CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND BIOCHRONOLOGY IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN DEEP-SEA CORES

A study of calcareous nannofossils was carried out, using an optical microscope, on a set of eastern Mediterranean deep-sea cores. These cores were mainly colleced during cruise MD69, organized within the framework of the MAST-Marflux project. The main purposes of this paper are the assessment of a preliminary stratigraphy of "old" sapropels (i.e. never recovered in piston cores prior ro cruise MD69), the quantitative recognition of biostratigraphic events and their calibration with respect to magnetostratigraphy and isotope/faunal stages. Nannofossil biostratigraphy demonstrates that sapropels are present in the Pseudoemiliania lacunosa and in the underlying small Gephyrocapsa nannofossil zones. These findings are of key importance to link the deep- sea record to that of land sections (Calabria and Sicily, Southern Italy), where sapropelitic layers are present up to the large Gephyrocapsa/small Gephyocapsa zonal boundary. The beginning of the E. huxleyi Acme is calibrated with isotope/faunal stage 4. Based on astronomical dating of sapropels S1 (8 ka) and S3 (79 ka), this event is estimated to 51 +/- 2 ka (core Ban88-11GC) or 54 +/- 5ka (core Ban82-15PC). The E. huxleyi  FAD cannot be confidently detected using the optical microscope technique. The LAD of P. lacunosa is estimated to 468 ka, based on interpolation between the Brunhes/Matuyama magnetic boundary (780 ka) and sapropel S9 (238 ka). With the same procedure the disappearance of Gephyrocapsa sp.3 (sensu Rio, 1982) from the Mediterranean is estimated to 584 ka. The FAD of Gephyocapsa sp. 3 and the "re-entrance" of medium sized Gephyrocapsa define the top of the small Gephyocapsa Zone, which is demonstrated to occur shortly after the end of the Jaramillo magnetic event in the Mediterranean area, with an interpolated age of 944 ka. An "acme" event of small Gephyrocapsa, beginning close to sapropel S9, is correlated with isotope stage 8 and dated as 265 ka

The estimated benefits of increasing cigarette prices through taxation on the burden of disease and economic burden of smoking in Nigeria: A modeling study

Background Globally, tobacco consumption continues to cause a considerable burden of preventable diseases. Although the smoking prevalence in Nigeria may be declining over the last years, the absolute number of active smokers remains one of the highest in Africa. Little is known about the disease burden and economic costs of cigarette smoking in Nigeria. Consequently, there is an evidence gap to inform the design and implementation of an effective policy for tobacco control. Methods We applied a microsimulation model to estimate the burden attributable to smoking in terms of morbidity, mortality, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and direct medical costs and indirect costs (e.g., productivity loss costs, informal caregivers´ costs). We also modeled the health and economic impact of different scenarios of tobacco price increases through taxes. Results We estimated that smoking is responsible for approximately 29,000 annual deaths in Nigeria. This burden corresponds to 816,230 DALYs per year. In 2019, the total economic burden attributable to tobacco was estimated at 634 billion annually (approximately U$D 2.07 billion). If tobacco cigarettes´ prices were to be raised by 50% through taxes, more than 30,000 deaths from smoking-attributable diseases would be averted in 10 years, with subsequent savings on direct and indirect costs of 597 billion and increased tax revenue collection of 369 billion. Conclusion In Nigeria, tobacco is responsible for substantial health and economic burden. Increasing tobacco taxes could reduce this burden and produce net economic benefits.Fil: Bardach, Ariel Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública; ArgentinaFil: Casarini, Agustin. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez Cairoli, Federico. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Adeniran, Adedeji. No especifíca;Fil: Castradori, Marco. No especifíca;Fil: Akanonu, Precious. No especifíca;Fil: Onyekwena, Chukwuka. No especifíca;Fil: Espinola, Natalia Micaela. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Pichón-riviere, Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Epidemiología y Salud Pública; ArgentinaFil: Palacios, Alfredo. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentin

Calcareous nannoplankton dating of the Late Quaternary deposits in Greece and the eastern Mediterranean: Case studies from terrestrial and marine sites

AbstractThe distribution and abundance of Emiliania huxleyi (E. huxleyi) assemblages in the marine sediments of the Aravonitsa Plateau, Greece, and from the eastern Mediterranean are used (1) to evaluate the calcareous nannoplankton NN21a and NN21b biozones and the NN21a/NN21b boundary, and (2) to analyze the palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic conditions prevailing in this interval. The sediment succession displays varied E. huxleyi assemblages and these are interpreted as reflecting climatic variability during marine isotope stages MIS 1–8

The biostratigraphy of the offshore Niger delta during the Late Quaternary: Complexities and progress of dating techniques

The Late Quaternary marine sediments from the Niger Delta lacks an age model using conventional radiocarbon dating due to the rarity of calcareous macrofossils. The proprietary nature of material drilled by companies prospecting for hydrocarbons in the Niger Delta basin, and in the rare cases when samples are available for study as well as freshwater dilution from continental runoff have contributed to this dearth of knowledge. The availability of three shallow marine (∼3 m) gravity cores obtained from the eastern, central, and western parts of the Niger Delta provides the opportunity for biostratigraphy utilising well-preserved marker species of planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils in the sediments. The last occurrence (LO) of planktonic foraminiferal species Globorotalia truncatulinoides (late Pleistocene) (MIS 2) and the first occurrence (FO) of Globorotalia tumida (Holocene) (MIS 1) are used to identify two interval zones in the gravity cores. The presence of the calcareous nannofossil Gephyrocapsa oceanica (all <3 μm in size) supports a late Pleistocene age (NN19 Zone) for the lower interval. In addition, an increase in the abundance of Emiliania huxleyi up-section is an indication of early Holocene age (NN20-NN21) for the upper interval