Effect of Grooved Concrete on Curing Efficiency, MLR-83-4, 1983

The textured concrete surface on all PCC primary paving projects (and when specified on secondary projects) is required to be grooved in a specified manner. The laboratory test for determining the efficiency index of concrete curing compounds is made on slabs that are not grooved. This short investigation was undertaken to determine any changes in the curing efficiency index when using various rates of application of curing compound on grooved concrete. Currently a 95 percent curing efficiency index is specified at an application rate of 15 square yards per gallon. Can this efficiency be achieved, and if so at what application rate, on grooved concrete? Grooving the concrete greatly increases the surface area and also causes the liquid curing compound to run off the high spots and collect in the grooves.

Predictive analysis and mapping of indoor radon concentrations in Switzerland

It is estimated that around 230 people die each year due to radon (222Rn) exposure in Switzerland. 222Rn occurs mainly in closed environments like buildings and originates primarily from the subjacent ground. Therefore it depends strongly on geology and shows substantial regional variations. Correct identification of these regional variations would lead to substantial reduction of 222Rn exposure of the population based on appropriate construction of new and mitigation of already existing buildings. Prediction of indoor 222Rn concentrations (IRC) and identification of 222Rn prone areas is however difficult since IRC depend on a variety of different variables like building characteristics, meteorology, geology and anthropogenic factors. The present work aims at the development of predictive models and the understanding of IRC in Switzerland, taking into account a maximum of information in order to minimize the prediction uncertainty. The predictive maps will be used as a decision-support tool for 222Rn risk management. The construction of these models is based on different data-driven statistical methods, in combination with geographical information systems (GIS). In a first phase we performed univariate analysis of IRC for different variables, namely the detector type, building category, foundation, year of construction, the average outdoor temperature during measurement, altitude and lithology. All variables showed significant associations to IRC. Buildings constructed after 1900 showed significantly lower IRC compared to earlier constructions. We observed a further drop of IRC after 1970. In addition to that, we found an association of IRC with altitude. With regard to lithology, we observed the lowest IRC in sedimentary rocks (excluding carbonates) and sediments and the highest IRC in the Jura carbonates and igneous rock. The IRC data was systematically analyzed for potential bias due to spatially unbalanced sampling of measurements. In order to facilitate the modeling and the interpretation of the influence of geology on IRC, we developed an algorithm based on k-medoids clustering which permits to define coherent geological classes in terms of IRC. We performed a soil gas 222Rn concentration (SRC) measurement campaign in order to determine the predictive power of SRC with respect to IRC. We found that the use of SRC is limited for IRC prediction. The second part of the project was dedicated to predictive mapping of IRC using models which take into account the multidimensionality of the process of 222Rn entry into buildings. We used kernel regression and ensemble regression tree for this purpose. We could explain up to 33% of the variance of the log transformed IRC all over Switzerland. This is a good performance compared to former attempts of IRC modeling in Switzerland. As predictor variables we considered geographical coordinates, altitude, outdoor temperature, building type, foundation, year of construction and detector type. Ensemble regression trees like random forests allow to determine the role of each IRC predictor in a multidimensional setting. We found spatial information like geology, altitude and coordinates to have stronger influences on IRC than building related variables like foundation type, building type and year of construction. Based on kernel estimation we developed an approach to determine the local probability of IRC to exceed 300 Bq/m3. In addition to that we developed a confidence index in order to provide an estimate of uncertainty of the map. All methods allow an easy creation of tailor-made maps for different building characteristics. Our work is an essential step towards a 222Rn risk assessment which accounts at the same time for different architectural situations as well as geological and geographical conditions. For the communication of 222Rn hazard to the population we recommend to make use of the probability map based on kernel estimation. The communication of 222Rn hazard could for example be implemented via a web interface where the users specify the characteristics and coordinates of their home in order to obtain the probability to be above a given IRC with a corresponding index of confidence. Taking into account the health effects of 222Rn, our results have the potential to substantially improve the estimation of the effective dose from 222Rn delivered to the Swiss population.

