Calibrating the temporal and spatial dynamics of the Ediacaran - Cambrian radiation of animals

The Ediacaran-Cambrian transition, which incorporates the radiation of animals, lacks a robust global temporal and spatial framework, resulting in major uncertainty in the evolutionary dynamics of this critical radiation and its relationship to changes in palaeoenvironmental geochemistry. We first present a new δ13Ccarb composite reference curve for the Ediacaran Nama Group of southern Namibia, and we then outline four new possible global age models (A to D) for the interval 551-517 million years ago (Ma). These models comprise composite carbonate-carbon isotope (δ13Ccarb) curves, which are anchored to radiometric ages and consistent with strontium isotope chemostratigraphy, and are used to calibrate metazoan distribution in space and time. These models differ most prominently in the temporal position of the basal Cambrian negative δ13Ccarb excursion (BACE). Regions that host the most complete records show that the BACE nadir always predates the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary as defined by the first appearance datum (FAD) of the ichnospecies Treptichnus pedum. Whilst treptichnid traces are present in the late Ediacaran fossil record, the FAD of the ichnospecies T. pedum appears to post-date the LAD of in situ Cloudina and Namacalathus in all environments with high-resolution δ13Ccarb data. Two age models (A and B) place the BACE within the Ediacaran, and yield an age of ~538.8 Ma for the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary; however models C and D appear to be the most parsimonious and may support a recalibration of the boundary age by up to 3 Myr younger. All age models reveal a previously underappreciated degree of variability in the terminal Ediacaran, incorporating notable positive and negative excursions that precede the BACE. Nothwithstanding remaining uncertainties in chemostratigraphic correlation, all models support a pre-BACE first appearance of Cambrian-type shelly fossils in Siberia and possibly South China, and show that the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition was a protracted interval represented by a series of successive radiations.

Accuracy of body mass index in categorizing weight status in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities

PURPOSE: To identify the accuracy of Body Mass Index (BMI) to categorize body weight in a sample of children with spina bifida and Down syndrome as compared to typically developing peers. METHODS: A secondary analysis of 32 children with spina bifida, Down syndrome or no chronic illness. A calculated BMI was plotted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age- and sex-specific BMI growth charts to determine each child’s weight status. Percentage of body fat, obtained by labeled water, was plotted on two different body fat percentile reference curves, one derived from a whole body measure (DXA) of body fat and one by skin-fold measure. Differences in weight categories between calculated BMI and body fat percentile curves were reported. RESULTS: The calculated BMI for children with a disability had significant misclassifications as a screening tool for body fat when compared to children without a disability. Misclassifications were increased with the body fat percentile reference curve derived from skin-fold measures and for children who primarily used a wheelchair. CONCLUSION: The current recommendation to use BMI to categorize weight status is not useful for many children with disabilities. Further research to identify an alternative pragmatic strategy is necessary.

The strength of the Earth’s magnetic field from Pre-Pottery to Pottery Neolithic, Jordan

Constraining secular variation of the Earth’s magnetic field strength in the past is fundamental to understanding short-term processes of the geodynamo. Such records also constitute a powerful and independent dating tool for archaeological sites and geological formations. In this study, we present 11 robust archaeointensity results from Pre-Pottery to Pottery Neolithic Jordan that are based on both clay and flint (chert) artifacts. Two of these results constitute the oldest archaeointensity data for the entire Levant, ancient Egypt, Turkey, and Mesopotamia, extending the archaeomagnetic reference curve for the Holocene. Virtual Axial Dipole Moments (VADMs) show that the Earth’s magnetic field in the Southern Levant was weak (about two-thirds the present field) at around 7600 BCE, recovering its strength to greater than the present field around 7000 BCE, and gradually weakening again around 5200 BCE. In addition, successful results obtained from burnt flint demonstrate the potential of this very common, and yet rarely used, material in archaeomagnetic research, in particular for prehistoric periods from the first use of fire to the invention of pottery.

