Weight Aggregates Research Articles

Effect of Increasing Phosphorus Doses Application on Some Physical, Chemical and Biological Properties of Soil, Under Long-Term Experiment Conditions.

Phosphorus (P) fertilizers are produced from rock phosphate (apatite); however, they are low-mobility in soil for plant nutrient absorption and uptake. In addition, the rock phosphate quantity is a limited source for future P fertilizer. At the same time, high phosphorus fertilization will cause environmental pollution (such as eutrophication in rivers). Also, a great proportion of applied P fertilizer remains in the soil, reducing the viable soil organisms. Therefore, the effect of different doses of P on some properties of soil (physical, chemical, and biological) is not entirely understood in the literature under long-term experiment conditions. Also, phosphorus fertilizer applications indirectly decrease the plant growth and yield. Under long-term experimental conditions, this research aims to understand the effect of increasing P doses on some physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. The hypothesis to be tested is that under long-term field experiment conditions, increasing doses of phosphorus fertilizer negatively affect the soil properties. The field experiment was established in 1998 and has continued uninterruptedly to the present time under maize and wheat rotations. Four doses of P fertilizers were applied; such as 0, 50, 100 and 200 kg P2O5 ha-1 application with three replications. P2105 Maize (Zea mays L.) species seeds were sown in June 2022 and harvested in November 2022. At harvest, the soil samples were taken at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depth in each plot. Soil pH, EC and available P were analyzed as soil chemical properties. The number of mycorrhizal spores and Soil Organic Matter (by walkley-black method) were determined as soil biological properties. Furthermore, soil bulk density (BD), water stable aggregated (WSA) and mean weight diameter (MWD) were analyzed as soil physical properties. Phosphorus application in increasing doses negatively affects the soil physical properties (such as WSA, MWD and BD) under long-term field experiment condition. The research finding showed that depending on increasing P doses application soil WSA and MWD were decreased but BD was increased. While depending on increasing P doses application soil organic carbon is increased, however, the numerical value of mycorrhizal spores and root colonization was decreased. The results are revealed that for sustainable and eco-friendly crop production, 50 and 100 kg P2O5 ha-1 P fertilizer can be used in maize production.

Study of Strength and Stability of Concrete with Water-Soluble Polyethylene Glycol as Self-Curing Agent

Abstract: Curing plays a chief function in the growth of concrete properties throughout construction. Curing is often used to provide the method by which hydraulic cement concrete mature and increase hardened property more than time as a product of the constant hydration of the cement in the occurrence of enough water (ACI, 2008). The function of curing is to lessen water disappearance from concrete and keep acceptable moisture content, especially throughout early ages, for continuance of the hydration method that is essential for the growth of cement microstructure. Since we identify water shortage is mounting day by day, so an vital research should be needed to do the constructions without water. In early stages, water was mandatory for the curing purposes in construction. Curing of material do a chief job in rising pore structure and microstructure to increase durability and performance with water-soluble polyethylene glycol as self curing agent and light weight aggregate.

Breaking Immutable: Information-Coupled Prototype Elaboration for Few-Shot Object Detection

Few-shot object detection, expecting detectors to detect novel classes with a few instances, has made conspicuous progress. However, the prototypes extracted by existing meta-learning based methods still suffer from insufficient representative information and lack awareness of query images, which cannot be adaptively tailored to different query images. Firstly, only the support images are involved for extracting prototypes, resulting in scarce perceptual information of query images. Secondly, all pixels of all support images are treated equally when aggregating features into prototype vectors, thus the salient objects are overwhelmed by the cluttered background. In this paper, we propose an Information-Coupled Prototype Elaboration (ICPE) method to generate specific and representative prototypes for each query image. Concretely, a conditional information coupling module is introduced to couple information from the query branch to the support branch, strengthening the query-perceptual information in support features. Besides, we design a prototype dynamic aggregation module that dynamically adjusts intra-image and inter-image aggregation weights to highlight the salient information useful for detecting query images. Experimental results on both Pascal VOC and MS COCO demonstrate that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance in almost all settings. Code will be available at: https://github.com/lxn96/ICPE.

Context-aware lightweight remote-sensing image super-resolution network.

