Geology of the Lower Cretaceous Travis Peak Formation, East Texas: Depositional History, Diagenesis Structure and Reservoir Engineering Implications

This report summarizes stratigraphic, petrographic, and structural studies of the Lower Cretaceous Travis Peak Formation, a low-permeability gas sandstone in East Texas, and presents reservoir engineering implications. Depositional systems in this region were interpreted from logs and cores and include (1) a braided- to meandering-fluvial system that forms the majority of the Travis Peak section; (2) deltaic deposits interbedded with the distal part of the fluvial system; (3) paralic deposits that overlie and interfinger with the deltaic and fluvial deposits near the top of the Travis Peak; and (4) shelf deposits present at the downdip extent of the formation. Petrographic studies indicate the sandstones are quartzarenites and subarkoses. Cementation by quartz, dolomite, ankerite, illite, chlorite, and reservoir bitumen have reduced porosity to less than 8 percent and permeability to less than 0.1 md throughout most of the formation. Structurally deeper sandstones are more intensely quartz cemented than are shallower sandstones and contain abundant, open natural fractures. Borehole breakouts and drilling-induced fractures in core can be used to predict horizontal stress directions and the direction of hydraulic fracture propagation. Hydraulic fractures propagate in directions subparallel to the east-northeast strike of the natural fractures; thus, hydraulically induced fractures may not intersect many natural fractures.Bureau of Economic Geolog

Studying physiology within a flipped classroom – The importance of on-campus activities for nursing students’ experiences of mastery

Aims and objectives To explore the on‐campus activities of the flipped classroom and their role in nursing students’ experiences of mastering physiology. Background A nurse must be confident in their knowledge of physiology to feel confident as a nurse. However, many nursing students do not believe in their ability to master physiology. The flipped classroom design could facilitate active learning and promote students’ confidence and competence in physiology. Design A design‐based research design was employed. Methods Twenty‐three nursing students enrolled in an anatomy and physiology course participated in two focus group interviews and wrote two individual reflective notes. The data were analysed by means of systematic text condensation and activity theory. Reporting was guided by the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ). Results The study findings underscore the importance of careful design of on‐campus activities within the flipped classroom to support students’ experiences of mastery in physiology. Four themes were identified: (a) preparation which builds a foundation for learning; (b) the use of digital tools; (c) learning through dialogue with peers; and (d) experience of the expected learning outcomes. Conclusions On‐campus learning activities within a flipped classroom design could support students’ experiences of confidence in and mastery of physiology. However, the study participants found learner‐centred activities challenging and described feeling doubtful of their ability to master physiology. A didactic framework could take into account the circumstance that students perceive educational technology differently. When designing on‐campus activities, emphasis should be placed on collaboration rather than competition to help students develop confidence in their knowledge of physiology.publishedVersio

Recommended Radiation Protection Practices for Low-Level Waste Disposal Sites

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission contracted with Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to provide technical assistance in estsblishing operational guidelines, with respect to radiation control programs and methods of minimizing occupational radiation exposure, at Low-Level Waste (LLW) dis- posal sites. The PNL, through site visits, evaluated operations at LLW dis- posal sites to determine the adequacy of current practices in maintaining occupational exposures as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA). The data sought included the specifics of: ALARA programs, training programs, external exposure control , internal exposure control , respiratory protection, survei 1 - lance, radioactive waste management, facilities and equipment, and external dose analysis. The results of the study indicated the following: The Radiation Protection and ALARA programs at the three commercial LLW disposal sites were observed to be adequate in scope and content compared to similar programs at other types of nuclear facilities. However, it should be noted that there were many areas that could be improved upon to help ensure the health and safety of the occupa- tionally exposed individuals. As a result, radiation protection practices were recommended with related rationales in order to reduce occupational exposures as far below specified radiation limits as is reasonably achievable. In addition, recommendations were developed for achieving occupational exposure ALARA under the Regulatory Requirements issued in 10 CFR Part 61

Associations of Plasma Phospholipid Omega-6 and Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Levels and MRI Measures of Cardiovascular Structure and Function: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background. The association between plasma omega-6 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unclear, and discrepancy remains concerning the cardiovascular benefit of the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid. Methods. Associations of plasma phospholipid fatty acid levels (arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid) with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging measures of left ventricular (LV) mass, LV volume, ejection fraction, stroke volume, and aortic distensibility were investigated in 1,274 adults. Results. Results of multivariate analysis showed no statistically significant associations of plasma omega-6 or omega-3 levels with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging measures. Stratification by gender revealed a positive association between DHA and LV mass in women (β = 1.89, P = 0.02; P interaction = 0.003) and a trend for a positive association between DHA and ejection fraction in men (β = 0.009, P = 0.05; P interaction = 0.03). Conclusion. Additional research is warranted to clarify the effects of plasma DHA on cardiac structure and function in women versus men

Does a SLAP lesion affect shoulder muscle recruitment as measured by EMG activity during a rugby tackle?

Background: The study objective was to assess the influence of a SLAP lesion on onset of EMG activity in shoulder muscles during a front on rugby football tackle within professional rugby players. Methods: Mixed cross-sectional study evaluating between and within group differences in EMG onset times. Testing was carried out within the physiotherapy department of a university sports medicine clinic. The test group consisted of 7 players with clinically diagnosed SLAP lesions, later verified on arthroscopy. The reference group consisted of 15 uninjured and full time professional rugby players from within the same playing squad. Controlled tackles were performed against a tackle dummy. Onset of EMG activity was assessed from surface EMG of Pectorialis Major, Biceps Brachii, Latissimus Dorsi, Serratus Anterior and Infraspinatus muscles relative to time of impact. Analysis of differences in activation timing between muscles and limbs (injured versus non-injured side and non injured side versus matched reference group). Results: Serratus Anterior was activated prior to all other muscles in all (P = 0.001-0.03) subjects. In the SLAP injured shoulder Biceps was activated later than in the non-injured side. Onset times of all muscles of the noninjured shoulder in the injured player were consistently earlier compared with the reference group. Whereas, within the injured shoulder, all muscle activation timings were later than in the reference group. Conclusions: This study shows that in shoulders with a SLAP lesion there is a trend towards delay in activation time of Biceps and other muscles with the exception of an associated earlier onset of activation of Serratus anterior, possibly due to a coping strategy to protect glenohumeral stability and thoraco-scapular stability. This trend was not statistically significant in all cases

Impaired perception of facial motion in autism spectrum disorder

Copyright: © 2014 O’Brien et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Facial motion is a special type of biological motion that transmits cues for socio-emotional communication and enables the discrimination of properties such as gender and identity. We used animated average faces to examine the ability of adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to perceive facial motion. Participants completed increasingly difficult tasks involving the discrimination of (1) sequences of facial motion, (2) the identity of individuals based on their facial motion and (3) the gender of individuals. Stimuli were presented in both upright and upside-down orientations to test for the difference in inversion effects often found when comparing ASD with controls in face perception. The ASD group’s performance was impaired relative to the control group in all three tasks and unlike the control group, the individuals with ASD failed to show an inversion effect. These results point to a deficit in facial biological motion processing in people with autism, which we suggest is linked to deficits in lower level motion processing we have previously reported