Effect of adhesive thickness and concrete strength on FRP-Concrete Bonds

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for strengthening, repairing, or rehabilitating concrete structures has become more and more popular in the last 10 years. Irrespective of the type of strengthening used, design is conditioned, among others, by concrete-composite bond failure, normally attributed to stress at the interface between these two materials. Single shear, double shear, and notched beam tests are the bond tests most commonly used by the scientific community to estimate bond strength, effective length, and the bond stress-slip relationship. The present paper discusses the effect of concrete strength and adhesive thickness on the results of beam tests, which reproduce debonding conditions around bending cracks much more accurately. The bond stress-slip relationship was analyzed in a cross section near the inner edge, where stress was observed to concentrate. The ultimate load and the bond stress-slip relationship were visibly affected by concrete strength. Adhesive thickness, in turn, was found to have no significant impact on low-strength concrete but a somewhat greater effect on higher strength materials

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Ti-doped polar and nonpolar GaN surfaces

Based on density functional theory, first-principles calculations were performed in order to study the titanium incorporation on polar and nonpolar GaN surfaces. The formation energy calculations indicate that Ti impurity atoms prefer to incorporate in surface layers (first and second) of GaN. It is also concluded that the incorporation of Ti atoms in Ga-substitutional sites are more energetically favorable compared with N-substitutional or interstitial sites on the polar and nonpolar GaN surfaces. For Ti-rich growth conditions, formation energy calculations show the formation of TixN layers on the a and c GaN surfaces, which corroborates recent experimental observations. Results also display that the 3d-Ti states are the responsible for the metallization of the surface on the c and m planes, forming an intermetallic alloy (TixN), which could be used as low-resistance ohmic contacts for GaN. In addition, the magnetic properties with Ti doping show magnetization of about 1.0 μB/Ti atom for the nonpolar GaN surfaces

Alternativas para el control de Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama) con insecticidas botánicos, en Citrus latifolia tanaca, Tlapacoyan, Veracruz.

Para el manejo Diaphorina citri(Kuwayama), se evaluaron, en lima persa (Citrus Latifolia Tan.), en la región   de   Tlapacoyan,   Ver.,   México.   Otoño-Invierno,   2008-2009,   diferentes,   productos   con insecticidas botánicos. BIO-Die PROGRANIC® PROGRANIC ® Omega, PROGRANIC® Gama, PROGRANIC®  UltraluxS. PROGRANIC®  Oil Aceite y Testigo. Se utilizó un diseño de bloques completos al azar con 4 repeticiones, evaluando las poblaciones de adultos, ninfas, a través de análisis de varianza mediante la prueba de comparación de medias. Se realizó un conteo previo para establecer el umbral de aplicación con la sola presencia de adultos o ninfas por cada brote recién emergido, para determinar la persistencia de los productos durante periodos de 7, 17, 27 y 37 días, en cada unidad experimental se realizo aplicaciones y evaluaciones. Los efectos más marcados sobre la población de ninfas se manifestaron en las variantes con Oíl, Omega, Biodie, Gama, NeemAcar, Ultralux-s que no difirieron estadísticamente entre ellos y por último difiriendo de todos los demás el testigo. En adultos Diaphorina citri, todos los tratamientos con extractos y aceites difirieron estadísticamente del testigo, después del testigo, a nivel poblacional, se ubicó el extracto Gama, que no marco diferencia del aceite OIL y este a la vez de el extracto vegetal Ultralux-s, NeemAcar y Biodie y por último el Omega que difirió de todas las demás variantes. Estos productos pueden utilizarse exitosamente como alternativa en el manejo integrado de esta plaga

