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In 1972 a group of Mormon missionaries in Spain formed a band known as Los Salt Lake City. Playing primarily folk and rock music, they toured the country, gave radio and press interviews, and released two albums and an EP. Their experience is recounted and assessed in relation to the musical context of Spain at the time, including the social, religious, and political implications of the musical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe ‘New Rock’ bands active in Japan since the late 1960s preferred setting rock music to lyrics in English. Thus, when new band Happy End began attempting to sing rock in Japanese, a backlash from English-language rockers led by The Flower Travelin’ Band emerged in response. An unusually heated controversy between these two lyrical approaches marked publications in the emerging Japanese rock press in the early 70s. Building upon previous scholarship which connects this so-called ‘Japanese rock debate’ to narratives of post-colonialism, I argue for interpreting the rock debate foremost as a product of a particular time when rock was seen as a medium that connected a community of youth to a global counterculture. By investigating the actual contours of the discourse in the Japanese rock press, I demonstrate that the issue of language and linguistics was less pressing to New Rockers than more existential issues of identity, ideology, and generational politics. Further, I posit that Happy End was able to succeed with Japanese lyrics not only because of their inventive linguistic adaptations, but because the force of opposition to Japanese lyrics naturally declined as the counterculture ideals of the early 1970s began to fade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an innovative breakthrough pressure detection system for shale oil is introduced. Experiments were conducted on source rocks from three main rock types in the upper member of the Lower Ganchaigou Formation in the Western Qaidam depression, in Qinghai, China. The results show that the differences between the breakthrough pressures of laminated calcareous mudstone (LCM), siltstone (SS), and massive mixed mudstone (MMM) in the formation are of several orders of magnitude. In particular, the shale oil breakthrough pressure of laminated calcareous mudstone is more than five times greater in the vertical bedding direction than in the horizontal bedding direction. As black medium shale oil turns into yellow light shale oil, the breakthrough pressures in the same lithology and direction are reduced by two-thirds. In laminated mudstone the horizontal breakthrough pressure is lower than the vertical, while in massive mixed mudstone the vertical breakthrough pressure is lower. A composite migration model for shale oil in hybrid strata—horizontal migration along bedding and vertical migration through micro-fractures—is proposed. The results are of great significance for understanding the accumulation of shale oil and for identifying exploration targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractFor rock structures exposed in the natural condition, water-induced weakening (including water softening and chemical weathering) is thought to be the main reason for its’ stiffness and strength degradation, thus it is of great significance to study the mechanical properties of rocks under the influence of water. In this study, a hexagonal close-packed particle assembly (2D) composed of bonded circular particles with same diameter is considered to approximate a typical soft rock, where the composite contact model for rock materials considering the water-induced wakening is adopted to define the microscopic mechanical reactions between particles. Based on homogenisation theory and lattice model, the stress-strain relationship and strength criteria for rock considering water-induced weakening, as well as the quantitative correlation between macroscopic elastic and strength parameters with microscopic parameters are obtained. The effects of water softening and chemical weathering respectively characterised by saturation and mass loss ratio on macroscopic mechanical behaviours of rock are analysed in detail. The long-term ageing effects of water-induced weakening are also analysed. All results are in good agreement with the laboratory test results, verifying the applicability of the theoretical solution for analysing the effect of water-induced weakening on mechanical behaviours of rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitors (RKIs) have been available commercially as topical ocular hypotensive agents for approximately a decade. RKIs have promise as their presumed mechanism of action is increased trabecular meshwork (TM) outflow, the presumed primary site of pathology in open-angle glaucoma. We reviewed recent literature on netarsudil, ripasudil, H-1337, and VVN539 as monotherapy and in combination with other topical ocular hypotensive agents. With a unique primary mechanism of increase in trabecular outflow, these agents target the glaucomatous pathology in aqueous humor dynamics. The ocular hypotensive efficacy of netarsudil, once-daily (q.d.), is in the range of non-cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. Ripasudil, given twice-daily (b.i.d.), is somewhat less effective. H-1337 and VVN539, at an early development stage, both seem to have efficacy in the range of netarsudil. Conjunctival hyperemia is an adverse event common to all RKIs tested to date. The greater adoption of RKIs in therapy may be limited by financial considerations, at least in the U.S. We searched PubMed for the keywords netarsudil (AR13324), ripasudil (K-115), H-1337, and VVN539 as of November 2023. We found 349 citations which we reviewed for consideration in this review. Herein we summarize primary research reports, excluding news stories or meeting abstracts. We also searched to find new trials of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the experience of noise? What does it ask of us? What traces does it leave? At first listen, the Mao era PRC seems in harmony with an understanding of noise as inherently revolutionary or destructive. Whether we think of noise as opposed to signal, to music, to social norms, or in terms of volume, the Mao years offer endless examples. However, this case, in which a regime both purveyed radical change and established order, calls for a reexamination of the relationship between noise and revolution. In this article, we explore the role of noise, of novel and errant sonic events, not for the revolutionary regime, but for those who heard and lived the Chinese revolution. Drawing on personal testimonies from letters, literary sources, and particularly from memoir, we explore noise as a prompt for renewed examination of the social and sensory world. We consider how it prompted individuals to make sense of the period both at the time, and as memory and history. Examining these assorted 'earwitness' accounts, we show that noise and signal, like revolution and order, defy binary categorization in the Mao years. We argue that while noise was indeed disruptive, it also provoked active responses to make sense and create order. The dissonant, the loud, and the cacophonic were afforded value and in turn offered structure. Noise further had the capacity to create, as well as erode, social bonds. Finally, we argue that in affective understandings of rock music lie clues for interpreting both the experience and memory of Mao era noise, and through these, the Mao era as lived and remembered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uncovers an untold story of how rock music came to the big stages and national broadcasting studios of a country transitioning from the European sphere and a socialist ethos to the American sphere and a market-oriented culture. In demonstrating how the rock musical preceded, anticipated, and likely enabled rock music in Israel, this article will focus on five rock musicals from the early 1970s. We argue that the rock musical introduced a friendly and commercially oriented version of rock and rock'n'roll music and its antics, and thus enabled wide crowds to adopt a foreign-born culture such as rock. By the end of that process in the mid-1970s, the broad acceptance of American rock music and particularly a socially involved rock aesthetic had emerged through the overlooked and unlikely genre of the rock musical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on perceptions of audiencing – the active roles of witnessing and validating involving physical expressivity – raised by a selection of foreign musicians in relation to their experiences of performing rock and related genres in China. It highlights the connections between embodied dimensions of face-to-face musical experiences and the lenses of national difference and sameness bound up in debates over the colonial implications of "intercultural" musical encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake damage to freestanding nonstructural components has occurred in past earthquakes. Ceramic vase is one of the most vulnerable freestanding nonstructural components in museums, residential, and historical buildings. To investigate the seismic performance of a freestanding vase, shaking table tests were conducted, where four motions, consisting of two historic and two artificial ones, were selected and generated. The kinetic friction coefficient was acquired with a slow-pull test, which was used to define the possible response modes. The rocking and sliding responses of the vase were observed by accelerometers and high-speed camera. Results showed that the response mode of the vase was highly dependent on the input peak acceleration, i.e., the higher the peak acceleration, the larger the peak and residual displacements and rocking angles. In addition, the dynamic response varies with the excitation of different input motions, indicating that the frequency contents of the input motion also affect the rocking intensity. Generally, the experimental kinetic friction coefficient from the shaking table test matched the one from the slow-pull test closely, demonstrating that the two approaches were reasonable and accurate enoughand can be accepted. Using the philosophy of the second generation of performance-based earthquake engineering, damage modes, performance levels, and fragility curves were defined and generated on account of crack intensity, repair actions, and rocking angles, respectively. These efforts are also beneficial for the seismic evaluation of the freestanding objects in building structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive toxicology studies of synthetic vitreous fibers (SVFs) demonstrated that fiber dimension, durability/dissolution, and biopersistence are critical factors for risk of fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis. Lessons learned from the SVF experience provide useful context for predicting hazards and risk of nano-enabled advanced materials. This review provides (1) a historical toxicological overview of animal and in vitro toxicology studies of SVFs, (2) key findings that long durable fibers pose a risk of fibrogenic and tumorigenic responses and not short fibers or long soluble fibers, (3) in vitro and in vivo test methods for biodurability and biopersistence and associated predictive thresholds for fibrosis or tumors, and (4) recommendations for testing of advanced materials. Generally, SVFs (fiber lengths >20 µm) with in vitro fiber dissolution rates greater than 100 ng/cm2/hr (glass fibers in pH 7 and stone fibers in pH 4.5) and in vivo fiber clearance less than WT1/2 40 or 50 days were not associated with fibrosis or tumors. Long biodurable and biopersistent fibers exceeding these fiber dissolution and clearance thresholds may pose a risk of fibrosis and cancer. Fiber length-, durability-, and biopersistent-dependent factors that influence pathogenicity of mineral fibers are also expected to affect the biological effects of high aspect ratio nanomaterials (HARN). Only with studies aimed to correlate in vitro durability, in vivo biopersistence, and biological outcomes will it be determined whether similar or different in vitro fiber dissolution and in vivo half-life thresholds, which exempt carcinogenicity classification of SVFs, can also apply to HARNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some scholars have argued that ideas of coloured identities are in flux: being constantly made and re-made. This presentation explores how race can be used as an interpretive lens through which to understand and read the music of Stereo Zen, a funk-rock band based in Cape Town in the mid-2000s. In discussing how Stereo Zen construct and reconstruct their relationship with their coloured identity, this presentation aligns itself with scholars who argue that academic engagement with the construction of race is productive when race is seen as a "medium," or a "method of interpretation." As a regular guest artist appearing with the band, my position as scholar-musician has allowed me to gain unique perspectives on this music, and this presentation explores how the band repositions funk to a South African context through lyrical and musical imagery, as well as their critiques of colonial constructions of black musicality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study computes the ultimate bearing capacity of closely spaced strip footings resting on a rock mass. The investigation is executed numerically by using the lower bound finite element limit analysis in association with the semidefinite programming (SDP). Rock mass is assumed to be a perfectly plastic material and follows the modified Hoek-Brown failure criterion. The magnitude of efficiency factor (ξσ), which is the ratio of the ultimate bearing capacity of interfering footings to isolated footing, is assessed for different clear spacing distances between strip footings. The influence of various rock strength parameters, such as normalised uniaxial compressive strength (σci/γB), geological strength index (GSI) and Hoek-Brown material parameter (mi) on the footing interference, are also studied extensively. The results of the present study indicate that the interference effect increases continuously with an increase in mi value; however, it reduces with an increase in GSI value. Detailed variations of the bearing capacity with mentioned parameters are shown and compared with the available literature. It is found that the present study generally provides a lower estimate of ξσ value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the role of Y-27632, a selective inhibitor of Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase (ROCK), in acute lung injury (ALI) induced by myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Mice were randomized into Sham, I/R, and Y-27632 (10, 20 or 30 mg/kg) + I/R groups, and hemodynamics, infarcted area, the protein concentration, neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were assessed. Pathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining; protein and gene expression were measured by Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR); and apoptosis