Effects of plant population and nitrogen fertilizer on yield and efficiency of maize-bean intercropping

Nitrogen supply and plant population are basic parameters for cereal-legume intercropping. In order to study plant population and nitrogen fertilizer effects on yield and yield efficiency of maize-bean intercropping, a field experiment was established. Three bean plant populations and three nitrogen levels were used. Maize dry matter accumulation decreased with increases in bean plant population. Competitive effect of intercrop beans on maize yields was high at higher plant populations, being decreased by nitrogen fertilizer; application of 50 kg ha-1 N was very efficient in increasing maize cob yield. Intercropping significantly decreased harvest index of beans in all plant population and nitrogen fertilizer situations. The efficiency of intercropping, compared to sole cropping, was evidenced by the values obtained for Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) for biomass, cob and pod yields that increased with increases in bean plant populations and nitrogen fertilizer levels.

Extrasynaptic neurotransmission in the modulation of brain function. Focus on the striatal neuronal glial networks

Extrasynaptic neurotransmission is an important short distance form of volume transmission (VT) and describes the extracellular diffusion of transmitters and modulators after synaptic spillover or extrasynaptic release in the local circuit regions binding to and activating mainly extrasynaptic neuronal and glial receptors in the neuroglial networks of the brain. Receptor-receptor interactions in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) heteromers play a major role, on dendritic spines and nerve terminals including glutamate synapses, in the integrative processes of the extrasynaptic signaling. Heteromeric complexes between GPCR and ion-channel receptors play a special role in the integration of the synaptic and extrasynaptic signals. Changes in extracellular concentrations of the classical synaptic neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA found with microdialysis is likely an expression of the activity of the neuron-astrocyte unit of the brain and can be used as an index of VT-mediated actions of these two neurotransmitters in the brain. Thus, the activity of neurons may be functionally linked to the activity of astrocytes, which may release glutamate and GABA to the extracellular space where extrasynaptic glutamate and GABA receptors do exist. Wiring transmission (WT) and VT are fundamental properties of all neurons of the CNS but the balance between WT and VT varies from one nerve cell population to the other. The focus is on the striatal cellular networks, and the WT and VT and their integration via receptor heteromers are described in the GABA projection neurons, the glutamate, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and histamine striatal afferents, the cholinergic interneurons, and different types of GABA interneurons. In addition, the role in these networks of VT signaling of the energy-dependent modulator adenosine and of endocannabinoids mainly formed in the striatal projection neurons will be underlined to understand the communication in the striatal cellular networks

Secular trends in height and weight among children and adolescents of the Seychelles, 1956-2006.

BACKGROUND: Height of individuals has long been considered as a significant index of nutrition and health of a population; still, there is little information regarding the trends of height and weight among developing or transitional countries. We assessed the secular trends in height and weight in children of the Seychelles, a rapidly developing island state in the Indian Ocean (African region). METHODS: Height and weight were measured in all students of all schools in four selected school grades (kindergarten, 4th, 7th and 10th grades) for the periods 1998-9 (6391 children) and 2005-6 (8582 children). Data for 1956-7 was extracted from a previously published report. RESULTS: At age 15.5 years, boys/girls were on average 10/13 cm taller and 15/9 kg heavier in 2005-6 than in 1956-7. Height increased in boys/girls by 1.62/0.93 cm/decade between 1956-7 and 1998-9 and by 1.14/1.82 cm/decade between 1998-9 and 2005-6. For weight, the linear increase in boys/girls was 1.38/1.10 kg/decade between 1956-7 and 1998-9 and 2.21/2.50 kg/decade between 1998-9 and 2005-6. Overall, the relative increase in weight between 1956-7 and 2005-6 was 5-fold higher than the relative increase in height. CONCLUSION: Height and weight increased markedly over time in children aged <16 years in the Seychelles, consistent with large changes in socio-economic and nutritional indicators in the considered 50-year interval. The markedly steeper increase in weight than height over time is consistent with an epidemic of overweight and obesity.

