Linear viscoelasticity - bone volume fraction relationships of bovine trabecular bone

Trabecular bone has been previously recognized as time-dependent (viscoelastic) material, but the relationships of its viscoelastic behaviour with bone volume fraction (BV/TV) have not been investigated so far. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to quantify the time-dependent viscoelastic behaviour of trabecular bone and relate it to BV/TV. Uniaxial compressive creep experiments were performed on cylindrical bovine trabecular bone samples ([Formula: see text] ) at loads corresponding to physiological strain level of 2000 [Formula: see text] . We assumed that the bone behaves in a linear viscoelastic manner at this low strain level and the corresponding linear viscoelastic parameters were estimated by fitting a generalized Kelvin–Voigt rheological model to the experimental creep strain response. Strong and significant power law relationships ([Formula: see text] ) were found between time-dependent creep compliance function and BV/TV of the bone. These BV/TV-based material properties can be used in finite element models involving trabecular bone to predict time-dependent response. For users’ convenience, the creep compliance functions were also converted to relaxation functions by using numerical interconversion methods and similar power law relationships were reported between time-dependent relaxation modulus function and BV/TV

Spatial Patterns in Herbivory on a Coral Reef Are Influenced by Structural Complexity but Not by Algal Traits

Background: Patterns of herbivory can alter the spatial structure of ecosystems, with important consequences for ecosystem functions and biodiversity. While the factors that drive spatial patterns in herbivory in terrestrial systems are well established, comparatively less is known about what influences the distribution of herbivory in coral reefs. Methodology and Principal Findings: We quantified spatial patterns of macroalgal consumption in a cross-section of Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia). We used a combination of descriptive and experimental approaches to assess the influence of multiple macroalgal traits and structural complexity in establishing the observed spatial patterns in macroalgal herbivory, and to identify potential feedback mechanisms between herbivory and macroalgal nutritional quality. Spatial patterns in macroalgal consumption were best explained by differences in structural complexity among habitats. The biomass of herbivorous fish, and rates of herbivory were always greater in the structurally-complex coral-dominated outer reef and reef flat habitats, which were also characterised by high biomass of herbivorous fish, low cover and biomass of macroalgae and the presence of unpalatable algae species. Macroalgal consumption decreased to undetectable levels within 75 m of structurally-complex reef habitat, and algae were most abundant in the structurally-simple lagoon habitats, which were also characterised by the presence of the most palatable algae species. In contrast to terrestrial ecosystems, herbivory patterns were not influenced by the distribution, productivity or nutritional quality of resources (macroalgae), and we found no evidence of a positive feedback between macroalgal consumption and the nitrogen content of algae. Significance: This study highlights the importance of seascape-scale patterns in structural complexity in determining spatial patterns of macroalgal consumption by fish. Given the importance of herbivory in maintaining the ability of coral reefs to reorganise and retain ecosystem functions following disturbance, structural complexity emerges as a critical feature that is essential for the healthy functioning of these ecosystems

Men's passage to fatherhood: an analysis of the contemporary relevance of transition theory

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of men's experiences of pregnancy, birth and early fatherhood. It does so using a framework of ritual transition theory and argues that despite its earlier structural-functionalist roots, transition theory remains a valuable framework, illuminating contemporary transitions across the life course. The paper discusses the historical development of transition or ritual theory and, drawing upon data generated during longitudinal ethnographic interviews with men undergoing the transition to fatherhood, analyses its relevance in understanding contemporary experiences of fatherhood

Visual attention and action: How cueing, direct mapping, and social interactions drive orienting

Despite considerable interest in both action perception and social attention over the last 2 decades, there has been surprisingly little investigation concerning how the manual actions of other humans orient visual attention. The present review draws together studies that have measured the orienting of attention, following observation of another’s goal-directed action. Our review proposes that, in line with the literature on eye gaze, action is a particularly strong orienting cue for the visual system. However, we additionally suggest that action may orient visual attention using mechanisms, which gaze direction does not (i.e., neural direct mapping and corepresentation). Finally, we review the implications of these gaze-independent mechanisms for the study of attention to action. We suggest that our understanding of attention to action may benefit from being studied in the context of joint action paradigms, where the role of higher level action goals and social factors can be investigated

AusTraits, a curated plant trait database for the Australian flora

We introduce the AusTraits database - a compilation of values of plant traits for taxa in the Australian flora (hereafter AusTraits). AusTraits synthesises data on 448 traits across 28,640 taxa from field campaigns, published literature, taxonomic monographs, and individual taxon descriptions. Traits vary in scope from physiological measures of performance (e.g. photosynthetic gas exchange, water-use efficiency) to morphological attributes (e.g. leaf area, seed mass, plant height) which link to aspects of ecological variation. AusTraits contains curated and harmonised individual- and species-level measurements coupled to, where available, contextual information on site properties and experimental conditions. This article provides information on version 3.0.2 of AusTraits which contains data for 997,808 trait-by-taxon combinations. We envision AusTraits as an ongoing collaborative initiative for easily archiving and sharing trait data, which also provides a template for other national or regional initiatives globally to fill persistent gaps in trait knowledge

Spins and magnetic moments of 58,60,62,64Mn ground states and isomers

The odd-odd 54,56,58,60,62,64Mn isotopes (Z = 25) were studied using bunched-beam collinear laser spectroscopy at ISOLDE, CERN. From the measured hyperfine spectra the spins and magnetic moments of Mn isotopes up to N = 39 were extracted. The previous tentative ground state spin assignments of 58,60,62,64Mn are now firmly determined to be I = 1 along with an I = 4 assignment for the isomeric states in 58,60,62Mn. The I = 1 magnetic moments show a decreasing trend with increasing neutron number while the I = 4 moments remain quite constant between N = 33 and N = 37. The results are compared to large-scale shell-model calculations using the GXPF1A and LNPS effective interactions. The excellent agreement of the ground state moments with the predictions from the LNPS calculations illustrates the need for an increasing amount of proton excitations across Z = 28 and neutron excitations across N = 40 in the ground state wave functions from N = 37 onwards.status: publishe