Island Settings Research Articles

A Diachronic Maltese Islandscape: Rural Ta’ Qali and ix-Xarolla

AbstractThe archaeological study of the Maltese Islands has received considerable scholarly attention in regard to its island settings and long-term human occupation. However, emphasis on the prehistoric periods of the archipelago runs the risk of creating a biased focus with limited engagement in successive periods. In the spirit of this edited volume, the present article seeks to provide a broader chronological view of two rural areas in the larger island of Malta: Ta’ Qali and ix-Xarolla. These two areas have offered some evidence, through intermittent discoveries from recent construction activities, of three broad periods of increased landscape manipulation and transformation during the Middle-Late Bronze Age, Roman, and Early Modern periods. In seeking to provide an islandscape-based narrative, this article seeks to show that the Maltese Islands experienced periods of more intense human occupation that would have inevitably impacted the agriculturally viable areas of Ta’ Qali and ix-Xarolla. Therefore, despite the Roman period focus of this edited volume, this article takes a long-term view of two rural areas to illustrate identifiable landscape uses and changes.

Prevalence of otitis media and risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss among infants attending routine well-baby clinics in urban and rural/remote Samoa: a study protocol

Background The World Health Organization recommends newborn and infant hearing screening programs for all member states to enable early detection and intervention for children with hearing loss. Ear and hearing services are limited in the Pacific Islands, a region with one of the highest global rates of ear disease and hearing loss. Given that a significant proportion of childhood hearing loss is preventable through public health measures, collaboration with existing primary and public health platforms should reduce the prevalence of avoidable ear and hearing disorders among infants and young children. Previous work has investigated an infant ear and hearing program for child welfare clinics in an urban Pacific Island setting. The present study will build on this previous work by investigating the possibility of an Infant Ear and Hearing Program in a different Pacific Island country, and performing comparisons between urban and rural/remote populations. Methods and analysis We propose a cross-sectional study of infants attending well-baby clinics in urban (Apia), rural (Upolu), and remote (Savai’i) Samoa. All participating infants will undergo an ear examination of both ears, and as assessment of risk factors for permanent hearing loss. Ethics and and conclusions We publish these protocols to facilitate similar studies in other low- and middle-Income countries, and especially among our Pacific Island neighbours. We anticipate that 25% of infants will present with ear pathology in at least one ear, and that 25% of infants will present with at least one risk factor for permanent hearing loss. This study was approved by the Government of Samoa Ministry of Health Ethical Research Committee and the University of Queensland Medical Ethics Research Committee.

A snapshot of reef conditions in North Ari Atoll (Maldives) following the 2016 bleaching event and Acanthaster planci outbreak

Coral reefs are degrading worldwide. This study explored the benthic community structure (biotic and abiotic benthic cover and coral composition) at three islands (Rasdhoo, Maayafushi and Vihamaafaru) in the central Maldivian archipelago, 2 years after the 2016 El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the associated mass-bleaching events. Hence, we assessed benthic cover on the same GPS sites and depth (10m) of a subset of reefs that had been previously studied. The islands represent a range of management categories and oceanic influence. Average live coral cover in 2018 was lowest on Maayafushi reefs (0.65±0.41%), a resort island with minimal exposure to oceanic influence. At Rasdhoo, a community island with south-eastern oceanic exposure, live coral cover was 14.70±3.20% and 90% of the colonies were less than 20cm in diameter. At Vihamaafaru, an uninhabited island with oceanic exposure from the west, reefs assessed had a live coral cover of 17.9±6.80%, Acropora spp. remained the dominant taxa, and 35% of colonies were 20cm or greater in diameter. This evident trend, in variation of live coral cover and size of the coral colonies, among the three island settings indicates the greatest potential for recovery of coral cover on reefs with more exposure to oceanic influence.

