Development of preferred orientation in the eggshell of the domestic fowl.

Preferred orientation in the shell of the domestic fowl is shown by x-ray diffractometry to develop gradually throughout the shell, beginning immediately after the start of shell deposition and reaching a maximum at the exterior surface. Only 2 out of 20 shells examined exhibited a single preferred orientation: This was one in which the pole of the (001) plane lies parallel to the shell surface normal. The remaining shells had two preferred orientations present simultaneously, one in which the (001) pole is parallel and the other in which the (104) pole is parallel to the surface normal. Previous work has resulted in conclusions that are in conflict with these; they are discussed in relation to the present work

Conference Presentations: Tips, Tricks and Traps

Public speaking is frequently referred to “as the number one fear in life, well ahead of death” (Sawatzky, 2011, p. 37). Most agree that public speaking is daunting. However, in healthcare, sharing research and other initiatives is crucial, and public speaking is central to the dissemination of this new knowledge. Conferences in particular provide a great opportunity for sharing insights, and networking with our professional peers (Sawatzky, 2011). In this paper we discuss how to best navigate and use conferences to gain maximum benefit and exposure for your research activities including the pitfalls and grey areas around presenting research

Traversing the intact/fibrillated joint surface: a biomechanical interpretation

Cartilage taken from the osteoarthritic bovine patellae was used to investigate the progression of change in the collagenous architecture associated with the development of fibrillated lesions. Differential interference contrast optical microscopy using fully hydrated radial sections revealed a continuity in the alteration of the fibrillar architecture in the general matrix consistent with the progressive destructuring of a native radial arrangement of fibrils repeatedly interconnected in the transverse direction via a non-entwinement-based linking mechanism. This destructuring is shown to occur in the still intact regions adjacent to the disrupted lesion thus rendering them more vulnerable to radial rupture. Two contrasting modes of surface rupture were observed and these are explained in terms of the absence or presence of a skewed structural weakening of the intermediate zone. A mechanism of surface rupture initiation based on simple bi-layer theory is proposed to account for the intensification of surface ruptures observed in the intact regions on advancing towards the fibrillation front. Focusing specifically on the primary collagen architecture in the cartilage matrix, this study proposes a pathway of change from intact to overt disruption within a unified structural framework