bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collective Choice of Working Conditions: Hours in British and U.S. Iron and Steel, 1890–1923
Authors: Shiells Martha Ellen
Published: September 2009

Twelve-hour days persisted in British and U.S. iron and steel after most industrial workers worked eight-hour days. When shorter hours finally came, sooner in Britain, they came abruptly. This article presents a model of working hours as public goods; when job attributes are shared there is a collective choice problem. In Britain, a collective bargaining mechanism reconciled the preferences of workers and capital owners and facilitated the move to shorter hours. In the United States immigrants had been willing to work long hours. When immigration was cut off, the government intervened.
The Treasury As Developer-Capitalist? British New Town Building in the 1950s
Authors: Heim Carol E.
Published: September 2009

In the 1950s the British Treasury made an unusual departure from its traditional effort to minimize government spending, arguing that publicly funded development corporations rather than private developers should build town centers in New Towns so as to reap returns from property development. Often associated with frontier growth, development gain is partly created by the state and can only emerge and be realized with the passage of time and the evolution of expectations. Divisions within the state kept Treasury officials from fully securing a greater public role in New Town center building.
Modes of Labor Control in Cattle-Ranching Economies: California, Southern Brazil, and Argentina, 1820–1860
Authors: Salvatore Ricardo D.
Published: September 2009

The ranching economies of California, southern Brazil, and Argentina resorted to different mechanisms of labor control in order to meet the growing demand for their products. Each area used different combinations of slave and wage labor as well as sharecropping arrangements, and these varied over time. I argue that this diversity cannot be explained by differences in the regions' modes of production or relative factor endowments. An alternative interpretive framework that incorporates social conflicts, civil strife, and the interaction between ranchers and the state is needed to explain the differences in modes of labor control.
Land Rents and Agricultural Productivity: The Paris Basin, 1450–1789
Authors: Hoffman Philip T.
Published: September 2009

Using evidence from leases and price series, this article examines the total factor productivity of farming in the Paris Basin between 1450 and 1789. Existing evidence about productivity is unreliable, the article argues, and the leases provide historians with a new and valuable source for the study of productivity and economic growth. The article defends the methods used with the leases, which point to spurts of noteworthy growth on local farms but also to setbacks during times of war and increased taxation. It concludes with an analysis of the causes of economic growth in preindustrial agriculture.
The Economic Impact of Disease in the American South, 1860–1940
Authors: Brinkley Garland L.
Published: September 2009

Few economic historians have addressed the impact of poor health on economic productivity.1 This relationship, neglected and poorly understood, is the subject of my dissertation. Specifically, the dissertation examines the effect of a chronic debilitating disease on agricultural productivity in the American South between 1860 and 1940. As is well known, per capita gross agricultural output dropped sharply during the Civil War decade and remained low until 1910. Contrary to what one would expect, between 1870 and 1910 agricultural output was lowest in sandy soil regions and highest in regions composed mostly of clay soil. A rapid expansion of per capita agricultural output occurred after 1910. The income decline of the Civil War decade and subsequent increase of the post-1910 era were also related to soil region, with the greatest income swing occurring in sandy soil regions.
Uneven World Development
Authors: Jones E. L.
Published: September 2009

Every so often a maverick knight sets off into the dark forest looking for the Holy Grail of “why isn’t the whole world developed?” In this book, which has the heavy bibliographical armor of thegenreand 40 pages of appendices too, John Powelson reports on his quest. He claims to have found in a concept called “power diffusion” a significant part of the answer to two related questions: why did the modem economy first appear in northwestern Europe and Japan, and what characteristics of those regions account for their ability to sustain economic growth? Growth is to him the serendipitous outcome of seemingly unconnected events, and he defines sustained growth as that which lasts a century or more.
Why Problems Do Not Go Away: The Case of Inflation
Authors: Tuma Elias H.
Published: September 2009

Problems persist despite efforts to solve them because those efforts are irrelevant, inadequate, or unsupported. A behavioral structure consisting of the philosophy of the system in which the problem resides, its institutions, administration, and the operation that implements its policies is devised to analyze persistent problems such as inequality, underdevelopment, and inflation. As a chronic problem in the United States and other capitalist economies, inflation reflects a contradiction within the behavioral structure. Its resolution requires reinstatement of perfect competition, which is improbable, or change of the philosophy, which is revolutionary and equally improbable; hence, inflation will persist regardless of the measures taken against it.
Bank Portfolios and Bank Failures During the Great Depression: Chicago
Authors: Esbitt Milton
Published: September 2009

Bank failures in Chicago during 1930–1932 are examined to determine whether failures were attributable to poor management practices or to worsening economic conditions. Non-Loop state-chartered banks were divided into those which did not fail and those which failed in 1930, 1931, and 1932. Portfolio variables which contemporary writers held were indicative of poor management practices are used in a multiple discriminant analysis. Using semiannual bank call reports from December 1927 through December 1929, support was found for the poor management hypothesis only for banks destined to fail in 1931
Agricultural Investment and the Management of the Royal Demesne Manors, 1236–1240
Authors: Stacey Robert C.
Published: September 2009

