Publications by authors named "M S Ballard"

Textiles provide a valuable source of information regarding past cultures and their artistic practices. Understanding ancient textiles requires identifying the raw materials used, since the origin of dyes and fibers may be from plants or animals, with the specific species used varying based on geography, trade routes and cultural significance. A selection of nine Chancay textile fragments attributed to 800-1200 CE were studied with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) to identify the chemical compounds in extracts of natural dyes used to create green, blue, red, yellow and black colors.

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Seagrasses provide a multitude of ecosystem services and act as important carbon sinks. However, seagrass habitats are declining globally, and they are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. For these reasons, long-term and continuous measurements of seagrass parameters are of primary importance for ecosystem health assessment and sustainable management.

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This paper reports on an original set of direct sound speed measurements collected with the acoustic coring system in the New England Mud Patch (NEMP) and shelf break area to the south. Cores collected within the NEMP show range-dependence of the mud with slower sound speed and lower attenuation on the west side. In the shelf break region, the highest sound speeds are observed between the 200- and 350-m isobaths.

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Background: Excessive gestational weight gain (eGWG) increases risk for pregnancy complications and future obesity for pregnant persons and children. Yet, it is unclear whether eGWG leads to higher child adiposity at 2 years, independent of the pregnant person's body mass index (BMI) while considering important covariates. Moreover, understanding the characteristics of pregnant persons experiencing eGWG will help design future targeted interventions.

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