Dolomitization of a Miocene-Pliocene progradational carbonate platform by mesohaline brines: Re-examination of the reflux model on Bonaire Island

Neogene dolomites are common in island settings, and they have been used to understand the complex processes of dolomitization. The island of Bonaire was one of the first locations where the concept of reflux dolomitization was applied. Given this historical significance, here we re-evaluate the importance and nature of reflux using a previously unstudied set of outcrops in Bonaire. Mio-Pliocene units in Seru Grandi in northwestern Bonaire show well-defined bodies of dolomite that extend along clinoform surfaces beneath a subhorizontal erosional unconformity. The dolomite distribution suggests early dolomitization as a result of fluids moving downwards through a succession of subtidal facies, as expected from the reflux model. However, non-stoichiometric compositions, weak 18O enrichment, low trace element concentrations and the sedimentological context of the dolomites suggest that refluxing fluid was more likely to be mesohaline in composition rather than hypersaline as previously proposed. In addition, our findings suggest that the fluids did not dolomitize the succession uniformly, but rather elongate bodies of dolomite were developed within selected clinoforms through different events. This variability may be due to temporal changes in the flux, chemistry of reactive fluids and textural changes of original sediment, whereas downdip trends may reflect evolution of magnesium exchange efficiency with distance from the brine source and reactivity of the rock.

Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass

Reviewed by: Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass Alaine Martaus Dass, Sarah Where the Rhythm Takes You. Balzer + Bray, 2021 [352p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780063018525 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063018549 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-12 Six years ago, local girl Reyna and summer resident Aiden became unexpected friends on the island of Tobago. Two years ago, now-boyfriend Aiden left for a new life and a chance to pursue his dreams of being a musician. Reyna stayed behind, first to [End Page 376] nurse her dying mother, then to keep her family’s resort running in her memory, giving up her own dreams of being a painter. Now seventeen, she’s fully stuck and trying to convince herself she’s happy about it. This summer, Aiden is back, and he’s rich, hot, and famous, accompanied by a cadre that includes Grammy-winning bandmates and two gorgeous celebrity sisters. Plans to avoid him entirely are sunk when Reyna becomes the group’s tour guide, but she soon finds herself having fun, until past hurts, present flirtations, and looming changes force her to face her heart, her future, and the value of second chances. No knowledge of Jane Austen’s Persuasion is necessary to enjoy this Austen-inspired yet sun-kissed, beach-ready story of family and romance reborn. Reyna’s a prickly but approachable heroine, wrangling demons and disappointments, while heartbroken heartthrob Aiden serves as a worthy hero, whose song lyrics are as compelling as the letters of his Austen counterpart. The lushly described island setting, meanwhile, creates a backdrop for a realistically diverse cast that includes visiting outsiders, each surprisingly likable and memorably fun. Readers ready for a dreamy getaway can happily pack their imaginative bags for this romantic debut, inspirational Soca music playlist included. Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Energy-aware automatic tuning on many-core platform via adaptive evolution

Even though attaining high performance has been the user's pursuit traditionally, in the many-core era the emphasis has shifted towards controlling the power and energy consumption to maintain a satisfying performance while consuming an acceptable amount of energy. This applies to both high performance and mobile computing platforms. To achieve this goal, we propose evolution algorithm based automatic tuning as one feasible solution for energy-aware computing on many-core microprocessors. In this paper, we present several auto-tuning approaches employing differential evolution (DE) algorithms and genetic algorithm (GA). Our target is to approach the optimal setting of different power islands on a many-core platform as fast as possible when running multiple programs. Comparing with brutal-force approaches, our solution has the advantage of fast converging speed without the need to traverse the entire search space, and runtime tuning without a priori knowledge of the software workload. Our experimental results show that adaptive differential evolution algorithm is able to achieve reduced energy consumption as well as better energy-delay product (EDP) than other representative algorithms that we examined. Based on the results we obtained, we believe adaptive evolution based auto-tuning approach is an effective method towards energy-efficient computing on many-core platforms.

