Reacción álcali-sílice en áridos para pavimentos de hormigón en el Estado de Chihuahua, México

The concrete of pavements must resist the climatic conditions, heavy traffic, chemical agents or any other type of aggressive agent. A methodology for characterizing materials that would influence concrete durability was developed considering chemical and physical factors. This methodology allows the consideration of several factors like physiography, geology, and climate, among others that would be of great importance to prevent future durability problems of pavements. This methodology takes into account several tests and this paper presents the results of potential reactivity aggregates of the State of Chihuahua. The tests for evaluating the reactive siliceous aggregate and the potential alkali-silica reactivity were performed according to the: petrographic examination (ASTM C 295) and standard quick chemical test (ASTM C 289). 38% of the tested sites resulted innocuous, 48% potentially reactive and 13% reactive. It is discussed the benefit of applying a conscious methodology in order to obtain the best results with a representative quantity of tests.El hormigón de los pavimentos debe ser resistente a las condiciones climáticas, tránsito pesado, agentes químicos o cualquier otro tipo de agente agresivo. Se desarrolló una metodología para caracterización de materiales considerando factores físicos y químicos que influyen en la durabilidad del hormigón. Esta metodología se basa en la consideración de varios factores como: fisiografía, geología y clima, entre otros, que podrían ser de gran importancia para prevenir futuros problemas de durabilidad en pavimentos de hormigón. La metodología en cuestión considera varias pruebas, en este artículo se presentan los resultados de la reactividad potencial de los áridos del Estado de Chihuahua. Las pruebas para evaluar la reactividad de áridos silíceos y la reactividad potencial álcali-sílice fueron ejecutadas de acuerdo a: examen petrográfico (ASTM C 295) y la prueba química rápida ( ASTM C 289). El 38% de los sitios estudiados resultaron inocuos, 48% potencialmente reactivos y 13% reactivos. Se discuten los beneficios de aplicar una metodología profunda, en orden a obtener los mejores resultados con un número de muestras representativas

Planeación y gestión estratégica de la empresa Erie en el simulador de negocios Capstone

En este documento se presenta un análisis de la toma de decisiones, la estrategia de negocios aplicada y los resultados en la empresa Erie dentro del simulador de negocios Capstone

Complementary Effects of Interleukin-15 and Alpha Interferon Induce Immunity in Hepatitis B Virus Transgenic Mice

In chronic hepatitis B (CHB), failure to control hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with T cell dysfunction. HBV transgenic mice mirror many features of the human disease, including T cell unresponsiveness, and thus represent an appropriate model in which to test novel therapeutic strategies. To date, the tolerant state of CD8+ T cells in these animals could be altered only by strong immunogens or by immunization with HBV antigen-pulsed dendritic cells; however, the effectors induced were unable to suppress viral gene expression or replication. Because of the known stimulatory properties of alpha interferon (IFN-α) and interleukin-15 (IL-15), this study explored the therapeutic potential of liver-directed gene transfer of these cytokines in a murine model of CHB using adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery. This combination not only resulted in a reduction in the viral load in the liver and the induction of an antibody response but also gave rise to functional and specific CD8+ immunity. Furthermore, when splenic and intrahepatic lymphocytes from IFN-α- and IL-15-treated animals were transferred to new HBV carriers, partial antiviral immunity was achieved. In contrast to previous observations made using either cytokine alone, markedly attenuated PD-L1 induction in hepatic tissue was observed upon coadministration. An initial study with CHB patient samples also gave promising results. Hence, we demonstrated synergy between two stimulating cytokines, IL-15 and IFN-α, which, given together, constitute a potent approach to significantly enhance the CD8+ T cell response in a state of immune hyporesponsiveness. Such an approach may be useful for treating chronic viral infections and neoplastic conditions

An alternative method for phase-unwrapping of interferometric data

In this paper we present a novel algorithm for phase unwrapping where only a subset of data from the wrapped phase map is used to reconstruct the unwrapped phase map as a linear combination of radial basis functions (RBF’s). For noisy phase maps this algorithm gives better results than three reference algorithms based on radial basis functions, Zernike polynomials and path dependent phase unwrapping strategies

