Molecular clocks estimate that diatom microalgae, one of Earth’s foremost primary producers, originated near the Triassic–Jurassic boundary (200 Ma), which is close in age to the earliest, generally accepted diatom fossils of the genus Pyxidicula. During an extensive search for Jurassic diatoms from twenty-five sites worldwide, three sites yielded microfossils initially recognized as diatoms. Afte

Experimental studies characterizing the reactivity of siliceous materials, such as biogenic silica from the field or laboratory cultures, typically require organic matter removal prior to experimental analysis. Consequently, it is highly desired to develop and optimize a cleaning protocol that imposes minimal alterations to the reactivity of the siliceous substrate and can be robustly employed amo

The polar region is experiencing one of the most rapid environmental changes driven by atmospheric warming, and feedbacks within the cryosphere. Under such a setting, it is crucial to understand the biogeochemical cycling of the nutrient silicon (Si) in the high latitudes, which is regulating the nutrient supply to polar ecosystems, and is linked to the global carbon cycle via diatom production. H

Continental-margin sediments account for ~ 50% of the oceanic biogenic silica burial despite covering < 10% of its area. In Mississippi Sound, a coastal lagoon in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM), we measured sediment biogenic silica at sites removed from major freshwater discharge sources using the traditional method and a method that has been modified for deltaic systems to quantify other reac

Biogeochemical cycling in high-latitude regions has a disproportionate impact on global nutrient budgets. Here, we introduce a holistic, multi-disciplinary framework for elucidating the influence of glacial meltwaters, shelf currents, and biological production on biogeochemical cycling in high-latitude continental margins, with a focus on the silica cycle. Our findings highlight the impact of sign

Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a heterogeneous and a complex disease defined by hyperglycemia. Thepancreas and its islets are central for glucose homeostasis and healthy adipose tissue. In turn, lipid levels in the bloodare crucial for glucose level stability. Both genetic and environmental factors and their interaction play a pivotal role inthe risk and development of the disease. In

BackgroundLeft ventricular (LV) lead position may be an important factor for delivering effective cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We therefore aimed to evaluate the effects of LV lead position, stratified by native QRS morphology, regarding the clinical outcome.MethodsA total of 1295 CRT-implanted patients were retrospectively evaluated. LV lead position was classified as lateral, anterio

The International Court of Justice has consistently required a stricter standard of proof for ‘charges of exceptional gravity’. The Bosnia Genocide and Croatia Genocide cases saw the Court require the high standard of ‘fully conclusive’ evidence across all elements of the allegations of genocide. Despite the difficulties associated with obtaining the necessary evidence of the intent of the perpetr

ObjectivesTo explore the utilization of three-dimensional (3D) endoanal ultrasound (EAUS) for the follow-up of the anal fistula plug (AFP), describe morphological findings in postoperative 3D EAUS, and evaluate if postoperative 3D EAUS combined with clinical symptoms can predict AFP failure.Materials and methodsA retrospective analysis of 3D EAUS examinations performed during a single-centre study

Soft tissue artefact (STA) represents one of the main obstacles for obtaining accurate and reliable skeletal kinematics from motion capture. Many studies have addressed this issue, yet there is no consensus on the best available bone pose estimator and the expected errors associated with relevant results. Furthermore, results obtained by different authors are difficult to compare due to the high v

The effect of modeling the knee as a simple spherical or revolute joint during gait, cutting and hopping were evaluated. The results indicate that, even during gait, a revolute joint may be too restrictive in its representation of the knee, with flexion/extension errors as high as 9.4°. By imposing the spherical joint, joint angles showed consistent and strong correlations with the true joint angl

Purpose: This study aimed to quantify the relationship between objective and subjective measures of functional ability and determine if measures in the deficient (ACLd) state were correlated to, and capable of predicting a patient's objective and subjective measures in the reconstructed (ACLr) state. Methods: Twenty ACL-injured participants completed hop and side cut movements prior to and 10 mont

The objective of this study was to supplement continuous wavelet transforms with muscle synergies in a fatigue analysis to better describe the combination of decreased firing frequency and altered activation profiles during dynamic muscle contractions. Nine healthy young individuals completed the dynamic tasks before and after they squatted with a standard Olympic bar until complete exhaustion. El

RATIONALE: This case report describes the application of a novel gait retraining approach to an individual with poststroke hemiparesis. The rehabilitation protocol combined a specially designed leg orthosis (the gravity-balanced orthosis), treadmill walking, and functional electrical stimulation to the ankle muscles with the application of motor learning principles. CASE: The participant was a 58-

The recent development of a soft tissue artifact (STA) suppression method allows us to re-evaluate the tibiofemoral kinematics currently linked to non-contact knee injuries. The purpose of this study was therefore to evaluate knee joint kinematics and kinetics in six degrees of freedom (DoF) during the loading phases of a jump lunge and side cut using this in silico method. Thirty-five healthy adu

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a debilitating knee injury associated with sequela such as joint instability and progressive degeneration. Unfortunately, following surgical ACL reconstruction in adolescents, the rates of ACL graft failure range from 17 to 19%. A contributing factor to the high reinjury rate in this population may be the limited evidence regarding appropriat

Background: OpenSim models are typically based on cadaver findings that are generalized to represent a wide range of populations, which curbs their validity. Patient-specific modelling through incorporating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) improves the model's biofidelity with respect to joint alignment and articulations, muscle wrapping, and ligament insertions. The purpose of this study was to d