Brett Rocha retired from pro-hockey while still at the top of his game. Co-owner of a chain of restaurants and an inherited ice skating academy, he seems to have it all. Despite his fame, wealth, and good fortune, though, Brett suddenly finds himself painfully alone. Ex-Olympic figure skating star Rylan Hennessy transitioned to professional ice dancing with Celia, Brett’s sister and Rylan’s lifelong partner on the ice. Then tragedy strikes, and Rylan’s world is turned upside down, too. With the unexpected death of Celia, Brett and Rylan are drawn together through their mutual grief. Their bond strengthens when Brett introduces Rylan to BDSM, a lifestyle Rylan has never experienced before. While the mystery of Celia’s murder still needs to be solved, a second tragedy threatens to tear them apart. Will their relationship survive, or will love be enough to see them through this life altering, harrowing change?

Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash. Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.

XAFS for Everyone provides a practical, thorough guide to x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy for both novices and seasoned practitioners from a range of disciplines. It’s enhanced with more than 200 figures as well as cartoon characters who offer informative commentary on the different approaches used in XAFS spectroscopy. This second edition now includes chapters on spatial and temporal resolution, alternative measurement modes including resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) and high-energy resolution fluorescence detection (HERFD), and an expanded chapter on experimental design. In addition, this edition adds new sections on wavelet transforms, blind source separation, free electron lasers, and theoretical XANES standards, as well as three new case studies. XAFS for Everyone covers sample preparation, data reduction, tips and tricks for data collection, fingerprinting, linear combination analysis, principal component analysis, and modeling using theoretical standards. It describes both near-edge (XANES) and extended (EXAFS) applications in detail. Examples throughout the text are drawn from diverse areas, including materials science, environmental science, structural biology, catalysis, nanoscience, chemistry, art, and archaeology. In addition, eight case studies from the literature demonstrate the use of XAFS principles and analysis in practice. The text includes derivations and sample calculations to foster a deeper comprehension of the results. Whether you are encountering this technique for the first time or looking to hone your craft, this innovative and engaging book gives you insight on implementing XAFS spectroscopy and interpreting XAFS experiments and results. It helps you understand real-world trade-offs and the reasons behind common rules of thumb. Key Points: New cases studies will be added to the end of the book Multiple sections are being refreshed or almost completely re-written to reflect the changes in the field since the first edition. For example: important new synchrotron light sources have come in to operation across the world, including NSLS-II in North America, MAX IV and Solaris in Europe, the Taiwan Photon Source in eastern Asia, and SESAME in the Middle East. New analysis software has been developed, while other software has fallen in to disuse. Discussions of wavelength dispersive detectors will be added throughout the book, as well as wavelet transforms

Distance metrics and distances have become an essential tool in many areas of pure and applied Mathematics, and this encyclopedia is the first one to treat the subject in full. The book appears just as research intensifies into metric spaces and especially, distance design for applications. These distances are particularly crucial, for example, in computational biology, image analysis, speech recognition, and information retrieval. Here, an assessment of the practical questions arising during selection of a "good'' distance function has been left aside in favor of a comprehensive listing of the main available distances, a useful tool for the distance design community. This reader-friendly reference offers both independent introductions and definitions, while at the same time making cross-referencing easy through hyperlink-like boldfaced references to original definitions. This high-quality publication is a mix of reference resource and coffee-table book.

The field of X-ray spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation is growing so rapidly and expanding into such different research areas that it is now diffi cult to keep up with the literature. EXAFS and XANES are becoming interdis ciplinary methods used in solid-state physics, biology, and chemistry, and are making impressive contributions to these branches of science. The present book gives a panorama of the research activity in this field. It contains the papers presented at the International Conference on EXAFS and Near Edge Structure held in Frascati, Italy, September 13-17, 1982. This was the first international conference devoted to EXAFS spectroscopy (Extended X-ray Ab sorption Fine Structure) and its applications. The other topic of the con ference was the new XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure), which in of experimental and theoretical developments finally appears to have terms left its infancy. The applications of EXAFS concern the determination of local structures in complex systems; we have therefore divided the subject matter into differ ent parts on various types of materials: amorphous metals, glasses, solu tions, biological systems, catalysts, and special crystals such as mixed valence systems and ionic conductors. EXAFS provides unique information for each kind of system, but the analysis of EXAFS data also poses special prob lems in each case. General problems of EXAFS data analysis are discussed, as well as developments in instrumentation for X-ray absorption using syn chrotron radiation and laboratory EXAFS.

The properties of matter at extreme length scales can differ markedly from those at length scales accessible to human observation. Nanogeoscience is described here: analytical techniques ranging from atomic force microscopy, nanoscale SIMS, TEM and EELS, to recent developments in nano-scale resolution in synchrotron radiation.

Lack of appreciation and knowledge of the malalignment syndrome often leads to a failure to notice the possible aetiological or predisposing factors contributing to many musculoskeletal problems. Recognition of the syndrome by physicians, chiropractors, osteopaths, podiatrists, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, sports trainers and others dealing with patients and athletes (including equine) can help them implement appropriate treatment and training to correct the malalignment and actually prevent the initial occurrence of symptoms. Now in its second edition, The Malalignment Syndrome has established itself as a trusty one-stop reference providing a detailed description of this syndrome and how it can be identified and treated. It concentrates on the trunk, pelvis, spine, sacroiliac joint and legs, incorporating anatomy, biomechanics, stability issues, possible causes, examination and diagnostic techniques as well as a comprehensive treatment approach. Emphasis is also placed on the participation of the patient/athlete in the day-to day treatment process to achieve long-term results. Evidence-based practical advice and guidance Multidisciplinary in approach Highly illustrated with photographs, diagrams and anatomical models Recognizes the importance of prevention as well as treatment Summary and case boxes Over 100 new illustrations Additional examination techniques to facilitate diagnosis Extensively rewritten for easier reading Contributions by David Lane (Chapter 6: Horses, Saddles and Riders), Sarah Stevens and Karina Steinberg (Chapter 8: Treatment: The Manual Therapy Modes) Focuses on diagnosis/treatment of malalignment-related pelvic, leg and back pain