Geolectric field measurement, modelling and validation during geomagnetic storms in the UK

Significant geoelectric fields are produced by the interaction of rapidly varying magnetic fields with the conductive Earth, particularly during intense geomagnetic activity. Though usually harmless, large or sustained geoelectric fields can damage grounded infrastructure such as high-voltage transformers and pipelines via geomagnetically induced currents (GICs). A key aspect of understanding the effects of space weather on grounded infrastructure is through the spatial and temporal variation of the geoelectric field. Globally, there are few long-term monitoring sites of the geoelectric field, so in 2012 measurements of the horizontal surface field were started at Lerwick, Eskdalemuir and Hartland observatories in the UK. Between 2012 and 2020, the maximum value of the geoelectric field observed was around 1 V/km in Lerwick, 0.5 V/km in Eskdalemuir and 0.1 V/km in Hartland during the March 2015 storm. These long-term observations also allow comparisons with models of the geoelectric field to be made. We use the measurements to compute magnetotelluric impedance transfer functions at each observatory for periods from 20 to 30,000 s. These are then used to predict the geoelectric field at the observatory sites during selected storm times that match the recorded fields very well (correlation around 0.9). We also compute geoelectric field values from a thin-sheet model of Britain, accounting for the diverse geological and bathymetric island setting. We find the thin-sheet model captures the peak and phase of the band-passed geoelectric field reasonably well, with linear correlation of around 0.4 in general. From these two modelling approaches, we generate geoelectric field values for historic storms (March 1989 and October 2003) and find the estimates of past peak geoelectric fields of up to 1.75 V/km in Eskdalemuir. However, evidence from high voltage transformer GIC measurements during these storms suggests these estimates are likely to represent an underestimate of the true value.

The use of islands and cluster-randomized trials to investigate vector control interventions: a case study on the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea-Bissau.

Vector-borne diseases threaten the health of populations around the world. While key interventions continue to provide protection from vectors, there remains a need to develop and test new vector control tools. Cluster-randomized trials, in which the intervention or control is randomly allocated to clusters, are commonly selected for such evaluations, but their design must carefully consider cluster size and cluster separation, as well as the movement of people and vectors, to ensure sufficient statistical power and avoid contamination of results. Island settings present an opportunity to conduct these studies. Here, we explore the benefits and challenges of conducting intervention studies on islands and introduce the Bijagós archipelago of Guinea-Bissau as a potential study site for interventions intended to control vector-borne diseases. This article is part of the theme issue 'Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases'.

Whole-island wind bifurcation and localized topographic steering: Impacts on aeolian dune dynamics

Topographic steering has been observed around Gran Canaria, a high-profile circular island located in the Canary Island Archipelago, Spain, culminating in a complex lee-side wind regime at the Maspalomas dunefield. Maspalomas has experienced rapid environmental changes since the 1960s, coincident with a boom in the tourism industry in the region and requires further examination on the linkages between meso-scale airflow patterns and aeolian processes modifying the landscape. The aim of this work is to simulate mean and turbulent airflow conditions at Maspalomas due to incremental changes in the regional wind direction and to compare these results to the predicted and observed aeolian dynamics taken from meteorological records, a global wind retro-analysis model, and remote sensing data. A Smagorinsky Large Eddy Simulation (S-LES) model was used to identify meso-scale airflow perturbations and turbulence at different locations around the island. Variability in meteorological data was also identified, with sites recording accelerated or retarded velocities and directional distributions ranging between unimodal to bimodal. Using a global retro-analysis model, relatively consistent up-wind conditions were predicted over a period coinciding with three aerial LiDAR surveys (i.e., 2006, 2008, and 2011) at the Maspalomas dunefield. Despite the consistent predicted airflow conditions, dune migration rates dropped from 7.26 m y−1 to 2.80 m y−1 and 28% of dunes experienced crest reversal towards the east, or opposite of the primary westerly migration direction during the second time period. Our results indicate that meso-scale airflow steering alters local wind conditions that can modify sediment transport gradients at Maspalomas. Given the rapidity of environmental changes and anthropogenic impacts at Maspalomas, these findings improve our understanding on the aeolian dynamics at Maspalomas and can be used to inform future management strategies. Lastly, the approach used in this study could be applied to other high-profile island settings or similarly complex aeolian environments.