In recent years, remote-sensing image super-resolution (RSISR) methods based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have achieved significant progress. However, the limited receptive field of the convolutional kernel in CNNs hinders the network's ability to effectively capture long-range features in images, thus limiting further improvements in model performance. Additionally, the deployment of existing RSISR models to terminal devices is challenging due to their high computational complexity and large number of parameters. To address these issues, we propose a Context-Aware Lightweight Super-Resolution Network (CALSRN) for remote-sensing images. The proposed network primarily consists of Context-Aware Transformer Blocks (CATBs), which incorporate a Local Context Extraction Branch (LCEB) and a Global Context Extraction Branch (GCEB) to explore both local and global image features. Furthermore, a Dynamic Weight Generation Branch (DWGB) is designed to generate aggregation weights for global and local features, enabling dynamic adjustment of the aggregation process. Specifically, the GCEB employs a Swin Transformer-based structure to obtain global information, while the LCEB utilizes a CNN-based cross-attention mechanism to extract local information. Ultimately, global and local features are aggregated using the weights acquired from the DWGB, capturing the global and local dependencies of the image and enhancing the quality of super-resolution reconstruction. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is capable of reconstructing high-quality images with fewer parameters and less computational complexity compared with existing methods.

Use of crushed bricks and recycled concrete as replacement for fine and coarse aggregates for sustainable concrete production

The growing concern over the significant ecological changes requires sustainable developments in all fields. Concrete production is one of the largest consumers of natural resources as it consumes a huge volume of natural fine and coarse aggregates, which constitute 70% - 80% of the concrete volume. It is evident that such large amount of concrete production in the growing construction industry puts significant impact on the use of natural resources and the environment. Hence, investigating the use of recycled materials to replace the finite natural resources became evident and is the focus of researchers. In this research, the use of waste crushed bricks (CB), and crushed recycled concrete (CRC) as a partial replacement of fine and coarse aggregates in concrete was studied. The replacement ratios of 10%, 50%, and 100% by weight of either fine or coarse aggregates were used. Eight concrete mixes with 168 specimens were tested for compressive, splitting tensile as well as, flexural strength. All tests were carried out at ages of 7, 28 and 56 days. The results indicated that there is a feasibility of using bricks and concrete wastes in concrete mix as a partial replacement of course and fine aggregates. It is deduced that a 50% replacement ratio of coarse aggregate with crushed concrete resulted in a 30%, 25%, and 23% increase in compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, respectively. While 50% replacement ratio of fine aggregate with crushed bricks resulted in a 23%, 28%, and 19% increase in compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, respectively. The most effective mix was at 50% replacement ratio of coarse aggregate with crushed concrete in combination with 50% replacement ratio of fine aggregate with crushed bricks. The results of this mix showed 32%, 28%, 26% increase in compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, respectively.

506-P: Regulation of ANGPTL3 by SEL1L-HRD1 ER-Associated Degradation

Angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) is a liver-derived circulating factor critical for systemic lipid metabolism via the inhibition of lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Loss-of-function mutations in ANGPTL3 in humans and mice reduce circulating levels of triglycerides. Here, we report the discovery of a novel mechanism regulating the biosynthesis and maturation of nascent ANGPTL3 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Mice with acute or chronic liver-specific deletion of SEL1L-HRD1, the most conserved branch of mammalian endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) machinery, exhibit significantly lower levels of triglyceride and cholesterol in the serum with reduced weights of both epididymal and inguinal white adipose tissues (WAT). Various proteomics screenings have identified ANGPTL3 as a possible link between SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD and hypolipidemia. Indeed, ANGPTL3 is a bona fide endogenous substrate of SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD in the liver and in the absence of ERAD, ANGPTL3 protein is retained in the ER, forming high-molecular weight aggregates. This abnormal ER retention of ANGPTL3 accounts for a reduced circulating level of ANGPTL3, therefore contributing to hypolipidemia in ERAD-deficient mice. Together, this study not only uncovers a novel regulator for ANGPTL3 and novel targets in the treatment of hyperlipidemia in obesity and diabetes. Disclosure L.Zhou: None. L.Lin: None. S.Sun: None. L.Qi: None.

