scholarly journals The Development of a New Phosphogypsum-Based Construction Material: A Study of the Physicochemical, Mechanical and Thermal Characteristics

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 7369
Author(s):  
Hela Garbaya ◽  
Abderraouf Jraba ◽  
Mohamed Amine Khadimallah ◽  
Elimame Elaloui
Keyword(s):  
Construction Material ◽  
Thermal Analyses ◽  
Thermal Characteristics ◽  
Specific Area ◽  
Powder Materials ◽  
Water Pump ◽  
Degree Of Hydration ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Structural Characterizations

Phosphogypsum (PG) is a waste (or by-product) of the production of phosphoric acid, a basic constituent in the manufacturing of modern fertilizers. The annual production of phosphogypsum in Tunisia is currently estimated to be 10 million tons. Its storage in slag in close proximity to production plants generates pollution problems; however, valorization may be a solution. The present paper proposes a simple process for the valorization of this by-product into a construction material. Several physicochemical characterizations are used to prove the characteristics of samples. The chemical composition shows that PG is a gypsum compound with several impurities. The morphological analyses show that the powder materials are mesoporous with a lower specific area. The structural characterizations show that these solids play the role of a water pump as the degree of hydration changes from 2 to 0 and vice versa, depending on the temperature. Mechanical and thermal analyses show that the prepared formulation is brittle and insulating, which presents opportunities for it to be used as a decoration material.

scholarly journals Translationally Repressed mRNA Transiently Cycles through Stress Granules during Stress

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 4469-4479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Mollet ◽  
Nicolas Cougot ◽  
Ania Wilczynska ◽  
François Dautry ◽  
Michel Kress ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Residence Time ◽  
Kinetic Data ◽  
Stress Granules ◽  
Stress Relief ◽  
Mrna Degradation ◽  
Stress Granule ◽  
Storage Site ◽  
Direct Role ◽  
Close Proximity

In mammals, repression of translation during stress is associated with the assembly of stress granules in the cytoplasm, which contain a fraction of arrested mRNA and have been proposed to play a role in their storage. Because physical contacts are seen with GW bodies, which contain the mRNA degradation machinery, stress granules could also target arrested mRNA to degradation. Here we show that contacts between stress granules and GW bodies appear during stress-granule assembly and not after a movement of the two preassembled structures. Despite this close proximity, the GW body proteins, which in some conditions relocalize in stress granules, come from cytosol rather than from adjacent GW bodies. It was previously reported that several proteins actively traffic in and out of stress granules. Here we investigated the behavior of mRNAs. Their residence time in stress granules is brief, on the order of a minute, although stress granules persist over a few hours after stress relief. This short transit reflects rapid return to cytosol, rather than transfer to GW bodies for degradation. Accordingly, most arrested mRNAs are located outside stress granules. Overall, these kinetic data do not support a direct role of stress granules neither as storage site nor as intermediate location before degradation.

scholarly journals Role of the gonadal vessels on the stone lodgment in the proximal ureter: Direct observation during laparoscopic ureterolithotomy

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-165
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hadi Radfar ◽  
Reza Valipour ◽  
Behzad Narouie ◽  
Mehdi Sotoudeh ◽  
Hamid Pakmanesh
Keyword(s):  
Direct Observation ◽  
Ureteral Stone ◽  
Ureteral Stenosis ◽  
Ureterovesical Junction ◽  
Gonadal Vein ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Proximal Ureter ◽  
Radiological Studies ◽  
Stone Passage

Introduction: Previous radiological studies revealed that stones lodge more frequently in the ureterovesical junction (UVJ) as well as the proximal ureter. Factors that prevent stone passage from the proximal ureter are not well studied. Aim: To explore the site of the lodged stones in the proximal ureter with direct observation during laparoscopic ureterolithotomy. Materials and methods: Between November 2014 and February 2015, we included 26 patients including 18 men and 8 women with stones larger than 10 millimeters in the proximal ureter who were candidate for laparoscopic ureterolithotomy. We prospectively recorded the site of the lodged stones in the ureter during laparoscopic ureterolithotomy in relation with the sites of ureteral stenosis as well as the gonadal vessels. Results: Among 26 patients with ureteral stone, in 19 cases stone was found close to the gonadal vein compared with seven cases that stone was in other locations of the ureter (p = 0.02). The characteristics of patients and stones were not different in cases that the stone was close to gonadal vessels compared with other locations. Conclusions: This study showed that most of the stones lodged in the proximal ureter were in close proximity with gonadal vessels. Gonadal vessels may be an extrinsic cause of ureteral narrowing.

