SEED: a tool for disseminating systematic review data into Wikipedia

Wikipedia, the free-content online encyclopaedia, contains many heavily accessed pages relating to healthcare. Cochrane systematic reviews contain much high-grade evidence but dissemination into Wikipedia has been slow. New skills are needed to both translate and relocate data from Cochrane reviews to implant into Wikipedia pages. This letter introduces a programme to greatly simplify the process of disseminating the summary of findings of Cochrane reviews into Wikipedia pages

Mesoproterozoic Basement From the Central and Southern Appalachians Reveal High-temperature Magmatic Conditions and Non-laurentian origin of Earth\u27s Most Zircon Fertile Magmas

The Mesoproterozoic (1.4-0.9 Ga) Grenville Orogeny led to the formation of the supercontinent Rodinia. One unique characteristic of the Grenville Orogeny is that it produced a volumetrically significant amount of zirconium- (Zr) enriched granitoids, evidently more than any period both prior to and after the Grenville. To investigate this further, Mesoproterozoic basement rocks were sampled along the axis of the current Appalachian Mountains from western North Carolina north to southern New York, as well as from the northern Andes in southern Colombia. Zircon was extracted from these rocks to exploit its propensity to incorporate several isotopic tracers useful in determining age, petrogenesis, and thermal conditions during crystallization. These include Uranium-Lead (U-Pb), Hafnium (Hf), the rare earth elements (REE), stable isotopes of Oxygen (O), and Titanium (Ti). Using these isotope systems together, the main goal of the research presented here is to better our understanding of the tectonic history of southeastern Laurentia during the Mesoproterozoic (Chapter 1), to investigate the potential link between Laurentia and Amazonia during the formation of Rodinia (Chapter 2), and to elucidate the tectonic processes responsible for creating Zr-enriched magmas (Chapter 3)

Mesoproterozoic Basement From The Central And Southern Appalachians Reveal High-temperature Magmatic Conditions And Non-laurentian Origin Of Earth’s Most Zircon Fertile Magmas

The Mesoproterozoic (1.4-0.9 Ga) Grenville Orogeny led to the formation of the supercontinent Rodinia. One unique characteristic of the Grenville Orogeny is that it produced a volumetrically significant amount of zirconium- (Zr) enriched granitoids, evidently more than any period both prior to and after the Grenville. To investigate this further, Mesoproterozoic basement rocks were sampled along the axis of the current Appalachian Mountains from western North Carolina north to southern New York, as well as from the northern Andes in southern Colombia. Zircon was extracted from these rocks to exploit its propensity to incorporate several isotopic tracers useful in determining age, petrogenesis, and thermal conditions during crystallization. These include Uranium-Lead (U-Pb), Hafnium (Hf), the rare earth elements (REE), stable isotopes of Oxygen (O), and Titanium (Ti). Using these isotope systems together, the main goal of the research presented here is to better our understanding of the tectonic history of southeastern Laurentia during the Mesoproterozoic (Chapter 1), to investigate the potential link between Laurentia and Amazonia during the formation of Rodinia (Chapter 2), and to elucidate the tectonic processes responsible for creating Zr-enriched magmas (Chapter 3)

Problematic prospects for US-Turkish ties in the Biden era: human rights, sanctions likely among early tests

Minimal discussion of foreign policy during the US presidential campaign has left President-elect Joe Biden pinned to very few specific foreign policy positions and given him great flexibility in carrying out his program. He would probably prefer to avoid confrontation with Turkey; in fact, he will likely explore areas of potential US‑Turkish cooperation, especially against Russia. However, Biden's core positions on human rights and rule of law, his long-time focus on Aegean and Eastern Mediter­ranean issues, and his seeming inclination to continue to fight ISIS in cooperation with the Syrian-Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia - deemed "terrorists" by Ankara - probably augur deepening difficulties in US-Turkish ties. Down the line, a make-or-break decision on the future of US-Turkish ties will likely hinge on the Biden Administration’s assessment of Turkish-Russian relations. Europe may have an important say on Biden's Turkish policy; a senior Biden adviser has said the new president will coordinate his approach to Turkey with the European Union. (author's abstract

The impact of noise on green open space value

I investigate the effect of noise on the amenity value of urban green open spaces in Prague, Czech Republic. First, I use standard hedonic pricing model exploiting cross-sectional and quasi-experimental variation in the apartment price data and then I analyse green open spaces quality inferred from a quantitative spatial model. Results show that increasing size of quiet green open spaces (with noise below 60 dB) by 10% increases local apartment prices by 0.05% and perceived quality of green open spaces by 1.2%. In a counterfactual scenario, if noise in green open spaces decreases by 2 dB, a noise reduction achieved by implementing 30 km/h speed limit in a city, value of apartments would increase by 0.2% due to increased size of accessible quiet green open spaces

Hydrocarbon-related microbial processes in the deep sediments of the Eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin

During the 2011 exploration season of the EV Nautilus in the Mediterranean Sea, we conducted a multidisciplinary study, aimed at exploring the microbial populations below the sediment–water interface (SWI) in the hydrocarbon-rich environments of the Levantine basin. Two c. 1000-m-deep locations were sampled: sediments fueled by methane seepage at the toe of the Palmachim disturbance and a patch of euxinic sediment with high sulfide and methane content offshore Acre, enriched by hydrocarbon from an unknown source. We describe the composition of the microbial population in the top 5 cm of the sediment with 1 cm resolution, accompanied by measurements of methane and sulfate concentrations, and the isotopic composition of this methane and sulfate (δ13CCH4, δ18OSO4, and δ34SSO4). Our geochemical and microbiological results indicate the presence of the anaerobic methane oxidation (AOM) coupled to bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR). We show that complex methane and sulfur metabolizing microbial populations are present in both locations, although their community structure and metabolic preferences differ due to potential variation in the hydrocarbon source

Music-Play and Communication in Children with Autism and Their Families: An Ethnographic Study

This is an ethnographic research study regarding the nature of commun-, ication, musical behavior, emotional expression, and social relationships in children with autism. Four children completed the study by participating in at least three private music-play sessions attended by the child, his or her mother, and the researcher. All music-play sessions were person-centered and child-led. A local public elementary school hosted the music-play sessions in the music classroom after school hours. In addition, the school supplied all the musical instruments used in the study. The researcher utilized the SCERTS Model assessment tool to examine each child’s abilities in socio-musical communication and emotional regulation throughout the study. The research design is an ethnographic study of the children’s reactions to music-play and their use of the music-play sessions to express their emotions, communicate with the researcher and a parent, connect with others in an environment free of neurotypical communication requirements, and engage in social interaction in the form of socio-musical games. Each child led the researcher to conclusions about the functionality of music-play, the use of music in therapeutic programs, the nature of relationships between individuals with autism and their family members, and possible ways to promote open discourse between family members of children with autism and proponents of neurodiversity

The Geothermal System Near Paisley Oregon: A Tectonomagmatic Framework for Understanding the Geothermal Resource Potential of Southeastern Oregon

The tectonic and magmatic framework of southeast Oregon provides the conditions necessary for the existence of geothermal energy resources. However, few detailed studies of geothermal systems in this part of the Basin and Range have been conducted. Young bimodal magmatism and faulting associated with the High Lava Plains coupled with the encroachment of the Basin and Range tectonic province and potentially the Walker Lane have created the structural configuration, heat source, and secondary permeability necessary for geothermal systems in southeast Oregon. The relative contribution of these provinces to the overall tectonomagmatic framework is less well understood. In this study, the geothermal system near Paisley, Oregon has been characterized by a detailed regional heat flow study, geologic mapping, aqueous geochemical analysis, a gravity survey, and a X-ray diffraction analysis of secondary alteration minerals. Based on these analyses, the Paisley geothermal system shares many aspects similar to Basin and Range geothermal systems. Geologic mapping has revealed a sequence of rocks with ages spanning from the mid Eocene-Present as well as structures related to the Basin and Range Province. A structural transfer zone connects two en-echelon normal faults in Summer Lake Basin, which controls the upwelling of thermal waters. The fault controlling fluid flow in the Paisley geothermal system was imaged using a gravity survey. Thermal water in the Paisley geothermal system has been determined to be of meteoric source, and is interpreted to be of Pleistocene age based on stable isotopes having average values of -119.59‰ and -14.18‰ for δD and δ18O, respectively. Recharge to the thermal aquifer is driven dominantly by topographic flow, with residence times on the order of 1000s of years. Aqueous geochemistry was used to determine that the Paisley geothermal system is not magmatic in origin, with low values of magmatic SO4, As, B, and high values of HCO3 and Na. Geothermometers were used to calculate reservoir temperatures between 95 °C – 166 °C. These results were independently checked by X-ray diffraction studies of alteration mineral assemblages in reservoir rocks from two production wells drilled by Surprise Valley Electrification, which revealed similar temperatures for the stability field of mineral assemblages present in the wells. Because it has been determined that the Paisley geothermal fluids are not influenced by recent magmatism, the role of bimodal magmatism associated with the High Lava Plains on geothermal systems in southeastern Oregon appears to be minimal. However, in areas where magmatism is younger than 2 million years, this may not be true. Like the geothermal systems of the western Great Basin, the location of geothermal systems in southeast Oregon is highly dependent on the regional structural architecture. Also similar to some geothermal systems of the Basin and Range, the source of water is not modern meteoric water, but is “fossil” water, which implies that production must be managed carefully to create a sustainable resource

When and How Parliaments Influence Foreign Policy:The Case of Turkey’s Iraq Decision

Turkey's decision on its role in the Iraq war in 2003 illustrates the power-and limits-of parliaments as actors in foreign policy. Traditionally, assemblies are not seen as important players in the foreign policies of parliamentary democracies. Instead, cabinets are generally considered the chief policymaking authorities. If the government enjoys a parliamentary majority, legislatures typically support the cabinet, if they are brought into the process at all. The March 1, 2003 vote by the Turkish parliament to not allow the United States to use Turkey as a base for the Iraq invasion challenges this conventional wisdom on parliamentary influence (in addition to many interest-based explanations of foreign policy). This paper examines this decision in the context of the role of parliaments in foreign policies and explores the relationships between parliamentary influence, leadership, intraparty politics, and public opinion.</p