Earthquakes, elevations and continental plateaux: An investigation into the absence of large thrust earthquakes at high elevations within fold-and-thrust belts.

Large thrust earthquakes (M ≥ 5) are rare at high elevations in continental fold-and-thrust belts. For example, Nissen et al’s (2011) work infers a cut-off in M ≥ 5 earthquakes at ~ 1250 m in the Zagros. Data from the Zagros, Himalayas, Qilian Shan and Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belts are analysed to test three hypotheses for this cut-off phenomenon. (1) Fold-and-thrust belts deform via the critical Coulomb wedge model, which favours thrusting at lower elevations. (2) Fold-and-thrust belts are controlled by minimum work processes, which suppress thrusts at high elevations. (3) A thickened ductile zone within the sedimentary layer of fold-and-thrust belts inhibits earthquake propagation. Earthquake magnitude vs. elevation analysis revealed an abrupt cut-off in M ≥ 5 earthquakes at threshold elevations which were dependant on the locality. These elevations ranged from 1250 m in the Zagros to 4000 m in the Qilian Shan. Cut-offs were then compared to their corresponding slope geometries determined by swath profile analysis. Two significant changes in gradient were identified; one at the edge of the plateau and one correlating with the elevation of the earthquake cut-offs, where the slope gradient decreased but remained positive. Brittle-ductile transitions, first in the basal decollement and then in the lower wedge, are considered to account for such major variations in the slope geometry (Hypothesis 1). The abrupt cut-off in M ≤ 5 earthquakes at the second gradient change supports the theory that the fold-and-thrust belts have a limiting elevation, defined by Gravitational Potential Energy (Hypothesis 2). For this reason, a hybrid of Hypotheses 1 and 2 is proposed to explain the reduction in M ≥ 5 earthquakes with elevation, in which ductile deformation in the critical Coulomb wedge limits M ≥ 5 earthquakes, but convergence continues aseismically until the formation of a plateau with its height determined by minimum work processes. To explore the relevance of Hypothesis 3, dual lithology triaxial loading experiments were conducted as an analogue to study the influence of brittle-ductile behaviour on fault propagation. Brittle faults were found to propagate aseismically into a ductile medium offering an explanation for the high elevation regions of aseismic convergence

Multifocal Bone Pain, Recurrent Fevers and Anemia in a 15-Year-Old

Introduction: Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is an autoinflammatory bone disorder that primarily affects children with recurrent episodes of sterile osteomyelitis in one or more bones. Patients usually present with recurrent bone pain, though it is often a diagnosis of exclusion with most patients undergoing extensive work-up to arrive at a diagnosis. Clinical Findings: This 15-year-old female presented with months of progressive multifocal bone pain, 22-pound weight loss and recurrent fevers. Work-up as an outpatient included a positive screening assay and IgM Western blot Panel positive for Lyme disease, treated with a 28-day course doxycycline without resolution of the symptoms, elevated inflammatory markers and normocytic anemia. She was admitted for further workup when pain progression prevented ambulation. Diagnoses, Interventions and Outcomes: The patient was treated with ketorolac with notable improvement in pain. Labs were unrevealing for underlying infection, autoimmune or hematologic etiology. Spinal MRI demonstrated a compression deformity of her 4th cervical vertebra as well as multifocal bone marrow signal abnormalities. Percutaneous CT-guided core needle biopsy of the manubrium was performed and was consistent with CRMO. Bacterial culture from the bone biopsy grew Cutibacterium (formerly Propionibacterium) acnes. She was discharged on naproxen with some improvement in pain and subsequently received antibiotic treatment when bone culture resulted positive. Conclusions: This case illustrates an unusual presentation of CRMO and emphasizes that it should be on the differential for patients with ongoing bone pain, weight loss and anemia. Multi-disciplinary approach is necessary and early suspicion is important in determining appropriate diagnostic evaluation and targeted treatment

Making a Case for Engaging Adolescents in Program Decision-Making

The study discussed here examined the degree to which adolescents believe they are involved in community decision-making and examined discrepancies between adult and adolescent perceptions of common youth problems. Perceptual data were compared to adolescents\u27 self-reported behavioral data to determine if perceptions diverge from reports of actual behaviors. Results indicate that many adolescents do not believe that their thoughts are considered valuable by decision-makers. However, differences in perceptions among adults and youth suggest that adolescent perceptions should be considered. Specifically, adults were particularly aware of adolescent behaviors with observable consequences, but adolescents were more aware of internal psychological problems

Comparing Measures Of Functional Difficulty With Self-Identified Disability: Implications For Health Policy

The Affordable Care Act mandated data collection standards to identify people with disabilities in federal surveys to better understand and address health disparities within this population. Most federal surveys use six questions from the American Community Survey (ACS-6) to identify people with disabilities, whereas many international surveys use the six-item Washington Group Short Set (WG-SS). The National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD), which focuses on working-age adults ages 18–64, uses both question sets and contains other disability questions. We compared ACS-6 and WG-SS responses with self-reported disability types. The ACS-6 and WG-SS failed to identify 20 percent and 43 percent, respectively, of respondents who reported disabilities in response to other NSHD questions (a broader WG-SS version missed 4.4 percent of respondents). The ACS-6 and the WG-SS performed especially poorly in capturing respondents with psychiatric disabilities or chronic health conditions. Researchers and policy makers must augment or strengthen federal disability questions to improve the accuracy of disability prevalence counts, understanding of health disparities, and planning of appropriate services for a diverse and growing population

EVALUATING EXTENSIVE SHEEP FARMING SYSTEMS

Data from each of 5 commercial, extensive sheep farms in Cumbria, UK were used as parameters in a linear program (LP) representing labour and grazing management in such farming systems. The LP maximised ewe enterprise gross margin subject to constraints dictated by the labour availability and land types on each farm. Under the assumptions used, labour availability and price restricted ewe numbers well below those observed in practice on 2 farms i.e. land resources were adequate for the farming system practiced. On two other farms stocking levels and hence returns were limited by the availability of forage and hence feed input prices relative to output. On one farm, greater grassland productivity was the key determinant of system performance. It was concluded that a holistic systems approach was needed to properly evaluate these farming systems in terms of their potential contribution to animal welfare, land use, profit and hence their sustainabilityLivestock Production/Industries, Extensive, Sheep, Economics, LP,

Impacts of labour on interactions between economics and animal welfare in extensive sheep farms

This study quantified interactions between animal welfare and farm profitability in British extensive sheep farming systems. Qualitative welfare assessment methodology was used to assess welfare from the animal's perspective in 20 commercial extensive sheep farms and to estimate labour demand for welfare, based on the assessed welfare scores using data collected from farm inventories. The estimated labour demand was then used as a coefficient in a linear program based model to establish the gross margin maximising farm management strategy for given farm situations, subject to constraints that reflected current resource limitations including labour supply. Regression analysis showed a significant relationship between the qualitative welfare assessment scores and labour supply on the inventoried farms but there was no significant relationship between current gross margin and assessed welfare scores. However, to meet the labour demand of the best welfare score, a reduction in flock size and in the average maximum farm gross margin was often required. These findings supported the hypothesis that trade-offs between animal welfare and farm profitability are necessary in providing maximum animal welfare via on-farm labour and sustainable British extensive sheep farming systems.Sheep, Labour, Animal Welfare, Linear Programme, Livestock Production/Industries, C6, Q10, Q19, Q57,

Property rents in medieval English towns: Hull in the fourteenth century

This paper examines whether property rents varied within the medieval town of Hull. Scholars have been deterred from analysing medieval urban rents because of a belief that they were ‘fossilised’ from an early stage in town development, and therefore did not reflect economic forces that guided the later development of towns. Hull rents reported in the 1347 rental had been set only recently, however. Statistical analysis of these rents reveals the economic topography of the town and leads to a reconsideration of its economic development