In the field of civil engineering, concrete self-healing technology plays an important role. Concrete self-healing should be able to effectively heal cracks, not only improving the internal structure, but also improving the mechanical properties and durability of the concrete structure. The biomineralization-repair method is characterized by its potential for long-lasting, rapid, and active crack repair potential. Biomineralization repair has an effective bond ability, is compatible with concrete components, and is also environmentally friendly. This study used biomineralization to explore the self-healing of fiber-reinforced lightweight concrete after its exposure to high temperatures. Concrete specimens of a control group  and an experimental group  were prepared. The repair effect of the microbial self-healing concrete after the exposure to high temperature was observed by a crack-width gauge, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). According to the EDS and XRD analyses, the precipitate formed at the crack was calcium carbonate. After 28 days of self-healing, the water absorption rate of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group. This is because the specimens of the penetration test were taken from the middle of the concrete cylinder after high temperature, and their bacterial survival rate was higher, which made the mineralization more significant. However, the mechanical test results of the control and experimental groups after the self-healing in the water were not substantially different, which indicated that the bacterial mineralization in the experimental group was slow in the absence of an adequate source of nutrients. Concrete, which is the most used civil construction material today, has the advantages of low material costs and maintenance requirements . Due to In the field of concrete science, the systems of self-healing concrete are mainly divided into two types: autogenic and autonomic . The sel3), which itself is a natural stone. Therefore, biomineralization is not only environmentally friendly and durable, but it is also compatible with cement-based materials [Autonomous self-healing is a self-healing process that combines material components that are not traditionally used in concrete. In contrast to autogenous healing, autonomous self-healing in concrete requires the release of a healing agent from a prepared capsule or continuous network. In this field, microbial methods have attracted a lot of attention , and theaterials .Based on the abovementioned research, the self-healing of concrete should be able to effectively heal its cracks, not only improving the internal structure, but also improving the mechanical properties and durability of the concrete structure. The microbial-mineralization-remediation methods are characterized by their potential for durable, rapid, and active fracture repair. The methods have effective bonding capacities, are compatible with concrete compositions, and are also environmentally friendly. Fire damage caused by high temperatures is a special failure mode of concrete structures. The repair of concrete after exposure to high temperatures has a huge impact on the overall safety of the structure, which has great research significance and value. So far, the research on the long-term durability and residual mechanical properties of concrete repaired by microbial mineralization after exposure to high temperatures, and this needs to be further explored. In view of this, this study used biomineralization to explore the self-healing of fiber-reinforced lightweight concrete after its exposure to a high temperature from the perspective of sustainable development. The effect of the microbial self-healing of concrete cracks after exposure to high temperature was studied by the crack-width gauge, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).When researchers perform the bacterial-liquid-fermentation process of MICP in the laboratory, the important factors are the composition of the nutrient solution, oxygen input, temperature control, the stirring rate, and environmental control. For the prepared bacterial culture medium, the concentration of bacterial liquid was observed by a visible light spectrometer to understand the growth of the microorganisms. In addition, the temperature-treated Bacillus nutrient solution was observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and the spore-staining method was used to verify the spores. After that, a urease test was performed. On the other hand, the mixing of the proportions of the concrete and the casting of the specimens were carried out. The test items included a water-penetration test, compressive-strength test, flexural-strength test, observation of the crack repair after the exposure to a high temperature, FESEM observation, and EDS and XRD analyses. After curing to 28 days of age, some of the specimens were subjected to a water-penetration test, compressive-strength test, and flexural-strength test at room temperature. While some of the specimens were first subjected to a high temperature test, and then they were immersed in the curing tank of the laboratory. After self-healing to the planned age, the crack-healing observation and the water-penetration, compressive-strength, and flexural-strength tests, as well as the repair-compound identification were carried out. Bacillus pasteurii):Bacillus pasteurii (DSM 33): A Gram-positive aerobic bacterium that is ubiquitous in soil and can produce a large amount of intracellular urease. It was ordered from the Biological Resource Conservation and Research Center of the Food Industry Development Research Institute (strain number: BCRC11596);Bacillus pasteurii, it iwas embedded in the lightweight aggregates;Calcium lactate: It was used as a source of nutrients for the Yeast extract (YE): YE is used as a nutrient for bacteria, which contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc.; its leaching solution is used as a culture medium;Calcium acetate: It was used as a source of the calcium ions for biomineralization during concrete self-healing;Urea: It was used as a source of the carbonate ions for biomineralization during concrete self-healing;2/g was used;Cement: A locally produced Portland Type I cement with a specific gravity of 3.15 and a fineness of 3400 cmWater: It was general tap water, which is in line with the quality requirements of concrete mixing water;Fine aggregate: It was a locally produced natural river sand, with a specific gravity of 2.6, a water-absorption rate of 2%, and a fineness modulus of 2.7;3; the dry unit weight is 927 kg/m3; the specific gravity is 2.65; the water absorption is 6%; the crushing strength is 12.67 MPa;Lightweight aggregate: The lightweight coarse aggregate was artificial aggregate, as shown in Superplasticizer: Its code name is R-550, and it is a product of the Taiwan Sika Company; its chemical composition is water-modified polycarboxylate; it meets the requirements of ASTM C494-81 Type F;Fibers: These were the products of Guli Li Co., Ltd. We used short microsteel fibers (according to ASTM A820) and polypropylene fibers, as shown in The materials used in this study can be divided into two parts: the bacterial culture and concrete , followed by drying. In terms of configuring the liquid culture medium, the steps are as follows:(a)Count the medicines and prepare clean containers ;(b)Separately prepare the medicines according to the different sterilization methods ;(c)The medicine sterilized by high-pressure steam should be cooled at room temperature and then added to the filter sterilization;(d)Yeast extract: 20 g/L;2C(CH2OH)3·HCl): 20.488 g/L;TRIS-hydrochloride (NH4SO4): 10 g/L;Ammonium sulfate (NHSodium hydroxide (NaOH) (adjust pH above 9).Liquid-medium formula:In terms of the sterilization of the bacterial culture containers and equipment, we first sealed the conical flask with aluminum foil, a sponge plug, or special iron cover, and we then put the microplastic straw tip in the special container. After that, we sealed the graduated cylinder with aluminum foil, slightly opened the lid of the centrifuge tube and placed the sterilization bag inside, placed the microcentrifuge tube in a special container, covered the inoculum ring and bacteria-coated stick with aluminum foil, and sterilized it in an autoclave After cooling the liquid medium to room temperature, dispense the liquid medium into the bacteria-culturing containers  on a dust-free sterile operating table;(b)Bacillus pasteurii): Use a micropipette to add the bacterial solution to the liquid medium and shake well;Inoculation strain ((c)Place in a constant-temperature rotary-shaking incubator at 37 °C with a rotating speed of 180 rmp for the suspension culture on a shaker, and culture in batches from three to four days;(d)600 value  to about 1.2, and then end the bacterial culture.Use a visible-light spectrometer to observe the concentration of bacterial liquid ). Observe and record the ODIn terms of the culturing bacteria, the details are as follows:600 value was measured. As for the bacterial liquid used to soak the lightweight material, the clear liquid part will be taken. The steps to implant the strain into the lightweight aggregates are as follows:(a)The lightweight aggregates were immersed in a nutrient source solution containing calcium lactate (80 g/L) and yeast extract (1 g/L) for 30 min, as shown in (b)Drain the lightweight aggregates that were soaked in the nutrient-source solution, and then put them into an oven at 37 °C to dry for 5 days, as shown in (c)Repeat the previous two steps once; then, immerse the nutrient-containing lightweight aggregate in the bacterial spore solution for 30 min; and(d)Drain the lightweight aggregates soaked in the bacteria-spore solution and place them in an oven at 37 °C for 5 days. After that, the preparations for the implantation of the strains in the lightweight aggregates were completed.In this study, the lightweight aggregate was used as the bacterial carrier, and then the lightweight aggregate was mixed into the concrete to increase the survival probability of the bacteria. When the external environment meets the growth conditions of bacteria, the vitality of the strain can be restarted. To this end, the strain was sporulated by simulating a severe environment by increasing the temperature. The cultured bacterial liquid was first placed in a constant temperature water tank, the temperature of the water tank was set to 80 °C, and the temperature holding time was set to 30 min. Then, the bacterial liquid at a temperature of 80 °C was taken out, cooled at room temperature, and its ODIn accordance with the process of ACI 211.2, Standard Practice for Selecting Proportions for Structural. Lightweight Concrete, the amount of each component of the lightweight