scholarly journals Fungi associated to bark lesions of Eucalyptus globulus stems in plantations from Uruguay

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Alonso ◽  
Susana Tiscornia ◽  
Acelino Couto Alfenas ◽  
Lina Bettucci
Keyword(s):  
Eucalyptus Globulus ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Wood Decay ◽  
Stem Bark ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
West Region ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Experimental Inoculation ◽  
Penicillium Spp

Trees with stem bark lesions are frequently observed in Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantations, particularly in the central west region of Uruguay. These lesions constitute a problem for trunk decortications at harvest and they also facilitate the access of fungi that could cause wood decay. Seven, three and oneyear-old plantations, located at three sites in close proximity were selected. Four types of trunk lesions were present in trees regardless the age of plantation and more than one type was found in each plantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the fungal composition associated with these lesions and compare them to healthy tissues and try to find out the origin of these symptoms. Another purpose was to elucidate the real role of the fungi considered pathogens by means of experimental inoculations. Segments from lesions and healthy tissues yielded 897 fungal isolates belonging to 32 taxa, 681 isolates from bark lesions and 216 from healthy tissues. Both healthy and symptomatic tissues showed similar fungal species composition, but with differences in frequencies of colonization. Cytospora eucalypticola Van der Westhuizen, Botryosphaeria spp., Pestalotiopsis guepinii (Desm.) Stey. and Penicillium spp. were the dominant species isolated. As symptoms were not reproduced after experimental inoculation with Botryosphaeria ribis Grossenb. & Duggar and B. eucalyptorum Crous, & M.J. Wingf, it could be suggested that these lesions were originated by unfavorable environmental conditions. The frost that occurred for several days out of season and flooding may have been involved in the development of bark lesion.

scholarly journals RNA binding to human METTL3-METTL14 restricts N6-deoxyadenosine methylation of DNA in vitro

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Qi ◽  
Javier Mota ◽  
Siu-Hong Chan ◽  
Johanna Villarreal ◽  
Nan Dai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Binding Affinity ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Methyl Group ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Methylation Of Dna ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Methylation Activity

Methyltransferase like-3 (METTL3) and METTL14 complex transfers a methyl group from S-adenosyl-L-methionine to N6 amino group of adenosine bases in RNA (m6A) and DNA (m6dA). Emerging evidence highlights a role of METTL3-METTL14 in the chromatin context, especially in processes where DNA and RNA are held in close proximity. However, a mechanistic framework about specificity for substrate RNA/DNA and their interrelationship remain unclear. By systematically studying methylation activity and binding affinity to a number of DNA and RNA oligos with different propensities to form inter- or intra-molecular duplexes or single-stranded molecules in vitro, we uncover an inverse relationship for substrate binding and methylation and show that METTL3-METTL14 preferentially catalyzes the formation of m6dA in single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), despite weaker binding affinity to DNA. In contrast, it binds structured RNAs with high affinity, but methylates the target adenosine in RNA (m6A) much less efficiently than it does in ssDNA. We also show that METTL3-METTL14-mediated methylation of DNA is largely restricted by structured RNA elements prevalent in long noncoding and other cellular RNAs.

scholarly journals Key Role of Cysteine Residues in Catalysis and Subcellular Localization of Sulfur Oxygenase-Reductase of Acidianus tengchongensis

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 621-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Wei Chen ◽  
Cheng-Ying Jiang ◽  
Qunxin She ◽  
Shuang-Jiang Liu ◽  
Pei-Jin Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Sulfur Oxidation ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Cysteine Residues ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Immune Electron Microscopy ◽  
Mutant Proteins ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Catalytic Sites

ABSTRACT Analysis of known sulfur oxygenase-reductases (SORs) and the SOR-like sequences identified from public databases indicated that they all possess three cysteine residues within two conserved motifs (V-G-P-K-V-C31 and C101-X-X-C104; numbering according to the Acidianus tengchongensis numbering system). The thio-modifying reagent N-ethylmaleimide and Zn2+ strongly inhibited the activities of the SORs of A. tengchongensis, suggesting that cysteine residues are important. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to construct four mutant SORs with cysteines replaced by serine or alanine. The purified mutant proteins were investigated in parallel with the wild-type SOR. Replacement of any cysteine reduced SOR activity by 98.4 to 100%, indicating that all the cysteine residues are crucial to SOR activities. Circular-dichroism and fluorescence spectrum analyses revealed that the wild-type and mutant SORs have similar structures and that none of them form any disulfide bond. Thus, it is proposed that three cysteine residues, C31 and C101-X-X-C104, in the conserved domains constitute the putative binding and catalytic sites of SOR. Furthermore, enzymatic activity assays of the subcellular fractions and immune electron microscopy indicated that SOR is not only present in the cytoplasm but also associated with the cytoplasmic membrane of A. tengchongensis. The membrane-associated SOR activity was colocalized with the activities of sulfite:acceptor oxidoreductase and thiosulfate:acceptor oxidoreductase. We tentatively propose that these enzymes are located in close proximity on the membrane to catalyze sulfur oxidation in A. tengchongensis.

The Role of Big Data and Business Analytics in Decision Making

2021 ◽  
pp. 226-257
Author(s):  
Pedro Caldeira Neves ◽  
Jorge Rodrigues Bernardino
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Specific Area ◽  
Business Analytics ◽  
Business Decision ◽  
Business Sustainability ◽  
Open Source Systems ◽  
Fundamental Shift

The amount of data in our world has been exploding, and big data represents a fundamental shift in business decision-making. Analyzing such so-called big data is today a keystone of competition and the success of organizations depends on fast and well-founded decisions taken by relevant people in their specific area of responsibility. Business analytics (BA) represents a merger between data strategy and a collection of decision support technologies and mechanisms for enterprises aimed at enabling knowledge workers such as executives, managers, and analysts to make better and faster decisions. The authors review the concept of BA as an open innovation strategy and address the importance of BA in revolutionizing knowledge towards economics and business sustainability. Using big data with open source business analytics systems generates the greatest opportunities to increase competitiveness and differentiation in organizations. In this chapter, the authors describe and analyze business intelligence and analytics (BI&A) and four popular open source systems – BIRT, Jaspersoft, Pentaho, and SpagoBI.

Parasitic fauna of a yellow-legged gull colony in the island of Escombreras (South-eastern Mediterranean) in close proximity to a landfill site: potential effects on cohabiting species

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Hervías Parejo ◽  
Carlos Martínez-Carrasco ◽  
Julia I. Diaz ◽  
Lidia Chitimia ◽  
Juana Ortiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Helminth Community ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Parasitic Fauna ◽  
Waste Landfill ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Larus Michahellis ◽  
Fishery Discards

AbstractWe identified the ectoparasites and helminth fauna of yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis michahellis), breeding near to a solid waste landfill, and compared infection levels with those of other yellow-legged gull colonies. Moreover, we analysed correlations between parasites and sex and body condition of yellow-legged gulls, co-infections and the helminth community structure in order to propose the role of this species as reservoir of certain parasites. We also discuss the potential transmission of parasites between the yellow-legged gull and the endangered Audouin’s gull, because interactions between these two species, such as kleptoparasitism and predation, occur frequently around colonies. The following species were recorded: Ornithodorus capensis (Arthropoda); Cosmocephalus obvelatus, Paracuaria adunca, Eucoleus contortus, Tetrameres skrjabini and Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda); Tetrabothrius cylindraceus (Cestoda); Acanthotrema armata, Cardiocephaloides longicollis and Ornithobilharzia intermedia (Digenea). Tetrabothrius cylindraceus, A. armata and O. capensis are new parasite records for this host. The dependence of yellow-legged-gulls on fishery discards is supported by the dominance of parasites transmitted through marine intermediate hosts with interest to fisheries in the study area. However, the shift in diet from natural resources to food derived from human activities seems not to affect the parasitic fauna of yellow-legged gull. Besides of direct physical contact between individuals in nesting and resting habitats, the high availability of fishery discards could increase the risk of Audouin’s gulls to be infected by common parasites of yellow-legged gull.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document