beam-attenuation of marine particles is in the range 0.2-0.6m(2)/gr despite large variability in size distribution and composition across varied aquatic environments.

Experimental study on kinetics oil oil-suspended particulate matter aggregation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, J.; Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON; Khelifa, A.; Wang, Z.; Brown, C.; Fieldhouse, B.; Yang, C.; Zheng, X.; Wong, S.; So, L.C.

2009-01-01

Past studies of oil spills have shown that oil suspended particulate matter aggregates (OSAs) play a role in enhancing the natural cleansing of oiled shorelines. OSAs result from aggregation between suspended oil droplets and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in aquatic environments. During this process, oil dispersion into the water column is significantly increased since the surface of the oil droplet is surrounded by sediment particles. In addition, the accelerated biodegradation of the oil can be attributed to the greater oil-water contact area. This study focused on the kinetic aspects of OSA formation, with particular reference to the time scale of this process and its significance to oil dispersion following oil spills in water. A laboratory study was conducted to measure the time scale of OSA formation and its variations with mixing conditions. A reciprocating shaker and various oil/sediment mixtures were used to prepare the OSAs. Standard reference material 1941b was used as the natural sediment mixed with Arabian medium crude and artificial seawater under various mixing energies. The sediment-to-oil ratio remained constant for all experiments. Gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) analysis was used to measure the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) trapped in negatively buoyant OSAs. Results showed that the TPH in OSAs increased exponentially with shaking time and reached an equilibrium value within 3 hours. The equilibrium decreased from 3 hours to 1.3 hours when the shaking rate increased from 2.0 to 2.3 Hz. It was concluded that high mixing energy enhances OSA formation and shortens the time for OSA formation. 42 refs., 6 tabs., 5 figs

Experimental study on kinetics oil oil-suspended particulate matter aggregation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, J. [Ocean Univ. of China, Qingdoa (China). Environmental Science and Engineering Inst.; Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Emergencies Science and Technology Section, Emergencies, Operational Analytical Laboratories and Research Support Division; Khelifa, A.; Wang, Z.; Brown, C.; Fieldhouse, B.; Yang, C. [Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Emergencies Science and Technology Section, Emergencies, Operational Analytical Laboratories and Research Support Division; Zheng, X. [Ocean Univ. of China, Qingdoa (China). Environmental Science and Engineering Inst.; Wong, S. [Ottawa Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Chemistry; So, L.C. [Waterloo Univ., ON (Canada). Faculty of Engineering

2009-07-01

Past studies of oil spills have shown that oil suspended particulate matter aggregates (OSAs) play a role in enhancing the natural cleansing of oiled shorelines. OSAs result from aggregation between suspended oil droplets and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in aquatic environments. During this process, oil dispersion into the water column is significantly increased since the surface of the oil droplet is surrounded by sediment particles. In addition, the accelerated biodegradation of the oil can be attributed to the greater oil-water contact area. This study focused on the kinetic aspects of OSA formation, with particular reference to the time scale of this process and its significance to oil dispersion following oil spills in water. A laboratory study was conducted to measure the time scale of OSA formation and its variations with mixing conditions. A reciprocating shaker and various oil/sediment mixtures were used to prepare the OSAs. Standard reference material 1941b was used as the natural sediment mixed with Arabian medium crude and artificial seawater under various mixing energies. The sediment-to-oil ratio remained constant for all experiments. Gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) analysis was used to measure the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) trapped in negatively buoyant OSAs. Results showed that the TPH in OSAs increased exponentially with shaking time and reached an equilibrium value within 3 hours. The equilibrium decreased from 3 hours to 1.3 hours when the shaking rate increased from 2.0 to 2.3 Hz. It was concluded that high mixing energy enhances OSA formation and shortens the time for OSA formation. 42 refs., 6 tabs., 5 figs.

Antibiotics promote aggregation within aquatic bacterial communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianluca eCorno

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The release of antibiotics (AB into the environment poses several threats for human health due to potential development of ABresistant natural bacteria. Even though the use of low-dose antibiotics has been promoted in health care and farming, significant amounts of AB are observed in aquatic environments. Knowledge on the impact of AB on natural bacterial communities is missing both in terms of spread and evolution of resistance mechanisms, and of modifications of community composition and productivity. New approaches are required to study the response of microbial communities rather than individual resistance genes. In this study a chemostat-based experiment with 4 coexisting bacterial strains has been performed to mimicking the response of a freshwater bacterial community to the presence of antibiotics in low and high doses. Bacterial abundance rapidly decreased by 75% in the presence of AB, independently of their concentration, and remained constant until the end of the experiment. The bacterial community was mainly dominated by Aeromonas hydrophila and Brevundimonas intermedia while the other two strains, Micrococcus luteus and Rhodococcus sp. never exceed 10%. Interestingly, the bacterial strains, which were isolated at the end of the experiment, were not AB-resistant, while reassembled communities composed of the 4 strains, isolated from treatments under AB stress, significantly raised their performance (growth rate, abundance in the presence of AB compared to the communities reassembled with strains isolated from the treatment without AB. By investigating the phenotypic adaptations of the communities subjected to the different treatments, we found that the presence of AB significantly increased co-aggregation by 5-6 fold.These results represent the first observation of co-aggregation as a successful strategy of AB resistance based on phenotype in aquatic bacterial communities, and can represent a fundamental step in the understanding of

Effect of shape and surface texture of aggregates during high intensity vertical shaft impact autogeneous crushing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samayamutthirian Palaniandy; Khairun Azizi Mohd Azizli

2002-01-01

The demand for quarry industry to produce high quality aggregates is increasing parallel with the demand of high strength concrete. Focus on the high quality aggregates production is very essential as 70% of the concrete consist of aggregates. High quality aggregate is characterised according to its shape, surface texture and its size distribution. The cubical and more equidimensional aggregates are characterised as high quality aggregates. Besides photomicrograph of aggregates, Flakiness and Elongation indices are important empirical measurements to determine the quality of the aggregates. The Barmac Rock On Rock Vertical Shaft Impactor proved that the shape of the aggregates can be improved by various crushing mechanisms as the EI and FI values were low and 75% of the cubical particles were observed in the crushed aggregates. (Author)

Fractal Aggregates in Tennis Ball Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Sabin, J.; Bandin, M.; Prieto, G.; Sarmiento, F.

2009-01-01

We present a new practical exercise to explain the mechanisms of aggregation of some colloids which are otherwise not easy to understand. We have used tennis balls to simulate, in a visual way, the aggregation of colloids under reaction-limited colloid aggregation (RLCA) and diffusion-limited colloid aggregation (DLCA) regimes. We have used the…

A Functional Reference Architecture for Aggregators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bondy, Daniel Esteban Morales; Heussen, Kai; Gehrke, Oliver

2015-01-01

Aggregators are considered to be a key enabling technology for harvesting power system services from distributed energy resources (DER). As a precondition for more widespread use of aggregators in power systems, methods for comparing and validating aggregator designs must be established. This paper...... proposes a functional reference architecture for aggregators to address this requirement....

Aggregation server for grid-integrated vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Kempton, Willett

2015-05-26

Methods, systems, and apparatus for aggregating electric power flow between an electric grid and electric vehicles are disclosed. An apparatus for aggregating power flow may include a memory and a processor coupled to the memory to receive electric vehicle equipment (EVE) attributes from a plurality of EVEs, aggregate EVE attributes, predict total available capacity based on the EVE attributes, and dispatch at least a portion of the total available capacity to the grid. Power flow may be aggregated by receiving EVE operational parameters from each EVE, aggregating the received EVE operational parameters, predicting total available capacity based on the aggregated EVE operational parameters, and dispatching at least a portion of the total available capacity to the grid.

Regulating Molecular Aggregations of Polymers via Ternary Copolymerization Strategy for Efficient Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qian; Wang, Yingying; Zheng, Wei; Shahid, Bilal; Qiu, Meng; Wang, Di; Zhu, Dangqiang; Yang, Renqiang

2017-09-20

For many high-performance photovoltaic materials in polymer solar cells (PSCs), the active layers usually need to be spin-coated at high temperature due to the strong intermolecular aggregation of donor polymers, which is unfavorable in device repeatability and large-scale PSC printing. In this work, we adopted a ternary copolymerization strategy to regulate polymer solubility and molecular aggregation. A series of D-A 1 -D-A 2 random polymers based on different acceptors, strong electron-withdrawing unit ester substituted thieno[3,4-b]thiophene (TT-E), and highly planar dithiazole linked TT-E (DTzTT) were constructed to realize the regulation of molecular aggregation and simplification of device fabrication. The results showed that as the relative proportion of TT-E segment in the backbone increased, the absorption evidently red-shifted with a gradually decreased aggregation in solution, eventually leading to the active layers that can be fabricated at low temperature. Furthermore, due to the excellent phase separation and low recombination, the optimized solar cells based on the terpolymer P1 containing 30% of TT-E segment exhibit high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.09% with a significantly enhanced fill factor up to 72.86%. Encouragingly, the photovoltaic performance is insensitive to the fabrication temperature of the active layer, and it still could maintain high PCE of 8.82%, even at room temperature. This work not only develops the highly efficient photovoltaic materials for low temperature processed PSCs through ternary copolymerization strategy but also preliminarily constructs the relationship between aggregation and photovoltaic performance.

Adaptive Aggregation Routing to Reduce Delay for Multi-Layer Wireless Sensor Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xujing; Liu, Anfeng; Xie, Mande; Xiong, Neal N; Zeng, Zhiwen; Cai, Zhiping

2018-04-16

The quality of service (QoS) regarding delay, lifetime and reliability is the key to the application of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Data aggregation is a method to effectively reduce the data transmission volume and improve the lifetime of a network. In the previous study, a common strategy required that data wait in the queue. When the length of the queue is greater than or equal to the predetermined aggregation threshold ( N t ) or the waiting time is equal to the aggregation timer ( T t ), data are forwarded at the expense of an increase in the delay. The primary contributions of the proposed Adaptive Aggregation Routing (AAR) scheme are the following: (a) the senders select the forwarding node dynamically according to the length of the data queue, which effectively reduces the delay. In the AAR scheme, the senders send data to the nodes with a long data queue. The advantages are that first, the nodes with a long data queue need a small amount of data to perform aggregation; therefore, the transmitted data can be fully utilized to make these nodes aggregate. Second, this scheme balances the aggregating and data sending load; thus, the lifetime increases. (b) An improved AAR scheme is proposed to improve the QoS. The aggregation deadline ( T t ) and the aggregation threshold ( N t ) are dynamically changed in the network. In WSNs, nodes far from the sink have residual energy because these nodes transmit less data than the other nodes. In the improved AAR scheme, the nodes far from the sink have a small value of T t and N t to reduce delay, and the nodes near the sink are set to a large value of T t and N t to reduce energy consumption. Thus, the end to end delay is reduced, a longer lifetime is achieved, and the residual energy is fully used. Simulation results demonstrate that compared with the previous scheme, the performance of the AAR scheme is improved. This scheme reduces the delay by 14.91%, improves the lifetime by 30.91%, and increases energy

Adaptive Aggregation Routing to Reduce Delay for Multi-Layer Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xujing Li

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The quality of service (QoS regarding delay, lifetime and reliability is the key to the application of wireless sensor networks (WSNs. Data aggregation is a method to effectively reduce the data transmission volume and improve the lifetime of a network. In the previous study, a common strategy required that data wait in the queue. When the length of the queue is greater than or equal to the predetermined aggregation threshold ( N t or the waiting time is equal to the aggregation timer ( T t , data are forwarded at the expense of an increase in the delay. The primary contributions of the proposed Adaptive Aggregation Routing (AAR scheme are the following: (a the senders select the forwarding node dynamically according to the length of the data queue, which effectively reduces the delay. In the AAR scheme, the senders send data to the nodes with a long data queue. The advantages are that first, the nodes with a long data queue need a small amount of data to perform aggregation; therefore, the transmitted data can be fully utilized to make these nodes aggregate. Second, this scheme balances the aggregating and data sending load; thus, the lifetime increases. (b An improved AAR scheme is proposed to improve the QoS. The aggregation deadline ( T t and the aggregation threshold ( N t are dynamically changed in the network. In WSNs, nodes far from the sink have residual energy because these nodes transmit less data than the other nodes. In the improved AAR scheme, the nodes far from the sink have a small value of T t and N t to reduce delay, and the nodes near the sink are set to a large value of T t and N t to reduce energy consumption. Thus, the end to end delay is reduced, a longer lifetime is achieved, and the residual energy is fully used. Simulation results demonstrate that compared with the previous scheme, the performance of the AAR scheme is improved. This scheme reduces the delay by 14.91%, improves the lifetime by 30.91%, and increases

Progranulin inhibits platelet aggregation and prolongs bleeding time in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Yahya, A M; Al-Masri, A A; El Eter, E A; Hersi, A; Lateef, R; Mawlana, O

2018-05-01

Several adipokines secreted by adipose tissue have an anti-thrombotic and anti-atherosclerotic function. Recently identified adipokine progranulin was found to play a protective role in atherosclerosis. Bearing in mind the central role of platelets in inflammation and atherosclerosis, we aimed, in this study, to examine the effect of progranulin on platelet function and coagulation profile in rats. Healthy male albino Wistar rats weighing (250-300 g) were divided into 4 groups. Three groups were given increasing doses of progranulin (0.001 µg, 0.01 µg, and 0.1 µg) intraperitoneally, while the control group received phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Bleeding time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and platelet aggregation responses to adenosine diphosphate and arachidonic acid were assessed. Administration of progranulin resulted in a significant inhibition of platelet aggregation in response to both adenosine diphosphate, and arachidonic acid. Bleeding time, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were significantly prolonged in all groups that received progranulin, in particular, the 0.1 µg dose, in comparison to the control group. This preliminary data is first suggesting that the antiplatelet and anticoagulant action of progranulin could have a physiological protective function against thrombotic disorders associated with obesity and atherosclerosis. However, these results merit further exploration.

A Case-Based Reasoning Method with Rank Aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jinhua; Du, Jiao; Hu, Jian

2018-03-01

In order to improve the accuracy of case-based reasoning (CBR), this paper addresses a new CBR framework with the basic principle of rank aggregation. First, the ranking methods are put forward in each attribute subspace of case. The ordering relation between cases on each attribute is got between cases. Then, a sorting matrix is got. Second, the similar case retrieval process from ranking matrix is transformed into a rank aggregation optimal problem, which uses the Kemeny optimal. On the basis, a rank aggregation case-based reasoning algorithm, named RA-CBR, is designed. The experiment result on UCI data sets shows that case retrieval accuracy of RA-CBR algorithm is higher than euclidean distance CBR and mahalanobis distance CBR testing.So we can get the conclusion that RA-CBR method can increase the performance and efficiency of CBR.

Platelet aggregation responses in clinically healthy adult llamas.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Rosanne M; Bird, Karyn E; Kutzler, Michelle A

2009-03-01

Limited information exists regarding hemostasis in camelids despite the importance of platelet function testing in the accurate identification of platelet disorders. As further importation of llamas to North America is restricted, variability in breeding stock will continue to decrease, potentially leading to an increase in heritable bleeding disorders. The objective of this study was to measure platelet aggregation responses in clinically healthy llamas and provide baseline data to which abnormal platelet function may be compared in the future. Blood samples were collected from 39 healthy adult llamas, citrated, and centrifuged to produce platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Within 4 hours of the blood draw, 20 microL of each agonist reagent were added to 180 microL of PRP. Final concentrations of agonists were 2 x 10(-5) M ADP, 0.19 mg collagen/mL PRP, 1 x 10(-4) M epinephrine, and 500 microg arachidonic acid/mL PRP. Llama platelets were most responsive to ADP and collagen, with a maximum percent aggregation (mean+/-SD) of 71.3+/-18.6% and 55.8+/-19% and aggregation rates of 9.5+/-3.9 and 6.7+/-3.7 cm/min, respectively. Llama platelet aggregation in response to epinephrine and arachidonic acid was minimal to absent. This study is the first of its kind to establish baseline values for platelet aggregation in healthy adult llamas.

Data on correlation between Aβ42 structural aggregation propensity and toxicity in bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Carija

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Protein aggregation and amyloid formation is a hallmark of an increasing number of human disorders. Because protein aggregation is deleterious for the cell physiology and results in a decrease in overall cell fitness, it is thought that natural selection acts to purify aggregating proteins during evolution. This data article contains complementary figures and results related to the research article entitled “Selection against toxic aggregation-prone protein sequences in bacteria” (Navarro et al., 2014 [1]. Here, we used the AGGRESCAN3D (A3D server, a novel in house predictor that forecasts protein aggregation properties in protein structures to illustrate a striking correlation between the structure-based predictions of aggregation propensities for Alzheimer’s Aβ42 peptide variants and their previously reported deleterious effects in bacteria.

Separation and collection of coarse aggregate from waste concrete by electric pulsed power

Science.gov (United States)

Shigeishi, Mitsuhiro

2017-09-01

Waste concrete accounts for a substantial fraction of construction waste, and the recycling of waste concrete as concrete aggregate for construction is an important challenge associated with the rapid increase in the amount of waste concrete and the tight supply of natural aggregate. In this study, we propose a technique based on the use of high-voltage pulsed electric discharge into concrete underwater for separating and collecting aggregate from waste concrete with minimal deterioration of quality. By using this technique, the quality of the coarse aggregate separated and collected from concrete test specimens is comparable to that of coarse aggregate recycled by heating and grinding methods, thus satisfying the criteria in Japan Industrial Standard (JIS) A 5021 for the oven-dry density and the water absorption of coarse aggregate by advanced recycling.

Runoff and Sediment Production under the Similar Rainfall Events in Different Aggregate Sizes of an Agricultural Soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. F. Eslami

2016-09-01

soil loss (sediment. Ten same rainfall events with 60 mm h-1 in intensity for 30 min were applied using a designed rainfall simulator in the lab. The rainfall simulator had a rainfall plate with a dimension of 100 cm × 120 cm which has been fixed on a metal frame with 3m height from the ground surface. Runoff and sediment samples were collected using a plastic container placed the out-let of the flumes. Runoff generation of each flume was determined based on multiplying total content volume of the tank by volume proportion of water in the sample. Soil loss for each event was determined using multiply the container volume and sediment concentration of the uniform sample. Initial soil moisture was measured in the aggregate samples before each rainfall event in order to investigate its effect on the runoff and sediment variations in the event scales. Runoff, soil loss and initial soil moisture data were evaluated for normality before any statistical analysis using SPSS version 18 software. Differences of runoff and soil loss among different rainfall events were analyzed using the Duncan's test. Results and Discussion: Based on the results, the soil was calcareous having 16% equivalent calcium carbonate. Low amount of organic matter (0.6%. The measured aggregate stability showed to be very low, indicating high susceptibility of the aggregates to water erosion processes. Significant differences were found among the rainfall events in runoff (p< 0.05, sediment (p< 0.001 and sediment concentration (p< 0.001 which were associated with aggregate breakdown by raindrop impacts in the rainfall events. Runoff and sediment were strongly increased from each event to other event. Significant relationship was found between sediment and runoff in the events (R2= 0.89, p< 0.001. However, sediment showed to have higher increasing trend as compared to runoff variation pattern in the event scale. Sediment value was very low in the first rainfall event due to high portions of the water

Effects of Pedogenic Fe Oxides on Soil Aggregate-Associated Carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Asefaw Berhe, A.; Jin, L.

