KRAFTTERRA composite: Performance analysis of compressed earth blocks with and without cellulose pulp deriving from cement sacks recycling

This study presents part of the results of an experimental campaign on the mechanical behaviour of Kraftterra composite. This research was developed as a framework of collaboration between the University of Brasilia, in Brazil, and the University of Aveiro, in Portugal. The objective of this study involves the development and the performance evaluation of compressed earthen blocks for the construction incorporating recycled cement sacks. Research’s main goal is the hypothesis verification that the cellulose pulp that stem from cement sacks can be used to improve the characteristics, and particularly the mechanical properties, of the blocks with soil as raw material. This paper presents the Kraftterra mixture and production processes, as well as the performance analysis of compressed earth blocks – CEBs – produced with Kraftterra regarding the compressive strength

Viability analysis of using cellulose pulp recycled from cement sacks in the production of compressed earth blocks

This study concerns the development and analysis of the Kraftterra composite – raw earth stabilized with disperse fibers made with kraft paper from recycled cement sacks – for the production of CEBs and mortar for masonry infill elements. Its main goal is to define the behavior of small walls (prisms) of Kraftterra in relation to diagonal compression. The tests show that the prisms produced with Kraftterra CEBs and mortar show excellent bond strength between block and mortar. All the prisms tested presented fissure lines very close to the normal load line and the fissures occurred in the blocks and in the mortar in similar manner, without separation between these elements. The mortar produced with Kraftterra results in strong bonds between blocks and produces homogeneous construction elements with uniform performance, that is, with high monolithicity

Evaluation of performance under fire of compressed earth blocks

In this paper are presented and discussed the main results of fire resistance tests on walls made of soil-cement and Kraftterra compressed earth blocks (CEB). Within this research it was intended to evaluate the fire resistance of walls made with CEB, with and without cellulose pulp incorporation deriving from recycling of cement sacks. Firstly, it is described the Kraftterra production processes and the fire resistance test campaign. Then, the performance of the blocks under analysis in terms of fire resistance is compared

Epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor alpha characteristics of human oral carcinoma cell lines.

This study examined the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) cell-surface receptors, the response to exogenous ligand and the autocrine production of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) in normal and carcinoma-derived human oral keratinocytes. One of eight malignant cell lines overexpressed EGF receptors, while the remainder expressed receptor numbers similar to normal cells. Exogenous EGF stimulated incorporation of tritiated thymidine in a dose-dependent manner. In keratinocytes expressing normal numbers of EGF receptors, the cellular response to exogenous EGF correlated positively with total EGF receptor number. SCC-derived keratinocytes produced more TGF-alpha than normal cells. There was no statistical correlation between the autocrine production of TGF-alpha, EGF cell-surface receptor expression and cellular response to exogenous EGF. While the growth-stimulatory effects of exogenous TGF-alpha were inhibited by the addition of a neutralising antibody, the presence of this antibody in conditioned medium failed to produce a similar decrease in growth. The results indicate that overexpression of EGF receptors is not an invariable characteristic of human oral squamous carcinoma-derived cell lines. Further, the contribution of TGF-alpha to the growth of normal and carcinoma-derived human oral keratinocytes in vitro may be less significant than previously documented

Improved Endpoints for Cancer Immunotherapy Trials

Unlike chemotherapy, which acts directly on the tumor, cancer immunotherapies exert their effects on the immune system and demonstrate new kinetics that involve building a cellular immune response, followed by changes in tumor burden or patient survival. Thus, adequate design and evaluation of some immunotherapy clinical trials require a new development paradigm that includes reconsideration of established endpoints. Between 2004 and 2009, several initiatives facilitated by the Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium of the Cancer Research Institute and partner organizations systematically evaluated an immunotherapy-focused clinical development paradigm and created the principles for redefining trial endpoints. On this basis, a body of clinical and laboratory data was generated that supports three novel endpoint recommendations. First, cellular immune response assays generate highly variable results. Assay harmonization in multicenter trials may minimize variability and help to establish cellular immune response as a reproducible biomarker, thus allowing investigation of its relationship with clinical outcomes. Second, immunotherapy may induce novel patterns of antitumor response not captured by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors or World Health Organization criteria. New immune-related response criteria were defined to more comprehensively capture all response patterns. Third, delayed separation of Kaplan–Meier curves in randomized immunotherapy trials can affect results. Altered statistical models describing hazard ratios as a function of time and recognizing differences before and after separation of curves may allow improved planning of phase III trials. These recommendations may improve our tools for cancer immunotherapy trials and may offer a more realistic and useful model for clinical investigation

Chemotherapy followed by surgery versus surgery alone in patients with resectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Long-term results of a randomized controlled trial

Background: This is a randomized, controlled trial of preoperative chemotherapy in patients undergoing surgery for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Patients were allocated to chemotherapy, consisting of 2-4 cycles of cisplatin and etoposide, followed by surgery (CS group) or surgery alone (S group). Initial results reported only in abstract form in 1997, demonstrated an advantage for overall survival in the CS group. The results of this trial have been updated and discussed in the timeframe in which this study was performed.Methods: This trial recruited 169 patients with OSCC, 85 patients assigned to preoperative chemotherapy and 84 patients underwent immediate surgery. The primary study endpoint was overall survival (OS), secondary endpoints were disease free survival (DFS) and pattern of failure. Survival has been determined from Kaplan-Meier curves and treatment comparisons made with the log-rank test.Results: There were 148 deaths, 71 in the CS and 77 in the S group. Median OS time was 16 months in the CS group compared with 12 months in the S group; 2-year survival rates were 42% and 30%; and 5-year survival rates were 26% and 17%, respectively. Intention to treat analysis showed a significant overall survival benefit for patients in the CS group (P = 0.03, by the log-rank test; hazard ratio [HR] 0.71; 95%CI 0.51-0.98). DFS (from landmark time of 6 months after date of randomisation) was also better in the CS-group than in the S group (P = 0.02, by the log-rank test; HR 0.72; 95%CI 0.52-1.0). No difference in failure pattern was observed between both treatment arms.Conclusions: Preoperative chemotherapy with a combination of etoposide and cisplatin significantly improved overall survival in patients with OSCC

Soya foods and breast cancer risk: a prospective study in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan

The association between soya foods and breast cancer risk was investigated in a prospective study of 34 759 women in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Women completed dietary questionnaires in 1969–1970 and/or in 1979–1981 and were followed for incident breast cancer until 1993. The analysis involved 427 cases of primary breast cancer in 488 989 person-years of observation. The risk for breast cancer was not significantly associated with consumption of soya foods: for tofu, relative risks adjusted for attained age, calendar period, city, age at time of bombings and radiation dose to the breast were 0.99 (95% CI 0.80–1.24) for consumption two to four times per week and 1.07 (0.78–1.47) for consumption five or more times per week, relative to consumption once a week or less; for miso soup, relative risks were 1.03 (0.81–1.31) for consumption two to four times per week and 0.87 (0.68–1.12) for consumption five or more times per week, relative to consumption once a week or less. These results were not materially altered by further adjustments for reproductive variables and were similar in women diagnosed before age 50 and at ages 50 and above. Among 17 other foods and drinks examined only dried fish (decrease in relative risk with increasing consumption) and pickled vegetables (higher relative risk with higher consumption) were significantly related to breast cancer risk; these associations were not prior hypotheses and, because of the large number of comparisons made, they may be due to chance. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig