Global Ones Research Articles

Dynamics of inflation in emerging markets: Is it local or global?

This paper investigates inflation dynamics in emerging markets. We apply a multi-country model (GVAR) and a time-varying Granger causality test (TVGC) to examine the drivers of inflation in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Türkiye over the period 1980Q1-2022Q4. The aim is to ascertain whether these drivers are locally or globally determined and vary over time. The GVAR model results indicate that local and global factors drive domestic inflation, collectively contributing to inflationary pressures in emerging countries. The TVGC results, on the other hand, provide strong evidence of the causality from local and global factors to domestic inflation. Local factors appear to have a stronger influence than global ones, suggesting that local dynamics play a more significant role in explaining inflation in these countries. Consequently, globalization and economic/trade integration, seen as tools to suppress inflation, can turn into factors that cause inflation in the face of a supply shock such as the one caused by the pandemic.

ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ЕЛЕКТРОННИХ СИСТЕМ ДОКУМЕНТООБІГУ ТА ЗВІТНОСТІ ЛОГІСТИЧНИМИ КОМПАНІЯМИ УКРАЇНИ

The article explores the possibilities and ways of using information technologies for document management and electronic reporting at logistics enterprises. Theoretical approaches to understanding the goals and tasks of logistics information systems in transport technologies have been considered. The main information technology systems that change the logistics industry in modern conditions have been characterized, namely: RPA; chat bots; visualization; Artificial Intelligence; predictive analytics. The electronic technologies used for information provision in Ukrainian practice, the IT-Enterprise ERP system of JSC ‘Ukrposhta’ and the CRM system of the company ‘Epicentr K’ have been analyzed. Their characteristics and advantages of use have been defined. It have been found that the basis of the functional component of the modern information system is a single module of operations between the links of the logistics system, which determines the relationship between the functional divisions of the company (in terms of the implementation of logistics functions), intermediate links and consumers of the company’s products. The implementation of a logistics information system in the work of a logistics enterprise makes it possible: - to increase the efficiency of its work, achieve a high level of service for customers and ensure effective control; - to ensure a modern approach to the management of implementation processes and the organization of various types of events; - to monitor the efficiency of commercial operations; - to conduct an analysis of the profitability of the activity; - to increase the effectiveness of price policy, etc. The problems of the introduction of electronic document flow and reporting systems in Ukraine have been noted: - the problem of interoperability in electronic document flow; - lack of clear standards and requirements for electronic reporting, companies may hesitate to switch to this type of reporting; – constant changes in legislation and requirements can create difficulties for enterprises in implementing stable electronic reporting systems; - inconsistency of electronic reporting formats with global ones; high implementation costs; - concerns about data privacy and security can deter companies from switching to electronic reporting, especially when the security of information on the network is at stake.

Turbulence Revealed by Wavelet Transform: Power Spectrum and Intermittency for the Velocity Field of the Cosmic Baryonic Fluid

We use continuous wavelet transform techniques to construct the global and environment-dependent wavelet statistics, such as energy spectrum and kurtosis, to study the fluctuation and intermittency of the turbulent motion in the cosmic fluid velocity field with the IllustrisTNG simulation data. We find that the peak scale of the energy spectrum defines a characteristic scale, which can be regarded as the integral scale of turbulence, and the Nyquist wavenumber can be regarded as the dissipation scale. With these two characteristic scales, the energy spectrum can be divided into the energy-containing range, the inertial range, and the dissipation range of turbulence. The wavelet kurtosis is an increasing function of the wavenumber k, which first grows rapidly then slowly with k, indicating that the cosmic fluid becomes increasingly intermittent with k. In the energy-containing range, the energy spectrum increases significantly from z = 2 to 1, but remains almost unchanged from z = 1 to 0. We find that both the environment-dependent spectrum and kurtosis are similar to the global ones, and the magnitude of the spectrum is smallest in the lowest-density and largest in the highest-density environment, suggesting that the cosmic fluid is more turbulent in a high-density than in a low-density environment. In the inertial range, the energy spectrum’s exponent is steeper than both the Kolmogorov and Burgers exponents, indicating more efficient energy transfer compared to Kolmogorov or Burgers turbulence.

