Limestone (LS) and stabilised secondary spruce chips (SCs) utilisation in wood-cement composites is still an unexplored area. Therefore, the main objective of the research presented here is the assessment of the long-term behaviour of cement-bonded particleboards (CBPs) modified by LS and SCs. Cement (CE) was replaced by 10% of LS, and spruce chips by 7% of SCs. The test specimens were stored in a laboratory and exterior environment (Middle Europe) for up to 2 years. The density, strength, and modulus of elasticity were evaluated after 28 days, and then in 6-month periods. The hygroscopicity was analysed separately. The mineralogical composition and microstructure were analysed due to possible LS participation during hydration. SC synergic behaviour in CBPs was also studied. After 2 years, the microstructure of the CBP was more compact, and denser. Strong carbonatation contributes to the improvement of CBP properties. The products of carbonatation were present in both the matrix and wood chips. The hydration of the matrix was almost finished. LS has a positive effect on the matrix microstructure development. LS acts both as an active component participating in the formation of the cement matrix structure and as an inert microfiller, synergic with hydration products. SCs have a positive effect on the hygroscopic behaviour of CBPs and slightly negative effect on the tensile strength.
- Klíčová slova
- by-product, cuttings, limestone, long-term durability, mechanical properties, microstructure, particleboard, secondary spruce chips, stabilisation, wood–cement composite,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Among the main benefits of powder-based materials is the possibility of combining different constituents to achieve enhanced properties of the fabricated bulk material. The presented study characterizes the micro- and sub-structures and related mechanical properties of ferritic steel strengthened with a fine dispersion of nano-sized Y2O3 oxide particles. Unlike the typical method of preparation via rolling, the material presented herein was fabricated by direct consolidation from a mixture of powders using the versatile method of hot rotary swaging. The mechanical properties were evaluated at room temperature and also at 1300 °C to document the suitability of the prepared steel for high-temperature applications. The results showed that the imposed shear strain, i.e., swaging ratio, is a crucial parameter influencing the microstructure and, thus, material behavior. The workpiece subjected to the swaging ratio of 1.4 already exhibited a sufficiently consolidated structure with ultra-fine grains and featured high room-temperature microhardness values (up to 690 HV0.5), as well as a relatively high maximum flow stress (~88 MPa) when deformed at the temperature of 1300 °C with the strain rate of 0.5 s-1. However, the dispersion of oxides within this sample exhibited local inhomogeneities. Increasing the swaging ratio to 2.5 substantially contributed to the homogenization of the distribution of the Y2O3 oxide particles, which resulted in increased homogeneity of mechanical properties (lower deviations from the average values), but their lower absolute values due to the occurrence of nucleating nano-sized recrystallized grains.
- Klíčová slova
- direct consolidation, microhardness, microstructure, oxide dispersion strengthening, rotary swaging,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
C4AF is considered the least reactive main clinker phase, but its reactivity may be affected by adding supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Pure C4AF was synthesised in a laboratory furnace, and the role of silica fume without gypsum on its early hydration properties was monitored. Burning was carried out in four stages to achieve 99% purity of C4AF. Heat flow development was monitored by isothermal calorimetry over 7 days of hydration at 20°C and 40°C. The role of silica fume on hydrogarnet phase katoite (Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 - x(OH)4 x x = 1.5-3) formation during early hydration was studied. Rapid dissolution of C4AF, formation of metastable C-(A,F)-H and its conversion to C3(A, F)H6 was evidenced by isothermal calorimetry as a large exotherm. Changes in microstructure during early hydration were documented by SE micrographs, EDS point analyses, X-ray mapping and line scans by SEM-EDS. The phase composition was characterised by DTA-TGA and QXRD after 7 days of hydration. The katoite diffraction pattern is similar for the reference sample and sample with silica fume, but substitution in its structure can be revealed by X-ray microanalyses. The composition of katoite is variable due to the various extent of substitution of 4OH- by SiO4 4- due to silica fume.
- Klíčová slova
- C4AF, hydration, katoite, microstructure, silica fume,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Tricalcium aluminate is an important phase of Portland clinker. In this paper, three polymorphs of C3A were prepared by means of the solid-state synthesis method using intensive milling of the raw material mixture which was doped with various amounts of Na2O and sintered at a temperature of 1300 °C for 2 h. The final products were evaluated through X-ray diffraction using Rietveld analysis. The effect of the Na dopant content on the change in the crystalline structure of tricalcium aluminate was studied. It was proven that the given preparation procedure, which differed from other studies, was close to the real conditions of the formation of Portland clinker, and it was possible to prepare a mixture of different polymorphs of calcium aluminate. Fundamental changes in the crystal structure occurred in the range of 3-4% Na, when the cubic structure changes to orthorhombic. At a dosage of Na dopant above 4%, the orthorhombic structure changes to a monoclinic structure. There are no clearly defined boundaries for the existence of individual C3A phases; these phases arise at the same time and overlap each other in the areas of their formation at different Na doses.
- Klíčová slova
- crystallite size, cubic, monoclinic, orthorhombic, polymorphism, tricalcium aluminate,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with abnormalities of liver lipid metabolism. On the contrary, a diet enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3-PUFAs) has been reported to ameliorate the progression of NAFLD. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of dietary n-3-PUFA enrichment on the development of NAFLD and liver lipidome. Mice were fed for 6 weeks either a high-fat methionine choline-deficient diet (MCD) or standard chow with or without n-3-PUFAs. Liver histology, serum biochemistry, detailed plasma and liver lipidomic analyses, and genome-wide transcriptome analysis were performed. Mice fed an MCD developed histopathological changes characteristic of NAFLD, and these changes were ameliorated with n-3-PUFAs. Simultaneously, n-3-PUFAs decreased serum triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations as well as ALT and AST activities. N-3-PUFAs decreased serum concentrations of saturated and monounsaturated free fatty acids (FAs), while increasing serum concentrations of long-chain PUFAs. Furthermore, in the liver, the MCD significantly increased the hepatic triacylglycerol content, while the administration of n-3-PUFAs eliminated this effect. Administration of n-3-PUFAs led to significant beneficial differences in gene expression within biosynthetic pathways of cholesterol, FAs, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and TNF-α). To conclude, n-3-PUFA supplementation appears to represent a promising nutraceutical approach for the restoration of abnormalities in liver lipid metabolism and the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.
- Klíčová slova
- lipidome, lipids, n-3 fatty acids, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis,
- MeSH
- cholesterol metabolismus MeSH
- cholin metabolismus MeSH
- dieta s vysokým obsahem tuků škodlivé účinky MeSH
- játra metabolismus MeSH
- kyseliny mastné neesterifikované metabolismus MeSH
- kyseliny mastné omega-3 * farmakologie terapeutické užití metabolismus MeSH
- methionin metabolismus MeSH
- myši inbrední C57BL MeSH
- myši MeSH
- nealkoholová steatóza jater * etiologie genetika MeSH
- nenasycené mastné kyseliny metabolismus MeSH
- Racemethionin metabolismus farmakologie MeSH
- triglyceridy metabolismus MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- myši MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- cholesterol MeSH
- cholin MeSH
- kyseliny mastné neesterifikované MeSH
- kyseliny mastné omega-3 * MeSH
- methionin MeSH
- nenasycené mastné kyseliny MeSH
- Racemethionin MeSH
- triglyceridy MeSH
This article deals with the development of an alternative method for determining the grindability index of fine-grained materials. This method is inspired by the commercially used VTI method (also known as RTI after the Russian Thermal Energy Institute), which was widely used in Central and Eastern Europe in coal grinding. The disadvantage of the VTI method is that it uses a specific grinding device that otherwise has no other use and nowadays is no longer commonly available. Through the new method, high-energy grinding was performed using a commercially available planetary mill on silicate materials such as limestone, feldspar, corundum, and quartz. The effectiveness of the method was verified on clinker as a representative of widely used materials. The deviation between the grindability index calculated by the origin VTI method and the new developed method was on average approximately 8%; in the case of clinker grinding, it was only 3%. The results showed that the VTI method could be replaced by a new method that uses a modern available planetary mill and laser granulometry to determine the grindability index. The result is a new classification of materials according to their grindability indexes, which is based on the original VTI method.
