Morphological adaptations of 3.22 Ga-old tufted microbial mats to Archean coastal habitats (Moodies Group, Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa)

Microbial life was well established and widespread by the Paleoarchean; however, the degree of evolutionary advancement such as microbial motility, intra- and inter-species interactions, phototropism, or oxygenic photosynthesis by that time remains highly debated. The 3.22 Ga Moodies Group in the Barberton Greenstone Belt (BGB, South Africa) are Earth's oldest well-preserved siliciclastic tidal deposits. They exhibit a unique assemblage of microbial mats, providing an excellent opportunity to decipher the morphological adaptations of microbial communities to different paleoenvironmental settings. The fossil mats are preserved as kerogenous laminations (0.5–1 mm thick) that can be traced laterally for ∼15 km in a ∼1000 m-thick succession of fine- to coarse-grained tidal sandstones and conglomerates. We here present a detailed stratigraphic and depositional facies analysis, documenting the association of the three principal mat morphotypes with specific environmental settings: (1) planar-type in coastal floodplain, (2) wavy-type in intertidal, and (3) tufted-type in upper inter- to supratidal facies. All mat types indicate a flourishing phototrophic biota; moreover, the tufted morphology suggests an intricate level of coordinated growth commonly known from cyanobacterial mats in modern environments

The need for year-specific correction factors (k values) when converting counts of individual common guillemots Uria aalge to breeding pairs

Long-term studies at two Scottish colonies show that the k value used to convert counts of individual Common Guillemots Uria aalge to pairs has changed substantially in the last 15 years due to decreases in survival and colony attendance. Any future wide-scale census of this species needs to collect concurrent k values if counts of individual birds are to be used to determine changes in breeding populations since the previous survey

a new Pc-C boundary section

The widespread, terminal Ediacaran Dengying Formation (~ 551–~ 542 Ma) of South China hosts one of the most prominent negative carbonate carbon isotope excursions in Earth's history and thus bears on the correlation of the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary worldwide. The dominantly carbonate strata of the Dengying Formation are largely studied for their unique preservation of its terminal Ediacaran fauna but their geochemical context is poorly known. This study presents the first high-resolution stable isotope record (δ13C, δ18O) of calcareous siliciclastic shallow-water deposits of the Gaojiashan section (Shaanxi Province). The section includes (in ascending order) the Algal Dolomite Member, the Gaojiashan Member and the Beiwan Member of the Dengying Formation. Our data record a major δ13Ccarb negative excursion to −6 ‰ in the uppermost Gaojiashan Member which is comparable in shape and magnitude to the global Precambrian–Cambrian boundary negative δ13C excursion. Our data set is consistent with a "shallow-water anoxia" scenario which is thought to contribute to the "Cambrian explosion". The stratigraphic occurrence of Cloudina and a large negative δ13C excursion suggest that the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary is located near the top of the Gaojiashan Member and, consequently, that overlying carbonates and dolomites of the Beiwan Member are of earliest Cambrian age. Thus the Gaojiashan section may represent a new shallow-water section spanning the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary. Although bio- and chemostratigraphic data support this novel interpretation, we cannot exclude the possibility that the key excursions may represent a local perturbation indicating a restricted-basin environment

Evidence for cavity-dwelling microbial life in 3.22 Ga tidal deposits

Cavities are considered plausible and favorable habitats for life on early Earth. In such microenvironments, organisms may have found an adequate protection against the intense ultraviolet radiation that characterized the Archean ozone-free atmosphere. However, while there is clear evidence that benthic life existed in the Paleoarchean, the oldest traces of cavity-dwelling microbes (coelobionts) have been found in Neoarchean rocks. Here we present the results of a detailed investigation of early silicified cavities occurring in the oldest well-preserved siliciclastic tidal deposits, the 3.22 Ga Moodies Group of the Barberton Greenstone Belt (South Africa). Downward-growing microstromatolitic columns composed of kerogenous laminae are commonly present in planar, bedding-parallel, now silica-filled cavities that formed in sediments of the peritidal zone. In-situ δ13CPDB (PDB—Peedee belemnite) measurements of the kerogen range from –32.3‰ to –21.3‰ and are consistent with a biogenic origin. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the silicified cavities shows well-preserved chains of cell-sized molds that are interpreted as fossil filamentous microorganisms. The geological context, the morphology of the microstromatolites, the δ13C composition of the kerogen, and the presence of microfossils all suggest that a microbial community inhabited the cavities. These results extend the geological record of coelobionts by ∼500 m.y., supporting the view that cavities were among the first ecological niches to have been occupied by early microorganisms

Differential exposure and reactivity to interpersonal stress predict sex differences in adolescent depression

