Problem of accounting for the deformations of buildings subject to construction in areas adjacent to them

Characteristic features of the development of additional deformations of buildings constructed on inhomogeneous beds during construction performed on neighboring areas are addressed. The significant role of the mutual effect of buildings is exposed, and one possible approach to determination of additional deformations, which is based on the use of the finite-element method, is proposed. Saint Peterburg State Technical University. Scientific-Research Institute of Industrial Construction. Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 1, pp. 7–9, January–February, 1994.     

Staurosporine and its derivatives enhance f-Met-Leu-Phe-induced superoxide production via phospholipase D activation in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Staurosporine (STAR) is one of the most potent inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC). It is known that in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), the phorbol ester-induced generation of superoxide anion (respiratory burst) is effectively inhibited by STAR in a dose-dependent manner, whereas superoxide generation induced by chemoattractants, e.g. n-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) or PAF, is regulated biphasically by STAR. We compared the effects of STAR and K252a on FMLP-induced superoxide production from PMNs and examined the effects of propranolol, a inhibitor of phosphatidic acid (PA) phosphohydrolase, on the potentiation of the production by STAR. We also examined the effects of some derivatives of STAR and K252a on the production and the alteration of the effects induced by propranolol pretreatment. When PMNs were stimulated with FMLP, STAR potentiated superoxide production by 240.5 +/- 30.9% at a low concentration (100 nmol/l). Propranolol pretreatment specifically inhibited the potentiation. When phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) was used as a stimulant, STAR inhibited superoxide production dose-dependently and did not enhance the production. K252a inhibited PMA or FMLP-induced superoxide production dose-dependently and did not enhance FMLP-induced superoxide production. STAR derivatives showed potentiation of FMLP-induced superoxide production similar to that of STAR at concentrations ranging from 10-100 nmol/l, and propranolol (200 mumol/l) effectively inhibited it. K252a derivative NA332 did not show any potentiative effect on the production. PMA-induced superoxide production was inhibited by all compounds dose-dependently.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Knowledge, data, and models

The object-oriented approach to integrating knowledge data, and models is examined. Under the object-oriented paradigm, everything is an object, which is itself an encapsulation of data and methods to manipulate and access the data within the object. Thus knowledge, data, and models can be defined as special kinds of objects. Active knowledge/data language (KDL), a functional object-oriented database system is considered, covering the active-KDL-type system and functions, and query-driven simulation     

Relevance of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

This ex post facto study investigated the relationship of social support from two workplace sources, unit managers and registered nurse (RNs) coworkers, to work-related stress among staff nurses. Sample participants included 51 full-time RNs from a variety of clinical specialties in one nursing organization. The three theoretical components--affect, affirmation, and aid--were measured by the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire. The Nursing Stress Scale was used to quantify the levels of perceived work-related stress. Statistically significant negative correlations were found between affect from unit managers (r = -299; P = 0.15) and aid from coworkers (r = -.294; P = .036) on levels of perceived work-related stress. Additionally, the increased age of the subjects (r = -.342; P = .007), years of nursing experience (r = -252; P = .037), and length of employment (r = -329; P = .009) had a negative relationship with work stress. The results of this research demonstrated that two components of social support--affect (emotional support) from unit managers and aid (services, information, materials) from coworkers--were linked to lower stress scores in this sample of staff nurses.     

An outbreak of hepatitis A among homosexual men in Melbourne

OBJECTIVE: To describe an outbreak of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection that occurred in Melbourne in 1991. DESIGN: (i) We reviewed Health Department Victoria surveillance data from 1989 to 1991 (primary surveillance) and identified all notified cases of HAV infection with an onset of illness between 1 January and 31 December 1991 (secondary surveillance data). (ii) We studied HAV seroprevalence in Melbourne among homosexual men attending gay venues. RESULTS: (i) In the two years 1989-1990 there were only 55 notifications of HAV infection to Health Department Victoria, with a male:female ratio of 1.2:1. Of the 495 notifications for 1991, 407 (82%) were male, of whom 210 (52%) were known to be homosexual. Many reported sexual and social contact at Melbourne's gay venues and with the Sydney gay community. (ii) Of men attending gay venues, 27% had serological evidence of past infection with HAV, compared with 45.8% in a 1981 Melbourne study. CONCLUSION: The outbreak of HAV infection in Victoria largely affected homosexual males in their sexually active years. Contact with the Sydney gay community was commonly reported.     

Comparative antimycobacterial activities of the newly synthesized quinolone AM-1155, sparfloxacin, and ofloxacin

AM-1155 is a newly synthesized 6-fluoro-8-methoxy quinolone. We assessed its in vitro antimycobacterial activity using sparfloxacin (SPFX) and ofloxacin (OFLX) as comparison drugs. The MICs of these agents for various mycobacterial strains were determined by the agar dilution method with 7H11 medium. AM-1155 had lower MICs for 50 and 90% of tested strains of Mycobacterium kansasii, M. marinum, and M. fortuitum-M. chelonae complex than SPFX and OFLX, and the values for M. tuberculosis, M. scrofulaceum, and the M. avium-M. intracellulare complex were similar to those of SPFX and considerably lower than those of OFLX. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of AM-1155 against M. tuberculosis and M. intracellulare phagocytosed into murine peritoneal macrophages was compared with that of OFLX. AM-1155 (1 microgram/ml) inhibited the intracellular growth of both M. tuberculosis and M. intracellulare, whereas OFLX at the same concentration failed to show any such effect. Moreover, AM-1155 (10 micrograms/ml) exhibited a steady bactericidal action against M. tuberculosis, whereas OFLX at the same concentration had only a weak effect. AM-1155 (10 micrograms/ml) also inhibited the growth of M. intracellulare more effectively than OFLX.