Deflection and Friction Performance of Waste-Wooden Block Pavements

The use of waste wood for road light pavements is essential for environmental and economic sustainability.The paper investigates the mechanical performance of pavements built with waste wood elements discarded from Sardinia manufacture (Italy). Without structural value, mainly Sardinian wood is used for combustion and heating due to the characteristics of dimensional irregularity, non-homogeneity, and the presence of defects. Even small urban and forest furniture comes from foreign markets. Landscape reasons, emissions reduction, and environmental integration with the local context could encourage its use if reliable techniques are available.The study first analyzed the structural response of a portion of pavementmade with waste wood bricks (pine and Eucalyptus). Subsequently, a Finite Element simulation of the pavement has been validated with the tests' results. The experimental pavement was created with Interlocked Block Pavement (IBP) technique, using brick elements 13 x 6 x 10 cm. The behavior of the pavement was analyzed in situ with dynamic deflection tests using the Falling Weight Deflectometer test (FWD). Further tests performed in the laboratory investigated the friction of the wood pavement surface. The simulation results show that the wooden pavement elements do not differ substantially from the classic concrete IBP and HMA cracked pavement. The mean deflections are greater than 19%, while the vertical stress on the foundation layer is equivalent. As with the classic concrete IBP, the results largely depend on the bearing capacity of the substrate and the degree of interlocking.Friction tests show good values with mean values of 53 divided by 64 BPN. The most significant values were observed in the elements eucalyptus. The direction of the wood fibers also influences the results: about 3 points in the case of pine and over 7 points in the case of Eucalyptus. The study shows how the use of wood for the pavement with elements is sustainable and practicable due to the minor and low-traffic roads while also guaranteeing permeability and low-cost maintenance

CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins are key regulators of human type two deiodinase expression in a placenta cell line

An appropriate concentration of intracellular T(3) is a critical determinant of placenta development and function and is mainly controlled by the activity of type II deiodinase (D2). The levels of this enzyme are finely regulated in different tissues by coordinated transcriptional mechanisms, which rely on dedicated promoter sequences (e.g. cAMP response element and TATA elements) that impart inducibility and tissue specificity to Dio2 mRNA expression. Here we show that CCAAT enhancer-binding proteins α and β (C/EBPα and C/EBPβ) promote Dio2 expression in the trophoblastic cell line JEG3 through a conserved CCAAT element, which is a novel key component of the Dio2 promoter code that confers tissue-specific expression of D2 in these cells. Increased C/EBPs levels potently induce Dio2 transcription, whereas their ablation results in loss of Dio2 mRNA. By measuring the activity of several deletion and point mutant promoter constructs, we have identified the functional CCAAT element responsible for this effect, which is located in close proximity to the most 5' TATA box. Notably, this newly identified sequence is highly conserved throughout the species and binds in vivo and in vitro C/EBP, indicating the relevance of this regulatory mechanism. Together, our results unveil a novel mechanism of regulation of D2 expression in a trophoblastic cell line, which may play a relevant role during placenta development

Exploring cell surface markers and cell-cell interactions of human breast milk stem cells

Background: Breakthrough studies have shown that pluripotent stem cells are present in human breast milk. The expression of pluripotency markers by breast milk cells is heterogeneous, relating to cellular hierarchy, from early-stage multi-lineage stem cells to fully differentiated mammary epithelial cells, as well as weeks of gestation and days of lactation. Design and methods: Here, we qualitatively analyze cell marker expression in freshly isolated human breast milk cells, without any manipulation that could influence protein expression. Moreover, we use electron microscopy to investigate cell-cell networks in breast milk for the first time, providing evidence of active intercellular communication between cells expressing different cellular markers. Results: The immunocytochemistry results of human breast milk cells showed positive staining in all samples for CD44, CD45, CD133, and Ki67 markers. Variable positivity was present with P63, Tβ4 and CK14 markers. No immunostaining was detected for Wt1, nestin, Nanog, OCT4, SOX2, CK5, and CD34 markers. Cells isolated from human breast milk form intercellular connections, which together create a cell-to-cell communication network. Conclusions: Cells freshly isolated form human breast milk, without particular manipulations, show heterogeneous expression of stemness markers. The studied milk staminal cells show "pluripotency" at different stages of differentiation, and are present as single cells or grouped cells. The adjacent cell interactions are evidenced by electron microscopy, which showed the formation of intercellular connections, numerous contact regions, and thin pseudopods

Fast falling weight deflectometer method for condition assessment of rc bridges

In this paper, the use of Fast Falling Weight Deflectometer (Fast-FWD) is analyzed as a non-destructive and quick test procedure to evaluate the efficiency of short-span bridges. The FastFWD is an instrument that can produce a broadband dynamic force up to an impact value of 120 KN: The impact is constant and replicable, providing accurate action measures of bridge stiffness in a truly short period (30 ms). In this paper, a single-span reinforced concrete bridge is investigated, using the Fast-FWD. The considered bridge, approximately 12.0 m long and 15.5 m wide, was in critical condition. The bridge is in a suburban principal road near to the City of Cagliari in Sardinia (Italy), with an Annual Average Daily Traffic of 13,500 vehicles/day, and was suddenly closed, creating serious problems for urban mobility. In these conditions, the investigation through other standard techniques is time-consuming and labor intensive. For this reason, it is important to introduce methods that can be rapid, accurate and cost-efficient. In this paper, bridge stiffness values obtained during the in situ experimental campaign were compared with finite element models values. The Fast-FWD has the potential to provide engineering information that can help us to better understand bridge condition, in a rapid and cost-effective procedure

