Subsurface Structures along Western Yucatan from Integrated Geophysical Analysis

Integration of seismic, gravity, and magnetic data revealed variations in crustal architecture along the Yucatan passive continental margin. The crust beneath the Yucatan salt basin is ~10 km thick and is primarily a lower continental crust. In contrast, the crust beneath the Campeche salt basin is thicker and comprises both the upper and the lower crustal layers. These variations in crustal architecture explain the strikingly different tectonic histories of these basins outlined by previous authors. The rifting of the Yucatan margin was associated with extensive magmatism expressed as voluminous igneous intrusions in the lower crust, one of which is manifested as the Campeche magnetic anomaly. The zone of extrusive volcanic flows is also interpreted in the northern Yucatan coincident with the Seaward Dipping Reflectors (SDR) in seismic data. Integrated analysis of potential fields and seismic data demands high density and magnetic susceptibility for the rocks of the SDR zone. The presalt sedimentary basin with up to 5 km of sediments overlies the stretched and intruded continental crust adjacent to the Ocean-Continent boundary (OCB). This pre-salt basin is up to 100 km wide and pinches out at the northeastern tip of the Yucatan peninsula. It appears to be compartmentalized with the width of individual segments up to 100 km. All the tectonic elements, namely OCB, SDR, pre-salt sedimentary basin, and magmatic intrusions within the stretched continental crust, have their counterparts in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and therefore represent important constraints for the prebreakup locations of individual crustal blocks

Exploring Perceptions of Advantage and Attitudes Towards Redistribution in South Africa

Tackling inequalities and poverty in South Africa has proven extremely difficult and contentious. Indeed, redistribution policies are often widely criticized both by people who argue that these policies are not far‐reaching and comprehensive enough and by those who argue they are not justified, too large‐scale and/or ineffective, and should be scaled back. While public support amongst relatively advantaged South Africans is crucial for these redistribution policies to be enacted and maintained, interestingly, we know very little about how respective groups of “advantaged” South Africans from different ethnic groups view wealth transfers and other redistribution measures aimed at reducing the prevailing inequalities in South Africa. Drawing on a series of focus group discussions, we gain insights into perceptions of advantage and attitudes towards redistribution amongst groups of black and white “advantaged” South Africans respectively. We find that both black and white “advantaged” South Africans are reluctant to part with some of their wealth in the interests of greater economic equality, citing state corruption and extended network obligations as justification. In addition, there is a shared tendency to understate their economic advantage by identifying firmly as the middle class, thereby abrogating responsibility to the super‐wealthy whilst simultaneously expressing paternalistic views towards the poor

Analysis of a Biopsy-Based Genomic Classifier in High-Risk Prostate Cancer: Meta-Analysis of the NRG Oncology/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 9202, 9413, and 9902 Phase 3 Randomized Trials.

PURPOSE: Decipher is a genomic classifier (GC) prospectively validated postprostatectomy. We validated the performance of the GC in pretreatment biopsy samples within the context of 3 randomized phase 3 high-risk definitive radiation therapy trials. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A prespecified analysis plan (NRG-GU-TS006) was approved to obtain formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from biopsy specimens from the NRG biobank from patients enrolled in the NRG/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 9202, 9413, and 9902 phase 3 randomized trials. After central review, the highest-grade tumors were profiled on clinical-grade whole-transcriptome arrays and GC scores were obtained. The primary objective was to validate the independent prognostic ability for the GC for distant metastases (DM), and secondary for prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) and overall survival (OS) with Cox univariable and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: GC scores were obtained on 385 samples, of which 265 passed microarray quality control (69%) and had a median follow-up of 11 years (interquartile range, 9-13). In the pooled cohort, on univariable analysis, the GC was shown to be a prognostic factor for DM (per 0.1 unit; subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR], 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.41; P \u3c .001), PCSM (sHR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.16-1.41; P \u3c .001), and OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16; 95% CI, 1.08-1.22; P \u3c .001). On multivariable analyses, the GC (per 0.1 unit) was independently associated with DM (sHR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.09-1.36), PCSM (sHR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.09-1.39), and OS (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.05-1.20) after adjusting for age, Prostate Specific Antigen, Gleason score, cT stage, trial, and randomized treatment arm. GC had similar prognostic ability in patients receiving short-term or long-term androgen-deprivation therapy, but the absolute improvement in outcome varied by GC risk. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first validation of a gene expression biomarker on pretreatment prostate cancer biopsy samples from prospective randomized trials and demonstrates an independent association of GC score with DM, PCSM, and OS. High-risk prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease state, and GC can improve risk stratification to help personalize shared decision making