Clinical translation of tissue-engineered oesophageal grafts: are patients ready for us?

PURPOSE: We sought to engage with expert patient/carers to understand attitudes towards use of tissue engineering (TE) for long-gap oesophageal atresia (OA). METHODS: An in-person engagement event for 70 patients/parents was held by the OA patient group, TOFS. Attitudes towards TE were assessed before and after a talk on use of TE oesophagi in a pre-clinical OA model. Perceptions were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (median [range]) and compared using Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: 43 attendees responded; 56% parents/caregivers, 21% patients, 7% healthcare workers, 16% unreported. Most (85%) had some awareness of TE but for 15%, it was a new concept. Attendees were receptive to TE; 89% reported no concerns about growth of their/child(s) cells in a lab and 61% reported no concerns about using animal products. Perceptions of TE significantly improved after the presentation from 4 (2-5, n = 32) to 5 (3-5, n = 28) p < 0.0001, and 96% would like to be involved in focus groups on development of a TE product for use in OA. CONCLUSION: Input from key stakeholders is essential to introduction of TE constructs clinically. The overall response to TE constructs was positive, and informs development of an OA-specific focus group to guide translation.

Field-driven polyelectrolyte-polymer collisions in nanochannels.

Even though dilute (unentangled) polymer solutions cannot act as gel-like sieving media, it has been shown that they can be used to separate DNA molecules in capillary electrophoresis. The separation then comes from sporadic, independent DNA-polymer collisions. We study polymer-polymer collisions in nanochannels (i.e., channels that are smaller than the normal size of the polymers), a situation where a polyelectrolyte is forced to migrate "through" isolated uncharged molecules during electrophoresis. We use Langevin dynamics simulations to explore the nature of these collisions and their effect on the net motion of the two polymer chains. We identify several types of collisions, including some that are unique to nanochannels. When the uncharged polymer is much larger than the polyelectrolyte, the system is reminiscent of gel electrophoresis, and we propose a modified empirical reptation model to explain the data, with an orientation factor that depends on the tube diameter. We also observe that the duration of a collision is a non-monotonic function of the polymer size ratio when the two chains are of comparable size, a surprising resonance-like phenomenon, which, combined with the asymmetric nature of molecular conformations during collision, suggests possible ratchet-like mechanisms that could be used to sort polyelectrolytes in nanodevices.

Estimating the asymptotic characteristic time scales for diffusion-controlled drug release systems using partially sampled data.

Drug release experiments and numerical simulations only give access to partial release data (i.e., within a finite time range t∈[0,tf]). In this article, we propose fitting-based procedures to estimate the asymptotic time scales of the release process, namely the global relaxation time τ∗ and the longest (or terminal) relaxation time τ0, from partially sampled data of diffusion-controlled drug release systems. We test these procedures on both synthetic and experimental data using, as an example, the well-known Weibull function. Our results show that the Weibull function must be used with great care because the values of the fitting parameters can vary significantly depending on the ratio tf/τ0. Beyond their practical simplicity, the usefulness of our procedures is evidenced by the fact that: (1) the initial loading profile does not need to be known and (2) the chosen fitting function does not require any physical basis. These two advantages allow us to determine the diffusion coefficient of the molecules directly from the characteristic time τ0.

Reliability of resting metabolic rate between and within day measurements using the Vyntus CPX system and comparison against predictive formulas.

Background: To detect longitudinal changes of resting metabolic rate (RMR) resulting from the effects of energetic stress, reliable RMR measurements are crucial. The Vyntus CPX is a new automated indirect calorimetry system for which RMR reliability has not been determined. Additionally, its agreement with common predictive RMR formulas is unknown. Aim: To determine the within and between-day reliability of RMR measurements using the Vyntus CPX system and its agreement with predictive RMR formulas. Methods: Young (31 ± 7 years) healthy participants (n = 26, 12 females, 14 males) completed three measurements of RMR, two consecutive measures on the same day, one the day before/after, all under standardised conditions. Reliability was assessed with pairwise comparisons of between-day at the same time (BDST), within day consecutive measurements (WDCM) and between-day different time (BDDT), for parameters of reliability (mean change (MC), intraclass correlation (ICC) and typical error of measurement (TEM)). Measured RMR values (kcal/day) were compared against predictive values of 4 common formulas. Results: Parameters of reliability (mean, (95% confidence interval)) were: -BDST: MC, 0.2(-2.3-2.7)% (p = 0.67); ICC, 0.92(0.84-0.97); TEM, 4.5(3.5-6.2)%. -WDCM: MC, -2.5(-6.2-1.3)% (p = 0.21); ICC, 0.88(0.74-0.88); TEM, 7.0(5.4-9.8)%. -BDDT: MC, -1.5(-4.8-1.9)% (p = 0.57); ICC, 0.90(0.76-0.95); TEM, 6.1(4.8-8.5)%. RMRratios (measured/predicted) were: 1.04 ± 0.14 (Nelson, p = 0.13), 1.03 ± 0.10 (Mifflin, p = 0.21), 0.98 ± 0.09 (Harris-benedict, p = 0.30), 0.95 ± 0.11 (Cunningham1980, p = 0.01), 1.00 ± 0.12 (Cunningham1991, p = 0.90) and 0.96 ± 0.13 (DXA, p = 0.03). Conclusions: The Vyntus CPX is reliable and measured RMR values agreed with four predictive formulas but are lower than Cunningham1980 and DXA RMR estimates for this population.

Precision of the GE Lunar Total Body-Less Head Scan for the Measurement of Three-Compartment Body Composition in Athletes.

INTRODUCTION: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is widely used for the assessment of lean mass (LM), fat mass (FM) and bone mineral content (BMC). When observing standardised protocols, DXA has a high level of precision for the assessment of total body composition, including the head region. However, including the head region may have limited relevance in athletes and can be problematic when positioning taller athletes who exceed scan boundaries. This study investigated the precision of a new total-body-less-head (TBLH) DXA scan for three-compartment body composition measurement in athletes, with outcomes compared to the standard total-body DXA scan. METHODS: Precision errors were calculated from two consecutive scans with re-positioning (Lunar iDXA, GE Healthcare, Madison, WI), in male and female athletes from a range of sports. TBLH precision was determined from repeat scans in 95 athletes (male n = 55; female n = 40; age: 26.0 ± 8.5 y; body mass: 81.2 ± 20.5 kg; stature: 1.77 ± 0.11 m), and standard total-body scan precision was derived from a sub-sample of 58 athletes (male n = 19; female n = 39; age: 27.6 ± 9.9 y; body mass: 69.6 ± 14.8 kg; stature: 1.72 ± 0.94 m). Data from the sub-sample were also used to compare precision error and 3-compartment body composition outcomes between the standard total-body scan and the TBLH scan. RESULTS: TBLH precision errors [root mean squared-standard deviation, RMS-SD (coefficient of variation, %CV)] were bone mineral content (BMC): 15.6 g (0.5%), lean mass (LM): 254.3 g (0.4%) and fat mass (FM): 199.4 g (1.3%). These outcomes compared favourably to the precision errors derived from the standard total-body scan [BMC: 12.4 g (0.4%), LM: 202.2 g (0.4%), and FM: 160.8 g (1.1%)]. The TBLH scan resulted in lower BMC (-19.5%), LM (-6.6%), and FM (-4.5%) compared to the total-body scan (BMC: 2,308 vs. 2,865 g; LM: 46,954 vs. 50,276 g; FM: 15,183 vs. 15,888 g, all p<0.005). ConclusionThe TBLH scan demonstrates high in-vivo precision comparable to that of the standard total-body scan in a heterogeneous cohort of athletes. Given the impact of head exclusion on total body composition outcomes, TBLH scans should not be used interchangeably with the standard total-body scan.

Diffusivity interfaces in lattice Monte Carlo simulations: Modeling inhomogeneous delivery and release systems.

