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Background: Sarcomas are diverse neoplasms with highly variable histological appearances in which diagnosis is often challenging and management options for metastatic/unresectable disease limited. Many sarcomas have distinctive molecular alterations, but the range of alterations is large, variable in type and rapidly increasing, meaning that testing by limited panels is unable to capture the broad spectrum of clinically pertinent genomic drivers required. Paired whole genome sequencing (WGS) in contrast allows comprehensive assessment of small variants, copy number and structural variants along with mutational signature analysis and germline testing. Methods: Introduction of WGS as a diagnostic standard for all eligible patients with known or suspected soft tissue sarcoma over a 2-year period at a soft tissue sarcoma treatment centre. Results: WGS resulted in a refinement in the diagnosis in 37% of cases, identification of a target for personalised therapy in 33% of cases, and a germline alteration in 4% of cases. Conclusion: Introduction of WGS poses logistical and training challenges, but offers significant benefits to this group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous spindle cell neoplasms can be challenging to diagnose using routine histopathological techniques alone, and the growing repertoire of molecular studies can assist in diagnosis. We describe a cutaneous spindle cell neoplasm characterized by a COL3A1::PDGFRA rearrangement predicted to lead to constitutive activation of the PDGFRA kinase domain. The lesion shows some similarities to dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and also benign and epithelioid fibrous histiocytomas but is distinct from these entities histopathologically and molecularly. This tumor is considered to represent an entity in the spectrum of PDGFR‐driven cutaneous mesenchymal neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background electrolytes affect calcite precipitation and dissolution rates and hence have the potential to impact kinetic isotope fractionation between calcite and the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) species. We grew inorganic calcite from NaCl-CaCl 2 solutions (T = 25 °C, pH = 8.3, and crystal growth rate = 10−6.3 ± 0.3 mol m−2 s−1) to test for potential ionic strength effects on the oxygen isotope fractionation between calcite and an isotopically equilibrated inorganic carbon pool (α c/EIC). Calcite was grown in the presence of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase from bovine erythrocytes (bCA) to promote isotopic equilibration of the DIC pool. No evidence of an ionic strength effect on α c/EIC was found for NaCl concentrations up to 0.35 M (1000lnα c/w = 28.0 ± 0.1; n = 7). For experiments conducted with [NaCl] > 0.35 M, the DIC pool could not be maintained in isotopic equilibrium with water due to the inhibitory effect of NaCl on bCA. The use of other types of CA may be required to maintain isotopic equilibration of DIC in solution with ionic strength close to or above that of seawater. The oxygen isotope results were modeled successfully with an isotopic box model for a CO 2 -fed solution that tracks the isotopic composition of each DIC species and CaCO 3. The experimental and modeling results suggest that the efficacy of bCA decreases exponentially with increasing [NaCl]. We quantify the salt effect on the quantity k cat / K M , which relates the catalyzed rate constant for CO 2 hydration to the concentration of bCA. The salt effect can be implemented in models of biomineralization with potential to extend our knowledge of oxygen isotope vital effects in marine organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gulcamptus huronensis Reid, 1996 is a seldom-reported harpacticoid copepod known only from two female specimens, one collected from Lake Huron, Michigan, USA, the other from Nunatak Creek, Alaska, USA. Herein, we report a new distributional record for G. huronensis from the meiobenthos of Lake Superior, Michigan and Wisconsin, USA. A total of 12 specimens were collected from four localities across Lake Superior in August, 2018. Additionally, we provide information on the habitats where specimens of G. huronensis were recovered and morphological notes on the previously undescribed male of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixture analysis of complex forensic DNA mixtures can identify multiple individuals who cannot be excluded using massively parallel sequencing (MPS) with single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panels. For a defined MPS SNP panel, large numbers of donors will result in higher fractions of the loci in the panel having a called minor allele; for these mixtures, proportional donor concentrations can be leveraged to infer major SNP alleles for higher concentration donors at positions with call minor alleles from lower concentration donors. For these mixtures, we propose creating paired derived mixtures using an increased minor allele calling analytical threshold for mixture analysis. We introduce TranslucentID as an investigative tool for extended mixture analysis of mixtures with large numbers of donors. TranslucentID produced 46 new true-positive identifications in 58% of the 26 of the complex mixtures evaluated plus eight true positives plus 11 familial results in a 20-person mixture with known relative profiles available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource allocation theory posits that organisms distribute limited resources across functions to maximize their overall fitness. In plants, the allocation of resources among maintenance, reproduction, and growth influences short‐term economics and long‐term evolutionary processes, especially during resource scarcity. The evolution of specialized structures to divide labor between reproduction and growth can create a feedback loop where selection can act on individual organs, further increasing specializaton and resource allocation. Ferns exhibit diverse reproductive strategies, including dimorphism, where leaves can either be sterile (only for photosynthesis) or fertile (for spore dispersal). This dimorphism is similar to processes in seed plants (e.g., the production of fertile flowers and sterile leaves), and presents an opportunity to investigate divergent resource allocation between reproductive and vegetative functions in specialized organs. Here, we conducted anatomical and hydraulic analyses on Onoclea sensibilis L., a widespread dimorphic fern species, to reveal significant structural and hydraulic divergences between fertile and sterile leaves. Fertile fronds invest less in hydraulic architecture, with nearly 1.5 times fewer water‐conducting cells and a nearly 0.5 times less drought‐resistant xylem compared to sterile fronds. This comes at the increased relative investment in structural support, which may help facilitate spore dispersal. These findings suggest that specialization in ferns—in the form of reproductive dimorphism—can enable independent selection pressures on each leaf type, potentially optimizing spore dispersal in fertile fronds and photosynthetic efficiency in sterile fronds. Overall, our study sheds light on the evolutionary implications of functional specialization and highlights the importance of reproductive strategies in shaping plant fitness and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cedars ultramafic block hosts alkaline springs (pH > 11) in which calcium carbonate forms upon uptake of atmospheric CO 2 and at times via mixing with surface water. These processes lead to distinct carbonate morphologies with "floes" forming at the atmosphere-water interface, "snow" of fine particles accumulating at the bottom of pools and terraced constructions of travertine. Floe material is mainly composed of aragonite needles despite CaCO 3 precipitation occurring in waters with low Mg/Ca (<0.01). Precipitation of aragonite is likely promoted by the high pH (11.5–12.0) of pool waters, in agreement with published experiments illustrating the effect of pH on calcium carbonate polymorph selection. The calcium carbonates exhibit an extreme range and approximately 1:1 covariation in δ13C (−9 to −28‰ VPDB) and δ18O (0 to −20‰ VPDB) that is characteristic of travertine formed in high pH waters. The large isotopic fractionations have previously been attributed to kinetic isotope effects accompanying CO 2 hydroxylation but the controls on the δ13C-δ18O endmembers and slope have not been fully resolved, limiting the use of travertine as a paleoenvironmental archive. The limited areal extent of the springs (∼0.5 km2) and the limited range of water sources and temperatures, combined with our sampling strategy, allow us to place tight constraints on the processes involved in generating the systematic C and O isotope variations. We develop an isotopic reaction–diffusion model and an isotopic box model for a CO 2 -fed solution that tracks the isotopic composition of each dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) species and CaCO 3. The box model includes four sources or sinks of DIC (atmospheric CO 2 , high pH spring water, fresh creek water, and CaCO 3 precipitation). Model parameters are informed by new floe Δ44Ca data (−0.75 ± 0.07‰), direct mineral growth rate measurements (4.8 to 8 × 10−7 mol/m2/s) and by previously published elemental and isotopic data of local water and DIC sources. Model results suggest two processes control the extremes of the array: (1) the isotopically light end member is controlled by the isotopic composition of atmospheric CO 2 and the kinetic isotope fractionation factor (KFF (‰) = (α − 1) × 1000) accompanying CO 2 hydroxylation, estimated here to be −17.1 ± 0.8‰ (vs. CO 2(aq)) for carbon and −7.1 ± 1.1‰ (vs. 'CO 2(aq) + H 2 O') for oxygen at 17.4 ± 1.0 °C. Combining our results with revised CO 2 hydroxylation KFF values based on previous work suggests consistent KFF values of −17.0 ± 0.3‰ (vs. CO 2(aq)) for carbon and −6.8 ± 0.8‰ for oxygen (vs. 'CO 2(aq) + H 2 O') over the 17–28 °C temperature range. (2) The isotopically heavy endmember of calcium carbonates at The Cedars reflects the composition of isotopically equilibrated DIC from creek or surface water (mostly HC O 3 - , pH = 7.8–8.7) that occasionally mixes with the high-pH spring water. The bulk carbonate δ13C and δ18O values of modern and ancient travertines therefore reflect the proportion of calcium carbonate formed by processes (1) and (2), with process (2) dominating the carbonate precipitation budget at The Cedars. These results show that recent advances in understanding kinetic isotope effects allow us to model complicated but common natural processes, and suggest ancient travertine may be used to retrieve past meteoric water δ18O and atmospheric δ13C values. There is evidence that older travertine at The Cedars recorded atmospheric δ13C that predates large-scale combustion of fossil fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep chlorophyll maxima (DCM) are common in stratified lakes and oceans, and phytoplankton growth within DCM often contributes significantly to total system production. Theory suggests that properties of DCM should be predictable by trophic state, with DCM becoming deeper, broader, and less productive with greater oligotrophy. However, rigorous tests of these expectations are lacking in freshwater systems. We use data generated by the U.S. EPA from 1996 to 2017, including in situ profile data for temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), chlorophyll, beam attenuation (cp), and dissolved oxygen (DO), to investigate patterns in DCM across lakes and over time. We consider trophic state, 1% PAR depth (z1%), thermal structure, and degree of photoacclimation as potential drivers of DCM characteristics. DCM depth and thickness generally increased while DCM chlorophyll concentration decreased with decreasing trophic state index (greater oligotrophy). The z1% was a stronger predictor of DCM depth than thermal structure. DCM in meso‐oligotrophic waters were closely aligned with maxima in cp and DO saturation, suggesting they are autotrophically productive. However, the depths of these maxima diverged in ultra‐oligotrophic waters, with DCM occurring deepest. This is likely a consequence of photoacclimation in high‐transparency waters, where cp can be a better proxy for phytoplankton biomass than chlorophyll. Our results are generally consistent with expectations from DCM theory, but they also identify specific gaps in our understanding of DCM in lakes, including the causes of multiple DCM, the importance of nutriclines, and the processes forming DCM at higher light levels than expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The expansion of angiosperm‐dominated forests in the Cretaceous and early Cenozoic had a profound effect on terrestrial biota by creating novel ecological niches. The majority of modern fern lineages are hypothesized to have arisen in response to this expansion, particularly fern epiphytes that radiated into the canopy. Recent evidence, however, suggests that epiphytism does not correlate with increased diversification rates in ferns, calling into question the role of the canopy habitat in fern evolution.To understand the role of the canopy in structuring fern community diversity, we investigated functional traits of fern sporophytes and gametophytes across a broad phylogenetic sampling on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia, including > 120 species and representatives of multiple epiphytic radiations.While epiphytes showed convergence in small size and a higher frequency of noncordate gametophytes, they showed greater functional diversity at the community level relative to terrestrial ferns.These results suggest previously overlooked functional diversity among fern epiphytes, and raise the hypothesis that while the angiosperm canopy acted as a complex filter that restricted plant size, it also facilitated diversification into finely partitioned niches. Characterizing these niche axes and adaptations of epiphytic ferns occupying them should be a priority for future pteridological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Calibrations of the TitaniQ thermobarometer are discordant. • Anatase versus rutile affects the crystallization of quartz. • Ti concentrations in hydrothermal quartz grown experimentally (800 °C and 1 kbar) are variable. • A new model can explain the range of Ti variability. • Low- P experiments with slowly grown quartz should be used for thermobarometry of shallow natural systems. We present results from 25 hydrothermal quartz growth experiments, all conducted at 800 °C and 1 kbar but with varying starting materials and run times, to address discrepancies between calibrations of the titanium-in-quartz (TitaniQ) thermobarometer. In our experiments, a gold capsule is loaded with silica glass, water, and either rutile or anatase as the TiO 2 source. In most experiments, there is also a large quartz seed crystal contained in an open inner capsule. The use of rutile versus anatase has a significant influence on the (re)crystallization pathways of the SiO 2 and TiO 2 components. When rutile is used, quartz overgrowths have abundant open cavities and complex zonations. The rutile does not completely dissolve because rutile is the stable TiO 2 polymorph, and yet, new rutile forms at the quartz seed-overgrowth interface and on the outer surface of quartz crystals. This suggests crystallization of quartz near Ω rut ∼ 1, but wide-ranging Ti concentrations and zonations in quartz are indicative of kinetic effects. When powdered anatase is used, the quartz overgrowths look markedly different, lacking the open cavities and instead exhibiting step edges and terraces. The Ti concentrations in quartz from these experiments are also