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Alkali-activated fly ash (AAF) and alkali-activated slag (AAS) mortars were exposed to the sewage environment with acidophilic sulfur oxidizing bacteria and high concentration H2S to study their interaction. It was found that when they suffered the biogenic sulfuric acid attack, both the AAF and calcium aluminate cement (CAC) mortars had a strong inhibition effect on the growth and activity of microorganisms. There are more aluminum ions dissolved from AAF mortar into sewage, and its structure was characterized by the increase in 100-1000 nm pores. Still, a hard high silicon skeleton was formed to keep the apparent intact. However, CAC mortar had a higher killing rate for the bacteria in the attached biofilm. For AAS mortar, the formation of excessive gypsum increased the macropores content and was more conducive to the growth of biofilm, thereby accelerating the penetration of corrosive medium and the deterioration of mortar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the protective effects of silibinin on blue light-emitting diode (LED)-induced retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) damage. Methods: Silibinin was applied in RGCs damage in vitro model to test its protective effects. Cell viability was assessed with the MTT method and cell apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL and Annexin V/propidium iodide staining. The expressions of apoptosis related proteins and influenced signalling pathways were measured using western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Inflammatory factors induced by RGC damage were detected using ELISA method. Results: It was found that silibinin in 50 and 100 μM treatment showed a significant protective effect in RGCs under blue light damage. Apoptosis assay showed that silibinin treatment could significantly improve the apoptotic status of RGCs. When the potentially affected signal pathway was considered, blue light would down-regulate the expression of MEK1/ERK/CREB. The levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10) were significantly regulated by silibinin treatment. Conclusions: Silibinin pretreatment would demonstrate protective effect against blue light induced acute RGCs damage. Silibinin treatment has a direct suppression of apoptosis and inflammation through the activation of MEK/ERK/CREB pathway in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTo realize the safe disposal of solid waste containing heavy metals, sewage sludge jointly with slag and metakaolin was used to prepare alkali-activated materials (AAMs), and the effect mechanism of polycarboxylate acid superplasticizer (PCE), naphthalene superplasticizer (NS) and aliphatic superplasticizer (AS) in AAMs were studied. The results showed that both the fluidity and strength of AAMs decreased with the addition of sludge. For the NaOH + Na2SiO3 activated mortar specimen, the incorporation of sludge can reduce their fluidity and strength from 206 mm and 80.25 MPa to 193 mm and 42.43 MPa, respectively. However, the addition of superplasticizers into sludge-containing AAMs leads to a reduction of 3–9% of the fluidity. Interestingly, it can enhance the strength of the AAMs, especially the NS and AS, which increase the strength by approximately 25%. This is attributed to the increase of particle dispersion by superplasticizers. However, the free water released in the process is reabsorbed by the sludge, which increases the local alkali concentration and promotes the activation of the activity. The dispersed sludge particles can play the role of physical filling, making the structure denser. HIGHLIGHTSSludge is adverse effects on both the fluidity and strength of alkali-activated materials (AAMs).The addition of superplasticizers (SPs) increases the strength of AAM with sludge.SPs do not affect improving the fluidity of AAMs with sludge, even slightly bad.The dispersion effect of SPs on the sludge is beneficial to promote its activity in AAMs.Sludge is adverse effects on both the fluidity and strength of alkali-activated materials (AAMs).The addition of superplasticizers (SPs) increases the strength of AAM with sludge.SPs do not affect improving the fluidity of AAMs with sludge, even slightly bad.The dispersion effect of SPs on the sludge is beneficial to promote its activity in AAMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]