Early-Age Cracking of Fly Ash and GGBFS Concrete Due to Shrinkage, Creep, and Thermal Effects: A Review.

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are eco-friendly cementitious materials that can partially replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The occurrence of early-age cracking in OPC-SCM blended cement is a significant factor impacting the mechanical properties and durability of the concrete. This article presents a comprehensive review of the existing research on cracking in OPC-SCM concrete mix at early ages.

Co-delivery of Plinabulin and Tirapazamine boosts anti-tumor efficacy by simultaneously destroying tumor blood vessels and killing tumor cells.

It is imperative to optimize chemotherapy for heightened anti-tumor therapeutic efficacy. Unrestrained tumor cell proliferation and sustained angiogenesis are pivotal for cancer progression. Plinabulin, a vascular disrupting agent, selectively destroys tumor blood vessels.

A new attempt to remove toluene using nickel-iron bimetallic particle electrode reactor.

A new attempt of removing toluene waste gas using a three-dimensional electrode reaction device with nickel-iron bimetallic particle electrode is presented in this paper. The particle electrode was prepared by a simple liquid phase reduction method. Through bimetal modification, the particle electrode mass transfer rate is increased to 1.

Pollutant removal in an experimental bioretention cell situated in a northern Chinese sponge city.

To assess the viability and effectiveness of bioretention cell in enhancing rainwater resource utilization within sponge cities, this study employs field monitoring, laboratory testing, and statistical analysis to evaluate the water purification capabilities of bioretention cell. Findings indicate a marked purification impact on surface runoff, with removal efficiencies of 59.81% for suspended solids (SS), 39.

Investigation of Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Esters in Hanoi, Vietnam: Assessment Exposure and Estimated Daily Intake.

In recent years, organophosphate esters (OPEs) have become one of the most common additives in various consumer products worldwide, therefore the exposure and impact of OPEs on human health are drawing a lot of attention. In this study, three metabolites of OPEs including bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), diphenyl phosphate (DPhP) and diethyl phosphate (DEP) were investigated in first-morning void urine samples taken from a population (age range: 3-76 years old) in Hanoi, Vietnam. The most dominant urinary OPE metabolite was DEP with the geometric mean of specific gravity adjust (SG-adjusted) concentration were 1960 ng mL and detected frequency (DF) of 98%.

Optimization of leaf area index measurement method and correction of green plot ratio formula based on regional plant characteristics-a study in Chongqing, China.

The quantification of green space green plot ratio (GPR) is mostly based on estimation formulas, and the leaf area index (LAI) estimation values in these estimation formulas have not been well verified by measured LAI values, resulting in errors and uncertainties in GPR quantification results. This study aims to address this gap by measuring the LAI of 113 regional plants in Chongqing, China, following a standardized measurement path for digital hemispherical photography (DHP). The results indicate that the optimal relative exposure value (REV) was - 1 under overcast conditions and - 2 under sunny and cloudy conditions.

The Effects of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress via Intratracheal Instillation of Water-Soluble Acrylic Acid Polymer on the Lungs of Rats.

Polyacrylic acid (PAA), an organic chemical, has been used as an intermediate in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It has been suggested recently that PAA has a high pulmonary inflammatory and fibrotic potential. Although endoplasmic reticulum stress is induced by various external and intracellular stimuli, there have been no reports examining the relationship between PAA-induced lung injury and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Spatial and temporal indoor temperature differences at home and perceived coldness in winter: A cross-sectional analysis of the nationwide Smart Wellness Housing survey in Japan.

Residents themselves are responsible for controlling their living environment, and their perception of coldness is important to protect their health. Although previous studies examined the association between perceived coldness and indoor temperature, they did not consider the spatial-temporal differences in indoor temperatures. This study, conducted in Japan, measured indoor temperatures in 1,553 houses across several rooms (living room, changing room, and bedroom) and heights (at 1 m above the floor and near the floor) over two weeks and obtained the perceived coldness from 2,793 participants during winter.

Correlation research on visual behavior and cognition of impression against localized church facades in China.

Churches in China are material witnesses of cultural dissemination, and their architectural forms are in the process of localization. In order to determine the optimal degree of localization of church facades as well as to study the correlation between visual behavior and subjective cognition, five church facades with different degrees of localization were selected in present study, and the questionnaire survey as well as eye-tracking technology were used to collect data from two aspects: subjective cognition (the impression and acceptance levels) and objective eye movement (the first fixation duration, total fixation duration, fixation count, and visit count). The results showed the differences in public perceptions of church facades, and the impression of participants was continuously enhanced with the increasing of localization degree of church facade, while the acceptance level showed a U-shaped change.

Analysis of the potential application of a residential composite energy storage system based on a double-layer optimization model.

Along with the further integration of demand management and renewable energy technology, making optimal use of energy storage devices and coordinating operation with other devices are key. The present study takes into account the current situation of power storage equipment. Based on one year of measured data, four cases are designed for a composite energy storage system (ESS).

Associations of sensory sensitivity, pain catastrophizing, and alexithymia with dental anxiety.

We aimed to reveal interrelationships between alexithymia, catastrophic thinking, sensory processing patterns, and dental anxiety among 460 participants who were registrants of a Japanese research company. Measures used were the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, the Adult Sensory Profile, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The interrelationships among the constructs were analyzed using structural equation modeling, adjusting for age, gender, and negative dental treatment experience.

Oxidative stress accelerates intestinal tumorigenesis by enhancing 8-oxoguanine-mediated mutagenesis in MUTYH-deficient mice.

Oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and its repair systems are related to cancer etiology; however, the molecular basis triggering tumorigenesis is not well understood. Here, we aimed to explore the causal relationship between oxidative stress, somatic mutations in pre-tumor-initiated normal tissues, and tumor incidence in the small intestines of MUTYH-proficient and MUTYH-deficient mice. MUTYH is a base excision repair enzyme associated with human colorectal cancer.

Medicinal herbs, especially Hibiscus sabdariffa, inhibit oral pathogenic bacteria.

Objectives: Medicinal herbs are plants with potential medicinal and health benefits. In recent years, they are being increasingly used as a treatment alternative owing to their effectiveness against various diseases. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of 15 medicinal herbs on causative bacteria for dental caries and periodontal disease.

Delivery of external proteins into the cytoplasm using protein capsules modified with IgG on the surface, created from the amphiphilic two helix-bundle protein OLE-ZIP.

This study explores a new method for delivering therapeutic proteins into specific cells using OLE-ZIP capsules that present IgG. OLE-ZIP capsules is a spherical caspules prepared from amphihilic dimetic coiled-coil peptide, OLE-ZIP. Upon presenting cetuximab, these capsules showed preferential uptake in A431 cells and increased cytotoxicity when loaded with RNase A.

Variation characteristics of acid rain in Zhuzhou, Central China over the period 2011-2020.

Zhuzhou was one of the most polluted cities in China with the serious acid rain. Due to the implementation of air pollution control measures from 2016 to 2018, the acid rain pollution in this city has reduced. In order to understand the recent situation, a comprehensive study on the acid rain was carried out from January 2011 to December 2020.

Study on the Effect of Recycled Fine Aggregate Qualities on Fly Ash/GGBS-Based Geopolymer Mortar.

The rapid expansion of construction, fueled by industry and economic and population growth, has exacerbated the challenge of managing construction waste, especially concrete waste. One promising solution lies in the utilization of recycled fine aggregate (RFA), especially in combination with the emerging geopolymer technology, an innovative alternative to traditional cement. This study systematically explores the effects of incorporating varying qualities and quantities of RFA into geopolymer mortars.

Fabrication of a Three-Dimensional Spheroid Culture System for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas Using a Microfabricated Device.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered to be responsible for recurrence, metastasis, and resistance to treatment in many types of cancers; therefore, new treatment strategies targeting CSCs are attracting attention. In this study, we fabricated a polyethylene glycol-tagged microwell device that enabled spheroid formation from human oral squamous carcinoma cells. HSC-3 and Ca9-22 cells cultured in the microwell device aggregated and generated a single spheroid per well within 24-48 h.

Control of A/D type CpG-ODN aggregates to a suitable size for induction of strong immunostimulant activity.

Among several types of CpG-ODNs, A/D-type CpG-ODNs have potent adjuvant activity to induce Th-1 immune responses, but exhibit a propensity to aggregate. For the clinical application of A/D-type CpG-ODNs, it is necessary to control such aggregation and obtain a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between their structure and the immune responses. This study revealed that a representative A/D-type CpG ODN, D35, adopted a single-stranded structure in water, while it assembled into aggregates in response to Na ions.

Thermal comfort and adaptive behaviors in office buildings: A pilot study in Turpan (China) during summer.

Nowadays, evaporatively cooled office buildings commonly observed in dry hot areas in summer of China. However, few dedicated studies to record the local residents' thermal comfort and adaptability in these buildings. The contribution of adaptive comfort theory on thermal perception still remains unclear for optimizing office building design parameters.

Hourly global solar radiation prediction based on seasonal and stochastic feature.

Accurate and detailed solar radiation data play a crucial role in the simulation of building thermal and photovoltaic systems. However, developing a highly precise and dependable solar radiation model using cost-effective data has proven challenging. This work proposes a new attenuation solar radiation model formed by conducting a comprehensive analysis of existing models and gaining new insights into solar radiation's seasonal and stochastic properties.

Unexpected/contrary behavior of aerosol mass concentration in response to the individual components' concentration reduction in Kitakyushu, Japan.

In the suburbs of Kitakyushu, Japan, the inorganic aerosol mass concentration (IAM) was about 32.7 µg/m, with the aerosol pH of 3.3.

How to promote the sustainable development of virtual reality technology for training in construction filed: A tripartite evolutionary game analysis.

In recent years, virtual reality training technology (VRTT) has been considered by many scholars as a new training method instead of traditional training (TT) to reduce unsafe behaviors ascribed to construction workers (CWs) and corporate accident rates. However, in this process, a conflict of interest arises among the government, construction enterprises (CEs), and CWs. Therefore, this study introduces a quantitative research method, the three-party evolutionary game and creatively combining them with the product life cycle (PLC) to solve this problem by analyzing the equilibrium and evolutionarily stable strategies of the system.

Significant parameter for controlling the partition of ambient nitrate species between HNO(g) and NHNO(p).

The equilibrium between nitric acid gas (HNO(g)) and ammonium nitrate aerosol (NHNO(p)) in ambient air was studied based on the monitoring data obtained using a five-stage filter-pack system, in which the fine aerosol and the coarse aerosol were separately collected; this made it possible to evaluate the actual situation of the equilibrium more accurately. The partition between HNO(g) and coarse particulate nitrate (c-NO(p)), as well as that between HNO(g) and fine particulate nitrate (f-NO(p)), could be evaluated individually thanks to the classification separation of the aerosol by size. The c-particle proportion c-NO(p)/(c-NO(p) + HNO(g)) between HNO(g) and c-NO(p) had a weak negative correlation (r = -0.

Characteristics of PM-bound metals in Japan over six years: Spatial distribution, health risk, and source analysis.

Air sampling campaigns were conducted at 100 survey sites across Japan from April 2014 to February 2020, and a comprehensive database of atmospheric particles was obtained. In this study, the characteristics of PM and 26 metals were investigated in depth. Spatially, the concentration of PM gradually increased from the northeast to the southwest of Japan.