Early Contraction Research Articles

Early Vowel Contraction in Slavic: 1. i-Verbs. 2. The Imperfect. 3. The vòlja/súša Nouns

Three closely related studies show how three Common Slavic suffixes were changed in an early wave of glide loss and vowel contraction that occurred between the Late Common Slavic quantity-to-quality vowel shift and the earliest texts. The studies examine the Present suffix, Common Slavic -eje-, of iterative, causative, and denominative i-verbs; the Imperfect suffix, Common Slavic -ējā-, -ājā-; and the suffix of lexicalized relative adjectives -ej-(ā). Each study presupposes a detailed understanding of vowel contraction and due attention to the functional relations between the given elements and similar or contrasting stem-forming suffixes.

Citizens United from a Historical Perspective: Corporate Person, Corporate Rights, and the Principle of Confiscation

The Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is often criticized for having declared that corporations are persons with the same constitutional rights as human beings. Using standard theories of the nature of the corporation as a guide, this paper traces the concept of corporate personhood from its mythical birth in the 1886 Santa Clara case. This historical perspective reveals that the Court has never settled on one theory of the nature of the corporation. Even after Citizens United the concept of corporate person remains little more than a metaphor or legal fiction. The real significance of Citizens United is that it ignored the traditional limitation on corporate constitutional rights. The idea of corporate constitutional rights springs from early Contract Clause doctrine holding that a state could not deprive a corporation of the essential object of its grant or confiscate corporate property. By ruling that the rights of corporations are not limited to issues that materially affect its business or property, the majority in Citizens United casually dismissed this principle of confiscation. It thus rejected both the most significant limitation on corporate constitutional rights and underlying rationale for giving corporations constitutional rights in the first place.

Doppler tissue imaging assessment of myocardial velocities and atrioventricular time intervals in term newborn infants during the neonatal period

In both term and premature neonates, changes in the systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) reflect the degree of neonatal myocardial immaturity and the co-existence of foetal circulation as well as the presence of concurrent diseases. To evaluate the changes in values of systolic and diastolic LV and RV function using pulse tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in 20 healthy term newborn infants from birth to the 28th day of life. Ventricular peak myocardial velocities were recorded during early diastole (Em wave), atrial contraction (Am wave), and systole (Sm wave). TDI derived atrioventricular (AV) intervals were measured as the period from atrial contraction (Am) to isovolumic contraction (IV), from Am to ventricular systole (Sm), from Sm to the following Am, and from IV to the following Am. The first measurements were taken as soon as possible after birth, the second on the third day, and the final one on the 28th day of life. The diastolic myocardial velocities recorded in the RV were higher than those in the LV. Statistically significant differences were observed for time intervals in the RV: Am-IV and Am-Sm (day 1-3), p < 0.02; IV-Am (day 1-28), p < 0.005; Sm-Am (day 1-28), p < 0.01. Statistically significant differences for time intervals were also evident in the LV: Am-IV (day 1-28), p < 0.05; and for Sm-Am (day 1-28), p < 0.01. Mean isovolumetric contraction time (ICT) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT) intervals remained stable for all measurements recorded in the RV. However, a statistically significant difference was evident for both ICT and IRT intervals in the LV between days 1 and 28 of life (p < 0.01). 1. Cardiac TDI is feasible in the neonate. 2. In neonates, the diastolic and systolic function recorded in the RV was better than that in the LV. This may reflect the 'persistent' foetal status of this ventricle in the first day of life. 3. The differences observed in conduction times also reflect the haemodynamic changes which occur in the circulatory system of the neonate in the first month of life. 4. Further investigation of a larger population of neonates throughout the whole neonatal period is indicated.

Mid-crustal emplacement and deformation of plutons in an Andean-style continental arc along the northern margin of the North China Block and tectonic implications

Abstract Outcrop mapping and thermobarometrical, thermochronological and microstructural analyses in five Late Carboniferous–Early Permian arc plutons in the northern North China Block (NCB) indicate a transition of tectonic regime from arc-perpendicular contraction to transpression and successive uplift and exhumation of the crustal rocks during magma emplacement and construction of the continental arc system. The early emplaced Daguangding and Boluonuo plutons (324–302 Ma) display well-developed, penetrative, moderately to steeply dipping magmatic foliations and high-temperature sub-solidus foliations that are parallel to host rock foliation near the contact. Widespread high-temperature sub-solidus foliations in these plutons indicate that they are syn-tectonic with N–S, arc-perpendicular shortening and record arc construction at a convergent continental margin. However, the late emplaced Tianqiao and Xianghuangqi–Wudaoyingzi plutons (288–274 Ma) display relatively weak magmatic fabrics at their margins and lack sub-solidus foliations and pluton-related ductile deformation of the contact host rocks. These structural differences likely reflect a kinematic transition from early arc-perpendicular contraction to late sinistral transpression during continental arc formation. Aluminum-in-hornblende barometry shows that their estimated emplacement depths decrease gradually from the Late Carboniferous (18.7 ± 0.8 km) to Early Permian (13.8 ± 0.9 km), indicating successive exhumation of the crustal rocks at an average rate of ca. 123 mm/ka over 40 million years of arc formation. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar thermochronological results show that cooling of the continental crust was very slow (4.9 °C/Ma) during arc construction in the Late Carboniferous–Late Permian but increased significantly during the Late Permian–Middle Triassic after arc termination. The mid-crust of the northern NCB remained very hot (> 530 °C) during arc construction and emplacement of the arc batholiths. Combined with emplacement depth estimated by aluminum-in-hornblende barometry, paleogeothermal gradients of 42.8–46.5 °C/km were estimated in mid- to upper-crustal levels (0–19 km). Hot mid-crust and high mid–upper crust geothermal gradients resulted from magmatic advection are likely the most important reasons for crust thickening and uplift during construction of Andean-style continental arcs and largely influenced the rheological behavior of continental crust.

Early Contract Renegotiation: An Analysis of US Labor Contracts, 1970–1995

This article examines the ex post flexibility of US labor contracts during the 1970–95 period by investigating whether unanticipated changes in inflation increase the likelihood of a contract being renegotiated prior to its expiration. We find empirical support for this hypothesis. Specifically, our results indicate that renegotiations are triggered principally by large and infrequent price shocks of either sign. When combined with evidence that ex ante contract durations are shorter during episodes of increased inflation uncertainty, our results suggest that these contracts are flexible both ex ante and ex post to changes in the evolution of inflation.

Experimental Research on Temperature-Stress of Inorganic Polymer Concrete

The inorganic polymer concrete is a new environmentally material. Using the temperature - stress test machine to research its early cracking sensitivity, and compare it with the normal concrete. The deformation development process of inorganic polymer concrete consists three stages:early contraction, expansion, contraction to cracking; cracking temperature can effectively evaluate the overall cracking performance of concrete; the cracking temperature of inorganic polymer concrete is 14.2 °C, the normal concrete is 14.4 °C; the inorganic polymer concretes cracking stress is 2.658MPa, the normal concrete is 0.582MPa. The results show the inorganic polymers cracking performance is better than the normal concrete.

Comparative Evaluation of 25µg and 50µg of travaginal Misoprostol for Induction of Labor

&#x0D; Introduction: To compare the efficacy and safety of 25g vs. 50g of intravaginal (Posterior fornix) misoprostol for induction of labor in 100 patient from Jan 2012 to Dec 2012 at Lumbini Medical College.&#x0D; &#x0D; Methods: One hundred pregnant lady requiring induction were randomly assigned to receive either 25 g (group A=50) or 50 g (group B=50) of intra vaginal misoprostol every 4 hrs till adequate contractions were achieved or maximum dose of 150 g was used.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results: The onset of contraction was earlier in group B in 34 cases as compared to group A, where only 25 cases had earlier contraction ( P&gt; 0.05). 38 cases (76%) in Group B and 35 cases (70%) in Group A delivered vaginally. Induction to delivery interval was shorter(&lt;12hrs) in group B in 15 cases and in 10 cases in group A. Mean dose of Misoprostol (94micrograms) for successful induction in group B was high compared to Group A (75.5 microgram). Requirement for oxytocin infusion was higher in group A, 26% vs. 15%. Abnormal contractility pattern was seen in B group 24% cases compared to 14% cases in Group A. APGAR score &lt; 7 at 1 min was seen in 26% neonates in Group B and in only 10% neonates in Group A. Ruptured uterus did not occur in any group.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion: 50 g dose of misoprostol is more efficacious than 25 g dose as seen in our study. However it appears to be less safe both for mother and baby due to the high incidence of tachysystole, hyperstimulation and intrauterine passage of meconium.

Megalobrama amblycephala cardiac troponin T variants: Molecular cloning, expression and response to nitrite

Cardiac troponin T (TNNT2), as a member of troponin superfamily, plays important roles during early cardiogenesis, and contraction and relaxation of myocardial cells. In this study, two alternatively spliced variants of Megalobrama amblycephala TNNT2 were identified showing a difference of 19 amino acids in the N-terminal hypervariable region. The longer cDNA (TNNT2-1) was 1118bp, encoding 284 amino acid residues, contained conserved central tropomyosin-binding region, cardiac specific signal and C-terminal segments except the N-terminal hypervariable region. The TNNT2 transcripts first appeared at 16hours post-fertilization (hpf) peaking at 28hpf (onset of heartbeat). In addition, strong expression of TNNT2 was found in the cardiac muscle. After nitrite exposure, the increased TNNT2 expression levels in the heart indicated that nitrite might induce cardiac injury. Results of semi-quantitative RT-PCR indicated that the two alternatively spliced variants existed in early development stages since their first appearance at 16hpf and heart, spleen, headkiney of M. amblycephala. The shorter transcript (TNNT2-2) was proved to be dominant in the embryos and heart of M. amblycephala, furthermore, the increase of TNNT2 expression level in the heart after nitrite exposure was mainly caused by TNNT2-2.

Evaluation of tissue Doppler-derived myocardial performance index in fetuses with intracardiac echogenic focus

Objective: To compare cardiac function between fetuses with and without intracardiac echogenic foci (IEFs) by conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler (TD) imaging.Methods: Fetuses having IEF and no additional cardiac or extracardiac anomaly between 20 and 28 weeks (median 22 weeks) of gestation (n = 61) were compared with healthy fetuses between 18 and 29 weeks (median 23 weeks) of gestation (n = 55). Pulmonary artery and aortic peak velocities, atrioventricular (AV) early diastole (E) and atrial contraction (A) velocities and E/A ratios were measured. TD-derived myocardial performance index (MPI) was also measured.Results: Tricuspid valve E/A ratios, which were 0.634 ± 0.07 versus 0.639 ± 0.06 (p = 0.697), mitral valve E/A ratios, which were 0.604 ± 0.08 versus 0.612 ± 0.07 (p = 0.600), aorta peak velocities, which were 0.709 ± 0.11 versus 0.697 ± 0.11 (p = 0.592) and pulmonary artery peak velocities, which were 0.699 ± 0.12 versus 0.694 ± 0.11 (p = 0.800) in the study and the control groups, respectively. TD-derived measurements in the study and control groups included tricuspid valve MPI, which were 0.452 ± 0.08 versus 0.473 ± 0.09 (p = 0.221) and mitral valve MPI values, which were 0.444 ± 0.1 versus 0.445 ± 0.09 (p = 0.965), respectively, and this difference was not statistically significant.Conclusion: An isolated IEF is not associated with abnormal cardiac function. We suggest that the presence of an isolated IEF should not be an indication for fetal cardiac function examination either with conventional Doppler or TD imaging techniques, unless there is a coexisting cardiac or extracardiac anomaly.

Optimal regulatory control of early contract termination

We present a quantitative method to find jointly optimal strategies for an industry regulator and a firm who operate under exogenous uncertainty. The firm controls its operating policy in order to maximize its expected future profits whilst taking account of regulatory fines. The regulator aims to control the probability of the firm terminating production by imposing a closure fine which is as low as possible, while achieving the required reduction in probability. Our method determines the level of fine which establishes a Nash equilibrium in these non-zero-sum games under uncertainty.

Adjuvant Liposomal Doxorubicin Markedly Affects Radiofrequency Ablation–induced Effects on Periablational Microvasculature

PurposeTo evaluate the effects of radiofrequency (RF) ablation without and with adjuvant intravenous (IV) liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil) on microvessel morphology and patency and intratumoral drug delivery and retention. Materials and MethodsThere were 133 tumors/animals used in this experiment. First, single subcutaneous tumors (R3230 in Fischer rats and 786-0 in nude mice) were randomly assigned to receive RF ablation alone or no treatment and sacrificed 0–72hours after treatment. Next, combined RF ablation and liposomal doxorubicin (1mg given 15min after RF ablation) was studied in R3230 tumors at 0–72hours after treatment. Histopathologic assessment, including immunohistochemical staining for cleaved caspase-3, heat-shock protein 70, and CD34, was performed to assess morphologic vessel appearance, vessel diameter, and microvascular density. Subsequently, tumors were randomly assigned to receive RF ablation alone, RF ablation and liposomal doxorubicin, or no treatment (control tumors), followed by IV fluorescent-labeled liposomes (a surrogate marker) given 0–24hours after RF ablation to permit qualitative assessment. ResultsRF ablation alone resulted in enlarged and dysmorphic vessels from 0–4hours, peaking at 12–24hours after RF ablation, occurring preferentially closer to the electrode. The addition of doxorubicin resulted in earlier vessel contraction (mean vessel area, 47,539μm2±9,544 vs 1,854μm2±458 for RF ablation alone at 15min; P<.05). Combined RF ablation and liposomal doxorubicin produced similar fluorescence 1hour after treatment (40.88AU/μm2±33.53 vs 22.1AU/μm2±13.19; P = .14) but significantly less fluorescence at 4 hours (24.3AU/μm2±3.65 vs 2.8AU/μm2±3.14; P<.002) compared with RF ablation alone denoting earlier reduction in microvascular patency. ConclusionsRF ablation induces morphologic changes to vessels within the ablation zone lasting 12–24hours after treatment. The addition of liposomal doxorubicin causes early vessel contraction and a reduction in periablational microvascular patency. Such changes would likely need to be considered when determining optimal drug administration and imaging paradigms.

Monoamniotic monochorionic twins discordant for noncompaction cardiomyopathy

Occasionally "identical twins" are phenotypically different, raising the question of zygosity and the issue of genetic versus environmental influences during development. We recently noted monochorionic-monoamniotic twins, one of which had an isolated cardiac abnormality, noncompaction cardiomyopathy, a condition characterized by cardiac ventricular hypertrabeculation. We examined the prenatal course and subsequent pathologic correlation since ventricular morphogenesis may depend on early muscular contraction and blood flow. The monochorionic-monoamniotic female twin pair was initially identified since one fetus presented with increased nuchal translucency. Complete heart block was later identified in the fetus with nuchal translucency who did not survive after delivery. In contrast, the unaffected twin had normal cardiac studies both prenatally and postnatally. Pathologic analysis of the affected twin demonstrated noncompaction of the left ventricle with dysplasia of the aortic and pulmonary valves. Dissection of the cardiac conduction system disclosed atrioventricular bundle fibrosis. Maternal lupus studies, amniocentesis with karyotype, and studies for 22q11.2 were normal. To test for zygosity, we performed multiple STR marker analysis and found that all markers were shared even using nonblood tissues from the affected twin. These studies demonstrate that monozygotic twins that are monochorionic monoamniotic can be discordant for cardiac noncompaction. The results suggest further investigation into the potential roles of pathologic fibrosis, contractility, and blood flow in cardiac ventricle development.

Evaluation of cardiac systolic and diastolic functions in small for gestational age babies during the first months of life: a prospective follow-up study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cardiac functions and age-related changes of these functions in full-term small for gestational age infants during the first 3 months of life. Cardiac functions of 20 term small for gestational age and 20 term appropriate for gestational age infants were studied using conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography on postnatal day 5 and at 1 and 3 months. Ventricular diameters, ventricular wall thicknesses, and left ventricular mass significantly increased with age in both groups. All these parameters were significantly lower in small for gestational age infants. No differences were detected by conventional echocardiography between the groups in systolic and diastolic functions. Systolic velocity, early diastolic and atrial contraction velocities, and the ratio between early diastolic and atrial contraction velocities determined by tissue Doppler echocardiography increased with age. Systolic velocity was lower in the small for gestational age babies for all myocardial regions on the 5th day. Peak early diastolic velocity was decreased in the small for gestational age babies at the first and second evaluations for all myocardial regions. The ratio between early diastolic and atrial contraction velocities was significantly lower in the small for gestational age babies for the interventricular septum and right ventricle. Significant positive correlations were detected between the Ponderal index and systolic and early diastolic velocities. The present findings suggest that systolic and diastolic function indices including tissue Doppler measures are significantly affected in small for gestational age babies during the first 3 months of life.

Payment options in collaborative procurement of major construction projects

There are many options available for procurement of construction work. The main differences between the options include the payment mechanisms and risk allocation between the project participants. Payment options include fixed-price contracts, cost-reimbursable contracts and target-cost contracts. Use of collaborative procurement based on target-cost contracts is increasing in construction worldwide. Other innovative arrangements for procurement include early contractor involvement design and build. The key features and risk allocation inherent in different procurement methods are discussed. The characteristics of early contractor involvement contracts are assessed including evaluation of the payment mechanisms in a major rail project. It is concluded that experience of early contractor involvement design and build contracts is still limited. As a consequence, further theoretical research and empirical data analysis are required to collate information which will guide industry in designing effective incentives in collaborative procurement for infrastructure projects.

American step-up and step-down default swaps under Lévy models

This paper studies the valuation of a class of default swaps with the embedded option to switch to a different premium and notional principal anytime prior to a credit event. These are early exercisable contracts that give the protection buyer or seller the right to step-up, step-down, or cancel the swap position. The pricing problem is formulated under a structural credit risk model based on Lévy processes. This leads to the analytic and numerical studies of several optimal stopping problems subject to early termination due to default. In a general spectrally negative Lévy model, we rigorously derive the optimal exercise strategy. This allows for instant computation of the credit spread under various specifications. Numerical examples are provided to examine the impacts of default risk and contractual features on the credit spread and exercise strategy.

A detailed atlas of chick heart development in vivo

Various model organisms such as mouse, xenopus, or zebrafish embryos have been studied in the past to gain insight into the complex processes driving normal and abnormal development of the vertebrate heart. Despite the fact that the chicken embryo has been a favored classic model system used by embryologists and cardiovascular scientists for centuries to illustrate the principles of basic vertebrate embryology and cardiovascular development, so far, no one has provided a thorough documentation of heart development in this model from early visual stages to the stage of a completely formed heart with (a) images and (b) video recordings of beating hearts. However, in vivo documentation of heart development stages is indispensable because the initially tubular embryonic heart not only undergoes dramatic morphological changes, but also intriguing functional changes during cardiogenesis, which, only if they follow and remain within the normal developmental pathway, lead to the establishment of the normal four-chambered heart. In this work we present the first reference catalogue of cardiac development in vivo with (1) 25 plates of high resolution colour images in different views from Hamburger-Hamilton (HH)-stage 12 (day 2, relatively straight heart tube, early myocardial contractions) through HH-stage 35 (day 9, four-chambered heart) in end-diastole and end-systole, including a plate with an overview of all these stages; (2) collection of 82 video recordings of beating hearts in different views corresponding to the stages shown in the plates.

Study on Durability of High Bending Strength Pavement Concrete

In order to explore the durability of high bending strength pavement concrete, adding silica flour, fibrous reticulum, SD emulsion and HG emulsion separately in concrete mixture, the shrinkage characteristic, wear resistance and fatigue property of different high bending strength pavement concrete are tested, and contrastive analysis with the plain concrete material is researched. The test results show that the early contraction of HBSPC is bigger, but the total drying shrinkage strain is smaller than plain concrete, and the drying shrinkage stable stage of HBSPC is shorter than plain concrete. The temperature shrinkage of HBSPC and plain concrete is uniform basically, the temperature shrinkage coefficient of HBSPC is lower than the plain concrete in the negative warm area and warm area, but it is higher in 0 °C neighbor. The mixtures of the material enhance the wear resistance and fatigue property of concrete.

The birth and death of star clusters in the Milky Way

Simple though admittedly speculative considerations explain why most of our galaxy’s stellar nurseries are highly fragile but a few survive for a remarkably long time.

The Rate of Force Development Obtained at Early Contraction Phase Is Not Influenced by Active Static Stretching

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of active static stretching on the maximal isometric muscle strength (maximal voluntary contraction [MVC]) and rate of force development (RFD) determined within time intervals of 30, 50, 100, and 200 milliseconds relative to the onset of muscle contraction. Fifteen men (aged 21.3 ± 2.4 years) were submitted on different days to the following tests: (a) familiarization session to the isokinetic dynamometer; (b) 2 maximal isometric contractions for knee extensors in the isokinetic dynamometer to determine MVC and RFD (control); and (c) 2 active static stretching exercises for the dominant leg extensors (10 × 30 seconds for each exercise with a 20-second rest interval between bouts). After stretching, the isokinetic test was repeated (poststretching). Conditions 2 and 3 were performed in random order. The RFD was considered as the mean slope of the moment-time curve at time intervals of 0-30, 0-50, 0-100; 0-150; and 0200 milliseconds relative to the onset of muscle contraction. The MVC was reduced after stretching (285 ± 59 vs. 271 ± 56 N · m, p < 0.01). The RFD at intervals of 0-30, 0-50, and 0-100 milliseconds was unchanged after stretching (p > 0.05). However, the RFD measured at intervals of 0-150 and 0-200 milliseconds was significantly lower after stretching (p < 0.01). It can be concluded that explosive muscular actions of a very short duration (<100 milliseconds) seem less affected by active static stretching when compared with actions using maximal muscle strength.

Fatigue and rapid hamstring/quadriceps force capacity in professional soccer players

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fatigue induced by an exhaustive laboratory-based soccer-specific exercise on different hamstrings/quadriceps (H:Q) ratios of soccer players. Twenty-two male professional soccer players (23·1 ± 3·4 year) performed maximal eccentric (ecc) and concentric (con) contractions for knee extensors (KE) and flexors (KF) at 60° s(-1) and 180° s(-1) to assess conventional (H(con) :Q(con)) and functional (H(ecc) :Q(con)) ratios. Additionally, they performed maximal voluntary isometric contraction for KE and KF, from which the maximal muscle strength, rate of force development (RFD) and RFD H:Q strength ratio (RFDH:Q) were extracted. Thereafter, subjects were performed an exhaustive laboratory-based soccer-specific exercise and a posttest similar to the pretest. There was significant reduction in H(con) :Q(con) (0·60 ± 0·06 versus 0·58 ± 0·06, P<0·05) and in H(ecc) :Q(con) (1·29 ± 0·2 versus 1·16 ± 0·2, P<0·01) after the soccer-specific exercise. However, no significant difference between Pre and Post exercise conditions was found for RFDH:Q at 0-50 (0·53 ± 0·23 versus 0·57 ± 0·24, P>0·05) and 0-100 ms (0·53 ± 0·17 versus 0·55 ± 0·17, P>0·05). In conclusion, H:Q strength ratios based on peak force values are more affected by fatigue than RFDH:Q obtained during early contraction phase. Thus, fatigue induced by soccer-specific intermittent protocol seems not reduce the potential for knee joint stabilization during the initial phase of voluntary muscle contraction.