Between 1236 and 1240 the king's estate steward Walter de Burgo improved the productivity of about forty royal manors by systematically increasing agricultural investment to levels four to five times the medieval average. On estates where he managed the inland directly, de Burgo improved the quality of the draft animals and spent large sums on marling, smother crops, and on the purchase of foreign seed. Within four years he raised the net value of these manors 70 percent, thus demonstrating the direct link which could exist between investment levels and productivity in medieval agriculture.
Resource Endowments and Location Theory in Economic History: A Case Study of Quebec and Ontario at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
Authors: Altman Morris
Published: September 2009

The hypothesis that a region's or nation's laggard industrial development can be explained by its relatively more expensive supplies of coal and iron ore is challenged here. A simple model, based on location theory, is developed. Using this model, I demonstrate the conditions under which this hypothesis holds. A case study of Quebec and Ontario industry suggests that the differential resource cost hypothesis seriously lacks explanatory power.
The evolution of the Hong Kong currency board during global exchange rate instability, 1967–1973
Authors: Schenk Catherine R.
Published: September 2009

Hong Kong SAR is well known as one of the few economies to operate a form of currency board as the basis of its monetary system. This system arose out of colonial status and has been retained except for a period of floating from 1975-83 to the present day, with some amendments. This article explores the evolution of the Exchange Fund during a period of global exchange rate instability showing that the abandonment of the monetary anchor in 1975 was part of a series of innovations to the use of the Fund as the colonial government sought to manage the exchange rate risks posed by the collapse of the Bretton Woods system.
Expression and role of adiponectin receptor 1 in lipopolysaccharide‐induced proliferation of cultured rat adventitial fibroblasts
Authors: Xiao‐jun Cai , Min Feng , Liang Chen , Li Li , Yuan‐yuan Rong , Xiao‐bo Hu , Rong Wang , Ming‐xiang Zhang , Yun Zhang , Mei Zhang
Published: September 2009

Adiponectin is an adipose‐derived hormone that has anti‐diabetic and anti‐atherogenic effects through interaction with AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 (adiponectin receptors 1 and 2), but little is known about the expression and function of adiponectin and its receptors in adventitia and adventitial fibroblasts. In the present study, we have demonstrated that AdipoR1 is highly expressed in rat adventitia and cultured adventitial fibroblasts by quantitative real‐time PCR, Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining, whereas Adipo2 is low‐expressed. The expression of AdipoR1 have been observed to decrease gradually in adventitial fibroblasts in response to LPS (lipopolysaccharide) treatment. No local expression of adiponectin has been detected in adventitial tissues, indicating that serum adiponectin is the ligand for AdipoR1 in adventitial fibroblasts. In addition, treatment of recombinant adiponectin inhibited LPS‐induced proliferation of adventitial fibroblasts via activation of the AMPK (adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase). AdipoR1 siRNA (small interfering RNA) transfection potently knocked down the receptor protein. The siRNA‐AdipoR1 transfected cells and AMPK inhibitor compound C treated cells showed decreased phosphorylated level of AMPK as determined by Western blot analysis, and increased the proliferation of adventitial fibroblasts as determined by BrdU (5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine) staining. These results demonstrated that adiponectin stimulates the proliferation of adventitial fibroblasts via the AdipoR1 and AMPK signalling pathways.
Undertaking participatory research at a national scale: the Biodiversity in Grain & Graze approach
Authors: Bridle K. L. , Price R. J.
Published: September 2009

Limited information is available on the management and delivery of national-scale biodiversity projects. Even less information is available on such projects operating in agricultural matrices, particularly how they address the expectations of multiple stakeholders from paddock to farm, regional and national scales. This paper describes the approach taken to implement and deliver the Biodiversity in Grain & Graze project, which was national in focus, regional in operation and local in delivery. The project was instigated by four research and development corporation partners who were keen to connect the interests of mixed-farming producers to the environmental goals of nine collaborating regions across Australia. One aim of the project was to engage producers in participatory research on the biodiversity values of mixed-farming systems. This aim could not have been met without considerable effort building regional capacity in biodiversity research and developing a national network of researchers, regional extension staff and stakeholders. This national network was engaged primarily through program and project workshops, regular electronic communications and site visits. Levels of engagement were high, resulting in a sense of ownership by all stakeholders, counteracting to some degree the ill feeling associated with the late inclusion of the biodiversity project to regional activities. Issues relating to goal confusion were evident throughout the whole project, despite a concerted effort by the project team to address such tensions. Previous studies have indicated, and we concur, that biodiversity components need to be built into programs like Grain & Graze at the beginning, and need to be developed in consultation with farmers, regional agencies and research organisations to ensure that expectations are shared and the project is fully supported.
Verbs with a sentential subject
Authors: Salkoff Morris
Published: September 2009

Summary

A sub-set of the psych verbs whose subject is a sentential clause and whose object is a human noun, the experiencer, has been studied in its lexical extension. The transformations that can be applied to the paradigm sentence are studied in detail, and their acceptability (or not) plus various syntactic properties are noted for each verb in a table. Two surprising results emerge from this study. (1) All the verbs can be classified with confidence into three semantic groups: the first two contain verbs referring respectively to a mental or a physical change in the experiencer, and the third contains verbs making an observation or judgment about the experiencer. (2) A group of reflexive psych verbs has been observed that has hitherto escaped notice.
Comparison of different methods for thin section EM analysis of Mycobacterium smegmatis
Authors: BLECK C.K.E. , MERZ A. , GUTIERREZ M.G. , WALTHER P. , DUBOCHET J. , ZUBER B. , GRIFFITHS G.
Published: September 2009

Bacteria are generally difficult specimens to prepare for conventional resin section electron microscopy and mycobacteria, with their thick and complex cell envelope layers being especially prone to artefacts. Here we made a systematic comparison of different methods for preparing Mycobacterium smegmatis for thin section electron microscopy analysis. These methods were: (1) conventional preparation by fixatives and epoxy resins at ambient temperature. (2) Tokuyasu cryo‐section of chemically fixed bacteria. (3) rapid freezing followed by freeze substitution and embedding in epoxy resin at room temperature or (4) combined with Lowicryl HM20 embedding and ultraviolet (UV) polymerization at low temperature and (5) CEMOVIS, or cryo electron microscopy of vitreous sections. The best preservation of bacteria was obtained with the cryo electron microscopy of vitreous sections method, as expected, especially with respect to the preservation of the cell envelope and lipid bodies. By comparison with cryo electron microscopy of vitreous sections both the conventional and Tokuyasu methods produced different, undesirable artefacts. The two different types of freeze‐substitution protocols showed variable preservation of the cell envelope but gave acceptable preservation of the cytoplasm, but not lipid bodies, and bacterial DNA. In conclusion although cryo electron microscopy of vitreous sections must be considered the ‘gold standard’ among sectioning methods for electron microscopy, because it avoids solvents and stains, the use of optimally prepared freeze substitution also offers some advantages for ultrastructural analysis of bacteria.
Cough‐reflex sensitivity to inhaled capsaicin in COPD associated with increased exacerbation frequency
Authors: TERADA Kunihiko , MURO Shigeo , OHARA Tadashi , HARUNA Akane , MARUMO Satoshi , KUDO Megumi , OGAWA Emiko , HOSHINO Yuma , HIRAI Toyohiro , NIIMI Akio , MISHIMA Michiaki
Published: September 2009

Background and objective:  The causes of exacerbations in COPD patients are poorly understood. This study examined the association between cough‐reflex sensitivity in patients with stable COPD and the frequency of subsequent exacerbations.

Methods:  The sampling frame for cases and controls for this study was patients attending a hospital outpatient clinic. cough‐reflex sensitivity was evaluated using the log concentration of capsaicin causing five or more coughs (log C5). Subsequent COPD exacerbations were identified prospectively via symptom‐based diaries over a 12‐month period.

Results:  The study group comprised 45 COPD subjects and 10 controls. Mean log C5 was lower in the COPD group than in the control group (0.97 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76–1.18) versus 1.26 (95% CI: 0.81–1.71), P = 0.095). In the COPD group, log C5 was negatively correlated with serum CRP level (r = −0.36, P = 0.02) and significantly associated with the exacerbation frequency (r = −0.38, P = 0.01). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that cough‐reflex sensitivity was significantly associated with exacerbation frequency (r2 = 0.15, P = 0.01).

Conclusions:  Hypersensitivity of the cough reflex to inhaled capsaicin might reflect airway inflammation in stable COPD patients, which predisposes to frequent exacerbations.
Perceptions of women and health‐care providers in Tokyo of appropriate weight gain during pregnancy
Authors: Haruna Megumi , Yeo SeonAe , Watanabe Etsuko , Matsuzaki Masayo , Ota Erika , Nakayama Kae , Murashima Sachiyo
Published: September 2009

A mother's underweight status and insufficient weight gain during pregnancy are risk factors for infant low birthweight. Concerns have been raised regarding whether pregnant women are provided with accurate information about weight gain. This study explored how and from whom pregnant women in Tokyo receive information related to body weight. Four focus groups were conducted with nine pregnant women, nine nurse‐midwives, and eight obstetricians between March and June 2006. The recorded interviews were content‐analyzed. Weight gain was a common concern among the participants, regardless of the women's body size, and sufficient weight gain was rarely mentioned. However, the health‐care providers were aware of their lack of expertise and training in behavior modification. Pregnant women consistently expressed a desire for reassurance and praise from health‐care providers, which might be a culture‐specific phenomenon. The findings point to a need for culturally appropriate and accurate communication about weight gain during pregnancy.
From human tissue to animal models: Insights into the pathogenesis of cortical dysplasia
Authors: D’Arcangelo Gabriella
Published: September 2009

Cortical dysplasia, a malformation of the cerebral cortex of developmental origin, accounts for most cases of drug‐resistant childhood epilepsy. Despite its prevalence, the genetic and molecular bases for the disease are not known for most cases. With the exception of tuberous sclerosis complex, a type of cortical malformation with known genetic etiology, no mutated genes have been identified that can lead to the neuroanatomic abnormalities observed in the patients. Furthermore, there are currently no animal models that completely recapitulate the features of the disease, hindering progress in developing new treatments for this devastating condition. In this article, I review some of the approaches that researchers in the field are undertaking to utilize the biopsy tissue obtained from patients with cortical dysplasia who are undergoing epilepsy surgery. These multifaceted approaches are providing a plethora of new information that is then utilized to generate and evaluate animal models and to further our understanding of the disease. These studies will enable the development of novel antiepileptic treatments for patients with cortical dysplasia and similar disorders.
The Effects of Soil Environment on Postmortem Interval: A Macroscopic Analysis
Authors: Jaggers Kimberley A. , Rogers Tracy L.
Published: September 2009

Abstract:  Burial environment, in particular soil moisture, has a significant impact on the type, rate, and extent of bone degradation, which ultimately affects estimations of the postmortem interval (PMI). The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of soil moisture on the color, weight, condition, and texture of bone as it relates to the PMI. Bone changes occurring over two different time intervals (2 and 5 months) were examined using 120 sus scrofa leg bones. During each time interval bones were buried in two soil environments, one of which was drier than the other. The bones in both environments lost weight over time but the net weight loss was greater for bones in the higher moisture environment. There was no change in color, texture, or overall condition, indicating that 150 days is not long enough for such alterations to occur, regardless of the moisture level of the burial environment.
GRB090111: extra soft steep-decay emission and peculiar rebrightening
Authors: Margutti R. , Sakamoto T. , Chincarini G. , Guidorzi C. , Mao J. , Pasotti F. , Burrows D. , D'Avanzo P. , Campana S. , Barthelmy S. D. , Gehrels N.
Published: September 2009

We present a detailed study of GRB090111, focusing on its extra soft power-law photon index Γ > 5 at the very steep-decay phase emission (power-law index α= 5.1, steeper than 96 per cent of gamma-ray bursts detected by Swift) and the following peculiar X-ray rebrightening. Our spectral analysis supports the hypothesis of a comoving band spectrum with the peak of the νFν spectrum evolving with time to lower values: a period of higher temporal variability in the 1–2 keV light curve ends when the Epeak evolves outside the energy band. The X-ray rebrightening shows extreme temporal properties when compared to a homogeneous sample of 82 early flares detected by Swift. While an internal origin cannot be excluded, we show these properties to be consistent with the energy injection in refreshed shocks produced by slow shells colliding with the fastest ones from behind, well after the internal shocks that are believed to give rise to the prompt emission have ceased.
Modelling the Burden of Stroke in Finland until 2030
Authors: Sivenius J. , Torppa J. , Tuomilehto J. , Immonen-Räihä P. , Kaarisalo M. , Sarti C. , Kuulasmaa K. , Mähönen M. , Lehtonen A. , Salomaa V.
Published: September 2009

Background

It is well known that increasing age is the strongest risk factor of stroke. Therefore, it has been a common belief in many countries including Finland that the numbers of stroke patients will increase considerably during the next two decades because the population is rapidly ageing.

Methods

The FINMONICA and FINSTROKE registers operated in Finland in the Kuopio area and city of Turku from 1983 to 1997. The results showed that the incidence, mortality and case fatality of stroke declined significantly during that period. Importantly, it was established that the trends in incidence and mortality were also declining among the elderly (>74 years). We used these results to create a model for the entire country. The model was based on the trends present in these registers from Turku and Kuopio area and age-specific population projections up to the year 2030 that were obtained from Statistics Finland.

Results

In the year 2000, the number of new first stroke cases was estimated to be 11500. If the declining trend were to level off totally after the year 2000, the number of new strokes would be 20100 in the year 2030 due to the ageing of the population. It would be 12100 if the trend continued as favourable as during the years 1983–1997.

Conclusions

Ageing of the population will not inevitably increase the burden of stroke in Finland if the present declining trends are maintained, but the annual number of cases will almost double if the incidence remains at the level of the year 2000.
Effects of Hydrostatic Pressure/Heat Combinations on Water Uptake and Gelatinization Characteristics of Japonica Rice Grains: A Kinetic Study
Authors: Huang Shih‐Li , Jao Chia‐Ling , Hsu Kuo‐Chiang
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACT:  The combination effects of pressure (200 to 500 MPa) and temperature (20, 40, and 50 °C) on the water uptake and gelatinization characteristics of japonica rice (Tainung 71) grains were investigated. Pressure greater than 200 MPa at all temperatures increased the moisture content and volume of rice grains; meanwhile, the increase content of rice grain volume showed a high correlation with that of moisture content (r2= 0.96). The highest degree of gelatinization of 73% was observed at 500 MPa and 50 °C for 120 min, while gelatinization did not occur at pressures below 300 MPa and temperatures of 20 and 40 °C. The rate of gelatinization followed the 1st‐order kinetics at each temperature and pressure. The higher pressures and temperatures would result in higher values of rate constant k which could be correlated with both pressure and temperature by combining Arrhenius and Eyring models.
Changes in Tenderness, Color, and Water Holding Capacity of Broiler Breast Meat during Postdeboning Aging
Authors: Lee Y.S. , Owens C.M. , Meullenet J.F.
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACT:  The impact of postharvest aging on the tenderness, color, water holding capacity, and appearance of broiler breast fillets after deboning was investigated. A total of 360 broilers were processed and deboned at either 1.5‐, 3‐, or 6‐h postmortem (PM) and aged at 4 ± 1 °C for up to 6 d. Tenderness was predicted by the Meullenet–Owens razor shear. Drip loss, cook loss, color, and muscle‐shape profiles were also evaluated during the 6‐d aging duration. Deboned fillets were in the tenderness range corresponding to “neither tough nor tender” for the first 2 d of aging and changed into “slightly tender” after 3 d of aging according to the instrument‐tenderness perception equivalent scale. Tenderization due to postdeboning aging seemed to be more pronounced for fillets deboned in a prerigor state (that is, 1.5‐ and 3‐h PM). Over the aging period, tenderness improved by 6.9 and 7.4 percentage points for the 1.5‐ and 3‐h PM treatments, respectively, while those fillets deboned in a postrigor state (6‐h PM) exhibited no significant difference in tenderness. Drip and cook loss of fillets consistently increased over the aging period. The color of fillets tended to become less red and more yellow during aging although there was no significant difference in L*. Overall, the tenderizing effects of deboned broiler breast fillets during the storage of 6 d were minimal but seemed to be affected by fillet height and length as determined through analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and K‐means clustering analysis. Thicker and tougher fillets were more susceptible to the tenderizing effects during postdeboning aging.
Strategies of Constructing Social Identities in conflict‐Ridden Areas: The Case of Young Jews, Arabs and Palestinians
Authors: Moore Dahlia , Aweiss Salem
Published: September 2009

Combining several social‐psychological and sociological perspectives to examine the relative importance of diverse social identity components in Israeli and Palestinian societies, this study uses identity as a key concept in understanding how diverse social orders can simultaneously exist within a single societal entity. Analysing a sample of over 3,800 Jewish, Arab, and Palestinian high school students we find that family identity is the most salient among Jews and Arabs today, while the civic (Palestinian) identity is the most salient among Palestinians. Moreover, each social identity entails a different attitudinal and demographic profile. The findings seem to indicate that the value systems (according to which the collective is more important than the individual) that prevailed among Jews in Israel in the state's formative years are declining, while such value systems are currently prevalent in Palestinian society. Implications for the conflict between the two societies are also discussed.
QSAR analysis of 2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine analogues of antibacterials
Authors: Sawant Ramesh L. , Bhatia Manish S.
Published: September 2009

QSAR analysis of two sets of analogues of 2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine was performed to investigate the relationship between their physicochemical parameters and antibacterial activity. Predictive and statistically significant models were generated. On the basis of these models new compounds were synthesized, structurally characterized and evaluated for their antibacterial potential. The potential of newly synthesized compounds was higher than the training set of compounds, in close agreement with QSAR prediction.
A TWO-STAGE FLOWSHOP SCHEDULING WITH LIMITED BUFFER STORAGE
Authors: SU LING-HUEY , YANG DAR-LI , CHOU HOU-KUAN
Published: September 2009

This study addresses a two-stage flowshop with a batch machine in stage 1 and a discrete machine in stage 2, subject to the constraint that the input buffer of the discrete machine can only host limited number of jobs. The batch machine processes a batch of jobs simultaneously, and the discrete machine processes one job at a time. The objective function of the problem is the makespan minimization. Several properties are proposed to solve the special case of the problem optimally. An effective heuristic is presented, and a branch-and-bound procedure is proposed for benchmarking. Extensive experimentation shows that the heuristic yields good results.
SUPERSYMMETRY AND DIMENSIONALITY IN THE SUPERSTRING THEORY
Authors: POLLOCK M. D.
Published: September 2009

The realization of non-linear global supersymmetry in the superstring theory requires the quadratic fermionic Lagrangian [Formula: see text], defined from the D-dimensional, Minkowski-space energy–momentum tensor Tmn, to have the same form as the quadratic gravitational contribution [Formula: see text] to the superstring Lagrangian. Here, we prove that this condition is only satisfied for the heterotic string theory after reduction to D = 4, irrespective of whether the original source of [Formula: see text] in ten or twenty-six dimensions is the quadratic term [Formula: see text] or the quartic term [Formula: see text]. If [Formula: see text] derives from [Formula: see text], the solution is D = 4 (or the unphysical value D = 1), while if we suppose that D≠4 and [Formula: see text] dominates, we obtain the (singular) solution (D-2)3 = 0. The world sheet is also discussed. The bosonic string and type-II superstring, on the other hand, yield solutions for D which are complex, non-integral, or at the singular point D = 2, where the Einstein equations hold identically.
UNPARTICLES IN GLUODYNAMICS
Authors: ALAN A. T.
Published: September 2009

The virtual effects of unparticle physics on the two-gluon jets production are explored for CERN LHC. It is found that depending on the scale dimension, unparticles can give rise to substantial enhancements in the transverse momentum and pseudorapidity distributions of hadronic cross-sections, up to a factor of four-orders of magnitude.
PERTURBATIVE EXPANSIONS AROUND A STRING TOPOLOGICAL SECTOR AND THE EMERGING OF WORLDSURFACE GRAVITONS
Authors: CARTAS-FUENTEVILLA R. , BLANNO-MARTINEZ O.
Published: September 2009

Considering perturbative expansions around the topological sector described by the number of handles of the string worldsurface, we show that a spin-2 field is surrounding such a sector. This graviton-like field satisfies wave-like equations of motion on the worldsurface; the massive and massless modes are present and are discussed in detail. The action and the corresponding partition function are constructed and their properties are discussed. The results show how the perturbations of topological sectors may generate transitions from a state with no metric to another possessing such a structure, emerging spontaneously the unavoidable part of the spectrum of the string, a graviton-like field.
THE MORPHOLOGY OF HUMAN ACTIONS: FINDING ESSENTIAL ACTUATORS, MOTION PATTERNS, AND THEIR COORDINATION
Authors: GUERRA-FILHO GUTEMBERG
Published: September 2009

In this paper, we present the steps required for the construction of a praxicon, a structured lexicon of human actions, through the learning of grammar systems for human actions. The discovery of a Human Activity Language involves learning the syntax of human motion which requires the construction of this praxicon. The morphology inference process assumes that a non-arbitrary symbolic representation of the human movement is given. Thus, to analyze the morphology of a particular action, we are given a symbolic representation for the motion of each actuator associated with several repeated performances of this action. As a formal model, we propose a new Parallel Synchronous Grammar System where each component grammar corresponds to an actuator. We present a novel parallel learning algorithm to induce this grammar system. Our representation explicitly contains the set of joints (degrees of freedom) actually responsible for achieving the goal aimed by the activity, the motion performed by each participating actuator, and the synchronization rules modeling coordination among these actuators. We evaluated our inference approach with synthetic data and real human motion data. The algorithm manages to induce the correct grammar system even when the input contains noise. Therefore, our approach was successful in both representational and learning aspects, and may serve as a tool to parse movement, learn patterns, and to generate actions.
Preclinical biomarkers for a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor translate to candidate pharmacodynamic biomarkers in phase I patients
Authors: Berkofsky-Fessler Windy , Nguyen Tri Q. , Delmar Paul , Molnos Juliette , Kanwal Charu , DePinto Wanda , Rosinski James , McLoughlin Patricia , Ritland Steve , DeMario Mark , Tobon Krishna , Reidhaar-Olson John F. , Rueger Ruediger , Hilton Holly
Published: September 2009

A genomics-based approach to identify pharmacodynamic biomarkers was used for a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitory drug. R547 is a potent cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor with a potent antiproliferative effect at pharmacologically relevant doses and is currently in phase I clinical trials. Using preclinical data derived from microarray experiments, we identified pharmacodynamic biomarkers to test in blood samples from patients in clinical trials. These candidate biomarkers were chosen based on several criteria: relevance to the mechanism of action of R547, dose responsiveness in preclinical models, and measurable expression in blood samples. We identified 26 potential biomarkers of R547 action and tested their clinical validity in patient blood samples by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Based on the results, eight genes (FLJ44342, CD86, EGR1, MKI67, CCNB1, JUN, HEXIM1, and PFAAP5) were selected as dose-responsive pharmacodynamic biomarkers for phase II clinical trials. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(9):2517–25]
Revising the Ensemble-Based Kalman Filter Covariance for the Retrieval of Deep-Layer Soil Moisture
Authors: Zhang Shu-Wen , Zeng Xubin , Zhang Weidong , Barlage Michael
Published: September 2009

Previous studies have demonstrated that soil moisture in the top layers (e.g., within the top 1-m depth) can be retrieved by assimilating near-surface soil moisture observations into a land surface model using ensemble-based data assimilation algorithms. However, it remains a challenging issue to provide good estimates of soil moisture in the deep layers, because the error correlation between the surface and deep layers is low and hence is easily influenced by the physically limited range of soil moisture, probably resulting in a large noise-to-signal ratio. Furthermore, the temporally correlated errors between the surface and deep layers and the nonlinearity of the system make the retrieval even more difficult. To tackle these problems, a revised ensemble-based Kalman filter covariance method is proposed by constraining error covariance estimates in deep layers in two ways: 1) explicitly using the error covariance at the previous time step and 2) limiting the increase of the soil moisture error correlation with the increase of the vertical distance between the two layers. This method is then tested at three separate point locations representing different precipitation regimes. It is found that the proposed method can effectively control the abrupt changes of error covariance estimates between the surface layer and two deep layers. It significantly improves the estimates of soil moisture in the two deep layers with daily updating. For example, relative to the initial background error, after 150 daily updates, the error in the deepest layer reduces to 11.4%, 32.3%, and 27.1% at the wet, dry, and medium wetness locations, only reducing to 62.3%, 80.8%, and 47.5% with the original method, respectively. However, the improvement of deep-layer soil moisture retrieval is very slight when the updating frequency is reduced to once every three days.
The Creation of Indigenous Leadership in a Spanish Town: Zacatecas, Mexico, 1609–1752
Authors: Murillo Dana Velasco
Published: September 2009

This article discusses the creation and evolution of indigenous government in the colonial silver-mining town of Zacatecas. Initially, nonnoble native migrants from central and western Mexico constituted the basis of the city's indigenous population. Living in informal settlements on the outskirts of town, indigenous communities possessed no hereditary leaders and few vehicles for redress and governance. Over time, the city's indigenous groups adopted the Spanish cabildo (municipal council) and established four juridically autonomous Indian towns. This article considers how the development of indigenous cabildos in Zacatecas unified the city's disparate ethnic groups, converted Indian settlements into formal sociopolitical entities, created an official leadership class, and contributed to the perpetuation of a corporate indigenous identity within the city through the late colonial period.
Synchrotron Radiation Study of Second-Phase Particles and Alloying Elements in Zirconium Alloys
Authors: Motta AT , Erwin KT , Delaire O , Birtcher RC , Chu Y , Maser J , Mancini DC , Lai B
Published: September 2009

We have conducted a study of second phase particles and matrix alloying element concentrations in zirconium alloys using synchrotron radiation from the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory. The high flux of synchrotron radiation delivered at the 2BM beamline, compared to conventional X-ray generators, enables the detection of very small precipitate volume fractions. We detected the standard C14 hep Zr(Cr,Fe)2 precipitates (the stable second phase in Zircaloy-4) in the bulk material at a cumulative annealing parameter as low as 10-20 h, and we followed the kinetics of precipitation and growth as a function of the cumulative annealing parameter (CAP) in the range 10-22 (quench) to 10-16 h. In addition, the unique combination of spatial resolution and elemental sensitivity of the 2ID-D/E microbeam line at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne (APS) allows study of the alloying element concentrations at ppm levels in an area as small as 0.2 X 0.3 μm. We used X-ray fluorescence induced by this sub-micron X-ray beam to determine the concentration of these alloying elements in the matrix as a function of alloy type and thermal history. We discuss these results and the potential of synchrotron radiation-based techniques for studying zirconium alloys.
Development of Crystallographic Texture in CANDU Calandria Tubes
Authors: Theaker JR , Coleman CE
Published: September 2009

The Zircaloy-2 calandria tubes in a CANDU nuclear reactor separate the hot Zr-2.5Nb pressure tubes from the cool moderator. These tubes are about 6 m long, have an outside diameter of 132 mm, and a wall thickness of 1.4 mm. To date, their performance has been exemplary. A possible feature for future reactors is to increase the strength of these calandria tubes to reduce the economic consequences of a hypothetical accident. The current method of fabrication is to form a sheet of Zircaloy-2 into a cylinder, then weld along the length. In fixed-end burst tests such tubes always fracture in the weld area because of the differences in crystallographic texture between the parent metal and the weld; eliminating the weld would increase the strength and ductility of the tube. We have evaluated four manufacturing routes for seamless tubes. To realize high biaxial strength, we require a large fraction of basal plane normals in the radial direction, FR. This paper describes these manufacturing routes, the calandria tube properties generated by the individual manufacturing routes, and their applicability for the CANDU system. The results show that the biaxial strength of a seamless calandria tube becomes greater with an increase in FR, which is related to the amount of cold work used to make the tubes, with saturation in FR after about 95% cold work. The results are interpreted in terms of anisotropic factors determined from uniaxial tension tests.
The Effect of Short-Term Dry-Out Transients on the Cladding Properties of Fresh and Pre-Irradiated Fuel Rods
Authors: McGrath MA , Oberländer BC , Thorshaug S , Ruhmann H , Anegawa T , Hara T
Published: September 2009

Thermal-hydraulic transients in LWRs can result in short-term dry-out at the fuel rod surface with subsequent temperature increases of the cladding. In order to assess post dry-out fuel performance, it is necessary to know what effect such transient heating has on the microstructural and mechanical properties of irradiated Zircaloy cladding, and for this reason a series of dry-out experiments were carried out at the Halden Reactor Project.

Two fresh and six pre-irradiated (22 to 40 MWd/kgU) fuel rod segments were individually exposed to reduced or no-flow conditions in a heated light water loop within the Halden reactor. Surface thermocouples were used to monitor clad temperature during the dry-out events together with clad elongation detectors. Dry-out occurred over the upper region of each rod, but due to poor thermal contact between some of the thermocouples and the cladding, six of the rods were more severely tested than planned. These six rods developed peak clad temperatures (PCTs) in the range 950 to 1200°C, while PCTs of 750 to 850°C occurred in the other two rods as planned.

Clad surface condition and fuel rod dimensions were assessed post dry-out followed by destructive PIE to investigate clad microstructure and mechanical properties. Some rods exhibited clad collapse into pellet-pellet interfaces, and in the most severely tested rods the clad had undergone α to β phase transformation. The material with a quenched, former β-grain structure exhibited reduced UTS and brittle fracture in testing at room temperature, but did not fail in-pile. Significant improvement in ductility was observed in clad that had been exposed to the less severe transients, where a small α-phase grain structure was retained.
Influence of Hydrogen Content on the α/β Phase Transformation Temperatures and on the Thermal-Mechanical Behavior of Zy-4, M4 (ZrSnFeV), and M5™ (ZrNbO) Alloys During the First Phase of LOCA Transient
Authors: Brachet J-C , Portier L , Forgeron T , Hivroz J , Hamon D , Guilbert T , Bredel T , Yvon P , Mardon J-P , Jacques P
Published: September 2009

To simulate the end-of-life behavior of cladding tubes during the first phase of a LOCA transient, one may assume that the main effect of a long service exposure on the cladding deformation behavior during LOCA arises from the hydrogen uptake associated with the cladding oxidation at high burn-up. Thus, the recent metallurgical studies and EDGAR [2] tests performed on pre-hydrided Zr-base alloys are presented. The influence of hydrogen has been studied for concentrations ranging from ∼ 100 up to ∼1000 (weight) ppm on FramatomeANP low-tin Zy-4, M4 (ZrSnFeV), and M5™(ZrNbO) alloys.

The decrease of the α/β phase transformation temperatures with the increase of the hydrogen content is noticeable and has been quantified, and then modeled, for both quasi-equilibrium (calorimetry) and dynamic (dilatometry) conditions for heating rates up to 100°C/s. Some complementary microstructural examinations on hydrided samples, beforehand partially transformed into β phase, have been performed to get a better insight of the metallurgical features associated with the hydrogen effects. Finally, the EDGAR thermal-mechanical test results are presented and discussed. The alloys have been tested under steady state conditions of pressure and temperature, on the one hand, and with continuous heating (thermal ramps) on the other.

The results show that the mechanical behavior cannot be explained solely by the effect of hydrogen on the shift of the α/β phase transformation temperatures, but that hydrogen modifies also the creep behavior and the burst criterion, especially in the a domain, and in the lower α+β temperature range. As a result, hydrogen decreases the creep strength and the ductility of the materials, the effect being greater for higher hydrogen content. All these data are used to model the thermal-mechanical behavior of the hydrided cladding tubes in order to simulate the LOCA behavior of the clad after long-term in-service exposure.

Finally, preliminary thermal ramp tests under uniaxial loading performed on irradiated Zy-4 are presented and compared to the behavior of non-irradiated as-received and hydrided Zy-4. These last experiments were made to validate the assumption that the main effect of a long service exposure on the cladding deformation behavior during the first phase of LOCA is mainly linked to the hydrogen uptake associated with the cladding oxidation.
Bearing Steel Technology-Advances and State of the Art in Bearing Steel Quality Assurance: 7th Volume
Authors: Beswick John M.
Published: September 2009

Description

Twenty-five peer-reviewed papers, written by experts in 14 countries, provide the latest global advances in bearing steel quality assurance. Sections cover:

Review of Global Bearing Steel and the Rolling Bearing Industry—describes the impact of Swedish steel technology on bearing steel quality assurance.

Developments in Global Bearing Steel Making Processes—details a study of vacuum carbon deoxidation of high carbon chromium bearing steel

Advances in Steel Maker Testing and Quality Assurance—covers advances in bearing steel quality assurance by ultrasonic testing technologies; evaluation procedures of nonmetallic inclusions in steel for highly reliable bearings; reliability of cleanliness measurements; and radioactivity inspection applied in the steel-making industry

Implementation and Use of Extreme Value Analysis Micro Inclusion Rating Methodology—describes the methodology behind the ASTM E2283 Extreme Value Analysis.

Bearing Steel Making and Bearing Manufacturing Metallurgy Quality Assurance—provides data on the bearing steel casting method, alloy content/hardenability, forging symmetry and tube making.

Low Alloy Bearing Steels and Heat Treatments for Improved Bearing Quality—discusses new developments in through hardened bearing steel grades for use in contaminated lubrication; and characteristics of vanadium addition in hardened steel for rolling contact applications.

High Alloy Bearing Steels and Heat Treatments for Improved Bearing Quality—covers duplex hardened steel, plasma heat treatment, nitrided high temperature steel, austentic stainless steel.

Microstructure Transformation and Use in Advanced Rolling Bearing Performance Predication and Quality Assurance—examines x-ray microdiffraction measurements for the analysis of bearing operation conditions; and the flaking process in bearings by white etching area generation.

Advances in Material Quality Factors in Life Prediction—covers multi-axial fatigue criteria and micro plastic material models that support the advances in material quality factoring for bearing life prediction.
Critical Study of Techniques for The Testing of Materials by Ultrasonic Methods
Authors: Bastien PG
Published: September 2009

As X-rays and gamma rays have penetration ranges of approximately 150 mm in steel, they cannot be used for the detection of flaws in greater thicknesses, which are frequently encountered in heavy forgings.
Electron Probe Analysis of Segregation in Inconel
Authors: Brooks EJ , Birks LS
Published: September 2009

Electron probe microanalysis of precipitates in Inconel-X high-temperature alloy showed that the submicron grain boundary precipitates were rich in chromium but poor in other metallic elements. Precipitates several microns in size that formed in the matrix material or near grain boundaries were rich in columbium (niobium) and titanium but poor in chromium. The titanium and columbium content was not uniform from one precipitate to another or even within a single precipitate, and some precipitates showed a definite coring effect with a rich layer of columbium surrounding a titanium core.