Coynecook0555

Segregation of waste crumb rubber powder (WR) modified asphalt binders the large-scale application of WR in asphalt. The method of microwave activation combined with chemical activation (KMWR) was proposed to improve storage stability and rheological properties of WR modified asphalt in this work. Storage stability and rheological properties of virgin asphalt, MWR modified asphalt, and KMWR modified asphalt were comparatively studied by the standard segregation test, bending beam rheometer (BBR) test, and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) test. The effect of composite activation on waste rubber powder particles was studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) tests. The main results showed that after the physical and chemical composite activation, the storage stability of waste rubber powder modified asphalt was significantly improved, WR modified asphalt had better crack resistance, better rutting resistance, and better fatigue performance. After physical and chemical activation, WR was desulfurized, and a large number of active groups was grafted on the WR particles.Current trends in the industry indicate that extraction solvents should conform with the ideals of so-called "green chemistry". Therefore, the objective of the presented study was to optimize the conditions for the extraction of polyphenols, flavonoids and chlorophyll from peppermint leaves (Mentha × piperita L., Lamiaceae) and from common nettle leaves (Urtica dioica L., Urticaceae) via green chemistry. The obtained experimental results were subjected to modelling by means of the multiple regression method, while the optimization of the system was addressed via the application of the desirability function. As a result of the use of glycerol-water systems for the extraction of the tested active compounds from mint leaves and nettle leaves, extracts with higher concentrations of polyphenols, flavonoids and chlorophyll were most often obtained, when compared with the use of classical solvents such as water and ethanol. In this work, we demonstrate that the extraction temperature has significant influence on the concentration of the determined components in the extracts. To obtain the highest values of the analysed parameters, leaves of peppermint should be extracted with glycerol-water mixture at the proportions of 30.569.5 at a temperature of 50 °C, while the optimal conditions for the extraction of leaves of common nettle were the glycerol-water proportions of 12.587.5 and extraction temperature of 20 °C. Comparing the average percentage differences between the highest values of the analysed parameters obtained in the experiment and the approximated values for various temperatures with the level of desirability, one can note a high correlation that, in the analysed examples, amounted to 0.9681. The study showed that glycerol can be an alternative solvent in the extraction of polyphenols, flavonoids and chlorophyll, replacing, e.g., ethanol-which, for various reasons, cannot always be used.Sulfonated poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) copolymer (S-SEBS) was prepared as an anion exchange membrane using the casting method. The prepared S-SEBS was further modified with sulfonic acid groups and grafted with maleic anhydride (MA) to improve the ionic conducting properties. The prepared MA-grafted S-SEBS (S-SEBS-g-MA) membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and dynamic modulus analysis (DMA). The morphology of the S-SEBS and S-SEBS-g-MA was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. The modified membranes formed ionic channels by means of association with the sulfonate group and carboxyl group in the SEBS. The electrochemical properties of the modified SEBS membranes, such as water uptake capability, impedance spectroscopy, ionic conductivity, and ionic exchange capacity (IEC), were also measured. The electrochemical analysis revealed that the S-SEBS-g-MA anion exchange membrane showed ionic conductivity of 0.25 S/cm at 100% relative humidity, with 72.5% water uptake capacity. Interestingly, we did not observe any changes in their mechanical and chemical properties, which revealed the robustness of the modified SEBS membrane.Rabies is a fatal encephalitis caused by an important group of viruses within the Lyssavirus genus. The prototype virus, rabies virus, is still the most commonly reported lyssavirus and causes approximately 59,000 human fatalities annually. The human and animal burden of the other lyssavirus species is undefined. The original reports for the novel lyssavirus, Kotalahti bat lyssavirus (KBLV), were based on the detection of viral RNA alone. In this report we describe the successful generation of a live recombinant virus, cSN-KBLV; where the full-length genome clone of RABV vaccine strain, SAD-B19, was constructed with the glycoprotein of KBLV. Subsequent in vitro characterisation of cSN-KBLV is described here. Gambogic inhibitor In addition, the ability of a human rabies vaccine to confer protective immunity in vivo following challenge with this recombinant virus was assessed. Naïve or vaccinated mice were infected intracerebrally with a dose of 100 focus-forming units/30 µL of cSN-KBLV; all naïve mice and 8% (n = 1/12) of the vaccinated mice succumbed to the challenge, whilst 92% (n = 11/12) of the vaccinated mice survived to the end of the experiment. This report provides strong evidence for cross-neutralisation and cross-protection of cSN-KBLV using purified Vero cell rabies vaccine.Numerous papers have reported altered expression patterns of Ras and/or ShcA proteins in different types of cancers. Their level can be potentially associated with oncogenic processes. link2 We analyzed samples of pediatric brain tumors reflecting different groups such as choroid plexus tumors, diffuse astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumors, embryonal tumors, ependymal tumors, and other astrocytic tumors as well as tumor malignancy grade, in order to characterize the expression profile of Ras, TrkB, and three isoforms of ShcA, namely, p66Shc, p52Shc, and p46Shc proteins. The main aim of our study was to evaluate the potential correlation between the type of pediatric brain tumors, tumor malignancy grade, and the expression patterns of the investigated proteins.Koala retrovirus, a recent discovery in Australian koalas, is endogenised in 100% of northern koalas but has lower prevalence in southern populations, with lower proviral and viral loads, and an undetermined level of endogenisation. KoRV has been associated with lymphoid neoplasia, e.g., lymphoma. Recent studies have revealed high complexity in southern koala retroviral infections, with a need to clarify what constitutes positive and negative cases. This study aimed to define KoRV infection status in Mount Lofty Ranges koalas in South Australia using RNA-seq and proviral analysis (n = 216). The basis for positivity of KoRV was deemed the presence of central regions of the KoRV genome (gag 2, pol, env 1, and env 2) and based on this, 41% (89/216) koalas were positive, 57% (124/216) negative, and 2% inconclusive. These genes showed higher expression in lymph node tissue from KoRV positive koalas with lymphoma compared with other KoRV positive koalas, which showed lower, fragmented expression. Terminal regions (LTRs, partial gag, and partial env) were present in SA koalas regardless of KoRV status, with almost all (99.5%, 215/216) koalas positive for gag 1 by proviral PCR. Further investigation is needed to understand the differences in KoRV infection in southern koala populations.Parkinson's disease (PD) patients lead a sedentary lifestyle, being unable or unwilling to exercise conventionally, due to physical and mental limitations. The aim of this study was to assess the acute effects of a single session of whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) on the physical performances and serum levels of the neurotrophic factors in PD patients. Ten subjects (aged 72.60 ± 6.82) underwent 20 min of physical activity with superimposed WB-EMS and, after four weeks, the same protocol with no WB-EMS. WB-EMS was conducted with intermittent stimulation, with 4 s WB-EMS/4 s rest, at 85 Hz, 350 μs. A physical fitness assessment and blood samples collection, to evaluate neurotrophic factors' levels (BDNF, FGF21, proNGF, mNGF), were collected before and after the intervention. link3 The RM-ANOVA showed significant improvements in sit-to-stand (p less then 0.01), arm curl (p less then 0.01), handgrip (p less then 0.01) and soda pop test (p less then 0.01) after the WB-EMS intervention. Higher proNFG serum levels were observed in the WB-EMS condition compared to the no WB-EMS after 60 min post-intervention (p = 0.0163). The effect of WB-EMS confirmed the electrostimulation ability to modulate the proNGF quantity. The positive impact of the WB-EMS protocol on physical functioning, and eye-hand coordination, makes this intervention a promising strategy to improve motor and non-motor symptoms in PD patients.Microvariant genotypes of Ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) are associated with mass mortality events of Pacific oysters in many countries. The OsHV-1 microvariant (µVar) emerged in France 2008 and caused significant economic losses as it became endemic and displaced the previously dominant OsHV-1 reference genotype. Recently, considerable genotypic variation has been described for OsHV-1 microvariants, however, less is known about variation in viral phenotype. This study used an in vivo laboratory infection model to assess differences in total cumulative mortality, peak viral load, transmissibility, and dose-response for three OsHV-1 isolates obtained between 2011 and 2015 from endemic waterways in Australia. This followed field observations of apparent reductions in the severity of mass mortalities over this time. Significantly higher hazard of death and cumulative mortality were observed for an isolate obtained in 2011 compared to isolates from 2014-2015. In keeping with other studies, the hazard of death was higher in oysters challenged by injection compared to challenge by cohabitation and the mortality was higher when the initial dose was 1 × 104 OsHV-1 DNA copies per oyster injection compared to 1 × 102 DNA copies. There was no difference in the quantity of OsHV-1 DNA at time of death that could be related to isolate or dose, suggesting similar pathogenetic processes in the individual oysters that succumbed to end-stage disease. While the isolates examined in this study were biased towards pathogenic types of OsHV-1, as they were collected during disease outbreaks, the variation in virulence that was observed, when combined with prior data on subclinical infections, suggests that surveillance for low virulence genotypes of OsHV-1 would be rewarding. This may lead to new approaches to disease management which utilize controlled exposure to attenuated strains of OsHV-1.The potential use of paper sludge (PS) as filler in the production of bio-composites based on poly lactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) was investigated. PS/PLA/PBAT composites, with addition of acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) as biobased plasticizer, were produced with PS loadings up to 30 wt.% by twin-screw extrusion followed by injection moulding. The composites were characterized by rheological measurements, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and mechanical tests (tensile and impact resistance) to study the effect of PS on the processability, thermal stability, crystallinity and mechanical performance of polymeric matrix. The optimized composites at higher PS content were successfully processed to produce pots for horticulture and, in view of this application, preliminary phytotoxicity tests were conducted using the germination test on Lepidium sativum L. seeds. Results revealed that developed composites up to 30 wt.% PS had good processability by extrusion and injection moulding showing that PS is a potential substitute of calcium carbonate as filler in the production of bio-composites, and the absence of phytotoxic effects showed the possibility of their use in the production of pots/items for applications in floriculture and/or horticulture.