2017-12-01

Carbon sequestration is intimately related to the soil structure, mainly soil aggregate dynamics. Carbon storage in soil aggregates has been recognized as an important carbon stabilization mechanism in soils. Organic matter and pedogenic Fe oxides are major binding agents that facilitate soil aggregate formation and stability. However, few studies have investigated how different forms of pedogenic Fe oxides can affect soil carbon distribution in different aggregate-size fractions. We investigated sequentially extracted pedogenic Fe oxides (in the order of organically complexed Fe extracted with sodium pyrophosphate, poorly-crystalline Fe oxides extracted with hydroxylamine hydrochloride, and crystalline Fe oxides extracted with dithionite hydrochloride) and determined the amount and nature of C in macroaggregates (2-0.25mm), microaggregates (0.25-0.053mm), and two silt and clay fractions (0.053-0.02mm, and soil from Sierra Nevada mountain in California. We also determined how pedogenic Fe oxides affect soil carbon distribution along soil depth gradients. Findings of our study revealed that the proportion of organic matter complexed Fe decreased, but the proportion of crystalline Fe increased with increasing soil depths. Poorly crystalline Fe oxides (e.g. ferrihydrite) was identified as a major Fe oxide in surface soil, whereas crystalline Fe oxides (e.g. goethite) were found in deeper soil layers. These results suggest that high concentration of organic matter in surface soil suppressed Fe crystallization. Calcium cation was closely related to the pyrophosphate extractable Fe and C, which indicates that calcium may be a major cation that contribute to the organic matter complexed Fe and C pool. Increasing concentrations of extractable Fe and C with decreasing aggregate size fractions also suggests that Fe oxides play an important role in formation and stability of silt and clay fractions, and leading to further stabilization of carbon in soil. Our findings provide

THE AGGREGATE IMPACT OF ONLINE RETAIL

OpenAIRE

Allen Tran

2014-01-01

To study the impact of online retail on aggregate welfare, I use a spatial model to calculate a new measure of store level retail productivity and each store's equilibrium response to increased competitive pressure from online retailers. The model is estimated on confidential store-level data spanning the universe of US retail stores, detailed local-level demographic data and shortest-route data between locations. From counterfactual exercises mimicking improvements in shipping and increased ...

Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) for the numerical simulation of polycrystalline aggregates under cyclic loading

Science.gov (United States)

Nasri, Mohamed Aziz; Robert, Camille; Ammar, Amine; El Arem, Saber; Morel, Franck

2018-02-01

The numerical modelling of the behaviour of materials at the microstructural scale has been greatly developed over the last two decades. Unfortunately, conventional resolution methods cannot simulate polycrystalline aggregates beyond tens of loading cycles, and they do not remain quantitative due to the plasticity behaviour. This work presents the development of a numerical solver for the resolution of the Finite Element modelling of polycrystalline aggregates subjected to cyclic mechanical loading. The method is based on two concepts. The first one consists in maintaining a constant stiffness matrix. The second uses a time/space model reduction method. In order to analyse the applicability and the performance of the use of a space-time separated representation, the simulations are carried out on a three-dimensional polycrystalline aggregate under cyclic loading. Different numbers of elements per grain and two time increments per cycle are investigated. The results show a significant CPU time saving while maintaining good precision. Moreover, increasing the number of elements and the number of time increments per cycle, the model reduction method is faster than the standard solver.

What favors convective aggregation and why?

Science.gov (United States)

Muller, Caroline; Bony, Sandrine

2015-07-01

The organization of convection is ubiquitous, but its physical understanding remains limited. One particular type of organization is the spatial self-aggregation of convection, taking the form of cloud clusters, or tropical cyclones in the presence of rotation. We show that several physical processes can give rise to self-aggregation and highlight the key features responsible for it, using idealized simulations. Longwave radiative feedbacks yield a "radiative aggregation." In that case, sufficient spatial variability of radiative cooling rates yields a low-level circulation, which induces the upgradient energy transport and radiative-convective instability. Not only do vertically integrated radiative budgets matter but the vertical profile of cooling is also crucial. Convective aggregation is facilitated when downdrafts below clouds are weak ("moisture-memory aggregation"), and this is sufficient to trigger aggregation in the absence of longwave radiative feedbacks. These results shed some light on the sensitivity of self-aggregation to various parameters, including resolution or domain size.

Effects of acute and chronic psychological stress on platelet aggregation in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuhisa, Fumikazu; Kitamura, Nobuo; Satoh, Eiki

2014-03-01

Although psychological stress has long been known to alter cardiovascular function, there have been few studies on the effect of psychological stress on platelets, which play a pivotal role in cardiovascular disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of acute and chronic psychological stress on the aggregation of platelets and platelet cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]i). Mice were subjected to both transportation stress (exposure to novel environment, psychological stress) and restraint stress (psychological stress) for 2 h (acute stress) or 3 weeks (2 h/day) (chronic stress). In addition, adrenalectomized mice were subjected to similar chronic stress (both transportation and restraint stress for 3 weeks). The aggregation of platelets from mice and [Ca(2+)]i was determined by light transmission assay and fura-2 fluorescence assay, respectively. Although acute stress had no effect on agonist-induced platelet aggregation, chronic stress enhanced the ability of the platelet agonists thrombin and ADP to stimulate platelet aggregation. However, chronic stress failed to enhance agonist-induced increase in [Ca(2+)]i. Adrenalectomy blocked chronic stress-induced enhancement of platelet aggregation. These results suggest that chronic, but not acute, psychological stress enhances agonist-stimulated platelet aggregation independently of [Ca(2+)]i increase, and the enhancement may be mediated by stress hormones secreted from the adrenal glands.

Aggregation of egg white proteins with pulsed electric fields and thermal processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Li; Zhao, Wei; Yang, Ruijin; Yan, Wenxu; Sun, Qianyan

2016-08-01

Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing is progressing towards application for liquid egg to ensure microbial safety. However, it usually causes protein aggregation, and the mechanism is still unclear. In this study, egg white protein was applied to investigate the changes in protein structure and mechanism of aggregates formation and a comparison was made with thermal treatment. Soluble protein content decreased with the increase of turbidity after both treatments. Fluorescence intensity and free sulfhydryl content were increased after being treated at 70 °C for 4 min. Less-remarkable changes of hydrophobicity were observed after PEF treatments (30 kV cm(-1) , 800 µs). Soluble and insoluble aggregates were observed by thermal treatment, and disulfide bonds were the main binding forces. The main components of insoluble aggregates formed by thermal treatment were ovotransferrin (30.58%), lysozyme (18.47%) and ovalbumin (14.20%). While only insoluble aggregates were detected during PEF processes, which consists of ovotransferrin (11.86%), lysozyme (21.11%) and ovalbumin (31.07%). Electrostatic interaction played a very important role in the aggregates formation. PEF had a minor impact on the structure of egg white protein. PEF had insignificant influence on heat-sensitive protein, indicating that PEF has potential in processing food with high biological activity and heat sensitive properties. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Experimental study on the effect of volcanic residue on the performance of recycled lightweight aggregate concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Li-guang; Li, Ji-heng; Liu, Qing-shun

2017-08-01

Recycled lightweight aggregate concrete prepared with waste brick recycled light aggregate has high water absorption, large apparent density and poor frost resistance. The technical measures of regen-erating lightweight aggregate concrete with modified waste bricks from volcanic slag are put forward. The effects of volcanic slag on the properties of waste lightweight aggregate concrete were studied. The experi-mental results show that volcanic slag can significantly reduce the apparent density of recycled lightweight aggregate concrete and improve its frost resistance.

The potential pitfalls of studying adult sex ratios at aggregate levels in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Pollet, Thomas V; Stoevenbelt, Andrea H; Kuppens, Toon

2017-09-19

Human adult sex ratios have been studied extensively across the biological and social sciences. While several studies have examined adult sex ratio effects in a multilevel perspective, many studies have focused on effects at an aggregated level only. In this paper, we review some key issues relating to such analyses. We address not only nation-level analyses, but also aggregation at lower levels, to investigate whether these issues extend to lower levels of aggregation. We illustrate these issues with novel databases covering a broad range of variables. Specifically, we discuss distributional issues with aggregated measures of adult sex ratio, significance testing, and statistical non-independence when using aggregate data. Firstly, we show that there are severe distributional issues with national adult sex ratio, such as extreme cases. Secondly, we demonstrate that many 'meaningless' variables are significantly correlated with adult sex ratio (e.g. the max. elevation level correlates with sex ratio at US state level). Finally, we re-examine associations between adult sex ratios and teenage fertility and find no robust evidence for an association at the aggregate level. Our review highlights the potential issues of using aggregate data on adult sex ratios to test hypotheses from an evolutionary perspective in humans.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'. © 2017 The Author(s).

An Aggregation Model for Energy Resources Management and Market Negotiations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omid Abrishambaf

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Currently the use of distributed energy resources, especially renewable generation, and demand response programs are widely discussed in scientific contexts, since they are a reality in nowadays electricity markets and distribution networks. In order to benefit from these concepts, an efficient energy management system is needed to prevent energy wasting and increase profits. In this paper, an optimization based aggregation model is presented for distributed energy resources and demand response program management. This aggregation model allows different types of customers to participate in electricity market through several tariffs based demand response programs. The optimization algorithm is a mixed-integer linear problem, which focuses on minimizing operational costs of the aggregator. Moreover, the aggregation process has been done via K-Means clustering algorithm, which obtains the aggregated costs and energy of resources for remuneration. By this way, the aggregator is aware of energy available and minimum selling price in order to participate in the market with profit. A realistic low voltage distribution network has been proposed as a case study in order to test and validate the proposed methodology. This distribution network consists of 25 distributed generation units, including photovoltaic, wind and biomass generation, and 20 consumers, including residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.

What Does The Crowd Say About You? Evaluating Aggregation-based Location Privacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pyrgelis Apostolos

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Information about people’s movements and the locations they visit enables an increasing number of mobility analytics applications, e.g., in the context of urban and transportation planning, In this setting, rather than collecting or sharing raw data, entities often use aggregation as a privacy protection mechanism, aiming to hide individual users’ location traces. Furthermore, to bound information leakage from the aggregates, they can perturb the input of the aggregation or its output to ensure that these are differentially private.

