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The aryl diester compound, 2-methyl-1,4-phenylene bis(3,5-dibromobenzoate), C21H12Br4O4, was synthesized by esterification of methyl hydroquinone with 3,5-dibromobenzoic acid. A crystalline sample was obtained by cooling a sample of the melt (m.p. = 502 K/DSC) to room temperature. The molecular structure consists of a central benzene ring with anti-3,5-dibromobenzoate groups symmetrically attached at the 1 and 4 positions and a methyl group attached at the 2 position of the central ring. In the crystal structure (space group P\overline{1}), molecules of the title aryl diester are located on inversion centers imposing disorder of the methyl group and H atom across the central benzene ring. The crystal structure is consolidated by a network of C—H...Br hydrogen bonds in addition to weaker and offset π–π interactions involving the central benzene rings as well as the rings of the attached 3,5-dibromobenzoate groups.

The aryl diester compound, 2-methyl-1,4-phenyl­ene bis­(3,5-di­bromo­benzoate), C21H12Br4O4, was synthesized by esterification of methyl hydroquinone with 3,5-dibromo­benzoic acid. A crystalline sample was obtained by cooling a sample of the melt (m.p. = 502 K/DSC) to room temperature. The molecular structure consists of a central benzene ring with anti-3,5-di­bromo­benzoate groups symmetrically attached at the 1 and 4 positions and a methyl group attached at the 2 position of the central ring. In the crystal structure (space group P1̅), molecules of the title aryl diester are located on inversion centers imposing disorder of the methyl group and H atom across the central benzene ring. The crystal structure is consolidated by a network of C—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds in addition to weaker and offset π–π inter­actions involving the central benzene rings as well as the rings of the attached 3,5-di­bromobenzoate groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aryl diester compound, 2-methyl-1,4-phenylene bis(3,5-dibromobenzoate), C21H12Br4O4, was synthesized by esterification of methyl hydroquinone with 3,5-dibromobenzoic acid. A crystalline sample was obtained by cooling a sample of the melt (m.p. = 502 K/DSC) to room temperature. The molecular structure consists of a central benzene ring with anti-3,5-dibromobenzoate groups symmetrically attached at the 1 and 4 positions and a methyl group attached at the 2 position of the central ring. In the crystal structure (space group P1), molecules of the title aryl diester are located on inversion centers imposing disorder of the methyl group and H atom across the central benzene ring. The crystal structure is consolidated by a network of C--H...Br hydrogen bonds in addition to weaker and offset interactions involving the central benzene rings as well as the rings of the attached 3,5-dibromobenzoate groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salticidae (jumping spiders) usually exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism in adult morphology, particularly body coloration and size and shape of the first legs. Consequently, the male and female from the same species might be erroneously assigned to different species or even different genera, which could generate synonymies in classification if only morphological data were used. Phintella is a species‐rich genus of Salticidae, which currently exhibits 76 named species. However, the male–female counterpart is unknown for nearly half of the species. In this study, we used a molecular approach to delineate the species boundaries for Phintella and Phintella‐like specimens collected in Vietnam, using morphological information as supporting data. We used three gene fragments (mitochondrial COI, 16S‐ND1, and nuclear 28S) and biogeographical considerations for species delimitation. A total of 22 putative species were recognized: 18 species of the genus Phintella, one species of the genus Lechia (L. squamata), and three species of the genus Phinteloides. Eleven undescribed species were discovered, of which seven have a male–female combination, two species have only males, and two species have only females. The crown age of Phintella was estimated at the Serravallian stage of the Miocene after the increase of species number around 16 MYA. The crown ages of most putative species recognized in this study were estimated in the Pleistocene, and the divergence among sister species likely occurred from the mid‐Miocene to the Pliocene. Our ancestral range reconstruction results showed that the diversification of our ingroup was governed by progressive dispersal events, i.e., Phintella and their related species in Vietnam diversified while expanding their range on the continent. Our results provide fundamental biodiversity data for a high‐diversity genus in Vietnamese Phintella spiders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Web applications have become an integral part of our daily lives, transforming various industries, and enabling smooth online interactions. The increasing number of web applications has also led to significant security challenges. People with malicious intent continuously exploit weaknesses in these web applications, posing a risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of web applications. The primary objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive system that automates the identification and mitigation of vulnerabilities, prevention of threats, assessment of risks, and management of user access in web applications. This system uses advanced technologies like machine learning, runtime application self-protection (RASP), and risk calculation algorithms to take a well-rounded approach to web application security. This research project presents a comprehensive system that automates web application security, addressing the challenges posed by evolving threats. By utilizing advanced technologies and combining various security elements, the system offers a strong and effective solution to improve the security of web applications. This ensures their ability to withstand and maintain their integrity in today's interconnected digital world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objectives: Robot-assisted simple prostatectomy (RASP) and holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) are both well-established, minimally invasive surgical treatment options for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic enlargement. We have reported the first comparative analysis of both techniques in patients with prostates of ≥200 cc. Materials and Methods: Between 2009 and 2020 a total of 53 patients with a prostate volume of ≥200 cc were surgically treated at OLV Hospital Aalst (Belgium): 31 underwent RASP and 22 underwent HoLEP. Preoperative and postoperative assessments included uroflowmetry with maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) and postvoid residual volume (PVR), as well as the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and quality of life (IPSS-QoL). The complication rates were evaluated according to the Clavien–Dindo Classification. Results: Patients treated with RASP had significantly larger prostate volumes compared with HoLEP (median 226 cc vs 204.5 cc, p = 0.004). After a median follow-up of 14 months, both groups showed a significant improvement in the maximum flow rate (+10.60 mL/s vs +10.70 mL/s, p = 0.724) and a reduction of the IPSS score (−12.50 vs −9, p = 0.246) as well as improvement of the QoL (−3 vs −3, p = 0.880). Median operative time was similar in both groups (150 minutes vs 132.5 minutes, p = 0.665). The amount of resected tissue was lower in the RASP group (134.5 g vs 180 g, p = 0.029) and there was no significant difference in postoperative prostate-specific antigen (1.2 ng/mL vs 0.8 ng/mL, p = 0.112). Despite a similar median catheterization time (3 days vs 2 days, p = 0.748), the median hospitalization time was shorter in the HoLEP group (4 days vs 3 days, p = 0.052). Complication rates were similar in both groups (32% vs 36%, p = 0.987). Conclusion: Our results suggest similar outcomes for RASP and HoLEP in patients with very large prostates ≥200 cc. These findings will require external validation at other high-volume centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: This study reviews contemporary literature on RASP and HoLEP to evaluate perioperative outcomes, common complications, cost analytics, and future directions of both procedures. Recent Findings: RASP is indicated for prostates > 80 mL, while HoLEP is size-independent. No notable differences were found in operative time, PSA nadir (surrogate for enucleation volume), re-catheterization rates, or long-term durability. Prolonged incontinence and bladder neck contracture rates are low for both surgeries. Patients experience similar satisfaction outcomes and improvements in uroflowmetry and post-void residual volumes. HoLEP demonstrates shorter hospitalizations, lower transfusion rates, lower costs, and higher rates of same-day discharge. RASP offers a shorter learning curve and lower rates of early postoperative urinary incontinence. Summary: HoLEP is a size-independent surgery that offers advantages for patients seeking a minimally invasive procedure with the potential for catheter-free same-day discharge. Future directions with single-port simple prostatectomy may offer parity in same-day discharge, but further research is needed to determine broader feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have greatly improved our understanding of the classification of the large liverwort family Lejeuneaceae, the frequent incongruencies between morphology‐based taxonomy and molecular phylogeny have hindered our understanding of evolutionary diversification within the group. Here we focus on Leptolejeunea (Spruce) Steph., a pantropical epiphyllous genus in Lejeuneaceae with 40 species. Phylogenetic studies on the genus have been hampered by insufficient taxon sampling, leaving the deep phylogenetic relationships within this group unresolved. We present the most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the genus to date with sampling of over 80% of species, including the enigmatic Leptolejeunea spinistipula (Mizut.) X.L.He endemic to Borneo. Based on data from three molecular markers with representatives of Leptolejeunea and its allies, Leptolejeunea appeared to be monophyletic following the exclusion of L. spinistipula and its transfer to Soella R.L.Zhu, L.Shu, Qiong He & Y.M.Wei. A total‐evidence approach was taken to resolve the backbone phylogeny of Leptolejeunea and a first infrageneric classification of Leptolejeunea, including a new subgenus and three new sections, is proposed based on integrated molecular and morphological evidence. Reconstruction of the evolutionary history showed a wide ancestral area of Leptolejeunea during the Paleogene that arose in mainland Asia, followed by an accelerated speciation rate. Across the biogeographical history of Leptolejeunea, long‐distance dispersal had profound effects on population expansion. Our findings suggest that Australasia is a source of biodiversity of Asian evergreen broad‐leaved forests that have been established since the Oligocene and rose after the early Miocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present,the traditional Web security detection methods act on the input and output of the program,which can not prevent malicious code entering the program after being distorted and confused,and it is difficult to meet the new requirements of Web application security protection.Based on the in-depth analysis of the risk of traditional data flow monitoring methods,combined with the technical characteristics of rasp,a Web security detection method based on rasp was proposed.The rasp probe was embedded in the parameters of authority discrimination function,system command execution function and database operation function in Web application,and the change of data flow was detected in real-time at the code interpreter level.This method was implemented based on Java language.It was proved in the laboratory that this method is better than the traditional Web security detection method in accuracy and detection time.Finally,the deployment and application scenarios of this method were analyzed and proposed.

The Rivermead assessment of somatosensory performance (RASP) provides a quantitative assessment of somatosensory processing, suitable for brain-damaged patients suffering from stroke. It consists of seven subcomponents: Subtest 1 (sharp/dull discrimination), Subtest 2 (surface pressure touch), Subtest 3 (surface localization), Subtest 4 (sensory extinction), Subtest 5 (2-point discrimination), Subtest 6 (temperature discrimination), and Subtest 7 (proprioception). Overall, the RASP assesses 5 bilateral body regions: face (cheek), hand (palm and back), and foot (sole and back). This study aimed at providing normative data and cut-off scores for RASP subtests, for each body region, in a large Italian population sample. We present results from 300 healthy Italian individuals aged 19 to 98 years. Data represent a comprehensive set of norms that cover each subtest and each body region tested. Performance in Subtests 1, 5, and 6 decreased, for some body regions, with increasing age. Based on these results, norms were stratified for age (seven groups), with the pathological/non-pathological cut-off coinciding with the 5th percentile. Conversely, other results were not influenced by age; in such cases, a single error, in each body region, has to be considered indicative of pathological performance. This independent investigation of all subcomponents of the somatosensory system, for each body region, further confirms RASP's potential in clinical practice, for neurological assessment, as well as in research settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Routine equine odontoplasty is performed by both Veterinary Surgeons and Equine Dental Technicians. The production of aerosolised particulates from motorised equipment has been well documented in human orthodontics but has yet to be investigated in the veterinary industry. Objectives: To assess the size, quantity and composition of particulates produced during routine motorised odontoplasty and to model their deposition in the human respiratory tree. Study design: Analytic observational study. Methods: Fifteen‐minute routine motorised odontoplasties were performed on cadaver heads with monitoring equipment placed 30 cm away from the oral cavity to simulate the position of the operator's face. For quantitative analysis, an active air sampling photometric monitor was used to detect the concentration of fully respirable (<4.25 µm) particles produced. The use of water and non–water‐cooled equipment and 2 different types of face mask (standard surgical and FFP3) were compared. An 8‐stage Marple Personal Cascade Impactor modelled the deposition of the particulates in relation to the human respiratory tree. Qualitative analysis of these particulates was performed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy. Results: Motorised odontoplasty created aerosolised particulates that could reach all levels of the human respiratory tree. These particulates were composed mostly of calcium and phosphate, although traces of metals were found. The concentration of fully respirable particulates exceeded the recommended exposure limits set by the Health and Safety Executive. The use of an FFP‐3 face mask significantly reduced the level of inhaled particulates. Main limitations: This was a simulated experiment. It does not take into account the variety of environments in which routine treatment takes place. Conclusions: There are possible health risks in performing a large amount of routine motorised dentistry due to inhalation of aerosolised particulates. The use of an adequate face mask lowers exposure levels to within acceptable limits and, therefore, should be worn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, Gundelia tournefortii is considered as the sole representative of the genus and the other species of Gundelia as synonyms. Recent studies suggest that the genus is rich with 22 species. Off these, thirteen are endemic to Turkey. To date, no comprehensive molecular study dealing with speciation exists in the genus. To address the speciation at the molecular level, fresh leaves from 57 samples representing 15 species from their natural ranges in Turkey were obtained by sampling over several years and studied with respect to nrDNA (ITS) and the cpDNA (ndhF) gene regions. Molecular data from cpDNA and nrDNA revealed that there were two major clades. One of these clades consists of G. anatolica, G. glabra and G. asperrima when the ndhF data were used (or just G. anatolica based on ITS data) while the other major clade included the remaining species with subclades. Divergence time and geographical phylogenetic reconstruction analysis indicated that there may be 3 major ancestral associations existing in the studied Gundelia species. Based on ndhF data, the oldest ancestral group included G. anatolica, G. glabra and G. asperrima with the divergence time about 21.27 MYA, while G. tournefortii var. tenuisecta and G. dersim were the most recently diverged group (about 4.66 MYA). Ancestral history of diversity analysis suggested that the dispersal and vicariance events involved in the speciation in the genus Gundelia with complex events of natural hybridization, introgression, geographical isolations or some other weak isolation mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Robotic-assisted simple prostatectomy (RASP) has recently been studied as an alternative to open simple prostatectomy or endoscopic treatment options. At present, there is no defined recommendation for a robotic procedure as a standard surgical technique to treat large benign prostate hyperplasia. Methods: Several robotic techniques have been described since 2007. Contemporaneously, multiple endoscopic enucleation techniques have been proposed. Nevertheless, open simple prostatectomy still remains a mainstay of therapy. We aimed to evaluate the development of robotic-assisted prostatectomy for large benign prostatic obstruction, thus comparing the technical aspects and clinical outcomes with open and endoscopic enucleation. Results: Robotic-assisted simple prostatectomy provides significantly less blood loss and shorter hospital stay but longer operative time compared to open simple prostatectomy. Compared to endoscopic treatments, robotic approaches have a similar perioperative outcome, but cause less urethral trauma or potential bladder neck strictures. Moreover, concomitant bladder pathologies can be treated within the same setting. Conclusion: Robotic-assisted simple prostatectomy is an effective and safe technique, and can hence be considered to become the preferred first-line therapy to treat patients with obstructive large prostate glands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flaps based on the superficial branch of the radial artery (SUPBRA) are indicated when homo- or heterodigital flaps are inappropriate, but glabrous or like-for-like reconstruction is required. To systematically review the outcomes of hand reconstruction using SUPBRA flaps. PubMed was searched for English-language articles studying SUPBRA flaps in November 2019. Data collected included flap vascular supply, dimensions, complications, donor site closure, and two-point discrimination. Twenty-six papers were eligible (410 flaps). Flaps were classified as glabrous, nonglabrous or combined. Nonglabrous flaps were either free- (52%) or reverse-flow pedicled (1.7%) wrist flaps. Glabrous flaps were either free palmar (36.3%), reverse-flow pedicled palmar (2%), antegrade-flow pedicled palmar (0.2%) or perforator-based island palmar flaps (3.7%). Combined glabrous/nonglabrous flaps formed 4.1% of flaps. Maximal flap dimensions allowing direct closure were: 3.1 × 6 cm for wrist flaps and <3 × 10 cm for glabrous palmar flaps. Combined flaps can be 10 × 16 cm. Overall, complete and partial flap failure rates were 3.17% and 0.98%, respectively. Most complete failures were due to venous thrombosis. All 220 wrist donor sites were closed directly. Two out of 173 palmar donor sites (≥3.1) could not be primarily closed. Wound complications were rare, but 53.4% of free palmar flaps required debulking. The results of neurorrhaphy were inconsistent. Flaps based on the SUPBRA are robust, provide like-for-like reconstruction of glabrous skin defects in one-stage, offer versatility due to diverse skin paddle orientation patterns and are in the same operative field as the defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper presents the RASP (Random Access Stored Program) abstract machine emulator implemented as a plugin for emuStudio – extendable platform for computer architectures emulation. It consists of three submodules – the CPU emulator (the core of the plugin), main memory for storing RASP machine’s program and data and compiler of RASP assembly language. The compiler is able to translate RASP program source code into the form executable by the emulator. The main goal is to provide a supporting tool for Data Structures and Algorithms, respectively other subjects taught at the Department of Computers and Informatics. In addition to this, its aim is also to contribute to emuStudio platform so as to support its further development. There are not many universal software products for computer emulation flexibly extendable by plugins for new architectures and that is why emuStudio deserves our interest. Its flexibility makes it an ideal study supporting tool.