aggregates concrete is determined according to the material properties and structural performance requirements. To understand the effectiveness of MICP, two groups of concrete were prepared in this study. One group was the concrete using the lightweight aggregate without bacterial spores and nutrients as the control group, and the other group was the concrete using the lightweight aggregate containing the bacterial spores and nutrients as the experimental group. Under the premise of not affecting the workability of concrete, the amount of steel fiber was 0.75% (volume percentage), and the amount of polypropylene fiber was 0.09% (volume percentage). According to the above plan, the concrete mix design of each group is shown in The mixing of the concrete mixture was carried out using a two-shaft electric mixer. The fine aggregates (in an absolutely dry state) and cement were first placed in the mixing barrel, and fully dry-mixed for about one minute at a low speed of 140 ± 5 rpm. At the same time, the steel fibers and polypropylene fibers were evenly dispersed by manual methods, and fully dry mixed for a few minutes until they were in a uniform state. After that, the lightweight aggregates (in a dry state) were placed into the mixing barrel and mixed at a medium speed of 285 ± 10 rpm for about one minute. Then, the pre-mixed water and superplasticizer were slowly poured into the mixing barrel and mixed thoroughly until a homogeneous fresh concrete was formed.After the mixing of each group is completed, the slump is measured and recorded. Then, according to the relevant regulations of the ASTM and CNS, twelve cylindrical specimens with a diameter of 100 mm and a height of 200 mm, twelve cylindrical specimens with a diameter of 150 mm and a height of 300 mm, and six prismatic specimens with a length of 360 mm, a width of 100 mm and a thickness of 100 mm were cast for each group of concrete. The specimens were demolded after 24 h, and then placed in a water tank for curing. The specimens were not removed from the water tank until 27 days later for the mechanical-property and high-temperature tests.The cylindrical specimens were tested for their compressive strengths according to ASTM C39, and for their elastic moduli according to ASTM C469. The compressive strength and elastic modulus were the average values of three specimens. The prismatic specimens were tested for their flexural strengths according to ASTM C78. The prismatic specimen was simply supported and loaded in a three-point mode, and the deflection at the midpoint of its net span was measured at the same time. The flexural strength was the average values of two specimens.The target temperature of the high temperature test was 500 °C. The concrete specimens were placed in a high-temperature furnace with a gap of 20 mm between the specimens, as shown in According to the different states of the specimens, the compressive strength and flexural strength tests of the two groups of concrete are divided into four types, and the test sequences are shown in (a)After cutting the upper and lower sections of the specimen by 7 cm with a cutting machine, take the remaining middle section and cut it into three pieces, making each section 4 cm;(b)Put the sheet specimen in an oven and dry it at 80 °C for three days;(c)One hour before the water-penetration test, take the specimen out of the oven and measure the weight before the water penetration;(d)Dry the water-penetration-test mold up and down, and apply oil on the rubber pad;(e)2 of water pressure for three hours;Put the specimen into the mold, lock the bolt, open the pressure valve, and apply 3 kgf/cm(f)Remove the specimen, wipe the surface-water stains dry, and record the weight after the water penetration.Each group of concrete was subjected to a water penetration test, according to CNS 3763, before and after exposure to a high temperature. The test configuration is shown in The water absorption can be obtained by using the weight of the specimen after the water penetration . In the concrete specimens of the experimental group, the light aggregates carried the bacterial cells. The survival of the bacteria needs to be explored after 500 °C. In this study, the bacterial solution was added to the calcium source solution . After the complete reaction, it was dried in an oven (50 °C) until powdery. The intensity of the X-ray-reflected energy of the calcium carbonate in the bacterial powder not subjected to a high temperature was 900 (unit: counts) at 2-theta of 29.4° .Furthermore, some of the bacterial liquids were taken out separately and placed in a high temperature furnace. At a heating rate of 2 °C/min, the temperature was raised to 500 °C, and the temperature was maintained for one hour. After the high temperature test was completed and the temperature was lowered to room temperature, the bacteria liquid subjected to a high temperature was recultivated. The cultured bacterial solution contained the calcium source solution . After the complete reaction, it was dried in an oven (50 °C) until powdery. The intensity of the X-ray-reflected energy of the calcium carbonate in the bacterial powder subjected to a high temperature was 510 (unit: counts) at 2-theta of 29.4° . AccordiThe FESEM micrographs of the concrete specimens after self-healing for 14 days is shown in 3 crystals were present in the experimental-group specimens. In other words, the EDS verified the formation of calcium carbonate in the experimental-group specimens. Moreover, it was found that a higher percentage of elemental calcium in the experimental-group specimens. This may be caused by the mineralization of bacteria. An important stoichiometric parameter that defines the C-S-H phase is the atomic ratio of CaO to SiO2 (C/S ratio) in its structure, which can be used to reflect the changes in the chemical composition of the C-S-H colloids in the ITZ and cement pastes. The C/S ratio is also an important indicator to distinguish the rich phases of hydration products [After self-healing for 14 days, the concrete specimens were analyzed by EDS for the weight percentages of the various chemical elements. The EDS spectra of the concrete specimens are shown in products ,26. Accoproducts ,28, a loproducts . In geneproducts . When thproducts . In the After 28 days of self-healing, the FESEM micrographs of the concrete specimens revealed information on their morphological changes and the formation of rehydration products, as shown in According to the EDS analysis of the control-group specimens a, they c3 at 2-theta of 29.4°, and its X-ray-reflection-energy intensity was 629 (unit: counts), as shown in XRD-analysis results can provide information about the phases and compounds that are present in specimens. Therefore, XRD analysis was performed on the control group and experimental group specimens to determine the mineral compositions. In the control group specimen, it was able to confirm the presence of calcite crystals (observed at 2-theta of 29.4°), and its X-ray-reflection-energy intensity was 708 (unit: counts), as shown in During the compressive test, the two groups of concrete specimens did not burst when subjected to the ultimate load due to the hooking or bridging effect of the steel fibers. Therefore, the specimens in the control group and experimental group still maintained the original cylindrical shape after being destroyed, as shown in Concrete curing is a process that maintains proper humidity and temperature conditions to ensure continuous cement hydration . The proAt the age of 28 days, the specimens of the two groups of concrete were subjected to a high-temperature test. After the exposure to high temperatures, the deterioration of the concrete groups, such as color change, surface delamination, cracking, etc. Possible causes of these degradations included thermal gradients, the evaporation of free water, and chemical changes in concrete ,31,32. IAfter being exposed to 500 °C and cooled to room temperature, the residual compressive strength test was carried out. Based on the compressive strength of the specimen at room temperature, the residual compressive strengths after the exposure to high temperature were divided by the compressive strengths at room temperature to calculate the relative-compressive-strength ratios. The results are shown in After the high-temperature test, the test results of the compressive strength of the self-healing concrete are shown in Taking the compressive strength after exposure to high temperature as the benchmark, the relative-compressive-strength ratio of the specimens subjected to different self-healing ages after high temperature is calculated, as shown in Furthermore, for the specimens subjected to different curing ages after the exposure to high temperature, the relative-elastic-modulus ratios were calculated, as shown in The overall performance of concrete is the result of the combination of its mechanical properties and durability, which is closely related to the way the concrete is cured ,35. The The relative-compressive-strength ratios of each group of concrete cured before and after the exposure to 500 °C are shown in 2 was produced at the end of rehydration, and its volume was 44% higher than that of CaO. This expansion led to an increase in the size and number of existing cracks in the concrete, which further reduced its mechanical properties upon cooling [Taking the 28-day-old compressive strength (before high temperature (BH)) at room temperature as the benchmark for comparison, the relative-compressive-strength ratios of each group of concrete at different self-healing ages are shown in  cooling .The results of the 28-day flexural test of each group of concrete at room temperature are shown in On the other hand, the specimens damaged by the flexural load at room temperature in each group were cured in the laboratory curing tank. The results of the second flexural strength test after self-healing for 28 days are shown in After the high temperature test, the flexural strength of the two groups of concrete specimens after self-healing are shown in The results of the second flexural strength test after self-healing for 28 days are shown in Several studies have pointed out that the mechanical properties degradation of concrete exposed to high temperature was caused by a series of physicochemical changes, especially the dehydration and decomposition of hydrated cement paste during heating ,38. AccoThe relative-flexural-strength ratios of each group of concrete cured before and after exposure to high temperature are shown in Taking the 28-day-old flexural strength (before high temperature (BH)) at room temperature as the benchmark for comparison, the relative-flexural-strength ratios of each group of concrete at different self-healing ages are shown in In order to understand