Success Of Process Research Articles

Delineation of outbreak stages of the coral-killing sponge Terpios hoshinota

Outbreaks of the cyanobacteriosponge Terpios hoshinota are one of the many issues contributing to coral reef decline in the Indo-Pacific. This species occasionally undergoes local outbreaks, becoming an aggressive space competitor and overgrowing and killing zooxanthellate corals. Large outbreaks have been observed in Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan. Many questions regarding the characteristics and chronology of T. hoshinota outbreaks remain unsolved. Therefore, the aim of this research was to identify outbreak stages at an outbreak site (Ogimi) on the west coast of northern Okinawa Island, Japan. We developed a novel approach to understand the chronology of outbreaks. Distinct outbreak stages were defined based on observations, in which Terpios: 1) starts overgrowing coral colonies, 2) covers a whole coral colony, 3) in the case of branching corals, causes the coral colony to collapse, and 4) the sponge is eventually overgrown by other organisms including turf algae and other sponges. Analyses were done based on photographic transects and the relative proportions of each stage were calculated. Results showed Ogimi is likely in final outbreak stages as overgrown Terpios had the highest share of all stages (57.9% and 44.9% at two outbreak sites), while smaller patches of Terpios, marking the starting point of the successional process, made up less than 1.5% of all observations. We suggest collecting such stage information during Terpios monitoring as it can allow identification of outbreaks at early stages, and potentially identify global patterns.

Landscape diversity, habitat connectivity, age and size determine the conservation value of limestone quarries for diverse wild bee communities

Abstract Abandoned and even active limestone quarries (excavation sites) can represent important secondary habitats for many species, including wild bees, associated with dry grasslands, which are threatened biodiversity hotspots in Europe. However, is not well understood how interactions between local habitat and landscape characteristics influence the value of limestone quarries for wild bees and how this could guide conservation schemes. We studied how wild bee communities in limestone quarries are affected by landscape variables (connectivity to neighbouring dry grasslands, landscape diversity), local quarry characteristics (area, age, woody vegetation cover, flowering plant species) and their interactions. We surveyed bee communities during 208 transects in 19 quarries in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. In total, we recorded 114 bee species (2360 individuals), including 35 endangered species. High flowering plant species richness positively affected bee abundance and richness. Large quarry area was important for determining the presence of endangered bee species. High levels of woody vegetation cover had a negative effect on bee abundance and richness. Bee abundance and richness can increase with quarry age, but only at sites with moderate woody vegetation cover. We found potentially positive interactions between quarry age and landscape diversity and/or habitat connectivity to neighbouring dry grasslands. In particular, high habitat connectivity ensured stable richness of endangered species in old quarries. Synthesis and applications. Observed negative effects of high woody vegetation cover on bee communities highlight the importance of local management to reduce shrub encroachment and reset successional processes in limestone quarries. Local management is particularly important in old quarries of great ecological value, where the adverse impact of high woody vegetation cover on wild bees appears to be most severe. Large and old quarries with high connectivity to neighbouring dry grasslands are especially valuable for endangered bee species. Therefore, landscape‐scale restoration and conservation of dry grasslands is the most promising approach to promote endangered bee species through enhanced habitat connectivity.

DFT Study on Copper‐Catalyzed Hydroboration of 1,3‐Diynes: Mechanism, Selectivity, and Comparison with Ruthenium

AbstractDensity functional theory calculations have been performed to explore the mechanism of copper‐catalyzed hydroboration of 1,3‐diyne with HBpin. The catalytic cycles are composed of three elementary processes in succession, namely, the generation of copper hydride species, migratory insertion and σ‐bond metathesis, among which the σ‐bond metathesis step is rate‐determining with a free‐energy barrier of 19.7 kcal/mol. The syn‐addition selectivity originates from the high barrier for converting (Z)‐product to (E)‐product. Effects of diphosphine ligands and substituents on the reactivity were also addressed. Lastly, this copper‐catalyzed hydroboration was compared with a related ruthenium‐catalyzed one, and the obtained results indicated that copper‐catalyzed hydroboration has a more favorable σ‐bond metathesis step and a more challenging migratory insertion step as compared to the ruthenium‐catalyzed counterpart. Wavefunction analyses were performed to understand the observed behaviors.