This study tested the hypothesis that higher rates of depression in adolescent girls are explained by their greater exposure and reactivity to stress in the interpersonal domain in a large sample of 15-year-olds. Findings indicate that adolescent girls experienced higher levels of total and interpersonal episodic stress, whereas boys experienced higher levels of chronic stress (academic and close friendship domains). Higher rates of depression in girls were explained by their greater exposure to total stress, particularly interpersonal episodic stress. Adolescent girls were also more reactive (more likely to become depressed) to both total and interpersonal episodic stress. The findings suggest that girls experience higher levels of episodic stress and are more reactive to these stressors, increasing their likelihood of becoming depressed compared to boys. Results were discussed in terms of girls' greater interpersonal focus and implications for understanding sex differences in depression

Beyond chance? The persistence of performance in online poker

A major issue in the widespread controversy about the legality of poker and the appropriate taxation of winnings is whether poker should be considered a game of skill or a game of chance. To inform this debate we present an analysis into the role of skill in the performance of online poker players, using a large database with hundreds of millions of player-hand observations from real money ring games at three different stakes levels. We find that players whose earlier profitability was in the top (bottom) deciles perform better (worse) and are substantially more likely to end up in the top (bottom) performance deciles of the following time period. Regression analyses of performance on historical performance and other skill-related proxies provide further evidence for persistence and predictability. Simulations point out that skill dominates chance when performance is measured over 1,500 or more hands of play

Real-Time Self-Regulation of Emotion Networks in Patients with Depression

Many patients show no or incomplete responses to current pharmacological or psychological therapies for depression. Here we explored the feasibility of a new brain self-regulation technique that integrates psychological and neurobiological approaches through neurofeedback with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In a proof-of-concept study, eight patients with depression learned to upregulate brain areas involved in the generation of positive emotions (such as the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and insula) during four neurofeedback sessions. Their clinical symptoms, as assessed with the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS), improved significantly. A control group that underwent a training procedure with the same cognitive strategies but without neurofeedback did not improve clinically. Randomised blinded clinical trials are now needed to exclude possible placebo effects and to determine whether fMRI-based neurofeedback might become a useful adjunct to current therapies for depression

Morphotectonics of the central Muertos thrust belt and Muertos Trough (northeastern Caribbean)

Multibeam bathymetry data acquired during the 2005 Spanish R/V Hespérides cruise and reprocessed multichannel seismic profiles provide the basis for the analysis of the morphology and deformation in the central Muertos Trough and Muertos thrust belt. The Muertos Trough is an elongated basin developed where the Venezuelan Basin crust is thrusted under the Muertos fold-and-thrust belt. Structural variations along the Muertos Trough are suggested to be a consequence of the overburden of the asymmetrical thrust belt and by the variable nature of the Venezuelan Basin crust along the margin. The insular slope can be divided into three east–west trending slope provinces with high lateral variability which correspond to different accretion stages: 1) The lower slope is composed of an active sequence of imbricate thrust slices and closed fold axes, which form short and narrow accretionary ridges and elongated slope basins; 2) The middle slope shows a less active imbricate structure resulting in lower superficial deformation and bigger slope basins; 3) The upper slope comprises the talus region and extended terraces burying an island arc basement and an inactive imbricate structure. The talus region is characterized by a dense drainage network that transports turbidite flows from the islands and their surrounding carbonate platform areas to the slope basins and sometimes to the trough. In the survey area the accommodation of the ongoing east–west differential motion between the Hispaniola and the Puerto Rico–Virgin Islands blocks takes place by means of diffuse deformation. The asymmetrical development of the thrust belt is not related to the geological conditions in the foreland, but rather may be caused by variations in the geometry and movement of the backstop. The map-view curves of the thrust belt and the symmetry of the recesses suggest a main north–south convergence along the Muertos margin. The western end of the Investigator Fault Zone comprises a broad band of active normal faults which result in high instability of the upper insular slope

A modern network approach to revisiting the positive and negative affective schedule (PANAS) construct validity

Introduction: The factor structure of the Positive and Negative Affective Schedule (PANAS) is still a topic of debate. There are several reasons why using Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) for scale validation is advantageous and can help understand and resolve conflicting results in the factor analytic literature. Objective: The main objective of the present study was to advance the knowledge regarding the factor structure underlying the PANAS scores by utilizing the different functionalities of the EGA method. EGA was used to (1) estimate the dimensionality of the PANAS scores, (2) establish the stability of the dimensionality estimate and of the item assignments into the dimensions, and (3) assess the impact of potential redundancies across item pairs on the dimensionality and structure of the PANAS scores. Method: This assessment was carried out across two studies that included two large samples of participants. Results and Conclusion: In sum, the results are consistent with a two-factor oblique structure.Fil: Flores Kanter, Pablo Ezequiel. Universidad Empresarial Siglo XXI; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Garrido, Luis Eduardo. Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra; República DominicanaFil: Moretti, Luciana Sofía. Universidad Empresarial Siglo XXI; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra; República Dominicana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Medrano, Leonardo. Universidad Empresarial Siglo XXI; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra; República Dominicana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin