Streamlined islands and the English Channel megaflood hypothesis

Recognising ice-age catastrophic megafloods is important because they had significant impact on large-scale drainage evolution and patterns of water and sediment movement to the oceans, and likely induced very rapid, short-term effects on climate. It has been previously proposed that a drainage system on the floor of the English Channel was initiated by catastrophic flooding in the Pleistocene but this suggestion has remained controversial. Here we examine this hypothesis through an analysis of key landform features. We use a new compilation of multi- and single-beam bathymetry together with sub-bottom profiler data to establish the internal structure, planform geometry and hence origin of a set of 36 mid-channel islands. Whilst there is evidence of modern-day surficial sediment processes, the majority of the islands can be clearly demonstrated to be formed of bedrock, and are hence erosional remnants rather than depositional features. The islands display classic lemniscate or tear-drop outlines, with elongated tips pointing downstream, typical of streamlined islands formed during high-magnitude water flow. The length-to-width ratio for the entire island population is 3.4 ± 1.3 and the degree-of-elongation or k-value is 3.7 ± 1.4. These values are comparable to streamlined islands in other proven Pleistocene catastrophic flood terrains and are distinctly different to values found in modern-day rivers. The island geometries show a correlation with bedrock type: with those carved from Upper Cretaceous chalk having larger length-to-width ratios (3.2 ± 1.3) than those carved into more mixed Paleogene terrigenous sandstones, siltstones and mudstones (3.0 ± 1.5). We attribute these differences to the former rock unit having a lower skin friction which allowed longer island growth to achieve minimum drag. The Paleogene islands, although less numerous than the Chalk islands, also assume more perfect lemniscate shapes. These lithologies therefore reached island equilibrium shape more quickly but were also susceptible to total erosion. Our observations support the hypothesis that the islands were initially carved by high-water volume flows via a unique catastrophic drainage of a pro-glacial lake in the southern North Sea at the Dover Strait rather than by fluvial erosion throughout the Pleistocene

Clinical Profile And Molecular Characterization Of Galactosemia In Brazil: Identification Of Seven Novel Mutations

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Classical Galactosemia (CG) is an inborn error of galactose metabolism caused by the deficiency of the galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase enzyme. It is transmitted as an autosomal recessive disease and is typically characterized by neonatal galactose intolerance, with complications ranging from neonatal jaundice and liver failure to late complications, such as motor and reproductive dysfunctions. Galactosemia is also heterogeneous from a molecular standpoint, with hundreds of different mutations described in the GALT gene, some of them specific to certain populations, reflecting consequence of founder effect. Methods: This study reviews the main clinical findings and depicts the spectrum of mutations identified in 19 patients with CG, six with Duarte Galactosemia and one with type 2 Galactosemia in Brazil. Some individuals were diagnosed through expanded newborn screening test, which is not available routinely to all newborns. Results: The main classical Galactosemia mutations reported to date were identified in this study, as well as the Duarte variant and seven novel mutations -c.2 T > C (p.M1T), c.97C > A (p.R33S), c.217C > T (p.P73S), c.328 + 1G > A (IVS3 + 1G > A), c.377 + 4A > C (IVS4 + 4A > C), c.287_289delACA (p.N97del) and c.506A > C (p.Q169P). This was expected, given the high miscegenation of the Brazilian population. Conclusions: This study expands the mutation spectrum in GALT gene and reinforces the importance of early diagnosis and introduction of dietary treatment, what is possible with the introduction of Galactosemia in neonatal screening programs.17National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [146750/2010-1]Center for Integrative System Biology - CISBi-NAP/USP [12.1.25441.01.2]Center for Medical Genomics at the General Hospital of the Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, BrazilConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Social risk, stigma and space: key concepts for understanding HIV vulnerability among black men who have sex with men in New York City

