Geochemistry of felsic, mafic and ultramafic rocks in the suprasubduction zone Mawat ophiolite, Northeast Iraq

The Mawat ophiolite is a remnant from the Neotethyan oceanic lithosphere exposed within the Zagros Suture Zone, northeastern Iraq. This thesis focuses on the evolution of the mantlederived magma and their temporally and spatially associated evolution during the late Cretaceous-Eocene. The isotope geology in Mawat is based on zircon and monazite U-Pb dating, and zircon Hf isotopes from felsic dykes and a gabbro. The zircon results give ages between 222 and 38 Ma interpreted to be related to radiogenic Pb mobility and Pb loss. The monazite 94.6 ± 1.2 Ma age is considered as a crystallization age of the felsic dykes and the oldest zircons in gabbro provide the age of 81.2 ± 2.5 Ma which is the crystallisation age of the gabbro. The gabbro is interpreted to be related to later rifting above the suprasubduction zone. The youngest ages ~ 40 Ma are raleted to crustal extension. The negative zircon initial εHf values for the felsic dykes indicate that the magma comes from an older source. The positive zircon initial εHf values for gabbro suggest that the magma comes from a juvenile source. The felsic dykes occur in two types: tonalites and granites. The dykes also occur in the western part as a plagiogranite and the central part as a leucogranite. Both types are mixed in various proportions in the east. The eastern tonalities are weakly peraluminous to metaluminous and are low in K2O, TiO2, and high in Na2O. They have low MgO, Cr, and Ni contents and low Sr/Y compared to the western ones where these are high and similar to adakites. These were derived by partial melting of the subducted oceanic slab. The eastern tonalities underwent hornblende and plagioclase fractionation in a shallow-level magma chamber modifying their original compositions. The eastern granites are strongly peraluminous, moderate to high in K2O, Pb and Na2O, and very low in TiO2. Their melts are derived from psammitic sediments on the top of the subducted slab. Parental melts of the tonalities and granites partially mixed in shallow magma chambers. The basalts and ultramafic rocks are extremely depleted in the LILE and some HFSE elements. They plot below the N-MORB reference line suggesting that these elements have been mobile. The basaltic and ultramafic rocks resemble the arc boninites related to subduction initiation setting. This is confirmed with Ti/1000 vs. V diagram. This suggests that these rocks formed in the same forearc region. The undepleted pattern of the gabbros plot parallel to the N-MORB reference line and within the MORB field in the V vs. Ti/1000 diagram. This is an indication of rifting in an extensional setting above the subduction zone. The geochemical data is consistent with the tectonic setting for suprasubduction zone ophiolite.Koillis-Irakissa suprasubduktiovyöhykkeellä muodostuneen Mawatin ofioliitin felsisten, mafisten ja ultramafisten kivien geokemia Mawatin ofioliitti on jäänne muinaisesta Neotethyanin merellisestä kuoresta Zagrosin sutuurivyöhykkeellä Koillis-Irakissa. Tässä väitöskirjassa keskitytään Mawatin vaippaperäisten magmojen evoluutioon sekä niiden ajallisiin ja alueellisiin muutoksiin Ylä-Liitu-Eoseenin ajanjaksolla. Mawatin isotooppigeologia perustuu U-Pb zirkoni- ja monatsiittiikämäärityksiin sekä zirkonin Hf isotooppeihin felsisistä juonista ja gabrosta. Zirkonit antavat iät 222–38 Ma, joiden on tulkittu liittyvän radiogeenisen lyijyn mobiilisuuteen zirkonissa ja lyijyn karkaamiseen zirkonista. Monatsiitista saatua 94.6 ± 1.2 Ma ikää pidetään felsisen juonen kiteytymisikänä. Gabron vanhimmat zirkonit antavat iän 81.2 ± 2.5 Ma, joka on gabron kiteytymisikä. Gabbron tulkitaan liittyvän ekstensioon subduktiovyöhykkeen yläpuolelle. Nuorimmat ~40 Ma iät liittyvät kuoren myöhempäåän ekstensioon. Felsisten juonien zirkonien negatiiviset εHf arvot osoittavat, että magma tulee vanhemmasta lähteestä ja gabron zirkonien positiiviset εHf arvot viittaavat juveniiliin lähteeseen. Felsisiä juonia esiintyy kahta tyyppä: tonaliitteja ja graniitteja. Juonet esiintyvät myös Mawatin länsiosassa plagiograniittina ja keskiosassa leukograniittina. Molemmat tyypit ovat sekoittuneet itäosissa eri suhteissa. Itäisten tonaliitien koostumukset ovat heikosti peralumiinisista metaluminisiin ja niillä on alhaiset K2O ja TiO2 ja korkeat Na2O pitoisuudet. MgO, Cr ja Ni pitoisuudet ja Sr/Y suhde ovat alhaisempia kuin läntisissä juonissa, joissa nämä ovat hyvin korkeita ja muistuttavat adakiitteja, jotka ovat peräisin subduktoituneen merellisen laatan osittaisesta sulamisesta. Itäisten tonaliittien sarvivälke ja plagioklaasi fraktioituvat matalalla sijaitsevassa magmasäiliössä, ja se muokkasi magman alkuperäistä koostumusta. Itäiset graniitit ovat voimakkaasti peraluminaalisia ja niillä on korkeat K2O, Pb ja Na2O ja hyvin alhaiset TiO2 pitoisuudet. Ne ovat peräisin subduktoituneen merellisen laatan päällä olevista psammittista sedimenteistä. Tonaliittien ja graniittien alkusulat ovat osittain sekoittuneet matalalla sijainneessa magmasäiliössä. Basaltit ja ultramafiset kivet ovat erittäin köyhtyneitä LILE- ja HFSE-alkuaineista. Ne ovat N-MORBiin verrattuna köyhtyneitä, mikä viittaa näiden alkuaineiden mobiilisuuteen. Basalttiset ja ultramafiset kivet muistuttavat subduktion alkuvaiheessa syntyneitä kaarityypin boniniitteja. Sitä esitetään Ti/1000 vs. V-diagrammilla. Tämä viittaa siihen, että nämä muodostuivat samassa kaaren etualtaassa. Gabrojen yhtenäiset geokemialliset koostumukset muistuttavat N-MORB:ia ja osuvat V vs. Ti/1000 -diagrammissa MORBkenttään. Tämä viittaa riftiytymiseen subduktiovyöhykkeen yläpuolella. Geokemiallinen aineisto on kokonaisuudessaan samanlaista kuin suprasubduktiovyöhykkeen ofioliiteilla

