Permian high-temperature metamorphism in the Western Alps (NW Italy)

During the late Palaeozoic, lithospheric thinning in part of the Alpine realm caused high-temperature low-to-medium pressure metamorphism and partial melting in the lower crust. Permian metamorphism and magmatism has extensively been recorded and dated in the Central, Eastern, and Southern Alps. However, Permian metamorphic ages in the Western Alps so far are constrained by very few and sparsely distributed data. The present study fills this gap. We present U/Pb ages of metamorphic zircon from several Adria-derived continental units now situated in the Western Alps, defining a range between 286 and 266 Ma. Trace element thermometry yields temperatures of 580-890°C from Ti-in-zircon and 630-850°C from Zr-in-rutile for Permian metamorphic rims. These temperature estimates, together with preserved mineral assemblages (garnet-prismatic sillimanite-biotite-plagioclase-quartz-K-feldspar-rutile), define pervasive upper-amphibolite to granulite facies conditions for Permian metamorphism. U/Pb ages from this study are similar to Permian ages reported for the Ivrea Zone in the Southern Alps and Austroalpine units in the Central and Eastern Alps. Regional comparison across the former Adriatic and European margin reveals a complex pattern of ages reported from late Palaeozoic magmatic and metamorphic rocks (and relics thereof): two late Variscan age groups (~330 and ~300 Ma) are followed seamlessly by a broad range of Permian ages (300-250 Ma). The former are associated with late-orogenic collapse; in samples from this study these are weakly represented. Clearly, dominant is the Permian group, which is related to crustal thinning, hinting to a possible initiation of continental rifting along a passive margin

Evidence-based Kernels: Fundamental Units of Behavioral Influence

This paper describes evidence-based kernels, fundamental units of behavioral influence that appear to underlie effective prevention and treatment for children, adults, and families. A kernel is a behavior–influence procedure shown through experimental analysis to affect a specific behavior and that is indivisible in the sense that removing any of its components would render it inert. Existing evidence shows that a variety of kernels can influence behavior in context, and some evidence suggests that frequent use or sufficient use of some kernels may produce longer lasting behavioral shifts. The analysis of kernels could contribute to an empirically based theory of behavioral influence, augment existing prevention or treatment efforts, facilitate the dissemination of effective prevention and treatment practices, clarify the active ingredients in existing interventions, and contribute to efficiently developing interventions that are more effective. Kernels involve one or more of the following mechanisms of behavior influence: reinforcement, altering antecedents, changing verbal relational responding, or changing physiological states directly. The paper describes 52 of these kernels, and details practical, theoretical, and research implications, including calling for a national database of kernels that influence human behavior

The Geology of Switzerland

The general picture of the physiographic map of Switzerland reflects the tectonic structure rather directly. Local relief in the Jura Mountains is a direct consequence of folding of the detached Mesozoic strata. The Swiss Plateau mimics the Molasse Basin with flat lying sediments while thrusting and tilting of these strata in the Subalpine Molasse amalgamated these units with the Alps. The Alps exhibit nappe stacks of very different origin. Most of them evolved from pre-Triassic crystalline basement rocks and their sedimentary cover. In many cases the cover was detached from its basement and now forms a nappe stack of its own. The Helvetic nappe system derived from the European continental margin contains nappes of cover rocks displaced over 30–50 km; crystalline basement rocks form large-scale domes. The Penninic nappe system is derived from basins that formed in Mesozoic times between the European and Adriatic continents. They contain far travelled nappes of cover rocks, as well as nappes of basement rocks that were transported over considerable distances, too. In addition, nappes of oceanic rocks outcrop as thin slivers at the top. Post-nappe folding within the Penninic nappe stack is reminiscent of their complex formation history. The Austroalpine nappe system was derived from the Adriatic margin and now forms a horizontal layer as the highest unit in eastern and central Switzerland. This nappe system contains crystalline basement as well as Mesozoic cover rocks and was emplaced early in the Alpine history in a ENE direction. The Southalpine nappe system was derived from the Adriatic margin as well. Here thrusting of crystalline basement with its Mesozoic cover was south-directed. The various Alpine nappe piles led to the amalgamation of very different rock types: continental and oceanic basement rocks, shallow marine carbonates, deep marine clastics and radiolarian chert to name the most important. Landforms and landscapes reflect these differences, in addition to the landforms created by fluvial and glacial erosion

Degeneration of biogenic superparamagnetic magnetite

Magnetite crystals precipitated as a consequence of Fe(III) reduction by Shewanella algae BrY after 265 h incubation and 5-year anaerobic storage were investigated with transmission electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The magnetite crystals were typically superparamagnetic with an approximate size of 13 nm. The lattice constants of the 265 h and 5-year crystals are 8.4164Å and 8.3774Å, respectively. The Mössbauer spectra indicated that the 265 h magnetite had excess Fe(II) in its crystal-chemistry (Fe3+ 1.990Fe2+ 1.015O4) but the 5-year magnetite was Fe(II)-deficient in stoichiometry (Fe3+ 2.388Fe2+ 0.419O4). Such crystal-chemical changes may be indicative of the degeneration of superparamagnetic magnetite through the aqueous oxidization of Fe(II) anaerobically, and the concomitant oxidation of the organic phases (fatty acid methyl esters) that were present during the initial formation of the magnetite. The observation of a corona structure on the aged magnetite corroborates the anaerobic oxidation of Fe(II) on the outer layers of magnetite crystals. These results suggest that there may be a possible link between the enzymatic activity of the bacteria and the stability of Fe(II)-excess magnetite, which may help explain why stable nano-magnetite grains are seldom preserved in natural environments. © 2009 The Authors.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Additive Effects of Parent Adherence on Social and Behavioral Outcomes of a Collaborative School–Home Behavioral Intervention for ADHD

The present study evaluated the impact of the Collaborative Life Skills Program (CLS), a novel school–home psychosocial intervention, on social and behavioral impairments among children with attention and behavior problems. Fifty-seven ethnically/racially diverse children (70 % boys) with attention and/or behavior problems in the second through fifth grades participated in a pilot study. Ten school-based mental health professionals were trained and then implemented the intervention at their respective schools. Children significantly improved from pre- to post-treatment on parent, teacher, and report card ratings of children’s social and behavioral functioning. Treatment improvements were consistent for children with and without co-occurring disruptive behavior problems. The impact of the intervention was enhanced when parents used the intervention strategies more regularly, according to both clinicians’ and parents’ reports. Findings support the emphasis of CLS on coordinating intervention strategies across contexts to facilitate the generalization of treatment-related improvements in social and behavioral functioning

Scientist-practitioner training at the internship and postdoctoral level: Reflections over three decades

Clinical psychology training for research-oriented scientist-practitioners tends to have a gap in research training during the predoctoral internship year. In 1982, the Clinical Psychology Training Program (CPTP) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) began a 2-year clinical and clinical research training program combining an American Psychology Association (APA)-accredited internship and a postdoctoral fellowship. The goal of the program is to prepare graduates for leadership roles as principal investigators who are licensed clinicians able to function as independent practitioners. This article conveys the philosophy behind the program, its structure, and the results of the program over the last 31 years. The CPTP accepted 142 trainees, of whom 46 (32%) were minorities and 78 (55%) were women. CPTP fellows have published over 250 articles, chapters, and books with their mentors and have contributed to submitting research grants with them. The vast majority continued research and academic activities after graduation. The most recent self-study for APA accreditation reported that of 43 trainees admitted in the 10 years between 1999 and 2008, 41 (95%) went on to academic positions, research, or clinical positions in academic settings or research positions in other settings; 1 obtained a clinical position; and 1 provided no information. The program serves as a model for clinical psychology nationally, allowing for uninterrupted clinical research training during the internship and postdoctoral years, nurturing clinical psychologists committed to clinical research careers, and contributing substantially to the clinical research productivity of the host department