Volume change modeling for partially saturated compacted soils

Practical significance of the problem -- Definition of partial saturation -- Objective and outline of this research -- Effective stress equation -- State surface -- Collapse phenomenon -- Empirical and experimental approaches for determination of amount of volume change in partly saturated soils -- Proposed model -- Effective stress -- Derivation of proposed model -- Significance of the model parameters -- Soil description and basic properties- -- Preliminary test -- Triaxial tests -- Finite element formulation and programing -- Elastic nonlinear formulation -- Finite element formulation -- Computer program -- Selection of model parameters -- Numerical results -- Results sensitivity to the input parameters -- Coupling of the proposed model with flow equations

The effect of microbial calcite precipitation on the retention properties of unsaturated fine-grained soils: discussion of the governing factors

In recent years, biogeotechnology has been introduced as a novel and environmentally friendly technique for soil improvement. The need to address global warming and the adverse environmental effects of the chemical additives have led to the emergence and development of the techniques which use calcite producing microorganisms in order to improve soil mechanical properties. While the effects of microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP) on the hydraulics and mechanics of saturated coarse-grained soils have been well examined and studied, there is not yet much information on the effects these microorganisms would have on the unsaturated soil mechanical behaviour. The first step, in this regard, is to understand the effect of the processes involved in the MICP on the soil retention properties. Soil water suction is a key factor controlling soil hydraulic and mechanical behaviour. In this study, the influence of MICP on the soil total suction in an unsaturated fine-grained soil sample has been explored using filter paper experiment. The results of this study revealed that by increasing the amount of bacterial solution, the soil saturation-total suction curves are significantly affected. The soil water retention changes are attributed to the change in double layer thickness as well as the precipitation of calcite crystals

Comparison of coronal microleakage of resin modified glass ionomer and composite resin as intra-orifice barriers in internal bleaching

Introduction: Internal bleaching is a treatment option for wightening endodontically treated discolored teeth. Cervical resorption is one of the side effects of this method. The aim of this study was to compare the sealing ability of resin composite and light-cured resin modified glass ionomer (RMGI) as intra-orifice barriers in internal bleaching. Materials &Methods: In this study, 34 single-canal anterior teeth were used. All samples were endodontically prepared and divided into two experimental groups (n=12) and two control groups (n=5). In the experimental groups, Gutta-percha was removed up to 3 mm below the cemento enamel junction (CEJ). RMGI and composite resin was placed over gutta-percha in the experimental groups up to the level of CEJ. After 24-hours incubation period, the bleaching agent (a mixture of sodium perborate and 30% hydrogen peroxide) was placed in the access cavities. The bleaching agents were replaced every 3 days over 9 days. Then, the access cavity was filled with 2% methylene blue for 48 hours. All samples were longitudinally sectioned and the dye penetration range was evaluated using stereomicroscope. Data was statistically analyzed by using T-student test and variance analysis. Results: The microleakage in RMGI group was 0.945mm and in composite resin group was 0.641mm. Statistically, no significant difference was observed in microleakage between the experimental groups (p=0.121). Conclusion: Both materials can be applied as the intra-orifice barriers for internal bleaching

Tumour suppressive effects of WEE1 gene silencing in breast cancer cells.

Background: WEE1 is a G2/M checkpoint regulator protein. Various studies have indicated that WEE1 could be a good target for cancer therapy. The main aim of this study was to asssess the tumor suppressive potential of WEE1 silencing in two different breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 which carries the wild-type p53 and MDA-MB468 which contains a mutant type. Materials and Methods: After WEE1 knockdown with specific shRNAs downstream effects on cell viability and cell cycle progression were determined using MTT and flow cytometry analyses, respectively. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were conducted to assess the effect of WEE1 inhibition on the expression of apoptotic (p53) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl2) factors and also a growth marker (VEGF). Results: The results showed that WEE1 inhibition could cause a significant decrease in the viability of both MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell lines by more than 50%. Interestingly, DNA content assays showed a significant increase in apoptotic cells following WEE1 silencing. WEE1 inhibition also induced upregulation of the apoptotic marker, p53, in breast cancer cells. A significant decrease in the expression of VEGF and Bcl-2 was observed following WEE1 inhibition in both cell lines. Conclusions: In concordance with previous studies, our data showed that WEE1 inhibition could induce G2 arrest abrogation and consequent cell death in breast cancer cells. Moreover, in this study, the observed interactions between the pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins and decrease in the angiogenesis marker expression confirm the susceptibility to apoptosis and validate the tumor suppressive effect of WEE1 inhibition in breast cancer cells. Interestingly, the levels of the sensitivity to WEE1 silencing in breast cancer cells, MCF7 and MDA-MB468, seem to be in concordance with the level of p53 expression

З книги "Дзеркало від писання божественного", Чернігів 1705 р. (Підготовка до друку, переклад з польської та церковно-слов'янської, коментарі Валерія Шевчука)

In recent years, the effective stress approach has received much attention in the constitutive modeling of unsaturated soils. In this approach, the effective stress parameter is very important. This parameter needs a correct definition and has to be determined properly. In this paper, a thermodynamic approach is used to develop a physically-based formula for the effective stress tensor in unsaturated soils. This approach accounts for the hydro-mechanical coupling, which is quite important when dealing with hydraulic hysteresis in unsaturated soils. The resulting formula takes into account the role of interfacial energy and the contribution of air-water specific interfacial area to the effective stress tensor. Moreover, a bi-quadratic surface is proposed to represent the contribution of the so-called suction stress in the effective stress tensor. It is shown that the proposed relationship for suction stress is in agreement with available experimental data in the full hydraulic cycle (drying, scanning, and wetting)

Thermo-mechanical behaviour of a compacted swelling clay

Compacted unsaturated swelling clay is often considered as a possible buffer material for deep nuclear waste disposal. An isotropic cell permitting simultaneous control of suction, temperature and pressure was used to study the thermo-mechanical behaviour of this clay. Tests were performed at total suctions ranging from 9 to 110 MPa, temperature from 25 to 80 degrees C, isotropic pressure from 0.1 to 60 MPa. It was observed that heating at constant suction and pressure induces either swelling or contraction. The results from compression tests at constant suction and temperature evidenced that at lower suction, the yield pressure was lower, the elastic compressibility parameter and the plastic compressibility parameter were higher. On the other hand, at a similar suction, the yield pressure was slightly influenced by the temperature; and the compressibility parameters were insensitive to temperature changes. The thermal hardening phenomenon was equally evidenced by following a thermo-mechanical path of loading-heating-cooling-reloading

The effect of amniotic membrane extract on umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cell expansion: is there any need to save the amniotic membrane besides the umbilical cord blood?

Objective(s): Umbilical cord blood is a good source of the mesenchymal stem cells that can be banked, expanded and used in regenerative medicine.  The objective of this study was to test whether amniotic membrane extract, as a rich source of growth factors such as basic-fibroblast growth factor, can promote the proliferation potential of the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. Materials and Methods: The study design was interventional. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from voluntary healthy infants from hospitals in Shiraz, Iran, cultured in the presence of basic-fibroblast growth factor and amniotic membrane extracts (from pooled - samples), and compared with control cultures. Proliferation assay was performed and duplication number and time were calculated. The expression of stem cell’s specific markers and the differentiation capacity toward osteogenic and adipogenic lineages were evaluated. Results: Amniotic membrane extract led to a significant increase in the proliferation rate and duplication number and a decrease in the duplication time without any change in the cell morphology. Both amniotic membrane extract and basic-fibroblast growth factor altered the expressing of CD44 and CD105 in cell population. Treating basic-fibroblast growth factor but not the amniotic membrane extract favored the differentiation potential of the stem cells toward osteogenic lineage. Conclusion: The amniotic membrane extract administration accelerated cell proliferation and modified the CD marker characteristics which may be due to the induction of differentiation toward a specific lineage.  Amniotic membrane extract may enhance the proliferation rate and duplication number of the stem cell through changing the duplication time

Does Smoking Cessation Improve Oral Health-related Quality of Life? A Pilot Study

Background: Smoking tobacco is a significant health problem for humankind. Cigarettes could affect people’slife from socioeconomic and psychosomatic aspects. The oral cavity is the first orifice through which cigarettesmoke enters the body. Thus, it is directly exposed to cigarettes and their harmful ingredients. This studyaimed to determine the effects of smoking cessation on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).Methods: The subjects in the present observational study consisted of individuals visiting a specializedsmoking cessation clinic in Tehran, Iran, to give up their smoking habit. After documentation of the subjects’demographic data, the questionnaire [Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14)] was completed twice in threemonths (before giving up smoking and three months after initiating the program to quit smoking). Dataanalysis was performed using Sig. (2-tailed), paired t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at aconfidence interval (CI) of 95%.Findings: Thirty-one subjects (29 men, 2 women) participated in this study. The mean age of the subjects was37.03 ± 11.30 years. Although OHRQoL scores were increasing as to some parameters, including food tastes,anxiety, and a feeling of shame in the subjects after giving up smoking, it was not statistically significant(P > 0.050). On the other hand, the relationship between the quality of life (QoL) (before and after stoppingsmoking) and age was significant (P = 0.001 before quitting and P = 0.050 after quitting).Conclusion: For a better understanding of the relationship between quitting smoking and an improvement inOHRQoL, it is necessary to perform more extensive studies in this field. The present study was a pilot study,which shed some light on the relationships between these parameters

Transparent soil to model thermal processes: An energy pile example

Managing energy resources is fast becoming a crucial issue of the 21st century, with groundbased heat exchange energy structures targeted as a viable means of reducing carbon emissions associated with regulating building temperatures. Limited information exists about the thermo-dynamic interactions of geothermal structures and soil owing to the practical constraints of placing measurement sensors in proximity to foundations; hence, questions remain about their long-term performance and interaction mechanics. An alternative experimental method using transparent soil and digital image analysis was proposed to visualize heat flow in soil. Advocating the loss of optical clarity as a beneficial attribute of transparent soil, this paper explored the hypothesis that temperature change will alter its refractive index and therefore progressively reduce its transparency, becoming more opaque. The development of the experimental methodology was discussed and a relationship between pixel intensity and soil temperature was defined and verified. This relationship was applied to an energy pile example to demonstrate heat flow in soil. The heating zone of influence was observed to extend to a radial distance of 1.5 pile diameters and was differentiated by a visual thermal gradient propagating from the pile. The successful implementation of this technique provided a new paradigm for transparent soil to potentially contribute to the understanding of thermo-dynamic processes in soil