Characterization and reactivity of size-fractionated unconventional fly ashes

Modification of fineness, including by grinding or classification, is a commonly used beneficiation method for improving fly ash performance. In this study, five fly ashes, including off-spec and reclaimed ashes, were size fractionated by sieving into the following fractions:  45 µm. The original fly ash and the size fractions were characterized, and their reactivity was measured. For Class C fly ashes, the CaO contents decreased and SiO 2 contents increased as the size fractions became coarser, with the > 45 µm size fractions having lower CaO contents that would allow them to be classified as Class F fly ashes. The > 45 µm size fractions had more angular or irregular particles (impurities and unburnt carbon), while the < 20 µm fractions had very limited amounts of such particles. There was a general reduction of reactivity from finer to coarser fractions as measured using a direct reactivity test. As expected, cement pastes made with finer fractions showed higher heat release and calcium hydroxide consumption. The magnitude of changes between the size fractions depended on the original fly ash composition and particle size distribution

Novelty in bacteria source production and concrete binders in self-healing cementitious samples

One of the challenges associated with creating bacterial-concrete systems capable of biomineralizing CaCO3 to fill cracks is the high pH environment of the hydrated cement paste. In this study two approaches to address this challenge were investigated: (i) the use of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement, which develops a naturally lower pH, and (ii) the use of non-axenic bacterial cultures, which may facilitate growth of bacterial strains more resilient to harsh alkaline conditions. Axenic B. subtilis and a non-axenic bacterial system from soil were produced and utilized in ordinary portland cement (OPC) and CSA samples. The mechanical properties, water absorption, calcium carbonate precipitation capability, and survivability of bacteria were investigated. The highest B. subtilis and soil bacteria viability was obtained through use of CSA cement and may enable greater later age crack healing potential than mixtures using OPC. Incorporation of axenic bacteria resulted in increased bacteria survivability in the mortar samples when compared to non-axenic bacteria mixes. However, in both cementitious systems, use of B. subtilis and soil bacteria led to similar improvements, suggesting that non-axenic cultures may be used in concrete effectively

Data for Novel Alternative Cement Binders for Highway Structures and Pavements

The contents of data file include raw data for all the data plots included in the final report titled Novel Alternative Cement Binders for Highway Structures and Pavements. The excel spreadsheets were named based on chapter numbers in the final report.The ubiquity and the necessity of concrete infrastructure prompts innovation in addressing the global challenge of meeting societal needs in the most sustainable and economical ways possible. Increasing the use of non-portland cements or “alternative cementitious materials” (ACMs) is increasingly of interest due to their special properties and to their potential to reduce the environmental footprint of concrete. The special properties of ACMs may vary by material but include rapid setting, rapid strength development, higher ultimate strength, improved dimensional stability and increased durability in aggressive environments. The increased strength and increased durability further contribute to enhanced service life which can help offset initially higher materials costs, and also to enhanced sustainability. In the past, most ACMs have primarily been used in specialty limited applications and some of them have been shown in lab-scale studies to be feasible for the partial or full replacement of traditional portland cements used in concrete. However, there is limited understanding of the scalability of construction with these material systems, their long-term performance and durability in a range of environments, and their structural response when subjected to transportation-relevant loading conditions. This data presents the results from the comprehensive investigation of the applications of these commercially available ACMs in durable and sustainable transportation infrastructure, which include the early-age and long-term material properties as well as complete multi-scale durability investigations.Office of Infrastructure Research & Development, Federal Highway Administration, 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101-2296. Grant number: DRFH61-14-H-000

One thousand plant transcriptomes and the phylogenomics of green plants

Abstract: Green plants (Viridiplantae) include around 450,000–500,000 species1, 2 of great diversity and have important roles in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Here, as part of the One Thousand Plant Transcriptomes Initiative, we sequenced the vegetative transcriptomes of 1,124 species that span the diversity of plants in a broad sense (Archaeplastida), including green plants (Viridiplantae), glaucophytes (Glaucophyta) and red algae (Rhodophyta). Our analysis provides a robust phylogenomic framework for examining the evolution of green plants. Most inferred species relationships are well supported across multiple species tree and supermatrix analyses, but discordance among plastid and nuclear gene trees at a few important nodes highlights the complexity of plant genome evolution, including polyploidy, periods of rapid speciation, and extinction. Incomplete sorting of ancestral variation, polyploidization and massive expansions of gene families punctuate the evolutionary history of green plants. Notably, we find that large expansions of gene families preceded the origins of green plants, land plants and vascular plants, whereas whole-genome duplications are inferred to have occurred repeatedly throughout the evolution of flowering plants and ferns. The increasing availability of high-quality plant genome sequences and advances in functional genomics are enabling research on genome evolution across the green tree of life

FOLFIRINOX for advanced pancreatic cancer: the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre experience

BACKGROUND: FOLFIRINOX has been shown to significantly increase both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in metastatic pancreas cancer. There is limited data regarding the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer. We present a retrospective study of patients with both locally advanced and metastatic pancreas cancer using FOLFIRINOX as first-line therapy in our centre. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients treated with FOLFIRINOX for pancreatic cancer at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, between December 2011 and July 2014. The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FOLFIRINOX when used with dose modifications. RESULTS: One hundred two patients were identified; 66 metastatic and 36 locally advanced. Sixty-eight per cent of patients initiated treatment with a dose reduction. The median (95% CI) OS in the metastatic group was 13.1 (6.3–16.1) months with full dose and 12.9 (10.3–30.1) months with modified dose. The median (95% CI) OS in the locally advanced group was 11.1 (6.1–not reached) months with full dose and 23 (not reached–not reached) months with modified dose. The median (95% CI) PFS in the metastatic group was 6.2 (4.9–15.2) months with full dose and 8.7 (5.7–12.9) months with modified dose. The median (95% CI) PFS in the locally advanced group was 11.1 (3.1–not reached) months with full dose and 10.4 (6.8–not reached) months with modified dose. Grade 3/4 haematologic adverse events were observed in 43% of patients. Grade 3/4 non-haematologic adverse events were observed in 28% of patients. Patient well-being significantly improved from baseline to cycle 4 (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Efficacy was achievable with dose-modified FOLFIRINOX in daily setting. The safety of FOLFIRINOX remains a concern with a high rate of grades 3 and 4 neutropaenia despite dose reduction