Stream bryophyte recovery after extreme flood disturbance takes several years

Abstract The recovery rates and assembly processes of stream bryophyte communities after severe disturbances are not well known. Breaking of an ice dam caused an extreme flood that completely removed bryophyte cover along several hundreds of metres of a boreal stream (Stream Uopajanpuro, Koillismaa, NE Finland). We monitored recolonization rates and successional processes of stream bryophytes in the disturbed stream section over 8 years. In the first two summers after the disturbance, the disturbed section remained largely unvegetated. The initial recovery of the bryophyte community resulted mainly from colonization of vegetative moss fragments of the dominant, perennial species present in the undisturbed upstream section, whereas typical early successional colonist species remained scarce. The recovery of total cover, richness and community composition of stream bryophytes took 5–6 years after the disturbance event, even though bryophyte vegetation supplying fragments was located in the immediate vicinity upstream of the disturbance site. Bryophyte species showed differences in the colonization–recovery rates. Mean spatial segregation among species showed no trend during recovery, whereas several species pairs showed both segregation and aggregation trends. Our results indicate that extreme flooding can have devastating effects on bryophyte cover, and the recovery of bryophytes is slow compared to other stream organisms, with full recovery taking up to several years. This recovery time estimate may only apply if there is an immediate upstream source of vegetative propagules from undisturbed populations. Where such populations are absent, recovery of bryophyte communities can take decades.

Aversive sexual learning in the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus: Modulation of different sexual responses in males and females

Although sexual learning can be a key process in the reproductive success of animals, research focused on the experience-dependent modulation of courtship in insects is scarce. In kissing bugs, the behavioural steps implicated in mating have been exhaustively studied, but not the involvement of learning in them. Our objective was to determine whether the sexual behaviour of Rhodnius prolixus could be modulated by experience. During training, couples were submitted to eight assays, in which they received a vibration (negative reinforcement) when the male attempted to copulate the female. Immediately after, they were separated, not allowing the occurrence of copulation. We found that along training, males’ latency to perform a copulatory attempt increased, male’s copulatory attempts were less frequent, and females’ locomotor activity did not change. These results suggest that males, and not females, learned to avoid the vibration by reducing their intention to copulate. In post-training tests, conditioned males presented with new naïve females reverted to low copulatory attempt latencies, suggesting that the modulation was partner-specific. Besides, conditioned females increased their rejection frequencies to males’ copulatory attempts, suggesting that a second type of learning occurred in females. These results constitute the first evidence of sexual learning in hematophagous insects. Males and females seem to change their selectivity according to their previous sexual experience. We discuss the relevance that this plasticity might have in the fitness of this epidemiologically relevant insect.

Characterizing long-term tree species dynamics in Canada’s forested ecosystems using annual time series remote sensing data

Mapping tree species and changes in species distribution over time enables monitoring of successional dynamics and linking of realized species distributions to regional, climatic, and disturbance processes. Such knowledge is valuable for informing forest management activities regarding the role of climate change and various types of forest disturbances on tree species distributions and successional processes. In this study, we used time-series Landsat imagery to produce annual maps of dominant tree species (n = 37 tree species classes) from 1984 to 2022 at a 30-m spatial resolution for the 650 Mha of Canada’s forested ecosystems. The classification approach was based on spectral, geographic, climatic, and topographic descriptive metrics and was independently calibrated and validated with data from Canada’s National Forest Inventory. Preliminary results were informed by disturbance events and post-processed to ensure consistency of the annual species maps. Assessment of the resulting annual species maps using independent validation data resulted in an overall accuracy of 86.1 % ± 0.14 % (95 %-confidence interval). Over the study period, Canada’s treed area increased from 335 to 359 Mha. The area dominated by conifers increased in absolute terms but decreased in relative terms (from 86 % to 84.9 %), especially in western ecozones where wildfire is the main agent of disturbance. The area dominated by black spruce (Picea mariana), the most common tree species in Canada, remained stable, but its relative area decreased by 4.6 %. The area dominated by balsam fir (Abies balsamea, 1.5 %), trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides, 0.9 %), jack pine (0.5 %), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum, 0.4 %) increased. In burned areas, the prevalence of black spruce (74.7 %) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana, 14.6 %) was greater than their prevalence in Canada’s forested ecosystems overall (58.7 % and 3.8 %, respectively), while trembling aspen (2.4 % vs. 10 %) and subalpine fir (1.1 % vs. 4.6 %; Abies lasiocarpa) were underrepresented in burned areas. The area dominated by black spruce was underrepresented in harvested areas (46.8 % vs. 58.7 %) whereas balsam fir (6.9 % vs. 3 %), Engelmann spruce (5.5 % vs. 2 %; Picea engelmannii), red spruce (1.8 % vs. 0.4 %; Picea rubens), lodgepole pine (11.2 % vs. 5.6 %; Pinus contorta), Douglas-fir (2.7 % vs. 1.3 %; Pseudotsuga menziesii), and western hemlock (4.8 % vs. 2 %; Tsuga heterophylla) were found to be overrepresented. Both post-fire and post-harvest dynamics indicated a general trend of regeneration to the same pre-disturbance tree species, with post-harvest landscapes exhibiting a greater variety of different dominant tree species. These results provide valuable information for sustainable forest management and can inform conservation strategies by helping to better understand the short- and long-term effects of forest disturbances on species presence and distribution.

The changes in diversity of vegetation and foliar stable isotopes during the terrestrial plant succession of a subtropical forest and their ecological implications

The disturbed forest system can be restored through successional processes, where changes in the diversity of plant species serves as key indicators of processes. Meanwhile plant water use efficiency and nitrogen dynamics are important factors influencing photosynthesis-water coupling and nutrient stress in plants, respectively, during forest recovery. Analyzing these factors is crucial for understanding forest recovery and promoting sustainable ecosystem development. In this study, traditional vegetation surveys and biodiversity indices, along with foliar stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses, as well as nitrogen content analyses, were conducted in a subtropical forest with various successional stages following human and natural disturbances in Sichuan province, China. These analyses were used to assess species diversity patterns, evaluate water use efficiency, and assess nitrogen dynamics in primary, secondary, and artificial forests. The results showed distinct stage-specific differences in succession among forest types. Primary forests exhibited the highest successional stage but were limited by water stress and high nitrogen competition, with the highest δ13C values (i.e., −29.0 ‰), lowest δ15N values (i.e., −3.6 ‰), and the lowest nitrogen contents (i.e., 3.6 %) on average. Artificial forests had the lowest species diversity due to species dominance and nitrogen competition, with the lowest δ13C values (i.e., −29.7 ‰), relatively low nitrogen contents (i.e., 4.0 %), and high δ15N values (i.e., −1.8 ‰). Secondary forests, with longer recovery periods, reached higher successional stage due to sufficient nitrogen and water, which is indicated by the highest δ15N values and nitrogen contents (i.e., −1.7 ‰ and 4.5 %), and the relatively low δ13C values (i.e., −29.4 ‰), leading to accelerated vegetation growth. This study highlights not only the importance of analyzing plant diversity, but also the material cycles, especially water use efficiency, and nitrogen dynamics, to understanding forest recovery. These findings can support effective conservation and sustainable development of subtropical forest ecosystems.

Predictores del éxito académico en estudiantes de pregrado de la carrera de Nutrición y Dietética de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

IntroductionIdentifying the factors that determine academic success can help design strategies focused on increasing academic success. We aimed to identify predictors associated with academic success in undergraduate students of the Nutrition and Dietetics Program of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC). MethodsRetrospective study using the institutional database. Academic success was the main outcome, including two indexes: i) final grade point average (GPA-f) and; ii) timely graduation, defined as graduating in ≤10 semesters. Candidate predictors were: age, sex, region of origin, school attended, score at the university selection test (PSU-score), admission route, and preference for the program. Stepwise linear regression was used to identify predictors of GPA-f. Binary logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with timely graduation. ResultsPSU-score was the only predictor of GPA, explaining 24% of its variance. The odds (OR [95%CI]) for a timely graduation were influenced by PSU-score (1.017 [1.003–1.031]) and admission route (PSU 1.00 [Reference], Inclusive 0.30 [0.10–0.96], Special 0.46 [0.13–1.57]). Conclusions and implicationsPSU-score partially predicts the academic success of Nutrition and Dietetics students. In addition, students who accessed the program by the equity admission had lower odds of a timely graduation. As educational inequalities may affect academic success, the teaching and learning process needs to be addressed with specific strategies for these students to ensure academic success.