Measurement of energy spectrum by using 100 eyes Tomographic PIV

PIV is one of the methods to measure velocity in a flow field, but its dynamic velocity range is narrower than other flow velocimeter. This disadvantage is particularly apparent in measurements of spectrum in turbulent boundary layers, where the higher wave number side of the spectrum cannot be measured with high accuracy. In this study, we captured images of the same particle in the flow field from many different direction simultaneously, and reduced the measurement error of the particle displacement by averaging the acquired particle positions, so called ‘Multiple Eye PIV’ [Maekawa, A., Sakakibara, J., 2018, Meas. Sci. Tech., 29, 064011]. We applied this method to obtain the energy spectrum in a turbulent pipe flow aiming for resolving higher wave number. Particle images were captured by a single high-speed CMOS camera (Fastcam Nova S6, 6000 fps, Photron) through a mirror array consists of 110 flat mirrors arranged in the shape of an axisymmetric ellipsoid (Fig.1), as shown in Fig.2. The images were evaluated by Tomographic PIV method to resolve three-dimensional velocity field. Fig.3 shows energy spectrum in a pipe measured by Tomographic-PIV with number of mirrors, N, up to 100 in addition to the 2D2C-PIV with a single mirror. Although the spectrum curve for the result of Tomographic-PIV begins to depart from the reference curve at wavenumber beyond 10-1 , such wavenumber grows as N increases, and consequently the plateau of the curve appeared at lower energy. Such a downward shift of the plateau is expected due to the improvement of the dynamic velocityrange, which is approximately one order in energy, i.e. three times in velocity, found between N=4 and 100. Note that the cases of N=4 and 40 loses the dynamic range against the 2C2D-PIV case. From the above, we can summarize that the advantage of Multiple Eye PIV over the 2C2D-PIV is effective when the number of mirrors is more than 40. In this experiment, the issue is that particles images flickered. In order to resolve this issue, we tried to use fluorescent particles, and obtained a clear particle images in the following experiment. We are now analyzing whether the energy spectrum can be measured with higher accuracy due to improved resolution of the particles.

Maternal blood count parameters of chronic inflammation by gestational age and their associations with risk of preterm delivery in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), are three reportedly predictive biomarkers that reflect subclinical chronic inflammatory burden. However, how these biomarkers change during pregnancy and its clinical utility among pregnant women have been rarely studied. Among 76,853 singleton pregnancies delivered at 28–41 weeks of gestation that were enrolled in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, we observed the distribution of maternal NLR, PLR, and LMR values from week 0 to week 36 using spline curves, as well as their predictive values for preterm delivery with and without hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, placental abruption and intrauterine growth restriction (collectively termed ischemic placental disease due to their shared pathological and pathophysiological features) for measurements at 8–11 weeks, 12–17 weeks, and 18–21 weeks. NLR and PLR increased, whereas LMR decreased, with increasing gestation. High LMR and low NLR observed at 18–21 weeks, but not at earlier gestations, were associated with higher risk of preterm delivery with IPD (odds ratio 1.80 [95% CI 1.02, 3.19] per log[LMR]; odds ratio 0.49 [95% CI 0.29, 0.82] per log[NLR]). All parameters were not predictive of preterm delivery without IPD. We provide a robust reference curve for maternal blood count parameters NLR, PLR, and LMR by gestational week.

A Fatigue Crack Growth Model for Type 304 Austenitic Stainless Steels in an Elevated Temperature Air Environment

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section XI utilizes reference fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) curves for flaw evaluations. The current ASME reference curve for austenitic stainless steels in air environments is a Paris-Law relation with a single ΔK exponent that covers the entire ΔK range. Since generation of the model that became the ASME reference curve, extensive additional FCGR testing of Type 304, Type 304L, and Type 304/304L dual-certified stainless steel and the corresponding weld metal has been performed in an elevated temperature air environment. This testing revealed fatigue crack growth (FCG) behaviors that were not adequately captured by the ASME reference curve. In particular, the ASME reference curve failed to capture a flattening of the FCGR curve in the intermediate ΔK range before the FCGRs sharply dropped off as the threshold behavior is approached. Additionally, the FCGR data showed a slight frequency-dependence. Based on this new data, a new FCGR model was generated for Type 304 austenitic stainless steels in air environments between 250°C and 338°C. A tri-linear Paris-Law style correlation was chosen for the updated FCGR model to accommodate both the flattening of the FCGR curve at intermediate ΔK levels and the sharp downturn in the near-threshold ΔK regime. Each of the three branches of the FCGR curve exhibit a different R-ratio dependence, with the near-threshold regime being the most sensitive to changes in the R-ratio.

Material and Temperature Effects in Low and High Cycle EAF of Austenitic Stainless Steels

Fatigue design of nuclear power plant pressure boundary components necessitates the use of design curves, where the allowable number of cycles is a function of the applied stress intensity. Design curves are derived from best-fit curves to small-specimen data, which comprises a range of materials, heats, temperatures and test techniques. This paper continues the series of papers most recently published in PVP2020-21136. At VTT, heat specific strain-life data has been obtained. In this paper, using our data and literature data we demonstrate the significance these heat and temperature specific best-fit curves can have on the predicted number of cycles, when also considering the detrimental effect of environment through Fen factors. Example calculations show that in most cases, a simple change of the reference curve from the Code best-fit curve to a more realistic one adds considerably to the number of predicted cycles, or alternatively, reduces the cumulative usage at equivalent number of cycles. Mainly for high cycle fatigue at high temperature, best-fit heat-specific curves may lie below the reference, taken as the mean curve in NUREG/CR-6909. However, refinement of calculation criteria and/or the Fen methodology is considered to provide additional relief to these cases so that the cumulative usage factor calculation can still be kept below unity.

A Fatigue Crack Growth Model for Type 304 Austenitic Stainless Steels In a Pressurized Water Reactor Environment

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section XI utilizes reference fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) curves for flaw evaluations. Code Case N-809 describes a reference curve currently used in flaw evaluations of austenitic stainless steels exposed to a pressurized water reactor (PWR) environment in accordance with ASME, Section XI. Recently, an extensive database of Type 304, Type 304L, and Type 304/304L dual-certified stainless steels and the corresponding weld metal in PWR environments was assessed and an updated FCGR model generated. This database includes previously unreported FCGR data in 100°C PWR environments at an R-ratio of 0.7 and a rise time of either 51 sec or 510 sec. The results of this lower temperature testing are reported here and do not support the non-Arrhenius temperature relation in Code Case N-809, which predicts an increase in FCGRs with decreasing temperature below a temperature of 150°C. The updated model more accurately describes the FCGR behavior in the near-threshold, low ΔK regime. Additionally, the updated model eliminates the non-Arrhenius temperature dependence of the Code Case N-809 reference curves for temperatures below 150°C and replaces it with a single Arrhenius temperature dependence between 100°C and 338°C. Similar to the Code Case N-809 reference curve, this model does not describe the severely retarded FCGR behavior that has been observed to occur for austenitic stainless steel under certain conditions, nor does it attempt to predict the conditions under which severe retardation is likely to occur.

A 62-ka geomagnetic palaeointensity record from the Taymyr Peninsula, Russian Arctic

This work represents the first palaeomagnetic study carried out on the sedimentary record of lake Levinson-Lessing, which is the deepest lake in northern Central Siberia. Palaeomagnetic analyses were carried out on 730 discrete samples from the upper 38 m of the 46 m-long core Co1401, which was recovered from the central part of the lake. Alternating field demagnetisation experiments were carried out to obtain the characteristic remanent magnetisation. The relative palaeointensity is determined using the magnetic susceptibility, the anhysteretic remanent magnetization and the isothermal remanent magnetization for normalization of the partial natural remanent magnetization. The chronology of Co1401 derives from accelerated mass spectrometer radiocarbon ages, optically stimulated luminescence dating, and correlation of the relative palaeointensity of 642 discrete samples with the GLOPIS-75 reference curve. This study focuses on the part >10 ka but although includes preliminary results for the upper part of the core. The record includes the geomagnetic excursions Laschamps and Mono Lake, and resolves sufficient geomagnetic features to establish a chronology that continuously covers ~62 ka. The results reveal continuous sedimentation and high sedimentation rate between 45 and 95 cm ka−1. High lock-in depths are suggested from the low variability of the magnetic record compared to data sets of reference records with lower sedimentation rate. Although the horizontal component of the characteristic remanent magnetization can only be used with caution because Co1401 was cored without core segment overlap, the magnetic record of Co1401 is the only high-resolution record of relative palaeointensity and palaeosecular variations from the Arctic tangent cylinder going back to ~62 ka.