The role of the capping agent and nanocrystal size in photoinduced hydrogen evolution using CdTe/CdS quantum dot sensitizers

Hydrogen production via light-driven water splitting is a key process in the context of solar energy conversion. In this respect, the choice of suitable light-harvesting units appears as a major challenge, particularly as far as stability issues are concerned. In this work, we report on the use of CdTe/CdS QDs as photosensitizers for light-assisted hydrogen evolution in combination with a nickel bis(diphosphine) catalyst (1) and ascorbate as the sacrificial electron donor. QDs of different sizes (1.7-3.4 nm) and with different capping agents (MPA, MAA, and MSA) have been prepared and their performance assessed in the above-mentioned photocatalytic reaction. Detailed photophysical studies have been also accomplished to highlight the charge transfer processes relevant to the photocatalytic reaction. Hydrogen evolution is observed with remarkable efficiencies when compared to common coordination compounds like Ru(bpy)32+ (where bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) as light-harvesting units. Furthermore, the hydrogen evolution performance under irradiation is strongly determined by the nature of the capping agent and the QD size and can be related to the concentration of the surface defects within the semiconducting nanocrystal. Overall, the present results outline how QDs featuring large quantum yields and long lifetimes are desirable to achieve sustained hydrogen evolution upon irradiation and that a precise control of the structural and photophysical properties thus appears as a major requirement towards profitable photocatalytic applications

Cell starvation increases uptake of extracellular Thymosin β4 and its complexes with calcium

Cell metastasis is the main cause of cancer mortality. Inhibiting early events during cell metastasis and invasion could significantly improve cancer prognosis, but the initial mechanisms of cell transition and migration are barely known. Calcium regulates cell migration, whilst Thymosin β4 is a G-actin and iron binding peptide associated with tumor metastasis and ferroptosis. Under normal cell growth conditions, intracellular free calcium ions and Thymosin β4 concentrations are strictly regulated, and are not influenced by extracellular supplementation. However, cell starvation decreases intracellular Thymosin β4 and increases extracellular peptide uptake above the normal range. Unexpectedly, cell starvation significantly increases internalization of extracellular Ca2+/Thymosin β4 complexes. Elucidating the role of Ca2+/Thymosin β4 in the early events of metastasis will likely be important in the future to develop therapies targeting metastasis

Thymosin Beta 4 may translocate from the cytoplasm in to the nucleus in HepG2 cells following serum starvation. An ultrastructural study

Due to its actin-sequestering properties, thymosin beta-4 (Tβ4) is considered to play a significant role in the cellular metabolism. Several physiological properties of Tβ4 have been reported;, however, many questions concerning its cellular function remain to be ascertained. To better understand the role of this small peptide we have analyzed by means of transmission immunoelectron microscopy techniques the ultrastructural localization of Tβ4 in HepG2 cells. Samples of HepG2 cells were fixed in a mixture of 3% formaldehyde and 0.1% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer and processed for standard electron microscopic techniques. The samples were dehydrated in a cold graded methanol series and embedded in LR gold resin. Ultrathin sections were labeled with rabbit antibodies to Tβ4, followed by gold-labeled goat anti-rabbit, stained with uranyl acetate and bismuth subnitrate, observed and photographed in a JEOL 100S transmission electron microscope. High-resolution electron microscopy showed that Tβ4 was mainly restricted to the cytoplasm of HepG2 growing in complete medium. A strong Tβ4 reactivity was detected in the perinuclear region of the cytoplasmic compartment where gold particles appeared strictly associated to the nuclear membrane. In the nucleus specific Tβ4 labeling was observed in the nucleolus. The above electron microscopic results confirm and extend previous observations at light microscopic level, highlighting the subcellular distribution of Tβ4 in both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments of HepG2 cells. The meaning of Tβ4 presence in the nucleolus is not on the best of our knowledge clarified yet. It could account for the interaction of Tβ4 with nucleolar actin and according with this hypothesis, Tβ4 could contribute together with the other nucleolar acting binding proteins to modulate the transcription activity of the RNA polymeras

Real-time evaluation of the on-board comfort of standing passenger in bus transit services

Bus on-board comfort may be intended as a multidimensional concept declined according to several attributes (e.g., vibrations, the load factor, the driving style, etc.) and represents a key factor of service quality. Thus, its measurement is crucial for public transport companies as it can support for the monitoring, evaluation and implementation of specific actions to improve their services. The objective of this paper is to build a numerical scale for real-time measurement of bus on-board comfort. This is pursued integrating subjective measurements of the driving style provided by the passengers with objective ones of longitudinal and transversal accelerations data collected by Intelligent Transportation System tools. The results are very useful because they represent a contribution to establish a comfort scale in a real operational environment, as a tool to regulate the driver's behavior: each driver is in the position of real-time monitoring the quality of a bus ride regarding on-board comfort level