Green Technology Innovation and Its Impact on Financial Performance with the Moderation of Green Image and Green Subsidies in SMEs in Depok City

This study aims to explore the impact of green technology innovation on the financial performance of SMEs in Depok City, Indonesia. With a focus on green process and product innovations, the research also examines the moderating effects of green image and green subsidies. The study employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data collected from 387 SMEs, offering insights into the complex relationships between these variables. The results reveal that green process innovation significantly influences green product innovation, which in turn, positively impacts financial performance. The mediating role of green product innovation underscores the importance of integrating process and product innovations for financial success. Additionally, the study finds that a strong green image enhances the positive relationship between green product innovation and financial performance, highlighting the importance of environmental branding. However, contrary to expectations, green subsidies do not significantly moderate the relationship between green product innovation and financial performance.

Does basic physician trainee selection predict successful progression in the Royal Australasian College of Physicians adult medicine training programme? A retrospective cohort study.

The optimal selection process for basic physician trainees (BPTs) is unclear. To assess an adult BPT selection process, including a standardised recruitment interview assessing clinical decision-making and situational judgement. A retrospective multi-year cohort study of applicants who were selected for interview during the annual recruitment for 2011-2015 clinical years in an adult basic physician training network in NSW. The predictive capacity of the final recruitment assessment score was compared with success in the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) adult medicine clinical examination within 2 years. Four hundred thirty-six applicants were selected for interview (84-91 in each year). Summary mean post-interview scores ranged from 1.25 to 10, with the median ranging between 7 and 8. Median scores were higher in those who passed the examination than those who did not (7.75 vs 6.43, P < 0.0001). Those who did not sit for the examination in the relevant year or never sat for the examination had similar median scores (7 vs 6.75, P = 0.11). Those not deemed eligible for recruitment were less likely to pass the clinical examination within 2 years than those on the eligibility list (odds ratio (OR) = 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.25-0.57). Applicants with mean scores lower than 8 were less likely to pass than those in the top band (8.1-10); scores between 6.1 and 8 OR 0.42 (95% CI = 0.26-0.68), 4.1-6 OR 0.23 (95% CI = 0.13-0.41) and 2.1-4 OR 0.24 (95% CI = 0.10-0.60). The predictive capacity of the selection process for success in the RACP clinical examination within the minimum time period is high.

Testing the sequence of successional processes in miniature ecosystems.

Hypotheses regarding the underlying processes of ecological successions have primarily emerged from and have been tested in observational studies, lacking substantial support through controlled experiments. The design of such experiments should focus on testing contemporary ecological theories at the intersection of community assembly and successional research. To achieve this, we developed and employed 3D-printed "Ecosystems on a Plate" (EsoaP) within controlled laboratory settings. EsoaPs surmount several limitations of nanoscale instruments that had hindered their application in ecologically meaningful research. By sharing 3D printing designs, experimental protocols, and data openly, we facilitate reproducibility of our experiments by researchers across diverse ecological disciplines. Moreover, our approach facilitates cost-effective replication of experiments, democratizing access to tools for ecological research, and thus holds the potential to serve as a model for future studies and educational purposes.

Entrepreneurial orientation and project portfolio success: the roles of digitalization and modularization

PurposeThis study explores entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on project portfolio success in new product development projects, with the moderating effects of digitalization capability and modularization process.Design/methodology/approachThe sample data of 204 firms was used to analyze the research hypotheses. This study adopted hierarchical regression to test the theoretical conceptual model incorporating EO, digitalization capability, modularization process, and project portfolio success.FindingsThese results indicate that EO positively affects project portfolio success. More importantly, digitalization capability and modularization process positively moderate the relationship between EO and project portfolio success.Originality/valueProminent studies have focused on different antecedent and consequence factors of project portfolio success; however, the impacts of EO still need to be noticed. This study makes a pioneering effort to make up this gap and investigate the effects of EO on project portfolio success, digitalization capability, and modularization process as moderators, which can enrich the current literature on project portfolio management.