Platelet activation and aggregation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Maria Sander; Larsen, O H; Christiansen, Kirsten

2013-01-01

This study introduces a new laboratory model of whole blood platelet aggregation stimulated by endogenously generated thrombin, and explores this aspect in haemophilia A in which impaired thrombin generation is a major hallmark. The method was established to measure platelet aggregation initiated...

Quality Assessment of Mixed and Ceramic Recycled Aggregates from Construction and Demolition Wastes in the Concrete Manufacture According to the Spanish Standard.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Robles, Desirée; García-González, Julia; Juan-Valdés, Andrés; Morán-Del Pozo, Julia Mª; Guerra-Romero, Manuel I

2014-08-13

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) constitutes an increasingly significant problem in society due to the volume generated, rendering sustainable management and disposal problematic. The aim of this study is to identify a possible reuse option in the concrete manufacturing for recycled aggregates with a significant ceramic content: mixed recycled aggregates (MixRA) and ceramic recycled aggregates (CerRA). In order to do so, several tests are conducted in accordance with the Spanish Code on Structural Concrete (EHE-08) to determine the composition in weight and physic-mechanical characteristics (particle size distributions, fine content, sand equivalent, density, water absorption, flakiness index, and resistance to fragmentation) of the samples for the partial inclusion of the recycled aggregates in concrete mixes. The results of these tests clearly support the hypothesis that this type of material may be suitable for such partial replacements if simple pretreatment is carried out. Furthermore, this measure of reuse is in line with European, national, and regional policies on sustainable development, and presents a solution to the environmental problem caused by the generation of CDW.

Quality Assessment of Mixed and Ceramic Recycled Aggregates from Construction and Demolition Wastes in the Concrete Manufacture According to the Spanish Standard

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Desirée Rodríguez-Robles

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Construction and demolition waste (CDW constitutes an increasingly significant problem in society due to the volume generated, rendering sustainable management and disposal problematic. The aim of this study is to identify a possible reuse option in the concrete manufacturing for recycled aggregates with a significant ceramic content: mixed recycled aggregates (MixRA and ceramic recycled aggregates (CerRA. In order to do so, several tests are conducted in accordance with the Spanish Code on Structural Concrete (EHE-08 to determine the composition in weight and physic-mechanical characteristics (particle size distributions, fine content, sand equivalent, density, water absorption, flakiness index, and resistance to fragmentation of the samples for the partial inclusion of the recycled aggregates in concrete mixes. The results of these tests clearly support the hypothesis that this type of material may be suitable for such partial replacements if simple pretreatment is carried out. Furthermore, this measure of reuse is in line with European, national, and regional policies on sustainable development, and presents a solution to the environmental problem caused by the generation of CDW.

Effect of water absorption by the aggregate on properties of high-strength lightweight concrete

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Punkki, J

1996-12-31

Recently, high-strength lightweight concrete has become an interesting building material for the offshore oil industry. This doctoral thesis presents an experimental investigation of the effect of water absorption by three different types of lightweight aggregates. One type did not show any water absorption ability at all and so represented no problem to the concrete production. For the two other high-strength aggregates, which were of more conventional types, the water absorption depended not only on the properties of the aggregates, but also on the concrete mixing procedure and the properties of the fresh cement paste. When water absorbing lightweight aggregate was used in a dry condition, the workability of the concrete was significantly reduced by the water absorption of the aggregate. This effect was not present when prewetted aggregate was used. The water absorption by the lightweight aggregate also affected the early compressive strength of concrete. After one day, dry aggregate gave on the average 10 MPa higher compressive strength than did prewetted aggregate. The strength-density ratio was affected by the moisture condition of the aggregate. Dry lightweight aggregate gave 9 MPa higher compressive strength at a density of 2000 kg/m{sup 3} compared to that of prewetted aggregate. The water absorption by the lightweight also affected the microstructure of the hardened concrete. Dry lightweight aggregate gave a slightly better microstructure than normal weight aggregate. The results indicate that the use of prewetted aggregate adversely affected the transition zone between the aggregate and the cement paste. 69 refs., 58 figs., 42 tabs.

Effect of water absorption by the aggregate on properties of high-strength lightweight concrete

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Punkki, J.

1995-12-31

Recently, high-strength lightweight concrete has become an interesting building material for the offshore oil industry. This doctoral thesis presents an experimental investigation of the effect of water absorption by three different types of lightweight aggregates. One type did not show any water absorption ability at all and so represented no problem to the concrete production. For the two other high-strength aggregates, which were of more conventional types, the water absorption depended not only on the properties of the aggregates, but also on the concrete mixing procedure and the properties of the fresh cement paste. When water absorbing lightweight aggregate was used in a dry condition, the workability of the concrete was significantly reduced by the water absorption of the aggregate. This effect was not present when prewetted aggregate was used. The water absorption by the lightweight aggregate also affected the early compressive strength of concrete. After one day, dry aggregate gave on the average 10 MPa higher compressive strength than did prewetted aggregate. The strength-density ratio was affected by the moisture condition of the aggregate. Dry lightweight aggregate gave 9 MPa higher compressive strength at a density of 2000 kg/m{sup 3} compared to that of prewetted aggregate. The water absorption by the lightweight also affected the microstructure of the hardened concrete. Dry lightweight aggregate gave a slightly better microstructure than normal weight aggregate. The results indicate that the use of prewetted aggregate adversely affected the transition zone between the aggregate and the cement paste. 69 refs., 58 figs., 42 tabs.

Crushed aggregates for roads and their properties for frost protection

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Kuznetsova, Elena; Willy Danielsen, Svein

2015-04-01

Crushed aggregates for roads and their properties for frost protection Elena Kuznetsova, NTNU and Svein Willy Danielsen, SINTEF With natural (fluvial, glaciofluvial) sand/gravel resources being rapidly depleted in many countries, the last decade has seen a significant trend towards using more alternative materials for construction purpose. In Norway the development and implementation of crushed aggregate technology has been the most important way to get around the problem with increased resource scarcity. Today Norway is one the European countries with the highest percentage of crushed/manufactured aggregates. A crushed product will reveal a different particle size distribution, a sharper, more angular particle shape, and not least - a significantly different mineral composition. The latter may often be characterised by more polymineral composition, and it will also much more depend on the local bedrock. When handled with care and knowledge, these differences can give the user a lot of new opportunities relating to materials design. Norwegian road construction practice has changed significantly during the last 40 years due to the replacement of gravel by crushed rock materials in the granular layers of the pavements. The use of non-processed rock materials from blasting was allowed in the subbase layer until 2012. This was a reason for a lot of problems with frost heaving due to inhomogeneity of this material, and in practice it was difficult to control the size of large stones. Since 2012 there is a requirement that rock materials for use in the subbase layer shall be crushed (Handbook N200, 2014). During the spring 2014 The Norwegian Public Roads Administration introduced a new handbook with requirements for roads construction in Norway, including new specifications for the frost protection layer. When pavements are constructed over moist and/or frost susceptible soils in cold and humid environments, the frost protection layer also becomes a very important part

Role of Multicellular Aggregates in Biofilm Formation

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Kasper N. Kragh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In traditional models of in vitro biofilm development, individual bacterial cells seed a surface, multiply, and mature into multicellular, three-dimensional structures. Much research has been devoted to elucidating the mechanisms governing the initial attachment of single cells to surfaces. However, in natural environments and during infection, bacterial cells tend to clump as multicellular aggregates, and biofilms can also slough off aggregates as a part of the dispersal process. This makes it likely that biofilms are often seeded by aggregates and single cells, yet how these aggregates impact biofilm initiation and development is not known. Here we use a combination of experimental and computational approaches to determine the relative fitness of single cells and preformed aggregates during early development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. We find that the relative fitness of aggregates depends markedly on the density of surrounding single cells, i.e., the level of competition for growth resources. When competition between aggregates and single cells is low, an aggregate has a growth disadvantage because the aggregate interior has poor access to growth resources. However, if competition is high, aggregates exhibit higher fitness, because extending vertically above the surface gives cells at the top of aggregates better access to growth resources. Other advantages of seeding by aggregates, such as earlier switching to a biofilm-like phenotype and enhanced resilience toward antibiotics and immune response, may add to this ecological benefit. Our findings suggest that current models of biofilm formation should be reconsidered to incorporate the role of aggregates in biofilm initiation.

Protein Folding and Aggregation into Amyloid: The Interference by Natural Phenolic Compounds

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Massimo Stefani

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Amyloid aggregation is a hallmark of several degenerative diseases affecting the brain or peripheral tissues, whose intermediates (oligomers, protofibrils and final mature fibrils display different toxicity. Consequently, compounds counteracting amyloid aggregation have been investigated for their ability (i to stabilize toxic amyloid precursors; (ii to prevent the growth of toxic oligomers or speed that of fibrils; (iii to inhibit fibril growth and deposition; (iv to disassemble preformed fibrils; and (v to favor amyloid clearance. Natural phenols, a wide panel of plant molecules, are one of the most actively investigated categories of potential amyloid inhibitors. They are considered responsible for the beneficial effects of several traditional diets being present in green tea, extra virgin olive oil, red wine, spices, berries and aromatic herbs. Accordingly, it has been proposed that some natural phenols could be exploited to prevent and to treat amyloid diseases, and recent studies have provided significant information on their ability to inhibit peptide/protein aggregation in various ways and to stimulate cell defenses, leading to identify shared or specific mechanisms. In the first part of this review, we will overview the significance and mechanisms of amyloid aggregation and aggregate toxicity; then, we will summarize the recent achievements on protection against amyloid diseases by many natural phenols.

Spatial Aggregation of Forest Songbird Territories and Possible Implications for Area Sensitivity

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Julie Bourque

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Habitat area requirements of forest songbirds vary greatly among species, but the causes of this variation are not well understood. Large area requirements could result from advantages for certain species when settling their territories near those of conspecifics. This phenomenon would result in spatial aggregations much larger than single territories. Species that aggregate their territories could show reduced population viability in highly fragmented forests, since remnant patches may remain unoccupied if they are too small to accommodate several territories. The objectives of this study were twofold: (1 to seek evidence of territory clusters of forest birds at various spatial scales, lags of 250-550 m, before and after controlling for habitat spatial patterns; and (2 to measure the relationship between spatial autocorrelation and apparent landscape sensitivity for these species. In analyses that ignored spatial variation of vegetation within remnant forest patches, nine of the 17 species studied significantly aggregated their territories within patches. After controlling for forest vegetation, the locations of eight out of 17 species remained significantly clustered. The aggregative pattern that we observed may, thus, be indicative of a widespread phenomenon in songbird populations. Furthermore, there was a tendency for species associated with higher forest cover to be more spatially aggregated [ERRATUM].