wide-ranging but reach larger values. Our results span the range of previous calibrations and indicate that Ti concentrations in quartz are sensitive to the TiO 2 /SiO 2 ratio of the fluid as opposed to the absolute concentration (or activity) of dissolved TiO 2. We present a kinetic model for quartz and rutile growth from a fluid where the input parameters are the initial degrees of supersaturation with respect to quartz and rutile, the total reactive surface area, and rate constants that link the degree of supersaturation to net precipitation rates. The model can explain many of the salient features of our experimental results, as well as those from previous studies, but requires that the rate constant multiplied by the reactive surface area for rutile is less than that of quartz, and that rutile solubility depends on the SiO 2 concentration of the fluid, as documented in the recent literature. Complete quartz-rutile equilibrium may not have been established in any of the experimental studies, but low-pressure experiments with slowly grown quartz seem to be more reliable than extrapolations from high-pressure experiments for thermobarometry of shallow natural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. Molecular phylogenetic studies have resolved Dracoglossum and Lomariopsis as sister, even though their sporophytes are quite dissimilar morphologically. We wanted to examine the gametophytes of both genera to determine whether they supported the sister relationship. Methodology. We studied wild populations of gametophytes of Dracoglossum plantagineum and three species of Lomariopsis (L. japurensis , L. maxonii , and L. vestita) at three locations in Costa Rica. We recorded gametophyte form, behavior upon maturation, and substrate occurrence (soil, rocks, or trees). Gametophytes were identified by finding young sporophyte leaves still attached and tracing them to successively larger leaves that were readily assignable to species. Pivotal results. Morphologically, the gametophytes of the two genera were identical, being indistinguishable unless young sporophyte leaves were present. Both had gametophytes that were alike by being ribbon shaped, centrally thickened, notched apically with the meristem located within the notch, and attached to the substrate by apically branched rhizoids. Gametophytes of both also exhibited a distinctive behavior: when young, the thalli were appressed to the substrate, but as they matured, their lower edge lifted up and away from the substrate, leaving the gametophyte attached to the substrate only on the upper side. Gametangia occurred only on gametophytes with a shelflike form. In both genera, archegonia were common, but antheridia were not found in Dracoglossum and observed only twice in Lomariopsis. The main difference between the gametophytes of Dracoglossum and Lomariopsis is ecological: Dracoglossum grows on boulders in streams, whereas Lomariopsis grows as an epiphyte on the lower portions of trunks. Although the sporophytes of Dracoglossum and Lomariopsis are dissimilar, we found one likeness previously unreported: purplish petioles and rachises in the fiddlehead stage. Conclusions. The gametophytes of Dracoglossum and Lomariopsis are identical morphologically and share several distinctive characters such as ribbon-shaped thalli, hairless surfaces and margins, and apically branched rhizoids. They also share an uncommon behavior upon maturation: gametophytes change from appressed against the substrate to a shelflike form with the lower margin lifted upward. These characters are derived and support the sister relationship of the two genera. Dracoglossum and Lomariopsis are unusual among ferns in that the sporophyte provides almost no evidence of a sister relationship, whereas the gametophytes strongly support it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article critiques the 1946 poetry collection "Clods of Southern Earth," by Southern poet Don West. Topics discussed include the way West presented his radical political views through accessible language understood by his readership in the U.S. Southern region, the notable popularity earned by this publication despite critical scrutiny, and the acknowledgment of autobiographical content in the poetry of West.

The oxygen isotope ratio (δ 18 O) of inorganic and biogenic carbonates is widely used to reconstruct past environments. However, the oxygen isotope exchange between CaCO 3 and H 2 O rarely reaches equilibrium and kinetic isotope effects (KIE) commonly complicate paleoclimate reconstructions. We present a comprehensive model of kinetic and equilibrium oxygen isotope fractionation between CaCO 3 and water ( α c / w ) that accounts for fractionation between both (a) CaCO 3 and the CO 3 2− pool ( α c / CO 3 2 - ) , and (b) CO 3 2− and water ( α CO 3 2 - / w ) , as a function of temperature, pH, salinity, calcite saturation state (Ω), the residence time of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in solution, and the activity of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase. The model results suggest that: (1) The equilibrium α c / w is only approached in solutions with low Ω (i.e. close to 1) and low ionic strength such as in the cave system of Devils Hole, Nevada. (2) The sensitivity of α c / w to the solution pH and/or the mineral growth rate depends on the level of isotopic equilibration between the CO 3 2− pool and water. When the CO 3 2− pool approaches isotopic equilibrium with water, small negative pH and/or growth rate effects on α c / w of about 1–2‰ occur where these parameters covary with Ω. In contrast, isotopic disequilibrium between CO 3 2− and water leads to strong (>2‰) positive or negative pH and growth rate effects on α CO 3 2 - / w (and α c / w ) due to the isotopic imprint of oxygen atoms derived from HCO 3 − , CO 2 , H 2 O and/or OH − . (3) The temperature sensitivity of α c / w originates from the negative effect of temperature on α CO 3 2 - / w and is expected to deviate from the commonly accepted value (−0.22 ± 0.02‰/°C between 0 and 30 °C; Kim and O’Neil, 1997) when the CO 3 2− pool is not in isotopic equilibrium with water. (4) The model suggests that the δ 18 O of planktic and benthic foraminifers reflects a quantitative precipitation of DIC in isotopic equilibrium with a high-pH calcifying fluid, leading to a relatively constant foraminifer calcite δ 18 O-temperature relationship (−0.21 ± 0.01‰/°C). The lower average coral δ 18 O data relative to foraminifers and other calcifiers is best explained by the precipitation of internal DIC derived from hydrated CO 2 in a high-pH calcifying fluid and minimal subsequent DIC-H 2 O isotopic equilibration. This leads to a reduced and variable coral aragonite δ 18 O-temperature relationship (−0.11 to −0.22‰/°C). Together, the model presented here reconciles observations of oxygen isotope fractionation over a range of CaCO 3 -DIC-H 2 O systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is performed to fragment large main pancreatic duct (MPD) stones in symptomatic patients. Subsequent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is often performed to clear the stone fragments. Edema of surrounding tissue after ESWL theoretically affects the ability to perform ERCP. However, the optimal timing of ERCP after ESWL is not clearly defined. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of same-day ERCP after ESWL and to determine if the timing of ERCP after ESWL affects outcomes. Methods: This is a retrospective study of consecutive patients from January, 2013 to September, 2019 who received ESWL for MPD stones at our center. Included patients received subsequent same-day ERCP under the same general anesthesia session or later session ERCP (1–30 days after ESWL). Demographics, anatomical findings, history, and outcomes were collected. Success was defined as complete or near complete (> 80%) stone fragmentation with clearance. Results: 218 patients were treated with ESWL and subsequent ERCP. 133 (61.0%) received ERCP on the same day immediately after ESWL, while 85 (39.0%) returned for ERCP at a later day (median 3.0 days after ESWL). Baseline characteristics demonstrated patients who received same-day ERCP had a higher rate of pain at baseline (94.7% vs 87.1%, p = 0.045). Main outcomes demonstrated an overall successful MPD stone clearance rate of 90.4%, with similar rates between same-day ERCP and later session ERCP (91.7% vs 88.2%, p = 0.394). Additionally, successful cannulation at ERCP, adverse events, and post-procedure admission rates were similar. Conclusions: Delaying ERCP to allow peripancreatic tissue recovery after ESWL does not affect outcomes. Same-day ERCP after ESWL is safe and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report new experimental data for Lu diffusion in diopside from 1150 to 1250 °C at 1 bar pressure and oxygen fugacity corresponding to the iron–wüstite buffer. The primary experimental dataset defines the following Arrhenius relation for Lu diffusion parallel to the b -crystallographic axis: D Lu / / b = 1.37 ( ± 1.2 ) × 10 - 13 exp [ 208.7 ( ± 15.2 ) kJ mol - 1 / RT ] m 2 / s, where T is in kelvin. We find that Lu diffusion in diopside is significantly faster than that of Hf, which could lead to spurious Lu–Hf ages via decoupling of 176 Lu from 176 Hf if the system was subjected to protracted periods of high temperature. The extent to which Lu–Hf ages are compromised during initial cooling depends on the peak temperature, grain size, cooling rate and the nature of Lu partitioning between clinopyroxene and its surrounding phase(s); however, in geologically realistic scenarios the effects of diffusion on Lu–Hf ages during initial cooling do not produce Lu–Hf ages that differ from the age corresponding to the closure temperature of Hf by more than a few million years. Lu–Hf systematics in clinopyroxene are far more susceptible to diffusion during reheating events that occur after radiogenic 176 Hf has already accumulated in the host phase. For a given thermal pulse, the Lu–Hf age varies as a function of grain size, temperature, the timing and duration of reheating and the partitioning of Lu between clinopyroxene and its surrounding phase(s). The data collected and numerical model developed in this study have been used to simulate the effect of thermal metamorphism on the internal Lu–Hf systematics of the eucrites Millbillillie and Piplia Kalan. Although our model results do not offer a comprehensive solution to the apparent pre-solar Lu–Hf ages observed in many ancient meteorites, we argue that the ∼4.9 Ga pyroxene-whole-rock Lu–Hf ages of these specific samples are at least partially, if not primarily, due to diffusive loss of Lu from the constituent minerals to a partial melt phase during high-temperature metamorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Reproduction often requires significant investment and can move resources away from growth and maintenance; maintaining a balance between reproduction and growth can involve trade‐offs. Extreme functional specialization has separated reproduction and photosynthesis in most seed plants, yet ferns use the laminar surface of their fronds for both reproduction and photosynthesis. This dual function selects for a variety of frond morphologies that range from no specialization (monomorphy) to extreme dimorphy between fertile and sterile fronds (holodimorphy). Here we examined the ecological and physiological consequences of variation in frond dimorphy in ferns, evaluated reproductive trade‐offs across a dimorphy gradient, and speculate on factors controlling the occurrence of holodimorphy. METHODS: Ecophysiological measurements of photosynthetic rate, water potential, hydraulic conductivity, and gross morphological comparisons of frond area and angle were used to evaluate differences between fertile and sterile fronds. We examined three temperate and three tropical fern species that vary in degree of fertile–sterile dimorphy. KEY RESULTS: Holodimorphic species produced fewer fertile fronds, which had significantly higher respiratory rates than in sterile fronds on the same plant or in any frond produced on monomorphic species; hemidimorphic species were frequently intermediate. We found no differences in vulnerability to cavitation between fertile and sterile fronds. In dimorphic species, fertile fronds had higher (less negative) water potential and lower stipe hydraulic conductivity relative than in sterile fronds. CONCLUSIONS: Fertile–sterile dimorphy in ferns appears to come at considerable carbon cost in holodimorohic species. It is possible that the relative costs of this reproductive system are offset by increased spore dispersal, yet such trade‐offs require further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literary criticism of the book "Three Years in Mississippi" by James Meredith is presented. It explores how Meredith clarified the problematic construction of African American masculinity in the struggle for racial equality in the U.S. South. It also investigates several reasons for the failure of the book to gain a wider readership, including its lack of warmth and Meredith's conservatism.

Spherulites in rhyolitic obsidian provide a record of the thermal history of their host lava during the interval of spherulite growth. We use trace element concentration profiles across spherulites and into the obsidian host from Yellowstone National Park (USA) to reconstruct the conditions that existed during spherulite formation. The measured transects reveal three behaviors: expulsion of the most diffusively mobile elements from spherulites with no concentration gradients in the surrounding glass (type 1); enrichment of slower-diffusing elements around spherulites, with concentration gradients extending outward into the glass (type 2); and complete entrapment of the slowest-diffusing elements by the spherulite (type 3). We compare the concentration profiles, measured by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, to the output of a spherulite growth model that incorporates known diffusion parameters, the temperature interval of spherulite growth, the cooling rate of the lava, and data on the temporal evolution of spherulite radius. Our results constrain spherulite nucleation to the temperature interval 700-550 °C and spherulite growth to 700-400 °C in a portion of lava that cooled at 10-5.2 ± 0.3 °C s-1, which matches an independent experimental estimate of 10-5.3 °C s-1 measured using differential scanning calorimetry. Maximum spherulite growth rates at nucleation are on the order of 1 µm hr-1 and are inferred to decrease exponentially with time. Hence, spherulites may serve as valuable in-situ recorders of the thermal history of lava flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pteris × caridadiae, a new hybrid fern from Costa Rica, is described and its relationships to its parents and other Pteris species are discussed. This is the first hybrid reported among a taxonomically complicated group of large, tripartite-leaved neotropical Pteris species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybridization is an important evolutionary force in plants, but the mechanisms underlying it have not been well studied for many groups. In particular, the drivers of non-random patterns of interspecific gene flow (asymmetrical hybridization) remain poorly understood, especially in the seed-free vascular plants. Here, we examine patterns of asymmetrical hybridization in two widespread fern hybrids from eastern North America and study the role of gametophyte ecology in the determination of hybridization bias., We characterized the maternal parentage of > 140 hybrid sporophytes by sequencing a c. 350-bp region of chloroplast DNA (cp DNA). To identify factors contributing to patterns of asymmetrical hybridization, we cultured gametophytes of the parental species and evaluated critical aspects of their reproductive biology., We found that asymmetrical hybridization was prevalent across the populations of both hybrids. Reproductive traits varied across species and suggest that selfing potential, antheridiogen responsiveness, sperm dispersal capacity and gamete size all contribute to the mediation of the direction of hybridization in this group., Our findings suggest that asymmetrical hybridization in ferns is driven by an array of reproductive traits. This study helps to sharpen and define a mechanistic understanding of patterns of hybridization in this group and demonstrates the importance of considering gametophyte biology when studying evolutionary processes in ferns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mysids are an important component of Great Lakes foodwebs, both as a prey for fish and as a predator on zooplankton. We monitored mysid abundance in Lake Ontario using lake-wide hydroacoustics data and vertical net hauls collected 1–5 August 2008 during the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and New York State Department of Conservation forage fish survey. Acoustic volume backscattering strength was highly correlated with both density and biomass of mysids although the correlation with biomass was stronger. The slopes of these relationships were not significantly different from theory (0.10) indicating a linear relationship between abundance and backscattering strength. Size structure significantly affected the relationship between backscattering strength and density but not between backscattering strength and biomass. Average target strength for areas with small mysids was −91.9 dB per mysid, and in areas with both small and large mysids it was −88.2 dB per animal. Acoustic estimates for Lake Ontario calculated with these regressions provided a lake-wide estimate weighted by lake area within depth intervals, of 228 mysids m−2(CV 17.6%) and 0.93 g dw m−2(CV 12.9%). Density and biomass in 14 net hauls averaged 316 mysids m−2(range 0 to 1113) and 1.35 g dw m−2(range 0 to 3.89). Mysid biomass was 33% of the biomass of other crustacean zooplankton in the summer of 2008. As in 2005, areas of low mysid abundance were detected in the middle of the transects and along the north shore. Lakewide mysid abundance in the summer of 2008 was higher than in a similar acoustic survey in the summer of 2005 and in whole-lake autumn 2000–2007 net surveys, suggesting that mysids are persisting in Lake Ontario and abundant relative to other Great Lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen isotope composition of carbonate minerals varies with temperature as well as other environmental variables. For carbonates that precipitate slowly, under conditions that approach thermodynamic equilibrium, the temperature-dependence of 18 O uptake is the dominant signal and the measured 18 O content can be used as a paleotemperature proxy. In the more common case where carbonate minerals grow in a regime where they are not in isotopic equilibrium with their host solution, their oxygen isotope compositions are a convolution of multiple environmental variables. Here we present results from calcite growth experiments demonstrating the occurrence of large ( > 2 ‰ ) non-equilibrium oxygen isotope effects under conditions relevant to biogenic calcite growth and many natural inorganic systems. We show that these non-equilibrium effects vary systematically with pH and crystal growth rate. An isotopic ion-by-ion crystal growth model quantifies the competing roles of temperature, pH, and growth rate, and provides a general description of calcite–water oxygen isotope fractionation under non-equilibrium conditions. The crystal growth model results show that (1) there are both equilibrium and kinetic contributions to calcite oxygen isotopes at biogenic growth rates, (2) calcite does not directly inherit the oxygen isotope composition of DIC even at fast growth rates, (3) there is a kinetically controlled variation of about 1‰ per pH unit between pH = 7.7 and 9.3 at constant growth rate for inorganic calcite as well as biogenic calcite, and (4) extreme light isotope enrichments in calcite in alkaline environments are likely due to disequilibrium among DIC species in aqueous solution. The model can be extended to 13 C uptake into carbonates as well as clumped isotopes but additional data are needed to constrain the kinetic fractionation factors for carbon isotopes. The experimental and model results constitute an important step in separating the relative influence of inorganic and biologic processes on isotopic fractionation and may aid the development of new paleoproxies based on non-equilibrium effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffusion experiments in a simplified Na2O-CaO-SiO2 liquid system are used to develop a general formulation for the fractionation of Ca isotopes during liquid-phase diffusion. Although chemical diffusion is a well-studied process, the mathematical description of the effects of diffusion on the separate isotopes of a chemical element is surprisingly underdeveloped and uncertain. Kinetic theory predicts a mass dependence on isotopic mobility, but it is unknown how this translates into a mass dependence on effective binary diffusion coefficients, or more generally, the chemical diffusion coefficients that are housed in a multicomponent diffusion matrix. Our experiments are designed to measure Ca mobility, effective binary diffusion coefficients, the multicomponent diffusion matrix, and the effects of chemical diffusion on Ca isotopes in a liquid of single composition. We carried out two chemical diffusion experiments and one self-diffusion experiment, all at 1250 °C and 0.7 GPa and using a bulk composition for which other information is available from the literature. The self-diffusion experiment is used to determine the mobility of Ca in the absence of diffusive fluxes of other liquid components. The chemical diffusion experiments are designed to determine the effect on Ca isotope fractionation of changing the counter-diffusing component from fast-diffusing Na2O to slow-diffusing SiO2. When Na2O is the main counter-diffusing species, CaO diffusion is fast and larger Ca isotopic effects are generated. When SiO2 is the main counter-diffusing species, CaO diffusion is slow and smaller Ca isotopic effects are observed. In both experiments, the liquid is initially isotopically homogeneous, and during the experiment Ca isotopes become fractionated by diffusion. The results are used as a test of a new general expression for the diffusion of isotopes in a multicomponent liquid system that accounts for both self diffusion and the effects of counter-diffusing species. Our results show that (1) diffusive isotopic fractionations depend on the direction of diffusion in composition space, (2) diffusive isotopic fractionations scale with effective binary diffusion coefficient, as previously noted by Watkins et al. (2011), (3) self-diffusion is not decoupled from chemical diffusion, (4) self diffusion can be faster than or slower than chemical diffusion and (5) off-diagonal terms in the chemical diffusion matrix have isotopic mass-dependence. The results imply that relatively large isotopic fractionations can be generated by multicomponent diffusion even in the absence of large concentration gradients of the diffusing element. The new formulations for isotope diffusion can be tested with further experimentation and provide an improved framework for interpreting mass-dependent isotopic variations in natural liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on research which was conducted to develop a method of/protocol for determining peak mechanical power output in a countermovement jump. Researchers were able to develop a protocol and concluded that their protocol should be used as the basis for future criterion measures using a force platform in jumping.

* Premise of the study: Understanding the ecology of rare species can inform aspects of conservation strategies; however, the mechanisms of rarity remain elusive for most pteridophytes, which possess independent and ecologically distinct gametophyte and sporophyte generations. To elucidate factors contributing to recent declines of the rare fern Asplenium scolopendrium var. americanum, we studied the ecology and ecophysiology of its gametophyte generation, focusing on responses to competition, temperature, and water stress. * Methods: Gametophytes of A. scolopendrium var. americanum, its widespread European relative A. scolopendrium var. scolopendrium, and five co-occurring fern species were grown from spores. Gametophytes were grown at 20°C and 25°C, and germination rates, intra- and interspecific competition, desiccation tolerance, and sporophyte production were determined for all species. * Key results: Gametophytes of A. scolopendrium var. americanum had the lowest rates of germination and sporophyte production among all species studied and exhibited the greatest sensitivity to interspecific competition, temperature increases, and desiccation. Mature gametophytes of A. scolopendrium var. americanum grown at 25°C were 84.6% smaller than those grown at 20°C, and only 1.5% produced sporophytes after 200 d in culture. Similar responses were not observed in other species studied. * Conclusions: The recent declines and current status of populations of A. scolopendrium var. americanum are linked to its gametophyte's limited capacity to tolerate competition and physiological stress linked to climate change. This is the first study to develop a mechanistic understanding of rarity and decline in a fern and demonstrates the importance of considering the ecology of the gametophyte in plants with independent sporophyte and gametophyte generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many modern anti-icing and anti-fouling coatings rely on soft, low surface energy elastomeric materials such as polydimethylsiloxane for their functionality. While the low surface energy is desirable for reducing adhesion, very little work considers the larger contribution to adhesive failure caused by the viscoelastic nature of elastomers. Here we examine several different siloxane elastomers using a JKR adhesion test, which was operated over a range of different speeds and temperatures. Additionally, we characterize the dynamic mechanical modulus over a large range of frequencies for each material. We note that surface energies of the materials are all similar, but variation in adhesion strength is clear in the data. The variation at low speeds is related to elastomer architecture but the speed dependence itself is independent of architecture. Qualitative correlations are noted between the JKR adhesion measurements and the dynamic moduli. Finally, an attempt is made to directly compare moduli and adhesion through the recent Persson–Brener model. Approximations of the model are shown to be inaccurate. The full model is found to be accurate at low speeds, although it fails to precisely capture higher speed behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Paleotemperature reconstructions rely on knowledge of the equilibrium separation of oxygen isotopes between aqueous solution and calcium carbonate. Although oxygen isotope separation is expected on theoretical grounds, the temperature-dependence remains uncertain because other factors, such as slow exchange of isotopes between dissolved CO2-species and water, can obscure the temperature signal. This is problematic for crystal growth experiments on laboratory timescales and for interpreting the oxygen isotope composition of crystals formed in natural settings. We present results from experiments in which inorganic calcite is precipitated in the presence of dissolved bovine carbonic anhydrase (CA). The presence of dissolved CA accelerates oxygen isotope equilibration between the dissolved carbon species CO2, H2CO3, , and water, thereby eliminating this source of isotopic disequilibrium during calcite growth. The experimental results allow us to isolate, for the first time, kinetic oxygen isotope effects occurring at the calcite–water interface. We present a framework of ion-by-ion growth of calcite that reconciles our new measurements with measurements of natural cave calcites that are the best candidate for having precipitated under near-equilibrium conditions. Our findings suggest that isotopic equilibrium between calcite and water is unlikely to have been established in laboratory experiments or in many natural settings. The use of CA in carbonate precipitation experiments offers new opportunities to refine oxygen isotope-based geothermometers and to interrogate environmental variables other than temperature that influence calcite growth rates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Estimation of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) is becoming an established part of assessing sustainability within environmental impact assessment (EIA). However, a comparative study of 25 environmental impact statements (EISs) to analyse the practice of accounting for emissions during the EIA process suggests that consideration of the effects of development on emissions of GHG is poorly understood. The extent to which assessment is actually carried out is also inconsistent and sporadically implemented. A key indicator appears to be the varying and sometimes contradictory use of technical terminology, particularly of the term ‘carbon’ and its similar phraseology. This paper provides a critical evaluation of the differing terminology that is applied to GHG assessments undertaken as part of EIA process and explores the effect that misuse of these terms could have on an impact EIS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Water concentration profiles around bubbles offer a new kind of geobarometer. We measure H2O and CO2 concentrations in glass adjacent to bubbles in pyroclastic obsidian from Mono Craters, California (United States). H2O and CO2 concentration gradients are preserved during the eruption and record nonequilibrium degassing. A key result is that H2O is enriched in the glass surrounding the bubbles, indicating that bubbles were resorbing into the melt just prior to the eruption. The required pressure increase for the observed water enrichment is inferred to be the last in a series of pressure cycles with amplitude 5-30 MPa that are caused by repeated fragmentation and annealing. CO2 concentrations vary substantially in individual obsidian clasts, suggesting that slow diffusion of CO2 and nonequilibrium degassing contributes to high CO2/H2O ratios in pyroclastic obsidian from Mono Craters. These data are direct evidence for vapor-melt disequilibrium and demonstrate that degassing paths from a single parental melt need not be unidirectional. Hence volatile concentration gradients offer a tool for evaluating degassing models and inferring time scales of magmatic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we will argue this thesis: even with classical theism and meticulous providence, one can properly say God exercises creativity. This is not merely to say that God is creative – which is perhaps tautologous given that God is the Creator – but further, it is to say that God's activity in relation to the cosmos displays creativity. We will examine open theism, which resides at the other end of the spectrum, in order to provide contrast with the position defended in this article. There are three aspects we intend to affirm in saying God exercises creativity. First, the product (the cosmos which God made) exhibits creativity. This should not be particularly contentious and we will not pursue this aspect here. Second, the agent (God) exhibits creativity. Third, the process exhibits creativity. Both of these latter aspects will be defended. In this article we argue that God's freedom, creation's contingency, creation's reality and actuality, and considerations from the incarnation all enable meaningful ways in which one can speak of divine creativity while still affirming classical theism and meticulous providence. First, in support of our thesis we will use possible world talk as a heuristic device. Possible world talk involves modal claims, modal logic and counterfactuals. We use this conceptual device, operating within a theistic framework, to approach with clarity theological issues such as the divine decree, creation ex nihilo and providence. Second, we will utilise a two-nature christology to speak meaningfully about divine creativity. Against those who describe God's creativity in terms of divine attributes, we suggest that it is possible to understand God's creativity in terms of the incarnation. Drawing upon the work of Thomas Weinandy, we suggest that it is possible to speak about God experiencing something genuinely new in the person of Christ. As such, one can hold to a classical doctrine of divine creation and use language associated with human creativity, such as ‘risk’, ‘process’ and ‘discovery’, to speak about God. We hope to demonstrate that the affirmation of divine creativity need not be exclusive to positions such as open theism. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Molecular diffusion in natural volcanic liquids discriminates between isotopes of major ions (e.g., Fe, Mg, Ca, and Li). Although isotope separation by diffusion is expected on theoretical grounds, the dependence on mass is highly variable for different elements and in different media. Silicate liquid diffusion experiments using simple liquid compositions were carried out to further probe the compositional dependence of diffusive isotopic discrimination and its relationship to liquid structure. Two diffusion couples consisting of the mineral constituents anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8; denoted AN), albite (NaAlSi3O8; denoted AB), and diopside (CaMgSi2O6; denoted DI) were held at 1450°C for 2h and then quenched to ambient pressure and temperature. Major-element as well as Ca and Mg isotope profiles were measured on the recovered quenched glasses. In both experiments, Ca diffuses rapidly with respect to Si. In the AB–AN experiment, DCa /DSi ≈20 and the efficiency of isotope separation for Ca is much greater than in natural liquid experiments where DCa /DSi ≈1. In the AB–DI experiment, DCa /DSi ≈6 and the efficiency of isotope separation is between that of the natural liquid experiments and the AB–AN experiment. In the AB–DI experiment, DMg /DSi ≈1 and the efficiency of isotope separation for Mg is smaller than it is for Ca yet similar to that observed for Mg in natural liquids. The results from the experiments reported here, in combination with results from natural volcanic liquids, show clearly that the efficiency of diffusive separation of Ca isotopes is systematically related to the solvent-normalized diffusivity – the ratio of the diffusivity of the cation (DCa ) to the diffusivity of silicon (DSi ). The results on Ca isotopes are consistent with available data on Fe, Li, and Mg isotopes in silicate liquids, when considered in terms of the parameter Dcation /DSi . Cations diffusing in aqueous solutions display a similar relationship between isotopic separation efficiency and , although the efficiencies are smaller than in silicate liquids. Our empirical relationship provides a tool for predicting the magnitude of diffusive isotopic effects in many geologic environments and a basis for a more comprehensive theory of isotope separation in liquid solutions. We present a conceptual model for the relationship between diffusivity and liquid structure that is consistent with available data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of apposition and gender on knee kinematics and ground reaction force during landing from a volleyball block jump. Six female and six male university volleyball players performed two landing tasks: (a) an unopposed and (b) an opposed volleyball block jump and landing. A 12-camera motion analysis system (120 Hz) was used to recoin knee kinematics, and a force platform (600 Hz) was used to record ground reaction force during landing. The results showed a sign significant effect for level of opposition in peak normalized ground reaction force (p = .04), knee flexion at ground contact (p = .003), maximum knee flexion (p = .001), and knee flexion range of motion (p = .003). There was a significant effect for gender in maximum knee flexion (p = .01), knee flexion range of motion (p = .001), maximum knee valgus angle (p = .001), and knee valgus range of motion (p = .001). The changes in landing biomechanics as a result of opposition suggest future research on landing mechanics should examine opposed exercises, because opposition may significantly alter neuromuscular responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Most studies of surgical quality improvement have been performed in large and/or teaching hospitals; the efficacy of safety and quality efforts in smaller hospitals have not been reported. Methods: Four smaller hospitals joined a collaborative to study process measures through an expanded surgical time-out and some outcomes. The data were collected in real time. Results: Well-performing hospitals (all 4) improved further but variably. Gynecologic and orthopedic surgeons performed more consistently in most measures than did general surgeons. Conclusions: These small hospitals readily accepted a time-out–based real-time data collection and with their surgical staff improved in most parameters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The kinetics of ruthenium thin film deposition via the hydrogen assisted reduction of bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)(1,5-cyclooctadiene)ruthenium(II) [Ru(tmhd)2cod] in supercritical carbon dioxide was studied. Deposition temperature was varied from 240°C to 280°C and the apparent activation energy was determined to be 45.3kJ/mol. Deposition rates up to 30nm/min were attained. The growth rate dependence on precursor concentration between 0 and 0.2wt.% in CO2 was studied at 260°C using excess hydrogen. The results indicated first order deposition kinetics with respect to precursor at concentrations lower than 0.06wt.% and zero order dependence at concentrations above 0.06wt.%. The ability to access regimes of zero order growth kinetics is advantageous for conformal depositions in high aspect ratio features. Growth rate was second order with respect to hydrogen at concentrations less than 0.26 wt.% and zero order at higher concentrations. The reaction byproducts, cyclooctadiene and cyclooctene, both had negative first order effects on growth rate while cyclooctane had a small negative impact on film growth rate. The effect of reaction pressure on the growth rate was studied at a constant reaction temperature of 260°C and pressures between 159bar and 200bar and found to have no significant effect on the growth rate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of the study was to assess frontal and sagittal plane kinetics (normalized ground reaction force and normalized knee moment) in male and female university volleyball players when performing opposed block jump landings. Females displayed a significantly lower normalized knee extension moment at the start of muscle latency than males. The greater normalized knee extension moment at the start of muscle latency in females suggests that, through practice, they may have developed a landing strategy that minimizes the moment acting about the knee in the sagittal plane to reduce the likely strain on the passive support structures. The time histories of the normalized knee moment in the frontal plane were different between males and females. The maximum normalized knee valgus moment was significantly greater in females than males. The significantly different maximum normalized knee valgus moment between males and females indicates a greater likelihood of overloading the muscles of the knee in females during landing, which, in turn, is likely to increase the strain on the passive support structures. The increased likely strain on the passive support structures of the knee in females could contribute to the higher incidence of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury in females compared with males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the utilization of supercritical fluids (SCFs) as a process alternative to facilitate the production of nanostructured devices. It examines the properties of SCFs as processing media for nanostructured devices, such as pressure-dependent viscosity, and discusses whether SCF process can offer technical or economic advantage in the semiconductor industry. It also analyzes the applications of SCFs in device fabrication, such as in metal deposition and photoresist stripping.

Abstract: Liquid phase diffusion experiments were carried out to determine whether diffusive isotopic fractionation of a major chemical element (Ca) varies with chemical composition in high-temperature molten silicates. The objective was to determine how differences in silicate liquid structure, such as the ratio of bridging to non-bridging oxygen atoms, as well as bulk transport properties such as viscosity, relate to isotope discrimination during diffusion. This information, in turn, may relate to the lifetimes and sizes of multi-atom structures in the liquid. Diffusion couples consisting of juxtaposed natural mafic and felsic liquids were held at T =1450°C and P =1.0 GPa for durations of 12–24h in a standard piston–cylinder assembly. Experiments were done using different mafic endmember compositions (two tholeiitic basalts and a ugandite) and a single rhyolite composition. Major-element diffusion profiles and Ca isotope profiles were measured on the recovered quenched glasses. The starting materials were isotopically indistinguishable, but 44Ca/40Ca variations of ca. 5‰ arose due to a mass dependence of the Ca diffusion coefficients. Results indicate that the mass dependence of Ca diffusion coefficients varies with the magnitude and direction of aluminum gradients and the viscosity of the liquid. Some Ca fractionations result mainly from Al gradients. A simplified multicomponent diffusion model was used to model the experimental results. The model allows for diffusion of Ca in response to gradients in the concentrations of both CaO as well as Al2O3, and the model results are consistent with the inferred existence of at least two distinct species of Ca. The magnitude of isotopic discrimination during diffusion also appears to be stronger on the rhyolite versus the basalt/ugandite side of diffusion couples. The results can largely be accounted for by an adaptation of the model of , whereby in high silica liquids, Ca diffuses largely by site hopping through a quasi-stationary aluminosilicate matrix, producing strong isotopic effects because the Ca diffusion is not strongly correlated with the movement of the framework atoms. In low-silica liquids, Ca diffusion is correlated with the movement of the other components and there is less mass discrimination. Combining our Ca results with Ca, Mg, and Li data from previous studies, we show that this model can explain most of the cation- and composition-dependence of diffusive isotopic fractionations observed thus far. A key parameter controlling isotopic discrimination is the ratio of the elemental (Ca, Mg, Li) diffusivity to the Eyring (or Si) diffusivity. However, all experiments done so far also exhibit isotopic features that are not yet fully explained; some of these may relate to small temperature gradients in the capsules, or to more complex coupling effects that are not captured in simplified diffusion models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: When a buoyant volume of fluid impinges a horizontal boundary, it spreads symmetrically in the Stokes flow limit. We investigate the low Reynolds number spreading of a low-viscosity volume of fluid, hereafter called a “bubble”, in the limit that the fluids are miscible and interfacial tension can be neglected; the symmetry of the bubble''s spreading is broken by allowing the surface to have a finite slope. We use laboratory experiments, parametrized boundary integral numerical calculations, and a scaling argument to show that there exists a steady bubble shape with an aspect ratio (ratio of the semi-axes of the bubble in the horizontal plane) around 1.4–1.6 for slope angles ranging from 5 to 35°. The existence of a steady shape, together with a rapid shift in aspect ratio as the slope angle ϕ increases from 0, suggests a continuous phase transition caused by a loss of symmetry when the finite slope is introduced. We show that the time required for the bubble to reach this steady shape and the constant aspect ratio over the range support the analogy to a phase transition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in knee valgus angle and inter-knee and inter-ankle distances in university volleyball players when performing opposed block jump landings. Six female and six male university volleyball players performed three dynamic trials each for which they were instructed to jump up and block a volleyball suspended above a net set at the height of a standard volleyball net as it was spiked against them by an opposing player. Knee valgus/varus, inter-knee distance, and inter-ankle distance (absolute and relative to height) were determined during landing using three-dimensional motion analysis. Females displayed significantly greater maximum valgus angle and range of motion than males. This may increase the risk of ligament strain in females compared with males. Minimum absolute inter-knee distance was significantly smaller, and absolute and relative inter-knee displacement during landing significantly greater, in females than males. Both absolute and relative inter-ankle displacement during landing was significantly greater in males than females. These findings suggest that the gender difference in the valgus angle of the knee during two-footed landing is influenced by gender differences in the linear movement of the ankles as well as the knees. Coaches should therefore develop training programmes to focus on movement of both the knee and ankle joints in the frontal plane in order to reduce the knee valgus angle during landing, which in turn may reduce the risk of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate lower limb coordination and stiffness in five male and five female university volleyball players performing block jump landings. Coordination was assessed using angle-angle plots of the hip-knee, knee-ankle and hip-ankle joint couplings and discrete relative phase (DRP) of right-left joint couplings (i.e., left knee coupled with right knee). Leg stiffness was calculated as the ratio of the change in vertical ground reaction force (GRF) to the change in vertical displacement of the centre of gravity between ground contact and maximum vertical GRF. Knee stiffness was calculated as the ratio of the change in knee joint moment to the change in knee flexion angular displacement between ground contact and maximum knee joint moment. Comparison of the DRP angles between left and right legs indicated reduced symmetry between the left and right legs in females compared with males, which may indicate greater likelihood of ligament strain in females compared with males. Furthermore, females exhibited reduced stability in the coordination between the left and right knee joints than males. Males exhibited significantly greater absolute and normalised leg stiffness and significantly greater absolute and normalised knee joint stiffness during landing compared with females. In conjunction with the coordination data, this may indicate reduced dynamic stability of the leg in females compared with males, which may contribute to the greater incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in females compared with males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an analysis of the book "Selu: Seeking the Corn-Mother's Wisdom," by Marilou Awiatka. The author observes that the book has many Cherokee influences. He added that the text depicts a complicated autobiographical dimensions. Awiatka was able to demonstrate her expertise in mixing autoethnography and conventional Western autobiography. He further claims that the main purpose of Awiatka in writing the autobiography is to present healing and harmony from traditional Cherokee myths.

The incidence of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is reported to be 6-8 times greater in females than males competing in the same activities. Injury to the ACL occurs as a result of insufficient stability of the tibiofemoral joint, which fails to prevent posterior dislocation of the femur on the tibia. The stability of the tibiofemoral joint is maintained by passive (non-contractile) and dynamic (contractile) mechanisms, The passive mechanisms include the shape of the articular surfaces, the menisci, the ligaments and the joint capsule. The dynamic mechanisms consist of the muscle-tendon units that cross the joint, in particular, the quadriceps and hamstrings. The relative significance of the various passive and dynamic mechanisms in maintaining the stability of the tibiofemoral joint is not clear. A number of intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors have been proposed to account for the sex difference in the incidence of ACL injuries. However, most of the proposed risk factors have arisen from univariate correlation studies based on relatively small samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cuprous oxide films (Cu2O) supported on Cu or on SiO2 were etched using solutions of β-diketones including 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetone, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedione and 2,2,7-trimethyl-3,5-octanedione (TMOD) in supercritical carbon dioxide at temperatures between 80 and 150 °C and pressures between 20 and 27.5 MPa. The films and etched substrates were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling, field emission scanning electron microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. Each of the etching agents was effective. Etching kinetics using TMOD were measured at 100, 125 and 150 °C. At 150 °C the etch rate was 1.5 nm/min. Based on the activation energy obtained from the studies (66 kJ/mol), etching rates of greater than 10.0 nm/min can be obtained at 200 °C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Modern business management requires the effective monitoring of performance through systems such as the balanced scorecard. In complex healthcare settings, with specific customer and service characteristics, this can be difficult to implement. This paper sets out how performance indicators can be developed to truly capture complex clinical processes and to demonstrate performance improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]