An insight into effect of soil salinity on vegetation dynamics in the exposed seafloor of the Aral Sea

The desiccation of the Aral Sea has precipitated significant ecological degradation, resulting in the progressive development of vegetation on the exposed seafloor. Soil salinity emerges as a pivotal determinant in this ecological succession process. Employing a comprehensive methodology integrating multi-source datasets spanning from 1986 to 2023, this study elucidates the temporal changes in vegetation dynamics and soil salinity levels. Satellite imagery (Landsat-4/5/7/8), field soil samplings, hydrological and topographic data were analyzed to understand their interactions with regression analysis. The results reveal a consistent increasing trend in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) across the exposed seabed since 1986. However, NDVI demonstrates a non-linear relationship with elevation in the North Aral Sea region. Interestingly, NDVI levels near an elevation of 42 m on the exposed seabed approximate those observed during the pre-recession period in the 1960s. Conversely, in the South Aral Sea region, NDVI demonstrates a linear upward trend with increasing elevation. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of soil salinity on the exposed seabed was delineated with linear regression analysis. It revealed water salinity levels at the time of sea recession can serve as a proxy for soil salinity in cases where direct soil data is unavailable. Through establishing a robust correlation between NDVI and soil salinity, the range of stable NDVI values on the exposed seabed was delineated. Lastly, three hypothetical scenarios of rising water levels were considered to evaluate changes in stable NDVI across different elevation gradients. If the water level returns to 45 m, the salt-desert area would decrease by 4.5 × 104 km2, accounting for 23 % of the total area in 1960. At this water level, it is anticipated that lake hydrological conditions and ecological environments may restore to those observed in 1981. This study provides a long-term perspective on environmental changes in the Aral Sea region by integrating multiple data sources and analytical methods. The predictive insights from the scenario analysis offer valuable guidance for future water management and ecological restoration efforts. Compared with previous studies, it presents a detailed and comprehensive picture of the interplay between vegetation dynamics and soil salinity, highlighting the critical impact of water level changes on the region's ecosystem.

Shifts in benthic megafauna communities after glacial retreat in an Antarctic fjord

Underwater imagery survey was conducted to address changes in Antarctic benthic megafauna communities by recent glacial retreat in Marian Cove, where distance from the glacier was proportional to retreat period. Benthic megafauna communities showed lesser variation due to frequent ice-scouring at 10 m than deeper seabed. At deep seabed (50–90 m), where glacier impacts decreased, benthic megafauna was scarce right in front of the glacier, but near the glacier (~10 years after seabed exposure), density peaked (128 ind. m−2) with pioneer species. At the outermost site, pioneer species were extremely limited (5 ind. m−2) while late-successional species were abundant (42 ind. m−2). Taxonomic and functional diversities peaked near the glacier and outermost site, respectively, indicating different mechanisms of structural and functional change after glacial retreat. This study showed a four-step successional process of benthic megafauna communities after glacial retreat in Antarctic nearshore: high disturbance, colonization, transition, and maturing stages.

How restoration engineering measures can enhance the ecological value of intertidal flats

Restoration engineering measures, such as managed realignments or building groins, modify the environmental characteristics of coastal intertidal ecosystems. Creating physical modifications that are beneficial to an intertidal system's ecology necessitates an in‐depth understanding of the relationships between the abiotic and biotic components of a given intertidal habitat. In this study, we evaluate how hydrodynamics and sediment characteristics drive the development of the benthic macrofauna community during the first 5 years following engineering measures to enhance benthic macrofauna diversity at three locations. The creation of low‐energy habitats through groins (Knuitershoek and Baalhoek) and a managed realignment dike breach (Perkpolder) led to the accumulation of fine sediments in all three impact sites. Biomass of benthic macrofauna quickly increased between 2016 and 2020, with successional processes being more important in Perkpolder, where the habitat was started completely from scratch due to a managed realignment, than at Knuitershoek or Baalhoek, where habitat conditions were improved by adding groins. In addition, the density of benthos‐eating birds, especially oystercatchers, increased at some of the modified sites. While a low‐energy habitat may harbor more diverse assemblages of benthic macrofauna than a highly dynamic one, the extremely high silt content, which is typical for low‐energy habitats, may slow benthic community development. The observed increase of biomass at our impact sites highlights the value of the interventions, while the delays in the response of the benthic macrofauna community emphasizes the need for extensive monitoring both in time and space and the identification of underlying abiotic–biotic mechanisms.

Diet outperforms microbial transplant to drive microbiome recovery post-antibiotics.

High-fat, low-fiber Western-style diets (WD) induce microbiome dysbiosis characterized by reduced taxonomic diversity and metabolic breadth, which in turn increases risk for a wide array of metabolic, immune and systemic pathologies. Recent work has established that WD can impair microbiome resilience to acute perturbations like antibiotic treatment, although we know little about the mechanism of impairment and the specific host consequences of prolonged post-antibiotic dysbiosis. Here, we characterize the trajectory by which the gut microbiome recovers its taxonomic and functional profile after antibiotic treatment in mice on regular chow (RC) and WD, and find that only mice on RC undergo a rapid successional process of recovery. Metabolic modeling indicates that RC diet promotes the development of syntrophic cross-feeding interactions, while on WD, a dominant taxon monopolizes readily available resources without releasing syntrophic byproducts. Intervention experiments reveal that an appropriate dietary resource environment is both necessary and sufficient for rapid and robust microbiome recovery, whereas microbial transplant is neither. Furthermore, prolonged post-antibiotic dysbiosis in mice on WD renders them susceptible to infection by the intestinal pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Our data challenge widespread enthusiasm for fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) as a strategy to address dysbiosis and demonstrate that specific dietary interventions are, at minimum, an essential prerequisite for effective FMT, and may afford a safer, more natural, and less invasive alternative to FMT.

Spontaneous vegetation recovery in recently abandoned avocado (Persea americana Mill.) orchards in semi‐arid Central Chile

AbstractAvocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an important commodity with substantial global growth in semi‐arid regions under irrigation, such as Central Chile. This region of Chile has faced severe drought that has resulted in the abandonment of avocado orchards, previously established in a global biodiversity hotspot. This study investigates the early effects of abandonment of avocado farms on vegetation recovery and soil after severe droughts. We measured and characterized early plant successional processes by identifying the flora, vegetation coverage, similarity, and soil characterization through 42 transects distributed in four recently abandoned sites, a productive farm, and a natural site. Multivariate analysis was used to identify significant relationships between soil and habitat properties and vegetation abundance and coverage variations for the dominant species. The Jaccard similarity coefficient was used to compare sites. The establishment of native or endemic species was extremely limited and variable between sites. In total, we recorded 55 vascular plants (49.1% were native). The results indicated that Schinus molle L. has become a dominant colonizer, particularly in highly disturbed planting rows in abandoned farms. Factors such as the sources of S. molle propagules, soil salinity, and organic matter accumulation were identified as key predictors of its coverage and presence in abandoned farms. The study concludes that the abandonment of avocado farms, coupled with severe drought, has created favorable conditions for the recruitment of this species, adversely impacting other native species. This research underscores the importance of considering the remaining features of soil and habitat in new successional processes in highly disturbed areas.

The Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Succession in a Glacial Foreland in Southern Iceland: The Effects of Landscape Heterogeneity

One of the more visible consequences of anthropogenic climate change is the ongoing retreat of glaciers worldwide. Rates of primary succession in the resulting glacial forelands are commonly calculated from a single measurement set using a single set of measurements across a landscape of varying age, but repeated measurements over decadal scales may be a more effective means of examining the rates and trends of colonization and community development. Repeated measurements of vegetation groups in a glacial foreland in southern Iceland demonstrate that successional changes are measurable, as shown by the calculation of the dissimilarity index at sites over a 15 year interval. Inter-site dissimilarity validates the essential paradigm of primary succession, where vegetative coverage increases in the glacial foreland as a function of time and supports earlier interpretations saying that species richness decreases on older surfaces, even as the total vegetation cover increases. However, successional processes are subject to major abiotic factors, such as aspect, which is controlled by landscape topography, and the substrate composition. The glacial moraines and outwash plain are underlain by different substrates which produce separate successional trajectories. Succession on the moraines ultimately produces a birch-shrub-heath community, while the outwash deposits promote development of a moss-heath community.

