Temporal workload-aware replicated partitioning for social networks

Most frequent and expensive queries in social networks involve multi-user operations such as requesting the latest tweets or news-feeds of friends. The performance of such queries are heavily dependent on the data partitioning and replication methodologies adopted by the underlying systems. Existing solutions for data distribution in these systems involve hashor graph-based approaches that ignore the multi-way relations among data. In this work, we propose a novel data partitioning and selective replication method that utilizes the temporal information in prior workloads to predict future query patterns. Our method utilizes the social network structure and the temporality of the interactions among its users to construct a hypergraph that correctly models multi-user operations. It then performs simultaneous partitioning and replication of this hypergraph to reduce the query span while respecting load balance and I/O load constraints under replication. To test our model, we enhance the Cassandra NoSQL system to support selective replication and we implement a social network application (a Twitter clone) utilizing our enhanced Cassandra. We conduct experiments on a cloud computing environment (Amazon EC2) to test the developed systems. Comparison of the proposed method with hash- and enhanced graph-based schemes indicate that it significantly improves latency and throughput

Block Volume Estimation from the Discontinuity Spacing Measurements of Mesozoic Limestone Quarries, Karaburun Peninsula, Turkey

Block volumes are generally estimated by analyzing the discontinuity spacing measurements obtained either from the scan lines placed over the rock exposures or the borehole cores. Discontinuity spacing measurements made at the Mesozoic limestone quarries in Karaburun Peninsula were used to estimate the average block volumes that could be produced from them using the suggested methods in the literature. The Block Quality Designation (BQD) ratio method proposed by the authors has been found to have given in the same order of the rock block volume to the volumetric joint count (Jv) method. Moreover, dimensions of the 2378 blocks produced between the years of 2009 and 2011 in the working quarries have been recorded. Assuming, that each block surfaces is a discontinuity, the mean block volume (Vb), the mean volumetric joint count (Jvb) and the mean block shape factor of the blocks are determined and compared with the estimated mean in situ block volumes (Vin) and volumetric joint count (Jvi) values estimated from the in situ discontinuity measurements. The established relations are presented as a chart to be used in practice for estimating the mean volume of blocks that can be obtained from a quarry site by analyzing the rock mass discontinuity spacing measurements

A rare case of cervical epidural extramedullary plasmacytoma presenting with monoparesis

Multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders are characterized by production of a large number of plasma cells in the bone marrow. On the other hand, plasmacytoma results from proliferation of abnormal plasma cells in the soft tissue or skeletal system. Neurological complications are frequently observed in these diseases. The most commonly known complications among those complications are spine fractures, spinal cord compressions, and peripheral neuropathies. Although neurological involvements are common in plasmacytomas, extramedullary spinal epidural localizations have been reported very rarely. In this case report, we aimed to present a plasmacytoma case that presented with acute onset of upper extremity monoparesis. A 40-year-old woman was admitted to our clinic with complaints of sudden weakness and numbness in her left arm following neck and left arm pain. Emergency cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an epidural mass and the patient underwent emergency surgery. The patient showed improvement post-operatively and the pathology was reported as plasmacytoma. Following hematology consultation, systemic chemotherapy was initiated and radiotherapy was planned after wound healing

Incidence, hospital costs and in-hospital mortality rates of surgically treated patients with traumatic cranial epidural hematoma

Background: In this study, the patients who were operated in two clinics due to traumatic cranial epidural hematoma (EDH) were assessed retrospectively and the factors that increase the costs were tried to be revealed through conducting cost analyses. Methods: The patients who were operated between 2010 and 2016 with the diagnosis of EDH were assessed in terms of age, sex, trauma etiology, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) at admission, the period from trauma to hospital arrival, trauma-related injury in other organs, the localization of hematoma, the size of hematoma, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), length of antibiotherapy administration, number of consultations conducted, total cost of in-hospital treatments of the patients and prognosis. Results: Distribution of GCS were, between 13-15 in 18 (36%) patients, 9-13 in 23 (46%) patients and 3-8 in 9 (18%) patients. The reasons for emergency department admissions were fall from high in 29 (58%) patients, assault in 11 (22%) patients and motor vehicle accident in 10 (20%) patients. The average cost per ICU stay was 2838 $(range=343-20571$). The average cost per surgical treatment was 314 $. ICU care was approximately 9 times more expensive than surgical treatment costs. The mortality rate of the study cohort was 14% (7 patients). Conclusion: The prolonged period of stay in the ICU, antibiotherapy and repeat head CTs increase the costs for patients who are surgically treated for EDH

