Coupled ‘storm-flood’ depositional model: application to the Miocene–Modern Baram Delta Province, north-west Borneo

The Miocene to Modern Baram Delta Province is a highly efficient source to sink system that has accumulated 9 to 12 km of coastal-deltaic to shelf sediments over the past 15 Myr. Facies analysis based on ca 1 km of total vertical outcrop stratigraphy, combined with subsurface geology and sedimentary processes in the present-day Baram Delta Province, suggests a ‘storm-flood’ depositional model comprising two distinct periods: (i) fair-weather periods are dominated by alongshore sediment reworking and coastal sand accumulation; and (ii) monsoon-driven storm periods are characterised by increased wave energy and offshore-directed downwelling storm flow that occur simultaneously with peak fluvial discharge caused by storm-precipitation (‘storm-floods’). The modern equivalent environment has the following characteristics: (i) humid-tropical monsoonal climate; (ii) narrow (ca <100 km) and steep (ca 1°), densely vegetated, coastal plain; (iii) deep tropical weathering of a mudstone-dominated hinterland; (iv) multiple independent, small to moderate-sized (102 to 105 km2) drainage basins; (v) predominance of river-mouth bypassing; and (vi) supply-dominated shelf. The ancient, proximal part of this system (the onshore Belait Formation) is dominated by strongly cyclical sandier-upward successions (metre to decametre-scale) comprising (from bottom to top): (i) finely laminated mudstone with millimetre-scale silty laminae; (ii) heterolithic sandstone-mudstone alternations (centimetre to metre-scale); and (iii) sharp-based, swaley cross-stratified sandstone beds and bedsets (metre to decimetre-scale). Gutter casts (decimetre to metre-scale) are widespread, they are filled with swaley cross-stratified sandstone and their long-axes are oriented perpendicular to the palaeo-shoreline. The gutter casts and other associated waning-flow event beds suggest that erosion and deposition was controlled by high-energy, offshore-directed, oscillatory-dominated, sediment-laden combined flows within a shoreface to delta front setting. The presence of multiple river mouths and exceptionally high rates of accommodation creation (characteristic of the Neogene to Recent Baram Delta Province; up to 3000 m/Ma), in a ‘storm-flood’ dominated environment, resulted in a highly efficient and effective offshore-directed sediment transport system

Hyperfine Structure Constants for Eu Isotopes: Is The Empirical Formula of HFS Anomaly Universal ?

We calculate the hyperfine structure constant for the Eu isotopes with shell model wave functions. The calculated results are compared with those predicted by the Moskowitz-Lombardi (M-L) empirical formula. It turns out that the two approaches give the very different behaviors of the hfs constants in the isotope dependence. This should be easily measured by experiment, which may lead to the universality check of the M-L formula.Comment: 18 pages, Latex, two figure

Parameterized Model-Checking for Timed-Systems with Conjunctive Guards (Extended Version)

In this work we extend the Emerson and Kahlon's cutoff theorems for process skeletons with conjunctive guards to Parameterized Networks of Timed Automata, i.e. systems obtained by an \emph{apriori} unknown number of Timed Automata instantiated from a finite set $U_1, \dots, U_n$ of Timed Automata templates. In this way we aim at giving a tool to universally verify software systems where an unknown number of software components (i.e. processes) interact with continuous time temporal constraints. It is often the case, indeed, that distributed algorithms show an heterogeneous nature, combining dynamic aspects with real-time aspects. In the paper we will also show how to model check a protocol that uses special variables storing identifiers of the participating processes (i.e. PIDs) in Timed Automata with conjunctive guards. This is non-trivial, since solutions to the parameterized verification problem often relies on the processes to be symmetric, i.e. indistinguishable. On the other side, many popular distributed algorithms make use of PIDs and thus cannot directly apply those solutions

Transitions in coral reef accretion rates linked to intrinsic ecological shifts on turbid-zone nearshore reefs

This is the final version of the article. Available from the Geological Society of America via the DOI in this record.Nearshore coral communities within turbid settings are typically perceived to have limited reef-building capacity. However, several recent studies have reported reef growth over millennial time scales within such environments and have hypothesized that depth-variable community assemblages may act as equally important controls on reef growth as they do in clear-water settings. Here, we explicitly test this idea using a newly compiled chronostratigraphic record (31 cores, 142 radiometric dates) from seven proximal (but discrete) nearshore coral reefs located along the central Great Barrier Reef (Australia). Uniquely, these reefs span distinct stages of geomorphological maturity, as reflected in their elevations below sea level. Integrated age-depth and ecological data sets indicate that contemporary coral assemblage shifts, associated with changing light availability and wave exposure as reefs shallowed, coincided with transitions in accretion rates at equivalent core depths. Reef initiation followed a regional ∼1 m drop in sea level (1200–800 calibrated yr B.P.) which would have lowered the photic floor and exposed new substrate for coral recruitment by winnowing away fine seafloor sediments. We propose that a two-way feedback mechanism exists where past growth history influences current reef morphology and ecology, ultimately driving future reef accumulation and morphological change. These findings provide the first empirical evidence that nearshore reef growth trajectories are intrinsically driven by changes in coral community structure as reefs move toward sea level, a finding of direct significance for predicting the impacts of extrinsically driven ecological change (e.g., coral-algal phase shifts) on reef growth potential within the wider coastal zone on the Great Barrier Reef.This work was supported by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) grant NE/J023329/1 to Perry and Smithers and NERC Radiocarbon Dating Allocations 1727.1013 and 1838.1014 to Morgan, Perry, and Gulliver

Advanced Practice Providers Recognized as Valuable Healthcare Resources: Increasing the Illinois PA’s Scope of Practice to Match Their NP Cohort

Abstract: Nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) represent a group of non-physician, advanced-practice providers (APPs) within our healthcare system. Non-physician providers are part of an inter-disciplinary team, working alongside physicians and a variety of allied healthcare providers. The purpose of this paper is to take a closer look at these two professions (NP and PA), with a focus on Illinois providers and the legislative strategies that guide their roles and abilities to practice. Illinois is a region where APP practices are inequitably regulated. Their Nurse Practice Act outlines a broad scope of practice for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). However, the Illinois PA Practice Act barely addresses the PA’s scope of practice, and also delineates certain restrictions, which limit practice in ways not paralleled for the NP. The goal of this paper was to construct an objective comparison between these two APP groups, in order to dispel the misconceptions that have led to these disparate Practice Acts. Specifically, the Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) training was compared to the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPA or MPAS) degree. Using these criteria, fifteen MSN-FNP programs were compared to nine MSPA programs among Illinois universities. Results revealed that NP and PA programs have similar educational objectives, all with demanding medical curricula, guided by strict accreditation standards. The data further revealed that Illinois PA educational training requires completion of more clinical practicum hours than does NP training: 704 (mean) hours for FNP students; compared to 2,108 (mean) hours for PA students. Furthermore, PA program accreditation requires that students complete practicum hours within seven medical fields, as well as elder care in long-term residential facilities, plus procedural skills training and proof of procedural skills competencies. Most NP programs are online and encourage concurrent nursing employment, thus supporting a part-time course load. NP programs are therefore designed to allow a flexible timeline for completion, some permitting five to six years. In comparison, all PA programs are full-time, in-person curricula, and discourage concurrent employment due to extensive course hours, and stringent requirements for advancement. The bottom line here is, NP and PA programs both have sound delivery methods and rigorous requirements, but longer chronological length should not be misinterpreted as greater in substance. Conclusion: This paper evaluated the highly advanced training programs of NPs and PAs in Illinois and found no data to support the differences in the Illinois Practice Acts governing these two groups. Despite the rigorous, highly advanced, and closely monitored training protocols of PA education, legislative bodies in Illinois do not fully recognize the PA provider’s significant potential. It is therefore, fair and reasonable to request these limitations be re-evaluated, in order to allow Illinois PAs to practice to the full potential of their professional training. In Illinois, NPs have achieved full provider status. Equal designation should be delegated to Illinois PAs

Studies of C-14 and Be-10 production rates and terrestrial ages of desert meteorites

Accepted versio

Acute effects of mango leaf extract on cognitive function in healthy adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study

Copyright \ua9 2024 Dodd, Kennedy, Johnson, Haworth, Greener and Jackson.Introduction: Extracts made from the leaves of the edible mango plant (Mangifera indica L., Anacardiaceae) have a long history of medicinal usage, most likely due to the presence of high levels of mangiferin, a polyphenol compound. Previous research has demonstrated that mango leaf extract (MLE) can beneficially modulate cognitive function in both animals and humans. This study aimed to assess the effects of an acute dose of 300 mg MLE (standardised to contain ≥60% mangiferin) on cognitive performance and mood in healthy adults. Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 114 healthy men and women (18–43 years) received either MLE or a matched placebo at each testing visit (separated by at least 7 days). Cognitive performance (including the cognitive demand battery) and mood were measured at 30, 180, and 300 min post-dose. Results: The results showed that, compared to placebo, the group taking MLE displayed a significant increase in serial 3 s and serial 7 s subtraction errors overall. There were no other significant effects on cognitive performance. Discussion: The results of the current study suggest that the consumption of 300 mg MLE in the absence of an observed multitasking psychological stressor does not improve cognitive performance or mood at up to 300 min post-dose. Due to the very limited nature of the effects and since they were observed among many analyses, these findings should be treated with caution. Clinical trial registration: http://ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier [NCT05182450]

Formative peer assessment in a CSCL environment

In this case study our aim was to gain more insight in the possibilities of qualitative formative peer assessment in a computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. An approach was chosen in which peer assessment was operationalised in assessment assignments and assessment tools that were embedded in the course material. The course concerned a higher education case-based virtual seminar, in which students were asked to conduct research and write a report in small multidisciplinary teams. The assessment assignments contained the discussion of assessment criteria, the assessment of a group report of a fellow group, and writing an assessment report. A list of feedback rules was one of the assessment tools. A qualitative oriented study was conducted, focussing on the attitude of students towards peer assessment and practical use of peer assessment assignments and tools. Results showed that students’ attitude towards peer assessment was positive and that assessment assignments had added value. However, not all students fulfilled all assessment assignments. Recommendations for implementation of peer assessment in CSCL environments as well as suggestions for future research are discussed

The BaSICS (Baby Skin Integrity Comparison Survey) study : a prospective experimental study using maternal observations to report the effect of baby wipes on the incidence of irritant diaper dermatitis in infants, from birth to eight weeks of age

Background Baby wipes have been shown to be safe and effective in maintaining skin integrity when compared to the use of water alone. However, no previous study has compared different formulations of wipe. The aim of the BaSICS study was to identify any differences in incidence of irritant diaper dermatitis (IDD) in infants assigned to three different brands of wipe, all marketed as suitable for neonates, but which contained varying numbers of ingredients. Methods Women were recruited during the prenatal period. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of three brands of wipe for use during the first eight weeks following childbirth. All participants received the same nappies. Participants reported their infant’s skin integrity on a scale of 1 to 5 daily using a bespoke smartphone application. Analysis of effect of brand on clinically significant IDD (score 3 or more) incidence was conducted using a negative binomial generalised linear model, controlling for possible confounders at baseline. Analysts were blind to brand of wipe. Results Of 737 women enrolled, 15 were excluded (admitted to neonatal intensive care, premature or other infant health issues). Of the 722 eligible babies, 698 (97%) remained in the study for the full 8-week duration, 24.6% of whom had IDD at some point during the study. Mothers using the brand with the fewest ingredients reported fewer days of clinically significant nappy rash (score≥3) than participants using the two other brands (p=0.002 and p<0.001). Severe IDD (grades 4 and 5) was rare (2.4%). Conclusions Rarity of severe IDD suggested that sensitive formula baby wipes are safe when used in cleansing babies from birth to eight weeks during nappy changes. The brand with fewest ingredients had significantly fewer days of clinically significant IDD. Daily observations recorded on a smartphone application proved to be a highly acceptable method of obtaining real-time data on IDD

The arc arises: The links between volcanic output, arc evolution and melt composition

Subduction initiation is a key process for global plate tectonics. Individual lithologies developed during subduction initiation and arc inception have been identified in the trench wall of the Izu–Bonin–Mariana (IBM) island arc but a continuous record of this process has not previously been described. Here, we present results from International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 351 that drilled a single site west of the Kyushu–Palau Ridge (KPR), a chain of extinct stratovolcanoes that represents the proto-IBM island arc, active for ∼25 Ma following subduction initiation. Site U1438 recovered 150 m of oceanic igneous basement and ∼1450 m of overlying sediments. The lower 1300 m of these sediments comprise volcaniclastic gravity-flow deposits shed from the evolving KPR arc front. We separated fresh magmatic minerals from Site U1438 sediments, and analyzed 304 glass (formerly melt) inclusions, hosted by clinopyroxene and plagioclase. Compositions of glass inclusions preserve a temporal magmatic record of the juvenile island arc, complementary to the predominant mid-Miocene to recent activity determined from tephra layers recovered by drilling in the IBM forearc. The glass inclusions record the progressive transition of melt compositions dominated by an early ‘calc-alkalic’, high-Mg andesitic stage to a younger tholeiitic stage over a time period of 11 Ma. High-precision trace element analytical data record a simultaneously increasing influence of a deep subduction component (e.g., increase in Th vs. Nb, light rare earth element enrichment) and a more fertile mantle source (reflected in increased high field strength element abundances). This compositional change is accompanied by increased deposition rates of volcaniclastic sediments reflecting magmatic output and maturity of the arc. We conclude the ‘calc-alkalic’ stage of arc evolution may endure as long as mantle wedge sources are not mostly advected away from the zones of arc magma generation, or the rate of wedge replenishment by corner flow does not overwhelm the rate of magma extraction