Black men who have sex with men in the USA face disproportionate incidence rates of HIV. This paper presents findings from an ethnographic study conducted in New York City that explored the structural and socio-cultural factors shaping men’s sexual relationships with the goal of furthering understandings of their HIV-related vulnerability. Methods included participant observation and in-depth interviews with 31 Black men who have sex with men (three times each) and 17 key informants. We found that HIV vulnerability is perceived as produced through structural inequalities including economic insecurity, housing instability, and stigma and discrimination. The theoretical concepts of social risk, intersectional stigma, and the social production of space are offered as lenses through which to analyse how structural inequalities shape HIV vulnerability. We found that social risk shaped HIV vulnerability by influencing men’s decisions in four domains: 1) where to find sexual partners, 2) where to engage in sexual relationships, 3) what kinds of relationships to seek, and 4) whether to carry and to use condoms. Advancing conceptualisations of social risk, we show that intersectional stigma and the social production of space are key processes through which social risk generates HIV vulnerability among Black men who have sex with men

Gendered Social Institutions and Preventive Healthcare Seeking for Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: The Promise of Biomedical HIV Prevention

Research on gender and health, including research conducted among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM), has primarily focused on how gender norms and roles shape healthcare engagement. Here we advance that work by demonstrating how a broader theorization of gender, particularly one that moves beyond gender norms and performance to incorporate structures such as the healthcare system and the labor market, can facilitate an understanding of how gender affects preventive healthcare seeking among BMSM, particularly the uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a promising approach to alleviate HIV disparities. This article is based on a year-long ethnographic study conducted in New York City with BMSM (n = 31; three interviews each) and community stakeholders (n = 17). Two primary findings emerged: (1) the labor market systematically excluded the men in our sample, which limited their ability to access employer-sponsored healthcare. Such discrimination may promote overt demonstrations of masculinity that increase their HIV vulnerability and decrease healthcare seeking, and (2) healthcare systems are not structured to promote preventive healthcare for men, particularly BMSM. In fact, they constrained men’s access to primary providers and were usually tailored to women. Applying a structural, gendered lens to men’s health—in addition to the more frequently researched individual or interpersonal levels—provides insight into factors that affect healthcare seeking and HIV prevention for BMSM. These findings have implications for the design of policies and institutional reforms that could enhance the impact of PrEP among BMSM. Findings are also relevant to the management of chronic disease among men more broadly

Psychosocial Implications of Homophobia and HIV Stigma in Social Support Networks: Insights for High-Impact HIV Prevention Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men

Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) bear an increasingly disproportionate burden of HIV in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends high-impact combination prevention for populations at high risk for HIV infection, such as BMSM. However, few scholars have considered the types of behavioral interventions that combined with biomedical prevention could prove effective for mitigating the epidemic among BMSM. Between June 2013 and May 2014, we conducted three in-depth interviews each with 31 BMSM, interviews with 17 community stakeholders, and participant observation in New York City to understand the sociocultural and structural factors that may affect the acceptance of and adherence to oral preexposure prophylaxis among BMSM and to inform an adherence clinical trial. BMSM and community leaders frequently described condomless sex as a consequence of psychosocial factors and economic circumstances stemming from internalized homophobia resulting from rejection by families and religious groups. BMSM revealed that internalized homophobia and HIV stigma resulted in perceived lack of self- and community efficacy in accepting and adhering to preexposure prophylaxis. Our results indicate that addressing internalized homophobia and fostering emotional social support in peer networks are key elements to improve the effectiveness of combination prevention among BMSM

Nonlinear damping in mechanical resonators based on graphene and carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes and graphene allow fabricating outstanding nanomechanical resonators. They hold promise for various scientific and technological applications, including sensing of mass, force, and charge, as well as the study of quantum phenomena at the mesoscopic scale. Here, we have discovered that the dynamics of nanotube and graphene resonators is in fact highly exotic. We propose an unprecedented scenario where mechanical dissipation is entirely determined by nonlinear damping. As a striking consequence, the quality factor Q strongly depends on the amplitude of the motion. This scenario is radically different from that of other resonators, whose dissipation is dominated by a linear damping term. We believe that the difference stems from the reduced dimensionality of carbon nanotubes and graphene. Besides, we exploit the nonlinear nature of the damping to improve the figure of merit of nanotube/graphene resonators.Comment: main text with 4 figures, supplementary informatio

Paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder and depressive symptoms: clinical correlates and CBT treatment outcomes.

