Effect of Nanosilica on the Sulfate Attack Resistivity of Cement Mortar

The effect of nanosilica on the sulfate attack resistivity of cement mortar was investigated through study on the mechanical property evolution and the length change of the cement mortar under 5 wt.% sodium sulfate for 6 months. Meanwhile, the effects were compared with those of fly ash-replacement mortar. Results showed that by taking the advantages of nanosilica and fly ash in improving the property of cement mortar at early and later ages, the sulfate attack resistance of cement mortar can be enhanced in mechanical property increase and expansion reduction. Further, it implies that a combination of both pozzolans could enhance the sulfate attack resistivity of cement-based materials

Plant growth promotion properties of bacterial strains isolated from the rhizosphere of the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) adapted to saline-alkaline soils and their effect on wheat growth

The Jerusalem artichoke (JA; Helianthus tuberosus), known to be tolerant to saline-alkaline soil conditions, has been cultivated for many years in the Yellow River delta, Shandong Province coastal zone, in China. The aim of our study was to isolate nitrogen-fixing bacteria colonizing the rhizosphere of JA and to characterize other plant growth promotion properties. The ultimate goal was to identify isolates that could be used as inoculants benefiting an economic crop, in particular for improving wheat growth production in the Yellow River delta. Bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of JA on the basis of growth on nitrogen-free Ashby medium. Identification and phylogenetic analysis was performed after nucleotide sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. Plant-growth-promoting traits, such as nitrogen fixation activity, phosphate solubilization activity, indole-3-acetic acid production, were determined using conventional methods. Eleven strains were isolated and 6 of them were further examined for their level of salt tolerance and their effect on plant growth promotion. Inoculation of Enterobacter sp. strain N10 on JA and wheat led to significant increases in both root and shoot dry mass and shoot height. Enterobacter sp. strain N10 appeared to be the best plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria to increase wheat productivity in future field applications

Small Airway Dysfunction in Asthma Is Associated with Perceived Respiratory Symptoms, Non-Type 2 Airway Inflammation, and Poor Responses to Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence has indicated that small airway dysfunction (SAD) contributes to the clinical expression of asthma. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to explore the relationships of SAD assessed by forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% (FEF25-75%), with clinical and inflammatory profile and treatment responsiveness in asthma. METHOD: In study I, dyspnea intensity (Borg scale), chest tightness, wheezing and cough (visual analog scales, VASs), and pre- and post-methacholine challenge testing (MCT) were analyzed in asthma patients with SAD and non-SAD. In study II, asthma subjects with SAD and non-SAD underwent sputum induction, and inflammatory mediators in sputum were detected. Asthma patients with SAD and non-SAD receiving fixed treatments were prospectively followed up for 4 weeks in study III. Spirometry, Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), and Asthma Control Test (ACT) were carried out to define treatment responsiveness. RESULTS: SAD subjects had more elevated ΔVAS for dyspnea (p = 0.027) and chest tightness (p = 0.032) after MCT. Asthma patients with SAD had significantly elevated interferon (IFN)-γ in sputum (p < 0.05), and Spearman partial correlation found FEF25-75% significantly related to IFN-γ and interleukin-8 (both having p < 0.05). Furthermore, multivariable regression analysis indicated SAD was significantly associated with worse treatment responses (decrease in ACQ ≥0.5 and increase in ACT ≥3) (p = 0.022 and p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that SAD in asthma predisposes patients to greater dyspnea intensity and chest tightness during bronchoconstriction. SAD patients with asthma are characterized by non-type 2 inflammation that may account for poor responsiveness to therapy

Heterogeneity of Paucigranulocytic Asthma: A Prospective Cohort Study with Hierarchical Cluster Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Asthma, a heterogeneous disease, can be divided into 4 inflammatory phenotypes using induced sputum cell counts-eosinophilic asthma (EA), neutrophilic asthma (NA), mixed granulocytic asthma, and paucigranulocytic asthma (PGA). Although research has focused on EA and NA, there is little known about PGA. OBJECTIVE: To study the heterogeneity of PGA and identify possible PGA clusters to guide clinical treatment. METHODS: Patients with PGA were grouped by hierarchical cluster analysis and enrolled into a prospective cohort study to validate the clusters, relative to future risk of asthma exacerbations in a real-world setting. Clusters were validated by tree analysis in a separate population. Finally, we explored PGA stability. RESULTS: Cluster analysis of 145 patients with PGA identified 3 clusters: cluster 1 (n = 110, 75.9%) was "mild PGA," cluster 2 (n = 20, 13.8%) was "PGA with psychological dysfunction and rhinoconjunctivitis and other allergic diseases," and cluster 3 (n = 15, 10.3%) was "smoking-associated PGA." Cluster 3 had significantly increased risk of severe exacerbation (relative risk [RR] = 6.43, P = .01), emergency visit (RR = 8.61, P = .03), and hospitalization (RR = 12.94, P < .01). Results of the cluster analysis were successfully validated in an independent PGA population classified using decision tree analysis. Although PGA can transform into or develop from other phenotypes, 70% were stable over time. CONCLUSIONS: Among 3 identified PGA clusters, cluster 3 had a higher risk of severe exacerbation. PGA heterogeneity indicates the requirement of novel targeted interventions

PH-Sensitive polymer matrix with immobilized indicator ion pairs

A new sensor material for monitoring pH in aqueous solutions is described. It is based on lipophilic ion pairs consisting of an anionic pH indicator Bromocresol Green and a quaternary ammonium cation cetyltrimethylammonium. The ion pairs are homogeneously distributed inside the plasticized PVC membrane. The change of pH in an aqueous solution causes the change of optical property of the indicator immobilized on the plasticized PVC membrane. The plasticized PVC membrane is sensitive in a pH range from 4.0 to 6.0

Treatable Traits in Elderly Asthmatics from the Australasian Severe Asthma Network: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Data on treatable traits (TTs) in different populations are limited. OBJECTIVE: To assess TTs in elderly patients with asthma and compare them to younger patients, to evaluate the association of TTs with future exacerbations, and to develop an exacerbation prediction model. METHODS: We consecutively recruited 521 participants at West China Hospital, Sichuan University based on the Australasian Severe Asthma Network, classified as elderly (n = 62) and nonelderly (n = 459). Participants underwent a multidimensional assessment to characterize the TTs and were then followed up for 12 months. TTs and their relationship with future exacerbations were described. Based on the TTs and asthma control levels, an exacerbation prediction model was developed, and the overall performance was externally validated in an independent cohort. RESULTS: A total of 38 TTs were assessed. Elderly patients with asthma had more chronic metabolic diseases, fixed airflow limitation, emphysema, and neutrophilic inflammation, whereas nonelderly patients with asthma exhibited more allergic characteristics and psychiatric diseases. Nine traits were associated with increased future exacerbations, of which exacerbation prone, upper respiratory infection-induced asthma attack, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression were the strongest. A model including exacerbation prone, psychiatric disease, cardiovascular disease, upper respiratory infection-induced asthma attack, noneosinophilic inflammation, cachexia, food allergy, and asthma control was developed to predict exacerbation risk and showed good performance. CONCLUSIONS: TTs can be systematically assessed in elderly patients with asthma, some of which are associated with future exacerbations, proving their clinical utility of evaluating them. A model based on TTs can be used to predict exacerbation risk in people with asthma

Extremal solutions for p-Laplacian fractional integro-differential equation with integral conditions on infinite intervals via iterative computation

We study the extremal solutions of a class of fractional integro-differential equation with integral conditions on infinite intervals involving the p-Laplacian operator. By means of the monotone iterative technique and combining with suitable conditions, the existence of the maximal and minimal solutions to the fractional differential equation is obtained. In addition, we establish iterative schemes for approximating the solutions, which start from the known simple linear functions. Finally, an example is given to confirm our main results

Mesonia sediminis sp nov., isolated from a sea cucumber culture pond

A yellow-pigmented, Gram-stain negative and facultatively anaerobic bacterium, designated MF326(T), was isolated from a sample of sediment collected from a sea cucumber culture pond in Rongcheng, China (122A degrees 14'34aEuro(3)E 36A degrees 54'36aEuro(3)N). Cells of strain MF326(T) were found to be catalase negative and oxidase positive. Optimal growth was found to occur at 30 A degrees C and pH 7.0-7.5 in the presence of 2.0-3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain MF326(T) is a member of the genus Mesonia and exhibits the high sequence similarity (94.3 %) with the type strain of Mesonia ostreae, followed by Mesonia algae (93.9 %). The dominant fatty acids of strain MF326(T) were identified as iso-C-15:0, an unidentified fatty acid with an equivalent chain-length of 13.565 and anteiso-C-15:0. The major polar lipids were found to be two unidentified lipids and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major respiratory quinone was found to be MK-6 and the genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 40.7 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic analysis and differential phenotypic characteristics, it is concluded that strain MF326(T) (=KCTC 42255(T) =MCCC 1H00125(T)) should be assigned to the genus Mesonia as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Mesonia sediminis sp. nov. is proposed.A yellow-pigmented, Gram-stain negative and facultatively anaerobic bacterium, designated MF326(T), was isolated from a sample of sediment collected from a sea cucumber culture pond in Rongcheng, China (122A degrees 14'34aEuro(3)E 36A degrees 54'36aEuro(3)N). Cells of strain MF326(T) were found to be catalase negative and oxidase positive. Optimal growth was found to occur at 30 A degrees C and pH 7.0-7.5 in the presence of 2.0-3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain MF326(T) is a member of the genus Mesonia and exhibits the high sequence similarity (94.3 %) with the type strain of Mesonia ostreae, followed by Mesonia algae (93.9 %). The dominant fatty acids of strain MF326(T) were identified as iso-C-15:0, an unidentified fatty acid with an equivalent chain-length of 13.565 and anteiso-C-15:0. The major polar lipids were found to be two unidentified lipids and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major respiratory quinone was found to be MK-6 and the genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 40.7 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic analysis and differential phenotypic characteristics, it is concluded that strain MF326(T) (=KCTC 42255(T) =MCCC 1H00125(T)) should be assigned to the genus Mesonia as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Mesonia sediminis sp. nov. is proposed

Azospirillum brasilense Chemotaxis Depends on Two Signaling Pathways Regulating Distinct Motility Parameters

The genomes of most motile bacteria encode two or more chemotaxis (Che) systems, but their functions have been characterized in only a few model systems. Azospirillum brasilense is a motile soil alphaproteobacterium able to colonize the rhizosphere of cereals. In response to an attractant, motile A. brasilense cells transiently increase swimming speed and suppress reversals. The Che1 chemotaxis pathway was previously shown to regulate changes in the swimming speed, but it has a minor role in chemotaxis and root surface colonization. Here, we show that a second chemotaxis system, named Che4, regulates the probability of swimming reversals and is the major signaling pathway for chemotaxis and wheat root surface colonization. Experimental evidence indicates that Che1 and Che4 are functionally linked to coordinate changes in the swimming motility pattern in response to attractants. The effect of Che1 on swimming speed is shown to enhance the aerotactic response of A. brasilense in gradients, likely providing the cells with a competitive advantage in the rhizosphere. Together, the results illustrate a novel mechanism by which motile bacteria utilize two chemotaxis pathways regulating distinct motility parameters to alter movement in gradients and enhance the chemotactic advantage