Rock mass block quality designation for marble production

Discontinuity spacing measurements are generally carried out along scan lines and/or along the rock mass exposures, quarry benches and/or bore cores for assessing the rock mass quality. Rock mass block quality designation ratio (BQD) has been defined for assessment of the block production capacity of rock mass as BQD% = Sigma S->= 1m/L Where, Sigma S->= 1m cumulative of the discontinuity spacing equal and/or greater 1.0m. L, Scan line length(m). Assessment of the discontinuity spacing measurements made along 2198 m long the scan lines in 6 working and five abandoned limestone quarries in Karaburun area in Western Turkey, have shown that while the working quarries had BQD ratios > 50% and the abandoned quarries had BQD ratios < 50%. Thus, based on our findings the BQD ratio has been proposed to be used for rock mass assessment for the block production in limestone and/or similar quarries (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Limestone dimension stone quarry waste properties for concrete in Western Turkey

The aim of this paper is to assess the influence of the composition and texture of the limestone on aggregate properties from the five working dimension stone quarries wastes of Karaburun Peninsula in Western Turkey. The limestone samples were tested to determine their petrographic, mineralogic, and chemical characteristics and aggregate properties. Then, the testing concretes were prepared by using these aggregates, and hardened concrete properties were determined. According to the results obtained, limestone was found to be suitable for use as coarse and fine aggregate in normal-strength concrete production. But, the quality of concretes made using the limestone aggregates were found to be dependent on the silica ratio present in them. The threshold value of the silica ratio is determined to be 2 % by weight for the alkali-silica reaction development in concrete made with the Karaburun dimension stone quarries wastes

In vitro antimicrobial activity of calcium hydroxide mixed with different vehicles against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans

WOS: 000268052600025PubMed ID: 19615665Objective. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate antimicrobial activity of calcium hydroxide (CH) in combination with glycerin, chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), cetrimide, or distilled water against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans. Study design. Standard holes in the cultivated agar plates were filled with one of the CH preparations and control agents. The zones of microbial inhibition were measured after incubation period. Results. The CH preparations with glycerin and CHX demonstrated more antifungal activity than CH preparations with cetrimide and distilled water. The CH-glycerin preparations had no effect against E. faecalis, and CH-CHX preparation was the most effective medication. Conclusion. Antimicrobial activity of CH may change with the type of the vehicle and against different microorganisms. Enterococcus faecalis was more resistant than C. albicans to CH preparations. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2009; 108: 297-301

Rare type of bladder cancer: Malign fibrous histiocytoma

Malignant fibrous histocytoma (MFH) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults. Urinary tract is a very rare location for MFH. Involvement of the bladder is more common in males and at the 6th decade of life. A case of MFH of the bladder with poor prognosis is presented. Prognostic factors for MFH are tumor grade, amount of invasion, age, tumor size, and histological type. Survival rate is very low and 3-year disease specific survival is approximately 40%

Silver nanoparticles: cytotoxic, apoptotic, and necrotic effects on MCF-7 cells

Tamer, Ugur/0000-0001-9989-6123WOS: 000325300500009The present study was conducted to examine cytotoxic, apoptotic, and necrotic effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on MCF-7 cells. Colloidal AgNPs were fabricated in an alkaline pH environment via reduction of silver nitrate with hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The size of AgNPs was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering. Zeta potential of AgNPs was determined by laser Doppler microelectrophoresis. After exposing MCF-7 cells to AgNPs for 24 h, cytotoxicity was measured by WST-1 assay. Apoptosis and necrosis in MCF-7 cells were detected by Annexin-V-FLUOS immunostaining and double staining of Hoechst dye with propidium iodide. In AFM and TEM analyses, the sizes of AgNPs varied from 16 nm to 20 nm. AgNPs were 80 nm in hydrodynamic diameter with a zeta potential of -38.2 mV. The WST-1 assay resulted in an IC50 value of 40 mu g/mL. AgNPs caused apoptotic and necrotic effects in a dose-dependent manner The apoptotic effect of AgNPs was marked up to a concentration of 80 mu g/mL AgNPs. At higher concentrations, the apoptotic effect decreased while the necrotic effect became prominent. The results indicate that AgNPs with a zeta potential of -38.2 mV and hydrodynamic diameter of 80 nm can be used in vitro at concentrations of up to 40 mu g/mL