was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining. ROCK1 and ROCK2 expression was up-regulated in lung tissues of I/R mice compared to sham mice. Y-27632 decreased the protein concentration and the neutrophils in BALF in I/R mice, improved hemodynamics and reduced infarct size (IS)/area at risk (AAR) ratio. In addition, pathological changes in lung tissues of Y-27632-treated mice were mitigated, and these alterations were accompanied by decreases in MDA levels in lung tissues and increases in SOD and GSH-Px levels. Moreover, in I/R group, the number of apoptotic cells in lung tissue was higher than that in sham group, and p53, Caspase-3 and Bax expression was up-regulated; however, following treatment with Y-27632 (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg), these changes were reversed. Inhibition of ROCK pathway by Y-27632 ameliorated ALI in myocardial I/R mice by mitigating oxidative stress, inflammation and cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bearing capacity of shallow foundations on rocks under inclined and eccentric loads is investigated using the kinematic approach of limit analysis theory. The study focuses on evaluating the reduction of bearing capacity induced by the eccentricity and the inclination of the load with respect to the vertical direction. The generalized Hoek and Brown criterion is adopted to describe the strength properties of the rock. A failure mechanism is used to implement the kinematic approach of limit analysis. This study provides an upper bound of the bearing capacity of the strip footing. Comparisons were made between the results of this approach and those obtained using finite element limit analysis. These comparisons confirm the accuracy of the proposed approach. Finally, a parametric study was carried out, which evaluated the effects of geometric, strength and loading parameters on the bearing capacity of the strip footing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1984, L.A. punk band Black Flag released My War. Coming three years after Damaged – a canonized classic of the hardcore genre – and following a period of legal dispute and touring hiatus, My War was diverse and polarizing; side two of the album featured three slow, long riff-heavy songs that run counter to the predominantly lean and fast signature sound of the band's previous work and that of many contemporaries. With the benefit of hindsight, these tracks signaled punk's reinvestment in heavy metal, precipitating new hybrid forms such as sludge metal, drone metal, and stoner metal. In this paper, we exhume a subset of this aesthetic lineage and discuss how it has informed a subsequent recording: Lysol by theMelvins. Through analysis of recorded works, we demonstrate how the sounds of side two of My War have been propagated and refined, highlighting the links between these idiosyncratic sounds and the pragmatic realities of low-budget studio production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2002, System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian joined an increasingly vocal movement within the American alternative music scene by denouncing the presidency of George W. Bush. Tom Morello, of platinum selling bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, agreed that Bush should be tried as a war criminal if the United States invaded Iraq. When the Iraq war did begin the following year, both men used their platform to create anti-war, anti-Bush music intended to galvanise the American public against what they felt was an unjust conflict. These are two examples of a larger anti-war sentiment during the Bush presidency within the subgenres of rock, punk and metal music. The social impact of these anti-Bush musical protests formed an integral part in the overarching anti-Bush movement across the United States. This provided a focal point for the young and disaffected to channel their resentment, leading to increased engagement, particularly in 2004 as part of the well-supported Punk Voter movement, led by NOFX singer 'Fat' Mike Burkett and future Obama administration advisor Scott Goodstein, and through Tankian and Morello's Axis of Justice organisation, which worked to promote awareness of government policy through activism and information broadcasts over the internet [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epithelium forms a smart barrier to the external environment that can remodel whilst maintaining tissue integrity, a feature important for development, homeostasis, and function. Its dysregulation can lead to diseases ranging from cancer to vision loss. Epithelial remodeling requires reorganization of a thin sheet of actomyosin cortex under the plasma membrane of polarized cells that form basolateral contacts with neighboring cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Rho GTPases act as spatiotemporal molecular switches in this process, controlling localized actomyosin dynamics. However, the molecular mechanisms that control actomyosin dynamics at the apical cortex are poorly understood. This review focusses on a growing body of evidence that suggest myotonic dystrophy kinase-related Cdc42-binding kinase (MRCK) plays a conserved role in morphogenetic signaling at the apical cortex in diverse cell and tissue remodeling processes. The possible molecular and mechanistic basis for the diverse functions of MRCK at the apical pole will also be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many musical traditions – from Western art, to popular and commercial – organize pitch phenomena around a referential pitch class (or tonic) and feature triads and seventh chords. As a result, triadic progressions associated with one tradition sometimes resurface in others. How, then, are we to distinguish between the conventional harmonic patterns that span several time periods, and the characteristic idioms that delimit a single period? This essay presents a comparative study of triadic progressions in four data sets comprised of expert harmonic annotations: Annotated Beethoven Corpus (ABC), Theme and Variation Encodings with Roman Numerals (TAVERN), Rolling Stone-200 (RS-200), and McGill Billboard (Billboard). Using methods for counting, filtering, and ranking multichord expressions, we reveal conventional and characteristic progressions and examine broad trends over time. We also include an accompanying standalone application that allows users to adjust various stages of the model pipeline and export the data for further exploration and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today digital technologies offer great opportunities in the field of Cultural Heritage (CH). After a general overview of the European policy documents on CH digitisation, the paper aims to reflect on tools, procedures and methodologies in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as a new way of visualization, application and data collection towards accessing, understanding and safeguarding our historic built environment. The focus will be on two ongoing H2020 projects, INCEPTION and ROCK, selected to address the problem of CH digitisation and the access to the corresponding digitized resources in relation to historic buildings and urban districts. Therefore, they are presented as inspiring good practices for tackling this issue considering its impacts both at the architectural and urban scale. Stressing the potentials of enabling technologies, such as 3D laser surveys, environment and climate sensors, large crowd monitoring tools and CH analytic, they are also able to orient future research beyond 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical strain relationship between peak strain (εpeak) and crack damage strain (εcd) is established for identifying the failure of the rock under triaxial compression. The relationship is derived from the two-dimensional renormalisation group theory with consideration of the rock heterogeneous microstructures. It is afunction of five parameters, including the confining stress (σ3), Young's modulus (E), friction angle (φ), Poisson's ratio (γ) and homogeneity index of Weibull distribution (m). The σ3, E, φ and γ values can be readily obtained from the stress–strain data, and amethod for obtainingmvalue using σ3, σcd, εcd, E, φ and γ values is proposed. Comparison with the triaxial compression test results of 48 shale specimens with four bedding dip angles shows the failure identifications using the established relationship well agree with the experimental measurements, demonstrating the ability of the established relationship to identify the failure of the laboratory-scale rock specimens under triaxial compression. Single-parameter sensitivity analysis shows that the established relationship between the εcd and εpeak is affected by the parameters with different sensitivity. The highest to lowest sensitivity of the parameters are φ, σ3, E, γ andm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave technology is increasingly used in laboratory tests and field applications as an effective rock breaking technique. The underlying mechanism of rock fracturing induced by microwave energy, however, has not been well addressed. In this study, we employ experimental and numerical methods to investigate the global and local damage of rock in microwave radiation direction, including the fracture formation process. Our analysis focuses on three damage indicators under microwave irradiation, namely P-wave velocity attenuation, temperature distribution and fracture pattern. For a diabase sample, our experimental results indicate that the microwave power and irradiation time has a substantial influence on these three indicators. With increasing power level and irradiation time, we measured a lower P-wave velocity, higher temperature, and more fractures within the rock substrate. We observed that under the same energy, heating at higher power levels for shorter durations has a better weakening effect. Our numerical results show that thermal stress mismatch in the local high-temperature area is the main reason for crack initialization. Nucleation and propagation of microcracks depend on the thermal stress induced by global temperature increase, the geometry of the sample and existing fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data of this paper analysis indicates that the thermal conductivity increases with increasing water content. X-ray diffraction was used to analyze the mineral compositions of the rock samples. The rock samples were found to contain quartz, alkali-feldspar, and plagioclase. A theoretical equation was applied to calculate the skeleton thermal conductivity (λs)of the rocks in the Dandong region and the thermal conductivity of the saturated rocks (λsat)after conversion occurred, which were later compared to the quartz content. The quartz content was found to positively correlate with the skeleton thermal conductivity. Scanning electron microscopy was used to obtain images of the rock samples, which were used to determine the microscopic structure of the different rock types and to determine the relationship between the thermal conductivity and the porosity. We determined that the mineral content and porosity of igneous rocks is far higher than that of sedimentary rocks, and the thermal conductivity of igneous rocks is generally higher than that of sedimentary rocks. The relationship between thermal conductivity and porosity was investigated using eight different thermal conductivity-porosity models. The results indicate that thermal conductivity decreases with increasing porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an elastic-plastic damage model is first proposed for a class of semi-brittle rocks. This model is then applied to investigate effects of chemical degradation on mechanical behavior of a red sandstone. Experimental data obtained from three groups of samples, respectively, immersed in water and two acid solutions will be analysed. Chemical degradation effects on both elastic modulus and compressive strength will be discussed in term of the solution acidity. The relationship between the solution acidity and chemical damage will be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to rapidly respond to applied force underpins cell/tissue homeostasis. This response is mediated by mechanotransduction pathways that regulate remodeling and tension of the actomyosin cytoskeleton to counterbalance external forces. Enhanced extracellular matrix tension hyper-activates mechanotransduction and characterizes diseased states such as cancer, but is also required for normal epidermal regeneration. While the impact of extracellular matrix tension on signaling and cell biology are well appreciated, that of acute compressive force is under-studied. We show here that acute compressive force applied to cells and tissues in a native 3-dimensional context elevates RHOA-GTP levels and increases regulatory myosin phosphorylation, actomyosin contractility and tension via ROCK. In consequence, cell proliferation was increased, as was the expression of regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Pharmacological inhibition of ROCK abrogated myosin phosphorylation, but not RHOA activation. Our results strongly suggest that acute compressive stress impairs cellular homeostasis in a RHO/ROCK-dependent manner, with implications for disease states such as cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock festivals occupy an important place in contemporary consumer culture. This Marketplace Icons contribution elaborates on 50 years of rock festivals' history to trace how festivals have moved from a status of a simple musical event to that of myth. I argue that the iconicity of rock festivals is based on two fundamental ideas: they reside in popular culture as theatrical mythical performances that push artistic and scenic limits, and they are a unique liminal field of expression and liberation for many people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rho GTPases play significant roles in cellular function and their activity is regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase activating proteins (GAPs), providing activation and inactivation of these GTPases, respectively. Active GTP-bound form of RhoA activates its effector proteins while the inactive GDP-bound form of RhoA exists in a RhoA-RhoGDI (guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor) complex in the cytosol. In particular, IκB kinase γ IKKγ/NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO) plays a role as a GDI displacement factor (GDF) for RhoA activation through binding to RhoA-RhoGDI complex. Meanwhile, prion protein inactivates RhoA despite RhoA/RhoGDI association. Novel target proteins for Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) such as glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β and IKKβ are recently discovered. Here, we elaborate on a post-translationally modified version of RhoA, phosphorylated at Tyr42 and oxidized at Cys16/20. This form of RhoA dissociates from RhoA-RhoGDI complex and activates IKKβ on IKKγ/NEMO, thus providing possibly a critical role for tumourigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) activity drives cell migration via actomyosin contractility. During invasion, individual cancer cells can transition between 2 modes of migration, mesenchymal and amoeboid. Changes in ROCK activity can cause a switch between these migration phenotypes which are defined by distinct morphologies. However, recent studies have shown that the ROCK isoforms are not functionally redundant as previously thought. Therefore, it is unclear whether the ROCK isoforms play different roles in regulating migration phenotypes. Here, we found that ROCK1 and ROCK2 differentially regulate carcinoma cell morphology resulting in intermediate phenotypes that share some mesenchymal and amoeboid characteristics. These findings suggest that the ROCK isoforms play unique roles in the phenotypic plasticity of mesenchymal carcinoma cells which may have therapeutic implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This memoir is my personal story about how I created and came to curate on the International Counterculture Archive collection, which is held in the Global Resources Center of the George Washington University's (GWU) Gelman library. The first person narrative relates my first encounters with Soviet rock culture and describes how I turned my initial interest into a Ph.D. dissertation on the subculture of Soviet hippies and traditions of Soviet rock music, which subsequently led to my later work as a librarian and curator. I tell the story of my initial encounters with the members of Soviet/Russian rock music subculture and other countercultural personalities and activists during my first trip to Moscow in 1993 to collect samples of Soviet rock music recordings and rock music zines for the European Division of the Library of Congress. During this formative trip I met with a number of counterculture producers and collectors who were instrumental in helping me build the International Counterculture Archive. Upon leaving the Library of Congress, I continued collecting Soviet/Russian countercultural materials on behalf of the Global Resources Center of GWU's Gelman Library. I talk about the process of creating the Archive at Gelman library, about bureaucratic and financial aspects of this work, and about my many acquisition trips to Moscow, former Soviet republics, and East Central Europe. Much of the narrative centers on my work with Russian collectors and content producers and describes the type of materials that are included in the collection. I also describe how I built the collection of historical Soviet/Russian rock music recordings, focusing on the phenomenon of Soviet/Russian rock music zines and the history of the unique zine collection within the International Counterculture Archive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rho-associated kinases (ROCKs) have been reported to antagonize adipocyte differentiation, and inhibition of ROCKs by small molecules promotes adipogenesis. Surprisingly, our recent study revealed that the ROCK2-specific inhibitor KD025 (SLx-2119), suppresses differentiation at the intermediate stage in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. To address whether the anti-adipogenic activity of KD025 is a generalizable property, we examined the effect of KD025 in human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). KD025 significantly suppressed the adipocyte differentiation of hADSCs with downregulation of the protein and mRNA expression of various adipogenic and lipogenic markers, including PPARγ, C/EBPα, SREBP-1c, Glut4 and FABP4. Notably, we observed that adipocyte differentiation is effectively suppressed by exposure to KD025 during the mid-to-late period of adipogenesis but not at the earlier stages, showing stage-specificity. Contrary to expectations, KD025 upregulated the insulin signaling, as confirmed by the increased phosphorylation levels of Akt and GSK-3α/β, and the differentiation-promoting activity of insulin signaling was observed to be overwhelmed by the inhibitory activity. In addition, we observed that other ROCK inhibitors (Y-27632, fasudil, and H-1152P) did not suppress but promoted adipocyte differentiation. These results indicate that KD025 suppresses adipocyte differentiation by modulation of key factors activated at the intermediate stage of differentiation, and not by inhibition of ROCK2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stochastic differential equation (SDE) is derived and examined for approximately modeling the breaking down of rock surfaces through random processes. The rock surfaces include, for example, surfaces of historical monuments, gravestones, or natural rock formations. Rock surfaces break down through wear, weathering, and erosion. During weathering, rocks are worn away and fractured into smaller pieces while in erosion, the rock pieces are transported through actions, for example, of air, water, and gravity. In the mathematical model developed in the present investigation, it is assumed that environmental actions cause particles or pieces of a rock to gradually break off with erosion occurring simultaneously, that is, the rock pieces are transported away immediately after separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Currently, the only modifiable risk factor to slow or halt the progression of glaucoma is the lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP). Netarsudil 0.02% is a new medication that was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2017 for reduction of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Areas covered: We reviewed recent literature on the efficacy and safety of netarsudil both alone and in combination. We included recently published manuscripts from both human and animal studies. Expert opinion: Netarsudil functions by inhibiting rho-associated protein kinases, making it the first IOP lowering medication to directly target the trabecular meshwork. Although the efficacy of the medication in lowering intraocular pressure has been substantiated in numerous studies, the ocular hypotensive effect of netarsudil is in the range of timolol, and less than latanoprost in most studies. The safety profile of netarsudil differs from other currently approved topical ocular hypotensive agents, and at least half of the patients using it are expected to have adverse events – although they may be mild and transient. A fixed-dose combination of netarsudil with latanoprost was approved in March 2019, which has greater ocular hypotensive efficacy than either netarsudil or latanoprost alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the most appropriate surface processing techniques (SPT), environmental conditions (EC) and surface roughness (SR) to minimize the risk of slipping when pedestrians walk on a floor covering of rocks barefoot and with shoes. Coefficients of friction (COFs) and values of SR were found using five different types of rocks, four SPT and two (ramp and pendulum) tests. Results indicate that the parameters which affect the COF values of rocks include SR, EC and SPT. Simple linear regression was performed to examine the relationship between the values of the COF and the SR. The value of the COF was identified as R2 ≥ 0.864. Statistical results, which are based on experimental measurements, show that rocks are classified according to their safe use areas depending on their COF and SR values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asphaltene deposits can reduce the productivity of the reservoir as well as foul piping and surface equipment. Current chemical and mechanical methods for treating deposition are only partially effective partly because the deposition process is poorly understood. The most commonly way to asphaltene precipitation reduction is applying an asphaltene inhibitor. In order to investigate the extent of formation damage by asphaltenes in crude oil this work has used electro kinetic technique to study the adsorption of asphaltenes in rock pores. Most researchers investigate the kinetics of adsorption by monitoring changes in the concentration of asphaltene or polymer in a dispersion of adsorbent particles or capillaries. This study is a coherent approach to measure amount of asphaltene adsorption on rock surface and survey effect of asphaltene inhibitors on precipitation reduction in porous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) remains to be the only FDA-approved drug for ischaemic stroke, but it has a restrictive therapeutic window with 4.5 hours. Beyond the golden time window, thrombolytic treatment carries the risk of haemorrhagic transformation (HT). The blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is a critical step in the t-PA-mediated HT. Although large efforts are made to explore the mechanisms of the BBB disruption and HT, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Thrombolytic treatment for recanalization could produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and mediate cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury. RNS, including nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO−), are important players in cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury. In particular, ONOO− and its derivatives could mediate neurovascular unit damages and induce the BBB disruption and HT possibly through interacting with different cellular signalling pathways including matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs), high mobility group Box 1 (HMGB1), toll-like receptor2/4, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, Src, ROCK, and GSK-3β. Herein, we review current progress about the roles of ONOO− in mediating those signalling pathways and their impacts on the t-PA-induced BBB disruption and HT. Subsequently, we discuss the values of natural compounds with the properties of scavenging ONOO− as adjunctive therapies to extend the therapeutic window of t-PA and attenuate haemorrhage transformation in ischaemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitously expressed small GTPase RhoA is essential for embryonic development and mutated in different cancers. Functionally, it is well described as a regulator of the actin cytoskeleton, but its role in gene regulation is less understood. Using primary mouse keratinocytes with a deletion of the RhoA gene, we have now been exploring how the loss of RhoA affects gene expression. Performing transcription factor reporter assays, we found a significantly decreased activity of a RAR luciferase reporter in RhoA-null keratinocytes. Inhibition of the RhoA effector ROCK in control cells reproduced this phenotype. ATRA and retinal, but not retinol increased RAR reporter activity of keratinocytes with impaired RhoA/ROCK signaling, suggesting that retinol metabolism is regulated by RhoA/ROCK signaling. Furthermore a significant percentage of known ATRA target genes displayed altered expression in RhoA-null keratinocytes. These data reveal an unexpected link between the cytoskeletal regulator RhoA and retinoid signaling and uncover a novel pathway by which RhoA regulates gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a comprehensive study on simulating the shearing behavior of frictional materials is performed. A set of two explicit equations, describing the relationship among the shear stress ratio and the distortional strain and the volumetric strain, are formulated independently. The equations contain three stress parameters and three strain parameters and another parameter representing the nonuniformity of stress and strain during softening. All the parameters have clear physical significance and can be determined experimentally. It is demonstrated that the proposed equations have the capacity of simulating the complicated shearing behavior of many types of frictional materials including geomaterials. The proposed equations are used to simulate the stress-strain behavior for 27 frictional materials with 98 tests. These materials include soft and stiff clays in both reconstituted and structured states, silicon sands and calcareous sands, silts, compacted fill materials, volcanic soils, decomposed granite soils, cemented soils (both artificially and naturally cemented), partially saturated soils, ballast, rocks, reinforced soils, tire chips, sugar, wheat, and rapeseed. It has been demonstrated that the proposed explicit constitutive equations have the capacity to capture accurately the shearing behavior of frictional materials both qualitatively and quantitatively. A study on model parameters has been performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete re-epithelialization of full-thickness skin wounds in adult mammals takes days to complete and relies on numerous signaling cues and multiple overlapping cellular processes that take place both within the epidermis itself and in other participating tissues. We have previously shown that re-epithelialization of full-thickness skin wounds of adult zebrafish, however, is extremely rapid and largely independent of the other processes of wound healing allowing for the dissection of specific processes that occur in, or have a direct effect on, re-epithelializing keratinocytes. Recently, we have shown that, in addition to lamellipodial crawling at the leading edge, re-epithelialization of zebrafish partial- and full-thickness wounds requires long-range epithelial rearrangements including radial intercalations, flattening and directed elongation and that each of these processes involves Rho kinase (Rock) signaling. Our studies demonstrate how these coordinated signaling events allow for the rapid collective cell migration observed in adult zebrafish wound healing. Here we discuss the particular contribution of Rock to each of these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil provides many of the requirements needed for terrestrial plant growth, including an adequate supply of water. Because the proportion of plant roots is usually greatest in the top 10 to 15 cm of soil, the soil moisture content in the Ap horizon is particularly important for plant growth and crop yields. Uncertainties in estimates of plant available water in the Ap horizon (AWAp) often arise from variabilities in field, laboratory and geospatial data at a farm scale. The objectives of this study were to quantify and compare AWAp estimates across the 147-ha Cornell University Willsboro research farm using four different approaches: a) AWAp calculated from values reported in the SSURGO database for available water capacity (AWC) and Ap thickness for the soil map units (SMUs) present on the farm, b) AWAp estimated from soil texture data reported for the SSURGO SMUs, c) AWAp estimated from soil texture data determined from soil cores taken across the farm that were then averaged within each SMU, and d) spatially interpolating the AWAp values predicted from soil cores across the entire farm irrespective of SMU boundaries. Available water in the Ap horizon varied with soil order in the general trend of Alfisols > Inceptisols > Entisols regardless of the estimation approach used. Field measurement-based estimates of AWAp were lower, in general than the reported SSURGO values and estimates based on reported texture in the SSURGO database. The higher abundance of coarse fragments in the Ap horizon of the soil cores collected on the farm partially explains the lower field measurement-based AWAp estimates. In the SSURGO database, values reported for AWC are frequently obtained from a selected pedon from a “type location” and not from the actual study location. These “type locations” can be located far from study sites and even in different states. Although collecting detailed field data may not always be possible due to the high costs of field and laboratory measurements, it is important to understand the potential benefits and limitations of making field-scale and regional AW estimates using the SSURGO database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the insufficiency of the previous damage constitutive model for rock, an improved damage mechanics model for rock is proposed with characterising the crack closure effect. Otherwise, the effective methods of determining the model parameters and crack closure coefficient are proposed. The results represent that the model can reflect the damage evolution of rocks in the deformation process in the crack closure stage and this improved model is more reasonable than the previous model. Crack closure coefficient also has great effect on distribution parameters. The calculation formula of damage energy dissipation rate considered that crack closure effect is derived and the relationships between damage energy dissipation rate and crack closure coefficient are analysed. Crack closure coefficient has great effect on damage dissipation energy rate. Damage energy dissipation rate increases with the decrease of crack closure coefficient and damage energy dissipation rate increases quickly in the post-peak stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The moss Ulota crispa is ubiquitous as an obligate epiphyte in eastern North America. Yet several specimens preliminarily identified as U. crispa were collected from the upper portions of boulders in the Shawangunks, NY. Mitochondrial (nad5) and chloroplast (rps4 and trnL-trnF) sequence data were produced for these specimens, confirming their status as the first record of rock-dwelling U. crispa in North America. The reviewed loci were then used to assess phylogenetic relationships of Northeastern US Ulota species, incorporating a species not yet reviewed, U. coarctata. Conforming to peristome morphology, Ulota hutchinsiae appears to be more closely related to U. crispa than to U. coarctata. Monophyly was recovered for U. crispa and U. coarctata. Although monophyly was not found for U. hutchinsiae, it is diagnosably distinct based on the reviewed loci. While almost identical in number of nucleotides sequenced, mitochondrial DNA held substantially less phylogenetically informative nucleotides than the chloroplast loci, but did have important indel information segregating U. coarctata from other species reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plasma membrane is generally associated with underling actin cytoskeleton. When the plasma membrane detaches from actin filaments, it is expanded by the intracellular pressure and the spherical membrane protrusion which lacks underlying actin cortex, termed bleb, is formed. Bleb is widely used for migration across species; however, the molecular mechanism underlying membrane blebbing remains largely unknown. Our recent study revealed that 2 small GTPases, Rnd3 and RhoA, are important regulators of membrane blebbing. In the expanding blebs, Rnd3 is recruited to the plasma membrane and inhibits RhoA activity by activating RhoGAP. On the other hand, RhoA is activated at the retracting membrane and removes Rnd3 from plasma membrane by the activity of ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase). ROCK is also important for the rapid reassembly of actin cortex and retraction of membrane blebs by activating Ezrin. We propose that a Rnd3 and RhoA cycle underlies the core machinery of continuous membrane blebbing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is about the emergence of the 1960s rock musical in Israel as an ambivalent response to Zionist ideology. I demonstrate that in the Israeli context rock music’s countercultural ethos has been just as integral to the genre’s adoption as have been its stylistic innovations. The ‘folk authenticity’ signified by this music empowered playwrights and songwriters like Dan Almagor to simultaneously mobilise and undermine signifiers of the dominant ideology, giving rise to an ‘aesthetics of ambivalence’. In this article, I examine two of Almagor’s musicals—Once There Was a Hasid(1968) andMy Jerusalem(1969)—in order to assess how the playwright navigated these cultural tensions. In so doing, I place analysis of the shows’ production and reception in conversation with ethnographic interviews. In light of these materials, I argue that when popular music travels globally, ideologies about music’s power to shape political discourse, rather than its stylistic innovations, often govern local adaptations of the globalised style. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, we support the hypothesis that wall plant species come mainly from rocky habitats, taking into account that ancient walls show similar characteristics to rocks. The occurrence of wall species in natural habitats was investigated. The main literature concerning wall and natural vegetation of central-southern Italy was viewed. Vegetation synoptic tables were analysed through statistical procedures for comparing occurrence and behaviour of wall species in ruderal habitats as archaeological sites and natural ones.The study pointed out that wall species show similar ecological and coenological features in both habitats. This confirms that the main natural habitat from which wall species come from are rocks, but secondarily also ephemeral Mediterranean meadows and garrigues. Particularly, some wall species belonging toParietarietea judaicaeclass are participating in the formation of natural rocky communities ofAsplenietea trichomanis. Species occurring on emerging ruins form ephemeral meadows belonging toHelianthemetea guttati, also found in natural Mediterranean environment. On wide tops of ruins, where community dynamism is higher, some perennial herbaceous and shrubby species participate in the formation of impoverished communities matching to natural aspects of Mediterranean maquis. The knowledge of the natural habitat of wall species can be useful for a better management of archaeological sites. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The salivary epithelium initiates as a solid mass of epithelial cells that are organized into a primary bud that undergoes morphogenesis and differentiation to yield bilayered acini consisting of interior secretory acinar cells that are surrounded by contractile myoepithelial cells in mature salivary glands. How the primary bud transitions into acini has not been previously documented. We document here that the outer epithelial cells subsequently undergo a vertical compression as they express smooth muscle α-actin and differentiate into myoepithelial cells. The outermost layer of polarized epithelial cells assemble and organize the basal deposition of basement membrane, which requires basal positioning of the polarity protein, Par-1b. Whether Par-1b is required for the vertical compression and differentiation of the myoepithelial cells is unknown. Following manipulation of Par-1b in salivary gland organ explants, Par-1b-inhibited explants showed both a reduced vertical compression of differentiating myoepithelial cells and reduced levels of smooth muscle α-actin. Rac1 knockdown and inhibition of Rac GTPase function also inhibited branching morphogenesis. Since Rac regulates cellular morphology, we investigated a contribution for Rac in myoepithelial cell differentiation. Inhibition of Rac GTPase activity showed a similar reduction in vertical compression and smooth muscle α-actin levels while decreasing the levels of Par-1b protein and altering its basal localization in the outer cells. Inhibition of ROCK, which is required for basal positioning of Par-1b, resulted in mislocalization of Par-1b and loss of vertical cellular compression, but did not significantly alter levels of smooth muscle α-actin in these cells. Overexpression of Par-1b in the presence of Rac inhibition restored basement membrane protein levels and localization. Our results indicate that the basal localization of Par-1b in the outer epithelial cells is required for myoepithelial cell compression, and Par-1b is required for myoepithelial differentiation, regardless of its localization. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The mechanical properties of the ECM strongly influence the behavior of all cell types within a given tissue. Increased matrix tension promotes epithelial cell proliferation by engaging mitogenic mechanotransduction signaling including the Salvador/Warts/Hippo, PI 3-kinase, Rho, Wnt and MAP kinase pathways. The Rho signaling pathways in particular are capable of increasing intra-cellular tension by elevating the production and contractility of the actomyosin cytoskeleton, which counteracts tension changes within the matrix in a process termed mechano-reciprocity. We have discovered that Rho-ROCK signaling increases the production of ECM through paracrine signaling between the epithelium and fibroblasts and also the remodeling of the ECM by regulating focal adhesion dynamics in fibroblasts. These two phenomena together cause increased ECM tension. Enhanced mechano-reciprocity results in ever-increasing intra- and extra-cellular tension in a vicious cycle that promotes cell proliferation and tumor progression. These insights reveal that inhibiting mechano-reciprocity, reducing ECM tension and targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts in a coordinated fashion has potential as cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

1. We examined the metabolism of ripasudil (K-115), a selective and potent Rho-associated coiled coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, byin vitroandin vivostudies. 2. First, we identified metabolites and metabolic enzymes involved in ripasudil metabolism. Species differences were observed in metabolic clearance and profiles of metabolites in liver S9 fraction and hepatocytes. In addition, ripasudil was metabolised in humans and monkey S9 without nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). Studies using specific inhibitors and human recombinant enzyme systems showed that M1 (main metabolite in humans) formation is mediated by aldehyde oxidase (AO). 3. Therefore, we developed ripasudil as an ophthalmic agent. First, we compared the pharmacokinetic profiles of ripasudil in humans and rats. The results indicated rapid disappearance of ripasudil from the circulation after instillation in humans and its level remained relatively high only in M1. In contrast, we found six metabolites from M1 to M6 in plasma after oral administration to rats. 4. Analysis of enzyme kinetics using S9 showed that the formation of M1 is the major metabolic pathway of ripasudil in humans even though CYP3A4/3A5 and CYP2C8/3A4/3A5 were associated with the formation of M2 and M4, respectively. In conclusion, AO causes differences in ripasudil metabolism between species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinases (ROCK) were first identified as effectors of the small GTPase RhoA, hence their nomenclature. Since their discovery, two decades ago, scientists have sought to unravel the structure, regulation, and function of these essential kinases. During that time, a consensus model has formed, in which ROCK activity is regulated via both Rho-dependent and independent mechanisms. However, recent findings have raised significant questions regarding this model. In their recent publication in Nature Communications, Truebestein and colleagues present the structure of a full-length Rho kinase for the first time. In contrast to previous reports, the authors could find no evidence for autoinhibition, RhoA binding, or regulation of kinase activity by phosphorylation. Instead, they propose that ROCK functions as a molecular ruler, in which the central coiled-coil bridges the membrane-binding regulatory domains to the kinase domains at a fixed distance from the plasma membrane. Here, we explore the consequences of the new findings, re-examine old data in the context of this model, and emphasize outstanding questions in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, shallow spread footing-type foundations are used for medium span bridges supported on hard soil and rock strata. Such bridges are modelled with fixed supports and no soil–foundation–structure interaction (SSI) is normally considered. The investigation presented herein utilized a sub-structuring technique and finite element method (FEM) model for the analysis of a four-span bridge designed for five different rock classes and subjected to an ensemble of actual ground motions. SSI was incorporated through Winkler springs while non-linear behaviour of reinforced concrete pier column was modelled by an equivalent linear model. The results of the study were evaluated to delineate the effect of SSI and pier column non-linearity on seismic response parameters of bridges founded on rock. It was found that the soil–foundation–structure interaction couldn’t be neglected in all cases of rock classes and input ground motions. Furthermore, pier column non-linearity influenced bridge displacement and base shear more significantly than SSI. Impact of foundation rocking was also examined and was found to be rather insignificant on bridge response parameters due to high rocking impedance of properly designed bridge foundations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When rock is subjected to internal hydraulic pressure and external mechanical loading, the fluid flow properties will be altered by newly induced fractures. In turn, the fluid flow driven by pore pressure gradient can influence the fracturing behaviour. To better capture the complex hydraulic fractures in rock materials, a 'pinch-off' breaking test is numerically conducted to illustrate the tensile failure of a rock specimen within a uniform pore pressure field. A double-notched specimen, with water pressure in one notch while keeping another one open to the atmosphere, is numerically extended to investigate how the water flow direction or the pore pressure gradient will influence the fracturing behaviour. The simulation results indicate that both pore pressure magnitude and the orientation and distribution of pore pressure gradient surrounding the fracture tip can affect fracturing process and macroscopic strength behaviour of rock materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores conventions used by the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) in Britain and the U.S. Navy's OP-20-G in the United States to describe and correct Enigma wiring data recovered cryptanalytically during World War II. Examples are presented and analyzed using wiring information for several machines attacked by the ISK (Intelligence Services–Knox) section of GC&CS and by Unit 387 (the cryptanalytic unit of the United States Coast Guard, absorbed into the U.S. Navy's OP-20-G during the war). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]