The volatile budget of Hawaiian magmatism: Constraints from melt inclusions from Haleakala volcano, Hawaii

Pre-eruptive volatile contents recorded by melt inclusions from ocean island settings such as Hawaii constrain the extent of deep Earth outgassing on geologic timescales by mantle plume activity. However, melt inclusions trapped from a partially degassed magma will not reflect the original volatile content of the primary melt, and relatively silicic (>45 wt% SiO2) shield-stage tholeiites are more likely to have been affected by degassing during fractionation at shallow depths. In contrast, magmas associated with post-shield volcanoes erupt volatile-rich melts that ascend quickly from the source region and crystallize in deep reservoirs. As a result, melt inclusions from post-shield volcanoes may be more likely to preserve undegassed melt compositions that can be used to determine the primary melt and source volatile contents. In this study, we analyzed melt inclusions from Haleakala Volcano (East Maui, Hawaii) to estimate the volatile budget of Hawaiian post-shield magmas. Melt inclusions from Haleakala contain up to 1.3 wt% CO2, 1.2 wt% H2O, and about 2000 ppm S. We calculate that melts from Haleakala were derived from a parental melt with ~0.7 wt% H2O and ~0.7 wt% CO2 and experienced ~15–40% polybaric, fluid-saturated crystallization starting at 5–7 kbar. Post-shield melt inclusions from Haleakala have H2O/Ce and CO2/Ba compositions that are intermediate between shield-stage melt inclusions from Kilauea and the alkaline North Arch Volcanic Field, which is consistent with a scenario in which primary melts from Haleakala are influenced by the volatile-rich auto-metasomatized periphery of the composite plume source.

Energy-aware automatic tuning on many-core platform via adaptive evolution

Even though attaining high performance has been the user's pursuit traditionally, in the many-core era the emphasis has shifted towards controlling the power and energy consumption to maintain a satisfying performance while consuming an acceptable amount of energy. This applies to both high performance and mobile computing platforms. To achieve this goal, we propose evolution algorithm based automatic tuning as one feasible solution for energy-aware computing on many-core microprocessors. In this paper, we present several auto-tuning approaches employing differential evolution (DE) algorithms and genetic algorithm (GA). Our target is to approach the optimal setting of different power islands on a many-core platform as fast as possible when running multiple programs. Comparing with brutal-force approaches, our solution has the advantage of fast converging speed without the need to traverse the entire search space, and runtime tuning without a priori knowledge of the software workload. Our experimental results show that adaptive differential evolution algorithm is able to achieve reduced energy consumption as well as better energy-delay product (EDP) than other representative algorithms that we examined. Based on the results we obtained, we believe adaptive evolution based auto-tuning approach is an effective method towards energy-efficient computing on many-core platforms.

Culturally responsive pedagogy for sustainable quality education in the Cook Islands setting

The provision of a culturally responsive pedagogy is considered to be an important part of delivering a quality education that is ongoing and able to be sustained over time in Pacific developing nations. A quality sustainable education is considered to encourage cultural inclusivity, policy and curriculum practices in schools. By ensuring an inclusive and quality education, education can serve as a powerful vehicle for wider sustainable economic development in the Pacific region. To meet this end, United Nations Pacific signatories pledged support for the educational goal, endorsing an inclusive and equitable quality education for all that promotes relevant learning. 
 The implementation of culturally relevant teaching and learning environments have long remained a challenge for Pacific nations. In order to realise a sustainable quality education, the question that needs to be asked is: what does sustainable education look like in Pacific regions? This paper explores how the tivaevae as a culturally responsive pedagogy model creates opportunities for a sustainable education and curriculum in the Pacific region and, in turn, contributes to an inclusive and quality education.

Phylogenetic analysis supports the allochthonous origin of gynodioecy in New Zealand Gaultheria Kalm ex L.

ABSTRACT The origin and establishment of gender dimorphism has been postulated as a key element in the evolution of insular floras but has generally not been studied in an explicit phylogenetic framework. We tested the prior conclusion that the origin of gender dimorphism in the New Zealand species of Gaultheria Kalm ex L. is allochthonous by newly tracing the evolution of gender dimorphism on a phylogenetic tree of the Wintergreen Clade. We scored species for male sterility and breeding system type (cosexual, gynodioecious, or dioecious) based on the literature, and observations from the field and herbarium specimens. We traced the evolution of gender dimorphism, fruit evolution, and ancestral areas on the tree with parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods. Our analyses revealed that male sterility in New Zealand most likely emanated from a male-sterile fleshy red-fruited South American lineage, with reversals to cosexuality in two or three Australian lineages of the more inclusive Australasian Clade. The results support an allochthonous origin of gynodioecy in New Zealand Gaultheria and corroborate arrival of the ancestral ancestor through over-water dispersal, likely by birds. Although gender dimorphism could have arrived to New Zealand as a preadaptation to avoid inbreeding depression in an island setting, its correlation with fleshy fruit, unspecialised flowers, and woody habit across the genus suggests that factors other than the island setting per se are responsible for its maintenance in New Zealand. Although gender dimorphism in New Zealand has usually arisen autochthonously in dry-fruited genera, in Gaultheria the presence of gynodioecy in several dry-fruited species is best explained by its retention from fleshy-fruited ancestors.

Leaf functional traits and insular colonization: Subtropical islands as a melting pot of trait diversity in a widespread plant lineage

AbstractAimOne of the main goals of functional biogeography is to examine distribution patterns of trait diversity, and islands provide excellent study cases for this emerging field. We tested the hypothesis that multiple dispersals from a common mainland pool would promote functional similarity among island systems when environmental conditions are similar, but also novel phenotypic traits related to colonization history and exploitation of new habitats.LocationMediterranean Basin and Macaronesian islands.TaxonWolfbane (Periploca laevigata)MethodsWe used the well‐known biogeographical history of a woody plant complex (P. laevigata s.l.) to examine trait variation and how it relates to climatic conditions of mainland and subtropical island settings. In a common garden experiment, we measured a suite of leaf physiological and anatomical traits tightly related to plant performance in 320 seedlings representing 21 populations of five sublineages—the oldest (2.6 my) island colonization (western Canary Islands) as a reference, three sublineages stemming from independent events of island colonization in the last 0.5 my from NW Africa (Cape Verde, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote) and their widespread Mediterranean mainland counterpart.ResultsWe observed strong phenotypic divergence between island and mainland sublineages linked to contrasting climatic conditions. Mediterranean mainland populations displayed a very specialized leaf phenotype characteristic of arid plants (i.e. small leaves, amphistomaty, isobilateral mesophyll, high photosynthetic rates). In turn, low seasonality on islands was linked to the recurrent expression of a phenotype characterized by larger leaves and lower photosynthetic rates. Our analyses showed that the high investment in secondary compounds (i.e. tannins) on islands decouples photosynthesis from growth rates. Despite this pattern of parallel differentiation, each island sublineage displayed a distinctive phenotype, with some traits related to colonization time, which resulted in a mosaic of functional variation across island systems.Main conclusionsOur data suggest that the studied subtropical islands promote expression of traits specific to certain sublineages and other common traits that are no longer adaptive in the original mainland pool due to Pleistocene climatic shifts. These findings ultimately extend the role of islands as biodiversity refugia and hotspots of plant functional diversity.

The association between purchasing locally produced food and diet quality among adults in Puerto Rico.

Diminished diet quality in the Caribbean and other island settings may be related to a dietary transition from local foods towards imported products. The current study aimed to characterise the association between intentionally purchasing local foods (IPLF) and diet quality in Puerto Rico (PR). Cross-sectional study. Primary care clinics in the PR metropolitan area. Data were obtained from adult participants (30-75 years; n 243) of the Puerto Rico Assessment of Diet, Lifestyle, and Diseases. IPLF was probed by asking: 'How often do you purposely purchase foods from PR (like fruits, vegetables, meat and other products that are produced on the island rather than being imported)?' Dietary intake was measured using a FFQ, and diet quality was assessed by the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (range 0-110; higher scores indicating higher diet quality). Multivariate-adjusted generalised linear models tested the association between IPLF and Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI) and its component scores. A third (33·9 %) of participants reported seldom, 33·5 % reported often and 30·6 % reported always IPLF. Compared with seldom IPLF, fully adjusted mean AHEI scores were 3·6 (P = 0·038) points higher among those often IPLF and 9·3 (P < 0·0001) points higher among those always IPLF. Compared with seldom IPLF, those who always IPLF had significantly higher fully adjusted mean component scores for vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and legumes, trans fat and n-3 fats. Adults in PR who intentionally purchase local foods had higher diet quality, especially for intake of plant-based foods and healthy fats, highlighting potential dietary benefits associated with improved local food availability in PR.

A severe diarrhoeal outbreak in a remote Pacific island community, Anuta Island, Solomon Islands, April-June 2019

Solomon Islands is a small developing island state located in the south-western Pacific Ocean. A population of approximately 680 000 people live on more than one-third of the 992 islands that make up the country. Approximately 80% of the population reside in rural areas, many in remote, difficult to reach and poorly serviced island settings. In May 2019, the national surveillance system detected a rumour of a severe diarrhoea outbreak in a very remote and isolated community on Anuta Island, located halfway between the Solomon Islands archipelago and Tuvalu. This communication reports on the investigation and response to the outbreak, which affected 50 people (attack rate of 21.5%) and caused four deaths (case fatality rate of 8%). The authors highlight the system challenges faced in mounting the response and provide suggestions that may help overcome them. The outbreak highlighted the challenges in detecting and responding to outbreaks in remote and rural areas of the Pacific Islands, and the limitations of rumour surveillance as a relied-upon surveillance strategy. The outbreak emphasises the need to build local capacity to detect, report and respond to outbreaks and the need for policy frameworks that ensure remote communities receive adequate health protection services.

Le mythe de Paul et Virginie à travers trois romans francophones de l’océan Indien

Ex oriente lux? From the Southern Tropics in any case, since certain myths from former times, forgotten and buried under indifference, come back to us rejuvenated and transformed. In this article, we treat one myth — ‘myth’ given the extent of its cultural hypertext — which arose, strangely but almost necessarily, in an ancient French colony: the Île-de-France (Mauritius). It may seem fairly obvious that Paul and Virginie (hero and heroine of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre’s eponymous novel) should have returned to haunt the literature of the Île-de-France and her “sister island”, La Réunion. We examine three novels: the first transcribes the idyllic couple in terms of a realism based on a form of local colour (Georges Azéma, Noëlla, 1874). The second ends up destroying the pastoral eclogue of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (Loys Masson, Les Noces de la vanille, 1962, English title: The Overseer). The third novel, Le Chercheur d’or by J.M.G. Le Clézio (1985, English title: The Collector), abandons the island setting in order to preserve the myth. Whether colonial or postcolonial, the old myth, dressed in new clothes, invites us to a dialogue between different centuries and different cultures.

Protocol for a cluster-randomised non-inferiority trial of one versus two doses of ivermectin for the control of scabies using a mass drug administration strategy (the RISE study)

IntroductionScabies is a significant contributor to global morbidity, affecting approximately 200 million people at any time. Scabies is endemic in many resource-limited tropical settings. Bacterial skin infection (impetigo) frequently complicates...

Natural Disasters in the Americas, Dialysis Patients, and Implications for Emergency Planning: A Systematic Review.

IntroductionNatural hazards are elements of the physical environment caused by forces extraneous to human intervention and may be harmful to human beings. Natural hazards, such as weather events, can lead to natural disasters, which are serious societal disruptions that can disrupt dialysis provision, a life-threatening event for dialysis-dependent people. The adverse outcomes associated with missed dialysis sessions are likely exacerbated in island settings, where health care resources and emergency procedures are limited. The effect of natural disasters on dialysis patients living in geographically vulnerable areas such as the Cayman Islands is largely understudied. To inform predisaster interventions, we systematically reviewed studies examining the effects of disasters on dialysis patients and discussed the implications for emergency preparedness in the Cayman Islands.MethodsTwo reviewers independently screened 434 titles and abstracts from PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. We included studies if they were original research articles published in English from 2009 to 2019 and conducted in the Americas.ResultsOur search yielded 15 relevant articles, which we included in the final analysis. Results showed that disasters have both direct and indirect effects on dialysis patients. Lack of electricity, clean water, and transportation, and closure of dialysis centers can disrupt dialysis care, lead to missed dialysis sessions, and increase the number of hospitalizations and use of the emergency department. Additionally, disasters can exacerbate depression and lead to posttraumatic stress disorder among dialysis patients.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this systematic review is the first study that presents a synthesis of the scientific literature on the effects of disasters on dialysis populations. The indirect and direct effects of disasters on dialysis patients highlight the need for predisaster interventions at the patient and health care system levels. Particularly, educating patients about an emergency renal diet and offering early dialysis can help to mitigate the negative effects of disasters.

Clinopyroxene Dissolution Records Rapid Magma Ascent

Magma ascent rates control volcanic eruption styles. However, the rates at which basaltic magmas ascend through the crust remain highly uncertain. Although recent studies have successfully exploited records of decompression driven degassing to estimate the rates at which H$_{\text{2}}$O-rich basalts ascend, such approaches cannot readily be applied to primitive and H$_{\text{2}}$O-poor basalts that erupt in ocean island and mid-ocean ridge settings. Here we present magma ascent rates obtained by modelling the dissolution of clinopyroxene crystals in a wehrlitic nodule from the primitive Borgarhraun lava flow in North Iceland. High-Al$_{\text{2}}$O$_{\text{3}}$ clinopyroxene core compositions are consistent with crystallisation near the Moho ($\sim$800 MPa), whereas low-Al$_{\text{2}}$O$_{\text{3}}$ clinopyroxene rims and inclusion compositions are consistent with crystallisation at or near the surface. We interpret low-Al$_{\text{2}}$O$_{\text{3}}$ rims and inclusions as the crystallised remnants of boundary layers formed by the dissolution of high-Al$_{\text{2}}$O$_{\text{3}}$ clinopyroxene during magma ascent. By combining characteristic rim dissolution lengths of 50--100 $\upmu$m with published experimental calibrations of clinopyroxene dissolution behaviour, we estimate that the Borgarhraun magma most likely decompressed and ascended at rates of 3.0--15 kPa.s$^{-\text{1}}$ and 0.11--0.53 m.s$^{-\text{1}}$ respectively. These rates are slightly faster than published estimates obtained by modelling the diffusive re-equilibration of olivine crystals, suggesting that the Borgarhraun magma either accelerated upwards or that it stalled briefly at depth prior to final ascent. Comparisons with other basaltic eruptions indicate that the H$_{\text{2}}$O-poor magma that fed the dominantly effusive Borgarhraun eruption ascended at a similar rate to some H$_{\text{2}}$O-rich magmas that have fed explosive eruptions in arc settings. Thus, magma ascent rates do not appear to correlate simply with magma H$_{\text{2}}$O contents. Overall, our findings confirm that primitive and H$_{\text{2}}$O-poor basalts can traverse the crust within days, and may erupt with little precursory warning of magma ascent.