Biodeterioration of Incralac used for the protection of bronze monuments

Outdoor bronze sculptures are highly susceptible to corrosion in many environments and organic coatings are widely used for their protection. The purpose of this study was to determine the susceptibility of the commonly used coating Incralac to biodeterioration by microorganisms. A yeast was isolated from a bronze statue treated with Incralac and its ability to degrade Incralac was determined using growth curves, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The organism grew slowly on Incralac in liquid culture, but SEM images demonstrated its ability to adhere to Incralac coated metal. Additionally, the yeast caused a rapid drop in the low frequency impedance of Incralac coated metal that was not observed under sterile conditions, indicating that the organism accelerated deterioration of the coating. The potential for microbial growth to accelerate deterioration of Incralac should be considered when developing a maintenance strategy for the protection of outdoor metal monuments.     

Identification of important authors in science: A comparison of two methods of identification

This study examines the problem of identification of important authors in science by examining authors in the area of quantum mechanics. An examination was conducted using two methods of identification. The first method was a bibliometric approach and the second a historical approach. A gamma test of association was employed resulting in a finding of significant association between the ranks of authors. The major conclusion was that, when restricted to the same authors, the two methods of identifying important authors produce a statistically significant number of equivalent names. Discussion of the results and areas for further investigation are included.     

Electromyographic analysis of bow string release in highly skilled archers

A predominant archery coaching tenet holds that the most effective means of releasing the bow string is by relaxation of the finger flexor muscles without activation of finger extensors. To evaluate the validity of this view, EMG patterns of the flexor digitorum superficialis and extensor digitorum muscles of the draw arm were examined using surface EMG electrodes in 15 highly skilled archers as each performed six shots. Each archer displayed consistent EMG patterns from shot-to-shot and two distinct flexor-extensor patterns were exhibited by the sample. The first, characterized by eight of the archers, supported the relaxation principle. For these archers, both flexor and extensor digitorum activity decreased markedly immediately prior to or at arrow release. The second pattern, characteristic of the remaining seven archers, contradicted the coaching tenet. While the flexor digitorum pattern was essentially the same as that described for the first pattern, the extensor digitorum displayed a marked increase in activity just prior to release, indicating that string release was facilitated by an active extension of the fingers. It was concluded that highly skilled archers do not predominantly reflect a release consistent with the coaching canon and that factors other than the string release mechanism discriminate the performances of skilled archers.