Laboratory Characterization of Porous Asphalt Mixtures with Aramid Fibers

Recent studies have shown that fibers improve the performance of porous asphalt mixtures. In this study, the influence of four different fibers, (a) regular aramid fiber (RegAR), (b) aramid fiber with latex coating (ARLat), (c) aramid fiber with polyurethane coating (ARPoly), (d) aramid fiber of length 12 mm (AR12) was evaluated on abrasion resistance and toughness of the mixtures. The functional performance was estimated using permeability tests and the mechanical performance was evaluated using the Cantabro test and indirect tensile strength tests. The parameters such as fracture energy, post cracking energy, and toughness were obtained through stress-strain plots. Based on the analysis of results, it was concluded that the addition of ARLat fibers enhanced the abrasion resistance of the mixtures. In terms of ITS, ARPoly and RegAR have positively influenced mixtures under dry conditions. However, the mixtures with all aramid fibers were found to have adverse effects on the ITS under wet conditions and energy parameters of porous asphalt mixtures with the traditional percentages of bitumen in the mixture used in Spain (i.e., approximately 4.5%).     

Maternal and infant essential fatty acid status in Havana,Cuba

BACKGROUND: Adequate intake of essential fatty acids (EFAs) is required for optimal development of the central nervous system and visual acuity in infants. Little information exists regarding the EFA status of vulnerable populations living in Southern regions. OBJECTIVE: We examined the adequacy of EFA status in Cuban breast-feeding mothers and their infants. DESIGN: Blood and breast-milk samples were obtained from a cross-sectional sample of mothers and term infants in Havana at 2 mo postpartum. We determined the fatty acid profiles of total lipids in breast milk, plasma, and erythrocytes and assessed infant visual acuity by using Teller acuity cards. RESULTS: Of the 56 mothers and infants examined, none showed biochemical signs of poor EFA status. Compared with values reported in the literature, mothers had an adequate EFA profile in their breast milk, plasma, and erythrocytes. The docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentration in breast milk was 0.43 +/- 0.26% of total fatty acids. It appeared that these breast-fed infants had an adequate dietary supply of DHA, as reflected by the mean plasma and erythrocyte DHA concentrations (2.82 +/- 0.84% and 7.41 +/- 1.16% of total fatty acids, respectively). Infant visual acuity testing showed a mean of 2.00 +/- 0.68 cycles/degree, which is within the normal range of mean binocular acuities for 2-mo-old term infants. The data did not show any relation between EFA concentrations and visual acuity. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that n-3 fatty acid deficiency and potential related deficits in early visual neural development are rare, if they exist at all, in breast-feeding women and their infants in Havana.     

Epidemiology and clinical significance of Blastocystis hominis in different population groups in Salamanca (Spain)

A prospective study was carried out to investigate the epidemiology and clinical significance of Blastocystis hominis in the following groups of the population of the city of Salamanca (Spain): in children attending 11 day car centres and 7 primary schools, two fecal samples were obtained from each child, and in 1231 patients attending the Clinical Hospital. A B. hominis incidence of 5.3–10.3% was found in the day care centres and an incidence rate of 13.4–19.4% was found in the primary schools. All the cases were observed in asymptomatic children. The incidence of B. hominis was greater in children older than 3 years in the day care centres and in the 10–14 year-old group in the primary schools. A heavier parasitization was observed in the boys than in the girls and in the students of schoold in areas of low socio-economic level. B. hominis was identified in 40 patients attending the Clinical Hospital (3.25% of all those studied). The maximum peak of incidence was found in subjects with ages between 10 and 14 years. A follow up study was performed on 18 patients parasitized exclusively by B. hominis; 7 of these were considered to have acute gastroenteritis and one chronic gastroenteritis associated with the protozoan. No statistically significant association was observed between the number of B. hominis cells and the presence of diarrhoea. Our results show that despite the high number of asymptomatic carriers of B. hominis in the juvenile population, this protozoan may be, on other occasions, responsible for gastrointestinal symptoms.Corresponding author.     

Metalloproteinase-1 usefulness in urethral stricture treatment

Background  

Urethral stricture disease is an obstruction or thinning of the urethra that causes restriction of urinary flow from the bladder during micturition. The object of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the proteolytic enzyme metalloproteinase-1 as treatment in urethral stricture disease.     

Electronic trauma patient outcomes assessment tool: performance improvement in the trauma intensive care unit

An electronic dashboard can enhance compliance with a specific checklist of indicators with daily management of injured patients in a trauma intensive care unit effectively. A performance management electronic dashboard monitored 24 indicators in the trauma intensive care unit over a 3-year period. Over a 3-year period, utilization of the electronic dashboard improved from 64% to 100% and mean compliance rose from 94.8% to 97.4%. Implementation of an electronic dashboard enhances compliance in managing trauma patients in a sustainable manner, allows immediate correction of deficiencies, monitors trends, and facilitates performance improvement/patient safety initiatives of a trauma program.     

A preclinical pipeline to evaluate migrastatics as therapeutic agents in metastatic melanoma

Background Metastasis is a hallmark of cancer and responsible for most cancer deaths. Migrastatics were defined as drugs interfering with all modes of cancer cell invasion and thus cancers’ ability to metastasise. First anti-metastatic treatments have recently been approved.Methods We used bioinformatic analyses of publicly available melanoma databases. Experimentally, we performed in vitro target validation (including 2.5D cell morphology analysis and mass spectrometric analysis of RhoA binding partners), developed a new traceable spontaneously metastasising murine melanoma model for in vivo validation, and employed histology (haematoxylin/eosin and phospho-myosin II staining) to confirm drug action in harvested tumour tissues.Results Unbiased and targeted bioinformatic analyses identified the Rho kinase (ROCK)-myosin II pathway and its various components as potentially relevant targets in melanoma. In vitro validation demonstrated redundancy of several RhoGEFs upstream of RhoA and confirmed ROCK as a druggable target downstream of RhoA. The anti-metastatic effects of two ROCK inhibitors were demonstrated through in vivo melanoma metastasis tracking and inhibitor effects also confirmed ex vivo by digital pathology.Conclusions We proposed a migrastatic drug development pipeline. As part of the pipeline, we provide a new traceable spontaneous melanoma metastasis model for in vivo quantification of metastasis and anti-metastatic effects by non-invasive imaging.Subject terms: Skin cancer, Cancer models, Drug discovery, Metastasis     

Feeding pattern,biochemical, anthropometric and histological effects of prolonged ad libitum access to sucrose,honey and glucose-fructose solutions in Wistar rats

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESThe exposure to sucrose in rats has mimic abnormalities attributed to metabolic syndrome (MetS). The effects of honey bee and “free” glucose and fructose, have not been explored in this context. The aim was to expose Wistar rodents to sucrose solution (SS), honey solution (HS) and fructose/glucose solution (GFS) at 30% to assess their effects.SUBJECTS/METHODSHS (n = 10), SS (n = 10) and GFS (n = 10) groups were formed. Solutions were ad libitum along 14-weeks.RESULTSBetween solutions consumptions, honey was significantly 42% higher (P = 0.000), while similar consumption was observed among GFS and SS. The feeding pattern of HS consumption was irregular along experiment; while the food intake pattern showed the similar trend among groups along time. Non statistical differences were obtained in any biochemical and anthropometric measure, however, a higher concentration of leptin (721 ± 507 pg/mL), lower concentration of total cholesterol (TC; 48.87 ± 2.41 mg/100 mL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL; 16.47 ± 6.55 mg/100 mL) and triglycerides (82.37 ± 32.77 mg/100 mL) was obtained in SS group. For anthropometric values, HS showed less total adipose tissue (AT; average 26 vs. 31–33 g) and adiposity index (average 6.11 vs. 7.6). Due to sugar-sweetened beverages consumption increases the risk for the development of chronic diseases; correlations between fluid intake and anthropometric and biochemical parameters were assessed. A moderate correlation was obtained in groups with the weight of total AT and solution intake; for the weight gain in GFS group and for triglycerides in HS and GFS. The highest hepatic tissue damage was observed in SS group with multiple intracytoplasmic vacuoles, atypia changes, moderate pleomorphism and hepatocellular necrosis.CONCLUSIONSIn spite of the significantly higher consumption of HS, biochemical, anthropometrical and histological effects were not remarkably different in comparision to other sweeteners.