A comparative phenotypic study of kallmann syndrome patients carrying monoallelic and biallelic mutations in the prokineticin 2 or prokineticin receptor 2 genes.

Context: Both biallelic and monoallelic mutations in PROK2 or PROKR2 have been found in Kallmann syndrome (KS). Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the phenotypes of KS patients harboring monoallelic and biallelic mutations in these genes. Design and Patients: We studied clinical and endocrine features that reflect the functioning of the pituitary-gonadal axis, and the nonreproductive phenotype, in 55 adult KS patients (42 men and 13 women), of whom 41 had monoallelic mutations and 14 biallelic mutations in PROK2 or PROKR2. Results: Biallelic mutations were associated with more frequent cryptorchidism (70% vs. 34%, P < 0.05) and microphallus (90% vs. 28%, P < 0.001) and lower mean testicular volume (1.2 +/- 0.4 vs. 4.5 +/- 6.0 ml; P < 0.01) in male patients. Likewise, the testosterone level as well as the basal FSH level and peak LH level under GnRH-stimulation were lower in males with biallelic mutations (0.2 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.7 +/- 0.8 ng/ml; P = 0.05, 0.3 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.8 +/- 3.0 IU/liter; P < 0.05, and 0.8 +/- 0.8 vs. 5.2 +/- 5.5 IU/liter; P < 0.05, respectively). Nonreproductive, nonolfactory anomalies were rare in both sexes and were never found in patients with biallelic mutations. The mean body mass index of the patients (23.9 +/- 4.2 kg/m(2) in males and 26.3 +/- 6.6 kg/m(2) in females) did not differ significantly from that of gender-, age-, and treatment-matched KS individuals who did not carry a mutation in PROK2 or PROKR2. Finally, circadian cortisol levels evaluated in five patients, including one with biallelic PROKR2 mutations, were normal in all cases. Conclusion: Male patients carrying biallelic mutations in PROK2 or PROKR2 have a less variable and on average a more severe reproductive phenotype than patients carrying monoallelic mutations in these genes. Nonreproductive, nonolfactory clinical anomalies associated with KS seem to be restricted to patients with monoallelic mutations.

Introduction of snow and geomorphic disturbance variables into predictive models of alpine plant distribution in the Western Swiss Alps

Indirect topographic variables have been used successfully as surrogates for disturbance processes in plant species distribution models (SDM) in mountain environments. However, no SDM studies have directly tested the performance of disturbance variables. In this study, we developed two disturbance variables: a geomorphic index (GEO) and an index of snow redistribution by wind (SNOW). These were developed in order to assess how they improved both the fit and predictive power of presenceabsence SDM based on commonly used topoclimatic (TC) variables for 91 plants in the Western Swiss Alps. The individual contribution of the disturbance variables was compared to TC variables. Maps of models were prepared to spatially test the effect of disturbance variables. On average, disturbance variables significantly improved the fit but not the predictive power of the TC models and their individual contribution was weak (5.6% for GEO and 3.3% for SNOW). However their maximum individual contribution was important (24.7% and 20.7%). Finally, maps including disturbance variables (i) were significantly divergent from TC models in terms of predicted suitable surfaces and connectivity between potential habitats, and (ii) were interpreted as more ecologically relevant. Disturbance variables did not improve the transferability of models at the local scale in a complex mountain system, and the performance and contribution of these variables were highly species-specific. However, improved spatial projections and change in connectivity are important issues when preparing projections under climate change because the future range size of the species will determine the sensitivity to changing conditions.

Impact of the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase signaling pathway on the cardioprotection induced by intermittent hypoxia.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH) may enhance cardiac function and protects heart against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we developed a cardioprotective IH model that was characterized at hemodynamic, biochemical and molecular levels. METHODS: Mice were exposed to 4 daily IH cycles (each composed of 2-min at 6-8% O2 followed by 3-min reoxygenation for 5 times) for 14 days, with normoxic mice as controls. Mice were then anesthetized and subdivided in various subgroups for analysis of contractility (pressure-volume loop), morphology, biochemistry or resistance to I/R (30-min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) followed by reperfusion and measurement of the area at risk and infarct size). In some mice, the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin was administered (24 µg/kg ip) 15 min before LAD. RESULTS: We found that IH did not induce myocardial hypertrophy; rather both contractility and cardiac function improved with greater number of capillaries per unit volume and greater expression of VEGF-R2, but not of VEGF. Besides increasing the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and the endothelial isoform of NO synthase with respect to control, IH reduced the infarct size and post-LAD proteins carbonylation, index of oxidative damage. Administration of wortmannin reduced the level of Akt phosphorylation and worsened the infarct size. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the PI3K/Akt pathway is crucial for IH-induced cardioprotection and may represent a viable target to reduce myocardial I/R injury.

Association of biomarkers of lipid modification with functional and morphological indices of coronary stenosis severity in stable coronary artery disease.

Biomarkers of blood lipid modification and oxidative stress have been associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity. We sought to determine whether these biomarkers were related to functional indices of stenosis severity among patients with stable coronary artery disease. We studied 197 consecutive patients with stable coronary artery disease due to single vessel disease. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≤ 0.80 was assessed as index of a functionally significant lesion. Serum levels of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) activity, secretory phospholipase A2 type IIA (sPLA2-IIA), myeloperoxydase (MPO), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) were assessed using commercially available assays. Patients with FFR > 0.8 had higher sPLA2 activity, sPLA2 IIA, and OxLDL levels than patients with FFR ≤ 0.8 (21.25 [16.03-27.28] vs 25.85 [20.58-34.63] U/mL, p < 0.001, 2.0 [1.5-3.4] vs 2.6 [2.0-3.4] ng/mL, p < 0.01; and 53.0 [36.0-71.0] vs 64.5 [50-89.25], p < 0.001 respectively). Patients with FFR > 0.80 had similar Lp-PLA2 and MPO levels versus those with FFR ≤ 0.8. sPLA2 activity, sPLA2 IIA significantly increased area under the curve over baseline characteristics to predict FFR ≤ 0.8 (0.67 to 0.77 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-0.85) p < 0.01 and 0.67 to 0.77 (95 % CI: 0.69-0.84) p < 0.01, respectively). Serum sPLA2 activity as well as sPLA2-IIA level is related to functional characteristics of coronary stenoses in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Epithelial Ingrowth After Lasik/altk: An Immunohistological Study Of 4 Cases. Do Epithelial Inclusions Grow From Trapped Corneal Stem-like Cells?

Purpose: To characterize the clinical, morphological and immunohistological features of epithelial ingrowth cells after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) or Automated Lamellar Therapeutic Keratoplasty (ALTK) with specific reference to current markers of corneal stem cells.Methods: Four patients were included in this interventional non-comparative case series. Full ophthalmologic examination was performed. Epithelial ingrowth specimens from 4 patients were removed surgically and immunostained for cytokeratin 3 (CK3), cytokeratin 15 (CK15), cytokeratin 19 (CK19), Muc5AC, p63α, C/EBPδ, Bmi-1, BCRP/ABCG2 and Ki-67.Results: The time interval between LASIK/ALTK and ingrowth surgical removal was, 3, 11, 15 and 36 months. On slit lamp examination, early epithelial ingrowth appeared as whitish pearls and late epithelial ingrowth as confluent whitish opacities. Microscopically, the epithelial ingrowths showed features of a squamous non keratinizing epithelium. No mitotic figure was seen. Ki-67 labelling of 3 cases showed a proliferation index of 3-4%. Superficial squamous cells strongly expressed CK3. Expression of C/EBPδ, BCRP/ABCG2 and p63α was seen in more than 70% of cells and Bmi-1 was positive in up to 30% of cells in the specimens tested. There was no expression of CK19 or CK15.Conclusions: Epithelial ingrowths can persist for up to 3 years following LASIK surgery. They show a capacity for self-renewal and corneal differentiation. Besides, they express p63α, C/EBPδ, Bmi-1, BCRP/ABCG2 which have been proposed as markers of stem cell phenotype. These observations suggest that post-LASIK/ALTK epithelial inclusions could derive from stem-like cells located in the peripheral corneal epithelium.

Potassium permanganate effects in postharvest conservation of the papaya cultivar Sunrise Golden

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of KMnO4 on the extension of postharvest life of 'Sunrise Golden' papaya, stored under modified atmosphere and refrigeration. Fruit with up to 10% yellow peel were harvested in a commercial orchard in Linhares, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Sets of three fruit (unit mass of 289.9±18.5 g) were wrapped in low-density polyethylene films (28 ¼m thick) containing sachets of KMnO4 at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 g per bag. The bags were sealed and stored at 10.4±0.9°C and 90±5% relative humidity for 25 days. After this period, the fruit were removed from the bags and maintained at 21±0.8°C and 90±5% relative humidity until complete ripening. Four days after bag sealing, CO2 concentration stabilized in all treatments, and was higher in bags without KMnO4. In all treatments, fruit reached the climacteric respiratory peak on the third day after bag removal, coinciding with peel color index of 3.5. Increasing the KMnO4 dose reduced the losses in fruit fresh matter, consistency and pulp electrolyte leakage. Potassium permanganate was effective in maintaining the fruit at the pre-climacteric stage during the 25-day storage, and did not interfere with normal ripening after bag removal.

Efficiency in inventories of ants in a forest reservein Central Amazonia

The objective of this work was to evaluate an inventory method efficiency for ants. We used subsamples collected in 24 transects of 100 m, distributed in 6 plots of 600 ha each in primary forest, as part of a long-term project. Ten litter subsamples were extracted per transect using Winkler extractors. Ants were identified to genus level, and Crematogaster, Gnamptogenys and Pachycondyla genera to species/morphospecies level. To evaluate the consequences of reduced sampling on the retention of ecological information, we estimated the lowest number of subsamples needed to detect the effects of environmental variables. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) was used to generate dissimilarity matrices, and Mantel correlations between each reduced-sampling effort and maximum effort were used as an index of how much information was maintained and could still be used in multivariate analyses. Lower p-values was observed on the effect of soil pH in the community of genera, and on the effect of the litter volume for the community of Crematogaster. The trend was still detectable in the analysis based on reduced-sampling. The number of subsamples can be reduced, and the cost-efficiency of the protocol can be improved with little loss of information.

Revisiting spatial distribution and biochemical composition of calcium-containing crystals in human osteoarthritic articular cartilage.

INTRODUCTION: Calcium-containing (CaC) crystals, including basic calcium phosphate (BCP) and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPP), are associated with destructive forms of osteoarthritis (OA). We assessed their distribution and biochemical and morphologic features in human knee OA cartilage. METHODS: We prospectively included 20 patients who underwent total knee replacement (TKR) for primary OA. CaC crystal characterization and identification involved Fourier-transform infra-red spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy of 8 to 10 cartilage zones of each knee, including medial and lateral femoral condyles and tibial plateaux and the intercondyle zone. Differential expression of genes involved in the mineralization process between cartilage with and without calcification was assessed in samples from 8 different patients by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry and histology studies were performed in 6 different patients. RESULTS: Mean (SEM) age and body mass index of patients at the time of TKR was 74.6 (1.7) years and 28.1 (1.6) kg/m², respectively. Preoperative X-rays showed joint calcifications (chondrocalcinosis) in 4 cases only. The medial femoro-tibial compartment was the most severely affected in all cases, and mean (SEM) Kellgren-Lawrence score was 3.8 (0.1). All 20 OA cartilages showed CaC crystals. The mineral content represented 7.7% (8.1%) of the cartilage weight. All patients showed BCP crystals, which were associated with CPP crystals for 8 joints. CaC crystals were present in all knee joint compartments and in a mean of 4.6 (1.7) of the 8 studied areas. Crystal content was similar between superficial and deep layers and between medial and femoral compartments. BCP samples showed spherical structures, typical of biological apatite, and CPP samples showed rod-shaped or cubic structures. The expression of several genes involved in mineralization, including human homolog of progressive ankylosis, plasma-cell-membrane glycoprotein 1 and tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase, was upregulated in OA chondrocytes isolated from CaC crystal-containing cartilages. CONCLUSIONS: CaC crystal deposition is a widespread phenomenon in human OA articular cartilage involving the entire knee cartilage including macroscopically normal and less weight-bearing zones. Cartilage calcification is associated with altered expression of genes involved in the mineralisation process.

Effects of zoledronate versus placebo on spine bone mineral density and microarchitecture assessed by the trabecular bone score in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: A three-year study.

The trabecular bone score (TBS) is an index of bone microarchitectural texture calculated from anteroposterior dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans of the lumbar spine (LS) that predicts fracture risk, independent of bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study was to compare the effects of yearly intravenous zoledronate (ZOL) versus placebo (PLB) on LS BMD and TBS in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Changes in TBS were assessed in the subset of 107 patients recruited at the Department of Osteoporosis of the University Hospital of Berne, Switzerland, who were included in the HORIZON trial. All subjects received adequate calcium and vitamin D3. In these patients randomly assigned to either ZOL (n = 54) or PLB (n = 53) for 3 years, BMD was measured by DXA and TBS assessed by TBS iNsight (v1.9) at baseline and 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after treatment initiation. Baseline characteristics (mean ± SD) were similar between groups in terms of age, 76.8 ± 5.0 years; body mass index (BMI), 24.5 ± 3.6 kg/m(2) ; TBS, 1.178 ± 0.1 but for LS T-score (ZOL-2.9 ± 1.5 versus PLB-2.1 ± 1.5). Changes in LS BMD were significantly greater with ZOL than with PLB at all time points (p < 0.0001 for all), reaching +9.58% versus +1.38% at month 36. Change in TBS was significantly greater with ZOL than with PLB as of month 24, reaching +1.41 versus-0.49% at month 36; p = 0.031, respectively. LS BMD and TBS were weakly correlated (r = 0.20) and there were no correlations between changes in BMD and TBS from baseline at any visit. In postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, once-yearly intravenous ZOL therapy significantly increased LS BMD relative to PLB over 3 years and TBS as of 2 years. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Raman analysis of multilayer automotive paints in forensic science: measurement variability and depth profile?

The aim of this work is to study the influence of several analytical parameters on the variability of Raman spectra of paint samples. In the present study, microtome thin section and direct (no preparation) analysis are considered as sample preparation. In order to evaluate their influence on the measures, an experimental design such as 'fractional full factorial' with seven factors (including the sampling process) is applied, for a total of 32 experiments representing 160 measures. Once the influence of sample preparation highlighted, a depth profile of a paint sample is carried out by changing the focusing plane in order to measure the colored layer under a clearcoat. This is undertaken in order to avoid sample preparation such a microtome sectioning. Finally, chemometric treatments such as principal component analysis are applied to the resulting spectra. The findings of this study indicate the importance of sample preparation, or more specifically, the surface roughness, on the variability of the measurements on a same sample. Moreover, the depth profile experiment highlights the influence of the refractive index of the upper layer (clearcoat) when measuring through a transparent layer.