Mechanical Performances of Weathered Coal Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Bricks

In this paper weathered coal fly ash has been used in polycondensation processes aimed at the production of geopolymer-based low temperature ceramic bricks. The ash has been employed both "as received" and after drying, showing favorable reactivity in any case. Different curing conditions with a variable period at 60 °C have been tested. Samples obtained have been characterized by measuring Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and by SEM observations. Good strength values have been obtained with the systems tested. Furthermore, it has been found that mechanical performance increases as the time during which samples are kept at 60 °C increases

Synthesis and characterization of belite calcium sulfoaluminate cements produced by oxyfuel combustion residues

In this work, the possibility of reusing ashes issued by an oxyfuel combustion process (OC) as a source of material in the production of belite calcium sulfoaluminate BCSA cements has been investigated. OF process is one of the most promising combustion technologies for CO2 reduction from power plants. Combustion tests were carried out in an oxyfuel bubbling fluidized bed pilot plant. Four BCSA clinker-generating raw mixes were heated in a laboratory electric oven in the temperatures range 1150°-1350°C: one included only natural materials (limestone, clay, bauxite and gypsum), the others contained OC ashes as total substitute for clay. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis on the burning products showed high conversion of reactants toward the main BCSA clinker components (C2S and C4A3$), especially at 1200° or 1250°C. Moreover, physical-mechanical tests associated with XRD and differential thermal-thermogravimetric analyses accomplished on all the cements (obtained by adding natural gypsum to the clinkers produced at the best synthesis temperatures) generally displayed a similar hydration behaviour

Antioxidative Effects of Curcumin on the Hepatotoxicity Induced by Ochratoxin A in Rats

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a powerful mycotoxin found in various foods and feedstuff, responsible for subchronic and chronic toxicity, such as nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, teratogenicity, and immunotoxicity to both humans and several animal species. The severity of the liver damage caused depends on both dose and duration of exposure. Several studies have suggested that oxidative stress might contribute to increasing the hepatotoxicity of OTA, and several antioxidants, including curcumin (CURC), have been tested to counteract the toxic hepatic action of OTA in various classes of animals. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of CURC, a bioactive compound with different therapeutic properties on hepatic injuries caused by OTA in rat animal models. CURC effects were examined in Sprague Dawley rats treated with CURC (100 mg/kg), alone or in combination with OTA (0.5 mg/kg), by gavage daily for 14 days. At the end of the experiment, rats treated with OTA showed alterations in biochemical parameters and oxidative stress in the liver. CURC dosing significantly attenuated oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation versus the OTA group. Furthermore, liver histological tests showed that CURC reduced the multifocal lymphoplasmacellular hepatitis, the periportal fibrosis, and the necrosis observed in the OTA group. This study provides evidence that CURC can preserve OTA-induced oxidative damage in the liver of rat

Potential Approaches Versus Approved or Developing Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Therapy.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, continued use of these inhibitors has contributed to the increase in clinical resistance and the persistence of resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs). So, there is an urgent need to introduce additional targeted and selective therapies to eradicate quiescent LSCs, and to avoid the relapse and disease progression. Here, we focused on emerging BCR-ABL targeted and non-BCR-ABL targeted drugs employed in clinical trials and on alternative CML treatments, including antioxidants, oncolytic virus, engineered exosomes, and natural products obtained from marine organisms that could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches for CML patients

The Oncolytic Caprine Herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1) Induces Apoptosis and Synergizes with Cisplatin in Mesothelioma Cell Lines: A New Potential Virotherapy Approach.

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive asbestos-related cancer, against which no curative modalities exist. Oncolytic virotherapy is a promising therapeutic approach, for which MM is an ideal candidate; indeed, the pleural location provides direct access for the intra-tumoral injection of oncolytic viruses (OVs). Some non-human OVs offer advantages over human OVs, including the non-pathogenicity in humans and the absence of pre-existing immunity. We previously showed that caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1), a non-pathogenic virus for humans, can kill different human cancer cell lines. Here, we assessed CpHV-1 effects on MM (NCI-H28, MSTO, NCI-H2052) and non-tumor mesothelial (MET-5A) cells. We found that CpHV-1 reduced cell viability and clonogenic potential in all MM cell lines without affecting non-tumor cells, in which, indeed, we did not detect intracellular viral DNA after treatment. In particular, CpHV-1 induced MM cell apoptosis and accumulation in G0/G1 or S cell cycle phases. Moreover, CpHV-1 strongly synergized with cisplatin, the drug currently used in MM chemotherapy, and this agent combination did not affect normal mesothelial cells. Although further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the selective CpHV-1 action on MM cells, our data suggest that the CpHV-1-cisplatin combination could be a feasible strategy against MM

Aujeszky’s disease in south‐Italian wild boars (Sus Scrofa): A serological survey

Aujeszky’s disease (AD, pseudorabies) is a viral disease of suids caused by Suid Herpesvirus 1 (SHV‐1) also referred as Aujeszky’s disease virus (ADV) or Pseudorabies virus (ADV). Domestic pig and Wild boar (Sus scrofa) are the natural host, but many species can be infected with ADV. The aim of our study was to evaluate seroprevalence of AD in wild boar hunted in the Campania Region, during the 2016–2017 hunting season. A total of 503 serum samples from wild boars hunted in the provinces of Campania Region (Southern Italy) were collected and were tested for antibody against ADV using an AD, blocking ELISA assay. A Seroprevalence of 23.85% (120/503, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 20.15–27.55) was found. Gender was not significantly associated with of ADV seropositivity (p > 0.05), while the presence of ADV antibodies was statistically associated with age (>36‐month, p < 0.0001) and location (Avellino, p = 0.0161). Our prevalence values are like those obtained in 2010 in our laboratory (30.7%), demonstrating a constant circulation of ADV in the area

Combined effects of PI3K and SRC kinase inhibitors with imatinib on intracellular calcium levels, autophagy, and apoptosis in CML-PBL cells

Imatinib induces a complete cytogenetic regression in a large percentage of patients affected by chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) until mutations in the kinase domain of BCR-ABL appear. Alternative strategies for CML patients include the inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR ) pathway, which is constitutively activated in leukemia cells and seems important for the regulation of cell proliferation, viability, and autophagy. In this study, we verified the effect of imatinib mesylate (IM), alone or in association with LY294002 (LY) (a specific PI3K protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor) or 4-amino-5-(4-methylphenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]- pyrimidine (PP1) (a Src tyrosine kinase inhibitor), on viability, intracellular calcium mobilization, apoptosis, and autophagy, in order to verify possible mechanisms of interaction. Our data demonstrated that PP1 and LY interact synergistically with IM by inducing apoptosis and autophagy in Bcr/Abl+ leukemia cells and this mechanism is related to the stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER ). Our findings suggest a reasonable relationship between apoptotic and autophagic activity of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and the functionality of smooth ER Ca2+-AT Pase and inositol triphosphate receptors, independently of intracellular calcium levels. Therapeutic strategies combining imatinib with PI3K and/or Src kinase inhibitors warrant further investigations in Bcr/Abl+ malignancies, particularly in the cases of imatinib mesylate-resistant diseas

Selective-exhaust gas recirculation for CO₂ capture using membrane technology

Membranes can potentially offer low-cost CO₂ capture from post-combustion flue gas. However, the low partial pressure of CO₂ in flue gases can inhibit their effectiveness unless methods are employed to increase their partial pressure. Selective-Exhaust Gas Recirculation (S-EGR) has recently received considerable attention. In this study, the performance of a dense polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane for the separation of CO₂/N₂ binary model mixtures for S-EGR application was investigated using a bench-scale experimental rig. Measurements at different pressures, at different feeding concentrations and with nitrogen as sweep gas revealed an average carbon dioxide permeability of 2943 ± 4.1%_{RSD} Barrer. The bench-scale membrane module showed high potential to separate binary mixtures of N₂ and CO₂ containing 5–20% CO₂. The permeability was slightly affected by feed pressures ranging from 1 to 2.4 bar. Furthermore, the separation selectivity for a CO₂/N₂ mixture of 10%/90% (by volume) reached a maximum of 10.55 at 1.8 bar. Based on the results from the bench-scale experiments, a pilot-scale PDMS membrane module was tested for the first time using a real flue gas mixture taken from the combustion of natural gas. Results from the pilot-scale experiments confirmed the potential of the PDMS membrane system to be used in an S-EGR configuration for capture of CO₂