Analysis of very small-small theropod footprints data from Imilchil tracksite (Hig Central Atlas. Morocco). A concordance model for a global scale

In the ensemble of theropod footprints from the Imilchil macrosite, a group of small size separated from the rest is distinguished. We had detected this grouping in other sites studied by our team in La Rioja and in the work of drawing up scatter plots and frequency histograms of the measurements, on a global scale, of the length and width of the theropod footprints (these data are available on request from Farlow [farlow@pfw.edu]). We analyze the particular grouping of small footprints, providing the study of the theropod footprint measurements of 14 new sites with dinosaur footprints in Imilchil and the graphical representation (frequency histograms and scatter plots) of the global data. The work has been done by projecting and comparing the length and width measurements of the Imilchil footprints and the global ones of what we call circumscribed geographical environments (TGC or Temporal Geographical Circumscriptions [cf. Mínguez Ceniceros et al., 2022]). The ichnotaxonomic study of the footprints referred to in this work can be found in Masrour et al., (2023). Finally we interpret the position of maxima and minima in the frequency diagrams, both of Imilchil, and of the other areas in which Farlow has found records (up to the year 2022).

Calculation method for static and seismic active earth pressure on counterweight retaining walls under translation based on two critical slip surfaces

The counterweight retaining wall with polyline wall back is a kind of gravity walls, which can be alternatively used in high embankments. To completely analyze active earth pressure on the polyline back under the wall translation mode, a comprehensive method is proposed based on two planar slip surfaces in the retained soil, an inclined slice method within the frame of limit equilibrium, and the pseudo-static approach. Meanwhile, the two critical slip surfaces include the global and local ones in the soils behind the whole wall and only the upper wall, respectively; and mobilized shear strength coefficients on interslice surfaces are introduced to fully consider the interslice shear forces. Some examples show that the proposed resultant forces on the whole wall are close to the experimental and numerical results generally within 10% error. The dip angle of backfill surface has a significant effect on the two slip surfaces, and the inclination of the lower back mostly influences the global slip surface. The unloading effect of the platform on the lower earth pressure becomes obvious as the upper wall lengthens under a constant height of the whole wall. The magnitude and profile of the seismic earth pressure on the polyline back are greatly influenced by the seismic coefficients.

Neural Network-Based Surrogate Modeling for Buckling Performance Optimization of Lightweight-Composite Collapsible Tubular Masts.

The collapsible tubular mast (CTM) can be compactly folded for transport and deployed in orbit to serve as a key structural element. Once deployed, the CTM is vulnerable to buckling under axial load and bending moments, compromising its load-bearing capacity. The intricate relationship between the CTM's cross-section and its buckling behavior poses a significant challenge for designers. This is due to the ultra-thin nature of the CTM, which gives rise to highly localized buckling modes rather than global ones. To overcome this challenge, we developed surrogate models using a neural network (NN) trained with data from finite element analysis (FEA). These NN-based surrogate models provide high computational accuracy in predicting nonlinear buckling loads under axial force and bending moments around the two principal axes of the CTM's cross-section, achieving R2 values of 0.9906, 0.9987, and 0.9628, respectively. These models also significantly improve computational efficiency, reducing prediction time to a fraction of a second compared to several minutes with FEA. Furthermore, the NN-based surrogate models enable the usage of the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) for multi-objective optimization (MOO) of the CTMs. These models can be integrated in the NSGA-II algorithm to evaluate the objective function of existing and new individuals until a set of 1000 non-dominated solutions, i.e., cross-sectional configurations optimizing buckling performance, is identified. The proposed approach enables the design of ultra-thin CTMs with optimized stability and structural integrity by promoting design decisions based on the quantitative information provided by the NN-based surrogate models.

Exploring heterophily in calibration of graph neural networks

With growing applications in safety-critical domains such as autonomous vehicles and healthcare systems, graph neural networks (GNNs) are expected to provide predictions that are not only accurate but also reliable. Confidence calibration is a crucial task closely related to improve the reliability of machine learning models. Current GNN calibration methods primarily address challenges arising from the non-Euclidean topology structure of graph data and a general trend of under-confidence. However, our empirical studies have shown that these methods struggle with local miscalibrations when community homophily differs from the global trend, such as high-homophily nodes in heterophilous graphs. To tackle this issue, we introduce Adaptive Spectral Temperature Scaling (ASTS), a novel spectral-based calibration method tailored for graphs with varying levels of homophily. On top of the node-wise temperature scaling framework, ASTS incorporates two components: (1) dual-channel graph filters that adaptively integrate similar and dissimilar information from neighborhood, (2) an innovative adaptive edge dropout module that alleviates issues induced by low-degree nodes. These designs ensure that ASTS is local structure-aware, global trend-aware and well-adapted to different graph structures. Our extensive empirical studies confirm ASTS’s superior calibration performance over existing methods across graphs of diverse homophily ratios.

Cost-effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination in WHO-defined high-risk populations in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh carries a substantial health and economic burden of seasonal influenza, particularly among the World Health Organization (WHO)-defined high-risk populations. We implemented a modelling study to determine the cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination in each of five high-risk groups (pregnant women, children under five years of age, adults with underlying health conditions, older adults (≥60 years), and healthcare personnel) to inform policy decisions on risk group prioritisation for influenza vaccination in Bangladesh. We implemented a Markov decision-analytic model to estimate the impact of influenza vaccination for each target risk group. We obtained model inputs from hospital-based influenza surveillance data, unpublished surveys, and published literature (preferentially from studies in Bangladesh, followed by regional and global ones). We used quality-adjusted life years (QALY) as the health outcome of interest. We also estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for each risk group by comparing the costs and QALY of vaccinating compared to not vaccinating each group, where the ICER represents the additional cost needed to achieve one year of additional QALY from a given intervention. We considered a willingness-to-pay threshold (ICER) of less than one gross domestic product (GDP) per capita as highly cost-effective and of one to three times GDP per capita as cost-effective (per WHO standard). For Bangladesh, this threshold ranges between USD 2462 and USD 7386. The estimated ICERs were USD -99, USD -87, USD -4, USD 792, and USD 229 per QALY gained for healthcare personnel, older adults (≥60), children aged less than five years, adults with comorbid conditions, and pregnant women, respectively. For all risk groups, ICERs were below the WHO willingness-to-pay threshold for Bangladesh. Vaccinating pregnant women and adults with comorbid conditions was highly cost-effective per additional life year gained, while vaccinating healthcare personnel, older adults (≥60), and children under five years were cost-saving per additional life year gained. Influenza vaccination to all target risk groups in Bangladesh would be either cost-saving or cost-effective, per WHO guidelines of GDP-based thresholds.

A multi-branch dual attention segmentation network for epiphyte drone images

Acquiring images of epiphytes growing on trees using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) enables botanists to efficiently collect data on these important plant species. Despite the advantages offered by UAVs, challenges such as complex backgrounds, uneven lighting inside the tree canopy, and accessibility issues hinder the acquisition of quality images, resulting in acquiring images datasets of heterogenous quality. AI/Deep Learning algorithms can be used to segment target plants in these images for selecting sampling locations. Existing DL models require large volume of data for training, and they tend to prioritize local features over global ones, impacting segmentation accuracy, particularly on smaller, heterogeneous quality image datasets. To overcome these limitations, we propose a multi-branch dual attention segmentation network designed to effectively handle small datasets with heterogeneous quality. The proposed network incorporates dedicated branches for extracting both global and local features, utilizing spatial and channel attention mechanisms to focus on important regions. Through a fusion process and a decoder with crossed fusion technique, this network effectively combines and enhances features from multiple branches, resulting in improved segmentation performance. Output obtained from the trained model demonstrated major improvements in predicting the boundary regions and class labels, even in close-range, low-light, and zoomed/cropped images. The average Intersection over Union (IoU) scores of the trained model was 5% higher for images acquired close range, 48% higher for images in low-light conditions, and 68% higher for zoomed/cropped images when compared to those obtained from TransUnet, a state-of-the-art vision transformer model trained on epiphyte dataset. The proposed network can be used for segmenting epiphytes in images of heterogeneous quality as well as identifying targets in images acquired in domains such as agriculture and forestry.

MULTISCALE ESTIMATION OF MORPHOMETRICITY FOR REVEALING NEUROANATOMICAL BASIS OF COGNITIVE TRAITS.

Morphometricity examines the global statistical association between brain morphology and an observable trait, and is defined as the proportion of the trait variation attributable to brain morphology. In this work, we propose an accurate morphometricity estimator based on the generalized random effects (GRE) model, and perform morphometricity analyses on five cognitive traits in an Alzheimer's study. Our empirical study shows that the proposed GRE model outperforms the widely used LME model on both simulation and real data. In addition, we extend morphometricity estimation from the whole brain to the focal-brain level, and examine and quantify both global and regional neuroanatomical signatures of the cognitive traits. Our global analysis reveals 1) a relatively strong anatomical basis for ADAS13, 2) intermediate ones for MMSE, CDRSB and FAQ, and 3) a relatively weak one for RAVLT.learning. The top associations identified from our regional morphometricity analysis include those between all five cognitive traits and multiple regions such as hippocampus, amygdala, and inferior lateral ventricles. As expected, the identified regional associations are weaker than the global ones. While the whole brain analysis is more powerful in identifying higher morphometricity, the regional analysis could localize the neuroanatomical signatures of the studied cognitive traits and thus provide valuable information in imaging and cognitive biomarker discovery for normal and/or disordered brain research.

Global Stabilization of a Bounded Controlled Lorenz System

In this work, we present a method for the Global Asymptotic Stabilization (GAS) of an affine control chaotic Lorenz system, via admissible (bounded and regular) feedback controls, where the control bounds are given by a class of (convex) polytopes. The proposed control design method is based on the control Lyapunov function (CLF) theory introduced in [Artstein, 1983; Sontag, 1998]. Hence, we first recall, with parameters including those in [Lorenz, 1963], that these equations are point-dissipative, i.e. there is an explicit absorbing ball [Formula: see text] given by the level set of a certain Lyapunov function, [Formula: see text]. However, since the minimum point of [Formula: see text] does not coincide with any rest point of Lorenz system, we apply a modified solution to the “uniting CLF problem” (to unify local (possibly optimal) controls with global ones, proposed in [Andrieu & Prieur, 2010]) in order to obtain a CLF [Formula: see text] for the affine system with minimum at a desired equilibrium point. Finally, we achieve the GAS of “any” rest point of this system via bounded and regular feedback controls by using the proposed CLF method, which also contains the following controllers: (i) damping controls outside [Formula: see text], so they collaborate with the beneficial stable free dynamics, and (ii) (possibly optimal) feedback controls inside [Formula: see text] that stabilize the control system at “any” desired rest point of the (unforced) Lorenz system.

Global-local combined features to detect pain intensity from facial expression images with attention mechanism

The estimation of pain intensity is critical for medical diagnosis and treatment of patients. With the development of image monitoring technology and artificial intelligence, automatic pain assessment based on facial expression and behavioral analysis shows a potential value in clinical applications. This paper reports a framework of convolutional neural network with global and local attention mechanism (GLA-CNN) for the effective detection of pain intensity at four-level thresholds using facial expression images. GLA-CNN includes two modules, namely global attention network (GANet) and local attention network (LANet). LANet is responsible for extracting representative local patch features of faces, while GANet extracts whole facial features to compensate for the ignored correlative features between patches. In the end, the global correlational and local subtle features are fused for the final estimation of pain intensity. Experiments under the UNBC-McMaster Shoulder Pain database demonstrate that GLA-CNN outperforms other state-of-the-art methods. Additionally, a visualization analysis is conducted to present the feature map of GLA-CNN, intuitively showing that it can extract not only local pain features but also global correlative facial ones. Our study demonstrates that pain assessment based on facial expression is a non-invasive and feasible method, and can be employed as an auxiliary pain assessment tool in clinical practice.

Error Propagation and Control in 2D and 3D Hybrid Seismic Wave Simulations for Box Tomography

ABSTRACT To enhance the local resolution of global waveform tomography models, particularly in areas of interest within the Earth’s deep structures, a higher resolution localized tomography approach (referred to as “box tomography”) is crucial for a more detailed understanding of the Earth’s internal structure and geodynamics. Because the small-scale features targeted by box tomography are finer than those in global reference models, distinct spatial meshes are necessary for global and local (hybrid) forward simulations. Within the spectral element method (SEM) framework, we employ the intrinsic Lagrangian spatial interpolation to compute and store hybrid inputs (displacement/potential) in the global numerical simulation. These hybrid inputs are subsequently imposed into the localized domain during the iterative box tomography. However, inaccurate spatial Lagrange interpolation can lead to imprecise hybrid inputs, and this error can propagate from the global simulation to the hybrid simulation. It is essential to quantitatively analyze this error propagation and control it to ensure the credibility of box tomography. We introduce a unique spatial window function into the conventional “direct discrete differentiation” hybrid method. When the local mesh and structure align with those in the global simulation, the synthetic hybrid waveforms match the global ones, serving as a reference for quantitatively assessing error propagation stemming from changes in the local spatial mesh during hybrid simulation. Significantly, the relative waveform error arising due to spatial Lagrange interpolation is around 5% when employing the traditional SEM with five Gauss–Lobatto–Legendre points per minimum wavelength in the 3D global simulation through SPECFEM3D_GLOBE. Ultimately, we achieve hybrid waveforms with an accuracy of about 1.5% by increasing the spectral elements by about 1.5 times in the standard global simulation.

A meta-plate with radial rainbow reflection effect for broadband suppression of vibration and sound radiation

The suppression of vibration and sound radiation of thin plates has always been a concern in engineering fields such as aerospace, transportation, etc. The rainbow effect refers to that the waves with different frequencies can be stopped in different positions, where the wave energy is also enhanced, as the result of the spatial slowing-down of wave velocities. This effect exhibits great potential in suppressing structural vibration and sound radiation, but corresponding studies have not been reported yet. In this paper, a meta-plate composed of ring-type unit-cells with gradient heights is proposed to generate the radial rainbow reflection effect. Upon analyzing the dispersion relationship of unit-cells and revealing the rainbow reflection mechanism, the broadband vibration and sound radiation performances of a square meta-plate with free boundaries are studied. Numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed meta-plate can suppress the vibration and sound radiation in broadband only with the extreme-low structural inherent loss. The wavenumber spectra of vibration velocity and supersonic intensity at typical frequencies including local and global resonant ones are analyzed to reveal the suppression mechanism of sound radiation, which is the vibration redistribution and systematic vibration reduction resulting from the rainbow reflection effect. Our design enhances the stiffness of plate structures and requires no additional damping, providing a novel approach for structural vibration and sound radiation suppression.

