Southwest Indian Ridge lower crust and Moho: the nature of the lower crust and Moho at slower spreading ridges (SloMo-Leg 1)

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 360 will form the first leg of a multiphase drilling project that aims to drill through the crust/mantle boundary at the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge and investigate the nature of the Mohorovičić seismic discontinuity (Moho). Expedition 360 is expected to drill ~1300 m into lower crustal gabbro and is unlikely to penetrate the crust–mantle transition or recover a significant amount of peridotite. Drilling will be sited at Atlantis Bank, on an elevated wave-cut platform on the east flank of the Atlantis II Transform. Previous drilling and mapping shows that Atlantis Bank is a large oceanic core complex, exposing a tectonic window of deep crustal and lithospheric mantle exhumed on the footwall of an oceanic detachment fault. The shallowest part of Atlantis Bank, at 700 m water depth, consists of a ~25 km2 wave-cut platform rimmed by a thin bioclastic limestone cap. The platform is part of a continuous gabbro massif ~40 km long by 30 km wide, overlying granular mantle peridotite that forms the lower slopes of the eastern wall of the Atlantis II Transform. Mapping shows that basement on the wave-cut platform consists largely of shallow-dipping amphibolitized gabbro mylonite generated by detachment faulting. This fault rooted near-continuously into partially crystalline gabbro for >4 million years. The mylonite exposed on the platform, and by cross-faulting and landslips on the sides of Atlantis Bank, both cut and are cut by steeply north dipping greenschist-facies diabase dikes. Thus, the gabbro crystallized at depth was uplifted into the zone of diking at the ridge axis, creating, in effect, the equivalent to the base of a dike–gabbro transition seen in many ophiolites. Previous Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) operations at Atlantis Bank drilled the 1508 m deep Hole 735B and 150 m deep Hole 1105A, both recovering long sections of gabbro. During Expedition 360, we propose to drill to a nominal depth of 1.3 km at a site on the northern edge of the Atlantis Bank platform, ~1 km north-northeast of Hole 1105A and ~2 km northeast of Hole 735B. A future drilling expedition, SloMo-Leg 2, aims to deepen the hole to ~3 km, with the overall goal of penetrating the crust–mantle transition, which is believed to be ~2.5 km above the seismically determined Moho. Specific objectives of Expedition 360 include establishing the lateral continuity of the igneous, metamorphic, and structural stratigraphies previously drilled to the southwest, testing the nature of a magnetic polarity transition, and investigating the biogeochemistry of the lower crust.Funding for the program is provided by the following international partners and implementing organizations: National Science Foundation (NSF), United States Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD) Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), People’s Republic of China Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) Australian Research Council (ARC) and GNS Science (New Zealand), Australian/New Zealand Consortium (ANZIC) Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), India Coordination for Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, Brazi

Caractéristiques des médecins prescrivant des psychotropes davantage aux femmes qu’aux hommes

Les différences observées dans l'état de santé et l'utilisation des services médicaux, selon le sexe, se sont avérées insuffisantes pour expliquer une plus grande consommation de psychotropes chez les femmes que chez les hommes dans les pays industrialisés. Nous avons testé l'hypothèse selon laquelle les habitudes de prescription des médecins expliquent une partie importante de cette observation. Nous démontrons, à l'aide des données de la Régie de l'assurance-maladie du Québec pour les personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus, que le profil socio-démographique et le style de gestion des médecins prescripteurs sont associés de façon significative au pourcentage d'hommes et de femmes ayant obtenu une ordonnance de psychotrope dans leurs pratiques.In industrialized countries, gender differences observed in health condition and the use of medical services appear insufficient to explain a greater consumption of psychotropic drugs in women than men. The authors have tested the hypothesis that physician prescribing patterns largely explains this observation. They demonstrate, using data from the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec for people aged 65 and over, that physicians' sociodemographic and practice characteristics are significantly associated with the percentage of men and women who receive a psychotropic drug prescription in their practice

The mechanism of the Einstellung (set) effect: A pervasive source of cognitive bias

Copyright @ The Authors 2010The eye movements of expert players trying to solve a chess problem show that the first idea that comes to mind directs attention towards sources of information consistent with itself and away from inconsistent information. This bias continues unconsciously even when the player believes he is looking for alternatives. The result is that alternatives to the first idea are ignored. This mechanism for biasing attention ensures a speedy response in familiar situations but it can lead to errors when the first thought that comes to mind is not appropriate. We propose that this mechanism is the source of many cognitive biases from phenomena in problem solving and reasoning, to perceptual errors and failures in memory

Uptake of hepatitis C specialist services and treatment following diagnosis by dried blood spot in Scotland

Background: Dried blood spot (DBS) testing for hepatitis C (HCV) was introduced to Scotland in 2009. This minimally invasive specimen provides an alternative to venipuncture and can overcome barriers to testing in people who inject drugs (PWID). Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine rates and predictors of: exposure to HCV, attendance at specialist clinics and anti-viral treatment initiation among the DBS tested population in Scotland. Study design: DBS testing records were deterministically linked to the Scottish HCV Clinical database prior to logistic regression analysis. Results: In the first two years of usage in Scotland, 1322 individuals were tested by DBS of which 476 were found to have an active HCV infection. Linkage analysis showed that 32% had attended a specialist clinic within 12 months of their specimen collection date and 18% had begun anti-viral therapy within 18 months of their specimen collection date. A significantly reduced likelihood of attendance at a specialist clinic was evident amongst younger individuals (<35 years), those of unknown ethnic origin and those not reporting injecting drug use as a risk factor. Conclusion: We conclude that DBS testing in non-clinical settings has the potential to increase diagnosis and, with sufficient support, treatment of HCV infection among PWID

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus among people of South Asian origin in Glasgow: results from a community based survey and laboratory surveillance

Background South Asians often present late with HCV or HBV related liver disease which could have been avoided with early diagnosis and subsequent treatment; however the prevalence of HCV/HBV among South Asians in Glasgow is not known. Accordingly, to inform the need for case finding among this group we aimed to examine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) among South Asians living in Glasgow. Methods A community-based survey recruited individuals at six mosques and four community centres serving the South Asian community during 2009-2010; participants had predominantly never been HCV tested. Laboratory surveillance data involving all individuals tested for HCV during 1993-2009 were examined and South Asians were identified using Nam Pehchan software. Results In the community-based survey, 2.6% of 1288 participants tested HCV-antibody positive; the prevalence ranged from 0.6% among those born in the UK to 3.1% among those born in Pakistan. The odds of testing HCV-antibody positive were significantly raised among those who had surgery in South Asia (aOR: 5.0, 95% CI: 2.0-12.3) and had either medical/dental treatment or an injection in South Asia (aOR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.0-5.0). Of 6404 South Asians identified from laboratory surveillance data, 9.3% tested HCV positive. An estimated 38% (330/870) of HCV-infected South Asians living in Glasgow remain undiagnosed. Conclusions South Asians living in Glasgow, particularly those born outside the UK are at greater risk of HCV infection than the general population. Efforts to increase awareness and testing in this population are warranted.</p

Genetic loci on chromosome 5 are associated with circulating levels of interleukin-5 and eosinophil count in a European population with high risk for cardiovascular disease

IL-5 is a Th2 cytokine which activates eosinophils and is suggested to have an atheroprotective role. Genetic variants in the IL5 locus have been associated with increased risk of CAD and ischemic stroke. In this study we aimed to identify genetic variants associated with IL-5 concentrations and apply a Mendelian randomisation approach to assess IL-5 levels for causal effect on intima-media thickness in a European population at high risk of coronary artery disease. We analysed SNPs within robustly associated candidate loci for immune, inflammatory, metabolic and cardiovascular traits. We identified 2 genetic loci for IL-5 levels (chromosome 5, rs56183820, BETA = 0.11, P = 6.73E−5 and chromosome 14, rs4902762, BETA = 0.12, P = 5.76E−6) and one for eosinophil count (rs72797327, BETA = −0.10, P = 1.41E−6). Both chromosome 5 loci were in the vicinity of the IL5 gene, however the association with IL-5 levels failed to replicate in a meta-analysis of 2 independent cohorts (rs56183820, BETA = 0.04, P = 0.2763, I2 = 24, I2 − P = 0.2516). No significant associations were observed between SNPs associated with IL-5 levels or eosinophil count and IMT measures. Expression quantitative trait analyses indicate effects of the IL-5 and eosinophil-associated SNPs on RAD50 mRNA expression levels (rs12652920 (r2 = 0.93 with rs56183820) BETA = −0.10, P = 8.64E−6 and rs11739623 (r2 = 0.96 with rs72797327) BETA = −0.23, P = 1.74E−29, respectively). Our data do not support a role for IL-5 levels and eosinophil count in intima-media thickness, however SNPs associated with IL-5 and eosinophils might influence stability of the atherosclerotic plaque via modulation of RAD50 levels

Hepatitis C reinfection following treatment induced viral clearance among people who have injected drugs

Background: Although people who inject drugs (PWID) are an important group to receive Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) antiviral therapy, initiation onto treatment remains low. Concerns over reinfection may make clinicians reluctant to treat this group. We examined the risk of HCV reinfection among a cohort of PWID (encompassing all those reporting a history of injecting drug use) from Scotland who achieved a sustained virological response (SVR). Methods: Clinical and laboratory data were used to monitor RNA testing among PWID who attained SVR following therapy between 2000 and 2009. Data were linked to morbidity and mortality records. Follow-up began one year after completion of therapy, ending on 31st December, 2012. Frequency of RNA testing during follow-up was calculated and the incidence of HCV reinfection estimated. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine factors associated with HCV reinfection. Results: Among 448 PWID with a SVR, 277 (61.8%) were tested during follow-up, median 4.5 years; 191 (69%) received one RNA test and 86 (31%) received at least two RNA tests. There were seven reinfections over 410 person years generating a reinfection rate of 1.7/100 py (95% CI 0.7–3.5). For PWID who have been hospitalised for an opiate or injection related cause post SVR (11%), the risk of HCV reinfection was greater [AHR = 12.9, 95% CI 2.2–76.0, p = 0.002] and the reinfection rate was 5.7/100 py (95% CI 1.8–13.3). Conclusion: PWID who have been tested, following SVR, for HCV in Scotland appear to be at a low risk of reinfection. Follow-up and monitoring of this population are warranted as treatment is offered more widely

GRB 021211 as a Faint Analogue of GRB 990123: Exploring the Similarities and Differences in their Optical Afterglows

We present B, V, Rc, J, H, and Ks photometry of the optical afterglow of the gamma-ray burst GRB 021211 taken at the Magellan, MMT, and WIYN observatories between 0.7 and 50 days after the burst. We find an intrinsic spectral slope at optical and near-infrared wavelengths of 0.69 +/- 0.14 at 0.87 days. The optical decay during the first day is almost identical to that of GRB 990123 except that GRB 021211's optical afterglow was intrinsically approximately 38 times fainter, and the transition from the reverse shock to the forward shock may have occurred earlier than it did for GRB 990123. We find no evidence for a jet break or the cooling break passing through optical frequencies during the first day after the burst. There is weak evidence for a break in the J-band decay between 0.89 and 1.87 days which may be due to a jet. The optical and infrared data are consistent with a relativistic fireball where the shocked electrons are in the slow cooling regime and the electron index is 2.3 +/- 0.1. The forward shock appears to have been expanding in a homogeneous ambient medium during the first day after the burst. Our analysis suggests that the jet of GRB 021211 may have a small opening angle and that the total gamma-ray energy is likely to be much less than the canonical value of 1.33E+51 erg. If this is the case then it is possible that most of the energy of the burst is in another form such as a frozen magnetic field, supernova ejecta, or a second jet component. The host galaxy of GRB 021211 is subluminous and has a star formation rate of at least one Solar mass per year.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures, LaTex using AASTeX v5.2, to the Nov 2004 Astronomical Journal. Some minor changes have been made to the paper in accordance with the referee's repor

Coral restoration in a changing world - a global synthesis of methods and techniques