Clinical prediction in defined populations: a simulation study investigating when and how to aggregate existing models

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Glen P. Martin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Clinical prediction models (CPMs are increasingly deployed to support healthcare decisions but they are derived inconsistently, in part due to limited data. An emerging alternative is to aggregate existing CPMs developed for similar settings and outcomes. This simulation study aimed to investigate the impact of between-population-heterogeneity and sample size on aggregating existing CPMs in a defined population, compared with developing a model de novo. Methods Simulations were designed to mimic a scenario in which multiple CPMs for a binary outcome had been derived in distinct, heterogeneous populations, with potentially different predictors available in each. We then generated a new ‘local’ population and compared the performance of CPMs developed for this population by aggregation, using stacked regression, principal component analysis or partial least squares, with redevelopment from scratch using backwards selection and penalised regression. Results While redevelopment approaches resulted in models that were miscalibrated for local datasets of less than 500 observations, model aggregation methods were well calibrated across all simulation scenarios. When the size of local data was less than 1000 observations and between-population-heterogeneity was small, aggregating existing CPMs gave better discrimination and had the lowest mean square error in the predicted risks compared with deriving a new model. Conversely, given greater than 1000 observations and significant between-population-heterogeneity, then redevelopment outperformed the aggregation approaches. In all other scenarios, both aggregation and de novo derivation resulted in similar predictive performance. Conclusion This study demonstrates a pragmatic approach to contextualising CPMs to defined populations. When aiming to develop models in defined populations, modellers should consider existing CPMs, with aggregation approaches being a suitable modelling

Aggregation and fusion of modified low density lipoprotein.

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Pentikäinen, M O; Lehtonen, E M; Kovanen, P T

1996-12-01

In atherogenesis, low density lipoprotein (LDL, diameter 22 nm) accumulates in the extracellular space of the arterial intima in the form of aggregates of lipid droplets (droplet diameter up to 400 nm). Here we studied the effects of various established in vitro LDL modifications on LDL aggregation and fusion. LDL was subjected to vortexing, oxidation by copper ions, proteolysis by alpha-chymotrypsin, lipolysis by sphingomyelinase, and nonenzymatic glycosylation, and was induced to form adducts with malondialdehyde or complexes with anti-apoB-100 antibodies. To assess the amount of enlarged LDL-derived structures formed (due to aggregation or fusion), we measured the turbidity of solutions containing modified LDL, and quantified the proportion of modified LDL that 1) sedimented at low-speed centrifugation (14,000 g), 2) floated at an increased rate at high-speed centrifugation (rate zonal flotation at 285,000 gmax), 3) were excluded in size-exclusion column chromatography (exclusion limit 40 MDa), or 4) failed to enter into 0.5%. Fast Lane agarose gel during electrophoresis. To detect whether particle fusion had contributed to the formation of the enlarged LDL-derived structures, particle morphology was examined using negative staining and thin-section transmission electron microscopy. We found that 1) aggregation was induced by the formation of LDL-antibody complexes, malondialdehyde treatment, and glycosylation of LDL; 2) fusion of LDL was induced by proteolysis of LDL by alpha-chymotrypsin; and 3) aggregation and fusion of LDL were induced by vortexing, oxidation by copper ions, and lipolysis by sphingomyclinase of LDL. The various modifications of LDL differed in their ability to induce aggregation and fusion.

Thermoregulation and aggregation in neonatal bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps).

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Khan, Jameel J; Richardson, Jean M L; Tattersall, Glenn J

2010-05-11

Ectothermic vertebrates, such as reptiles, thermoregulate behaviorally by choosing from available temperatures in their environment. As neonates, bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) are often observed to aggregate in vertical strata. A proximate mechanism for this behavior is the thermal advantage of heat storage (i.e., grouped lizards benefit through a decreased surface area to volume ratio), although competition for limited thermal resources, or aggregation for social reasons are alternative explanations. This study was designed to gain an understanding of how aggregation and thermoregulation interact. We observed that both isolated and grouped individuals achieved a similar level of thermoregulation (mean T(b) over trial) within a thermal gradient, but that individuals within a group had lower thermoregulatory precision. An experimental design in which light and ambient temperature (T(a)) (20 versus 30 degrees C) were altered established that a light bulb (source of heat) was a limited and valuable resource to both isolated and grouped neonatal lizards. Lizards aggregated more when the light was on at both temperatures, suggesting that individuals were equally attracted to or repelled from the heat source, depending on the ambient temperature. These data suggest aggregation occurs in neonatal bearded dragons through mutual attraction to a common resource. Further, increased variability in thermal preference occurs in groups, demonstrating the potential for agonistic behaviors to compromise optimal thermoregulation in competitive situations, potentially leading to segregation, rather than aggregation. Crown Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Opportunistic tri-band carrier aggregation in licensed spectrum for multi-operator 5G hetnet

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Maksymuk, Taras; Kyryk, Maryan; Klymash, Mykhailo; Jo, Minho; Romaniuk, Ryszard; Kotyra, Andrzej; Zhanpeisova, Aizhan; Kozbekova, Ainur

2017-08-01

Increasing capacity of mobile networks is a real challenge due to rapid increasing of traffic demands and spectrum scarcity. Carrier aggregation technology is aimed to increase the user data rate by combining the throughput of few spectrum bands, even if they are not physically collocated. Utilization of unlicensed Wi-Fi 5 GHz band for mobile transmission opens new perspectives for carrier aggregation due to vast amount of spectrum range, which can be available for aggregation to supplement data rates for end users. There are many solutions proposed to enable mobile data transmission in unlicensed band without disturbing interference for the existing Wi-Fi users. The paper presents a new approach for opportunistic carrier aggregation in licensed and unlicensed band for multi-operator 5G network. It allows multiple network operators to utilize unlicensed spectrum opportunistically if it is not currently used by Wi-Fi or other mobile network operators. Performance of the proposed approach has been simulated in case of two competing operators. Simulation results reveal that applying the proposed method ensures achieving satisfactory performance of carrier aggregation for the case of two network operators.

Role of water repellency in aggregate stability of cultivated soils under simulated raindrop impact

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Kořenková, Lucia; Matúš, Peter

2015-07-01

Soil aggregate stability (AS) is an important indicator of soil physical quality. For the purpose of this research it was hypothesized that particular properties such as water repellency (WR) influence soil aggregation and AS. Directly after sampling, WR was detected for three soils, after a week of air-drying two of these soils still showed some resistance to penetration by a water drop placed on the surface (WDPT test). The study examines AS of air-dried texturally different aggregates of size 0.25-0.5 mm taken from surface layers (5-15 cm depth) of six agriculturally used soils. The procedure involves exposure of soil aggregates to direct impact of water drops. Results showed that soil AS increases in order: cutanic Luvisol (siltic) Chernozem < calcic mollic Fluvisol < mollic grumic Vertisol (pellic) < mollic Fluvisol (calcaric) < gleyic Fluvisol (eutric). Gradual increase in AS can be explained by the increase in soil organic matter content and its hydrophobic properties. Although WR has been most commonly observed in soils under forests and grass cover, the results confirmed that cultivated soils may also create water-stable aggregates, especially in the case when their organic matter induces WR under particular moisture conditions.

In vitro model of platelet aggregation in stenotic arteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morley, D.; Santamore, W.P.

1988-01-01

Clinical and experimental evidence suggest a strong relationship between arterial stenosis, platelet aggregation, and subsequent thrombus formation. To facilitate the study of platelet accumulation in stenotic arteries, we developed an in vitro preparation. Arterial segments were perfused with whole citrated blood. A stenosis was created by applying an external plastic constrictor to the artery. Platelet accumulation within the stenosis was assessed by scanning electron microscopy and by radioactive counts from Indium-111 labeled platelets. Utilizing this preparation, 30 carotid arterial segments from 10 mongrel dogs were perfused at 100 mmHg for 15 min. In 10 arteries without a stenosis, scanning electron microscopy and radioactive counts demonstrated little platelet accumulation. In contrast, extensive platelet aggregation was observed in 10 arteries with stenoses. Moreover, in 10 stenotic arteries exposed to the thromboxane mimetic, U46619 (Upjohn Diagnostic Group), scanning electron microscopy and radioactive counts demonstrated a significant increase in platelet deposition. Conversely, we demonstrated a dimunition of platelet accumulation in stenosed arterial segments exposed to the prostacyclin analogue platelet inhibitor, Iloprost. The in vitro preparation allows precise control of hemodynamic variables and makes it possible to perform multiple tests on segments of the same vessel from the same animal

Aggregate stability in soils cultivated with eucalyptus

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Eucalyptus cultivation has increased in many Brazilian regions. In order to recommend good management practices, it is necessary to understand changes in soil properties where eucalyptus is planted. Aggregate stability analyses have proved to be a useful tool to measure soil effects caused by change...

Effect of physicochemical action on the aggregative properties of detonation-synthesized nanodiamonds

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Fan, Z. W.; Ilnitska, H.; Lysakovskyi, V.; Ivakhnenko, S.; Kovalenko, T.

2018-01-01

The results of researches of physicochemical action on aggregate properties of nanodiamond are presented. The kinetics of aggregation of nanodiamond powder was studied as a function of time, temperature, and pH of the solution. The effect of the sp2-sp3 hybridization ratio of carbon in nanodiamond powders on their aggregation was studied. It is shown that the presence of non-diamond carbon in detonation synthesis nanodiamond powders leads to the increase of the mean diameters of particles, i.e., their agglomeration. The theoretical justification of the aggregation mechanism is proposed. It is shown that it is possible to control aggregative properties of nanodiamond powders by physicochemical influences, e.g., gas-phase thermal treatment to reduce the size of agglomerates and to create a well-developed reconstructed surface of diamond particles with a low content of functional groups on their surface.

Ubiquilin overexpression reduces GFP-polyalanine-induced protein aggregates and toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hongmin; Monteiro, Mervyn J.

2007-01-01

Several human disorders are associated with an increase in a continuous stretch of alanine amino acids in proteins. These so-called polyalanine expansion diseases share many similarities with polyglutamine-related disorders, including a length-dependent reiteration of amino acid induction of protein aggregation and cytotoxicity. We previously reported that overexpression of ubiquilin reduces protein aggregates and toxicity of expanded polyglutamine proteins. Here, we demonstrate a similar role for ubiquilin toward expanded polyalanine proteins. Overexpression of ubiquilin-1 in HeLa cells reduced protein aggregates and the cytotoxicity associated with expression of a transfected nuclear-targeted GFP-fusion protein containing 37-alanine repeats (GFP-A37), in a dose dependent manner. Ubiquilin coimmunoprecipitated more with GFP proteins containing a 37-polyalanine tract compared to either 7 (GFP-A7), or no alanine tract (GFP). Moreover, overexpression of ubiquilin suppressed the increased vulnerability of HeLa cell lines stably expressing the GFP-A37 fusion protein to oxidative stress-induced cell death compared to cell lines expressing GFP or GFP-A7 proteins. By contrast, siRNA knockdown of ubiquilin expression in the GFP-A37 cell line was associated with decreased cellular proliferation, and increases in GFP protein aggregates, nuclear fragmentation, and cell death. Our results suggest that boosting ubiquilin levels in cells might provide a universal and attractive strategy to prevent toxicity of proteins containing reiterative expansions of amino acids involved in many human diseases

Optimization on Fc for Improvement of Stability and Aggregation Resistance.

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Chen, Xiaobo; Zeng, Fang; Huang, Tao; Cheng, Liang; Liu, Huan; Gong, Rui

2016-01-01

Fc-based therapeutics including therapeutic full-size monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and Fcfusion proteins represent fastest-growing market in biopharmaceutical industrial. However, one major challenge during development of Fc-based therapeutics is how to maintain their efficacy in clinic use. Many factors may lead to failure in final marketing. For example, the stability and aggregation resistance might not be high enough for bearing the disadvantages during fermentation, purification, formulation, storage, shipment and other steps in manufacture and sale. Low stability and high aggregation tendency lead to decreased bioactivity and increased risk of immunogenicity resulting in serious side effect. Because Fc is one of the major parts in monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins, engineering of Fc to increase its stability and reduce or eliminate aggregation due to incorrect association are of great importance and could further extend the potential of Fc-based therapeutics. Lots of studies focus on Fc optimization for better physical and chemical characteristics and function by structured-based computer-aid rational design, high-throughput screening expression system selection and other methods. The identification of optimized Fc mutants increases the clinic potential of currently existed therapeutics mAbs and Fc-fusion proteins, and accelerates the development of new Fc-based therapeutics. Here we provide an overview of the related field, and discuss recent advances and future directions in optimization of Fc-based therapeutics with modified stability and aggregation resistance. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Metabolic states following accumulation of intracellular aggregates: implications for neurodegenerative diseases.

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Alexei Vazquez

Full Text Available The formation of intracellular aggregates is a common etiology of several neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondrial defects and oxidative stress has been pointed as the major mechanistic links between the accumulation of intracellular aggregates and cell death. In this work we propose a "metabolic cell death by overcrowding" as an alternative hypothesis. Using a model of neuron metabolism, we predict that as the concentration of protein aggregates increases the neurons transit through three different metabolic phases. The first phase (0-6 mM corresponds with the normal neuron state, where the neuronal activity is sustained by the oxidative phosphorylation of lactate. The second phase (6-8.6 mM is characterized by a mixed utilization of lactate and glucose as energy substrates and a switch from ammonia uptake to ammonia release by neurons. In the third phase (8.6-9.3 mM neurons are predicted to support their energy demands from glycolysis and an alternative pathway for energy generation, involving reactions from serine synthesis, one carbon metabolism and the glycine cleavage system. The model also predicts a decrease in the maximum neuronal capacity for energy generation with increasing the concentration of protein aggregates. Ultimately this maximum capacity becomes zero when the protein aggregates reach a concentration of about 9.3 mM, predicting the cessation of neuronal activity.

Discrete stochastic charging of aggregate grains

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Matthews, Lorin S.; Shotorban, Babak; Hyde, Truell W.

2018-05-01

Dust particles immersed in a plasma environment become charged through the collection of electrons and ions at random times, causing the dust charge to fluctuate about an equilibrium value. Small grains (with radii less than 1 μm) or grains in a tenuous plasma environment are sensitive to single additions of electrons or ions. Here we present a numerical model that allows examination of discrete stochastic charge fluctuations on the surface of aggregate grains and determines the effect of these fluctuations on the dynamics of grain aggregation. We show that the mean and standard deviation of charge on aggregate grains follow the same trends as those predicted for spheres having an equivalent radius, though aggregates exhibit larger variations from the predicted values. In some plasma environments, these charge fluctuations occur on timescales which are relevant for dynamics of aggregate growth. Coupled dynamics and charging models show that charge fluctuations tend to produce aggregates which are much more linear or filamentary than aggregates formed in an environment where the charge is stationary.

Soil aggregate stability within the morphologically diverse area

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Jaksik, Ondrej; Kodesova, Radka; Kubis, Adam; Klement, Ales; Fer, Miroslav

2013-04-01

. The highest aggregate stability was measured on soils sampled at relatively flat upper parts, which were only slightly influenced by erosion processes. Higher stability was also obtained on base slope, where the sedimentation of previously eroded soil material occurred. Following correlations were obtained between different test results: R=0.911 for WSA and KV1, R=0.481 for WSA and KV2, R=0.700 for WSA and KV3. The statistical significant correlation was found between WSA index and SOM (R=0.403), WSA and pH_CaCl2 (R=-0.360), WSA and Mnd (R=0.408), WSA and Mno (R=0.355), KV1 and SOM (R=-0.377), KV1 and pH_CaCl2 (R=0.352), KV2 and CO3 (R=0.379), KV3 and pH_CaCl2 (R=0.376). We also found statistical significant correlation between WSA index and two terrain attributes (plan curvature R=-0.490, and total curvature R=-0.501). Acknowledgment: Authors acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (QJ1230319). References Le Bissonnais Y. 1996. Aggregate stability and assessment of soil crustability and erodibility: Theory and methodology. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 47: 425-437. Nimmo J.R., Perkins K.S. 2002. Aggregate stability and size distribution, pp. 317-328. In: Dane J. H. & Topp G.C. (eds), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 4 - Physical Methods. Soil Science Society of America, Inc. Madison, USA.

Group living in squamate reptiles: a review of evidence for stable aggregations.

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Gardner, Michael G; Pearson, Sarah K; Johnston, Gregory R; Schwarz, Michael P

2016-11-01

How sociality evolves and is maintained remains a key question in evolutionary biology. Most studies to date have focused on insects, birds, and mammals but data from a wider range of taxonomic groups are essential to identify general patterns and processes. The extent of social behaviour among squamate reptiles is under-appreciated, yet they are a promising group for further studies. Living in aggregations is posited as an important step in the evolution of more complex sociality. We review data on aggregations among squamates and find evidence for some form of aggregations in 94 species across 22 families. Of these, 18 species across 7 families exhibited 'stable' aggregations that entail overlapping home ranges and stable membership in long-term (years) or seasonal aggregations. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that stable aggregations have evolved multiple times in squamates. We: (i) identify significant gaps in our understanding; (ii) outline key traits which should be the focus of future research; and (iii) outline the potential for utilising reproductive skew theory to provide insights into squamate sociality. © 2015 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Prediction of the aggregation propensity of proteins from the primary sequence: aggregation properties of proteomes.

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Castillo, Virginia; Graña-Montes, Ricardo; Sabate, Raimon; Ventura, Salvador

2011-06-01

In the cell, protein folding into stable globular conformations is in competition with aggregation into non-functional and usually toxic structures, since the biophysical properties that promote folding also tend to favor intermolecular contacts, leading to the formation of β-sheet-enriched insoluble assemblies. The formation of protein deposits is linked to at least 20 different human disorders, ranging from dementia to diabetes. Furthermore, protein deposition inside cells represents a major obstacle for the biotechnological production of polypeptides. Importantly, the aggregation behavior of polypeptides appears to be strongly influenced by the intrinsic properties encoded in their sequences and specifically by the presence of selective short regions with high aggregation propensity. This allows computational methods to be used to analyze the aggregation properties of proteins without the previous requirement for structural information. Applications range from the identification of individual amyloidogenic regions in disease-linked polypeptides to the analysis of the aggregation properties of complete proteomes. Herein, we review these theoretical approaches and illustrate how they have become important and useful tools in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying protein aggregation. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Impact of morphology on the radiative properties of fractal soot aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doner, Nimeti; Liu, Fengshan

2017-01-01

The impact of morphology on the radiative properties of fractal soot aggregates was investigated using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA). The optical properties of four different types of aggregates of freshly emitted soot with a fractal dimension D f =1.65 and a fractal pre-factor k f =1.76 were calculated. The four types of aggregates investigated are formed by uniform primary particles in point-touch, by uniform but overlapping primary particles, by uniform but enlarged primary particles in point-touch, and formed by point-touch and polydisperse primary particles. The radiative properties of aggregates consisting of N=20, 56 and 103 primary particles were numerically evaluated for a given refractive index at 0.532 and 1.064 μm. The radiative properties of soot aggregates vary strongly with the volume equivalent radius a eff and wavelength. The accuracy of DDA was evaluated in the first and fourth cases against the generalized multi-sphere Mie (GMM) solution in terms of the vertical–vertical differential scattering cross section (C vv ). The model predicted the average relative deviations from the base case to be within 15–25% for C vv , depending on the number of particles for the aggregate. The scattering cross sections are only slightly affected by the overlapping but more significantly influenced by primary particle polydispersity. It was also found that the enlargement of primary particles by 20% has a strong effect on soot aggregate radiative properties. - Highlights: • The radiative properties of aggregates of N=20, 56 and 103 primary particles were investigated. • Four different cases, formed by point-touch, overlapping, aggregate expansion and polydispersion, were studied. • The effects of overlapping and aggregate expansion on morphology are found to be the same.

Corrosion Behavior of Steel Reinforcement in Concrete with Recycled Aggregates, Fly Ash and Spent Cracking Catalyst

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Hebé Gurdián

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The main strategy to reduce the environmental impact of the concrete industry is to reuse the waste materials. This research has considered the combination of cement replacement by industrial by-products, and natural coarse aggregate substitution by recycled aggregate. The aim is to evaluate the behavior of concretes with a reduced impact on the environment by replacing a 50% of cement by industrial by-products (15% of spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst and 35% of fly ash and a 100% of natural coarse aggregate by recycled aggregate. The concretes prepared according to these considerations have been tested in terms of mechanical strengths and the protection offered against steel reinforcement corrosion under carbonation attack and chloride-contaminated environments. The proposed concrete combinations reduced the mechanical performance of concretes in terms of elastic modulus, compressive strength, and flexural strength. In addition, an increase in open porosity due to the presence of recycled aggregate was observed, which is coherent with the changes observed in mechanical tests. Regarding corrosion tests, no significant differences were observed in the case of the resistance of these types of concretes under a natural chloride attack. In the case of carbonation attack, although all concretes did not stand the highly aggressive conditions, those concretes with cement replacement behaved worse than Portland cement concretes.

Automation of aggregate characterization using laser profiling and digital image analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyoungkwan

2002-08-01

Particle morphological properties such as size, shape, angularity, and texture are key properties that are frequently used to characterize aggregates. The characteristics of aggregates are crucial to the strength, durability, and serviceability of the structure in which they are used. Thus, it is important to select aggregates that have proper characteristics for each specific application. Use of improper aggregate can cause rapid deterioration or even failure of the structure. The current standard aggregate test methods are generally labor-intensive, time-consuming, and subject to human errors. Moreover, important properties of aggregates may not be captured by the standard methods due to a lack of an objective way of quantifying critical aggregate properties. Increased quality expectations of products along with recent technological advances in information technology are motivating new developments to provide fast and accurate aggregate characterization. The resulting information can enable a real time quality control of aggregate production as well as lead to better design and construction methods of portland cement concrete and hot mix asphalt. This dissertation presents a system to measure various morphological characteristics of construction aggregates effectively. Automatic measurement of various particle properties is of great interest because it has the potential to solve such problems in manual measurements as subjectivity, labor intensity, and slow speed. The main efforts of this research are placed on three-dimensional (3D) laser profiling, particle segmentation algorithms, particle measurement algorithms, and generalized particle descriptors. First, true 3D data of aggregate particles obtained by laser profiling are transformed into digital images. Second, a segmentation algorithm and a particle measurement algorithm are developed to separate particles and process each particle data individually with the aid of various kinds of digital image

Design and Implementation of Papyrus: Parallel Aggregate Persistent Storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jungwon [ORNL; Sajjapongse, Kittisak [ORNL; Lee, Seyong [ORNL; Vetter, Jeffrey S [ORNL

2017-01-01

A surprising development in recently announced HPC platforms is the addition of, sometimes massive amounts of, persistent (nonvolatile) memory (NVM) in order to increase memory capacity and compensate for plateauing I/O capabilities. However, there are no portable and scalable programming interfaces using aggregate NVM effectively. This paper introduces Papyrus: a new software system built to exploit emerging capability of NVM in HPC architectures. Papyrus (or Parallel Aggregate Persistent -YRU- Storage) is a novel programming system that provides features for scalable, aggregate, persistent memory in an extreme-scale system for typical HPC usage scenarios. Papyrus mainly consists of Papyrus Virtual File System (VFS) and Papyrus Template Container Library (TCL). Papyrus VFS provides a uniform aggregate NVM storage image across diverse NVM architectures. It enables Papyrus TCL to provide a portable and scalable high-level container programming interface whose data elements are distributed across multiple NVM nodes without requiring the user to handle complex communication, synchronization, replication, and consistency model. We evaluate Papyrus on two HPC systems, including UTK Beacon and NERSC Cori, using real NVM storage devices.

Understanding curcumin-induced modulation of protein aggregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Basir; Borana, Mohanish S; Chaudhary, Ankur P

2017-07-01

Curcumin, a diarylheptanoid compound, found in spice turmeric is known to alter the aggregation of proteins and reduce the toxicity of the aggregates. This review looks at the molecular basis of modulating protein aggregation and toxicity of the aggregates. Foremost, we identify the interaction of curcumin and its derivatives with proteins/peptides and the effect of their interaction on the conformational stability and unfolding/folding pathway(s). The unfolding/folding processes generate partially folded/unfolded intermediate, which serve as aggregation precursor state. Secondly, we discuss the effect of curcumin binding on the kinetics parameters of the aggregation process, which give information about the mechanism of the aggregation inhibition. We describe, in addition, that curcumin can accelerate/promote fibril formation by binding to oligomeric intermediate(s) accumulated in the aggregation pathway. Finally, we discuss the correlation of curcumin-induced monomeric and/or oligomeric precursor states with aggregate structure and toxicity. On the basis of these discussions, we propose a model describing curcumin-induced inhibition/promotion of formation of amyloid-like fibrils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aggregation of carbon dioxide sequestration storage assessment units

Science.gov (United States)

Blondes, Madalyn S.; Schuenemeyer, John H.; Olea, Ricardo A.; Drew, Lawrence J.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is currently conducting a national assessment of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage resources, mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Pre-emission capture and storage of CO2 in subsurface saline formations is one potential method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the negative impact of global climate change. Like many large-scale resource assessments, the area under investigation is split into smaller, more manageable storage assessment units (SAUs), which must be aggregated with correctly propagated uncertainty to the basin, regional, and national scales. The aggregation methodology requires two types of data: marginal probability distributions of storage resource for each SAU, and a correlation matrix obtained by expert elicitation describing interdependencies between pairs of SAUs. Dependencies arise because geologic analogs, assessment methods, and assessors often overlap. The correlation matrix is used to induce rank correlation, using a Cholesky decomposition, among the empirical marginal distributions representing individually assessed SAUs. This manuscript presents a probabilistic aggregation method tailored to the correlations and dependencies inherent to a CO2 storage assessment. Aggregation results must be presented at the basin, regional, and national scales. A single stage approach, in which one large correlation matrix is defined and subsets are used for different scales, is compared to a multiple stage approach, in which new correlation matrices are created to aggregate intermediate results. Although the single-stage approach requires determination of significantly more correlation coefficients, it captures geologic dependencies among similar units in different basins and it is less sensitive to fluctuations in low correlation coefficients than the multiple stage approach. Thus, subsets of one single-stage correlation matrix are used to aggregate to basin, regional, and national scales.

Customer Aggregation: An Opportunity for Green Power?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holt, E.; Bird, L.

2001-02-26

We undertook research into the experience of aggregation groups to determine whether customer aggregation offers an opportunity to bring green power choices to more customers. The objectives of this report, therefore, are to (1) identify the different types of aggregation that are occurring today, (2) learn whether aggregation offers an opportunity to advance sales of green power, and (3) share these concepts and approaches with potential aggregators and green power advocates.

Effect of the LHCII pigment-protein complex aggregation on photovoltaic properties of sensitized TiO2 solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yiqun; Jankowiak, Ryszard; Lin, Chen; Pawlak, Krzysztof; Reus, Michael; Holzwarth, Alfred R; Li, Jun

2014-10-14

A modified dye-sensitized solar cell consisting of a thin TiO2 barrier layer sensitized with natural trimeric light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) from spinach was used as a biomimetic model to study the effects of LHCII aggregation on the photovoltaic properties. The aggregation of individual trimers induced molecular reorganization, which dramatically increased the photocurrent. The morphology of small- and large-size LHCII aggregates deposited on a surface was confirmed by atomic force microscopy. Enhanced LHCII immobilization was accomplished via electrostatic interaction with amine-functionalized photoanodes. The photocurrent responses of the assembled solar cells under illumination at three characteristic wavelength bands in the UV-Vis absorption spectra of LHCII solutions confirmed that a significant photocurrent was generated by LHCII photosensitizers. The enhanced photocurrent by large aggregated LHCII is shown to correlate with the quenching in the far-red fluorescence deriving from chlorophyll-chlorophyll charge transfer states that are effectively coupled with the TiO2 surface and thus inject electrons into the TiO2 conduction band. The large aggregated LHCII with more chlorophyll-chlorophyll charge transfer states is a much better sensitizer since it injects electrons more efficiently into the conduction band of TiO2 than the small aggregated LHCII mostly consisting of unquenched chlorophyll excited state. The assembled solar cells demonstrated remarkable stability in both aqueous buffer and acetonitrile electrolytes over 30 days.

Interaction of polyhydroxy fullerenes with ferrihydrite: adsorption and aggregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jing; Zhu, Runliang; Xu, Tianyuan; Laipan, Mingwang; Zhu, Yanping; Zhou, Qing; Zhu, Jianxi; He, Hongping

2018-02-01

The rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnology, with thousands types of nanomaterials being produced, will lead to various environmental impacts. Thus, understanding the behaviors and fate of these nanomaterials is essential. This study focused on the interaction between polyhydroxy fullerenes (PHF) and ferrihydrite (Fh), a widespread iron (oxyhydr)oxide nanomineral and geosorbent. Our results showed that PHF were effectively adsorbed by Fh. The adsorption isotherm fitted the D-R model well, with an adsorption capacity of 67.1mg/g. The adsorption mean free energy of 10.72kJ/mol suggested that PHF were chemisorbed on Fh. An increase in the solution pH and a decrease of the Fh surface zeta potential were observed after the adsorption of PHF on Fh; moreover, increasing initial solution pH led to a reduction of adsorption. The Fourier transform infrared spectra detected a red shift of C-O stretching from 1075 to 1062cm -1 and a decrease of Fe-O bending, implying the interaction between PHF oxygenic functional groups and Fh surface hydroxyls. On the other hand, PHF affected the aggregation and reactivity of Fh by changing its surface physicochemical properties. Aggregation of PHF and Fh with individual particle sizes increasing from 2nm to larger than 5nm was measured by atomic force microscopy. The uniform distribution of C and Fe suggested that the aggregates of Fh were possibly bridged by PHF. Our results indicated that the interaction between PHF and Fh could evidently influence the migration of PHF, as well as the aggregation and reactivity of Fh. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Reusing recycled aggregates in structural concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Kou, Shicong

The utilization of recycled aggregates in concrete can minimize environmental impact and reduce the consumption of natural resources in concrete applications. The aim of this thesis is to provide a scientific basis for the possible use of recycled aggregates in structure concrete by conducting a comprehensive programme of laboratory study to gain a better understanding of the mechanical, microstructure and durability properties of concrete produced with recycled aggregates. The study also explored possible techniques to of improve the properties of recycled aggregate concrete that is produced with high percentages (≧ 50%) of recycled aggregates. These techniques included: (a) using lower water-to-cement ratios in the concrete mix design; (b) using fly ash as a cement replacement or as an additional mineral admixture in the concrete mixes, and (c) precasting recycled aggregate concrete with steam curing regimes. The characteristics of the recycled aggregates produced both from laboratory and a commercially operated pilot construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant were first studied. A mix proportioning procedure was then established to produce six series of concrete mixtures using different percentages of recycled coarse aggregates with and without the use of fly ash. The water-to-cement (binder) ratios of 0.55, 0.50, 0.45 and 0.40 were used. The fresh properties (including slump and bleeding) of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) were then quantified. The effects of fly ash on the fresh and hardened properties of RAC were then studied and compared with those RAC prepared with no fly ash addition. Furthermore, the effects of steam curing on the hardened properties of RAC were investigated. For micro-structural properties, the interfacial transition zones of the aggregates and the mortar/cement paste were analyzed by SEM and EDX-mapping. Moreover, a detailed set of results on the fracture properties for RAC were obtained. Based on the experimental

Aggregated and dispersed configuration of microhabitats in coastal defenses: Implications for restoration of populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Cacabelos

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The additions of artificial structures to the landscape are usually translated into habitat loss and fragmentation, since they provide homogeneous habitats less diverse in types and number of microhabitats. Moreover, the smooth surface of artificial structures increases the degree of environmental stress (e.g. desiccation experienced by intertidal organisms. Local biodiversity can be increased with microhabitats availability by attracting or supporting species of macrofauna and seaweeds. E.g., distribution and survival of the mollusc Patella candei, a limpet exploited in intertidal coasts of Açores, has been showed to be strongly influenced by availability of microhabitats. We experimentally analyzed the influence of microhabitat aggregation and dispersion on the distribution of several species of gastropods on midshores of artificial substrates. Data were compared with distributions within unmanipulated plots. Effects were found among treatments and control plots in densities of Tectarius striatus and at the different life-history stages of limpets (recruits, immature and adult individuals inhabiting artificial substrata with manipulated aggregation levels. In case of Melaraphe neritoides, only in site 2 numbers of were greater in manipulated than in control plots. Configurations with different dispersion levels also showed greater densities than controls. Both aggregation and dispersion effects were more evident at site 2; however, due to the high variability among examined plots, no clear significant responses were found among the different treatments.

Aggregated particles caused by instrument artifact

Science.gov (United States)

Pierce, Ashley M.; Loría-Salazar, S. Marcela; Arnott, W. Patrick; Edwards, Grant C.; Miller, Matthieu B.; Gustin, Mae S.

2018-04-01

Previous studies have indicated that superaggregates, clusters of aggregates of soot primary particles, can be formed in large-scale turbulent fires. Due to lower effective densities, higher porosity, and lower aerodynamic diameters, superaggregates may pass through inlets designed to remove particles 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter were collected on 36 out of 158 sample days. On preliminary analysis, it was thought that these aggregated particles were superaggregates, depositing past PM10 (particles wind speeds, as well as the use of generators on site. Samples with aggregated particles, referred to as aggregates, were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope for size and shape and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used for elemental analysis. It was determined, based on the high amounts of aluminum present in the aggregate samples, that a sampling artifact associated with the sample inlet and prolonged, high wind events was the probable reason for the observed aggregates.

The single scattering properties of the aerosol particles as aggregated spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Y.; Gu, X.; Cheng, T.; Xie, D.; Yu, T.; Chen, H.; Guo, J.

2012-01-01

The light scattering and absorption properties of anthropogenic aerosol particles such as soot aggregates are complicated in the temporal and spatial distribution, which introduce uncertainty of radiative forcing on global climate change. In order to study the single scattering properties of anthorpogenic aerosol particles, the structures of these aerosols such as soot paticles and soot-containing mixtures with the sulfate or organic matter, are simulated using the parallel diffusion limited aggregation algorithm (DLA) based on the transmission electron microscope images (TEM). Then, the single scattering properties of randomly oriented aerosols, such as scattering matrix, single scattering albedo (SSA), and asymmetry parameter (AP), are computed using the superposition T-matrix method. The comparisons of the single scattering properties of these specific types of clusters with different morphological and chemical factors such as fractal parameters, aspect ratio, monomer radius, mixture mode and refractive index, indicate that these different impact factors can respectively generate the significant influences on the single scattering properties of these aerosols. The results show that aspect ratio of circumscribed shape has relatively small effect on single scattering properties, for both differences of SSA and AP are less than 0.1. However, mixture modes of soot clusters with larger sulfate particles have remarkably important effects on the scattering and absorption properties of aggregated spheres, and SSA of those soot-containing mixtures are increased in proportion to the ratio of larger weakly absorbing attachments. Therefore, these complex aerosols come from man made pollution cannot be neglected in the aerosol retrievals. The study of the single scattering properties on these kinds of aggregated spheres is important and helpful in remote sensing observations and atmospheric radiation balance computations.

Determination of critical nucleation number for a single nucleation amyloid-β aggregation model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Preetam; Vaidya, Ashwin; Kumar, Amit; Rangachari, Vijayaraghavan

2016-03-01

Aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide are known to be the key pathological agents in Alzheimer disease (AD). Aβ aggregates to form large, insoluble fibrils that deposit as senile plaques in AD brains. The process of aggregation is nucleation-dependent in which the formation of a nucleus is the rate-limiting step, and controls the physiochemical fate of the aggregates formed. Therefore, understanding the properties of nucleus and pre-nucleation events will be significant in reducing the existing knowledge-gap in AD pathogenesis. In this report, we have determined the plausible range of critical nucleation number (n(*)), the number of monomers associated within the nucleus for a homogenous aggregation model with single unique nucleation event, by two independent methods: A reduced-order stability analysis and ordinary differential equation based numerical analysis, supported by experimental biophysics. The results establish that the most likely range of n(*) is between 7 and 14 and within, this range, n(*) = 12 closely supports the experimental data. These numbers are in agreement with those previously reported, and importantly, the report establishes a new modeling framework using two independent approaches towards a convergent solution in modeling complex aggregation reactions. Our model also suggests that the formation of large protofibrils is dependent on the nature of n(*), further supporting the idea that pre-nucleation events are significant in controlling the fate of larger aggregates formed. This report has re-opened an old problem with a new perspective and holds promise towards revealing the molecular events in amyloid pathologies in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The changing roles of natural gas aggregators - a Pan-Alberta Gas perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Field, D. L.

1999-01-01

Traditional roles played by the various forms of natural gas marketing entities (margin-marketers, aggregators, brokers) and the factors that influence a producer of natural gas to market its gas through one or more of these entities are the subject of this paper. The author also reviews current developments in the natural gas marketing industry, focusing on changes from the perspective of the gas aggregator.The most significant change has been the trend by aggregators to branch out to provide a broad range of services that meet the needs of individual producers including gas management services for non-pool gas supply, transportation management, fixed and indexed pricing for both pool and non-pool supply, market based pricing, financial services for producers, short-term sales arrangements and streaming specific supply sources to specific markets. As aggregators continue to move away from offering only the traditional aggregator services, the distinction between aggregators and margin-marketers and the services they provide is becoming less distinct. The principal differences that will remain will be the differences in corporate structures and the shareholders who share the costs and receive the benefits generated by business activities of the aggregator. Another difference that will continue to exist is that margin-marketers offer North American-based services whereas aggregators focus on marketing natural gas primarily in Western Canada

Numerical Simulation for Mechanical Behavior of Asphalt Pavement with Graded Aggregate Base

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongliang He

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The performance of asphalt pavement is determined by the combination of its material properties, road structure, and loading configurations. A DEM numerical simulation study was conducted to determine stress distribution and deformation behavior of asphalt pavement with graded aggregate base under standard traffic loading. Stress contour and displacement contour were presented via a self-made program. Compressive stress concentrated area located in both sides of wheel, while tensile stress concentrated area appeared in lower part of the asphalt layer. The traffic loading transferred downward by graded aggregate base and to both sides at the same time, and has a trend to expand gradually with increasing depth within graded aggregate base. Therefore, stress was well distributed in the subgrade soil layer with a great action scope, and the value decreased obviously because of the stress dispersion of graded aggregate base. Vertical displacement was the main displacement of the asphalt layer, and on the both sides of traffic loading, displacement was downward and inclined slightly to the central of loading. Vertical and horizontal deformations included in both graded aggregate base layers, and displacement extended to both sides gradually with increasing depth corresponding to stress-distribution trends. Vertical displacement was dominated in the subgrade soil layer which was relatively small.