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The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is one of the most commonly used anthropometric measures to indicate a central obesity pattern and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in normal-weight women. Although the American Heart Association has reported that a WHR0.80 be used to indicate increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women, the present study assessed the WHR above which is seen elevations in cardiovascular disease risk factors in a sample of overweight women. Using data from 240 women aged 27.5-47.5 y enrolled in a university weight-loss program, we determined WHR quartiles:0.80, 0.80 to0.84, 0.84 to0.90, andor =0.90. Subjects were placed into high-risk categories for cardiovascular disease on the basis of age- and population-defined norms. Women had an increased likelihood of elevated VLDL cholesterol, triacylglycerol, diastolic blood pressure, and composite risk (ie, havingor =4 cardiovascular disease risk factors) and an increased risk of having low concentrations of HDL at a WHRor =0.90. All aforementioned variables had a significant odds ratio at a WHRor =20.90 after adjustment for smoking, whereas elevated VLDL, triacylglycerol, and diastolic blood pressure were observed at this WHR after adjustment for a body mass index (in kg/m2)oror =35. Only 2 variables, VLDL and triacylglycerol, had a significant odds ratio at a WHR0.90 before and after adjustment for BMI and smoking. These data suggest an upward shift in the critical threshold for WHR toor =0.90, at which point there was an elevation in cardiovascular disease risk factors in already overweight women. This trend persisted regardless of whether the women smoked or whether their body mass index wasoror =35.

Rock-salt NiO and Ni0.7Zn0.3O nanoparticles were investigated by x-ray diffraction, atomic-force microscopy, and magnetic measurements. Nanoparticle diameters varied from 8 to 30 nm depending on reaction conditions. There are two main magnetization contributions, the field-induced spin canting of the antiferromagnetic sublattices and the magnetization rotation caused by uncompensated spins interacting with the magnetic field. The former is a bulk effect, modified by the presence of Zn, whereas the latter is a nanoscale effect that increases with decreasing particle size. The relative contributions of the two effects depend on particle size with a critical size of about 18 nm resulting in bulklike behavior.

High resolution Voyager IRIS measurements for Saturn and Jupiter are assembled in meridional cross sections of the retrieved upper tropospheric temperatures. The calculated thermal wind shear in the upper troposphere is highly correlated on both planets with the cloud top winds derived from imaging data. In contrast, temperatures below approximately 300 mbar are not simply related to the zonal jet structure. The upper tropospheric temperatures seem to have been more consistently correlated with cloud top winds than with major albedo features at the time of the Voyager encounters.

Numerous crinoid-fenestrate bryozoan banks are developed within the Mississippian Chappel Formation, located in the Hardeman basin, Hardeman and Wilbarger Counties, Texas. The banks are oval in shape and range in size from 2 to 12 mi (3 to 19 km) in diameter. Stratigraphic, hydrocarbon entrapment in the banks has resulted in cumulative production exceeding 6 million bbl of oil plus 13 bcf of gas. The Chappel Formation is a shallow-water limestone, overlain End_Page 414------------------------------ by the oolitic grainstones of the Mississippian St. Louis Formation. Three distinct Chappel facies can be identified: the bank core, flank, and interbank facies. The bank core is composed of crinoid-fenestrate bryozoan mudstones and wackestones; the flank consists of crinoid-bryozoan grainstones and packstones; and the interbank consists of argillaceous sponge spicule mudstones with minor crinoid and bryozoan debris. Chert is a major constituent of the interbank facies but decreases in amount toward the bank core. Bank growth began in a low-energy environment with the mechanical accumulation of lime mud which was baffled and trapped by crinoids and fenestrate bryozoan. Once the bank core reached wave-base, the crinoid-bryozoan mudstones and wackestones were reworked and redeposited as the crinoid-bryozoan grainstones and packstones of the flank facies. The extensive development of the flank facies, compared with bank core development, indicates that the top of the bank remained at or near wave-base for an extended period of time. Porosity development in the Chappel banks is secondary and results from dolomitization of the micritic bank core, fracturing and leaching. Although the crinoid-bryozoan grainstones of the flank facies were originally porous, primary intergranular porosity is now absent because of epitaxial cementation. The Chappel banks can be located in the subsurface by using isopach maps which help identify interval thickening within the Chappel. In addition, thinning, shown by the isopach intervals on horizons immediately overlying the Chappel Formation, can also be used to delineate the presence of these bank deposits. In subsurface exploration, the bank facies can be differentiated from the interbank facies by petrographic analysis and by noting the more "massive" and also lower gamma ray log response. The lower gamma ray log response is caused by a lack of argillaceous material in the bank facies. End_of_Article - Last_Page 415

International audience; The Cassini RADAR instrument is a multimode 13.8 GHz multiple-beam sensor that can operate as a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) imager, altimeter, scatterometer, and radiometer. The principal objective of the RADAR is to map the surface of Titan. This will be done in the imaging, scatterometer, and radiometer modes. The RADAR altimeter data will provide information on relative elevations in selected areas. Surfaces of the Saturn's icy satellites will be explored utilizing the RADAR radiometer and scatterometer modes. Saturn's atmosphere and rings will be probed in the radiometer mode only. The instrument is a joint development by JPL/NASA and ASI. The RADAR design features significant autonomy and data compression capabilities. It is expected that the instrument will detect surfaces with backscatter coefficient as low as -40 dB.