bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recycling of concrete construction and demolition waste in alternative binders: Part 1 – Technical study
Authors: Petrov B Y , Zaharieva R A 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The concrete construction and demolition waste (CDW) is usually recycled as coarse aggregate. The fine fraction remains unused – if recovered at all, it is for downcycling in backfilling. Part 1 of this article is dedicated to a technical study on recycling of the waste concrete powder (WCP) as supplement in blended cements. Part 2 presents assessment of the environmental impacts of those binders. XRD and DTA/TG analyses of WCP are performed. WCP from two types of concrete CDW is used. The behaviour of fresh and hardened pastes with replacement of CEM I 52,5 by WCP (15%, 30% and 45%) is investigated. Standard methods of testing with some modifications are used. The influence of WCP content on the setting, consistency, strength and water absorption is evaluated. Four different curing regimes are applied. The results confirm the initial assumption that WCP can be consider as cementitious supplement. The replacement rate up to 15% practically does not change the behaviour of the binder, while 45% seems to be the maximum, because of binders performances degradation. The replacement up to 30% allows to keep satisfactory technical properties, but offers greater economic and environmental advantages.
Recycling of concrete construction and demolition waste in alternative binders: Part 2 – Environmental footprint
Authors: Kancheva Y D , Zaharieva R A 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The concrete demolition and construction waste (CDW) is usually recycled as aggregate. The fine fraction (crushed sand and powder) obtained from the recycling process remains less recovered – for downcycling purposes such as backfilling, if recovered at all. The feasibility study on the recycling of concrete waste as a component of a blended binder is presented in Part 1 of the study. Part 2 is dedicated to a preliminary assessment of the environmental impacts of the partial replacement of Portland cement binder by a waste concrete powder (WCP). The assessment is focused on the binder production stage as per BDS EN 15804 and does not consider any further scenarios. The environmental impacts of alternative binders with a different amount of WCP is compared to the impacts of conventional cement types CEM I, CEM II/A and CEM II/B. The results confirm that there is a significant reduction of the environmental impacts when WCP is used for cement replacement, because of the more efficient use of material resources and energy. The effect is more pronounced with the higher replacement rate. Therefore, the use of WCP in cements leads to more eco-friendly binders and can contribute to closing the concrete loop.
Experimental study of flat reinforced concrete slabs created in the method of early striking
Authors: Bakardzhiev S 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
This report examines the behaviour of an experimental two-storey monolithic construction during the construction of its flat slabs with a formwork system suitable for the application of early striking. The experimental results of the deformations in the slabs are compared with those from the numerical model of the construction. The peculiarities in the findings of the strength characteristics of the concrete used for the monolithic structure in the tests are analysed. Conclusions are made regarding the production of reinforced concrete slabs through formwork systems suitable for early striking from these results and comparisons.
Response of a reinforced concrete cantilever beam subject to impulse impact loads
Authors: Stoynova I , Christov T 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
To study the response of a RC cantilever beam subjected to impulse excitations is based computational model. Static and dynamic analysis of the computational model was performed using a software product based on the Finite Element Method. Two numerical models have been builded for static analysis. In the first model, the concrete modelled with a linear - elastic material model and the reinforcement as deformable bars. In the second model, the concrete modelled using a nonlinear model of concrete - the material model of Willam and Warnke, and the reinforcement as deformable bars. For dynamic analysis, concrete modelled as a linearly elastic material and reinforcement as deformed bars. Under impulse loading, the applied force acts for a very short but limited time interval. This article presents five cases of impulse duration. The dynamic time-history analysis used to determine the dynamic response of the RC cantilever beam under the action of time variables. This type of analysis used to determine time-varying displacements, stresses, and internal forces caused by a combination of static and dynamic (pulse and harmonic) loads. A dynamic time-history analysis used to study the dynamic response to time-varying loads. The time-determined displacements, deformations, stresses and internal forces give the behaviour and reaction of the structure at any time in the studied interval.
Seismic behaviour of brickwork chimneys in buildings
Authors: Ivanov R I 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The construction of chimneys of solid bricks in buildings with sloped roofs was commonplace in Bulgaria for almost a century. The collapse of a chimney during an earthquake could potentially lead to damages greatly exceeding the loss of the chimney itself, e.g. partial damage to the roof tiling and leaks, as well as material damage, injury or loss of life due to debris fall. A FEM model was created, in which the storeys of the building are represented in a generalised way, while the chimney is modelled explicitly as a cantilever supported at roof level. The internal forces in chimneys with heights ranging from 0.5 m to 2.0 m, belonging to buildings with height ranging from two to seven storeys were computed. Acceleration records from real earthquakes acting at the base of the building with varying peak ground acceleration and predominant period were used for input loading. The maximum tensile stresses at the bed joints were computed and were compared to the typical tensile strength of the mortars used for chimney construction, to assess the possibility of collapse. A simple, low-tech method for upgrading of existing chimneys by applying a coat of cement-based plaster with embedded fiberglass mesh is proposed.
Nanostructured polypyrrole layers implementation on magnetically navigable 3D printed microdevices for targeted gastrointestinal drug delivery
Authors: Bernasconi R , Favara N , Fouladvari N , Invernizzi M , Levi M , Pane S , Magagnin L 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The integration of drug releasing polymeric layers on remotely navigable microcarriers is one of the most promising therapeutic strategies for a wide variety of diseases. Thanks to this approach, administration can be precisely targeted to a specific organ, limiting thus side effects and drug waste. In this context, the present work describes the fabrication of 3D printed and wet metallized microdevices intended for targeted drug delivery. Microtransporters are stereolithography printed and coated with a sequence of materials to impart them specific functionalities, like magnetizability and chemical inertness. Polypyrrole (PPy), in both bulk and nanostructured (NA) form, is electrodeposited as top layer to introduce drug delivery properties. Fabricated microdevices are characterized from the morphological and functional point of view. In particular, remote magnetic control and drug release behavior are investigated. Results obtained show a high magnetic maneuverability and good drug loading capability, which is further improved by nanostructuring the PPy layer applied on the surface of the microdevices. A possible application for the magnetically steered carriers described in the present work is localized drug administration for the therapy of many diseases typical of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. Chron’s disease).
Ag-Pd core–shell electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions in alkaline medium
Authors: Shi Jianchao , Wang Jie , Chen Yumei , Sun Yulong , Liu Baozhong , Fan Yanping 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Ag-Pd core–shell nanoparticles with different thickness of Pd shell are successfully prepared applying polyol methods with 1,2-propanediol as a solvent and reducing agent. A strongly electronic interaction between the sublayer Ag and surface Pd atoms are measured for the Ag-Pd core–shell particles with lower Pd/Ag atom ratios (Pd:Ag ⩽ 3:10), which derives from the near-surface alloying effect. Upon increasing the thickness of Pd shell, the effect of Ag core on surface Pd atoms become weaker, correspondingly the surface Pd atoms present the features closed to pure Pd. All Ag10@Pdx/C core–shell catalysts exhibit improved ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) activities compared to pure Pd/C. Here, the EOR activities of Ag10@Pdx/C catalysts decrease when adding the thickness of the Pd shell, in which the Ag10@Pdx/C with the lowest Pd/Ag ratios (Pd/Ag = 1:10) shows the highest i
p value ten times that of Pd/C. The participation of Ag as a core with low electronegativity and larger lattice constant can increase the electron densities and bring the lattice expansion of surface Pd atoms, due to the electron effect and the geometric effect, which effectively strengthen the bonding energy of reaction species on Pd surface and benefit the OH– adsorption for EOR, especially in lower Pd/Ag ratios than forming a monolayer Pd. For oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the Ag10@Pdx/C samples also exhibit enhanced activities than pure Pd/C. Differently, there is a volcanic relation between the mass activities and the Pd/Ag atom ratios, where the Ag10@Pd3/C with about a monolayer Pd shell exhibits highest ORR activity. The improved ORR activities may be relay on the appropriate OH– adsorption, the exposed surface Ag atoms and the quick transformation of OH from Pd atoms.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of biofluids for osteoarthritis
Authors: Clarke Emily J , Anderson James R , Peffers Mandy J 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

Background
Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative musculoskeletal disease of synovial joints. It is characterized by a metabolic imbalance resulting in articular cartilage degradation, reduced elastoviscosity of synovial fluid and an altered chondrocyte phenotype. This is often associated with reduced mobility, pain and poor quality of life. Subsequently, with an ageing world population, osteoarthritis is of increasing concern to public health. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can be applied to characterize the metabolomes of biofluids, determining changes associated with osteoarthritis pathology, identifying potential biomarkers of disease and alterations to metabolic pathways.

Sources of data
A comprehensive search of PubMed and Web of Science databases using combinations of the following keywords: ‘NMR Spectroscopy’, ‘Blood’, ‘Plasma’, ‘Serum’, ‘Urine’, ‘Synovial Fluid’ and ‘Osteoarthritis’ for articles published from 2000 to 2020.

Areas of agreement
The number of urine metabolomics studies using NMR spectroscopy to investigate osteoarthritis is low, whereas the use of synovial fluid is significantly higher. Several differential metabolites have previously been identified and mapped to metabolic pathways involved in osteoarthritis pathophysiology.

Areas of controversy
Conclusions are sometimes conservative or overinflated, which may reflect the variation in reporting standards. NMR metabolic experimental design may require further consideration, as do the animal models used for such studies.

Growing points
There are various aspects which require improvement within the field. These include stricter adherence to the Metabolomics Standards Initiative, inclusive of the standardization of metabolite identifications; increased utilization of integrating NMR metabolomics with other ‘omic’ disciplines; and increased deposition of raw experimental files into open access online repositories, allowing greater transparency and enabling additional future analyses.

Areas timely for developing research
Overall, this research area could be improved by the inclusion of more heterogeneous cohorts, reflecting varying osteoarthritis phenotypes, and larger group sizes ensuring studies are not underpowered. To correlate local and systemic environments, the use of blood for diagnostic purposes, over the collection of synovial fluid, requires increased attention. This will ultimately enable biomarkers of disease to be determined that may provide an earlier diagnosis, or provide potential therapeutic targets for osteoarthritis, ultimately improving patient prognosis.
The Entorhinal Cortical Alvear Pathway Differentially Excites Pyramidal Cells and Interneuron Subtypes in Hippocampal CA1
Authors: Bell Karen A , Delong Rayne , Goswamee Priyodarshan , McQuiston A Rory 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The entorhinal cortex alvear pathway is a major excitatory input to hippocampal CA1, yet nothing is known about its physiological impact. We investigated the alvear pathway projection and innervation of neurons in CA1 using optogenetics and whole cell patch clamp methods in transgenic mouse brain slices. Using this approach, we show that the medial entorhinal cortical alvear inputs onto CA1 pyramidal cells (PCs) and interneurons with cell bodies located in stratum oriens were monosynaptic, had low release probability, and were mediated by glutamate receptors. Optogenetic theta burst stimulation was unable to elicit suprathreshold activation of CA1 PCs but was capable of activating CA1 interneurons. However, different subtypes of interneurons were not equally affected. Higher burst action potential frequencies were observed in parvalbumin-expressing interneurons relative to vasoactive-intestinal peptide-expressing or a subset of oriens lacunosum-moleculare (O-LM) interneurons. Furthermore, alvear excitatory synaptic responses were observed in greater than 70% of PV and VIP interneurons and less than 20% of O-LM cells. Finally, greater than 50% of theta burst-driven inhibitory postsynaptic current amplitudes in CA1 PCs were inhibited by optogenetic suppression of PV interneurons. Therefore, our data suggest that the alvear pathway primarily affects hippocampal CA1 function through feedforward inhibition of select interneuron subtypes.
A Sensitive and Specific ESI-Positive LC–MS/MS Method for the Quantitation of Estrogens in Human Serum in Under Three Minutes
Authors: Stella Aaron , Dey Subhakar 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Amplifex Diene reagent was employed to derivatize estradiol (E2) to enhance the analyte signal at low picogram concentrations. This derivatization enabled measurement of E2 (and other estrogens) in ESI+ mode, earlier retention times for analytes than other methods, avoidance of MS harmful ammonium fluoride in mobile phases, and an LLOQ below 1 pg/mL. The sample preparation workflow involved liquid–liquid extraction followed by Amplifex Diene derivatization for 10 min at ambient temperature. Samples were chromatographed using a standard C18 column and analyzed using a SCIEX 6500+ mass spectrometer. The assay calibrators were prepared in-house, traceable to certified reference materials, and ranged from 1.29 to 624 pg/mL. A method comparison to samples from the CDC HoSt program yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.9858 and bias of −1.37%. The LLOQ using certified reference material was 0.66 pg/mL. The intra-run precision was &lt;9.00% for low- and high-level samples, whereas the inter-run precision was 15.2 and 5.43% for low- and high-level samples, respectively. No interference from other clinically relevant steroids was found. Amplifex Diene derivatized E2 and estrone (E1) was found to be stable for over 6 months, both refrigerated and frozen.
Neurodevelopmental outcome in infants with esophageal atresia: risk factors in the first year of life
Authors: Francesca Bevilacqua , Benedetta Ragni , Andrea Conforti , Annabella Braguglia , Simonetta Gentile , Antonio Zaccara , Pietro Bagolan , Lucia Aite 
Published: November 2020

Summary
Data on neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants born with esophageal atresia (EA) are still scarce and controversial. The aims of our study were to evaluate motor and cognitive development during the first year of life, in patients operated on of EA and to investigate potential risk factors for motor and cognitive development both at 6 and 12 months.
This is an observational prospective longitudinal study in a selected cohort of type C and D EA infants enrolled in our follow-up program from 2009 to 2017. In order to exclude possible confounding factors, the following exclusion criteria were applied: (i) gestational age ≤ 32 weeks and/or birth weight ≤ 1500 g; (ii) genetic syndrome or chromosomal anomaly known to be associated with neurodevelopmental delay; (iii) neurologic disease; (iv) esophageal gap ≥three vertebral bodies. Patients were evaluated at 6 and 12 months of life (corrected age for infants with a gestational age of 32–37 weeks) with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development—3rd Edition.
In our selected cohort of EA infants, 82 were evaluated at 6 months and 59 were reevaluated at 12 months. Both Motor and Cognitive average scores were within the norm at both time points. However, we report increased number of infants with motor delay with time: 14% at 6 months and 24% at 12 months. Multiple regression analysis for Motor scores at 6 [F(4,74) = 4.363, P = 0.003] and 12 months [F(6,50) = 2.634, P = 0.027] identified (i) low birth weight, (ii) longer hospital stay and (iii) weight &lt; fifth percentile at 1 year as risk factors. Interestingly, average Cognitive scores also increased with time from 85.2% at 6 months and 96.6% at 12 months. Multiple regression models explaining variance of Cognitive scores at 6 [F(4, 73) = 2.458, P = 0.053] and 12 months [F(6, 49) = 1.232, P = 0.306] were nonsignificant.
Our selected cohort of EA patients shows, on the average, Motor and Cognitive scores within the norm both at 6 and 12 months. Nevertheless, the percentage of infants with Motor scores below the average increases regardless gestational age. None of clinical and sociodemographic variables taken into consideration was able to predict cognitive development both at 6 and 12 months whereas risk factors for Motor development change during the first year of life.
Healthcare providers should pay particular attention to patients with low birth weight, longer hospital stays and weight under fifth percentile at 1 year. Future studies should include long-term outcomes to reveal possible catch up in motor development and/or possible findings in Cognitive scores.
Efficacy and Safety of Early Initiation of Eplerenone Treatment in Patients with Acute Heart Failure (EARLIER trial): a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Asakura Masanori , Ito Shin , Yamada Takahisa , Saito Yoshihiko , Kimura Kazuo , Yamashina Akira , Hirayama Atsushi , Kobayashi Youichi , Hanatani Akihisa , Tsujimoto Mitsuru , Yasuda Satoshi , Abe Yukio , Higashino Yorihiko , Tamaki Yodo , Sugino Hiroshi , Niinuma Hiroyuki , Okuhara Yoshitaka , Koitabashi Toshimi , Momomura Shin-Ichi , Asai Kuniya , Nomura Akihiro , Kawai Hiroya , Satoh Yasuhiro , Yoshikawa Tsutomu , Hirata Ken-Ichi , Yokoi Yoshiaki , Tanaka Jun , Shibata Yoshisato , Maejima Yasuhiro , Tamaki Shunsuke , Kawata Hiroyuki , Iwahashi Noriaki , Kobayashi Masatake , Higuchi Yoshiharu , Kada Akiko , Yamamoto Haruko , Kitakaze Masafumi 
Published: November 2020

Abstract

Aims
A mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) is effective in patients with chronic heart failure; however, the effects of the early initiation of an MRA in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) have not been elucidated.

Methods and results
In this multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, we focused on the safety and effectiveness of the treatment with eplerenone, a selective MRA in 300 patients with AHF, that is, 149 in the eplerenone group and 151 in the placebo group in 27 Japanese institutions. The key inclusion criteria were (i) patients aged 20 years or older and (ii) those with left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤40%. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death or first re-hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease within 6 months. The mean age of the participants was 66.8 years, 27.3% were women, and the median levels of brain natriuretic peptide were 376.0 pg/mL. The incidences of the primary outcome were 19.5% in the eplerenone group and 17.2% in the placebo group [hazard ratio (HR): 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.642–1.855]. In prespecified secondary outcomes, HR for the composite endpoint, cardiovascular death, or first re-hospitalization due to heart failure within 6 months was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.213–1.434). The safety profile for eplerenone was as expected.

Conclusion
The early initiation of eplerenone in patients with AHF could safely be utilized. The reduction of the incidence of a composite of cardiovascular death or first re-hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases by eplerenone is inconclusive because of inadequate power.
Plant-associated fungal biofilms—knowns and unknowns
Authors: Motaung Thabiso E , Peremore Chizné , Wingfield Brenda , Steenkamp Emma 
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACT
Nearly all microbes, including fungi, grow firmly attached to surfaces as a biofilm. Yet, attention toward fungal interactions with plants and the environment is dedicated to free-floating (planktonic) cells. Fungal biofilms are generally thought to configure interactions across and among plant populations. Despite this, plant fungal biofilm research lags far behind the research on biofilms of medically important fungi. The deficit in noticing and exploring this research avenue could limit disease management and plant improvement programs. Here, we provide the current state of knowledge of fungal biofilms and the different pivotal ecological roles they impart in the context of disease, through leveraging evidence across medically important fungi, secondary metabolite production, plant beneficial functions and climate change. We also provide views on several important information gaps potentially hampering plant fungal biofilm research, and propose a way forward to address these gaps.