Post-collisional rapid exhumation and erosion during continental sedimentation: the example of the late Variscan Salvan-Dorénaz basin (Western Alps)

The Salvan-Dorénaz intramontane basin formed between ca. 308-293Ma as an asymmetric graben along crustal-scale transtensional fracture zones within the Aiguilles-Rouges crystalline massif (Western Alps) and represents a feature of the post-collisional evolution of the Variscan orogens. It contains 1.5-1.7km of continental clastic deposits which were eroded from granitic, volcanic, and metamorphic rocks. Textural and compositional immaturity of the sandstones, and the numerous lithic fragments with low chemical and physical stability suggest only short-range transport. 40Ar/39Ar analyses of detrital muscovite are interpreted to represent cooling of the crystalline basement below the respective closure temperatures. Ages from detrital muscovite range between ca. 280-330Ma. 40Ar/39Ar white mica plateau ages from granitic boulders range between 301-312Ma and suggest rapid cooling. The very short time interval recorded between the 40Ar/39Ar cooling ages and the stratigraphic age of the host sediment suggests that considerable portions of the upper crust were removed prior to the formation of the basin. Late Variscan granitic boulders document surface exposure and erosion of Late Carboniferous granites during early stages of the infilling of the basin. Therefore, unroofing of basement units, magmatic activity, and formation of the fault bounded Salvan-Dorénaz basin were acting concomitantly, and are highly suggestive of extensional tectonics. When compared with other orogens, this situation seems specific to the Variscan, especially the exclusively young ages of detrital material, however, modern analogous may exis

EVALUATION OF AN AUTOMATIC SEGMENTATION SOFTWARE BASED ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN PELVIC DISTRICT RADIOTHERAPY

openLo scopo di questo studio è mettere a confronto le due modalità di contornazione automatica (ABAS, software basato su atlanti costruiti su pazienti reali, e LIMBUS, software basato su intelligenza artificiale deep learning) attualmente in uso presso UOC Radioterapia Oncologica di Rovigo rispetto al gold-standard rappresentato dalla contornazione manuale effettuata dal medico radioterapista.Sono state prese in considerazione 10 scansioni TC del distretto pelvico, ciascuna corrispondente ad un determinato paziente, con contornazione manuale dei 4 organi a rischio: vescica, retto, teste femorali e bulbo penieno. Successivamente sono state ricontornate le stesse scansioni TC mediante i due software di autocontornazione. Dall'analisi dei dati provenienti dal calcolo di particolari indici di similarità, il software di autosegmentazione Limbus si è dimostrato superiore al software di autocontornazione ABAS e ha impiegato dai 25 ai 35 secondi per la contornazione dell'intero distretto pelvico, un notevole risparmio di tempo rispetto ai tempi medi della contornazione manuale di 21,3 minuti. Il software basato su intelligenza artificiale si è rivelato un valido supporto all'attività di contornazione degli organi a rischio anche se, in particolari condizioni, ha dimostrato di fallire, rendendo necessario l'intervento del medico radioterapista nel revisionare e ritoccare i risultati automatici ottenuti

The voyage of the 'Guyot Stone' from the Swiss Alps to Neuchatel and Princeton

In 1890, former students of Arnold Guyot at the University of Neuchatel dedicated a 'large glacial boulder from Neuchatel' to his memory, now in front of Guyot Hall at Princeton University. We established that this block originated with all certainty from Upper Carboniferous conglomerates of the Salvan-Dorenaz Basin, the relics of which crop out in the Alps of western Switzerland and eastern France. During the Last Glacial Maximum, the boulder travelled from the lower Rhone Valley on the back of the Pleistocene Rhone Glacier to Neuchatel from where, later, it crossed the Atlantic and was transported to Princeton. Guyot's name is familiar to geologists because of the term 'guyot', introduced 1946 by Harry Hess for 'curious flat-topped peaks scattered over millions of square miles in the Pacific basin', many of which are now known to represent drowned carbonate platforms.ISSN:1437-3254ISSN:1437-326

The impact of oral contraception on vulvovaginal candidiasis

To evaluate risk factors related to sociodemographic and clinical variables, oral contraception and sexual behavior of women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, we conducted a case-control study comparing 153 patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis with both asymptomatic women with negative vaginal cultures and patients with nonrecurrent symptomatic vulvovaginal candidiasis. In logistic regression analysis, patients with recurrent Candida vaginitis were more likely than negative controls to have used any contraceptive method in the year before evaluation, to have used antibiotics in the month preceding the visit, and to have a higher number of lifetime sex partners. Compared to patients with nonrecurrent Candida vaginitis, patients with recurrent infection were more likely to use oral contraception and to have a higher frequency of monthly intercourse. The proportion of recur rent disease attributable to the pill averages 11-12%. We conclude that oral contraceptives may influence the recurrence of symptomatic vulvovaginal candidiasis. PIP: Researchers in Italy compared data on 153 patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (cases) with data on 306 asymptomatic patients (control group A) and data on 306 patients with nonrecurrent symptomatic vulvovaginal candidiasis (control group B). They wanted to examine the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, sexual habits, and contraceptive histories of women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Cases were more likely than asymptomatic women to have previously used any contraceptive method (odds ratio [OR] = 2.08 for the pill, p = 0.0032; OR = 4.15 for the IUD, p = 0.0019; OR = 2.55 for barrier methods, p = 0.014). They were also more likely to have used antibiotics in the last month before the visit (OR = 2.1; p = 0.009) and to have more lifetime sexual partners than asymptomatic women (OR = 3.82 for 7 partners; p = 0.009). Patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis were more likely than those with nonrecurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis to have used low-dose oral contraceptives (OCs) (OR = 1.59; p = 0.036) and to have a higher rate of monthly intercourse in the last 6 months (OR = 2.51 for 10 times; p = 0.048). The attributable risk of OC use for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis was insignificant (11-12%). These results suggest that OCs may contribute to the recurrence of symptomatic vulvovaginal candidiasis