Abstract Background The microbial cell factory Bacillus subtilis is a popular industrial platform for high-level production of secreted technical enzymes. Nonetheless, the effective secretion of particular heterologous enzymes remains challenging. Over the past decades various studies have tackled this problem, and major improvements were achieved by optimizing signal peptides or removing proteases involved in product degradation. On the other hand, serious bottlenecks in the protein export process per se remained enigmatic, especially for protein secretion at commercially significant levels by cells grown to high density. The aim of our present study was to assess the relevance of the intramembrane protease RasP for high-level protein production in B. subtilis. Results Deletion of the rasP gene resulted in reduced precursor processing and extracellular levels of the overproduced α-amylases AmyE from B. subtilis and AmyL from Bacillus licheniformis. Further, secretion of the overproduced serine protease BPN’ from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was severely impaired in the absence of RasP. Importantly, overexpression of rasP resulted in threefold increased production of a serine protease from Bacillus clausii, and 2.5- to 10-fold increased production of an AmyAc α-amylase from Paenibacillus curdlanolyticus, depending on the culture conditions. Of note, growth defects due to overproduction of the two latter enzymes were suppressed by rasP-overexpression. Conclusion Here we show that an intramembrane protease, RasP, sets a limit to high-level production of two secreted heterologous enzymes that are difficult to produce in the B. subtilis cell factory. This finding was unexpected and suggests that proteolytic membrane sanitation is key to effective enzyme production in Bacillus.

Background: Bacillus subtilis is an important industrial workhorse applied in the production of many different commercially relevant proteins, especially enzymes. Virtually all of these proteins are secreted via the general secretion (Sec) pathway. Studies from different laboratories have demonstrated essential or non-essential contributions of various Sec machinery components to protein secretion in B. subtilis. However, a systematic comparison of the impact of each individual Sec machinery component under conditions of high-level protein secretion was so far missing. Results: In the present study, we have compared the contributions of non-essential Sec pathway components and cell envelope-associated proteases on the secretion efficiency of three proteins expressed at high level. This concerned the α-amylases AmyE from B. subtilis and AmyL from Bacillus licheniformis, and the serine protease BPN' from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. We compared the secretion capacity of mutant strains in shake flask cultures, and the respective secretion kinetics by pulse-chase labeling experiments. The results show that secDF, secG or rasP mutations severely affect AmyE, AmyL and BPN' secretion, but the actual effect size depends on the investigated protein. Additionally, the chaperone DnaK is important for BPN' secretion, while AmyE or AmyL secretion are not affected by a dnaK deletion. Further, we assessed the induction of secretion stress responses in mutant strains by examining AmyE- and AmyL-dependent induction of the quality control proteases HtrA and HtrB. Interestingly, the deletion of certain sip genes revealed a strong differential impact of particular signal peptidases on the magnitude of the secretion stress response. Conclusions: The results of the present study highlight the importance of SecDF, SecG and RasP for protein secretion and reveal unexpected differences in the induction of the secretion stress response in different mutant strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strident lobsters of the Palinuridae family emit sounds in the presence of predators that can be used in the acoustic monitoring of such species. This study aims to identify sound emission and describe the structures of sound mechanism in red (Panulirus meripurpuratus) and green (Panulirus laevicauda) Brazilian spiny lobsters. The lobsters were collected in the environment, and recordings were performed in laboratory tanks with submerged hydrophones. The animals were stimulated to emit sound by the presence of an artificial octopus in the tank. The sounds emitted by the lobsters were analyzed by means of the waveform, and the structures involved (plectrum and file) were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both species emitted a rasp sound composed of several pulses, with a rate varying from 125 to 265 pulses per second. The SEM showed that the file is similar between the species and it is covered by microscopic plates (shingles) measuring between 12.6 and 12.9 μm of medial–lateral width and 6.2 μm and 7.1 μm of anteroposterior length. This analysis also revealed for the first time the presence of pores (< 1 μm in diameter) with vestiges of cuticular setae in-between the shingles, which could be involved in the mechanosensory control of sound production in lobsters. The results of this study corroborate the morphological pattern of sound emission structure described for other lobsters of the genus Panulirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • We conduct the first molecular phylogenetic analyses focused on the genus Oxybelis. • The genus Oxybelis diverged from its sister genus Leptophis approximately 20.5 mya. • Oxybelis originated in Central America and subsequently colonized North and South America. • Oxybelis aeneus is likely a species complex that diversified in the Pliocene. Abstract The Brown Vine Snake, Oxybelis aeneus , is considered a single species despite the fact its distribution covers an estimated 10% of the Earth's land surface, inhabiting a variety of ecosystems throughout North, Central, and South America and is distributed across numerous biogeographic barriers. Here we assemble a multilocus molecular dataset (i.e. cyt b , ND4, cmos, PRLR) derived from Middle American populations to examine for the first time the evolutionary history of Oxybelis and test for evidence of cryptic lineages using Bayesian and maximum likelihood criteria. Our divergence time estimates suggest that Oxybelis diverged from its sister genus, Leptophis , approximately 20.5 million years ago (Ma) during the lower-Miocene. Additionally, our phylogenetic and species delimitation results suggest O. aeneus is likely a complex of species showing relatively deep species-level divergences initiated during the Pliocene. Finally, ancestral area reconstructions suggest a Central American origin and subsequent expansion into North and South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to shed light on the influence of Pleistocene geoclimatic events on the current genetic patterns in the flora of the South American Chaqueño Phytogeograpic Domain, we performed phylogeographic and Bayesian ancestral area reconstruction analyses based on plastid DNA sequences of Turnera sidoides. Lineages started to diversify 2.02 Mya, forming two major clades, one comprising extant populations from the western boundary and the other including populations from the eastern boundary of the distribution of T. sidoides. Major divergences within clades occurred at two years 1.44 and 1.72 Mya. Ancestral area reconstruction analyses suggest a western origin of T. sidoides in the Peripampasic Arc. Our results support the hypothesis that Pleistocene geoclimatic events in the Chaqueño Domain played an important role in shaping genetic variation. The establishment of the Arid Diagonal acted as a barrier to gene flow between the western and eastern populations during the Pleistocene Patagonian Glaciations. After this period, the orogeny of the region and Pleistocene climatic oscillations played a role in the divergence of isolated ancestral populations followed by migrations to the Chaco-Pampa plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is critical that a femoral rasp be effective in preparing the proximal femur to accept the size and the geometry of the femoral implant at the time of total hip arthroplasty. Short, tapered femoral stems may be at greater risk because they require the preparation of a short femoral region without any reaming. We undertook a study to determine the effect on implant seating in femora that were prepared by rasping alone with those that were rasped and the canal was washed with saline at the time of cementless THA with a short, tapered femoral implant.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the preoperative, intraoperative, and radiographic data on 170 consecutive patients undergoing a primary THA using a short, taper, uncemented metaphyseal-filling stem. The femur was prepared using a rasp-only technique. In the initial 99 patients, the canal was rasped, but not washed (group 1). In the subsequent 71 patients, the canal was rasped and before implant insertion the canal was washed with 100 cc of normal saline to remove all loose cancellous bone (group 2). Intraoperatively, the distance between the calcar cut and the rasp and subsequently, the calcar cut and the implant was measured. We defined a difference of more than 2 mm between the seating of the rasp and the final implant as a clinically significant mismatch.Results: Overall, a clinically significant mismatch occurred in 50% (49/99) of cases in group 1 and 15% (11/71) in group 2. Multivariate logistic regression analysis corrected for preoperative, intraoperative, and radiographic measurements showed that washing significantly decreased the mismatch between the rasp and the implant (odds ratio, 5.32; confidence interval, 2.10-13.73; P < .001).Conclusion: Although the present rasp design is sufficient to create the geometric space for this short, metaphyseal stem, it does not adequately remove the bone debris to ensure reproducible seating of the implant. Washing the femoral metaphysis with saline to remove bone debris, after rasping and before inserting the final implant, significantly decreased the mismatch between seating of the final rasp and the implant in this cementless short, metaphyseal-filling, taper design stem. Level of Evidence III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Robot-assisted simple prostatectomy (RASP) has excellent outcomes when treating large volume prostates and incorporates the already familiar skills to most robotic surgeons. Our objective was to determine the learning curve for RASP. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of RASP on 120 consecutive cases performed by two experienced robotic surgeons from 2014 to 2017 was conducted. We defined "learning curve" as the point at which operative parameters transition from logarithmic to linear improvement. Scatter plots of operative outcomes were constructed and logarithmic and linear best-fit line were estimated to determine the point of transition from logarithmic to linear improvement. Results: Surgeon 1 operated on 76 cases and surgeon 2 on 44 cases. The median age of the 120 patients who underwent RASP was 70.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 65.0–74.0 years) and median prostate mass was 121.5 g (IQR = 102.0–149.3). Overall, high-grade complication rate was 7.5%; median hematocrit change was 5.4% (IQR = 3.2–7.7) and tissue yield was 61.2 g (IQR = 49.7–76.9). Tissue yield demonstrated logarithmic improvement over the first 12 cases and then transitioned to a linear patter for one surgeon. Operative time in the last 10 cases was statistically different from the first 10 cases (p < 0.01). Drop in hematocrit (ΔHct) for surgeon 2 demonstrated logarithmic improvement for the first 10 cases and then transitioned to a linear pattern. Conclusion: The learning curve for RASP varied depending on the variable examined. Blood loss (ΔHct) and tissue yield showed the greatest improvement over time, but neither showed significant improvement beyond 12 cases. We estimated the learning curve for RASP to be ∼10 to 12 cases for experienced robotic surgeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To report the largest comparative analysis of robotic vs open simple prostatectomy (OSP) for large-volume prostate glands. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 103 patients that underwent open and 64 patients that underwent robotic simple prostatectomy from 2012 to 2016 at a single institution. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed with five covariates, including age, body mass index, race, Charlson comorbidity index, and prostate volume. Perioperative, postoperative, and functional outcomes were compared between groups. Results: After propensity score matching there were 59 patients in each group available for comparison. There was no statistically significant difference between groups for all preoperative demographic variables. Robotic compared with OSP demonstrated a significant shorter average length of stay (LOS) (1.5 vs 2.6 days, p < 0.001), but longer mean operative time (161 vs 93 minutes, p < 0.001). The robotic approach was also associated with a lower estimated blood loss (339 vs 587 mL, p < 0.001) and lower percentage hematocrit drop (12.3% vs 19.5%, p = 0.001). Two patients required blood transfusions in the robot group compared with four in the open group, but this was not significant ( p = 0.271). Improvements in maximal flow rate, International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life, postvoid residual, and postoperative prostate-specific antigen levels were similar before and after surgery for both groups, but there was no difference between groups. There was no difference in complications between groups. Conclusion: Robotic simple prostatectomy is a safe and effective treatment for the surgical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. It provides similar function outcomes to the open approach; however, offers the advantage of reduced LOS and reduced blood loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the RASP (Random Access Stored Program) abstract machine emulator implemented as a plugin for emuStudio - extendable platform for computer architectures emulation. It consists of three submodules - the CPU emulator (the core of the plugin), main memory for storing RASP machine's program and data and compiler of RASP assembly language. The compiler is able to translate RASP program source code into the form executable by the emulator. The main goal is to provide a supporting tool for Data Structures and Algorithms, respectively other subjects taught at the Department of Computers and Informatics. In addition to this, its aim is also to contribute to emuStudio platform so as to support its further development. There are not many universal software products for computer emulation flexibly extendable by plugins for new architectures and that is why emuStudio deserves our interest. Its flexibility makes it an ideal study supporting tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large number of endemic species in Middle America is frequently attributed to the interplay of geographical barriers and historical climatic changes in the region. This process promotes genetic divergence between populations, and given enough time, may yield new species. Animals that inhabit mid-elevation or highland habitats may be disproportionately affected in this way. Genetic analyses of animals in this region allow us to better understand how historical patterns of isolation have influenced the generation of new species in this biodiversity hotspot. We studied the biogeography and systematics of two closely related genera of sparrows (Passerellidae): Melozone and Aimophila . Collectively, this group is distributed from the southwestern United States and southward as far as central Costa Rica. We sampled 81 individuals of 8 Melozone and 2 Aimophila species, from 19 localities distributed throughout their ranges. We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships and time-calibrated species trees using multilocus sequence data comprised of one mitochondrial gene and five nuclear genes. We conducted an ancestral area reconstruction analysis to determine the probability of ancestral range at each divergent event. Despite analyzing six loci, we were unable to obtain a fully resolved phylogenetic tree. We recovered four main lineages: lineage 1 includes four Melozone species distributed north of Isthmus of Tehuantepec ( M. albicollis , M. crissalis , M. aberti , M. fusca ); lineage 2 includes three Melozone species distributed south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec ( M. biarcuata , M. cabanisi , M. leucotis ); lineage 3 lineage consists of a single species endemic to the Pacific coast of Mexico ( M. kieneri ); and lineage 4 includes the more widely distributed sparrows in the genus Aimophila. Our analyses suggest that these genera probably originated during the late Miocene in the Madrean Highlands of southern Mexico. We identified dispersal as the prevalent cause of speciation in this clade with most lineages dispersing to their current distributions from southern Mexico either to the north following a developing and expanding Madro-Tertiary flora, or to the south across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. A similar pattern of dispersal from this biogeographic region has been reported in other taxa including fishes, reptiles, and birds. Our results reveal that the four lineages identified represent geographically coherent and ecologically similar assemblages of taxa. Finally, when our genetic results are considered, along with apparent differences in morphology and song, the allopatric forms M. b. cabanisi and M. l. occipitalis warrant recognition as biological species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The microbial cell factory Bacillus subtilis is a popular industrial platform for high-level production of secreted technical enzymes. Nonetheless, the effective secretion of particular heterologous enzymes remains challenging. Over the past decades various studies have tackled this problem, and major improvements were achieved by optimizing signal peptides or removing proteases involved in product degradation. On the other hand, serious bottlenecks in the protein export process per se remained enigmatic, especially for protein secretion at commercially significant levels by cells grown to high density. The aim of our present study was to assess the relevance of the intramembrane protease RasP for high-level protein production in B. subtilis. Results: Deletion of the rasP gene resulted in reduced precursor processing and extracellular levels of the overproduced α-amylases AmyE from B. subtilis and AmyL from Bacillus licheniformis. Further, secretion of the overproduced serine protease BPN’ from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was severely impaired in the absence of RasP. Importantly, overexpression of rasP resulted in threefold increased production of a serine protease from Bacillus clausii, and 2.5- to 10-fold increased production of an AmyAc α-amylase from Paenibacillus curdlanolyticus, depending on the culture conditions. Of note, growth defects due to overproduction of the two latter enzymes were suppressed by rasP-overexpression. Conclusion: Here we show that an intramembrane protease, RasP, sets a limit to high-level production of two secreted heterologous enzymes that are difficult to produce in the B. subtilis cell factory. This finding was unexpected and suggests that proteolytic membrane sanitation is key to effective enzyme production in Bacillus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]