Depositional processes in a shale-dominated Devonian succession: Sedimentary facies and trace fossil integrated analysis

Fine-grained rocks have historically been interpreted as a product of the settling of fine fractions in low-energy environments. However, recent studies have suggested that in these environments, more dynamic and complex processes operate. These processes involve a much more diverse set of sedimentary processes than those previously assumed. The lithological homogeneity of clayey successions, associated with the obliteration of their primary characteristics by diagenetic and/or weathering processes, makes it difficult to interpret depositional processes and understand the paleoenvironment. To contribute to a better comprehension of the mechanisms of transport and deposition of fine-grained rocks in a siliciclastic mud-dominated succession, as well as their depositional site, the present study aims at the detailed analysis of a continuous drill core. This core contains a thick Devonian succession consisting essentially of shale from the Ponta Grossa Formation (Paraná Basin, Brazil). Throughout the analyzed succession, a wide variety of sedimentary structures have been identified, such as parallel laminations, wave-ripple cross-stratification, hummocky cross-stratification, normal grading, and gutter casts. These structures show the constant performance of high-energy flows, which are configured as important deposition and/or rework agents. The integrated analysis of facies and trace fossils has proven to be more efficient for paleoenvironmental characterization than isolated approaches. This is because facies and ichnofacies (e.g., Cruziana, with its proximal, impoverished, archetypal, and distal expressions; Skolithos and Glossifungites) can be easily correlated, facilitating the identification of facies associations. This approach not only allows for the interpretation of a shallow marine platform with a gentle slope (ramp shelf) paleoenvironment of moderate to high energy, subject to storm wave action, but also enables the identification of the particular characteristics of deposits from different sub-environments (proximal to distal offshore, offshore transition, shoreface to offshore transition, and prodelta) and their deposition mechanisms. Furthermore, the facies associations are useful for highlighting the variations formed in response to oscillations of the relative sea level and changes in sedimentary input.

The Effect of Video Streaming With Virtual Reality Glasses on on Pain Anxiety and Satisfaction Applied in Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Process

Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIC) implementation is among the most frequent and highly invasive nursing initiatives. PIC leads to anxiety with procedural pain, causing individuals to reject these procedures or negatively affecting the process's success. The study was conducted to determine the effect of virtual reality glasses (VRG) on pain, anxiety, and patient satisfaction during the peripheral intravenous catheter (PIC) process in adults. An experimental study. An emergency department of a university hospital. Individuals who were admitted to the emergency unit of the university hospital were recruited between the data collection dates. Data from individuals' "Patient Information Form," "Visual Pain Scale," "Visual Anxiety Scale," and "Visual Satisfaction Scale" were collected. "VR-Box 3D Glasses" was used as virtual reality glasses. In our study, when the pain point averages with VAS were compared during the PIC process, the pain score average of the patients in the control group was 5.78 ± 1.23 visual anxiety scale 5.89 ± 1.23 and patient satisfaction scale 3.86 ± 2.48, The visual pain score average of patients in the VRG group is 4.12 ± 2.16, visual anxiety scale 3.14 ± 1.76 and visual patient satisfaction scale 7.64 ± 3.26. In short, it has been detected that the pain, anxiety, and patient satisfaction score averages of patients in the VRG group are statistically significant compared to the pain score averages of patients in the control group (p < .005). Our study unearthed a statistically significant relationship at an average level of negative direction between PIC post-treatment pain, anxiety, and patient satisfaction (r = - 0.476). Utilization of VRG has been detected to reduce pain and anxiety felt during the PIC process in adult patients and increase process satisfaction. VRG, a non-pharmacological, non-invasive, inexpensive, and feasible nursing initiative, may be recommended for use in pain and anxiety control in patients undergoing PIC treatment.