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Point cloud modeling of rock slopes using LIDAR and Structure-from-Motion digital stereophotogrammetry provides,at a minimum, thousands of facets and facet normals that can be used to identify the densities of orientations of rock massdiscontinuities, the geometries of potentially removable blocks, and the character of the excavation face. As part of the EngineeringGeology graduate curriculum at the Civil and Environmental Engineering program at the University of California, Berkeley we teachgraduate students an integrated methodology for [a] gathering point cloud information be laser or camera; [b] computing facets andfacet normals form point clouds for stereonet presentation and geometric analysis of block dimension; [c] extract rock massdiscontinuities from stereonet data to analyze key blocks, assess discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) behavior, and modelrock slope stability. These new methods require a suite of different software tools discussed in the paper to move through the workflowprocess. Computational rock mechanics provides data sets that are orders of magnitude richer in detail and result in betterunderstanding of rock slope and tunnel key block behavior. Full application of computational rock mechanics methods should reducethe cost of bolting by identifying critical support orientations and design loads.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common urological disease in middle-aged and elderly men. The main pathological mechanisms of BPH include static factors that increase prostate volume and dynamic factors that increase prostate tension. The RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway is a classical pathway that regulates cell contraction, migration, and growth. In this review, we summarize the potential role of RhoA/ROCK signaling in the development of BPH. The RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway can enhance the contraction of prostate smooth muscle through the Ca2+ sensitization pathway and increase passive tension in the prostate through tissue fibrosis. Additionally, RhoA/ROCK signaling promotes cell proliferation by regulating cell division and may influence apoptosis by affecting the actin cytoskeleton. Furthermore, risk factors, such as inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and hormonal changes, can upregulate RhoA/ROCK signaling, which in turn promotes these risk factors, eventually leading to the development of BPH. Given the role of RhoA/ROCK signaling in regulating multiple pathogenic factors of BPH, this pathway represents a promising molecular target for BPH treatment and warrants further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws upon the vernacularized psychedelic rock of Shin Joong Hyun (Sin Chung-hyŏn, b. 1938) and youth culture fiction of Ch'oe In-ho (1945–2013) in order to formulate a method for close listening to literary articulations of a shared artistic pursuit of individual liberation through the undermining of established modes of feeling and consciousness. The article overviews psychedelic aesthetics and coding and explicates their recodification by novelist Yi In-sŏng (b. 1953). It then contextualizes the coeval advent of psychedelic counterculture and youth culture in South Korea vis-à-vis the emergence of a nascent middle class. Next the article illustrates how Ch'oe transposed cosmopolitan musical sensibilities onto stories of alienated urban youth and daydreams of class mobility. It then moves from textual reference to formal homology, interpreting the global countercultural call for self-liberation in two novellas by Ch'oe through psychedelic musical codes of noise and upward movement, respectively. Finally, the conclusion draws upon the work of Kim Ch'ae-wŏn (b. 1946) to reflect upon the legacy of vernacularized psychedelic codes in Korean literature. The article argues that close listening to heterodox and hallucinatory resonances across popular music and understudied works of fiction by well-known authors complicates conventional understandings and cultural histories of subversive art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rho-associated kinases 1 and 2 (ROCK1 and ROCK2) regulate critical cell functions, including actomyosin contractility, apoptosis, and proliferation. Some studies suggest that ROCK inhibition may serve as a treatment for liver fibrosis. More investigation is needed to understand the role of hepatocyte ROCK signaling in vivo, especially in the context of profibrotic liver injury. Methods: Rock1 fl/fl , Rock2 fl/fl , and Rock1 fl/fl ; Rock2 fl/fl mice were given adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8)-thyroid hormone-binding globulin (TBG)-Cre to produce targeted gene deletion in hepatocytes, or given AAV8-TBG-Null to generate littermate controls (WT). Mice were then placed on a 0.1% 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) diet to induce liver injury. Results: Upon DDC-induced liver injury, mice with hepatocyte-specific deletion of ROCK1 alone (R1 KO) or ROCK2 alone (R2 KO) demonstrated minimal differences compared to WT. In contrast, mice with hepatocyte-specific deletion of both ROCK1 and ROCK2 (DKO) showed pervasive early mortality, increased hepatocellular injury, and decreased hepatic function. DDC-injured DKO mice demonstrated markedly distorted liver histology characterized by large cavities in the parenchyma. RNA-seq analysis showed upregulation of cell death, inflammatory, and profibrotic pathways in DDC-injured DKO liver as compared to DDC-injured WT liver. Cdkn1a (gene encoding p21) was one of the most highly upregulated genes in the DKO liver in response to DDC-induced injury. Correspondingly, there was increased hepatocyte nuclear localization of p21 and expression of cleaved caspase-3 in DDC-injured DKO liver, consistent with the activation of p21-mediated caspase-3–dependent apoptotic cell death pathways. ROCK1/ROCK2-deficient primary hepatocytes demonstrated increased susceptibility to both caspase-3–mediated apoptosis and caspase-3–independent forms of cell death in a cell intrinsic manner. Conclusions: ROCK signaling plays a critical role in mediating hepatocyte cell survival pathways in response to liver injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a semiempirical method to estimate the rate of scour of earth materials, supplementing existing empirical and semiempirical methods that only quantify maximum scour depth. The premise is that the rate of scour equals the rate of removal of earth material that has already been dislodged by flowing water. A universal relationship between effective energy and the amount of dislodged material removed over a certain period is explored. Energy is defined as the product of stream power and flow duration and effective energy is the energy remaining after the energy required to dislodge the earth material has been consumed. An energy-based equation based on fundamental principles of physics is derived and its potential universality illustrated using laboratory and case study data. Analysis of volumes of gneiss scoured from the Kariba Dam plunge pool over a period of 20 years and analysis of experimental rate of scour data of soils occurring within minutes confirm the essential character of the equation. The ease by which the equation can be applied is demonstrated by an example calculation estimating the rate of scour at a bridge pier. Practical Applications: Designing hydraulic structures to withstand the maximum scour depth can be unnecessarily costly if the time required to reach that depth exceeds the design life of the structure. Most of the empirical methods available to practicing engineers only estimate maximum scour depth and not the rate of scour, thereby hampering efforts to optimize designs. Implementing the energy-based equation presented in this paper offers a solution to this problem by following a two-step procedure. The first step is to estimate the maximum scour depth and the associated volume of material to be removed. This is done using existing empirical methods. Once the volume of material to be removed is known, the second step entails quantifying the rate of removal of the dislodged material. The principal objective of this paper is to enable the second step by offering an equation for calculating the rate of scour. The ease of application of this two-step procedure is illustrated by presenting an example calculation of scour at a bridge pier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinearity of the constitutive relation for rocks becomes more prominent with a more complex physical-mechanical environment and mechanical behavior. The accurate establishment of the constitutive relation affects the determination of rock deformation and damage state from physical features. In this study, a novel statistical damage constitutive model for rocks is proposed based on quantified energy conversion. The novelty of the model is that the nature of rock damage before and after damage stress is considered. In the constitutive model, the evolution characteristics of energy conversion show a five-stage evolution with a 'spoon' form and correspond to the rock deformation and damage process, which can be fitted with the modified GaussAmp function; the damage variable is deduced by the Weibull distribution with energy conversion as the distribution variable, which presents a monotonic decrease caused by initial defects before the σ cd and shows a 'S' shape caused by nascent cracks after the σ cd. Furthermore, triaxial test data of three types of rocks under different confining pressures were used to verify the proposed model, and the results were in good agreement with the test data in most cases. The characteristics of the crack closure stage, peak stress, residual strength, and stress drop process are controlled by the model parameters, which can be determined using experimental data. As these parameters definitely have a physical meaning and a relation to the confining pressure, the proposed model has the potential to be used in rock engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing our understanding of the damage evolution in pre-heated rock is essential for safer design practices. Accordingly, a mechanical damage variable that accurately depicts the initial damage recovery process was proposed. Subsequently, a damage constitutive model is developed based on the generalized equivalent strain principle, enabling the identification of the initial nonlinear characteristics exhibited in the stress-strain curve. By integrating the above constitutive model with a statistical damage model that considers the residual strength based on the Weibull distribution, a comprehensive piecewise damage constitutive model specifically designed for pre-heated rocks was derived. The model consists of eight parameters, which can be directly determined through experimental results or readily obtained by fitting of the stress-strain data. A comparison of experimental data from multiple pre-heated rock types subjected to uniaxial compression is performed to validate the proposed model, revealing a strong agreement between the theoretical and experimental results. The comparison results demonstrate that the proposed model effectively captures the nonlinearity of the stress-strain curve throughout various stages, including the initial compaction, linear elastic, and strain-hardening stages before reaching the peak stress, as well as the subsequent strain-softening and residual stages. Furthermore, the proposed damage constitutive model elucidates the influence of temperature on crucial factors such as the elastic modulus, peak stress, residual strength, and stress-strain curve of pre-heated rocks, thereby enhancing its applicability in the design of deep underground rock projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 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]

To study the effects of rock models with different fractal dimensions on their mechanical properties and fracture behavior, three representative numerical rock models, including the digital texture model, the Voronoi polygon model, and the Weibull distribution model, are established in this paper. These models are used to simulate the structure of multi-mineral rocks and to investigate the influence of fractal dimensions on the mechanical properties and fracture behavior of rocks. Uniaxial compression numerical tests are carried out on 2D and 3D intact rocks under different fractal dimensions using the particle flow simulation method. The relationship between fractal dimensions and uniaxial compression strength and fracture behavior was analyzed. The results show that the fractal dimension of the Weibull distribution model is the largest, followed by the digital texture model, and the fractal dimension of the Voronoi polygon model is the smallest. With the increase in fractal dimension, the uniaxial compressive strength of intact rocks increases significantly, and their relationship is approximately linear. The influence of fractal dimension on rock strength shows a similar trend in both the 2D and 3D models. This study provides a new perspective for the application of fractal dimensions in multi-mineral rock models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Missile impacts on underground structures pose significant safety concerns, necessitating thorough investigation to enhance the resilience and safety of such infrastructures. This study aims to evaluate the effects of missile impacts on underground structures by comparing the impact of rigid and deformable impactors using advanced simulation techniques. The simulation of 3D models of impact scenarios on underground structure was carried out using ANSYS/LSDYNA software. The simulations focused on assessing the differences in damage caused by rigid and deformable impactors. Due to the symmetry of the geometry and loading, a quarter of the model was simulated to reduce calculation time. Various material models were employed, including MAT_RHT for rock, MAT_CSCM_CONCRETE for concrete, and MAT_PLASTIC_KINEMATIC for rebars and impactors. Different contact algorithms and boundary conditions were applied to replicate real-world scenarios accurately. Our analysis revealed that employing a deformable impactor significantly reduces the damage to both the ground and the tunnel lining compared to a rigid impactor. Specifically, the velocities observed for rigid and deformable impactors were 91.8 and 65.7 m/s, respectively. Validation of the numerical model was achieved through comparison with experimental data on RC beams subjected to impact, demonstrating the model’s reliability in predicting impact responses. Our findings underscore the critical influence of impactor material behaviour on damage outcomes. The results advocate for the consideration of nonrigid materials in impact assessments for stiff structures, contributing to enhanced safety protocols and design strategies for underground infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The freeze–thaw processes caused by temperature changes in frost areas are the most essential reasons for damage to rock engineering structures. Thus, the study of the damage constitutive model of freeze-thawed rock is significant for evaluating the stability of rock excavations in these areas. Based on the classical statistical damage mechanics theory, this paper constructed a novel triaxial compressive damage constitutive model of freeze-thawed rock considering the damage threshold and residual strength characteristics. The proposed model was compared with previous experimental data and verified that the model has good fitting results. Then, the total damage growing process is divided into the initial damage stage, slow damage development stage, rapid damage development stage, and stable damage development stage. Additionally, it is found that with the increase of cohesion, internal friction angle, and confining pressure, the damage threshold and the strain value at the start point of the rapid damage development stage increase. For example, after an increase of 10 MPa in confining pressure, the damage threshold increases by 61.11%. With the increase of Poisson’s ratio and elastic modulus, the damage threshold and the maximum total damage variable decrease. Furthermore, the damage threshold has little effect on the stress–strain curve before the peak strength point, but the stress-dropping rate decreases with the increase of the damage threshold after the peak strength stage. In addition, the residual strength increases with the increase of the damage threshold. For example, when the damage threshold increases from 0.0029 to 0.0059, the residual strength increases by 4.66%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) describes a pathologic condition centered at the osteochondral junction that may result in an unstable subchondral fragment (progeny), disruption of the overlying cartilage, which may separate from the underlying parent bone. It is one of the causes of chronic knee pain in children and young adults. The current literature on OCD lesions focuses primarily on the medial femoral condyle (MFC), but inconsistent use of terminology, particularly in the distinction of OCD lesions between skeletally immature and mature patients has created uncertainty regarding imaging workup, treatment, and long-term prognosis. This article reviews the pathophysiology of MFC OCD lesions, highlighting the role of endochondral ossification at the secondary growth plate of the immature femoral condyles, the rationale behind the imaging work-up, and key imaging findings that can distinguish between stable lesions, unstable lesions, and physiologic variants. This overview also provides a case-based review to introduce imaging correlates with the ROCK (Research in Osteochondritis of the Knee) arthroscopic classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The events of March 1968 in Poland can be viewed as four overlapping threads (i.e. lines of development): 1) factionalism in the ruling party, 2) the intellectuals’ protest against the government’s cultural policies, 3) a student revolt, 4) an anti-Semitic campaign, all in the wake of international events in 1967–68. These developments intertwined in a series of events, the most notable of which were the pacification of students by the milicja (state police) on 8 March and the forced emigration of thousands of Polish Jews as a result of the anti-Semitic political campaign. In this paper, the author examines the period’s popular music which reflects the events of March ‘68. The limited number of songs is a consequence of the prevailing conditions in Polish popular music at that time. The rock genre remained the domain of teenagers, recordings were subject to restrictions, and the recording process remained under the control of the censorship. As a result, popular songs (in the broadest sense of the term) that deal with the theme of March ‘68 are part of the independent legacy of the so-called ‘student culture’, preserved outside the mainstream, mainly in oral tradition. Maciej Zembaty’s ‘Pan Prokurator ma rację’ [‘Mr Prosecutor is Right’] is analyzed here as a case study of a March ‘68 protest song. It has been paired with Andrzej Zieliński and Agnieszka Osiecka’s song ‘W żółtych płomieniach liści’ [‘In the Yellow Flames of Leaves’], which is often referred to as a rock song reflecting the events of March ’68.

This paper focuses on the analysis of lyrics written by rock bands in Porto Velho, Rondônia, between 2000 and 2010. The central problem discussed in this work is the fact that Porto Velho has not achieved visibility as a city that produces songs with themes that go beyond regionalism and themes linked to nature, with songs with local content predominating in the artistic scene. The main objective is therefore to highlight songs that have been produced usingthemes that break away from the Amazonian paradigm. Using a methodological approach that combines bibliographical and historiographical research, interviews and in-depth theoretical analysis, the study offers an insight into the songwriting scene in portovelhense, focusing on a contextualization of the genres of lyric poetry and song in literature. We then analyze some songs composed by the bands: Coveiros, Ultimato, Nitro and Versalhes. Our analysis will be guided by authors such as Cara Salete de Almeida(1985) and João de Jesus Paes Loureiro (2015) to deal with the song as lyric poetry and Luís Augusto Fischer (2021) and Roberto Acízelo Souza (2014) to outline concepts relating to the historiographical exercise. Finally, it should be noted that this article aims to help create new ways of looking at the songs produced in Porto Velho and that this is a window to desacralize the view of the Amazon.

Since the classical element model cannot describe the nonlinear characteristics of rock during the entire compressive creep process, nonlinear elements and creep damage are generally introduced in the model to resolve this issue. However, several previous studies have reckoned that creep damage in rock only occurs in the accelerated creep stage and is only described by the Weibull distribution. Nevertheless, the creep damage mechanism of rocks is still not clearly understood. In this study, a reasonable representation of the damage variables of solid materials is presented. Specifically, based on the Gurson damage model, the damage state functions reflecting the constant creep stage and accelerated creep stage of rock are established. Further, the one-dimensional and three-dimensional creep damage constitutive equations of rock are derived by modifying the Nishihara model. Finally, the creep-acoustic emission tests of phyllite under different confining pressures are conducted to examine the creep damage characteristics of phyllite. And the proposed constitutive model is verified by analyzing the results of creep tests performed on saturated phyllite. Overall, this study reveals the relationship between the creep characteristics of rocks and the corresponding damage evolution pattern, which bridges the gap between the traditional theory and the quantitative analysis of rock creep and its damage pattern.

Unlike traditional base materials such as concrete or masonry, there are no guidelines for rock as a base material for post-installed anchors. The varying rock properties (e.g., rock type, discontinuities) and numerous installation parameters (e.g., embedment depth, anchor diameter) leave engineers with limited information on design resistances, leading to an uncertain basis for anchor applications in rock. To identify the key parameters that determine rock as a base material, an evaluation of rock characteristics was conducted, combined with in situ pull-out tests in different key geologies (granite, limestone, mica schist, dolomite, granulite) and discrete element modeling, which has been found to be suitable for investigating the load-bearing behavior of post-installed anchors in rock. Discontinuities were identified as the main factor influencing the load-bearing capacity of post-installed anchors in rock mass. Based on the in situ investigations, assessment methods for rock as a base material were proposed, along with corresponding resistance partial safety factors for design of 2.5, 2.0, and 1.7 for high, medium, and low levels of uncertainty regarding possible inhomogeneities. A limit value R ≥ 36, associated with rebound hammer assessments, was defined for the low degree of uncertainty, showing limitations for schistose rock. This is concluded by a design approach for determining design resistances of shallow fasteners in rock mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adipose tissue in vivo is physiologically exposed to compound mechanical loading due to bodyweight bearing, posture, and motion. The capability of adipocytes to sense and respond to mechanical loading milieus to influence metabolic functions may provide a new insight into obesity and metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here, we evidenced physiological mechanical loading control of adipocyte insulin signaling cascades. We exposed differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes to mechanical stretching and assessed key markers of insulin signaling, AKT activation, and GLUT4 translocation, required for glucose uptake. We showed that cyclic stretch loading at 5% strain and 1 Hz frequency increases AKT phosphorylation and GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane by approximately two-fold increases compared to unstretched controls for both markers as assessed by immunoblotting (p < 0.05). These results indicate that cyclic stretching activates insulin signaling and GLUT4 trafficking in adipocytes. In the mechanosensing mechanism study, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor (FAK14) and RhoA kinase (ROCK) inhibitor (Y-27632) impaired actin cytoskeleton structural formation and significantly suppressed the stretch induction of AKT phosphorylation in adipocytes (p < 0.001). This suggests the regulatory role of focal adhesion and cytoskeletal mechanosensing in adipocyte insulin signaling under stretch loading. Our finding on the impact of mechanical stretch loading on key insulin signaling effectors in differentiated adipocytes and the mediatory role of focal adhesion and cytoskeleton mechanosensors is the first of its kind to our knowledge. This may suggest a therapeutic potential of mechanical loading cue in improving conditions of obesity and T2D. For instance, cyclic mechanical stretch loading of adipose tissue could be explored as a tool to improve insulin sensitivity in patients with obesity and T2D, and the mediatory mechanosensors such as FAK and ROCK may be targeted to further invigorate stretch-induced insulin signaling activation. [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]

Background: The protein kinases CLK and ROCK play key roles in cell growth and migration, respectively, and are potential anticancer targets. ROCK inhibitors have been approved by the FDA for various diseases and CLK inhibitors are currently being trialed in the clinic as anticancer agents. Compounds with polypharmacology are desired, especially in oncology, due to the potential for high efficacy as well as addressing resistance issues. In this report, we have identified and characterized novel, boron-containing dual CLK/ROCK inhibitors with promising anticancer properties. Methods: A library of boronic acid-based CLK/ROCKi was synthesized via Povarov/Doebner-type multicomponent reactions. Kinase inhibition screening and cancer cell viability assays were performed to identify the hit compounds. To gain insights into the probable binding modes of the compounds to the kinases, docking studies were performed. Cell cycle analysis, qPCR and immunoblotting were carried out to further characterize the mode(s) of action of the lead candidates. Results: At 25 nM, the top compounds HSD1400 and HSD1791 inhibited CLK1 and 2 and ROCK2 at greater than 70%. While HSD1400 also inhibited CLK4, the C1 methylated analog HSD1791 did not inhibit CLK4. Antitumor effects of the top compounds were evaluated and dose–response analysis indicated potent inhibition of renal cancer and leukemia cell growth. Immunoblotting results indicated that the top compounds induce DNA damage via upregulation of p-H2AX. Moreover, flow cytometry results demonstrated that the top compounds promote cell cycle arrest in the renal cancer cell line, Caki-1. qPCR and immunoblotting analysis upon HSD1791 dosing indicated suppression of cyclin D/Rb oncogenic pathway upon compound treatment. Conclusions: Novel boronic acid-containing pyrazolo[4,3-f]quinoline-based dual CLK/ROCK inhibitors were identified. The so-called "magic methylation" design approach was used to tune CLK selectivity. Additionally, the findings demonstrate potent in vitro anticancer activity of the lead candidates against renal cancer and leukemia. This adds to the growing list of boron-containing compounds that display biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The '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]

This study investigates the relationship between geological and geotechnical properties of granite formations in the Mudgal region of Karnataka, India. The project includes geological surveys and laboratory testing to better understand the impact of mineralogical composition, texture, and structure on the engineering qualities of these rocks. Natural joints enable massive granite block extraction without wire saw cutting, influencing rock mass gradation. The geological assessments reveal that the study area hosts granite deposits of varying sizes, forms and structural attributes. Joints and natural discontinuities in these formations significantly impact block extraction, affecting their economic viability. Importantly, these granites exhibit limited weathering, rendering them suitable for construction purposes. Geotechnical tests expose correlations between mineral composition, grain size and rock strength. The present study covers petrographical study, Bulk unit weight variations, water absorption, specific gravity and compressive strength of granites. Higher quartz content and smaller grain sizes are found to enhance uniaxial compressive strength. In addition, using regression analysis, a novel empirical relationship is established, providing essential equations for predicting rock qualities based on mineralogical structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fatigue damage evolution of rocks subjected to cyclic loading and unloading has always been a hot spot that receives worldwide attention in the field of rock mechanics. Recent studies that rely on advanced nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques enable accurate monitoring and assessment of the dynamic damage in cyclically loaded rocks, and well contribute to revealing the complicated failure mechanism. These works are critical to ensure safe underground tunnelling and mining activities. As a promising NDT technique, the electromechanical impedance method (EMI) has been successfully applied to many aspects in structure health monitoring. In this paper, the EMI method was extended to measuring the rock fatigue damage. Firstly, uniaxial cyclic compression tests with increasing amplitude were performed on three types of cylindrical rock specimens, including sandstone, granite and carbonaceous shale. The varying mechanical properties and energy conversion characteristics were analyzed. In particular, the damage evolution characterized by elastic energy dissipation was determined. Concurrently with cyclic tests, conductance signatures in response to two excitation modes of the surface-bonded piezoelectric transducers were collected, and the spectral localized and overall variations were analyzed. It is discovered that the resonant frequency shift and the statistic metric MAPD within the transverse mode-dominated frequency range could accurately indicate the rock fatigue damage. This research sufficiently confirms the effectiveness and reliability of the EMI method in quantifying the accumulative damage of different rocks under uniaxial cyclic loading and unloading. Highlights: The damage evolution based on energy dissipation of rocks under uniaxial cyclic compression was studied. The localized and overall variations of conductance spectra of PZT transducers were tracked and analyzed. The resonance frequency shift is consistent with the fatigue damage evolution of cyclically loaded rocks. The metric MAPD under the d33-dominated mode serves as an excellent indicator of rock fatigue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering is the property of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering is the property of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Endothelial blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction is critical in the pathophysiology of brain injury. Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) activation disrupts BBB integrity in the injured brain. We aimed to test the efficacy of a novel ROCK2 inhibitor in preserving the BBB after acute brain injury. We characterized the molecular structure and pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of a novel selective ROCK2 inhibitor, NRL-1049, and its first metabolite, 1-hydroxy-NRL-1049 (referred to as NRL-2017 hereon) and tested the efficacy of NRL-1049 on the BBB integrity in rodent models of acute brain injury. Our data show that NRL-1049 and NRL-2017 both inhibit ROCK activity and are 44-fold and 17-fold more selective towards ROCK2 than ROCK1, respectively. When tested in a mouse model of cortical cryoinjury, NRL-1049 significantly attenuated the increase in water content. Interestingly, 60% of the mice in the vehicle arm developed seizures within 2 hours after cryoinjury versus none in the NRL-1049 arm. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, NRL-1049 attenuated the dramatic surge in Evans Blue extravasation compared with the vehicle arm after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Hemorrhagic transformation was also reduced. We show that NRL-1049, a selective ROCK2 inhibitor, is a promising drug candidate to preserve the BBB after brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ras homolog family member A (RhoA) acts as a signaling hub in many cellular processes, including cytoskeletal dynamics, division, migration, and adhesion. RhoA activity is tightly spatiotemporally controlled, but whether downstream effectors share these activation dynamics is unknown. We developed a novel single-color FRET biosensor to measure Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) activity with high spatiotemporal resolution in live cells. We report the validation of the Rho-Kinase Activity Reporter (RhoKAR) biosensor. RhoKAR activation was specific to ROCK activity and was insensitive to PKA activity. We then assessed the mechanisms of ROCK activation in mouse fibroblasts. Increasing intracellular calcium with ionomycin increased RhoKAR activity and depleting intracellular calcium with EGTA decreased RhoKAR activity. We also investigated the signaling intermediates in this process. Blocking calmodulin or CaMKII prevented calcium-dependent activation of ROCK. These results indicate that ROCK activity is increased by calcium in fibroblasts and that this activation occurs downstream of CaM/CaMKII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the population of white-spotted charr (Salvelinus leucomaenis) has been declining in the upper reaches of the Daiya River, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture. One of the causes is the deterioration of the river environment due to an influx of sediment and construction work. Among the studies investigating the habitat preferences of charr, there are few examples of habitat assessment of stream channels severely altered by artificial structures, such as dams, revetments and concrete riverbeds. For this reason, this study investigated the presence/absence of charr in a reach with sequential low-head dams in the Daiya River that has all those structures. The results indicate that the presence of charr in the altered reach was associated with the abundance of rocks or greater water depth (>20 cm). Based on these results, we conclude that when trying to create a habitat for charr in a stream reach with sequential low-head dams, one should consider adding complexity in terms of rocks and water depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy is associated with heart failure, arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. The developmental mechanism underpinning noncompaction in the adult heart is still not fully understood, with lack of trabeculae compaction, hypertrabeculation, and loss of proliferation cited as possible causes. To study this, we utilised a mouse model of aberrant Rho kinase (ROCK) signalling in cardiomyocytes, which led to a noncompaction phenotype during embryogenesis, and monitored how this progressed after birth and into adulthood. The cause of the early noncompaction at E15.5 was attributed to a decrease in proliferation in the developing ventricular wall. By E18.5, the phenotype became patchy, with regions of noncompaction interspersed with thick compacted areas of ventricular wall. To study how this altered myoarchitecture of the heart influenced impulse propagation in the developing and adult heart, we used histology with immunohistochemistry for gap junction protein expression, optical mapping, and electrocardiography. At the prenatal stages, a clear reduction in left ventricular wall thickness, accompanied by abnormal conduction of the ectopically paced beat in that area, was observed in mutant hearts. This correlated with increased expression of connexin-40 and connexin-43 in noncompacted trabeculae. In postnatal stages, left ventricular noncompaction was resolved, but the right ventricular wall remained structurally abnormal through to adulthood with cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and retention of myocardial crypts. Thus, this is a novel model of self-correcting embryonic hypertrabeculation cardiomyopathy, but it highlights that remodelling potential differs between the left and right ventricles. We conclude that disruption of ROCK signalling induces both morphological and electrophysiological changes that evolve over time, highlighting the link between myocyte proliferation and noncompaction phenotypes and electrophysiological differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of rocks is one of the main parameters required in the design of geotechnical projects such as tunnels, dams, or rock slopes. According to the literature, there are a large number of predictive regression equations to evaluate the UCS from the point load index (PLI) and Brazilian tensile strength (BTS). However, the equations developed in previous studies have different accuracies in UCS prediction. A more accurate prediction of the UCS will result in a more appropriate design of the geotechnical project, and thus ensure its success during operation. In the present paper, a comparative study was conducted between the accuracy of PLI and BTS in predicting the UCS of the limestone and sandstone. Moreover, the role of porosity (n) on the accuracy of predicting the UCS from PLI and BTS was investigated. Some statistical indices were used to investigating the accuracy of predictive regression equations of UCS. The results revealed that the UCS of rocks can be predicted with a higher accuracy using BTS compared with PLI. Also, the findings showed that the n had a significant role in increasing the accuracy of PLI- and BTS-based regression equations of the UCS predictive. The predictive equations established in the present study can be used in practical applications for indirect evaluation of limestone and sandstone UCS in the site of a geotechnical project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]