the healing of the cracks in the concrete flexural specimens after curing, a specific crack was selected and observed with a crack-width-measuring instrument. For each group of concrete specimens that were flexurally cracked after exposure to high temperature, photographs of the initial cracks on the surface were first taken. Then, the specimens were placed in a water tank for self-healing. When the self-healing age was reached, the specimens were taken out and the crack width was measured. The crack-width-measuring instrument can be used to enlarge the crack image and accurately measure the crack-width value, thereby allowing for a clear observation of the crack healing of the specimens.Essentially, the useful life of concrete is usually determined by its durability properties, which are related to its water absorption. In view of this, the water absorption of each group of concrete specimens was measured. After exposure to high temperature, the water penetration test results of the control group and the experimental group are shown in After the high temperature test, the water permeability test results of the control group and the experimental group after curing for 28 days are shown in According to the above analysis, there were obvious differences in the penetration-test results of each group of concrete under different test parameters, as shown in According to the above test results and analyses, the following conclusions were obtained.After being exposed to a high temperature of 500 °C, the relative-compressive-strengths of the control group and experimental group were 97% and 101% of the room-temperature compressive strengths, respectively. The relative-compressive-strength ratios of the control group and experimental group at different self-healing ages ranged from 0.97 to 1.0 and from 0.94 to 1.01, respectively.After exposure to high temperature, the relative-flexural-strengths of the control group and experimental group were 64% and 60% of the room-temperature flexural strengths, respectively. The relative-flexural-strength ratios of the control group and experimental group at different self-healing ages ranged from 0.64 to 1.15 and from 0.60 to 1.11, respectively.After self-healing for 28 days, the water-absorption rates of the control group and experimental group were 6.7% and 5.6%, respectively. This is because the specimens of the water penetration test were taken from the middle part of the cylindrical specimens after high temperature, and their bacterial survival rate was relatively high. Therefore, the mineralization of bacteria was more significant, thereby reducing the water absorption rate of the experimental group.The strength recovery of the concrete after exposure to high temperature was closely related to the curing environment. When the fire-damaged concrete was in contact with water after cooling, the micropores could be filled due to the regeneration of the C-S-H and carbonate phases, which could heal the cracks and restore the strength of the concrete.The EDS and XRD analyses confirmed that the precipitate formed at the crack was calcium carbonate. Therefore, each group of concrete specimens showed a certain degree of strength recovery after self-healing.Overall, after exposure to a high temperature of 500 °C, there was no significant difference in the mechanical test results of the control group and the experimental group after self-healing in water. This is because the high temperature caused the loss of bacteria in the experimental group, resulting in insignificant mineralization. Furthermore, in the absence of an adequate source of nutrients, the mineralization of bacteria was slow. Subsequent research could focus on how to provide a source of nutrients to ensure the efficient functioning of biomineralization.


I maintain our use of nonconsensual neurocorrection should be constrained by a beneficence requirement—that it should be limited to neurocorrectives that can be expected to benefit those required to undergo them; and my argument is that a beneficence requirement is necessary in order to safeguard against offender abuse. I highlight how we afford a heightened protective role to beneficence in other instances of biomedical intervention where consent is absent or in doubt; and I argue a beneficence requirement is also necessary in the correctional context because alternative candidate protections would provide insufficiently strong safeguards on their own. I then consider whether requiring beneficence in nonconsensual neurocorrection would (a) be incompatible with penal theory, (b) be objectionably paternalistic, or (c) foreclose many fruitful avenues of crime control. I argue in each case that it would not.Neurointerventions—interventions that cause direct physical, chemical or biological effects on the brain—are sometimes administered to criminal offenders for the purpose of reducing their recidivism risk and promoting their rehabilitation more generally. Ethical debate on this practice  has focused on the issue of consent, with some authors defending a consent requirement in neurocorrection and others rejecting this. In this paper, I align with the view that consent might not always be necessary for permissible neurocorrective use, but introduce a qualification I argue ought to inform our ethical and legal analysis of neurocorrection if we  This would be where, for instance, neurocorrection is mandated as part of an offender's sentence, or where coercive pressure is placed on offenders to submit to neurocorrection by making it a condition of their parole or early release.This ethical debate has given rise to two broad positions with respect to the use of In this paper, I align with the latter camp in holding that a strong moral case can be made for the permissibility of nonconsensual neurocorrection when offenders would pose a serious risk to the public upon societal re‐entry. However, I introduce a qualification I maintain ought to inform our ethical and legal analysis of nonconsensual neurocorrection. I argue that in deploying neurocorrectives nonconsensually we should be constrained by a beneficence requirement in order to safeguard against offender abuse. In other words, our use of nonconsensual neurocorrection should, for safeguarding reasons, be limited to neurocorrectives that can be expected to benefit those required to undergo them.not be in an offender's ‘best interests’ for penal‐theoretic reasons. Petersen has claimed that consequentialist and retributivist theories of punishment ‘allow for situations where it would be morally right to offer a [neurocorrective] that is not in the best interests of the offender’.also stipulate the need for a consent requirement in neurocorrection and their arguments are rights‐based—they claim that consent and beneficence are both necessary if we are to avoid violating offenders' human rights.This precise line of argument has not been developed in depth before. Some authors have maintained neurocorrectives need right that neurocorrectives be beneficial, nor am I claiming that rights‐based considerations necessarily preclude their nonconsensual use. Instead, I argue against the use of even proportionately harmful nonconsensual neurocorrection on the grounds that, absent beneficence in nonconsensual treatment, we have insufficient protections against abuse. I believe this argument is important and timely because there is currently legal scope (in some jurisdictions) to administer hormonal treatments nonconsensually to sexual offenders for whom such treatment would not be beneficial.My argument here differs from both these stances in that it defends a beneficence requirement in nonconsensual neurocorrection on purely instrumental grounds. I am not contending offenders have a also necessary in the correctional context if we are to ensure sufficiently strong protections against abuse. Section My discussion is organized as follows. In Section primarily rehabilitative. I take it our principal reason for using neurointerventions in criminal justice is to facilitate dispositional changes in offenders in order to reduce crime and/or its social costs, and not to find new and additional ways of punishing these individuals. I assume further that the goal of crime reduction is primarily pursued for the benefit of society, while also acknowledging that rehabilitation through neurocorrection might sometimes be pursued solely for the benefit of offenders themselves . My concern in this paper, however, is with the former kinds of situations: to argue for a beneficence requirement in situations where crime prevention is the primary ground for intervention, and where neurocorrection is pursued in the absence of valid consent.Some clarificatory comments before we proceed. This paper assumes throughout that the purpose of neurocorrectives is nonconsensual neurocorrection, this intervention can also constitute punishment or part‐punishment because of the liberty and autonomy restrictions necessarily intended and involved. And I argue briefly  that I do not rely upon. Beneficial neurocorrectives might, for example, be In speaking of nonconsensual yet beneficial neurocorrectives, moreover, I am rejecting the thought that a state of affairs can only ever be good for a person if they desire and validly consent to it. I assume a person can be harmed through nonconsensual treatment yet still receive overall benefit depending on the specifics of the treatment and situation. I am thus rejecting some desire‐based accounts of well‐being which hold that well‐being consists solely in the satisfaction of one's informed desires.Finally, I do not consider a requirement for beneficence in nonconsensual neurocorrection to be equivalent to a requirement of ‘therapeutic necessity’.2It is uncontroversial to state that neurocorrectives, like all biomedical interventions, require protections against abuse. These interventions impact upon the most intimate spheres of human life ; they are capable of exerting profound changes in those they target; and their targets are in a position of supreme vulnerability both because of the significance of the intervention's outcome for them, and because of the imbalance of power and control over the outcome that characterizes the doctor–patient relationship. The history of biomedicine, moreover, is replete with instances in which this capacity and power has been used abusively. There are the numerous atrocities of Nazi medicine,This dark history, together with the fact of patient vulnerability, explains (at least on one narrative) why biomedicine has undergone a medical ethics revolution, investing itself with several legal and codified safeguards against abusive practice.The requirement for valid consent to medical investigations and treatment is arguably the key pillar of ethical biomedicine in contemporary