Via CXCL1/CXCR2 adenosine-mediated pulmonary angiogenesis

Introducción: La enfermedad pulmonar inflamatoria crónica tiene como característica común el proceso de angiogénesis patológica. Recientes trabajos han relacionado a la adenosina, una molécula de señalización, y quimioquinas como reguladores de este proceso, aunque la relación y asociación entre estos factores no ha sido muy investigada. Objetivo: Determinar el papel de la adenosina en la angiogénesis sostenida en procesos pulmonares inflamatorios crónicos. Diseño: Experimental. Lugar: Bioterio del Grupo de Investigación en Inmunología de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín, Arequipa, Perú e Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Material biológico: Ratones deficientes en adenosina deaminasa (ADA) de la cepa C57BL/6J. Métodos y procedimientos: Se evaluó la relación entre los niveles de adenosina en pulmón y la angiogénesis traqueal utilizando patrones morfométricos, además de la expresión de la quimioquina CXCL1 y su receptor mediante ensayos de PCR y Elisa. Principales medidas de resultados: Niveles de adenosina en pulmón, angiogénesis traqueal y expresión a CXCL1 y su receptor. Resultados: Se demostró un significativo incremento de angiogénesis relacionado a dosis elevadas de adenosina y una regresión importante del proceso al administrar ADA de reemplazo. Se encontró también niveles de CXCL1 elevados de manera dependiente a la adenosina, en los ratones deficientes. La neutralización in vivo del receptor de CXCL1 (mCXCR2) mostró una marcada inhibición de la acción angiogénica. Conclusión: Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que la adenosina juega un rol importante en la inducción de angiogénesis pulmonar vía CXCL1/CXCR2, en la enfermedad pulmonar crónica.Introduction: Chronic lung disease's feature is pathological angiogenesis, a still little understood process in this and other diseases. Recently adenosine, a signaling molecule, and chemokines have been considered regulators of this process. Though, relationship between these factors has not been investigated. Objective: To determine the role of adenosine in the induction of angiogenesis during pulmonary chronic inflammation. Design: Experimental. Setting: Bioterio, Immunology Research Group, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de San Agustin, Arequipa, Peru, and Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Biologic material: C57BL/6J adenosine deaminase (ADA)-deficient mice. Methods and interventions: By morphometric analysis we determined relationship between adenosine levels in lung and tracheal angiogenesis, and expression to CXCL1 and its receptor by PCR and Elisa assays. Main outcome measures: Lung adenosine levels, tracheal angiogenesis, and expression to CXCL1 and its receptor. Results: We demonstrated a significant increase of angiogenesis related to high doses of adenosine and an important inhibition of the process when we administered replacement ADA. In the ADA-deficient mice CXCL1 levels rose depending on adenosine levels. CXCL1 receptor (CXCR2) in vivo neutralization showed dramatic inhibition of angiogenic activity. Conclusions: Adenosine may play an important role, via CXCL1/CXCR2, in the induction of pulmonary angiogenesis in pulmonary chronic disease

Distribution and biogeographic trends of decapod assemblages from Galicia Bank (NE Atlantic) at depths between 700 and 1800m, with connexions to regional water masses

The GaliciaBank(NEAtlantic,42167′N–11174′W) isanisolatedseamount,nearNWSpain,acomplex geomorphological andsedimentarystructurethatreceivesinfluences fromcontrastingwatermassesof both northernandsouthernorigins.WithintheprojectINDEMARES,threecruiseswereperformedon the bankin2009(Ecomarg0709),2010(BanGal0810)and2011(BanGal0811)allinJuly–August. Decapods andothermacrobenthiccrustaceans(eucaridsandperacarids)werecollectedwithdifferent sampling systems,mainlybeamtrawls(BT,10mmofmeshsizeatcodend)andaGOC73ottertrawl (20 mmmeshsize).Sixty-sevenspeciesofdecapodcrustaceans,6euphausiids,19peracaridsand 1 ostracodwerecollectedatdepthsbetween744and1808m.Wefoundtwonewspecies,oneamember of theChirostylidae, Uroptychuscartesi Baba &Macpherson,2012,theotherofthePetalophthalmidae (Mysida) Petalophthalmus sp. A,inadditiontoanumberofnewbiogeographicspeciesrecordsfor European orIberianwaters.Ananalysisofassemblagesshowedageneralizedspeciesrenewalwith depth, withdifferentassemblagesbetween744and ca. 1400m(theseamounttopassemblage,STA)and between ca. 1500and1800m(thedeep-slopeassemblageoverseamount flanks,DSA).Thesewere respectivelyassociatedwithMediterraneanoutflow waters(MOW)andwithLabradorSeaWater(LSW). Another significant factorseparatingdifferentassemblagesovertheGalicianBankwastheco-occurrence of corals(bothcoloniesofhardcoralssuchas Lophelia pertusa and Madreporaoculata and/or gorgonians) in hauls.Munidopsids(Munidopsis spp.), chirostylids(Uroptychus spp.), andthehomolodromiid Dicranodromiamahieuxii formed apartofthiscoral-associatedassemblage.Dominantspeciesatthe STAwerethepandalid Plesionika martia (a shrimpofsubtropical-southerndistribution)andthecrabs Bathynectes maravigna and Polybiushenslowii, whereasdominantspeciesintheDSAwereofnorthern origin, thelithodid Neolithodes grimaldii and thecrangonid Glyphocrangonlongiristris, likelyassociated with LSW.Thediversity(H and J) ofsmallcrustaceans(collectedwithBT)seemedtobecontrolledbythe phytoplanktonblooms(satelliteChl a data) overbanksurface3monthsbeforethesamplings,bothatthe top (Spearman r¼0.57, p¼0.03) andonthe flanks (r¼0.74, p¼0.02) ofGaliciaBank,whilenosignificant relationships withChl a werefoundforthelargerdecapodscollectedwithGOC73,onaveragetheyfeed at thehighertrophiclevelsthanthosecollectedwithBT.Postprin