Lattice Monte Carlo (LMC) simulations are widely used to investigate diffusion-controlled problems such as drug-release systems. The presence of an inhomogeneous diffusivity environment raises subtle questions about the interpretation of stochastic dynamics in the overdamped limit, an issue sometimes referred to as the "Ito-Stratonovich-isothermal dilemma." We propose a LMC formalism that includes the different stochastic interpretations in order to model the diffusion of particles in a space-dependent diffusivity landscape. Using as an example a simple inhomogeneous one-dimensional system with a diffusivity interface and different boundary conditions, we demonstrate that we can properly reproduce the steady state and dynamic properties of these systems and that these properties do depend on the choice of calculus. In particular, we argue that the version of the LMC algorithm that uses Ito calculus, which is commonly used to model drug delivery systems, should be replaced by the isothermal version for most applications. Our LMC methodology provides an efficient alternative to Langevin simulations for a wide class of space-dependent diffusion problems.

Origin of Groundwater Arsenic in a Rural Pleistocene Aquifer in Bangladesh Depressurized by Distal Municipal Pumping.

Across South Asia, millions of villagers have reduced their exposure to high-arsenic (As) groundwater by switching to low-As wells. Isotopic tracers and flow modeling are used in this study to understand the groundwater flow system of a semi-confined aquifer of Pleistocene (>10 kyr) age in Bangladesh that is generally low in As but has been perturbed by massive pumping at a distance of about 25 km for the municipal water supply of Dhaka. A 10- to 15-m-thick clay aquitard caps much of the intermediate aquifer (>40- to 90-m depth) in the 3-km2 study area, with some interruptions by younger channel sand deposits indicative of river scouring. Hydraulic heads in the intermediate aquifer below the clay-capped areas are 1-2 m lower than in the high-As shallow aquifer above the clay layer. In contrast, similar heads in the shallow and intermediate aquifer are observed where the clay layer is missing. The head distribution suggests a pattern of downward flow through interruptions in the aquitard and lateral advection from the sandy areas to the confined portion of the aquifer. The interpreted flow system is consistent with 3H-3He ages, stable isotope data, and groundwater flow modeling. Lateral flow could explain an association of elevated As with high methane concentrations within layers of gray sand below certain clay-capped portions of the Pleistocene aquifer. An influx of dissolved organic carbon from the clay layer itself leading to a reduction of initially orange sands has also likely contributed to the rise of As.

Are increases in skeletal muscle mass accompanied by changes to resting metabolic rate in rugby athletes over a pre-season training period?

Optimising dietary energy intake is essential for effective sports nutrition practice in rugby athletes. Effective dietary energy prescription requires careful consideration of athletes' daily energy expenditure with the accurate prediction of resting metabolic rate (RMR) important due to its influence on total energy expenditure and in turn, energy balance. This study aimed to (a) measure rugby athletes RMR and (b) report the change in RMR in developing elite rugby players over a rugby preseason subsequent to changes in body composition and (c) explore the accurate prediction of RMR in rugby athletes. Eighteen developing elite rugby union athletes (age 20.2 ± 1.7 years, body mass 101.2 ± 14.5 kg, stature 184.0 ± 8.4 cm) had RMR (indirect calorimetry) and body composition (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) measured at the start and end of a rugby preseason ∼14 weeks later. There was no statistically significant difference in RMR over the preseason period (baseline 2389 ± 263 kcal·day-1 post 2373 ± 270 kcal·day-1) despite a significant increase in lean mass of +2.0 ± 1.6 kg (P < 0.01) and non-significant loss of fat mass. The change in RMR was non-significant and non-meaningful; thus, this study contradicts the commonly held anecdotal perception that an increase in skeletal muscle mass will result in a significant increase in metabolic rate and daily energy needs. Conventional prediction equations generally under-estimated rugby athletes' measured RMR, and may be problematic for identifying low energy availability, and thus updated population-specific prediction equations may be warranted to inform practice.

Fluctuations in populations of subsurface methane oxidizers in coordination with changes in electron acceptor availability.

The concentrations of electron donors and acceptors in the terrestrial subsurface biosphere fluctuate due to migration and mixing of subsurface fluids, but the mechanisms and rates at which microbial communities respond to these changes are largely unknown. Subsurface microbial communities exhibit long cellular turnover times and are often considered relatively static-generating just enough ATP for cellular maintenance. Here, we investigated how subsurface populations of CH4 oxidizers respond to changes in electron acceptor availability by monitoring the biological and geochemical composition in a 1339 m-below-land-surface (mbls) fluid-filled fracture over the course of both longer (2.5 year) and shorter (2-week) time scales. Using a combination of metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and metaproteomic analyses, we observe that the CH4 oxidizers within the subsurface microbial community change in coordination with electron acceptor availability over time. We then validate these findings through a series of 13C-CH4 laboratory incubation experiments, highlighting a connection between composition of subsurface CH4 oxidizing communities and electron acceptor availability.

Variability in carbon uptake and (re)cycling in Antarctic cryptoendolithic microbial ecosystems demonstrated through radiocarbon analysis of organic biomarkers.

Cryptoendolithic lichens and cyanobacteria living in porous sandstone in the high-elevation McMurdo Dry Valleys are purported to be among the slowest growing organisms on Earth with cycles of death and regrowth on the order of 103 -104  years. Here, organic biomarker and radiocarbon analysis were used to better constrain ages and carbon sources of cryptoendoliths in University Valley (UV; 1,800 m.a.s.l) and neighboring Farnell Valley (FV; 1,700 m.a.s.l). Δ14 C was measured for membrane component phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and glycolipid fatty acids, as well as for total organic carbon (TOC). PLFA concentrations indicated viable cells comprised a minor (<0.5%) component of TOC. TOC Δ14 C values ranged from -272‰ to -185‰ equivalent to calibrated ages of 1,100-2,550 years old. These ages may be the result of fractional preservation of biogenic carbon and/or sudden large-scale community death and extended period(s) of inactivity prior to slow recolonization and incorporation of 14 C-depleted fossil material. PLFA Δ14 C values were generally more modern than the corresponding TOC and varied widely between sites; the FV PLFA Δ14 C value (+40‰) was consistent with modern atmospheric CO2 , while UV values ranged from -199‰ to -79‰ (calibrated ages of 1,665-610 years). The observed variability in PLFA Δ14 C depletions is hypothesized to reflect variations in the extent of fixation of modern atmospheric CO2 and the preservation and recycling of older organic carbon by the community in various stages of sandstone recolonization. PLFA profiles and microbial community compositions as determined by molecular genetic characterizations and microscopy differed between the two valleys (e.g., predominance of biomarker 18:2 [>50%] in FV compared to UV), representing microbial communities that may reflect distinct stages of sandstone recolonization and/or environmental conditions. It is thus proposed that Dry Valley cryptoendolithic microbial communities are faster growing than previously estimated.

A technique for extraction of the distal segment of a broken femoral nail using a flexible reamer.

INTRODUCTION: Extraction of broken femoral nails in peri-implant fractures is becoming an increasingly common problem faced by orthopaedic surgeons. Different closed and open techniques for removal of broken nails have been previously described but due to variations in equipment and fracture configurations these methods are not always easily reproducible. We describe an open surgical technique using simple equipment that can be utilised when other methods of extraction have failed. CASE PRESENTATION AND SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: We present a case of a peri-implant fracture secondary to non-union involving a short cephalomedullary nail where the broken distal segment of nail was significantly more distal to the femoral fracture site. After multiple failed attempts at extraction with previously described closed techniques a rectangular cortical window was created 2cm distal to the tip of the broken nail using a saw. An antegrade guide wire was passed through the nail and pulled out of the bony window. A flexible intramedullary reamer was subsequently passed in retrograde fashion over the guide wire and a simple pushout technique was used to push both segments of the broken nail through the original insertion site. An exchange nailing was performed and the cortical window was reattached using a cable. DISCUSSION: This is a simple technique that does not require any specialist equipment and does not require the fracture site to be disturbed. The use of a flexible reamer as a pushout device is ideal as there are multiple size options allowing the surgeon to match the size of the medullary canal with the reamer. Furthermore, the flexibility of the reamer allows easy access through a lateral bone window. CONCLUSION: Broken femoral nail extraction can be technically challenging and when other closed methods have failed we believe our technique offers a simple alternative that can be added to the armamentarium of solutions.

Human and livestock waste as a reduced carbon source contributing to the release of arsenic to shallow Bangladesh groundwater.

Recent studies have demonstrated that the supply of relatively young organic carbon stimulates the release of arsenic to groundwater in Bangladesh. This study explores the potential role of human and livestock waste as a significant source of this carbon in a densely populated rural area with limited sanitation. Profiles of aquifer sediment samples were analyzed for phytosterols and coprostanol to assess the relative contributions of plant-derived and human/livestock waste-derived organic carbon at two well-characterized sites in Araihazar. Coprostanol concentrations increased with depth from non-detection (<10m at Site B and <23m at Site F) to maxima of 1.3 and 0.5ng/g in aquifer sands recovered from 17m (Site B) and 26m (Site F), respectively. The commonly used sewage contamination index ([5ß-coprostanol]/([5α-cholestanol]+[5ß-coprostanol])) exceeds 0.7 between 12 and 19m at Site B and between 24 and 26m at Site F, indicating input of human/livestock waste to these depths. Urine/fecal input within the same depth range is supported by groundwater Cl/Br mass ratios >1000 compared to Cl/Br <500 at depths >50m. Installed tube wells in the area's study sites may act as a conduit for DOC and specifically human/livestock waste into the aquifer during flood events. The depth range of maximum input of human/livestock waste indicated by these independent markers coincides with the highest dissolved Fe (10-20mg/L) and As (200-400µg/L) concentrations in groundwater at both sites. The new findings suggest that the oxidation of human/livestock waste coupled to the reductive dissolution of iron-(oxy)-hydroxides and/or arsenate may enhance groundwater contamination with As.

Sulfur mass-independent fractionation in subsurface fracture waters indicates a long-standing sulfur cycle in Precambrian rocks.

The discovery of hydrogen-rich waters preserved below the Earth's surface in Precambrian rocks worldwide expands our understanding of the habitability of the terrestrial subsurface. Many deep microbial ecosystems in these waters survive by coupling hydrogen oxidation to sulfate reduction. Hydrogen originates from water-rock reactions including serpentinization and radiolytic decomposition of water induced by decay of radioactive elements in the host rocks. The origin of dissolved sulfate, however, remains unknown. Here we report, from anoxic saline fracture waters ∼2.4 km below surface in the Canadian Shield, a sulfur mass-independent fractionation signal in dissolved sulfate. We demonstrate that this sulfate most likely originates from oxidation of sulfide minerals in the Archaean host rocks through the action of dissolved oxidants (for example, HO· and H2O2) themselves derived from radiolysis of water, thereby providing a coherent long-term mechanism capable of supplying both an essential electron donor (H2) and a complementary acceptor (sulfate) for the deep biosphere.

Stimulation of Microbially Mediated Arsenic Release in Bangladesh Aquifers by Young Carbon Indicated by Radiocarbon Analysis of Sedimentary Bacterial Lipids.

The sources of reduced carbon driving the microbially mediated release of arsenic to shallow groundwater in Bangladesh remain poorly understood. Using radiocarbon analysis of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and potential carbon pools, the abundance and carbon sources of the active, sediment-associated, in situ bacterial communities inhabiting shallow aquifers (<30 m) at two sites in Araihazar, Bangladesh, were investigated. At both sites, sedimentary organic carbon (SOC) Δ(14)C signatures of -631 ± 54‰ (n = 12) were significantly depleted relative to dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of +24 ± 30‰ and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of -230 ± 100‰. Sediment-associated PLFA Δ(14)C signatures (n = 10) at Site F (-167‰ to +20‰) and Site B (-163‰ to +21‰) were highly consistent and indicated utilization of carbon sources younger than the SOC, likely from the DOC pool. Sediment-associated PLFA Δ(14)C signatures were consistent with previously determined Δ(14)C signatures of microbial DNA sampled from groundwater at Site F indicating that the carbon source for these two components of the subsurface microbial community is consistent and is temporally stable over the two years between studies. These results demonstrate that the utilization of relatively young carbon sources by the subsurface microbial community occurs at sites with varying hydrology. Further they indicate that these young carbon sources drive the metabolism of the more abundant sediment-associated microbial communities that are presumably more capable of Fe reduction and associated release of As. This implies that an introduction of younger carbon to as of yet unaffected sediments (such as those comprising the deeper Pleistocene aquifer) could stimulate microbial communities and result in arsenic release.