Depression frequently co-occurs with paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), yet the clinical correlates and impact of depression on CBT outcomes remain unclear. The prevalence and clinical correlates of depression were examined in a paediatric specialist OCD-clinic sample (N = 295; Mean = 15 [7 - 18] years, 42 % female), using both dimensional (Beck Depression Inventory-youth; n = 261) and diagnostic (Development and Wellbeing Assessment; n = 127) measures of depression. The impact of depressive symptoms and suspected disorders on post-treatment OCD severity was examined in a sub-sample who received CBT, with or without SSRI medication (N = 100). Fifty-one per-cent of patients reported moderately or extremely elevated depressive symptoms and 26 % (95 % CI: 18 - 34) met criteria for a suspected depressive disorder. Depressive symptoms and depressive disorders were associated with worse OCD symptom severity and global functioning prior to CBT. Individuals with depression were more likely to be female, have had a psychiatric inpatient admission and less likely to be attending school (ps < 0.01). OCD and depressive symptom severity significantly decreased after CBT. Depressive symptoms and depressive disorders predicted worse post-treatment OCD severity (βs = 0.19 and 0.26, ps < 0.05) but became non-significant when controlling for pre-treatment OCD severity (βs = 0.05 and 0.13, ns). Depression is common in paediatric OCD and is associated with more severe OCD and poorer functioning. However, depression severity decreases over the course of CBT for OCD and is not independently associated with worse outcomes, supporting the recommendation for treatment as usual in the presence of depressive symptoms

Associations of Smoking Status and Serious Psychological Distress with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been a major public health problem due to its high prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. Smoking is a major risk factor for COPD, while serious psychological distress (SPD) is prevalent among COPD patients. However, no study focusing on the effect of SPD on COPD has been so far conducted, while few studies have focused on the associations of SPD and behavioral factors with COPD by smoking status. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the associations of SPD and behavioral factors (such as smoking and physical activity) with COPD. Materials and Methods: Weighted logistic regression models were used for the analysis of 1,248 cases and 39,995 controls from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). Results: The prevalence of SPD was 10% in cases and 4% in controls, respectively. The percentages of past and current smoking were higher in cases than controls (50% vs. 24% and 27% vs. 15%, respectively). After adjusting for other factors, smoking (OR = 4.56, 95% CI = 3.41-6.11 and OR = 3.24, 95% CI = 2.57-4.08 for current and past smoking, respectively), physical activity (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.55-0.87), obesity (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03-1.52), older age (OR = 2.86, 95% CI = 2.15-3.82, and OR = 5.97, 95% CI = 4.42-8.08 for middle-aged and elder groups, respectively), SPD (OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.47-3.04), employment (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.51-0.76), race (OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.23-0.54, OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.36-0.97, and OR = 0.47, 95% CI=0.29-0.75 for Latino, Asian, and African American, respectively) and lower federal poverty level (OR=1.89, 95% CI = 1.35-2.63, OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.27-2.14, and OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.12-1.72 for 0-99% FPL, 100-199% FPL and 200-299% FPL, respectively) were all associated with COPD (P \u3c 0.05). Age group, SPD, race, and employment showed significant interactions with smoking status. Stratified by smoking status, aging was the only risk factor for COPD in the never smoking group; whereas, lack of physical activity, older age, SPD, race, unemployment, and lower federal poverty level were associated with COPD in the smoking groups. Conclusions: Smoking and aging were major risk factors for COPD, while lack of physical activity and SPD were strongly associated with COPD in the smoking groups

Evaluation of metal-ion stress in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) leaves through proteomic changes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)In this work, sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) were cultivated using soil and vermicompost as substrate, and plant irrigation was carried out using either a Zn solution or a mixed ions solution (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn). After plant harvesting, the effects of metal-ion contamination on proteins expression (either up- or down-regulation) in sunflower leaves were evaluated using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), gel images and mass spectrometry (MALDI-QTOF MS). When Zn or mixed ions solution was added to the substrate, nine proteins showed different expressions. Another twenty-three protein spots also showed considerable variation when both treatments (Zn or mixed ions) were applied. Twelve of these proteins were successfully characterized, six of them being reported for the first time in Helianthus annuus L. Two other proteins showed new sequences that have been downloaded to the protein databank.11107113Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP)Proteomic Network of the Sao PauloFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES