Direct Displacement Based Design of Regular Steel Moment Resisting Frames

AbstractDisplacement Based Design method represents a new approach to performance-based design. This research tries to assess the Direct Displacement Based Design (DDBD) method for regular steel moment resisting frames and develop a reliable design method for them so that they withstand various seismic levels within certain performance levels. For this purpose, regular steel frames with 4, 8, 12, 16 stories are designed based on DDBD approach utilizing displacement spectrum of the Iranian Code of Practice for Seismic Resistant Design of Buildings (Standard No. 2800). In order to evaluate seismic response of the designed structures, a series of non-linear time-history analyses have been performed under different records compatible with Standard No. 2800. All the non-linear analyses were carried out using the fiber-element models developed in Seismostruct computer program. According to the results, inter-story drift profile of the structure which is corresponding to its damage was less than the allowable value in most cases. Also, Maximum displacement profile of the structure along its height is completely matched with the primary assumed design profile. The structures have mostly experienced similar residual drift values under different records. In summary, the method performed quite satisfactorily in terms of story maximum displacements, maximum interstory drifts and story ductility demands, even for tall models

Diversity of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii population in a major hospital in Kuwait

Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important opportunistic pathogens that causes serious health care associated complications in critically ill patients. In the current study we report on the diversity of the clinical multi-drug resistant (MDR) A. baumannii in Kuwait by molecular characterization. One hundred A. baumannii were isolated from one of the largest governmental hospitals in Kuwait. Following the identification of the isolates by molecular methods, the amplified blaOXA-51-like gene product of one isolate (KO-12) recovered from blood showed the insertion of the ISAba19 at position 379 in blaOXA-78. Of the 33 MDR isolates, 28 (85%) contained blaOXA-23, 2 (6%) blaOXA-24 and 6 (18%) blaPER-1 gene. We did not detect blaOXA-58, blaV IM, blaIMP, blaGES, blaV EB, and blaNDM genes in any of the tested isolates. In three blaPER-1 positive isolates the genetic environment of blaPER-1 consisted of two copies of ISPa12 (tnpiA1) surrounding the blaPER-1 gene on a highly stable plasmid of ca. 140-kb. Multilocus-sequence typing (MLST) analysis of the 33 A. baumannii isolates identified 20 different STs, of which six (ST-607, ST-608, ST-609, ST-610, ST-611, and ST-612) were novel. Emerging STs such as ST15 (identified for the first time in the Middle East), ST78 and ST25 were also detected. The predominant clonal complex was CC2. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and MLST defined the MDR isolates as multi-clonal with diverse lineages. Our results lead us to believe that A. baumannii is diverse in clonal origins and/or is undergoing clonal expansion continuously while multiple lineages of MDR A. baumannii circulate in hospital ward simultaneously

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) extract prevents and improves D-galactose and NaNO2 induced memory impairment in mice

This study was conducted to examine the effects of saffron extract on preventing D-galactose and NaNO2 induced memory impairment and improving learning and memory deficits in amnestic mice. In this study, the learning and memory functions in ovariectomized mice were examined by the one way passive and active avoidance tests. In active avoidance test, training in amnestic treated (AT) and amnestic prophylaxis (AP) groups, was improved so that there was a significant difference between them and the amnestic control (AC) group. In passive avoidance test, animal’s step through latency, as an index for learning, in all test groups was significantly greater than control group. Total time spent in dark room (DS), which opposes the memory retention ability, in AC was significantly greater than AT group at 1 and 2 hours after full training, while there was not any significant difference between this index in AP and AT as compared with normal control (NC) group. Our findings indicate that saffron hydroalcoholic extract prevents and improves amnesia induced by D-galactose and NaNO2 in mice

Detecting Mercury (II) and Thiocyanate Using “Turn-on” Fluorescence of Graphene Quantum Dots

In this work, 1.8 nm graphene quantum dots (GQDs), exhibiting bright blue fluorescence, were prepared using a bottom-up synthesis from citric acid. The fluorescence of the GQDs could be almost completely quenched (about 96%) by adding Hg2+. Quenching was far less efficient with other similar heavy metals, Tl+, Pb2+ and Bi3+. Fluorescence could be near quantitatively restored through the introduction of thiocyanate. This “turn-on” fluorescence can thus be used to detect both or either environmental and physiological contaminants mercury and thiocyanate and could prove useful for the development of simple point-of-care diagnostics in the future. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Dissecting the genetic components of a quantitative trait locus for blood pressure and renal pathology on rat chromosome 3