practice. However, there are some very limited instances in which a consent requirement does not (and sometimes cannot) assume an overarching guiding role. A requirement for informed consent is not invoked in the case of individuals who lack the capacity to give informed consent for various reasons.physically forced to submit to rehabilitative interventions. Compelled rehabilitation in this absolute sense is thus almost impossible under existing legal arrangements. There can, however, be negative consequences for offenders who do not participate or who fail to accept the terms of their parole or probation. This means it is not always required that offenders freely consent to intervention, even if a right to refuse treatment is normally upheld.Mental health law in several jurisdictions, for example, allows for the involuntary detention and treatment of mentally ill patients who pose a threat to themselves and/or others.I maintain that when a requirement for valid consent to medical intervention is absent, the need to bolster alternative protections is paramount regardless of whether the intervention is for standard clinical, public health or correctional purposes. And if we are to include neurocorrection among the limited contexts in which involuntary medical intervention is  permitted, we must ensure that adequate and well‐defined alternative protections govern its usage. I argue a beneficence requirement is an apt and necessary protection to adopt in this context—first because requiring beneficence would be consistent with our practices in other permitted instances of involuntary medical intervention, and second because alternative candidate protections are inadequate on their own. Let me elaborate.incapable of validly consenting to healthcare interventions, for example, the UK's mental capacity legislation requires that any action undertaken must ‘benefit the adult’ personallyvalidity of consent is in doubt ,International ethical guidelines for biomedical research involving human subjects states that when the validity of consent is dubious, research ought to afford ‘direct benefit’ to participants.First, beneficence is typically afforded a heightened protective role in other instances where consent to medical intervention is absent or in doubt. This gives us at least presumptive reason to favour requiring beneficence in nonconsensual neurocorrection. In situations where someone is It might be pointed out here that the above examples are selective—that there are occasions of involuntary intervention in competent adults where beneficence is not afforded as pivotal a role. When individuals pose a threat to others, for example either through their direct actions or when they harbour a dangerous infectious disease, efforts to assess and contain the threat are not required to benefit the person targeted. Instead, the goal is public protection, and protection for the individual is provided—not through a beneficence requirement—but by requiring that intervention be the ‘least restrictive’ option for assuaging the threat posed, that efforts to ‘maximise [the individual's] independence’ are made, and that patients are ‘treated with respect and dignity’.chronic threats to third parties or public health and this is of relevance for neurocorrection. Certainly, intervention in emergency or acutely threatening situations is not required to benefit the threatening party. But when it comes to managing chronic or continued threats to others, a beneficence requirement still plays a decisive role in current mental health and public health regimes. To give illustrative examples, England's accompanying Code of Practice to MHA 1983 repeatedly emphasizes the need for ‘clear benefits for patients’ in decisions regarding ongoing care and management—with community treatment orders only expected to be used ‘when there is reasonable evidence to suggest … there will be benefits to the individual’.However, such a line of thought mischaracterizes current practice when it comes to the medical management of correctional context warrants a beneficence requirement. It might be pointed out that if neurocorrection is part of a sentence or a term of parole then it is inescapably tied up with penal theoretic considerations; and safeguarding against abuse when an intervention is serving at least some punitive function is not usually thought to necessitate beneficence. We protect against abuse elsewhere in the correctional context, after all, by requiring that any harms incurred are neither disproportionate to the offender's crime nor to the societal threat they pose.I imagine the reader at this point will be contemplating the obvious disanalogies between neurocorrection and healthcare, and querying whether safeguarding in the strong enough protections against the abusive use of neurocorrectives notwithstanding the importance afforded to them in corrections more generally.I contend the above constraints would not provide overestimating recidivism risk and liability to defensive harm is ever‐present. I say these subpopulations are the most plausible targets because, first, proponents of nonconsensual neurocorrection have only defended their use for serious crimes;not committed very serious offences and/or do not pose a significant threat to the public if not rehabilitated.underestimating these individuals' level of risk would have significant human costs. Clinical assessments of reoffending risks in these populations have been shown to be particularly cautious, with mental health professionals and judges tending to overpredict future violence .Consider first proportionality, and reflect upon how many plausible targets for nonconsensual neurocorrection come from particularly reviled and feared subpopulations for whom the danger of better than imprisonment does little to safeguard against its abusive deployment when prevailing practices themselves allow for abuse. And while it might be more humane to allow offenders to undergo neurocorrection rather than long(er) imprisonment in a given instance, in the absence of free and voluntary consent to the former we need stronger protections than that which a mere comparison with the carceral alternative affords. A ‘least harmful alternative’ requirement thus cannot adequately protect against abuse in neurocorrection if the alternatives involve incarceration as it is currently practiced.What then, about a ‘least harmful alternative’ requirement? Would requiring that neurocorrection be the least harmful (effective) means of reducing an offender's recidivism risk afford sufficient protections against abuse? Again, I argue no. Imagine, for instance, that an impulsively violent offender's risk could be reduced by a pharmaceutical that suppressed their violent impulses but which also rendered them apathetic. Suppose further that this is the only effective means of protecting the public from the offender's violent outbursts aside from continued incarceration—that conventional rehabilitative measures such as anger management training or cognitive behavioural therapy would be (or have proven to be) ineffective on their own. In this scenario, nonconsensual neurocorrection might be less harmful than the carceral alternative. It would restore the offender's freedom of movement, better facilitate the preservation of friendship and family ties, and release the offender from the grave physical and mental health threats that prevailing prison conditions often create .nonmaleficence would suffice. Why, after all, would a neurocorrective have to produce benefits for its recipient when merely requiring that it ‘do no harm’ would also guard against its being used abusively? A beneficence requirement is, in the end, just overkill, so the response might go.The reader might still be unconvinced that the inadequacies of the abovementioned protective measures entail a beneficence requirement is necessary. They might respond that a requirement for mere nonconsensual neurocorrection in‐and‐of‐itself falls foul of nonmaleficence. Interfering in the affairs of another without their valid consent is itself a harm. Interfering with their body and/or mental states nonconsensually, moreover, is a particularly significant harm and one that is likely to be experienced as very intrusive and unpleasant.exactly, ensuring that no harm is done requires that intervention produce net benefit. Nonmaleficence, in this context, therefore requires beneficence.I agree that a nonmaleficence requirement in neurocorrection would offer protection against offender abuse. However, I contend a nonmaleficence requirement in nonconsensual neurocorrection amounts to the same as a beneficence one—that is, it also requires that intervention produce benefits for its target. This is because respect human dignity would be an appropriate alternative protection and one to be preferred over an approach that involves making substantive judgements about what would be beneficial for others.The reader might instead object, however, to the need to focus on benefits and harms at all when it comes to protecting against abuse in neurocorrection. They might suggest a requirement to choices; and on such an understanding, neurocorrection in the absence of valid consent necessarily offends against human dignity. For others (including myself), there is still some scope to remain respectful of human dignity even when intervening in another person's affairs against their will. We can still respect offenders' rational and autonomous agency by working to protect and promote their capacity for independence and rational self‐determination in matters apart from the mandatory or conditional terms of their sentences. We can also involve them in discussions pertaining to their neurocorrective treatment and take account of their views regarding some of the specifics of treatment .invasive interventions nonconsensually (e.g. psychosurgery or direct brain stimulation), thus avoiding those methods that—due to their substantial infringement upon offenders' bodily integrity—would be invariably disrespectful in the absence of valid consent.I agree that a requirement to respect human dignity should feature prominently in our regulations surrounding neurocorrection. However, I dispute that dignity‐based considerations provide sufficient protections in isolation if we are already administering neurocorrectives nonconsensually. Consider for a moment what respecting human dignity might involve. The commonly voiced thought is that respecting dignity means treating people in a way that befits their status as rational and autonomous agents. For some, this entails respecting their autonomous harmful to another; and guarding against such behaviour requires that we mitigate the ease with which gratuitous harming can take place. It is not clear to me that a requirement to respect human dignity can achieve this goal alone—that it can provide adequate defences against abuse in isolation from a requirement that references the expected benefits and harms for the individual targeted. We could arguably remain respectful of human dignity when administering noninvasive neurocorrectives nonconsensually if we take appropriate steps to protect offenders' rational and autonomous agency. But this still does not preclude our imposing an unjustifiably harmful intervention, given that dignity‐based considerations do not directly reference harms and benefits at all. Avoiding unjustified harming through neurocorrection thus requires that we also address what level of harm to offenders we can safely permit. And given the abovementioned real‐world difficulties in relying on an assessment of proportionate harm or in requiring that the ‘least harmful’ course of action be followed, I still contend a beneficence requirement is necessary to forestall the risk of abuse through neurocorrection.Yet, I still maintain we also need a requirement that references the harms and benefits of intervention if we are to have sufficient protections against abuse. Abuse, after all, is defined as behaviour that is unjustifiably other spheres that are at least partially concerned with welfare promotion; to examine the substantive judgements that these spheres have made about how to improve people's well‐being; and to extrapolate the guidance proffered to the neurocorrective context accordingly. We thus might, for example, look to standard medical practice and public policy approaches to health and education, identify the kinds of things these spheres take to constitute a benefit to individuals, and then assess which of these benefits are also amenable to enhancement through neurocorrection in order produce a clear account with which to work.A final difficulty that might be voiced at this juncture concerns the usefulness and adequacy of a beneficence requirement in the absence of a clear account of benefit or ‘best interests’. The worry here is that, in the absence of clear guidance on what constitutes a benefit, a legal and codified requirement for beneficence will not adequately protect against abuse.3So far, so good. I have argued, in the preceding section, that nonconsensual neurocorrection should be constrained by a beneficence requirement in order to adequately protect against offender abuse. Now, let us look to objections this argument might invite.I anticipate three principal objections. The first protests that beneficial neurocorrection, if administered as part of a sentence or as a condition of parole, would be incompatible with theories of punishment. The second maintains that striving to benefit offenders through neurocorrection without their consent would be objectionably paternalistic. The third worries that limiting the nonconsensual use of neurocorrectives to interventions that would be beneficial for offenders would foreclose potentially fruitful avenues of crime control. I shall examine each of these objections in turn.Looking first to the objection that beneficial, nonconsensual neurocorrection would be incompatible with offender punishment, let me reiterate that I consider the primary purpose of neurocorrection to be rehabilitation, not punishment, but accept that when administered as part of a sentence or a condition of parole (and hence when involving some liberty/autonomy restriction) neurocorrection also serves some punitive purpose. The mere fact that such punishment can be expected to benefit its recipient, however, is not penologically problematic so long as the overall punishment dispensed remains proportionate and capable of furthering punishment's goals.after punishment has been served.Could proponents of canonical theories of punishment be content with merely pro tanto harmful punishment such as this? That is, could they be satisfied with punitive measures that elicit some harms but also produce benefits that might ultimately prevail over these harmful features? I think so, though I cannot defend this claim thoroughly here.What about the worry that nonconsensual, beneficial neurocorrection would be objectionably paternalistic? Admittedly, this concern might strike some as odd. Worries about paternalism are unlikely to be at the forefront of one's mind when one contemplates nonconsensual neurocorrection, given that these interventions can be intended as punishment and typically will  be accompanied by some undesirable, unpleasant or inconvenient side‐effects.some instances of nonconsensual neurocorrection are motivated by this kind of negative judgement and that all necessarily intend to further offenders' own good irrespective of their own will. I still do not think that nonconsensual, beneficial neurocorrection is objectionable by virtue of its paternalism so long as the primary purpose of intervention is to prevent harm to others. Here, I am allowing (in line with some views) that nonconsensual intervention meets the criteria for paternalism if the good of the recipient is but one reason for acting.objectionably paternalistic if the key reason for intervention is the prevention of other‐directed harms. In the presence of this primary goal, I believe any additional paternalistic intent need not enter into our calculations when it comes to assessments of permissibility. However, when benevolence toward the offender is the sole or primary motivator for acting, I concede there is reason to object to the paternalism involved and hold that further details would be needed to make judgements about overall permissibility in these cases.In response, let me first state that it is not obvious that nonconsensual, beneficial neurocorrectives necessarily express negative judgements about offenders' prudential abilities. As already indicated, the principal reason for deploying neurocorrectives nonconsensually might be to ensure that that an offender's risk of recidivism is reduced; and as such, little thought might be given to whether the offender would freely choose intervention if it were not mandated or made a condition of parole. Nevertheless, let us assume for the sake of argument that unduly circumscribe the range of neurocorrectives that could permissibly be deployed nonconsensually. A beneficence requirement would mean we would be prohibited, at least in typical cases, from utilizing neurocorrectives that merely induce apathy in offenders, for example. Yet, this does not limit the prospects for utilizing neurocorrection as a public protection tool excessively. There are many candidate neurocorrectives that would plausibly benefit some subpopulations of offenders. Some offenders' lives might go significantly better for them if their impulse control could be improved through neurocorrection. Others' well‐being might increase if neurocorrection could enhance their ability to establish and maintain close connections with others . Requiring beneficence would certainly restrict the populations to whom various neurocorrectives could be administered nonconsensually. But it would not preclude their use entirely, and such restriction is, I believe, a price worth paying if we are to have sufficient safeguards against abuse.Turning finally to the concern about foreclosing potentially effective avenues of crime control, I concede this is something we have to accept, but dispute that a beneficence requirement would 4To sum up, this paper has made a case for requiring beneficence in nonconsensual neurocorrection. I first highlighted how a beneficence requirement is afforded a heightened protective role in other situations where consent to biomedical intervention is absent or in doubt. I then argued that a beneficence requirement is necessary to safeguard against abuse in nonconsensual neurocorrection because it affords stronger protection than alternative requirements would in its absence. I finally addressed three potential objections to my line of argument.some circumstances in which tolerating some risk of misuse would be preferable to avoiding neurocorrection altogether. In the case of those who have committed the most serious of offences, requiring neurocorrection prior to societal re‐integration would be preferable to risking release sans intervention, despite the risk of misuse. My argument here is that if we are to risk misuse by relinquishing a requirement for consent, we must construct adequate alternative protections. And a beneficence requirement is one necessary foundation for such a structure.I concede we would have greater protections against abuse if neurocorrectives were also subject to a consent requirement. However, I think there are The author declares no conflict of interest.


In the United States, days of therapy (DOT) is the currently preferred method for measuring antibiotic consumption. A major disadvantage of DOT is that it does not account for the antimicrobial’s spectrum. Antibiotic de-escalation is therefore not well-captured by DOT. To overcome the limitation of DOT, we recently proposed a new metric, days of antibiotic spectrum coverage (DASC). DASC is calculated by multiplying DOT and the antibiotic spectrum coverage (ASC) score, which was assigned based on the activities of each antibiotic agent for 11 wild type bacteria and 5 acquired resistance patterns. Here we evaluate the performance of DASC using antibiotic consumption data where the main antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) activity is daily prospective audit-and-feedback of all inpatients on antibiotics.We analyzed the retrospective cohort of inpatient antibiotic use at Iowa City VA Health Care System from 2017 to 2021. Total monthly DOT was the aggregation of monthly DOT for each antibiotic. DASC for each antibiotic was calculated by multiplying ASC for each antibiotic to DOT. DASC for each antibiotic was aggregated to total monthly DASC. Days-present was used as a denominator for both metrics. Trends of total monthly DOT and DASC were analyzed by simple linear regression.There was no significant trend in monthly DOT , but there was a significant downward trend in monthly DASC .While a significant downward trend was seen using monthly DASC, no trend was observed using monthly DOT. In contrast to DOT, which captures antibiotic consumption without considering the spectrum, DASC captures both antibiotic consumption and spectrum, suggesting DASC can add another dimension in tracking inpatient antibiotic use. DASC is easily calculated if DOT for each antibiotic is available. Metrics that don’t capture antimicrobial spectrum may not be able detect improvements in avoiding unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, an important target of ASPs.Daniel J. Livorsi, MD, Merck & Co.: Grant/Research Support Michihiko Goto, MD MSCI, Merck & Co.: Grant/Research Support.


High MET copy-number variation (CNV) and high MET protein expression via MET exon 14 skipping mutation (METex14SM) are associated with tumorigenesis; however, METex14SM is rare in GC, so target therapy is rarely applicable. In this study, we analyzed GC panels using targeted next-generation sequencing in GC cell lines and found that tepotinib demonstrated therapeutic effects in MET-amplified GC and those with high expressions of PD-L1, CD44, and METex14SM. Our in vitro findings indicate that tepotinib prevents GC-associated MET amplification and MET mutation.Both MET exon 14 skipping mutation (METex14SM) and high copy-number variation (CNV) lead to enhanced carcinogenesis; additionally, programmed-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is often upregulated in cancers. In this study, we characterized the expression of MET (including METex14SM), PD-L1, and CD44 in human gastric cancer (GC) cells as well as the differential susceptibility of these cells to tepotinib. Tepotinib treatments inhibited the growth of five GC cells in a dose-dependent manner with a concomitant induction of cell death. Tepotinib treatments also significantly reduced the expression of phospho-MET, total MET, c-Myc, VEGFR2, and Snail protein in SNU620, MKN45, and Hs746T cells. Notably, tepotinib significantly reduced the expression of CD44 and PD-L1 in METex14SM Hs746T cells. By contrast, tepotinib was only slightly active against SNU638 and KATO III cells. Migration was reduced to a greater extent in the tepotinib-treated group than in the control group. Tepotinib may have therapeutic effects on c-MET-amplified GC, a high expression of both PD-L1 and CD44, and METex14SM. Clinical studies are needed to confirm these therapeutic effects. Among these, MET is overexpressed in advanced GC, regardless of tumor differentiation . The abend PD-L1 , which mnd PD-L1 ,13.Precision medicine is important in the management of GC. Currently, MET inhibitors have been approved for patients with GC and MET amplification (defined as a copy number increase) ,15, overHere, we characterized the expression of MET (including METex14SM and CNV), PD-L1, and CD44 in five GC cells using targeted NGS gene panel data and immunoblotting and further evaluated the differential susceptibility of the MET inhibitor tepotinib based on dose-dependent viability, cell death, and migration.Hs746T, SNU620, MKN45, KATO III, and SNU638 cell lines were purchased from KCLB . Hs746T cells were maintained in either Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium , and all other cell lines were maintained in RPMI1640 and supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin/streptomycin. The cells were cultured using standard procedures. MET-inhibitor tepotinib (EMD 1214063) was obtained from Selleck Chemicals .The GC panel is designed to assess clinically relevant mutations in 286 genes associated with carcinogenesis risk through the detection of CNV, insertion/deletions (indels), and single nucleotide variants (SNVs) located in the DNA coding sequences of the targeted genes . We addehttps://github.com/najoshi/sickle) to remove adapter sequences and low-quality sequence reads. The Burrows–Wheeler aligner [http://broadinstitute.github.io/picard) and Samtools programs [Target capturing sequencing was conducted using a customized target kit  according to the protocol provided by the manufacturer. DNA libraries were constructed according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and the customized target kit was performed using the Illumina NovaSeq6000 platform  to generate paired-end reads (150 bp). We used the cutadapt and sickle tools  values for tepotinib in Hs746T, SNU620, MKN45, KATO III, and SNU638 cell lines were measured using an MTS assay for tepotinib concentrations of 20, 10, 1, 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001, 0.00001, and 0.000001 µM for 48 h. The MTS assay was conducted according to our previously described method .4 cells/mL, and then treated with 10 nM or 1 µM of tepotinib. Cell apoptosis and necrosis were examined according to our previously described method [Hs746T, SNU620, MKN45, KATO III, and SNU638 cell lines were seeded into 6-well plates at a density of 5 × 10d method . The analysis method for cell migration has been reported previously in detail . After iqRT PCR analysis was completed according to our previously described method . TranscrWestern blot analysis was performed using standard procedures. Commercially available primary antibodies were directed against anti-MET , Danvers, MA, USA), anti-phospho-MET , anti-SNAIL , anti-β-catenin , anti-VEGFR2 , anti-PD-L1 , anti-CD44 , anti-c-MYC , and anti-GAPDH .50 values were calculated using nonlinear regression analysis. The percentages of intact and dead cells (apoptotic and necrotic) were calculated using the CytExpert software (Beckman Coulter). All data were analyzed using the Prism 5 software . Data are means ± standard deviation (SD). Statistical significance was examined by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). A p-value of < 0.05 was considered indicative of statistical significance.ICGC panels of five GC cells  were analyzed using targeted sequencing at Theragen Bio Institute, Seongnam, Korea. The 286 GC panel genes and their individual genetic aberrations are shown in 50 values of 6.2 nM for SNU620, 36.7 nM for MKN45, 4.4 µM for Hs746T, 6.9 µM for SNU638, and 7.9 µM for Kato III cells , Hs746T , and SNU638 (ND MET CNV and high PD-L1 protein expression) cell lines, we investigated a migration assay of these cell lines A. After Precision cancer medicine has developed rapidly with the advent of high-throughput NGS, and become an important component in personalized cancer therapy management. A significant proportion of NGS technologies are driven by CNV and structural variation  across the genome. NGS-based multigene panel analysis provides information on the targeted genes that are susceptible to cancer ,35. CancAmong 286 GC panel genes, five GC cells had no mutation on AMER1, ARFRP1, B2M, BAP1, BCL2L1, BRD4, CBFB, CDK4, CDKN2B, CTNNB1, FGF19, FGF4, GATA1, IGF2, INHBA, KAT6A, KMT2A, KMT2C, KMT2D, MYCN, PTK2, and VHL. The five GC cells had pathogenic variants (CYP2D6 missense mutation). Among these, MKN45 and SNU638 cells had drug response-related variants (CYP2C19 synonymous mutation or stop gain). CYP2C19 is a principal enzyme involved in the metabolism of clinically important drugs such as β-adrenoceptor blockers, antiulcer medications, anticonvulsant drugs, and antidepressants ,38. ImpoThe Wnt/β-catenin and MET signaling pathways are associated with GC progression events. The snail enhances Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation by interacting with β-catenin . The WntIn this study, we could show that the combined blockading of MET, CD44, and PD-L1 improved the GC therapeutic efficacy of tepotinib. Our results strongly support the clinical evaluation of tepotinib, which prevents GC association with CD44, PD-L1, and c-MET.


The paper presents the results of exploratory research on the use of reclaimed cement concrete in cold-recycled mixes with foamed bitumen. Because reclaimed cement concrete, unlike natural aggregates, is expected to have a residue of the non-hydrated cement covering the aggregate grains, which may result in a secondary cementation process after its application in a road base, this avenue was explored by tracking the time evolution of the compressive strength of the final material. The tests were performed using two mixtures, i.e., a reference mixture and a mixture containing 25% reclaimed cement concrete. The mixtures containing reclaimed cement concrete were characterized by increased uniaxial compressive strengths after each curing period —by 11.5 kPa on average and e.g., 498 kPa vs. 506 kPa after 28 days. The obtained differences between the mixtures were not found to be statistically significant. The small effects of the incorporation of reclaimed cement concrete were attributed to the time passed typically between the demolition and new pavement construction and to the presence of a second binding material—bitumen. Iwański and Chomicz-Kowalska [dry values exceeding 500 kPa and ITSwet values of over 400 kPa, regardless of the compaction method used. Iwański and Buczyński used approximately 40% to 60% reclaimed asphalt pavement [Recycling techniques are now widely used in road construction and they most prominently include producing top asphalt pavement courses with reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and deep cold recycling techniques, enabling road bases to be produced using recycled materials in high quantities, as well as other underlying structural materials. The main purpose of using deep cold recycling technology is to maximize the use of the material obtained from the old worn-out layers of the road surface ,2,3,4,5.pavement ,13 and opavement  who obtaRegarding the cold-recycled base mixes with foamed asphalt, in the case of improper graining of the mineral mix in the existing layers, it is required to introduce a new grading aggregate. The use of a new component translates into an increase in the costs of making a recycled foundation. As a result, it is more advantageous to increase the cost of equipment and bring the existing layers to the required grain size by, e.g., grinding or introducing other types of recycled materials. This approach makes it possible to use the materials from the existing construction layers to the maximum extent in the recycled base course. The relative proportions of the individual components , as well as the type of the reclaimed portion of the mix, determine the strength and deformation properties of MCAS mixtures and the future construction layer of the road surface.Most of the waste construction materials which can be used again for producing pavement structures are typically sourced from the demolition and reconstruction of old road, railroad and bridge infrastructure. These waste materials are usually referred to as construction and demolition waste (CDW). Concrete waste is also created as a by-product during production in the fabrication plants of building materials, such as ready-mixed concrete or prefabricates .The effects of the development of the construction market are an increased demand for concrete and an excessive amount of construction waste. Current efforts are focused on environmental protection as a result of a demand to lower the energy consumption of production processes. These include: use of recycling technology in many industrial sectors, enforcing rational waste management and using waste from the road construction sector. Concrete used in old pavements and other concrete structures has a high recycling potential. Thanks to the use of reclaimed concrete in construction, the need for new natural resources can be decreased. The use of recycled building materials lowers the costs of mining and transporting new rock materials .Concrete aggregate may have different grain sizes and functional properties depending on the crushing method. The results of