Characterization of OPC Matrix Containing Dealuminated Kaolin

The suitability of replacing Portland cement by dealuminated calcined kaolin as received waste obtained from an alum production factory through the extraction of aluminium, also by dealuminated samples treated with lime solution, is investigated. The chemical and mineralogical compositions of the samples are measured. Their pozzolanic reactivity and their surface areas were determined. The effect of replacement on  setting time,  flowability, rate of flowability loss and strength of mortars was tested and compared to control OPC samples and others containing silica fumes. It was found that the as received dealuminated kaolin and that treated with lime possess higher pozzolanic reactivity and show larger surface areas than silica fumes. The incorporation of the as received dealuminated kaolin (DK) in OPC paste accelerates the setting time; while the lime-treated samples lead to retardation. The flowability of the OPC mortar is little affected by the as received DK samples and is strongly reduced by the lime-treated one and silica fumes. The three admixtures cause strong flowability loss with time. The 56d-compressive and tensile strengths of the mortars improve with 5 and 10% OPC replacement by DK

Interacción entre cementos de diferente composición y aditivos superplastificantes

The slump behavior of ordinary Portland-, pozzolanic (red brick powder)-, sulfate resistant-, and limestone cement pastes caused by ≤ 1% additions of polycondensates and polycarboxylates superplasticizers are monitored for up to 90 minutes. With the plolycondensates, Portland- and pozzolanic cements gain fluidity at higher dosages than sulfate resistant and limestone cements. Limestone cement shows the best slump retention. The aluminate and sulfate phases play a major role in the fluidity. With the polycarboxylates, all cements gain fluidity with dosages of ≤ 0.3%. A polycarboxylate with no resonance of methyl methylene proton in the main chain identified in the NMR spectra creates good slump retention. This is explained by a low mobility of the structure and the predominance of the steric effect. The polycarboxylate shows also strong ether bands relative to the ester groups in the IR spectra and a low polydispersity observed in the elution of few low molecular weight species in the HPLC chromatogram.Se ha estudiado el efecto fluidificante (hasta 90 minutos) ejercido por la incorporación de entre 0-1% de aditivos policondensados y policarboxilatos en pastas de cemento Portland, puzolánico, resistente a sulfatos y con adición de caliza. Con la incorporación de los aditivos policondensados, se produjo un incremento de la fluidez de los cementos Portland y puzolánico a mayores dosificaciones que las necesarias en los cementos resistente a sulfatos y con adición de caliza. Éste último presentó la mejor retención de la fluidez. Las fases aluminatos y sulfatos juegan un importante papel en la fluidez inducida. Todos los cementos incrementaron su fluidez con la incorporación de aditivos policarboxilatos a dosificaciones menores del 0,3%. El policarboxilato que no presenta en los espectros de RMN, resonancia asignada al protón de los grupos metil metileno, presenta buena retención de la fluidez. Esto es debido a la baja flexibilidad de la estructura y predominancia del efecto estérico. Este aditivo presenta también, mayor relación de grupos eter frente a grupos ester en los espectros IR, asi como una baja polidispersidad observada en la elución de especies de bajo peso molecular a través de HPLC

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Background: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. // Methods: We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. // Findings: We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middle-income countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in low-income countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. // Interpretation: Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Preprocessing method comparison and model tuning for natural language data

Twitter and other microblogging services are a valuable source for almost real-time marketing, public opinion and brand-related consumer information mining. As such, collection and analysis of user-generated natural language content is in the focus of research regarding automated sentiment analysis. The most successful approach in the field is supervised machine learning, where the three key problems are data cleaning and transformation, feature generation and model choice and training parameter selection. Papers in recent years thoroughly examined the field and there is a agreement that relatively simple techniques as bag-of-words transformation of text and a naive bayes models can generate acceptable results (between 75% and 85% percent F1-scores for an average dataset) and fine tuning can be really difficult and yields relatively small results. However, a few percent in performance even on a middle-size dataset can mean thousands of better classified documents, which can mean thousands of missed sales or angry customers in any business domain. Thus this work presents and demonstrates a framework for better tailored, fine-tuned models for analysing twitter data. The experiments show that Naive Bayes classifiers with domain specific stopword selection work the best (up to 88% F1-score), however the performance dramatically decreases if the data is unbalanced or the classes are not binary. Filtering stopwords is crucial to increase prediction performance; and the experiment shows that a stopword set should be domain-specific. The conclusion is that there is no one best way for model training and stopword selection in sentiment analysis. Thus the work suggests that there is space for using a comparison framework to fine-tune prediction models to a given problem: such a comparison framework should compare different training settings on the same dataset, so the best trained models can be found for a given real-life problem