Coral reef ecosystems have suffered an unprecedented loss of habitat-forming hard corals in recent decades, due to increased nutrient outputs from agriculture, elevated levels of suspended sediment caused by deforestation and development, destructive fishing practices, over-harvesting of reef species, outbreaks of corallivorous crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS, Acanthaster planci), coral disease and tropical storms. However, in recent years climate change has emerged as the primary threat to coral reefs. While reefs have a natural capacity for recovery, recurring events like mass coral bleaching and extreme weather events is increasing in frequency, intensity and severity, and are eroding the time for recovery between catastrophic events. Marine conservation has primarily focused on passive habitat protection over active restoration, in contrast to terrestrial ecosystems where active restoration is common practice. Further, active restoration is well accepted for wetlands and shellfish reefs however coral reef restoration has remained controversial both in academia and amongst marine managers. This is despite recent research suggesting that optimal conservation outcomes include both habitat protection and restoration. Critics often argue that coral restoration detracts focus from mitigating climate change and other threats to the marine environment, while proponents of coral restoration counter that interventions can serve to protect coral biodiversity and endangered species in the short-term, while mitigation of large-scale threats such as climate change and water quality take effect. Despite this disconnect between coral restoration practitioners, coral reef managers and scientists, active coral restoration is increasingly used as a tool to attempt to restore coral populations. The field has largely developed through independent work of isolated groups, and has fallen victim to ‘growing pains’ associated with ecological restoration in many other ecosystems. Partly this is due to a reluctance to share outcomes of projects, and in some cases a lack of monitoring or appropriate reporting of project outcomes. To mitigate this, we aimed to synthesise the available knowledge in a comprehensive global review of coral restoration methods, incorporating data from a traditional literature search of the scientific literature, complemented with information gathered from online sources and through a survey of coral restoration practitioners. We identified 329 case studies on coral restoration, of which 195 were from the scientific literature, 79 were sourced from the grey literature (i.e. reports and online descriptions), and 55 were responses to our survey of restoration practitioners. We identified ten coral restoration intervention types: coral gardening - transplantation phase (23% of records), direct transplantation (21%), artificial reefs (19%), coral gardening - nursery phase (17%), coral gardening (both phases, 7%), substrate enhancement with electricity (4%), substrate stabilisation (4%), algae removal (2%), larval enhancement (1%) and microfragmentation (<1%). The majority of interventions involve coral fragmentation or transplantation of coral fragments (70%). While 52 countries are represented in the dataset, the majority of projects were conducted in the USA, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia (together representing 40% of projects). Coral restoration case studies are dominated by short-term projects, with 66% of all projects reporting less than 18 months of monitoring of the restored sites. Overall, the median length of projects was 12 months. Similarly, most projects are relatively small in spatial scale, with a median size of restored area of 500 m2. A diverse range of species are represented in the dataset, with 221 different species from 89 coral genera. Overall, coral restoration projects focused primarily (65% of studies) on fast-growing branching corals. Among all the published documents, the top five species (22% of studies) were Acropora cervicornis, Pocillopora damicornis, Stylophora pistillata, Porites cylindrica and Acropora palmata. Over a quarter of projects (26%) involved the coral genus Acropora, while 9% of studies included a single species - Acropora cervicornis. Much of the focus on Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata is likely to have resulted from these important reef-forming species being listed as threatened on the United States Endangered Species List and as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Endangered Species (IUCN 2018). We have dedicated a section to each intervention type covered in this review, and describe the potential and limitations of each intervention type in detail there. However, collating this information has highlighted the following main points which apply to coral restoration in general. 1. On average, survival in restored corals is relatively high. All coral genera with sufficient replication from which to draw conclusions (>10 studies listing that genus) report an average survival between 60-70%. 2. Differences in survival and growth are largely species and/or location specific, so the selection of specific methods should be tailored to the local conditions, costs, availability of materials, and to the specific objectives of each project. 3. Projects are overall small and short, however substantial scaling up is required for restoration to be a useful tool in supporting the persistence of reefs in the future. While there is ample evidence detailing how to successfully grow corals at smaller scales, few interventions demonstrate a capacity to be scaled up much beyond one hectare. Notable exceptions include methods which propagate sexually derived coral larvae. 4. To date, coral restoration has been plagued by the same common problems as ecological restoration in other ecosystems. Mitigating these will be crucial to successfully scale up projects, and to retain public trust in restoration as a tool for resilience based management. a. Lack of clear objectives - There is a clear mismatch between the stated objectives of projects, and the design of projects and monitoring of outcomes. Poorly articulated or overinflated objectives risk alienating the general public and scientists, by over-promising and under-delivering. Social and economic objectives have inherent value and do not need to be disguised with ecological objectives. b. Lack of appropriate monitoring - A large proportion of projects do not monitor metrics relevant to their stated objectives, or do not continue monitoring for long enough to provide meaningful estimates of success. Further, there is a clear need for standardisation in the metrics that are used, to allow comparisons between projects. c. Lack of appropriate reporting - The outcomes of a large proportion of projects are not documented, which restricts knowledge-sharing and adaptive learning. While we attempted to access some of the unreported projects through our survey, it is clear we have only scratched the surface of existing knowledge. d. Poorly designed projects - An effect of inadequate monitoring and reporting is that projects are poorly suited to their specific area and conditions. Improved knowledge-sharing and development of best practice coral restoration guidelines aims to mitigate this problem