research conducted by Pedro et al. in Portugal  indicateAll over the world , reclaimed concrete resulting from the crushing process is used as a road foundation in road structures ,21,22. MReclaimed concrete material, in contrast to natural aggregate material, is distinguished by the presence of a hydrated cement matrix that remained on the top layer of the aggregate grains, becoming a component of the hardened concrete mix. Therefore, reclaimed concrete may be subject to additional cementation, which is a consequence of the release of unbound pozzolanic particles after crushing of the original material . ResidueBased on the information presented above, an investigation was conducted to evaluate the effects of reclaimed cement concrete on the uniaxial compressive strength of deep-cold recycled mixture with foamed bitumen. The study involved evaluating the time evolution of the unconfined compressive strength of a reclaimed concrete-bearing and a reference mixture and included the use of a fine fraction of the reclaimed cement concrete material. The evaluation of uniaxial compressive strength was selected as the most basic material strength property with uniform stress and strain fields. The tests were conducted without any additional use of hydraulic binder to expose the evaluated effects. The objective was to conduct an initial assessment of the possibility and feasibility of utilizing this material, as well as to evaluate the potential presence of secondary setting in the reclaimed cement concrete material.REF-Mix) with a mixture containing 25% of the reclaimed cement concrete material (RCC-Mix). To formulate the investigated mixtures, a number of materials were selected (mostly recycled and reclaimed):reclaimed cement concrete (RCC) from reclaimed cement concrete road slabs acc. EN 13242:2002+A1:2007 used in exchange with a virgin 0/4 dolomite aggregate,reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) acc. EN 13108-8:2016,reclaimed aggregate (RA) acc. EN 13242:2002+A1:2007, shown in In order to evaluate the use of reclaimed cement concrete (RCC) in cold-recycled mixtures with foamed bitumen, an experimental plan was set up to investigate the unconfined compressive strength of such mixtures containing RCC material. The study involved comparing a reference mixture  was prepared by 2-mm sieve screening which produced the reclaimed cement concrete (RCC) to be used in the  <0.6 mm . The results of the tests for determining the granulometric composition of the original reclaimed concrete and the sieved material prepared from reclaimed concrete according to  are presThe physical and mechanical properties of reclaimed cement material (RCM) are similar to the physical and mechanical properties of new continuously graded aggregates produced in mineral raw materials mines. Therefore, it can be concluded that it is possible to use such a recycled material in the composition of the mineral-cement mixture with foamed bitumen (MCAS).The chemical composition of the reclaimed cement concrete (RCC) used in the experiments is given in Structural analysis of reclaimed cement concrete material based on scanning electron micrographs showed the presence of cement hydration products, which were accompanied by the formation of calcium hydroxide and a stable structure of hydrated calcium silicates (CSH). The microstructure of the hydrating cement slurry is enlarged for Item 2 . The anaA major component comprising the investigated mixtures was reclaimed asphalt obtained from the milling of existing asphalt courses (wearing and binding layer), which contained 5.6% of bituminous binder as determined in the extraction test in accordance with EN 12697-1:2012. The evaluation of the particle size distribution of reclaimed asphalt and recovered aggregate (after solvent extraction of the binder) determined in accordance with  are showKnowing the maximum particle size of reclaimed asphalt mixture (U) and the aggregate grain size after extraction of the binder, the tested reclaimed asphalt, in accordance with the 13108-8: 2016 standard, was designated as 16 RA 0/8, i.e., reclaimed asphalt material with aggregate size of 8 mm and asphalt particles of a maximum size of 16 mm.Basic tests were carried out based on the EN 13108-8: 2016 standard for the asphalt extracted from the RAP. The results of the analysis are presented in Based on the basic tests of asphalt recovered from reclaimed asphalt, it can be concluded that the binder in the RAP, in terms of penetration, can be classified as 50/70 paving grade bitumen. Based on the results of penetration and softening point determinations, the value of the penetration index was determined (PN-EN 12591: 2009). The calculated penetration index was set at IP = −0.1. The obtained result of the average elastic recovery excludes the possibility of classifying the recovered asphalt as a modified binder.The chemical composition of the RAP used in the experiments is given in Scanning microscope studies revealed the complex structural nature of the material of RAP samples. There are several elements of internal structure with a different chemical composition, defined for example at points 1–3 . AsphaltNatural reclaimed aggregate produced by removing an existing road pavement base course was used in this study. This type of material is defined by the EN 13242 standard as an aggregate resulting from the processing of inorganic or mineral material previously used in construction . Natural reclaimed aggregates are favored for use in the construction of new infrastructure as it decreases the environmental impact of such endeavors. Utilization of this type of material is particularly well suited to the construction of roads, pavements, bicycle paths, squares and car parks, as well as for levelling roads that do not have bituminous pavements . In manyREF-Mix and the recycled RCC-Mix.Natural reclaimed aggregate utilized in the present study was obtained from an existing unbound road base. The material, which was designated as a continuously graded 0/22 mm size aggregate, was incorporated in both the reference The results of the tests for determining the granulometric composition of the reclaimed aggregate according to  are showREF-Mix mixture incorporated a 0/4 sized fraction of virgin aggregates in its original design in order to improve its grading. A dolomite aggregate was selected for this purpose because of its wide availability in the region. The utilized dolomite material is typically used in asphalt concrete mixtures and cement concrete formulations and therefore meets all the typical requirements for these kinds of usage. The reference The results of the tests for determining the grain size composition of aggregate (VA) according to  are showThe bituminous binder used in the investigated mixtures was a 50/70 paving grade bitumen as in ,42,43 foThe physical parameters of the asphalt foam were determined as shown in The mix design of the recycled mixtures includes the determination of the particle size distribution of the mixture and the contents of binding materials, which typically include foamed asphalt binder and Portland cement, which is required to obtain the necessary moisture and frost damage resistance of cold-recycled mixtures ,13,44. HREF-Mix and RCC-Mix, had the same particle size distributions. Both mixtures were designed with the same total asphalt binder content of 5.5%. The asphalt binder comprised in the RAP amounted to 2% of the final mixture and the added foamed bitumen amounted to 3%. The amount of the asphalt binder was in accordance with the relevant recommendations (not exceeding 6%) [ding 6%) ,45.The optimum moisture content (OMC) was determined in accordance with the PN EN 13286-2:2010 standard using the Proctor compaction test . The obtained relationship between the moisture content of the mix and its dry density is presented in The experimental tests involved evaluating the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of the compacted specimens produced from the recycled mixtures at predetermined time intervals of 3, 4, 7, 14 and 28 days of ageing. After compaction, the samples were conditioned for 48 h in the molds and subsequently demolded  and keptThe unconfined compressive strength (UCS) was determined  by measuUCS—unconfined compressive strength (kPa),P—maximum compressive force (kN),d—specimen diameter (cm).The results of the determination of unconfined compressive strength of the investigated recycled mixtures are presented in REF-Mix, which did not contain the reclaimed cement concrete aggregates, had a slightly smaller mean value of compressive strength during the whole 28-day period. This difference, which again was not very significant and amounted to 3–9 kPa, could be attributed to the effects of the reclaimed cement concrete in the RCC-Mix. The rate at which the compressive strength of the REF-Mix and RCC-Mix mixtures changed during the curing period decreased over time in a similar manner. This may lead to a conclusion that the processes having the greatest influence on the curing process of both mixtures were similar in nature, i.e., they were not governed primarily by the formation of hydraulic bonds. Nonlinear logarithmic curves were fitted to the data and shown in RCC-Mix was slightly larger than for the REF-Mix, indicating higher initial strength of the mixture with recycled cement concrete. The coefficients of the log functions fitted for both mixtures were similar, indicating a similar increase in strength over time.The obtained results of UCS testing have shown that both mixtures exhibit similar strength characteristics throughout the curing period. The reference RCC-Mix mixture, a statistical analysis of the obtained results was performed. The results of the initial ANOVA analysis are presented in REF-Mix, RCC-Mix),mixture type .To estimate in a more rigorous manner the effects of the RCC material on the unconfined compressive strength of the REF-Mix, RCC-Mix) returned a probability value close to the assumed significance level . The significance of the interaction between the mixture type and sample age can, on the other hand, be rejected with high confidence . To analyze these initial results in further detail, post hoc Duncan tests were performed to simultaneously compare multiple groups and isolate homogenous groups, between which significant differences could not be proven. The results of this analysis are presented in The performed analysis of variance reveals that, in the evaluated groups of results, only the age of the investigated samples had a statistically significant effect (α > 0.05) on the mean value of their unconfined compressive strength. It is worth noting, however, that the effect of mixture type  during the new construction process. Secondly, the presence of bituminous bonding may have reduced the significance of the secondary cement setting in the Future work in this area should include the evaluation of mixtures with higher reclaimed cement content and the evaluation of cracking and fatigue resistance of such mixtures; longer curing times should also be considered.


