Magma Mixing in the 874 AD Hrafntinnuhraun Rhyolite Eruption

The exposed Icelandic crust contains ~10% rhyolite and ~90% basalt, and there is ample evidence in both recent and ancient rocks of interactions between rhyolitic and basaltic magmas. A spectacular and little-studied example is the c. 874 AD rhyolite eruption of Hrafntinnuhraun at the Torfajökull volcano, where after an initial explosive (Plinian) phase a large rhyolite lava field formed. In this lava field, one vent produced a hybrid lava which is a mechanically mixed blend of approximately 83% rhyolite and 17% basalt. Polarized light microscopy was conducted on a suite of Hrafntinnuhraun samples that include flow-banded rhyolites, vesicular basaltic enclaves, and hybrid lavas. The flow-banded rhyolites are nearly aphyric, containing plagioclase and augite phenocrysts, with minor hornblende and biotite. The enclaves contain abundant plagioclase, augite, and olivine. The hybrid lavas contain plagioclase, augite, and olivine, but also contain minor amounts of biotite and hornblende. To better evaluate the magma mixing process, one hybrid lava sample (83:17 rhyolite:basalt) was analyzed by EPMA. This sample contains mineral cargos belonging to both the rhyolite and basalt end-member magmas. Plagioclase compositions range from An22 to An87, with anorthite-rich grains displaying resorption textures. Of particular interest are olivine crystals derived from the basalt, which contain Fo-rich (~Fo80) interiors and narrow rims (~5- 10µm) with lower Fo content (~Fo70). Follow-up work on diffusion modelling will hopefully yield a timescale, thus providing valuable and new information on mixing processes in the conduit prior to the eruption and cooling of this hybrid lava

Parenteral antibiotics at home

Giving parenteral antibiotics to patients at home compared to in hospital presents unique challenges

Human Factors Applied to Perioperative Process Improvement

Human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) is its own scientific discipline that can be applied to understanding performance in perioperative medicine. Humans are not perfect decision makers and are affected by a variety of factors that can greatly harm their ability to perform, including attention, bias, stress, and fatigue. HF/E has a unique perspective on human error, and HF/E can illustrate how moving away from blame can enhance safety. HF/E offers strategies for undertaking a systematic approach to assessment of work processes in perioperative medicine that can be used to increase safety and wellbeing of patients and providers

Characterization of social behavior in a group of domestic donkeys (Equus asinus)

Although the popularity of domestic donkeys is increasing, the scientific literature on their behavior is still limited. This study investigated the social behavior of a group of 13 donkeys (10 females, 3 geldings, aged 3-13 years) stabled in an Animal Assisted Interventions facility in the North of Italy. Our first aim was to assess the distribution of donkeys’ intraspecific social behaviors during daytime and the second aim was to characterize affiliative and agonistic social interactions during peak activity times. Social behaviors were expressed more between 8 and 9 AM than the rest of daytime, mainly reflecting the expression of affiliative behavior. The latter consisted mostly of proximity (55.0% of all affiliative) and following (29.2%). In most cases affiliative behavior was expressed within preferential dyads, composed of either a mother and her offspring or two adult donkeys. This supports the idea that dyadic relationships are a predominant feature of the social organization of the species. However, dyadic interactions were not observed in the oldest sub-adults, suggesting that social preferences undergo a change around the time donkeys reach full growth. Agonistic behaviors were much less common than affiliative ones. The most expressed agonistic behavior was threat (51%), followed by displacement and bite (both 18.5%). They were less expressed by donkeys who were part of an affiliative pair, suggesting that limited expression of agonistic behavior is associated with an actual change in social preferences, not a mere consequence of fewer occasions of conflict over resources. While the study has limitations, the results provide insight into the social behavior of domestic donkeys which could represent a starting point for further research as well as relevant information for donkeys farming

Critical Event Review Team (CERT)

The culture of medicine is shifting from placing blame on providers to a systems-minded culture of trying to understand human error as a symptom of deeper rooted systemic issues. The goal is to reduce harm by redesigning the systems in which humans work

Utilizing Human Factors to Improve Perioperative Adverse Event Investigations: An Integrated Approach

Objective: Apply Human Factors (HF), systems engineering, and high reliability organizational principles to improve adverse event investigations in a regional hospital system. Background: Given the complexity of medicine and healthcare systems, innovative thinking is required to ensure these systems are resilient to error. Understanding the work system and its constituent parts is fundamental to understanding how errors begin and propagate. Method: This paper provides a discussion on employing a systems-based approach to improve perioperative adverse event investigations within a hospital system. Results: Data was collected across 13 investigations. The findings are summarized into 16 contributing factors, with 10 specific examples of critical/serious risks that were addressed by the hospital system. Conclusion: Modern medicine needs to look to HF to improve safety and reduce errors. This manuscript provides a systems-based approach grounded in HF and organizational theories to improve how investigations are conducted and the approach to human error within a large hospital system. Application: This work provides practical guidance for those who want to improve postoperative investigations within their own units or hospitals. Precis: This article describes research that evolves the approach to accident investigation to improve perioperative adverse event investigations in hospital settings

Australian state influenza notifications and school holiday closures in 2019 [version 2; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]

Background: The impact of school holidays on influenza rates has been sparsely documented in Australia. In 2019, the early winter influenza season coincided with mid-year school breaks, enabling us the unusual opportunity to examine how influenza incidence changed during school holiday closure dates. Methods: The weekly influenza data from five Australian state and one territory health departments for the period of week 19 (mid-May) to week 39 (early October) 2019 were compared to each state’s public-school holiday closure dates. We used segmented regression to model the weekly counts and a negative binomial distribution to account for overdispersion due to autocorrelation. The models’ goodness-of-fit was assessed by plots of observed versus expected counts, plots of residuals versus predicted values, and Pearson’s Chi-square test. The main exposure was the July two-week school holiday period, using a lag of one week. The effect is estimated as a percent change in incidence level, and in slope. Results: School holidays were associated with significant declines in influenza incidence in three states and one territory by between 41% and 65%. Two states did not show evidence of declines although one of those states had already passed its peak by the time of the school holidays. The models showed acceptable goodness-of-fit. The first decline during school holidays is seen in the school aged (5-19 years) population, with the declines in the adult and infant populations being smaller and following a week later. Conclusions: Given the significant and rapid reductions in incidence, these results have important public health implications. Closure or extension of holiday periods could be an emergency option for state governments

Nematode Symbiont for Photorhabdus asymbiotica

Photorhabdus asymbiotica is an emerging bacterial pathogen that causes locally invasive soft tissue and disseminated bacteremic infections in the United States and Australia. Although the source of infection was previously unknown, we report that the bacterium is found in a symbiotic association with an insect-pathogenic soil nematode of the genus Heterorhabditis