Carbonate fabrics in the modern microbialites of Pavilion Lake: two suites of microfabrics that reflect variation in microbial community morphology, growth habit, and lithification.

Modern microbialites in Pavilion Lake, BC, provide an analog for ancient non-stromatolitic microbialites that formed from in situ mineralization. Because Pavilion microbialites are mineralizing under the influence of microbial communities, they provide insights into how biological processes influence microbialite microfabrics and mesostructures. Hemispherical nodules and micrite-microbial crusts are two mesostructures within Pavilion microbialites that are directly associated with photosynthetic communities. Both filamentous cyanobacteria in hemispherical nodules and branching filamentous green algae in micrite-microbial crusts were associated with calcite precipitation at microbialite surfaces and with characteristic microfabrics in the lithified microbialite. Hemispherical nodules formed at microbialite surfaces when calcite precipitated around filamentous cyanobacteria with a radial growth habit. The radial filament pattern was preserved within the microbialite to varying degrees. Some subsurface nodules contained well-defined filaments, whereas others contained only dispersed organic inclusions. Variation in filament preservation is interpreted to reflect differences in timing and amount of carbonate precipitation relative to heterotrophic decay, with more defined filaments reflecting greater lithification prior to degradation than more diffuse filaments. Micrite-microbial crusts produce the second suite of microfabrics and form in association with filamentous green algae oriented perpendicular to the microbialite surface. Some crusts include calcified filaments, whereas others contained voids that reflect the filamentous community in shape, size, and distribution. Pavilion microbialites demonstrate that microfabric variation can reflect differences in lithification processes and microbial metabolisms as well as microbial community morphology and organization. Even when the morphology of individual filaments or cells is not well preserved, the microbial growth habit can be captured in mesoscale microbialite structures. These results suggest that when petrographic preservation is extremely good, ancient microbialite growth structures and microfabrics can be interpreted in the context of variation in community organization, community composition, and lithification history. Even in the absence of distinct microbial microfabrics, mesostructures can capture microbial community morphology.

Reconstruction of limnology and microbialite formation conditions from carbonate clumped isotope thermometry.

Quantitative tools for deciphering the environment of microbialite formation are relatively limited. For example, the oxygen isotope carbonate-water geothermometer requires assumptions about the isotopic composition of the water of formation. We explored the utility of using 'clumped' isotope thermometry as a tool to study the temperatures of microbialite formation. We studied microbialites recovered from water depths of 10-55 m in Pavilion Lake, and 10-25 m in Kelly Lake, spanning the thermocline in both lakes. We determined the temperature of carbonate growth and the (18)O/(16)O ratio of the waters that microbialites grew in. Results were then compared to current limnological data from the lakes to reconstruct the history of microbialite formation. Modern microbialites collected at shallow depths (11.7 m) in both lakes yield clumped isotope-based temperatures of formation that are within error of summer water temperatures, suggesting that clumped isotope analyses may be used to reconstruct past climates and to probe the environments in which microbialites formed. The deepest microbialites (21.7-55 m) were recovered from below the present-day thermoclines in both lakes and yield radioisotope ages indicating they primarily formed earlier in the Holocene. During this time, pollen data and our reconstructed water (18)O/(16)O ratios indicate a period of aridity, with lower lake levels. At present, there is a close association between both photosynthetic and heterotrophic communities, and carbonate precipitation/microbialite formation, with biosignatures of photosynthetic influences on carbonate detected in microbialites from the photic zone and above the thermocline (i.e., depths of generally <20 m). Given the deeper microbialites are receiving <1% of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), it is likely these microbialites primarily formed when lower lake levels resulted in microbialites being located higher in the photic zone, in warm surface waters.

Prokaryote populations of extant microbialites along a depth gradient in Pavilion Lake, British Columbia, Canada.

Pavilion Lake in British Columbia, Canada, is home to modern-day microbialites that are actively growing at multiple depths within the lake. While microbialite morphology changes with depth and previous isotopic investigations suggested a biological role in the formation of these carbonate structures, little is known about their microbial communities. Microbialite samples acquired through the Pavilion Lake Research Project (PLRP) were first investigated for phototrophic populations using Cyanobacteria-specific primers and 16S rRNA gene cloning. These data were expounded on by high-throughput tagged sequencing analyses of the general bacteria population. These molecular analyses show that the microbial communities of Pavilion Lake microbialites are diverse compared to non-lithifying microbial mats also found in the lake. Phototrophs and heterotrophs were detected, including species from the recently described Chloroacidobacteria genus, a photoheterotroph that has not been previously observed in microbialite systems. Phototrophs were shown as the most influential contributors to community differences above and below 25 meters, and corresponding shifts in heterotrophic populations were observed at this interface as well. The isotopic composition of carbonate also mirrored this shift in community states. Comparisons to previous studies indicated this population shift may be a consequence of changes in lake chemistry at this depth. Microbial community composition did not correlate with changing microbialite morphology with depth, suggesting something other than community changes may be a key to observed variations in microbialite structure.

Hydrodynamic chromatography and field flow fractionation in finite aspect ratio channels.

Hydrodynamic chromatography (HC) and field-flow fractionation (FFF) separation methods are often performed in 3D rectangular channels, though ideal retention theory assumes 2D systems. Devices are commonly designed with large aspect ratios; however, it can be unavoidable or desirable to design rectangular channels with small or even near-unity aspect ratios. To assess the significance of finite-aspect ratio effects and interpret experimental retention results, an ideal, analytical retention theory is needed. We derive a series solution for the ideal retention ratio of HC and FFF rectangular channels. Rather than limiting devices' ability to resolve samples, our theory predicts that retention curves for normal-mode FFF are well approximated by the infinite plate solution and that the performance of HC is actually improved. These findings suggest that FFF devices need not be designed with large aspect ratios and that rectangular HC channels are optimal when the aspect ratio is unity.

Distribution of fat, non-osseous lean and bone mineral mass in international Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens players.

Differences in the body composition of international Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens players, and between players of different positions are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the quantity and regional distribution of fat, non-osseous lean and bone mineral mass between playing units in Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens. Male Rugby Union (n=21 forwards, 17 backs) and Rugby Sevens (n=11 forwards, 16 backs) players from the Australian national squads were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The digital image of each player was partitioned into anatomical regions including the arms, legs, trunk, and android and gynoid regions. Compared with backs, forwards in each squad were heavier and exhibited higher absolute regional fat (Union 43-67%; ±~17%, range of % differences; ±~95% confidence limits (CL); Sevens 20-26%; ±~29%), non-osseous lean (Union 14-22%; ±~5.8%; Sevens 6.9-8.4%; ±~6.6%) and bone mineral (Union 12-26%; ±~7.2%; Sevens 5.0-11%; ±~7.2%) mass. When tissue mass was expressed relative to regional mass, differences between Rugby Sevens forwards and backs were mostly unclear. Rugby Union forwards had higher relative fat mass (1.7-4.7%; ±~1.9%, range of differences; ±~95% CL) and lower relative non-osseous lean mass (-4.2 to -1.8%; ±~1.8%) than backs in all body regions. Competing in Rugby Union or Rugby Sevens characterized the distribution of fat and non-osseous lean mass to a greater extent than a player's positional group, whereas the distribution of bone mineral mass was associated more with a player's position. Differences in the quantity and distribution of tissues appear to be related to positional roles and specific demands of competition in Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens.