Geochemistry of bottom sediments -- Matagorda Bay system, Texas

UT Librarie

The Gulf shoreline of Texas : processes, characteristics, and factors in use

UT Librarie

Depositional Setting of the Triassic Dockum Group, Texas Panhandle Eastern New Mexico

The upper Triassic Dockum Group accumulated in relict Paleozoic basins defined in Texas by the Amarillo Uplift on the north and the Glass Mountains on the south. These basins were reactivated during the late Paleozoic or early Mesozoic by tectonic activity that was probably related to the opening of the Gulf of Mexico. As basins subsided and some relict positive elements were uplifted, sedimentation rates increased. More than 2,000 ft (610 m) of terrigenous elastics, derived chiefly from Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, accumulated within the basin. Source areas were in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico; sediment transport was from the south, east, north, and west. The Dockum Group accumulated in a variety of depositional environments including: (1) braided and meandering streams; (2) alluvial fans and fan deltas; (3) distributary-type lacustrine deltas (high-constructive elongate deltas); (4) ephemeral and relatively long-lived lakes; and (5) mud flats. Alternation of wet and dry climate caused cyclic sedimentation in the Dockum. The main control on climate was most likely tectonism. During wet periods, lake level was relatively stable. Meandering streams supplied sediment to high-constructive elongate deltas in the central basin area of Texas and New Mexico, whereas braided streams and fan deltas were dominant depositional elements along southern and northern basin margins. Lake area and depth decreased when dry conditions prevailed. Under these conditions, base level was lowered, valleys were cut into older Dockum deposits, and small fan deltas were built into ephemeral lakes; evaporites, calcretes, silcretes, and soils developed upon emergent surfaces ranging from floors of ephemeral lakes to delta platforms.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Uranium Resource Evaluation Amarillo Quadrangle Texas

Uranium resources of the Amarillo Quadrangle, Texas, were evaluated, using criteria established for the National Uranium Evaluation (NURE) program, to a depth of 1500 m (5,000 ft) using available surface and subsurface information. No surface uranium occurrences were reported in the literature. Areas of anomalous radioactivity, interpreted from an aerial radiometric survey, and geochemical anomalies, interpreted from hydrogeochemical and stream-sediment reconnaissance, were investigated. No uranium occurrences were located during a detailed rock sampling program. Areas of uranium favorability in the subsurface were evaluated using driller's log descriptions and gamma-ray well logs. On the basis of subsurface data, five areas of uranium favorability were delineated within the quadrangle. Two areas in the Triassic Dockum Group are in sand-rich facies. Two areas are in thick arkosic alluvial fan and fluvial facies of Early Permian and Pennsylvanian age. Early Permian arkosic strata cover the greatest area. One favorable area along and northeast of the Amarillo Uplift is characterized by abundant gamma-ray log anomalies that are concentrated in Wolfcampian (Early Permian) and older strata. Geologic units considered unfavorable are all Pleistocene strata, all the Tertiary Ogallala Formation, most of the Triassic Dockum Group, all post-Wolfcampian Permian strata, and parts of Lower Permian (Wolfcampian) and Pennsylvanian rock units. Recommendations for improving the reliability of this evaluation include drilling test holes for detailed subsurface information.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Positive selection and inactivation in the vision and hearing genes of cetaceans.

