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The study of two stratigraphic sections of the Tran Formation (upper Carnian–Norian) reveals the presence of a regressive carbonate beach succession. The interpretation of lower shoreface, upper shoreface, foreshore, and backshore deposits is based on field data, microfacies analysis and comparison with Holocene and ancient analogues. The various lower shoreface deposits include automicritic boundstones/cementstones which attest to a temporary establishment of the M factory most likely as an aftermath of the global Carnian Pluvial Episode. The upper shoreface grainstones show trough cross-bedding reflecting deposition by longshore currents. Grainstones/packstones of the foreshore subenvironment have several diagnostic features including low-angle plane lamination, keystone voids, eroded beachrock clasts, and well-sorted textures with marine phreatic and vadose cements. Their deposition was controlled by supply of granular material from the shoreface, incessant wave activity and daily tides, and early lithification protecting them from erosion and remobilization. The backshore strata comprise storm washover deposits (packstones, wackestones), mudstones deposited in marginal ponds, and agglutinated stromatolites (formed by trapping and binding in a tide-influenced setting). Some of the foreshore and backshore sediments were pedogenically modified, resulting in the formation of secondary matrix, root development, desiccation cracking, and grainification. Specific products of the early vadose alteration are laminoid fenestrae with crystal silt and diagenetic grainstones, packstones, and wackestones. The good preservation of the regressive beach succession was favored by late highstand progradation of the shoreline in a low accommodation setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulation of the banking and finance industry may lead to a more equal distribution of income if regulators pursue goals in the public interest. Alternatively, the economic theory of regulation predicts that regulatory and supervisory processes may be captured by the banking industry, leading to policies that promote the industry's interests. The liberalization of the banking and finance sector since the 1980s has produced more intense banking supervision and prudential regulation. In this study we find that banking supervision regulation is associated with greater income inequality. These findings are consistent with the economic theory of regulation. We interpret these results as evidence that regulatory capture in the banking and finance industry can have pernicious effects on the distribution of income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma (PMH) is a rare vascular tumor that occurs in young mostly male patients. Seventy percent of PMH cases are multifocal and 25% involve bones. PMH is an indolent tumor with mild local aggressiveness and an unclear pathology. Only two cases of spontaneous regressive bone PMH have been reported. Here, we report the case of a 17-year-old boy with a multifocal bone PMH diagnosed from a chronic pain in his left knee. The PMH affected the right scapula, both humeri, the right olecranon, the second metacarpal bone, the second and fourth right ribs, the thoracic and lumbar spine, the pelvic ring, the left and right femoral neck, and the left patella. Every lesion presented with a lobulated, lytic pattern, sometimes with a peripheral sclerotic rim. MRI showed a tissue lesion with a low intensity on T1-weighted sequences and high intensity on T2-weighted sequences. Enhancement of T1 gadolinium fat-saturated sequences was bright. After discussion, a national specialized board decided to actively monitor the patient and start general chemotherapy in the case of progression. The disease was stable at 3 and 6 months and showed signs of regression at 1 year, which was further confirmed at 2 years. CT scan and MRI highlighted a progressive filling of the tumor with cancellous bone and a regression of the tissue contingent. This case report highlights to a new therapeutic approach for indolent PMH that does not prevent further treatment in the case of progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kangan Formation is one of the largest carbonate reservoirs located in the South Pars Field, which is one of the major gas fields in the central basin of the Persian Gulf. Facies analyses indicate that the Kangan carbonates are formed in four microfacies belts: tidal flat, lagoon, shoal, and shallow open marine, in a platform ramp environment. The predominance of tidal flat sediments along with the oolitic shoal facies and lack of a large shoal reef indicate a homoclinal-ramp system. Major and minor elements and carbon and oxygen isotope values were used to determine the original carbonate mineralogy of the Kangan Formation. The data indicate aragonite carbonate mineralogy in a closed diagenetic system. The Kangan Formation displays a gradual upward increase in δC values and variation in δO with changing lithologies. Palaeotemperature calculation, based on the heaviest δO values in limestone micrites and dolomicrites, range from 36 to 44 °C, respectively. The isotopic compositions of the Kangan carbonates indicate that they were deposited in shallow tropical waters. Stratigraphic analysis indicates four major transgressive and regressive events of nearly two million years' average duration, which controlled the development of two depositional sequences and their systems tracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]