Spatial distribution estimation of malaria in northern China and its scenarios in 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050

© 2016 The Author(s). Background: Malaria is one of the most severe parasitic diseases in the world. Spatial distribution estimation of malaria and its future scenarios are important issues for malaria control and elimination. Furthermore, sophisticated nonlinear relationships for prediction between malaria incidence and potential variables have not been well constructed in previous research. This study aims to estimate these nonlinear relationships and predict future malaria scenarios in northern China. Methods: Nonlinear relationships between malaria incidence and predictor variables were constructed using a genetic programming (GP) method, to predict the spatial distributions of malaria under climate change scenarios. For this, the examples of monthly average malaria incidence were used in each county of northern China from 2004 to 2010. Among the five variables at county level, precipitation rate and temperature are used for projections, while elevation, water density index, and gross domestic product are held at their present-day values. Results: Average malaria incidence was 0.107 per annum in northern China, with incidence characteristics in significant spatial clustering. A GP-based model fit the relationships with average relative error (ARE) = 8.127 % for training data (R2 = 0.825) and 17.102 % for test data (R2 = 0.532). The fitness of GP results are significantly improved compared with those by generalized additive models (GAM) and linear regressions. With the future precipitation rate and temperature conditions in Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) family B1, A1B and A2 scenarios, spatial distributions and changes in malaria incidences in 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050 were predicted and mapped. Conclusions: The GP method increases the precision of predicting the spatial distribution of malaria incidence. With the assumption of varied precipitation rate and temperature, and other variables controlled, the relationships between incidence and the varied variables appear sophisticated nonlinearity and spatially differentiation. Using the future fluctuated precipitation and the increased temperature, median malaria incidence in 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050 would significantly increase that it might increase 19 to 29 % in 2020, but currently China is in the malaria elimination phase, indicating that the effective strategies and actions had been taken. While the mean incidences will not increase even reduce due to the incidence reduction in high-risk regions but the simultaneous expansion of the high-risk areas

Influencia de los álcalis provenientes de fuentes distintas al cemento en la evolución de la reacción álcali-sílice

A bibliographical revision of the existent literature allows showing symptoms of alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in highways, and the practical and economic method uranyl acetate to confirm the presence of ASR. The existence of reaction in concrete pavements of Chihuahua City was verified by a visual observation of patterns cracks, examination of gel deposits and the presence of reactive materials. Considering that the cement used to construct this pavements with problems of ASR, was low alkalis cement, the research was devoted to study the influence of alkalis coming from different sources than cement in the evolution of reaction such as: a) aggregates: gravel and sand, b) mix water, c) additives and d) minerals additions The initial classification of cements like high and low alkalis concerned to ASR must be revised for accept the fact that there is not a unique maximum limit alkalis of cement under which the expansible reactivity cannot occur.Una revisión bibliográfica de la literatura existente permite mostrar las manifestaciones de reacción álcali-sílice (RAS) en estructuras de carreteras y el método práctico y económico de acetato de uranilo para confirmar la presencia de RAS. La existencia de la reacción en pavimentos de hormigón de la ciudad de Chihuahua se pudo confirmar tras la observación visual de modelos de grietas, estudios de depósitos de gel y existencia de fuentes de materiales reactivos. Considerando que el cemento utilizado para construir los tramos de pavimento con problemas de RAS, era un cemento bajo en álcalis, se enfocó la investigación al estudio de la influencia de los álcalis provenientes de fuentes distintas al cemento en la evolución de la reacción tales como: a) áridos gruesos y finos, b) agua de mezclado, c) aditivos y d) adiciones minerales El concepto inicial de clasificación de cementos altos y bajos en álcalis con respecto a la RAS debe ser revisado para aceptar el hecho de que no hay un solo limite máximo permisible de álcalis del cemento debajo del cual la reactividad expansiva no pueda ocurri