Geology of the Coastal Province of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. A Synthesis.

A Província Costeira do Rio Grande do Sul é constituída por dois grandes domínios geológicos distintos, o Embasamento e a Bacia de Pelotas. O primeiro, uma plataforma composta pelo complexo cristalino pré-cambriano e pelas sequências sedimentares e vulcânicas, paleozoicas e mesozoicas, da Bacia do Paraná, submetido a sucessivos basculamentos resultante da tectônica que acompanhou a abertura do Atlântico Sul, durante o Cretáceo deu origem ao segundo, uma bacia marginal aberta. Desde então, a Bacia de Pelotas passou a receber a carga clástica derivada da dissecação das terras altas adjacentes. Sucessivas transgressões, controladas no princípio pela tectônica e a partir do Terciário pelas variações globais de nível do mar, proporcionaram a acumulação de uma sequência clástica (cascalhos, areias e lamas) com mais de 5.000 metros de espessura, onde são muito raras as camadas carbonáticas e estão ausentes as evaporíticas tão características das demais bacias da margem continental brasileira. Mapeamento geológico e geomorfológico da porção superior desta sequência que se expõe na Planície do Rio Grande do Sul e que configuram a superfície desta região, mostram que ela é constituída por um conjunto de fácies sedimentares, descontínuas no espaço e no tempo resultantes do deslocamento de diversos ambientes de sedimentação (continentais, transicionais e marinhos) por sobre a mesma região. Além da caracterização sedimentológica de depósitos marinhos rasos, praiais, eólicos, lagunares, paludais, deltáticos, fluviais e de leques aluviais, os estudos evidenciaram acumulações importantes de areias negras (titânio e zircônio), areias para construção civil e indústria do vidro, argilas para cerâmica, diatomitos, concheiros e grandes turfeiras. A exploração destes recursos minerais, efetuadas dentro de um programa adequado de manejo costeiro, só não ocasionará danos ecológicos se este gigantesco e complexo ecossistema costeiro, vulnerável pela sua própria natureza, for perfeitamente conhecido

Somatosensory processing in deaf and deafblind individuals: How does the brain adapt as a function of sensory and linguistic experience? A critical review

How do deaf and deafblind individuals process touch? This question offers a unique model to understand the prospects and constraints of neural plasticity. Our brain constantly receives and processes signals from the environment and combines them into the most reliable information content. The nervous system adapts its functional and structural organization according to the input, and perceptual processing develops as a function of individual experience. However, there are still many unresolved questions regarding the deciding factors for these changes in deaf and deafblind individuals, and so far, findings are not consistent. To date, most studies have not taken the sensory and linguistic experiences of the included participants into account. As a result, the impact of sensory deprivation vs. language experience on somatosensory processing remains inconclusive. Even less is known about the impact of deafblindness on brain development. The resulting neural adaptations could be even more substantial, but no clear patterns have yet been identified. How do deafblind individuals process sensory input? Studies on deafblindness have mostly focused on single cases or groups of late-blind individuals. Importantly, the language backgrounds of deafblind communities are highly variable and include the usage of tactile languages. So far, this kind of linguistic experience and its consequences have not been considered in studies on basic perceptual functions. Here, we will provide a critical review of the literature, aiming at identifying determinants for neuroplasticity and gaps in our current knowledge of somatosensory processing in deaf and deafblind individuals

A Multi-Faceted Quality Improvement Project Amid a Global Pandemic: Improving Guideline-Consistent Cervical Cancer Screening Rates and Provider Knowledge of Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Results During Reactivation of a Metro Family Practice Clinic

Background: Despite the evidence-based value of cervical cancer screening, recent updates to guidelines, and general availability of the Papanicolaou (Pap) test, guideline-adherent screening rates remain low. The COVID-19 pandemic further impedes progress as preventive healthcare is delayed and patients are reluctant to enter healthcare facilities. Objectives: The purpose of this project was to evaluate if provider education and patient reminder letters comprising written education and risk-mitigation efforts improved cervical cancer screening rates and increased providers’ knowledge of appropriate follow-up during reopening of a metro family practice clinic amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A multi-faceted quality improvement project included a 3-month intervention phase comprised of: (1) provider education with descriptive analysis of pre- and post-intervention knowledge of cervical cancer screening scores as well as, (2) distribution of reminder letters to 295 eligible patients. Results:The overall cervical cancer screening rate increased by 1% during the 3-month period. Provider questionnaire scores noted a significant increase in knowledge and intent to change practice patterns (p Conclusion: Findings indicate that provider education improves knowledge of cervical cancer screening and follow-up, as well as, fosters an intent to change practice patterns according to established guidelines. Reminder letters did provide a modest increase in cervical cancer screening rates during the COVID-19 pandemic suggesting that written education and risk-mitigation efforts can encourage patients to schedule in-person appointments

Factors influencing upland oak advance reproduction in the Missouri Ozarks

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on July 14, 2011).The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file.Thesis advisor: John M. Kabrick.Includes bibliographical references.M.S. University of Missouri--Columbia 2011.Successful oak stand regeneration requires an abundance of well developed advance reproduction. Past studies have found that oak reproduction varies on upland landscapes by inferred measures of nutrient and water supply such as site index, slope-aspect, and slope position. There is a need to relate oak reproduction to soil nutrient and water supply parameters to better understand variations in oak reproduction on upland landscapes. On the USDA Forest Service, Sinkin Experimental Forest, located in the Missouri Ozarks, we used regression models for estimating the advance reproduction density of red oaks, white oaks, and non-oaks. The abundance of red oak advance reproduction was smaller on northeast-facing slopes and inversely related to soil plant available water capacity (AWC) and soil base saturation (BS) suggesting a greater accumulation on sites having both a lesser water and nutrient supply. The abundance of non-oaks was greater on northeast-facing slopes and positively related to site index and Bs suggesting a greater accumulation on sites having a greater site quality and nutrient supply. There were no significant models relating these factors to the abundance of white oak advance reproduction however it was significantly (P [less than] 0.05) correlated to the abundance of red oak advance reproduction

Drop coalescence in technical liquid/liquid applications : a review on experimental techniques and modeling approaches

The coalescence phenomenon of drops in liquid/liquid systems is reviewed with particular focus on its technical relevance and application. Due to the complexity of coalescence, a comprehensive survey of the coalescence process and the numerous influencing factors is given. Subsequently, available experimental techniques with different levels of detail are summarized and compared. These techniques can be divided in simple settling tests for qualitative coalescence behavior investigations and gravity settler design, single-drop coalescence studies at flat interfaces as well as between droplets, and detailed film drainage analysis. To model the coalescence rate in liquid/liquid systems on a technical scale, the generic population balance framework is introduced. Additionally, different coalescence modeling approaches are reviewed with ascending level of detail from empirical correlations to comprehensive film drainage models and detailed computational fluid and particle dynamics

ENSO induzierte Variabilität im Indischen Ozean

Die niederfrequente Variabilität in den Tropen wird auf Zeitskalen von einigen Jahren vom El Ni,ño - Southern Osci,llati,on (ENSO) - Phänomen bestimmt. Die Untersuchungen atmosphäri- scher und ozeanischer Parameter im Indischen Ozean haben im Rahmen dieser Arbeit gezeigt, daß auch in diesem Weltmeer ein signifrkantes ENSO - Signal in der Meeresoberflächentempe- ratur (SST) nachweisbar ist. Verglichen mit dem Pazifik ist es erheblich schwächer, tritt aber mit dem gleichen Vorzeichen und mit nur geringer zeitlicher Verzögerung auf. Warmphasen von ENSO werden im Indischen Ozean von äquatorialen Ostwinden und abnehmender Kon- vektion begleitet. Aus atmosphärischen Daten und der SST konnte die Hypothese abgeleitet werden, daß das ENSO - Signal durch die Walker - Zirkulation in den Indischen Ozean übertragen wird. Es erwies sich als nicht möglich, anhand der Beobachtungen zu entscheiden, welche Prozesse zu den großräumigen Schwankungen der SST führen. Deshalb ist in dieser Studie die Wirkung von veränderten atmosphärischen Randbedingungen auf die SST mit Hilfe eines ozeanischen Zirkulationsmodells untersucht worden. Das ENSO - Phänomen erklärt auch in den Simulationen einen relativ großen Anteil der Va- riabilität. Die Variabilitätsmuster sind mit den Beobachtungen konsistent, aber das Signal ist insgesamt schwächer. Insbesondere reagiert das Modell auf die mit Warmereignissen einherge- henden Ostwindanomalien sehr empfindlich mit äquatorialem Auftrieb, der die Erwärmung entlang des Aquators abschwächt. Eine überhöhte Sensitivität des Modells bezüglich des Windantriebs konnte in diesem Zusammenhang nicht nachgewiesen werden. Weitere Untersuchungen zeigten, daß der Windantrieb lediglich in einigen Regionen der be- stimmende Parameter für die Variabilität der SST ist. Dies gilt insbesondere für den Bereich des südhemisphärischen Subtropenwirbels. Durch Vergleich mit einem einfachen Deckschicht- modell gelang es, Regionen zu identiflzieren, in denen advektive Prozesse von großer Bedeu- tung sind. Ihre Einbeziehung führt in den Gebieten südlich von Indien und im westlichen Indischen Ozean zu Verbesserungen. In den östlichen Regionen und zwischen 5oS - 10o,9 ist der entgegengesetzte trffekt zr verueichen. Während eines warmen ENSO - Extrems wirkt der Nettostrahlungsfluß in den östlichen Ge- bieten als zusätzliche positive Rückkopplung auf die SST. Mit Hilfe einer idealisierten Ano- malie im Nettostrahlungsfluß gelang es, die Simulation der SST in diesen Regionen deutlich zu verbessern. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit ist es gelungen, den Anteil der Variabilität zu simulieren, der durch den BNSO - Mechanismus verursacht wird. Es erwies sich als nicht möglich, den gesamten ENSO - Prozeß mit einem Antriebsmechanismus zu erklären. Die Beurteilung der verschie- denen Einzelprozesse gestaltet sich aufgrund der unzureichenden Datenbasis sehr schwierig. Hinzu kommt die geringe Amplitude der untersuchten Variabilität. Die Schwankungen lie- gen bei einigen Größen im Bereich des Meßfehlers. Eine bessere Datenbasis ist frir weitere Untersuchungen unab dingbar