The transition to an aquatic lifestyle in cetaceans (whales and dolphins) resulted in a radical transformation in their sensory systems. Toothed whales acquired specialized high-frequency hearing tied to the evolution of echolocation, while baleen whales evolved low-frequency hearing. More generally, all cetaceans show adaptations for hearing and seeing underwater. To determine the extent to which these phenotypic changes have been driven by molecular adaptation, we performed large-scale targeted sequence capture of 179 sensory genes across the Cetacea, incorporating up to 54 cetacean species from all major clades as well as their closest relatives, the hippopotamuses. We screened for positive selection in 167 loci related to vision and hearing, and found that the diversification of cetaceans has been accompanied by pervasive molecular adaptations in both sets of genes, including several loci implicated in non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL). Despite these findings, however, we found no direct evidence of positive selection at the base of odontocetes coinciding with the origin of echolocation, as found in studies examining fewer taxa. By using contingency tables incorporating taxon- and gene-based controls, we show that, while numbers of positively selected hearing and NSHL genes are disproportionately high in cetaceans, counts of vision genes do not differ significantly from expected values. Alongside these adaptive changes, we find increased evidence of pseudogenization of genes involved in cone-mediated vision in mysticetes and deep diving odontocetes

Environmental geologic atlas of the Texas coastal zone : Port Lavaca area

UT Librarie

Geologic approaches to the determination of long-term coastal recession rates, matagorda peninsula, Texas

The degree to which human modifications in the coastal zone have increased or decreased coastal erosion rates is difficult to determine owing to the short time period for which shoreline-position data are available. This limitation is circumvented in areas where long-term recession rates can be determined from geologic data. Three such areas from Matagorda Bay have been examined to determine the temporal variation in recession rates over the past several thousand years. Preliminary results indicate that recession rates over the past century may be 30% to 40% greater than those of prehistoric time. Although additional data are needed, it is suggested that accelerated rates result from human modification of the coastal zone, and that in the future increased recession rates can be anticipated.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46765/1/254_2006_Article_BF02380504.pd

A Brief Review of Addictive Tendencies Related to Technology Use: Conceptualization, Treatment, and Future Directions

Addictive tendencies relating to technology use entail the overuse and misuse of physical and digital devices to the point of maladjustment. Such tendencies, which can arise from video game use, mobile phone use, Internet use, and media streaming/television use, have major implications regarding people’s physiological and psychological states. Although prior research helped with the conceptual and empirical understanding of technology use, these had major limitations. Such limitations included inconsistent terminology (e.g., technology use disorder versus technological addictions), a lack of standardized criteria to diagnose or recognize addictive tendencies of technology use, differences in methodology (e.g., longitudinal studies, experimental studies, case studies, correlational studies), and construct proliferation (e.g., smartphone addiction, young adult attachment to phone). In addition, little research has been conducted regarding the effectiveness of treatments (e.g., psychopharmacological treatments) for tendencies of technology use. Studies regarding treatment efficacy have primarily been limited to case studies with small sample sizes. Ultimately, it is recommended that researchers form a unified front to address these addictive tendencies through consistent theoretical models, research, and criteria

Influence of COVID-19 on the preventive health behaviours of indigenous peoples of Australia residing in New South Wales: a mixed-method study protocol.

Introduction Chronic conditions impact Indigenous Peoples of Australia at a much higher rate than non-Indigenous Australians. Attendance at the Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) supported Indigenous health checks are crucial to improve prevention and management of chronic health conditions. However, in conjunction with lifestyle and environmental factors, attendance rates at primary healthcare services for screening and treatment have fallen in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on preventive health behaviours of Indigenous Australians and the associated barriers to, and enablers of, engagement with health services to formulate a targeted intervention strategy. Methods and analysis A concurrent mixed-methods study (comprising quantitative and qualitative data collection methods) will be employed. Descriptive analysis of MBS data about the characteristics of Indigenous Peoples of Australia claiming health assessment services will be performed. Generalised estimating equation regression models will be used to examine the use of health assessment services over time. Qualitative interviews informed by Indigenous research methods will be conducted. Interviews will investigate barriers to, and enablers of, engagement with health services. Thematic approach guided by the principles of indigenist praxis, storytelling and collaborative research will be used to analyse the interview data. The project commenced in July 2020 and will be completed by July 2022. Ethics and dissemination The project received ethics approval from the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales and the University of New England Human Research Ethics Committee. Findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journal articles, conferences, government and relevant stakeholder reports, and infographics