The relationship between psychological stress and insulin-dependent diabetic blood glucose control: Preliminary investigations.

Evaluated the effect of stress on blood glucose levels in 59 insulin-dependent diabetics (aged 18–78 yrs). In Exp I, there was a significant positive correlation between a hassles scale and hemoglobin A? levels (an index of blood glucose fluctuation). Social supports, Type A behavior, and reported therapeutic compliance neither correlated with hemoglobin A? nor influenced the hassles–hemoglobin A? relationship. In Exp II, 123 Ss generally perceived stress as a potent factor in blood glucose control. However, results suggest that different stressors may have differential effects for different diabetic patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hydraulic anisotropy of homogeneous soils and rocks: influence of the densification process

Many values of the ratio k_max/k_min are available for clays and rocks which can be cut for tests in different directions. In comparison, few reliable results are available for non-cohesive materials. The hydraulic anisotropy ratios of homogeneous clays, rocks and granular soils appear to be very similar. In particular, k_max/k_min seems to be lower than 4, which confirms that this ratio has an upper limit related to the shape of particles, their arrangement, or the directional tortuosity within the pore space. In the bedding plane of sedimentary rocks, the ratio k_b.max/k_b.min is usually lower than 1.5, thus these rocks are nearly isotropic in their bedding plane. In granular soils, the k_h/k_v, contrary to common opinion, is not always higher than 1. Experimental values for sands and gravels are in the 0.75 to 4.1 range. The influence of densification on hydraulic anisotropy is found to be similar for a sand and a clay, and probably for any soil having settled in still water and influenced subsequently only by gravity. The hydraulic anisotropy of sandstone is found to be in continuity with that of sand, and it increases with densification.     

Strain distribution along lapped joints in reinforced concrete

Strain measurements along lapped joints in reinforced concrete tension members were obtained using a method of internally strain gauging the reinforcing rods. Strain concentration gauges, installed at the lap ends of some specimens, demonstrated the localised nature of force transfer prior to crack formation.
Results from ten test specimens of varying lap length and rod diameter have been produced. The changes observed in the longitudinal strain distributions, and the associated bond and concrete stresses as cracks developed are presented.