In the concrete manufacturing industry, a large amount of waste is generated. Such waste can be utilised in the production of more sustainable products with a low carbon footprint. In this study, ...concrete sludge, a difficult-to-utilise waste that is obtained from residual concrete by washing a concrete truck, was investigated. During washing, aggregates from the concrete mixture are separated, and the remaining insoluble fine particles combine with water to form concrete sludge. Dried and wet concrete sludge were used in the tests. Samples with different compositions were produced with dried and wet concrete sludge, cement, superplasticiser, and tap water. Seven cement pastes with different compositions were made by partially replacing cement with dried concrete sludge (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%). In compositions with wet concrete sludge, cement was replaced by the same amounts as in the case of dried concrete sludge. The slump, setting time, and their changes with different amounts of concrete sludge were determined for fresh cement pastes. It was found that with different forms of concrete sludge, the technological properties of the mixtures change, and the setting time decreases. The density and compressive and flexural strength results were confirmed by SEM and XRD tests. The research results show that dry concrete sludge causes the deterioration of the mechanical properties of cement stone, while wet concrete sludge improves the mechanical properties of cement stone. However, it was found that replacing 5% cement with dry concrete sludge does not significantly affect the properties of hardened cement stone. In mixes with wet concrete sludge, the recommended amount of replaced cement is 10%, because the technological properties of the mixture are strongly influenced by larger amounts.
The article analyses what effect crystallization additive usage has on concrete physical and mechanical properties and shrinkage to find most effective concrete additive. Investigations of concrete ...properties with various amounts of crystallization admixture were performed. 9 concrete mixtures with different amounts of crystallizing admixtures were formed and admixtures were added to the concrete mixes from 0.6% to 1.4% of the cement mass, in increments of 0.1%. During the research, the influence of the amount of crystallization admixture the density of hardened concrete, flexural strength, compressive strength, and shrinkage was determined. After evaluating the physical, mechanical properties and shrinkage of the concrete, it was determined that the optimal amount of crystallizing admixture in the concrete mixture is 1% of the cement mass. Thus, it can be argued that the use of a crystallizing admixture has a positive effect i.e., reduces the shrinkage of concrete, because of which cracks in concrete structures can be avoided.
Abstract Cortical lesions are a crucial part of MS pathology and it is critical to determine that new MS therapies have the ability to alter cortical inflammatory lesions given the differences ...between white and gray matter lesions. We tested lipoic acid (LA) in a mouse focal cortical EAE model. Brain sections were stained with antibodies against CD4, CD11b and galectin-3. Compared with vehicle, treatment with LA significantly decreased CD4 + and galectin-3 + immune cells in the brain. LA treated mice had fewer galectin-3 + cells with no projections indicating decrease in the number of infiltrating monocytes. LA significantly reduces inflammation in a focal cortical model of MS.
Fast, effective, and rapid processing of central nervous system (CNS) tissue with good preservation of myelin, especially in tissue from diseased mice, is important to many laboratories studying ...neurosciences.
In this paper, we describe a new method to process and embed CNS tissue from mice. Spinal cords and optic nerves from naive C57BL/6 mice were used to standardize the microwave protocol following perfusion with fixative. The CNS tissue was processed and embedded using the microwave embedding protocol.
We observed that the tissue is well preserved and good quality light and electron microscope images were obtained after using the microwave embedding protocol.
Traditional way of embedding CNS tissue in resin is challenging and time consuming. The microwave technology offers an efficient way to quickly embed CNS tissue while preserving morphology and retaining the integrity of the myelin.
This new method is fast, reliable and an effective way to embed CNS tissue in resin.
Cell biology; Neuroscience; Pathophysiology; Pathology; Neurology; Ophthalmology; Spinal cord; Optic nerve; Plastic embedding; Electron microscopy; Microwave
Straipsnyje nagrinejama, koki poveiki turi kristalizuojanciosios imaišos kiekis betono fizikinems ir mechaninems savybems bei traukumui, norint atrasti efektyvia betono imaiša, kuri mažintu ...plyšiu atsiradima konstrukcijose. Atlikti betono savybiu tyrimai su ivairiais kristalizuojanciosios imaišos kiekiais. Buvo sumaišyti 9 betono mišiniai su skirtingais kiekiais kristalizuojanciosios imaišos. Imaišos i betono mišinius buvo dedama nuo 0,6 % iki 1,4 % nuo cemento mases, žingsniu kas 0,1 %. Tyrimu metu nustatyta kristalizuojanciosios imaišos kiekio itaka sukietejusio betono tankiui, lenkimo stipriui, gniuždymo stipriui bei traukumui. Ivertinus betono fizikines ir mechanines savybes bei traukuma nustatyta, kad optimalus kristalizuojanciosios imaišos kiekis mišinyje yra 1 % nuo cemento mases. Taigi, galima teigti, kad kristalizuojanciosios imaišos naudojimas duoda teigiama efekta, t. y. mažina betono traukuma, del to butu galima išvengti atsirandanciu itrukiu betono konstrukcijose. betonas, kristalizuojancioji imaiša, traukumas, gniuždymo stipris, ultragarso impulso sklidimo greitis, tankis. The article analyses what effect crystallization additive usage has on concrete physical and mechanical properties and shrinkage to find most effective concrete additive. Investigations of concrete properties with various amounts of crystallization admixture were performed. 9 concrete mixtures with different amounts of crystallizing admixtures were formed and admixtures were added to the concrete mixes from 0.6% to 1.4% of the cement mass, in increments of 0.1%. During the research, the influence of the amount of crystallization admixture the density of hardened concrete, flexural strength, compressive strength, and shrinkage was determined. After evaluating the physical, mechanical properties and shrinkage of the concrete, it was determined that the optimal amount of crystallizing admixture in the concrete mixture is 1% of the cement mass. Thus, it can be argued that the use of a crystallizing admixture has a positive effect i.e., reduces the shrinkage of concrete, because of which cracks in concrete structures can be avoided. Keywords: concrete, crystallization admixture, shrinkage, compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, density.
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2) is a cell surface receptor on macrophages and microglia that senses and responds to disease-associated signals to regulate the phenotype of ...these innate immune cells. The TREM2 signaling pathway has been implicated in a variety of diseases ranging from neurodegeneration in the central nervous system to metabolic disease in the periphery. Here, we report that TREM2 is a thyroid hormone-regulated gene and its expression in macrophages and microglia is stimulated by thyroid hormone and synthetic thyroid hormone agonists (thyromimetics). Our findings report the endocrine regulation of TREM2 by thyroid hormone, and provide a unique opportunity to drug the TREM2 signaling pathway with orally active small-molecule therapeutic agents.
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•TREM2 is regulated by thyroid hormone (T3) and thyromimetics•T3 and thyromimetics produce anti-inflammatory effects in microglia and macrophages•T3 and thyromimetics induce phagocytosis in microglia•EAE mice treated with T3 or thyromimetic present with reduced clinical scores
In this article, Ferrara et al. show that an important immune system signaling hub, TREM2, is transcriptionally regulated by thyroid hormone. This renders TREM2 druggable by small-molecule synthetic thyroid hormone derivatives, which impart beneficial phagocytic and anti-inflammatory properties in relevant cell types and disease model mice.
The anti-oxidant lipoic acid (LA) is beneficial in murine models of multiple sclerosis (MS) and has recently been shown to slow brain atrophy in secondary progressive MS. The mechanism of these ...effects by LA is incompletely understood but may involve effects on microglia. The objective of this study is to understand how LA affects microglial cells. We cultured primary microglial cells from C57BL/6 adult mice brains and stimulated the cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in the presence or absence of LA. We demonstrate the inhibition of phagocytosis, rearrangement of actin, and formation of membrane blebs in stimulated microglia in the presence of LA. These experiments suggest that LA causes changes in microglial actin, which may lead to alterations in phagocytosis, mobility, and migration.
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•Lipoic acid (LA) affects microglial phagocytosis.•LA causes changes in microglial cell size, membrane organization and actin.•Alterations in the microglial cells may in part explain the therapeutic benefits of LA.
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