U/Pb zircon, strontium, and oxygen isotopic and geochronological study of the southernmost Sierra Nevada Batholith, California

The southernmost Sierra Nevada offers a view into the deep levels of the Mesozoic batholithic belt which constitutes much of the range to the north, and represents one of the major tectonic features of western North America. The main crystalline rocks of the study area are (1) the intrusive suite of Bear Valley, a middle Cretaceous tonalite batholith complex with coeval gabbroic intrusives, and (2) the gneiss complex of the Tehachapi Mountains, which consists of Early Cretaceous orthogneiss and subordinate paragneiss, with local domains having granulite facies metamorphic assemblages. The orthogneisses are dominantly tonalitic in composition, with significant layers of granodioritic to granitic and lesser dioritic to gabbroic gneiss. Quartz-rich and psammitic metasedimentary rocks with subordinate marble constitute the main framework assemblage into which the plutonic rocks were emplaced. Field relations demonstrate assimilation of metasedimentary material into the orthogneiss and tonalite batholith magmas, and magma mixing between mafic, tonalitic, and granitic materials. Significant domains of both homogenization and inhomogenization are recognized isotopically within the mixed rocks. U/Pb zircon studies have resolved two major igneous suites and a third suite of postdeformational intrusives, all lying between 90 and 120 Ma. The first suite (gneiss complex of the Tehachapi Mountains) was emplaced at ∼115 Ma, and exhibits penetrative high-temperature deformation developed at or near solidus conditions. A number of discordance patterns, along with the physical properties of the zircon, suggest minor inheritance of Proterozoic zircon and limited open system behavior in response to a major 100 Ma plutonic event. The 100 ± 3 Ma intrusive suite of Bear Valley crosscuts the older suite, but also exhibits significant synplutonic deformation. Mainly concordant zircon ages indicate the igneous crystallization age, but some discordances occur due to inheritance or entrainment of Proterozoic zircon. The high-temperature deformation fabrics in these suites and within the metasedimentary framework rocks were crosscut by the granodiorite of Claraville (90 Ma) and pegmatite dikes (∼95 Ma). The granodiorite of Claraville shows strong inheritance of Proterozoic zircon and high initial ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr and δ^(18)O. Zircon populations from paragneiss and quartzite samples are dominated by Proterozoic detrital grains. Strontium and oxygen isotopic data on the zircon geochronology sample suite suggest simple twocomponent mixing of mantle-derived gabbroic to tonalitic magmas with partial to complete melt products from the metasedimentary framework rocks. Sedimentary admixtures for some granitic rocks may be as high as 45%, but for the tonalitic batholithic complex are no higher than about 15%. Modeled values of 10–20% metasediment are typical for the orthogneisses. Initial ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr correlates directly with δ^(18)O, and generally correlates inversely with Sr content. Some subtle complexities in the Sr and O isotopic data suggest the involvement of a third cryptic component. Such a component could be early Phanerozoic ensimatic accretionary terranes that were structurally beneath the observed metasedimentary sequence, or altered oceanic crust and sediments introduced into the mantle magma source area by subduction. One of the initial aims of this study was to seek out remnants of Proterozoic sialic crystalline rocks within the gneiss complex of the Tehachapi Mountains. No such remnants were found, and our studies strongly suggest that sialic components within this link of the Mesozoic batholithic belt were introduced into mantle-derived magraatic systems by anatexis of continent-derived sedimentary rocks

Incidence and public health burden of sunburn among beachgoers in the United States.

The beach environment creates many barriers to effective sun protection, putting beachgoers at risk for sunburn, a well-established risk factor for skin cancer. Our objective was to estimate incidence of sunburn among beachgoers and evaluate the relationship between sunburn incidence and sun-protective behaviors. A secondary analysis, of prospective cohorts at 12 locations within the U.S. from 2003 to 2009 (n = 75,614), were pooled to evaluate sunburn incidence 10-12 days after the beach visit. Behavioral and environmental conditions were cross-tabulated with sunburn incidence. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between new sunburn and sun-protective behaviors. Overall, 13.1% of beachgoers reported sunburn. Those aged 13-18 years (16.5%), whites (16.0%), and those at beach locations along the Eastern Seaboard (16.1%), had the highest incidence of sunburn. For those spending ≥5 h in the sun, the use of multiple types of sun protection reduced odds of sunburn by 55% relative to those who used no sun protection (Odds Ratio = 0.45 (95% Confidence Interval:0.27-0.77)) after adjusting for skin type, age, and race. Acute health effects of sunburn tend to be mild and self-limiting, but potential long-term health consequences are more serious and costly. Efforts to encourage and support proper sun-protective behaviors, and increase access to shade, protective clothing, and sunscreen, can help prevent sunburn and reduce skin cancer risk among beachgoers

Building Interdisciplinary Learning Partnerships

Capital University Law School & Grant Medical Center partnered to provide training on medical malpractice to law students and medical residents. The course utilized a unique, interdisciplinary approach to skills training & professional development. The course attempts to meet several needs: (1) Increase experiential learning opportunities to develop professional skills and judgment; (2) Provide authentic, experiential learning that is cost-effective and accessible to all law students, including non-traditional and part­time students; and (3) Promote interdisciplinary education.https://fuse.franklin.edu/ss2016/1066/thumbnail.jp

Widespread Infilling of Tidal Channels and Navigable Waterways in the Human-Modified Tidal Deltaplain of Southwest Bangladesh

Since the 1960s, ~5000 km2 of tidal deltaplain in southwest Bangladesh has been embanked and converted to densely inhabited, agricultural islands (i.e., polders). This landscape is juxtaposed to the adjacent Sundarbans, a pristine mangrove forest, both well connected by a dense network of tidal channels that effectively convey water and sediment throughout the region. The extensive embanking in poldered areas, however, has greatly reduced the tidal prism (i.e., volume of water) transported through local channels. We reveal that \u3e600 km of these major waterways have infilled in recent decades, converting to land through enhanced sedimentation and the direct blocking of waterways by embankments and sluice gates. Nearly all of the observed closures (~98%) have occurred along the embanked polder systems, with no comparable changes occurring in channels of the Sundarbans (2 of new land in the last 40–50 years, the rate of which, ~2 km2/yr, offsets the 4 km2/yr that is eroded at the coast, and is equivalent to ~20% of the new land produced naturally at the Ganges-Brahmaputra tidal rivermouth. Most of this new land, called ‘khas’ in Bengali, has been reclaimed for agriculture or aquaculture, contributing to the local economy. However, benefits are tempered by the loss of navigable waterways for commerce, transportation, and fishing, as well as the forced rerouting of tidal waters and sediments necessary to sustain this low-lying landscape against rising sea level. A more sustainable delta will require detailed knowledge of the consequences of these hydrodynamic changes to support more scientifically-grounded management of water, sediment, and tidal energy distribution

Severe Tracheobronchomalacia after Prolonged Intubation of Multitrauma Patient

Tracheobronchomalacia is a condition with significant morbidity with many etiologies including iatrogenic ones and should be considered in critically ill ventilated trauma patients. We present a case of a multitrauma patient who had difficulty weaning from the ventilator after prolonged intubation followed by tracheostomy tube placement. We describe her presentation, diagnosis, and management provide and as well a discussion of the condition