Determining the characteristics of contact interaction between the two-row windshield wiper and a curvilinear glass surface

Among the evaluation criteria for determining the efficiency of vehicle windshield cleaning, the pressure distribution of the wiper rubber brush on the glass surface is important. The problem is the lack of this indicator standardization by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Rules (UNECE) regarding the windshield wipers certification. The inhomogeneity of the pressure distribution of the conventional wiper (the object of research) is additionally due to the mobility of the links of its mechanism and the plasticity of the rubber brush together with the blade. The pressure value should not be more than 30–50 kPa (33.4 kPa was recorded for the immobilized wiper case), and the external normal load on the frame should be kept within 20...30 N. Under a load of 24 N, the wiper blade was deformed by 1.48 mm (according to R43, it cannot exceed 1.5 mm). Further loading of the wiper frame causes two types of plastic deformation: local and global (loss of the rubber brush shape). Local displacements have increased to 1.82 mm, and the shape of the blade has acquired a "sliced" character, which causes thin jets of dirt. Global ones led to the rubber brush bending with the gap between it and the glass (5.7 mm) and caused the blind zone appearance. Models to mathematically predict layer-by-layer deformations of a conventional wiper were investigated. A model of a double-row blade with separate brushes was built, which enables the parallelization of water flows and explains the increase in the efficiency of its design. Hydrodynamic tests showed 1.58 times greater effectiveness compared to a classic single-row blade: the water flow rate was 15.61 vs 9.86 m/s. This technological advancement is the subject of a patent and a possible working prototype

Global stabilization of a bounded controlled system based on the Rössler system

In this work we present a method for the global asymptotic stabilization of an affine control system based on a Rössler system (which is well known by its chaotic behavior), through regular feedback controls constrained to control value sets given by (convex) polytopes U. The proposed method for control designing is based on the control Lyapunov function (clf) theory due to Artstein and Sontag. To this aim, we construct first an explicit absorbing ballB to “trap” the global attractor of Rössler system: we show that the affine system is the feedback interconnection of two subsystems, that leads to obtain B as the level set of a Lyapunov function, V∞(x). However, since the minimum point of V∞(x) is not a rest point of Rössler system, we apply a modified solution to the “uniting clf problem” (to unite local (possibly optimal) controls with global ones, proposed in Andrieu and Prieur (2010)) in order to obtain a clfV(x) for the affine system with minimum at a desired rest point. Finally, we achieve the global asymptotic stabilization of “any” rest point of this system via bounded and regular feedback controls by using the proposed clf method, also obtaining that controls are: (i) damping controls outside B, so they collaborate with the beneficial stable free dynamics, and (ii) (possibly optimal) feedback controls inside B that stabilize the control system at “any” desired equilibrium point of the (unforced) Rössler system.

Financing and Pricing of Outpatient and Polyclinic Medical Care in Armenia

One crucial element within the healthcare system is healthcare financing, which should be coupled with a consistent increase in the allocation of public funds towards healthcare. This should involve a diverse range of funding sources, fair pricing for medical services, enhancements in payment mechanisms, and various other measures. Healthcare must take precedence in public spending, always prepared to address not only immediate challenges but also global ones.

Monotonic and Fatigue Behaviour of the 51CrV4 Steel with Application in Leaf Springs of Railway Rolling Stock

Leaf springs are components of railway rolling stock made of high-strength alloyed steel to resist loading and environmental conditions. Combining the geometric notches with the high surface roughness of its leaves, fatigue models based on local approaches might be more accurate than global ones. In this investigation, the monotonic and fatigue behaviour of 51CrV4 steel for application in leaf springs of railway rolling stock is analysed. Fatigue models based on strain-life and energy-life approaches are considered. Additionally, the transient and stabilised behaviours are analysed to evaluate the cyclic behaviour. Both cyclic elastoplastic and cyclic master curves are considered. Lastly, different fatigue fracture surfaces are analysed using SEM. As a result, the material properties and fatigue models can be applied further in either the design of leaf springs or in the mechanical designs of other components made of 51CrV4 steel.

Интернационализация текста в парадигме лингвистическихитранслатологическихисследований: глобальное и предлокализационное направления интернационализации

The research deals with linguistic and extralinguistic features of the internationalization process of multimedia products text materials. The term internationalization is considered in the paper within the framework of the translation activity “GILT processes” (processes of globalization, internationalization, localization and translation). The article describes the current state of linguistic and translatological studies of the internationalization process. The paper presents the definition of the internationalization concept. The range of procedures carried out in the process of internationalization is defined. The paper describes the most significant technical procedures performed on the product during internationalization. The paper provides some characteristic linguistic transformations caused by the tasks of internationalization. The research paper offers several examples of using internationalization in the video game industry, the film industry and in creating multilingual and global versions of websites. As a result of the conducted research, two directions of internationalization were identified: pre-localization and global ones. The pre-localization direction of internationalization is to create an intermediate version of the product (mainly in English), which serves to simplify localization (following internationalization) into other languages. This approach significantly reduces the cost of creating a multilingual version of the product. The global direction of internationalization is to create a global version of this product in English. It is assumed that users of the global version can be not only native English speakers, but also those who speak it as a foreign language. Due to the wide spread of English as a foreign language in the world, the creation of an internationalized English version of the product allows companies to enter the global market with significantly lower financial costs and in a shorter timeframe than in the case of creating a multilingual version of the same product.

The Central South Atlantic: The origin of its waters, its evolution and effects beyond

The primitive sea that occupied the Central South Atlantic (CSA), part of the intra-Gondwana rift during the Early Cretaceous, allowed precipitation of an extensive and thick layer of evaporites, the Ibura Salt, followed by the deposition of a prominent Albian carbonate package. Although the shallow platform facies do not contain classical benthic Tethys markers, the pelagic open sea carbonates are essentially dominated by planktonic elements coming from the Tethys Realm. This condition led some researchers to think that Tethys waters also contributed to salt formation, an idea that clashes with the geotectonic model of northward separation of Africa and South America and ingression of predominantly Austral marine waters. Now, a new controversy arises as to the age of this salt layer when trying to position bio-events and lithological and chemostratigraphic markers from these rocks with respect to established data for the Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point for the Aptian/Albian boundary (GSSP-Alb). Biochronostratigraphic information on planktonic foraminifera points to an Aptian age as opposed to the earliest Albian traditionally accepted for the carbonate section that overlies the giant salt layer. On the other hand, stratigraphic and geochronological data suggest an age of 113 Ma for the base of the salt, very near to the 113.2 ± 0.1 Ma arbitrated for the GSSP-Alb. In this study, we adopt the base of the evaporite bed as the Aptian/Albian boundary in the CSA, Equatorial South Atlantic (ESA), and northeastern Brazilian interior basins (BNE) as well. Based on these criteria, a broad review and the integration of available information have led to new interpretations regarding the earliest phase of these segments of the South Atlantic and adjacent areas. Initially, during the Aptian-Albian transition, an ephemeral interior sea within Brazil, drawing its waters from the north, would have contributed to salt deposition in the intra-Gondwana rift (evaporitic stage of the CSA). Afterward, but still within the earliest Albian, the evaporitic system evolved into a carbonate gulf when the northern barrier, the Exception Zone (EZ), disappeared. The lagoonal circulation pattern that then formed in the CSA created a hypersaline and warm outflow plume that swept across the marine bottom of the ESA and part of the Tethys Sea. Paleoceanographic events registered at Site 545, Mazagan Plateau, support this new hypothesis and illustrate the potential complexity of correlation of organic-rich deposits in which local influences have been greater than global ones. This long, narrow, and continuous carbonate gulf disappeared at the end of the Albian with the arrival of southern waters from the Meridional South Atlantic (MSA), and the South Atlantic became consolidated as a proto-ocean.