Structural behavior of reinforced lightweight self‐compacting concrete beams using expanded polystyrene as coarse aggregate and containing polyethylene terephthalate fibers

AbstractThrough this study, an attempt was made to produce concrete beams from self‐compacting concrete (SCC) contain expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads as coarse aggregate and waste plastic fibers (WPFs) produced from cutting disposed packing straps in site. The beams were designed according to ACI‐318‐14, where three different reinforcement ratios were chosen for the purpose of checking the conductance of thresholds made of this type of environmentally friendly concrete under bending loads. The use of EPS with WPFs had a significant positive effect in reducing the density of concrete, and the highest percentage of reduction was equal to (38.46%). Using WPFs had a positive effect in increasing the flexural toughness of concrete prisms, and the maximum increment was equal to (180%) compared with these made from the reference mix. The results proved the possibility of producing lightweight concrete from the use of EPS waste and WPFs, three of which are structurally can be classified as lightweight concrete combination of normal weight and lightweight aggregates according to specifications requirements of ASTM330/330M‐14. Reinforced lightweight SCC beams behaved under flexural loads similar to the reinforced concrete beams made from normal weight concrete counterparts under flexural loads.

Green lightweight concrete utilizing sustainable processed recycled plastic aggregates: Technical, economic and environmental assessment

In recent years, it has become imperative to conduct studies on the environmental effect of the construction industry on sustainability and develop strategies to mitigate sustainability risks. These mitigation strategies aim to protect natural resources and reduce waste accumulation. The life cycle analysis of buildings has been one of these studies due to the adverse environmental effects of the materials utilized in construction, particularly concrete. Specifically, how material use affects global warming and consumer desires for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings. This study presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment of operational and embedded energy components that affect overall energy consumptions for concrete construction. Five concrete mixtures with varying percentages of sustainable recycled plastic aggregate were compared to a control mixtures made with normal weight and natural lightweight aggregates using a case study of a two-story residential building in Saudi Arabia. A life cycle assessment was initially used to estimate the embodied impact of producing the concrete. Then operational energy use was simulated using IES-VE. The weathering profile, transportation distance, and processing energy were all considered and calculated using site-based data for the environmental impact assessment components. The results demonstrate significant reduction of annual operational energy, carbon emissions and overall energy consumption of up to 15%, 13% and 21%, respectively. Therefore, the resulting green concrete system is more environmentally friendly due to the superior thermal performance over existing natural lightweight aggregates concrete. This evidence enables the ideas to be implemented, particularly in dry climate countries such as Saudi Arabia, where the average electricity use is very huge. Additionally, the study results suggest the possibility of permanently integrating plastic wastes into sustainable aggregate and its subsequent green concrete to reduce these wastes' adverse effects.

Thermal energy saving and physico-mechanical properties of foam concrete incorporating form-stabilized basalt powder/capric acid based composite phase change material

The incorporation of phase change materials (PCM) in construction materials for the purpose of thermal energy storage (TES) can prevent temperature fluctuations and enable the conservation of thermal energy in buildings. Accordingly, this study aims to create a novel, environmentally friendly foam concrete incorporating a composite PCM composed of capric acid saturated waste basalt powder. Basalt powder, a byproduct of the grinding or crushing of basalt volcanic rock, was selected as a carrier material due to its high porosity resulting from its lightweight and porous nature. This allowed for the creation of a leak-free composite PCM, which was then integrated with foam concrete made of CEM I 42.5R cement, water, quartz sand, and a foaming agent. Basalt-PCM was substituted into the mixture at 50% and 100% by weight of quartz aggregate. Comprehensive evaluations were conducted on the novel foam concretes with regard to their morphological, mechanical, physical, thermal, and TES properties. The results indicate that the incorporation of basalt-PCM causes a minor reduction in the dry unit weight of the mixtures and a reduction in compressive and flexural strength. However, the leak-proof basalt powder/capric acid composite displayed a phase transition behavior, melting at 28.5 °C with a latent heat of fusion (47.9 J/g), which retained 99.5% capacity after 500 melting-solidification cycles. The specimen with 100 wt% basalt-PCM exhibited a melting temperature and latent heat of 27.8 °C and 17.4 J/g, respectively. Additionally, the basalt powder/capric composite exhibited high thermal stability up to 156 °C, far above its normal operating temperature. The foam concretes incorporating the basalt-PCM demonstrated solar thermoregulation properties, maintaining a more stable and comfortable indoor temperature. These results suggest that the form-stable PCM-incorporating foam concretes developed in this study can be considered as environmentally friendly building materials for thermoregulation and energy conservation.