The surface treatment of concrete enhances the bonding of its metal coatings. Therefore, in the present study, on the concrete surface, prior to the deposit of an 85Zn-15Al coating via an arc thermal spraying process, different surface treatments were considered for the effective electromagnetic pulse (EMP) shielding properties of the concrete. However, the direct coating on a concrete surface possesses lower bond adhesion, therefore it is of the utmost importance to treat the concrete surface prior to the deposition of the metal coating. Moreover, to obtain better bond adhesion and fill the defects of the coating, the concrete surface is treated by applying a surface hardener (SH), as well as a surface roughening agent (SRA) and a sealing agent (SA), respectively. The metal spraying efficiency, adhesion performance, and bonding strength under different concrete surface treatment conditions were evaluated. The EMP shielding effect was evaluated under the optimal surface treatment condition. The proposed method for EMP shielding exhibited over 60% of spraying efficiency on the treated surface and a bonding strength of up to 3.9 MPa for the SH–SRA–SA (combining surface roughening and pores/defects filling agents) specimen compared to the control one, i.e., 0.8 MPa. The EMP shielding values of the surface-treated concrete with surface hardener, surface roughening agent, and sealing agent, i.e., SH–SRA–SA specimens, exhibited 96.6 dB at 1000 MHz. This was about 12 times higher than without coated concrete. The–109 Ω·m ,8. To miWhen an EMP is transmitted via a highly conductive substance, reflection and absorption repeatedly occur, which reduce the intensity of or eliminate the EMP—a process referred to as EMP shielding. This shielding effect is influenced by the electrical conductivity, permeability, and thickness of the material used ,12. MetaAt 1 GHz, materials with high electrical conductivity, such as carbon black, carbon nanotubes, and steel fibers, can be incorporated into concrete to improve the shielding effect of the concrete structure ,18,19,20The arc thermal metal spraying method is used to improve the corrosion and EMP resistance of the structures. In this process, an electric arc heat is generated by the current flowing between two metal wires. The metal sprayed at the arc point on the substrate cools and travels through air before colliding with the surface and solidifying, which laminates the coating. Therefore, metal spraying is performed after the treatment of the steel surface. On the other hand, the use of concrete, as low-conducting material, means it cannot be used alone for EMP shielding. To increase the conductivity of the concrete, materials such as carbon black, graphite, and MXene are used, owing to their exceptional electrical conductivity, hydrophilicity, and chemical activity ,22,23,24Owing to the high corrosion resistance of metal spray coatings, researchers have performed experiments to assess the durability of steel and concrete structures subjected to arc thermal metal spraying. The EMP shielding capability of non-electrically conductive concrete was investigated using the features of highly conductive metallic coatings ,29. A prAs described above, concrete possesses extremely high electrical resistivity, therefore, metal spray coating is used on it to increase its conductivity. The direct deposition of the metal coating via the arc metal thermal spray process exhibit lower bond adhesion to be considered for an EMP. There is weak interface zone between the concrete and the metal coating, therefore, a surface roughening agent is required to make them strongly bonded. Epoxy-modified cement-based material is frequently used as a roughening agent . MoreoveTherefore, in the present study, we have treated the concrete surface prior to the deposition of the 85Zn-15Al coating and applied the pores/defects filling agent to reduce the porosity of the coating. Two different concrete surface treatments, such as surface hardener (SH) and surface roughening agent (SRA), were used to increase the adhesion of the 85Zn-15Al coating with the concrete, thereafter a pores/defects sealing agent (SA) was applied over the coating surface to study the deposition efficiency, bonding strength, and EMP shielding effect of concrete applied via the arc thermal metal spraying method. Subsequently, an arc thermal metal spraying method with proper surface treatments is proposed to ensure the effective EMP shielding performance of the concrete.The metal spraying efficiency and bonding strength were determined based on the surface treatment conditions of the concrete and metal spray coating. This enables the application of the arc thermal metal spraying method to concrete for EMP shielding see . To incrFor the fabrication of the concrete, the water-to-cement ratio was kept at 50% using type 1 ordinary Portland cement (OPC), i.e., KS L 5201 , and coaThe metal spray coating’s thickness, morphology, efficiency, bonding strength, and EMP shielding effect were assessed based on the surface treatment methods to evaluate the mechanical properties of the arc thermal metal sprayed concrete and metal coating.The 85Zn-15Al coating thickness was measured by a non-destructive Elcometer456  at four different locations and their averages are reported in the manuscript.Dη is the metal deposition efficiency (%), Δtpm is the weight difference of the specimen (g), and Δsmm is the weight difference of the sprayed material (g).The deposition efficiency of the coatings was determined based on ISO 17836 [The metal spraying efficiency was calculated by multiplying the weight difference between the specimens before and after thermal spraying by the weight difference between the thermally sprayed materials. This reflects the efficiency in depositing thermally sprayed metal particles using different treatment methods.2).To assess the bonding strength between the thermally sprayed coating and the concrete, an epoxy resin was used to bind a 40 mm × 40 mm square knob at nine different locations in accordance with KS F 4716 . After 2The coating surface morphology and cross section of the control specimen was determined by a field emission scanning electron microscope  at 15 kV. The porosity of the coating was measured by the open source ImageJ software  ImageJ software (version 1.52n) ,39,40.0) and the received signal (VREV) as follows:The EMP shielding effect of the concrete, as well as different surface treatment specimens coated via the arc thermal metal spray process were assessed based on MIL-STD-188-125-1  . Figure A 200 µm thick 85Zn-15Al coating was considered to study the EMP shielding properties. Initially, the coating thickness was measured by an Elcometer456 and found to be 200 (±10) µm. The surface morphology of the coating is shown in The physical properties of the concrete are shown in The metal spraying efficiency is defined in ISO 17836 [Because all the laitance on the surface of the concrete specimens was removed, the metal spraying efficiency resulting from the chemical interaction between the metal particles and the concrete could not be determined. Hence, the metal spraying efficiency was low for both the control and the SH specimens. The roughness of the SH–SRA specimen was found to be 75–220 μm, where the epoxy-based silica increased the anchoring properties of the metals with the concrete, which lead to a widening in the interfacial zone between the concrete and the roughening agent.0 was measured based on the bare opening between the two antennas, and the Vrev of the concrete specimen. Next, the EMP shielding effect was determined by Equation (3).The EMP shielding effect of the 85Zn-15Al arc thermal metal sprayed coating on the concrete is investigated at seven frequencies: 600, 900, 1000, 1200, 1500, 1800, and 2000 MHz. The concrete specimen without the arc thermal metal spraying and surface treatment (concrete), the specimen with the thermally sprayed coating and no surface treatment (control), and the SH–SRA–SA specimen are only compared to evaluate the EMP shielding effect. The SH–SRA–SA specimen exhibited the highest metal spraying efficiency and bonding strength, whereas the concrete specimen was the substrate and the control specimen had only the 85Zn-15Al coating. The EMP shielding effect was measured  by mountThe deposition efficiencies of SRA and SH–SRA were approximately 60% and 70% higher than those of the control specimen without the SRA, respectively.The bonding strength of the metal spray coating was 3.7 MPa after the SH and SRA were used to reinforce and create roughness on the concrete surface, respectively, which is four times greater than that of the concrete without any surface treatment. The usage of the SRA was particularly effective in preventing the interfacial failure of the metal spray coating. In addition, by applying the SA, the bonding strength was improved due to the penetration of the SA into the layer of the concrete.The EMP shielding value of the concrete was less than 10 dB. However, when the 85Zn-15Al coating was applied to the concrete surface, the EMP shielding value reached 80 dB or higher. This confirms that the spraying of the 200 µm thick 85Zn-15Al coating on the surface of the concrete structure provides an EMP shielding value of greater than 80 dB. This coating could be used in protecting a national security building, military base camp or hospital from EMP effects.The surface treatment of the concrete and coating enhances the properties of the specimen. The SH had less influence in deposition efficiency and bonding, whereas once the SRA and SRA, along with the SA, were applied, the specimen exhibited the highest bonding and EMP value. Where the SRA helped in making the concrete surface rougher, owing to the epoxy and silica sand, the SA helped in the filling of the defects of the 85Zn-15Zn coating.In this study, the concrete specimens were coated with 85Zn-15Al via an arc thermal metal spraying process, as well as applied with different treatments on the concrete and coating. The effects of the surface treatment conditions and metal spray coating on the deposition efficiency, bonding strength, and EMP shielding effect were quantitatively analyzed. The following conclusions were drawn: