Professionalism, Golf Coaching and a Master of Science Degree: A commentary

As a point of reference I congratulate Simon Jenkins on tackling the issue of professionalism in coaching. As he points out coaching is not a profession, but this does not mean that coaching would not benefit from going through a professionalization process. As things stand I find that the stimulus article unpacks some critically important issues of professionalism, broadly within the context of golf coaching. However, I am not sure enough is made of understanding what professional (golf) coaching actually is nor how the development of a professional golf coach can be facilitated by a Master of Science Degree (M.Sc.). I will focus my commentary on these two issues

An updated radiocarbon-based ice margin chronology for the last deglaciation of the North American Ice Sheet Complex

The North American Ice Sheet Complex (NAISC; consisting of the Laurentide, Cordilleran and Innuitian ice sheets) was the largest ice mass to repeatedly grow and decay in the Northern Hemisphere during the Quaternary. Understanding its pattern of retreat following the Last Glacial Maximum is critical for studying many facets of the Late Quaternary, including ice sheet behaviour, the evolution of Holocene landscapes, sea level, atmospheric circulation, and the peopling of the Americas. Currently, the most up-to-date and authoritative margin chronology for the entire ice sheet complex is featured in two publications (Geological Survey of Canada Open File 1574 [Dyke et al., 2003]; ‘Quaternary Glaciations – Extent and Chronology, Part II’ [Dyke, 2004]). These often-cited datasets track ice margin recession in 36 time slices spanning 18 ka to 1 ka (all ages in uncalibrated radiocarbon years) using a combination of geomorphology, stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating. However, by virtue of being over 15 years old, the ice margin chronology requires updating to reflect new work and important revisions. This paper updates the aforementioned 36 ice margin maps to reflect new data from regional studies. We also update the original radiocarbon dataset from the 2003/2004 papers with 1541 new ages to reflect work up to and including 2018. A major revision is made to the 18 ka ice margin, where Banks and Eglinton islands (once considered to be glacial refugia) are now shown to be fully glaciated. Our updated 18 ka ice sheet increased in areal extent from 17.81 to 18.37 million km2, which is an increase of 3.1% in spatial coverage of the NAISC at that time. Elsewhere, we also summarize, region-by-region, significant changes to the deglaciation sequence. This paper integrates new information provided by regional experts and radiocarbon data into the deglaciation sequence while maintaining consistency with the original ice margin positions of Dyke et al. (2003) and Dyke (2004) where new information is lacking; this is a pragmatic solution to satisfy the needs of a Quaternary research community that requires up-to-date knowledge of the pattern of ice margin recession of what was once the world’s largest ice mass. The 36 updated isochrones are available in PDF and shapefile format, together with a spreadsheet of the expanded radiocarbon dataset (n = 5195 ages) and estimates of uncertainty for each interval

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Remediation of metal- and radionucleides-contaminated soils by in situ stabilization techniques

chap. 2International audienc

Patogenicidade de Corynespora cassiicola em soja, limiares térmicos e temperatura ótima para a germinação de conídios em meio de cultura Pathogenicity, thermal thresholds and optimal temperature for Corynespora cassiicola conidium germination in culture medium

Ensaios em câmara climatizada e laboratório, foram conduzidos para demonstrar a patogenicidade de Corynespora cassiicola em soja. Para esse estudo, utilizou-se um isolado monosporico obtido de folhas de soja de Primavera do Leste, MT. Os conídios analisados ao mi croscópio ótico a presentaram morfologia semelhante a do gênero Corynespora. A mensuração de 200 conídios desenvolvidos em meio de cultura, obteve-se as seguintes medidas 8-12 x 20 - 280 µm, média de 10 x 150 µm. O isolado foi inoculado no cultivar CD 219 RR para comprovar a sua patogenicidade. Pela comparação dos sintomas com as descrições da literatura e pelo reisolamento do patógeno, seguido de sua caracterização morfológica, confirmou-se à patogenicidade do isolado de C. cassiicola. Para identificar os limiares térmicos inferior (Lti) e superior (Lts) e a temperatura ótima e o limiar térmico superior (Lt s) para a germinação de esporos de C. cassiicola, foi conduzido um ensaio em placas de Petri, com meio de cultur a Czapekága r. Foram testados: ( a ) tempo de exposiçã o de 6 , 1 2 e 24 hora s e (b) temperaturas mínimas de 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 e 10 ºC, intermediárias de 15, 20, 25, 30 e 35ºC e superiores de 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 e 41ºC. Os dados foram submetidos a análise de variância e regressão. Os conídios germinaram em uma ampla gama de tempera tura tendo como valores de Lti 7ºC, ótima de 23ºC e valores de Lts 39ºC.<br>In experiments conducted in a growth chamber, the pathogenicity of a monosporic isolate of Corynespora cassiicola was tested. The isolate was obtained from the leaves of soybean was performed. The isolate of C. cassiicola used was obtained from leaves of soybean from Primavera do Leste, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The morphology of the conidia under the optical microscope was similar to that of the genus Corynespora. In the assessment of 200 conidia, the following measures were obtained: 8-12 x 20 -280 m, mean of 10 x 150 µm. T he cultivar CD 219 RR was inoculated to prove pathogenicity. Based on the comparison of the symptoms with the descriptions in literature and on the pathogen reisolations followed by its morphological characterization, the pathogenicity of the C. cassiicola isolate used in this work is confirmed. To identify the lower (Lti), and upper (Lts) thermal threshold, as well as the optimal temperature, for the germination of spores, an experiment was performed in Petri dishes containing Czapek agar medium. The tested variables were: (a) exposure times of 6, 12 and 24 hours and (b) low temperatures of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10ºC, intermediate temperatures of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35ºC, and high temperatures of 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41ºC. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and regression. The conidia germinated within a wide temperature range presenting Lti of 7ºC, optimal temperature of 23ºC and Lts of 39ºC