Effect of Wollastonite Microfibers and Waste Tire Rubber on Mechanical Properties of Concrete

The main objective of the present research is to investigate the effect of adding wollastonite microfibers and waste tire rubber on the mechanical properties of concrete. For this purpose, two different series of mixtures were considered. Different percentages (5, 10, 15, and 20 percent) of wollastonite microfibers were added to the ordinary concrete and tested in the first series. Then, in the second series, wollastonite microfibers were added to the specimens in the amount of 20% by the weight of cement, and waste tire rubber was replaced with fine aggregate in different percentages (3, 5, 7, and 10 percent by the weight of fine aggregate), and the specimens were tested again. All the specimens were cured at the two ages of 7 and 28 days, and they were tested for the slump, compressive strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength. The results showed that the addition of 20% wollastonite microfibers to the specimens increased the compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths of the concrete at 28 days of age by 16, 87, and 78%, respectively, compared to the control specimen. The outcomes also demonstrated that replacing fine aggregate with tire rubber in samples containing 20% wollastonite microfibers reduces the strength of the samples. The highest reduction is related to the sample containing 20% of waste tire rubber, which has a reduced compressive strength of about 20% compared to the control sample. Furthermore, the results of this research showed that adding wollastonite microfibers to concrete reduces the concrete slump, while the density of the samples increases with the addition of wollastonite. Moreover, the presence of wollastonite microfibers reduces the porosity of concrete, but there is an increase in the number of pores in concrete samples containing waste tire rubber.

Effect of Crumb Rubber Particles on Antisliding and Noise-Reduction Performance of Asphalt Pavement

Traffic noise has gradually become the primary source of noise in urban areas. The risk of health issues such as cardiovascular diseases and sleep disturbances associated with noise exposure are receiving widespread attention. The skid resistance of asphalt pavements is important for safe driving. However, its antisliding performance deteriorates owing to automobile driving, and the antisliding index cannot satisfy requirements of long-term safe driving. Crumb rubber-modified asphalt (CRMA) has been widely used owing to its characteristics, such as excellent noise reduction, antisliding performance, and durability. This study aims to investigate the effect of crumb rubber (CR) particle content (0%, 2%, 3%, and 4% by weight of fine aggregates in asphalt mixture) on the antisliding and noise reduction characteristics of asphalt pavements. The functional performances of three different types of asphalt mixtures were tested to obtain the best gradation. Then, an accelerated wear tester was used to analyze the deterioration of the antisliding performance under different cumulative load times. A British pendulum number (BPN) tester and 3D laser technology were used to measure friction properties and texture depths of asphalt mixtures with varying CR particle contents after wheel-load repetitions. The tire-drop and standing wave tube methods were employed to evaluate the noise-reduction characteristics and acoustic absorption performance of asphalt mixtures with varying CR particle contents. Finally, the optimal CR particle content was determined using grey-target decision-making based on the entropy weight method. The results indicate that adding rubber particles to asphalt mixtures slows down the attenuation rate of BPN and texture depth, which shows a clear enhancement of the antisliding performance. The addition of rubber particles to asphalt mixtures improves the noise-reduction performance in tire-pavement systems by increasing damping properties and the sound absorption coefficient. The asphalt mixture with 3% rubber particles exhibited the optimal performance.

Performance of hot-mix asphalt using polymer-modified bitumen and marble dust as a filler

Marble dust waste powder generated by the marble cutting industry has a high alkalinity. In this research, the use of marble dust (MD) as a mineral filler substitute in hot mixed asphalt (HMA) was evaluated. The Marshall mix design was used to determine the optimum bitumen content (OBC) for all of the mixtures. For each of the four MD contents, i.e., 0, 2%, 4%, and 6% by weight of the total aggregates, four different bitumen percentages were used. The results of the Marshall stability test showed that the optimum filler content was 4% MD. Samples were prepared with 0 MD in the control mix and varying percentages of MD as an alternate filler. In addition, MD aided in increasing the Marshall stability, rutting resistance, and permanent deformation and reduced the fatigue life of asphalt mixtures. As the percentage of MD increases, the rutting resistance and stiffness at high temperatures both increase. As the percentage of MD increases, the fatigue life reduces. Rut resistance in high-temperature conditions can be improved by using MD in HMA as a partial substitute for stone dust (SD). In areas where extensive MD waste is present, MD can be incorporated into HMA mixtures instead of conventional fillers.

