Clayey soil stabilization using geopolymer and Portland cement

This study compares the mechanical performance of clayey soil stabilization using volcanic ash (VA) based geopolymer and ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The effects of curing conditions and time, alkali activator/clay and alkali activator molarity, and VA/clay ratio are determined. The compressive strength of the untreated clayey soil specimens could be increased from 0.2 to 4 MPa and 2 to 12 MPa at the OC and DC conditions, respectively, when the soil partially replaced by 15 wt% of the binders. It is observed that geopolymer treatment is more efficient at the dry conditions (DC) while the Portland cement is superb at the wet environments (OC). This difference is associated with the role of water and pH in the kinetics of geopolymerization and the Portland cement hydration. Moreover, increasing the molarity of alkali activator and alkali activator/clay improve the compressive strength of the geopolymer treated soil. Besides, the higher energy absorption in all geopolymer specimens shows the superior ductility of this material in comparison with OPC

The effect of 12 weeks Anethum graveolens (dill) on metabolic markers in patients with metabolic syndrome; A randomized double blind controlled trial

Background: The clustering of metabolic abnormalities defined as metabolic syndrome is now both a public health and a clinical problem .While interest in herbal medicine has greatly increased, lack of human evidence to support efficacies shown in animals does exist. This clinical trial study designed to investigate whether herbal medicine, Anethum graveolens (dill) extract, could improve metabolic components in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial using a parallel design was conducted. 24 subjects who had metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria (update of ATP III) were randomly assigned to either dill extract (n = 12) or placebo (n = 12) for 3 months. Results: Across lipid component of metabolic syndrome, no significant differences in triglyceride (TG) concentration and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were seen between the two groups. However TG improved significantly from baseline (257.0 vs. 201.5p = 0.01) with dill treatment but such a significant effect was not observed in placebo group. Moreover, no significant differences in waist circumference, blood pressure and fasting blood sugar were seen between two groups after 3 months follow up period. Conclusion: In this small clinical trial in patients with metabolic syndrome, 12 weeks of dill extract treatment had a beneficial effect in terms of reducing TG from baseline. However dill treatment was not associated with a significant improvement in metabolic syndrome related markers compared to control group. Larger studies might be required to prove the efficacy and safety of long-Term administration of dill to resolve metabolic syndrome components. © 2012 Mansouri et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Novel 5-oxo-hexahydroquinoline derivatives: design, synthesis, in vitro P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance reversal profile and molecular dynamics simulation study

Overexpression of the efflux pump P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is one of the important mechanisms of multidrug resistance (MDR) in many tumor cells. In this study, 26 novel 5-oxo-hexahydroquinoline derivatives containing different nitrophenyl moieties at C-4 and various carboxamide substituents at C-3 were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their ability to inhibit P-gp by measuring the amount of rhodamine 123 (Rh123) accumulation in uterine sarcoma cells that overexpress P-gp (MES-SA/Dx5) using flow cytometry. The effect of compounds with highest MDR reversal activities was further evaluated by measuring the alterations of MES-SA/Dx5 cells' sensitivity to doxorubicin (DXR) using MTT assay. The results of both biological assays indicated that compounds bearing 2-nitrophenyl at C-4 position and compounds with 4-chlorophenyl carboxamide at C-3 demonstrated the highest activities in resistant cells, while they were devoid of any effect in parental nonresistant MES-SA cells. One of the active derivatives, 5c, significantly increased intracellular Rh123 at 100 mu M, and it also significantly reduced the IC50 of DXR by 70.1% and 88.7% at 10 and 25 mu M, respectively, in MES-SA/Dx5 cells. The toxicity of synthesized compounds against HEK293 as a noncancer cell line was also investigated. All tested derivatives except for 2c compound showed no cytotoxicity. A molecular dynamics simulation study was also performed to investigate the possible binding site of 5c in complex with human P-gp, which showed that this compound formed 11 average H-bonds with Ser909, Thr911, Arg547, Arg543 and Ser474 residues of P-gp. A good agreement was found between the results of the computational and experimental studies. The findings of this study show that some 5-oxo-hexahydroquinoline derivatives could serve as promising candidates for the discovery of new agents for P-gp-mediated MDR reversal

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in symptomatic women by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) immunofluorescence and Giemsa stain

Chlamydia trachomatis is a ubiquitous human pathogen that is responsible for the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Studies show that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is more sensitive than cellular culture for detection of C. trachomatis infections. The aim of this study is to compare different laboratory methods, including Giemsa staining, direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA) and PCR for detection of C. trachomatis in women with urethral symptoms. In this study, 130 women with urethral symptoms admitted in the gynecology clinic, were used and specimens were obtained with endocervical swab for Giemsa staining, DFA and PCR. All the cases underwent these three techniques. Demographic data and the medical history of patients were obtained by direct interview; however, the mean age of cases was 33.8±9.06. Clinical symptoms included abnormal vaginal discharge in 101 cases (77.7%), spotting in 14 cases (10.8%), dysmenorrheal in 7 cases (5.4%), irritation in 6 cases (4.6%) and dysuria in 2 cases (1.5%). In DFA technique, 5 cases (3.8%) were positive and 3 (2.3%) were suspicious, while in the PCR technique, 6 cases (4.6%) were positive for C. trachomatis. However, 3 suspicious cases with DFA were negative in PCR. There was no positive case for C. trachomatis in Giemsa staining. In conclusion, C. trachomatis was not frequent in this study and it can be concluded that this infection was not a major hygienic problem in the same populations that were previously studied. Consequently, the causes that necessitate monogamy could be related to religious causes. Frequency of Chlamydia detection of DFA and PCR was same in the two groups. Nonetheless, Giemsa staining is not a reliable method for evaluating C. trachomatis.Key words: Chlamydia trachomatis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA)

Short communication: Survey of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) toxicity using bioassay on Daphnia magna

In this study, the toxicity of MTBE on the crustacean Daphnia magna (Cladocera) has been studied. At the beginning, for finding the range of sensitivity of D. magna to MTBE, a test had been conducted at 24h. The initial and final tests with synthetic MTBE has been done with containing solutions of water accommodated fractions (WAFs) in periods of 24 and 48h and then static bioassay was calculated in two phases of tests and the data were obtained and analyzed by SPSS 13 by using probit analysis. In 24h, lc10, lc50 and lc90 for MTBE on D. magna were 345, 646 and 941mg/l and for 48h, they were 361, 476 and 893mg/l, respectively. Also, the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of MTBE (WAFs) on D. magna was determined in 24 and 48h, 64.6 and 47.6mg/l, respectively. Results indicated that D. magna could be used for toxicity tracing MTBE in surface and ground water, because these crustaceans have perfect resistance against pollution of MTBE. It is also concluded that after 24 and 48h exposure time, there was no significant difference observed in the activity and mortality of D. magna

Identification and Prioritization of Energy Consumption Optimization Strategies in the Building Industry Using the Hybrid SWARA-BIM Model

Energy consumption in buildings has become one of the most critical problems in all countries and principles of sustainability suggest that a satisfactory solution must be found to reduce energy consumption. This study aims to identify and prioritize energy consumption optimization strategies in buildings. Data collection consists of gather-ing primary data from the existing literature and secondary data from interviews, questionnaires, and simulations through building information modeling (BIM) tools. Twenty-nine strategies were identified and categorized into five groups according to their nature and ranked using one of the multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods called the step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA). A case study building in Shiraz, Iran, was simulated using BIM software, and the energy saving potential of the highest ranked strategies were obtained. According to the results, significant contributors to the energy consumption optimization were “Using renewable energy resources,” “Using efficient insulation,” and “Using suitable materials,” providing 100%, 35%, and 23% efficacy, respectively. The results obtained from this study can inform the building industry’s key stakeholders regarding the best strategies to apply in order to reduce energy consumption and improve sustainability in the construction industry

Effects of 1-MCP and ethylene on antioxidant enzymes activity and postharvest physio-biochemical characterics of cut carnation flower cv. Fortune

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) flowers are one of the most important cut flowers in the world. The majority of carnation cultivars are sensitive to ethylene which affects the physiological and biochemical postharvest characteristics of these flowers. Applying inhibitors of biosynthesis and action of ethylene is important factor to protect the display quality and extend postharvest life. In order to evaluate the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and ethylene on the antioxidant enzyme activity of cut carnation cv. Fortune and subsequently on the extension of vase-life, this experiment was designed as a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Carnation cut flowers were treated with 1-MCP at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 μl/l for 24 h and subsequently exposed to ethylene (1 μl/l) for 16. Data were analyzed using MSTAT-C statistical software and means were compared based on Least Significant Differences (LSD) test (p< 0.01). Our results showed that 1-MCP treatment had significant effects on vase life and biochemical characteristics like contents of leaf chlorophyll, petal anthocyanin, petal cell membrane stability and antioxidant enzymes activity such as catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. The highest vase life and cell membrane stability were appeared in samples treated with 1.5 μl/l 1-MCP which was significantly higher than 0 and 0.5 treatments, although there was no significant difference with 1 μl treatment. The highest chlorophyll and anthocyanin contents were also measured under 1.5 μl/l 1-MCP which was significantly higher than other treatments. The highest and lowest catalase and peroxidase activity were related to 1 and 0 μl/l 1-MCP, respectively. The highest and lowest superoxide dismutase activity was observed in 1.5 and 0 μl/l 1-MCP. In conclusion, application of 1-MCP improved and delayed the onset of senescence symptoms resulted in extending the vase life of cut carnation cv. Fortune