- Klíčová slova
- grindability, grindability index, high-speed milling,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Liver cirrhosis represents a common condition with substantial mortality. Manifestation and progression of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy or gastrointestinal bleeding are among main reasons for hospital admission. Infections represent another specific area in cirrhotic patients. Timely and correct diagnosis and therapy of these conditions are the mainstay of optimal outcome. Manifestation of complications of liver cirrhosis significantly deteriorates prognosis of the patient. Ascites in portal hypertension develops as a result of sodium and consequently water retention. Therapy comprises of restriction of sodium intake, diuretic therapy with combination of spironolactone and furosemide, alternatively large-volume paracentesis. Hepatic encephalopathy comprises a spectrum of neuropsychiatric abnormalities from subtle changes to overt desorientation and asterixis to hepatic coma. Treatment includes correcting of predisposing conditions, administering of non-absorbable disaccharides or rifaximin. The most common cause of bleeding in a cirrhotic patient is oesophageal bleeding. Therapy is complex including hemodynamic stabilisation, antibiotic prophylaxis, vasoactive and endoscopic treatment. Infections are common causes of decompensation and occurrence of complications of advanced chronic liver disease. Their unfavourable outcome is a result of a complex immune disorder in cirrhotic patients. Specific type of infection in cirrhosis is spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, which has to be always excluded with diagnostic paracentesis. The mainstay of successful therapy of infections is timely and vigorous broad spectrum antibiotic therapy which can significantly improve otherwise unfavourable outcome of these patients.
- Klíčová slova
- Ascites, Cirrhosis, bleeding, encephalopathy, infection, liver cirrhosis,
- MeSH
- ascites etiologie MeSH
- gastrointestinální krvácení etiologie terapie MeSH
- jaterní cirhóza komplikace terapie MeSH
- jaterní encefalopatie * komplikace diagnóza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nemocnice MeSH
- peritonitida * MeSH
- vnitřní lékařství MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Finding an effective treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains one of main challenges in hepatological research for the 21st century, since there is no such a treatment yet. Lifestyle modifications leading to weight reduction are cheap and effective, however only a fraction of patients reaches significant weight loss goals. Current pharmacological treatment of NAFLD comprises screening and therapy of metabolic syndrome components and minimizing of alcohol intake. There are new substances being evaluated in clinical trials, the most promising ones are semaglutide and lanifibranor.
- Klíčová slova
- Fatty liver, GLP-1 agonists, NAFLD, NAFLD treatment, NASH, liver fibrosis, metabolic syndrome,
- MeSH
- hmotnostní úbytek MeSH
- játra metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- metabolický syndrom * terapie MeSH
- nealkoholová steatóza jater * terapie MeSH
- životní styl MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Fatty liver diseases represent the most common chronic liver diseases today. Therefore, the diagnostics of fatty liver is of great importance. Sonography is the most used imaging method in daily clinical practice for its availability and good diagnostic performance. But there are limitations in lower sensitivity in mild steatosis and in subjects with more severe obesity. Sonographic findings of fatty liver include higher echogenity of liver parenchyma and attenuation of ultrasound waves in deeper parts of the liver. Furthermore, there are some other advanced methods for semiquantitative and quantitative assessment of the amount of the liver fat. Many of them are based on acoustic signal attenuation assessment. The most broadly used is a CAP (controlled attenuation parameter) feature of FibroScan, which can assess fatty liver without classic ultrasound examination. Thera are also special MR based techniques - MR spectroscopy and PDFF (protein density fat fraction) which allow liver fat quantification with high precision and can be used as a reference standard.
- Klíčová slova
- Fatty liver, diagnosis, diagnostics, magnetic resonance, quantification, sonography,
- MeSH
- elastografie * metody MeSH
- játra diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- magnetická rezonanční tomografie metody MeSH
- nealkoholová steatóza jater * MeSH
- ultrasonografie metody MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Liver elastography is a completely non-invasive method for examination of a stiffness of a liver parenchyma. It has been used worldwide and plays an essential role in detection and assessment of severity of liver fibrosis. Ultrasound based elastography methods - transient elastography (TE) and shear wave elastography (SWE) are the most widely used methods in clinical practice. Quick bedside examination, high reproducibility of results, availability and repeatability in time are among the benefits which led to a significant decrease in number of liver biopsies performed in last years. Elastography methods are also capable to evaluate presence of portal hypertension and risk of related complications in patients with liver cirrhosis noninvasively. Liver elastography represents an established diagnostic tool that has changed clinical practice in hepatology.
- Klíčová slova
- Cirrhosis, elastography, fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, liver stiffness, portal hypertension,
- MeSH
- elastografie * metody MeSH
- jaterní cirhóza komplikace diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- játra diagnostické zobrazování MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- portální hypertenze * komplikace MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