Design of an environmentally friendly concrete mix by partial replacement of fine aggregate with industrial waste glass in powdered form and cement with fly-ash

In today’s developing countries the arising problem of industrial waste management and pollution created in the use of traditional construction materials is severe. High usage of cementitious materials and other traditional construction materials aids with a high risk of air and soil pollution along with diseases caused to workers. Also, daily increment of industrial wastes and its lowering scope of disposal and very average efficiency of disposal techniques are still lagging in helping reduce the problem. If industrial wastes like glass waste, fly ash, silica fumes, steel slag, etc. can be used in the construction industry as a replacement to traditional remedies both problems can be tackled. This research work pivots on the use and fly ash and glass powder effect as a replacement of traditional Portland slack cement by 25 % and fine aggregate by 10%, 20% and, 30% respectively, of total weight and design of a concrete mix. Making environment-friendly concrete blend at a lower cost by substituting conventional concrete accoutrements with waste materials is important. Now for perfecting basic concrete properties of this concrete mix with a low water-cement ratio and inclusion of superplasticizer in addition to mineral admixtures are needful. In this work Portland slack cement (PSC) is used, which is replaced at a percentage of 25 of the total weight of cement requirement by fly ash and of fine aggregate, in this case, we have used sand, replaced by waste glass powder with the percentage of 10, 20, and 30 of the total weight of fine aggregate. It is then tested and noted that the quantum of strength and plasticity needed is achieved at an optimum percentage. Furthermore, an analysis of the concrete mix is done for compressive strength after 7, 14, and 28 days of curing and checked for its strength in this report further. The compressive strength test data have shown that the values of compressive strength for different percentages of waste glass powder does not vary significantly with respect to each other. Also the Slump test data indicates that High Workability have been received for all the specimens of concrete with 10%, 20% and 30% of waste glass powder. Finally, a comparison of cost analysis was made between normal concrete and the newly developed concrete with fly ash and glass powder which also shows the viability of using the newly developed product for our daily use. The cost analysis results have shown that incorporating glass powder which is generally a waste material and fly-ash which is also an industrial waste does not increase the total cost of the concrete mix compared to normal concrete. Also depending upon the usage percentage of waste glass powder the cost of the total mix also varies which can be very useful for practical implementation.

A Trust Risk Dynamic Management Mechanism Based on Third-Party Monitoring for the Conflict-Eliminating Process of Social Network Group Decision Making.

Every decision may involve risks. Real-world risk issues are usually supervised by third parties. Decision-making may be affected by the absence of sufficient or reasonable trust or to the opposite, an unconditional, excessive, or blind trust, which is called trust risks. The conflict-eliminating process (CEP) aims to facilitate satisfactory consensus by decision makers (DMs) through continuous reconciliation between their opinion differences on the subject matter. This article addresses trust risks in CEP of social network group decision making (SNGDM) through third-party monitoring. A trust risk analysis-based conflict-eliminating model for SNGDM is developed. It is assumed that a third-party agency monitors the DMs' credibility and performance, which is recorded in an objective evaluation matrix and multi-attribute trust assessment matrix (MTAM). A trust risk measurement methodology is proposed to classify the DMs' different trust risk types and to measure the trust risk index (TRI) of a group of DMs. When TRI is unacceptable, a trust risk management mechanism that controls TRI is activated. Different management policies are applicable to DMs' different trust risk types. There are two main methods: 1) dynamically update the MTAM based on DMs' performance and 2) provide suggestions for modifying the DM's information with high TRI. Besides, as part of the integrated CEP, this model includes an optimization approach to dynamically derive DMs' reliable aggregation weights from their MTAM. Simulation experiments and an illustrative example support the feasibility and validity of the proposed model for managing trust risks in CEP of SNGDM.

SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN MUSLIM COUNTRIES: IBN KHALDUN’S DEVELOPMENT MODEL-BASED APPROACH

This study constructs a measure of socioeconomic development in Muslim countries based on Ibn Khaldun’s model of development. It proposes a composite index of development based on three dimensions, namely human empowerment, government and institution, and economic growth, and terms it as Ibn Khaldun-based socioeconomic development index (I-SDI). A total of 13 indicators are selected to represent each dimension and are employed for construction of the index using an equal weighted method and additive aggregation approach. In generally, we note that many Muslim countries are underperformed., as indicated by the low value of I-SDI. We further find that Muslim countries that perform well in government and institution dimensions tend to experience better socioeconomic development. We believe that the proposed I-SDI is non-redundant and robust and hence can be utilized as an alternative way of measuring the development in Muslim countries. In other words, the Ibn Khaldun’s model of development is exceptionally meaningful in explaining the socio-economic performance of Muslim countries.

Weighted online search

We study the general setting of weighted search in which a number of weighted targets are hidden in a star-like environment, and a mobile searcher must locate a subset of targets with aggregate weight at least a given value W. The cost of the strategy is the distance traversed by the searcher, and its performance is measured by the worst-case ratio of the cost incurred by the searcher over the cost of an on optimal, offline strategy. This is the first study of a setting that generalizes several problems in search theory such as searching for a single target and searching for unit-weighted targets. We present and analyze a near-optimal strategy using an approach based on parameterized analysis. This problem formulates settings of resource allocation among parallel tasks under uncertainty; specifically, we demonstrate further applications in the design of interruptible systems based on adaptive scheduling of contract algorithms.

Eco-friendly concrete with waste ceramic tile as coarse aggregate: mechanical strength, durability, and microstructural properties

The drive towards circular economy in achieving sustainable concrete cannot be overemphasized. The recycling of waste tiles from the ceramic industry, demolished buildings, or during the construction process could be one way of solving the waste generated from ceramic tiles. This study investigates the use of waste ceramic tiles as coarse aggregates in concrete at replacement levels of 0, 10, 20, 30, 50, and 100% by weight of natural coarse aggregate. Concrete cylinders were cast and tested for compressive and splitting tensile strength after a curing period of 7, 14, and 28 days. Further, the durability of the concrete was investigated via water absorption and total permeable pore volumes in all the concrete mixes. The results indicate that the strength of concrete decreases as the percentage of waste ceramic tile aggregate increases. However, adding 10% tile aggregate in concrete seems acceptable as the strength reduction was relatively low. The water absorption and voids increase as waste ceramic tile aggregate increases. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was performed to investigate the statistical significance of the waste ceramic tile aggregate on the properties tested. Artificial neural network (ANN) was also performed to predict the compressive strength of ceramic tile concrete. Based on the outcomes, it is recommended to use 10–20% of waste tile aggregate in concrete production where design compressive strength is less than 20 MPa, which can also reduce the demand for new aggregate, reduce the cost of the project, save the dumping issue, and protect the environment.

DP-FEDAW: FEDERATED LEARNING WITH DIFFERENTIAL PRIVACY IN NON-IID DATA

Federated learning can effectively utilize data from various users to coordinately train machine learning models while ensuring that data does not leave the user's device. However, it also faces the challenge of slow global model convergence and even the leakage of model parameters under heterogeneous data. To address this issue, this paper proposes a federated weighted average with differential privacy (DP-FedAW) algorithm, which studies the security and convergence issues of federated learning for Non-independent identically distributed (Non-IID) data. Firstly, the DP-FedAW algorithm quantifies the degree of Non-IID for different user datasets and further adjusts the aggregation weights of each user, effectively alleviating the model convergence problem caused by differences in Non-IID data during the training process. Secondly, a federated weighted average algorithm for privacy protection is designed to ensure that the model parameters meet differential privacy requirements. In theory, this algorithm effectively provides privacy and security during the training process while accelerating the convergence of the model. Experiments have shown that compared to the federated average algorithm, this algorithm can converge faster. In addition, with the increase of the privacy budget, the model's accuracy gradually tends to be without noise while ensuring model security. This study provides an important reference for ensuring model parameter security and improving the algorithm convergence rate of federated learning towards the Non-IID data.

