Hardening Slurries with Fluidized-Bed Combustion By-Products and Their Potential Significance in Terms of Circular Economy

Hardening slurries (water-bentonite-binder mixtures) constitute a well-established material used broadly, i.a., for cut-off walls in civil and water engineering. Although they usually contain Portland cement, similar to common concrete, their properties differ greatly, mostly due to a much higher water content. This characteristic of hardening slurries creates unique opportunities for the utilization of significant quantities of industrial by-products that are deemed problematic in the concrete industry. This article investigates the effect of the addition of by-products of fluidized-bed combustion of hard, brown coal and municipal sewage sludge, as well as ground granulated blast furnace slag, on the properties of slurries. Unconfined compressive strength tests, as well as mercury porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses were performed. The results suggest that it is possible to design hardening slurry mixes of desired properties, both in liquid and solid state, containing at least 100–300 kg/m³ of industrial waste. This includes cement-free slurries based entirely on industrial by-products as binders. In addition, the analyzed slurries exhibited good chemical resistance to landfill eluates, at the same time effectively immobilizing heavy metals. It was concluded that hardening slurry technology can ensure the safe deposition of significant amounts of waste that would be otherwise difficult to manage, thus contributing to the circular economy concept.     

Gonocyte transformation to spermatogonial stem cells occurs earlier in patients with undervirilisation syndromes

Aim

Fertility post-orchidopexy is dependent on transformation of neonatal gonocytes (G) into adult dark spermatogonia at about 3 months, the same time as gonadotrophins stimulate androgen secretion. We examined how androgen blockade affects transformation of gonocytes to spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) during this period in patients with undervirilisation syndromes.

Methods

Patients with undervirilisation syndromes (n = 30, 1.5 weeks–16 years) underwent review of medical records, pathology reports, and H&E slides of testes (ethics HREC32164). Fluorescent immunohistochemistry against anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH, Sertoli cells), mouse VASA homologue (MVH, germ cells) and DAPI (nuclei) allowed the number of MVH-positive gonocytes/spermatogonial stem cells per seminiferous tubular cross-section (G/T or SSC/T) to be counted.

Results

Gonocytes (MVH-positive cells in the tubular lumen) were present in 15/16 patients under 2 years old. SSC (MVH-positive cells on the tubule basement membrane) were present in 25/30 patients. With increasing age, the mean number of SSC/T decreased from ~ 4 to 0, and G/T decreased from ~ 1.5 to 0. SSC were present in CAIS and PAIS patients at 1.5 and 3.5 weeks old, respectively.

Conclusions

Gonocytes transform into SSC earlier than expected in patients with undervirilisation syndromes. Lack of androgens may stimulate non-androgenic regulators to trigger transformation. Understanding how gonocytes transform may enable optimization of spermatogonial development to preserve fertility post-orchidopexy.     

Solution structures in SDS micelles and functional activity at the bullfrog substance P receptor of ranatachykinin peptides

A set of novel tachykinin-like peptides has been isolated from bullfrog brain and gut. These compounds, ranatachykinin A (RTKA), ranatachykinin B (RTKB), and ranatachykinin C (RTKC), were named for their source, Rana catesbeiana, and their homology to the tachykinin peptide family. We present the first report of the micelle-bound structures and pharmacological actions of the RTKs. Generation of three-dimensional structures of the RTKs in a membrane-model environment using (1)H NMR chemical shift assignments, two-dimensional NMR techniques, and molecular dynamics and simulated annealing procedures allowed for the determination of possible prebinding ligand conformations. RTKA, RTKB, and RTKC were determined to be helical from the midregion to the C-terminus (residues 4-10), with a large degree of flexibility in the N-terminus and minor dynamic fraying at the end of the C-terminus. The pharmacological effects of the RTKs were studied by measuring the elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) in Chinese hamster ovarian cells stably transfected with the bullfrog substance P receptor (bfSPR). All of the RTKs tested elicited Ca(2+) elevations with a rank order of maximal effect of RTKA >/= SP > RTKC >/= RTKB. A high concentration (1 microM) of the neuropeptides produced varying degrees of desensitization to a subsequent challenge with the same or different peptide, while a low concentration (1 pM) produced sensitization at the bfSPR. Our data suggest differences in amino acid side chains and their charged states at the C-terminal sequence or differences in secondary structure at the N-terminus, which do not overlap according to the findings in this paper, may explain the differing degree and type of receptor activation seen at the bfSPR.     

实验性短期电刺激引起的机体紊乱

SourcepapersdealingwiththeuseofLateralElectricSurfaceStimulation（LESS）totreatidiopathicscoliosis（IS）inchildrenandadolescentshavesofarpresentedcontroversialopinions犤５，６，８，１０，１２，１６，１７犦．Authorsrecommendingthistreatmentusuallyapplyitfor９hoursatnight．Theymention，however，thatthetherapywhichmaylastuntilthebonesarefullydeveloped，oftenresultsinskincomplications，e．g．burns，emotionalandpsychicaldiscomfortofpatientsduringnoc－turnalrest，aswellasstressorevendisturbances…     

The rabbit pulmonary cytochrome P450 arachidonic acid metabolic pathway: characterization and significance.

Cytochrome P450 metabolizes arachidonic acid to several unique and biologically active compounds in rabbit liver and kidney. Microsomal fractions prepared from rabbit lung homogenates metabolized arachidonic acid through cytochrome P450 pathways, yielding cis-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and their hydration products, vic-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids, mid-chain cis-trans conjugated dienols, and 19- and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids. Inhibition studies using polyclonal antibodies prepared against purified CYP2B4 demonstrated 100% inhibition of arachidonic acid epoxide formation. Purified CYP2B4, reconstituted in the presence of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome b5, metabolized arachidonic acid, producing primarily EETs. EETs were detected in lung homogenate using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy, providing evidence for the in vivo pulmonary cytochrome P450 epoxidation of arachidonic acid. Chiral analysis of these lung EETs demonstrated a preference for the 14(R),15(S)-, 11(S),12(R)-, and 8(S),9(R)-EET enantiomers. Both EETs and vic-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids were detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. At micromolar concentrations, methylated 5,6-EET and 8,9-EET significantly relaxed histamine-contracted guinea pig hilar bronchi in vitro. In contrast, 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid caused contraction to near maximal tension. We conclude that CYP2B4, an abundant rabbit lung cytochrome P450 enzyme, is the primary constitutive pulmonary arachidonic acid epoxygenase and that these locally produced, biologically active eicosanoids may be involved in maintaining homeostasis within the lung.     

Carbohydrates of the bovine lens: Analysis of bound hexoses and hexosamines of the plasma membrane and other fractions by gas-liquid chromatography

A detailed analysis of the bound carbohydrates of the decapsulated bovine lens has been carried out. Lenses were separated into water soluble, water insoluble non-membrane, and membrane fractions. The hexoses and hexosamines of each fraction were estimated by gas-liquid chromatography on two different columns. All the hexosamines and 50–60% of the bound hexoses of the lens fiber occur in the plasma membrane. Glucose, galactose and hexosamines occur in membrane glycolipids which are extractable with chloroform-methanol mixtures. Mannose and fucose are associated only with the non-lipid part of the membrane, the carbohydrate composition of which is consistent with the presence of glycoproteins.Hydrolysis of the soluble and water insoluble non-membrane fractions resulted in the liberation of glucose and mannose, in amounts which suggest that they could be derived from N-(1-deoxyfructose) residues of non-ezymically glycosylated proteins.     

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Insertion-deletion polymorphism of angiotensin-converting enzyme and angiotensin II receptor

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic-based disease. Several gene mutations leading to HCM development have been described. AIM: Detailed examination of phenotype and genotype of a family with HCM. METHODS: Clinical and genetic examinations were performed in a family with HCM, in which 3 sick persons with different disease phenotype were found. RESULTS: In all sick persons the same molecular substitution G->A (AGG->AAG) was noticed. It led to substitution Arg780-Lys in exon 21 beta-myosin heavy chain gene, which was responsible for the development of the disease. Insertion- deletion polymorphism analysis in ACE gene revealed D/D (deletion/deletion) genotype in proband and D/I (deletion/ insertion) phenotype in his mother and sister, who were heterozygous. Polymorphism A1166C analysis in AT1 gene revealed the presence of genotype A/A in proband and A/C in his mother and sister. In proband and his sister a very similar phenotype was observed, whereas they had different polymorphism for ACE gene and angiotensin 1 receptor gene. In sick proband's mother, who had phenotype different to her children, the same polymorphism as in his daughter was noticed. CONCLUSIONS: In the described family with HCM, different phenotype and polymorphism of ACE and AT1 genes were found.