Assessing the capability of multi-scale drought datasets to quantify drought severity and to identify drought impacts: An example in the Ebro Basin

Assessing the risk, the severity and the likely evolution of droughts are key tasks for improving preparedness of regions prone to drought conditions, and mitigation of drought consequences. The access to real-time and high-quality climatic information is essential for this purpose. Different climatic databases are being developed and made available on real time by climatic research institutions, but their capability for quantifying droughts characteristics including severity, or spatio-temporal variability, is uncertain given their low spatial resolution. In this study, we assessed the capability of three databases with contrasted spatial resolution for measuring spatial and temporal variability of drought occurrence. The standardized precipitation index, calculated for each database, showed that the low resolution datasets allow an acceptable measurement of the magnitude, intensity and duration of droughts, while failing mostly in detecting the spatial patterns of the specific drought episodes. Moreover, the capability of the datasets for assessing the impacts of droughts on surface hydrology and tree growth was examined. Results confirmed the usefulness of the drought index for assessing drought impacts on water resources and forest ecosystems even when low resolution databases are used. © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society.This work has been supported by the research projects CGL2008-01189/BTE, CGL2011-27574-CO2-02 and CGL2011-27536 financed by the Spanish Commission of Science and Technology and FEDER, EUROGEOSS (FP7-ENV-2008-1-226487) and ACQWA (FP7-ENV-2007-1-212250) financed by the VII Framework Programme of the European Commission, ‘Efecto de los escenarios de cambio climático sobre la hidrología superficial y la gestión de embalses del Pirineo Aragonés’ financed by ‘Obra Social La Caixa’ and the Aragón Government and Influencia del cambio climático en el turismo de nieve, CTTP01/10, Financed by the Comisión de Trabajo de los Pirineos.Peer Reviewe

New chemotherapy regimens and biomarkers for Chagas disease: The rationale and design of the TESEO study, an open-label, randomised, prospective, phase-2 clinical trial in the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

Introduction Chagas disease (CD) affects ∼7 million people worldwide. Benznidazole (BZN) and nifurtimox (NFX) are the only approved drugs for CD chemotherapy. Although both drugs are highly effective in acute and paediatric infections, their efficacy in adults with chronic CD (CCD) is lower and variable. Moreover, the high incidence of adverse events (AEs) with both drugs has hampered their widespread use. Trials in CCD adults showed that quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays remain negative for 12 months after standard-of-care (SoC) BZN treatment in ∼80% patients. BZN pharmacokinetic data and the nonsynchronous nature of the proliferative mammal-dwelling parasite stage suggested that a lower BZN/NFX dosing frequency, combined with standard or extended treatment duration, might have the same or better efficacy than either drug SoC, with fewer AEs. Methods and analysis New ThErapies and Biomarkers for ChagaS infEctiOn (TESEO) is an open-label, randomised, prospective, phase-2 clinical trial, with six treatment arms (75 patients/arm, 450 patients). Primary objectives are to compare the safety and efficacy of two new proposed chemotherapy regimens of BZN and NFX in adults with CCD with the current SoC for BZN and NFX, evaluated by qPCR and biomarkers for 36 months posttreatment and correlated with CD conventional serology. Recruitment of patients was initiated on 18 December 2019 and on 20 May 2021, 450 patients (study goal) were randomised among the six treatment arms. The treatment phase was finalised on 18 August 2021. Secondary objectives include evaluation of population pharmacokinetics of both drugs in all treatment arms, the incidence of AEs, and parasite genotyping. Ethics and dissemination The TESEO study was approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), federal regulatory agency of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and the Ethics Committees of the participating institutions. The results will be disseminated via publications in peer-reviewed journals, conferences and reports to the NIH, FDA and participating institutions. Trial registration number NCT03981523.We are very grateful to Marcelo Abril, Fundación Mundo Sano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Dr. Sergio Sosa-Estani, DNDi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for their continuous support during the elaboration and implementation of this trial; Dr. Martin Springsklee (Medical Affairs Anti-Infectives), Dr. Ulrich-Dietmar Madeja (Head, Neglected Tropical Disease Programmes), and Dr. Maria-Luisa Rodriguez (Global Project Leader) at Bayer AG, Berlin, Germany, and this company for the kind donation of the nifurtimox to be used in this study; Dr. Pedro Albajar Viñas, WHO, for the support to the study through the kind advancement of nifurtimox from the WHO stockpile; Ernesto Palma (Business Development and External Markets Manager) and Luis Ferrero (former ELEA’s Especial Business Manager), at Laboratorio ELEA Phoenix S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina, and this company for the generous donation of the benznidazole to be used in the TESEO study. We also thank Dr. Soyoung Jeon (currently at the New Mexico State University) and Dr. Xiaogang Su, Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, Border Biomedical Research Center (BBRC), University of Texas at El Paso, for the statistical analyses performed during the TESEO project evaluation by NIH. We are very thankful to all the medical, supporting (nurses, social workers, and laboratory staff) and administrative personnel of the three Chagas Platforms in Bolivia for their technical assistance and dedication in the recruitment, treatment, and follow-up of the CCD patients in this study. We would also like to thank all the staff (postdoctoral fellows, technicians, and administrative personnel) and graduate and undergraduate students of the participating institutions involved in this clinical trial and part of the TESEO Study Group

A genome-wide association study follow-up suggests a possible role for PPARG in systemic sclerosis susceptibility

Introduction: A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) comprising a French cohort of systemic sclerosis (SSc) reported several non-HLA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showing a nominal association in the discovery phase. We aimed to identify previously overlooked susceptibility variants by using a follow-up strategy.<p></p> Methods: Sixty-six non-HLA SNPs showing a P value <10-4 in the discovery phase of the French SSc GWAS were analyzed in the first step of this study, performing a meta-analysis that combined data from the two published SSc GWASs. A total of 2,921 SSc patients and 6,963 healthy controls were included in this first phase. Two SNPs, PPARG rs310746 and CHRNA9 rs6832151, were selected for genotyping in the replication cohort (1,068 SSc patients and 6,762 healthy controls) based on the results of the first step. Genotyping was performed by using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Results: We observed nominal associations for both PPARG rs310746 (PMH = 1.90 × 10-6, OR, 1.28) and CHRNA9 rs6832151 (PMH = 4.30 × 10-6, OR, 1.17) genetic variants with SSc in the first step of our study. In the replication phase, we observed a trend of association for PPARG rs310746 (P value = 0.066; OR, 1.17). The combined overall Mantel-Haenszel meta-analysis of all the cohorts included in the present study revealed that PPARG rs310746 remained associated with SSc with a nominal non-genome-wide significant P value (PMH = 5.00 × 10-7; OR, 1.25). No evidence of association was observed for CHRNA9 rs6832151 either in the replication phase or in the overall pooled analysis.<p></p> Conclusion: Our results suggest a role of PPARG gene in the development of SSc

Not Only Toxic but Repellent: What Can Organisms’ Responses Tell Us about Contamination and What Are the Ecological Consequences When They Flee from an Environment?

The ability of aquatic organisms to sense the surrounding environment chemically and interpret such signals correctly is crucial for their ecological niche and survival. Although it is an oversimplification of the ecological interactions, we could consider that a significant part of the decisions taken by organisms are, to some extent, chemically driven. Accordingly, chemical contamination might interfere in the way organisms behave and interact with the environment. Just as any environmental factor, contamination can make a habitat less attractive or even unsuitable to accommodate life, conditioning to some degree the decision of organisms to stay in, or move from, an ecosystem. If we consider that contamination is not always spatially homogeneous and that many organisms can avoid it, the ability of contaminants to repel organisms should also be of concern. Thus, in this critical review, we have discussed the dual role of contamination: toxicity (disruption of the physiological and behavioral homeostasis) vs. repellency (contamination-driven changes in spatial distribution/habitat selection). The discussion is centered on methodologies (forced exposure against non-forced multi-compartmented exposure systems) and conceptual improvements (individual stress due to the toxic effects caused by a continuous exposure against contamination-driven spatial distribution). Finally, we propose an approach in which Stress and Landscape Ecology could be integrated with each other to improve our understanding of the threat contaminants represent to aquatic ecosystems.Versión del edito