Treated Waste Tire Using Cement Coating as Coarse Aggregate in the Production of Sustainable Green Concrete

Waste tire rubber is one of the most concerning environmental pollution issues. With the increasing demand for automobile production, the rate of waste tire generation has also increased. However, these tires often end up stockpiled and not properly disposed of. This non-biodegradable waste poses severe fire, environmental, and health risks. Due to the progressively severe environmental problems caused by the disposal of waste tires, the feasibility of using such elastic waste materials as an alternative to natural aggregates has become a research topic. The main objective of this research is to investigate the changes in the mechanical and durability properties of concrete with the inclusion of waste tire rubber at specific contents. A total of 80 cylinders measuring 100 mm × 200 mm were cast with waste tire aggregate as a partial replacement for natural coarse aggregate (5% and 10% by weight of natural coarse aggregate). A surface treatment of tire aggregate using a cement coating was performed to study its effect on concrete properties. This research indicates a noticeable reduction in the compressive and split tensile strength of concrete containing untreated waste tire rubber compared to normal concrete made with natural aggregates. However, an improvement was observed when the surface of tire aggregates was coated with cement grout. Additionally, it was noted that the slump value, water absorption, and porosity increased as the percentage of rubber increased. Nevertheless, unlike normal concrete, the failure pattern in tire-mixed concrete occurs gently and uniformly, indicating ductile behavior.

P203 PLASMA TRANSTHYRETIN FORMS IN PATIENTS WITH WILD–TYPE TRANSTHYRETIN CARDIAC AMYLOIDOSIS: INFLUENCED OF TAFAMIDIS TREATMENT

Abstract Introduction Transthyretin (TTR) is a plasma protein that transports thyroxin and retinol complexed to retinol–binding protein (RBP). TTR misfolding and aggregation can lead to the extracellular deposition of amyloid in the myocardium, causing TTR cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR–CA). Aim of this study is to develop a native electrophoretic method to characterize circulating TTR forms in plasma samples of ATTR–CA patients, before and after administration of tafamidis, a TTR stabilizer. Material & Methods Plasma samples from patients affected by wild–type ATTR amyloidosis (ATTRwt, n=10) were collected before (T0) and during tafamidis treatment at 14, 30 and 90 days. Plasma samples of sex– and age–matched healthy controls (n=6) were also collected. All samples were separated on a native 4–20% Tris–Gly polyacrylamide gel. Western blot analysis was performed with anti–TTR or anti–RBP antibodies. Proteins were detected by Clarity ECL substrate. ImageLab software was used for image acquisition and densitometric analysis of the blots. Total TTR (mg/dl) and RBP (mg/dl) were quantified by nephelometry. Results In both groups, the most represented forms were: TTR dimers or trimers (37–50kDa), TTR tetramers complexed with RBP protein in 1:1 (75kDa,) or 1:2 ratio (100kDa), and high molecular weight aggregates (>150kDa). RBP protein was detectable in association with TTR tetramers and some of the TTR aggregates (250kDa, 480kDa). Based on TTR electrophoretic pattern at T0, patients could be divided in 2 groups: ATTR–1, characterised by the presence of TTR tetramers (55kDa), and ATTR–2, characterised by its absence. The ATTR–1 group showed also higher levels of total TTR in comparison with ATTR–2 (mean±SD 25.5±3.8, 16.6±4.2 respectively, p=0.004), while plasma RBP levels were similar (5.1±0.7, 5.1±1.4 respectively). The electrophoretic patterns of ATTR–1 at T0, as well as TTR and RBP levels were comparable to those of controls (TTR 22.6±3.8, RBP 4.4±0.9). Tafamidis treatment was associated with a progressive increase of total TTR levels both in ATTR–1 and –2 (T90 31.4±5.8, 28.7±6.8) but the 2 groups continued to be distinguishable by the electrophoretic pattern. Conclusions The native electrophoresis allowed us to detect diverse circulating TTR forms and to classify patients in 2 groups according to their electrophoretic pattern. TTR quali/quantitative evaluation by electrophoresis could represent a valid tool to assess the individual pharmacological response to tafamidis.