Background: We have previously confirmed the importance of rat chromosome 3 (RNO3) genetic loci on blood pressure elevation, pulse pressure (PP) variability and renal pathology during salt challenge in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive (SHRSP) rat. The aims of this study were to generate a panel of RNO3 congenic sub-strains to genetically dissect the implicated loci and identify positional candidate genes by microarray expression profiling and analysis of next-generation sequencing data. Method and results: A panel of congenic sub-strains were generated containing Wistar-Kyoto (WKY)-introgressed segments of varying size on the SHRSP genetic background, focused within the first 50 Mbp of RNO3. Haemodynamic profiling during salt challenge demonstrated significantly reduced systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and PP variability in SP.WKYGla3a, SP.WKYGla3c, SP.WKYGla3d and SP.WKYGla3e sub-strains. Only SBP and DBP were significantly reduced during salt challenge in SP.WKYGla3b and SP.WKYGla3f sub-strains, whereas SP.WKYGla3g rats did not differ in haemodynamic response to SHRSP. Those sub-strains demonstrating significantly reduced PP variability during salt challenge also demonstrated significantly reduced renal pathology and proteinuria. Microarray expression profiling prioritized two candidate genes for blood pressure regulation (Dnm1, Tor1b), localized within the common congenic interval shared by SP.WKYGla3d and SP.WKYGla3f strains, and one candidate gene for salt-induced PP variability and renal pathology (Rabgap1), located within the region unique to the SP.WKYGla3d strain. Comparison of next-generation sequencing data identified variants within additional positional genes that are likely to affect protein function. Conclusion: This study has identified distinct intervals on RNO3-containing genes that may be important for blood pressure regulation and renal pathology during salt challenge

Developing and Optimizing Shrub Parameters Representing Sagebrush (\u3ci\u3eArtemisia\u3c/i\u3e spp.) Ecosystems in the Northern Great Basin Using the Ecosystem Demography (EDv2.2) Model

Ecosystem dynamic models are useful for understanding ecosystem characteristics over time and space because of their efficiency over direct field measurements and applicability to broad spatial extents. Their application, however, is challenging due to internal model uncertainties and complexities arising from distinct qualities of the ecosystems being analyzed. The sagebrush-steppe ecosystem in western North America, for example, has substantial spatial and temporal heterogeneity as well as variability due to anthropogenic disturbance, invasive species, climate change, and altered fire regimes, which collectively make modeling dynamic ecosystem processes difficult. Ecosystem Demography (EDv2.2) is a robust ecosystem dynamic model, initially developed for tropical forests, that simulates energy, water, and carbon fluxes at fine scales. Although EDv2.2 has since been tested on different ecosystems via development of different plant functional types (PFT), it still lacks a shrub PFT. In this study, we developed and parameterized a shrub PFT representative of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems in order to initialize and test it within EDv2.2, and to promote future broad-scale analysis of restoration activities, climate change, and fire regimes in the sagebrushsteppe ecosystem. Specifically, we parameterized the sagebrush PFT within EDv2.2 to estimate gross primary production (GPP) using data from two sagebrush study sites in the northern Great Basin. To accomplish this, we employed a three-tier approach. (1) To initially parameterize the sagebrush PFT, we fitted allometric relationships for sagebrush using field-collected data, information from existing sagebrush literature, and parameters from other land models. (2) To determine influential parameters in GPP prediction, we used a sensitivity analysis to identify the five most sensitive parameters. (3) To improve model performance and validate results, we optimized these five parameters using an exhaustive search method to estimate GPP, and compared results with observations from two eddy covariance (EC) sites in the study area. Our modeled results were encouraging, with reasonable fidelity to observed values, although some negative biases (i.e., seasonal underestimates of GPP) were apparent. Our finding on preliminary parameterization of the sagebrush shrub PFT is an important step towards subsequent studies on shrubland ecosystems using EDv2.2 or any other process-based ecosystem model

Satisfaction with hearing aids based on technology and style among hearing impaired persons

Introduction: Hearing loss is one of the most disabling impairments. Using a hearing aid as an attempt to improve the hearing problem can positively affect the quality of life for these people. This research was aimed to assess satisfaction of hearing impaired patients with their hearing aids regarding the employed technology and style. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytic cross-sectional research was conducted on 187 subjects with hearing loss who were using a hearing aid. The subjects were over 18 years of age and were using a hearing aid for at least 6 months. The Persian version of Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) questionnaire was the instrument which was used for assessing satisfaction with the hearing aid. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to be 0.80 for instrument reliability. Results: A significant difference was observed among satisfaction subscales' mean scores with hearing aid technology. Also a significant difference was observed between the total satisfaction score and the hearing aid model. With respect to the analysis of satisfaction with the hearing aid and its style, cost and services was the only subscale which showed a significant difference (P=0.005). Conclusion: Respondents using hearing aids with different technology and style were estimated to be quite satisfied. Training audiologists in using more appropriate and fitting hearing aids in addition to using self-reporting questionnaires like SADL for estimating patients' social condition and participation in their life can essentially change their disability condition and countervail their hearing loss