Scarcity of raw materials, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and reduction of waste disposal in landfills are leading to the development of more sustainable building materials. Based on these ...lines, this work studies the incorporation of biomass bottom ashes into ceramic materials for brick manufacture, in order to reuse this currently unused waste and reduce clay extraction operations. To this end, different groups of samples were made with different combinations of clay and biomass bottom ashes, from 100% clay to 100% biomass bottom ashes. These samples were shaped, sintered and subjected to the usual physical tests in ceramics. In turn, the mechanical resistance, color and leaching of the contaminating elements present were studied. The physical and mechanical tests showed that the results of all the families were adequate, achieving compressive strengths of over 20 MPa and leaching of the contaminating elements acceptable by the regulations. Therefore, a sustainable range of ceramics was developed, with specific properties (porosity, density, resistance and color), with a waste that is currently unused and sustainable with the environment.
Severe COVID-19 entails a dysregulated immune response, most likely inflammation related to a lack of virus control. A better understanding of immune toxicity, immunosuppression balance, and COVID-19 ...assessments could help determine whether different clinical presentations are driven by specific types of immune responses. The progression of the immune response and tissular damage could predict outcomes and may help in the management of patients.
We collected 201 serum samples from 93 hospitalised patients classified as moderately, severely, and critically ill. We differentiated the viral, early inflammatory, and late inflammatory phases and included 72 patients with 180 samples in separate stages for longitudinal study and 55 controls. We studied selected cytokines, P-selectin, and the tissue damage markers lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA).
TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and G-CSF were associated with severity and mortality, but only IL-6 increased since admission in the critical patients and non-survivors, correlating with damage markers. The lack of a significant decrease in IL-6 levels in the critical patients and non-survivors in the early inflammatory phase (a decreased presence in the other patients) suggests that these patients did not achieve viral control on days 10-16. For all patients, lactate dehydrogenase and cfDNA levels increased with severity, and cfDNA levels increased in the non-survivors from the first sample (p = 0.002) to the late inflammatory phase (p = 0.031). In the multivariate study, cfDNA was an independent risk factor for mortality and ICU admission.
The distinct progression of IL-6 levels in the course of the disease, especially on days 10-16, was a good marker of progression to critical status and mortality and could guide the start of IL-6 blockade. cfDNA was an accurate marker of severity and mortality from admission and throughout COVID-19 progression.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Rectal temperature (RT) is the reference standard for clinical evaluation of body temperature in mammals. However, the use of a rectal thermometer to measure temperature can cause stress and other ...problems, especially in cats. There is a need for clinical techniques that reduce both stress and defensive behavior as part of the provision of better medical care. Subcutaneous temperature-sensing identification microchips fulfil the current legal requirements and provide a reading of subcutaneous temperature (MT).
The clinical study tried to determine whether there is agreement between MT and RT in normal (
= 58), hospitalized (
= 26) and sedated/anesthetized (
= 36) cats. Three measurements were taken using both methods (MT and RT) in each cat. Correlation between MT and RT, and differences between MT and RT, were estimated for pairs of data-points from the same individual, and all data pairs in each group were considered overall.
There was a strong positive correlation between MT and RT (
= 0.7 to 1.0) (
< 0.0005). The mean differences (
) were always negative and although statistically significant, these
values are likely of no biological importance. The overall
was ‑0.1°C in normal cats (
< 0.0005), -0.1°C in hospitalized cats (
= 0.001) and -0.1°C in sedated/anesthetized cats (
= 0.001). The limits of agreement between MT and RT appear narrow enough for MT to be acceptable estimate of RT. The overall limits of agreement (95%) were ‑0.71°C and 0.53°C (in normal cats); ‑0.51°C and 0.34°C (in hospitalized cats) and ‑0.60°C and 0.42°C (in sedated/anesthetized cats).
MT may provide a good alternative to RT measurement in cats. However, this study was mostly performed in animals that were normothermic. Therefore, further studies in larger groups of cats under different conditions are needed to compare trends and assess variation with time.
Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have repeatedly been related to COVID-19 severity and mortality. However, there is no consensus on their quantification, and there are scarce data on their ...evolution during the disease. We studied circulating NET markers in patients with COVID-19 throughout their hospitalization.
We prospectively included 93 patients (201 blood samples), evaluating the disease severity in 3 evolutionary phases (viral, early, and late inflammation). Of these, 72 had 180 samples in various phases. We also evaluated 55 controls with similar age, sex and comorbidities. We measured 4 NET markers in serum: cfDNA, CitH3, and MPO-DNA and NE-DNA complexes; as well as neutrophil-related cytokines IL-8 and G-CSF.
The COVID-19 group had higher CitH3 (28.29 vs 20.29 pg/mL, p = 0.022), and cfDNA, MPO-DNA, and NE-DNA (7.87 vs 2.56 ng/mL; 0.80 vs 0.52 and 1.04 vs 0.72, respectively, p < 0.001 for all) than the controls throughout hospitalisation. cfDNA was the only NET marker clearly related to severity, and it remained higher in non-survivors during the 3 phases. Only cfDNA was an independent risk factor for mortality and need for intensive care. Neutrophil count, IL-8, and G-CSF were significantly related to severity. MPO-DNA and NE-DNA showed significant correlations (r: 0.483, p < 0.001), including all 3 phases and across all severity grades, and they only remained significantly higher on days 10-16 of evolution in those who died. Correlations among the other NET markers were lower than expected.
The circulating biomarkers of NETs were present in patients with COVID-19 throughout hospitalization. cfDNA was associated with severity and mortality, but the three other markers showed little or no association with these outcomes. Neutrophil activity and neutrophil count were also associated with severity. MPO-DNA and NE-DNA better reflected NET formation. cfDNA appeared to be more associated with overall tissue damage; previous widespread use of this marker could have overestimated the relationship between NETs and severity. Currently, there are limitations to accurate NET markers measurement that make it difficult to assess its true role in COVID-19 pathogenesis.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Pavement maintenance is an essential activity for maintaining the quality of the pavements. It is common for the ageing pavement to present problems of friction, so a proper solution must be ...provided. In this work, electric arc furnace slags are incorporated in slurry surfacing to provide adequate friction with this technique. The electric arc furnace slag was studied with physical, chemical, and mechanical tests to evaluate its suitability in the formation of the bituminous mixture. At the same time, different groups of samples were made with increasing percentages of bitumen emulsion and slag as coarse aggregate, determining the wear of the different families and the cohesion. The results reflected the excellent characteristics of the electric arc furnace slags, and an optimal combination of materials (slag, aggregate, water, and bitumen emulsion) could be obtained to develop slurry surfacing applicable to important traffic roads. This provided a use for the electric arc furnace slag in which its mechanical properties were used and a sustainable bituminous mixture with excellent characteristics and respectful of the environment was developed.
The construction of road infrastructure is one of the most polluting activities that exists today. Therefore, the use of waste from other industries is an excellent solution, since it reduces the ...consumption of raw materials, reduces CO2 emissions and avoids the disposal of waste in a landfill. In this study, electric arc furnace slag, cellulose fibers from the papermaking industry and bitumen emulsion were used for the conformation of sustainable and porous bituminous mixtures. Electric arc furnace slag was used as a high-resistance aggregate with a capacity sufficient to support traffic loads. Cellulose fibers were added to increase the percentage of binder in the mixture without bleeding problems, thereby achieving greater tensile strength. To do this, first the waste was physically and chemically characterized, then different mixtures were conformed and finally the mixtures were studied by means of the loss by wear and Marshall tests. The results reflected an optimal combination of materials that provided the best results in the mechanical tests, obtaining much better results than the mixtures with discontinuous grading and traditional bitumen emulsion. Therefore, a sustainable, porous and economical mixture for road use is obtained in this research.
Mining activity is essential for the social welfare of the population. However, this activity produces a series of mining waste. These mining wastes, if not properly treated, can produce significant ...environmental pollution. This study develops the incorporation of tailings from washing plants in ceramic materials for bricks in order to retain the contaminating elements in the ceramic matrix. To this end, firstly, a physical and chemical characterisation of the mining waste is carried out and different groups of samples are conformed with clay and mining waste. These conformed samples with mining waste are evaluated through different physical and mechanical tests typical in the ceramic industry, studying the variation of properties by the incorporation of the waste. In turn, the leachates from the groups of conformed samples are analyzed, confirming the retention of the contaminating elements of the mining waste in the ceramic matrix. The results of these tests showed that ceramics can be made for bricks with up to 90% mining waste, obtaining physical and mechanical properties acceptable regarding the regulations and retaining the contaminating elements in the ceramic matrix, as confirmed by the leachate tests.
Power generation from biomass is one of the most promising energy sources available today. However, this industry has a series of wastes derived from its activity, mainly biomass fly ash and biomass ...bottom ash. Biomass bottom ash is a waste that has no current use and, in most cases, is deposited in landfills. In turn, road construction is one of the activities that produces the most pollution, as it requires huge amounts of raw materials. Therefore, this research proposes the use of biomass bottom ashes, in an unaltered form, for the formation of cold in-place recycling with bitumen emulsion. This type of mixture, which is highly sustainable owing to the use of a high percentage of waste, was made with reclaimed asphalt pavement, biomass bottom ash, water, and bitumen emulsion. To this end, the grading curve of the materials was analyzed, different bituminous mixtures were made with varying percentages of emulsion and water, and the mechanical properties of the mixtures were analyzed. At the same time, the same type of mix was made with reclaimed asphalt pavement and commercial limestone aggregate, in order to compare the results. The tests showed a better mechanical behavior of the bituminous mixes made with biomass bottom ash, maintaining physical properties similar to those of conventional mixes. In short, it was confirmed that the production of this type of mix with biomass bottom ash was feasible, creating sustainable materials that reuse currently unused waste and avoid landfill disposal.
The construction sector is one of the most demanding sectors for materials that exist today. Therefore, in order to avoid the extraction of new raw materials, it is necessary to use waste. This waste ...must present a series of physical and chemical characteristics that make it suitable for its employment. Therefore, in this investigation, ladle furnace slag is characterized for use as filler in bituminous mixtures. These slags are produced by the metallurgical industry in large quantities and represent a significant environmental problem. The slags were tested by analyzing their chemical composition and elementary physical properties. At the same time, and in order to evaluate the environmental viability, the environmental affections produced by the treatment of this material for its use as filler were calculated. These environmental results were compared with those obtained by processing of conventional filler. The detailed methodology reflected the chemical and physical feasibility of ladle furnace slags for use as filler, as well as the environmental advantage of processing this waste compared to commercial materials. In this way, the suitability of ladle furnace slags for bituminous mixtures and its feasibility for the creation of more sustainable pavements was assessed.
La caracterización de un paisaje cultural permite la identificación de valores singulares y específicos que sirvan como base para su reactivación y recuperación, lo que es especialmente beneficioso ...al hablar de territorios en riesgo de despoblación. Se toma como caso de estudio a caracterizar el valle del río Beas (Beas de Segura, Jaén), que reúne recursos patrimoniales históricamente influenciados por la presencia del agua, tales como regadíos, producción molinera, industria textil, sistemas anti-inundaciones o infraestructuras de abastecimiento que, no obstante, ven comprometida su permanencia en la actualidad. El objeto de la investigación es establecer la relación directa entre la caracterización del paisaje y su recuperación sostenible: frente a una tendencia habitual en el mundo rural de sustitución de características locales por aquellas extraídas de modelos urbanos estandarizados, se propone la divulgación y re-significación de estos valores mediante una metodología de registro multiescalar y con soporte cartográfico. De esta manera, se pretende favorecer no solo la lucha contra la despoblación de Beas de Segura, sino también la definición de herramientas transferibles a otros municipios con problemáticas semejantes.
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