Harnessing Garlic Extract and AI for Sustainable Disease Mitigation in Aquaculture

This comprehensive study delves into alternative and sustainable disease management in aquaculture, particularly in cultured rabbitfish (Siganus rivulatus) susceptible to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Acknowledging the vulnerabilities in conventional veterinary medications and the need for rapid diagnosis, the research investigates the use of raw garlic extract as a dietary supplement alongside machine learning-based diagnostic methodologies. Using histo-biochemical analyses, the study finds that fish treated with garlic extract showed significant resistance to infection without visible signs of lethality. Furthermore, machine learning classifiers achieved an accuracy rate of 97.2% in distinguishing healthy and infected fish. The study thus provides evidence for garlic's potential role as a sustainable antimicrobial agent, and machine learning's efficacy for rapid, accurate diagnosis

Iraqi Economy and Renewable Energy Projects Between Economic Necessity and Investment Challenges

Purpose: Given Iraq's current excessive fossil fuel output, this article seeks to investigate the country's potential for future renewable energy sources. The report also endeavors to foresee Iraq's future position in clean energy production in Iraq and throughout the globe and the rate at which the global energy market will shift towards renewable energy sources.   Theoretical framework: Iraq's reliance on oil earnings and the country's overburdened public sector poses serious economic issues. There is a domination of state-owned firms, stringent laws, a need for more access to finance, a shortage of competent labor, and poor infrastructure that limits the expansion of numerous industries. Growth in recent years has not led to decreased poverty since the economy has changed greatly since 2014.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The study included both retrospective and prospective approaches. The most pressing problems in implementing and making use of renewable energy sources were described and analyzed descriptively. Future outcomes for the Iraqi economy were envisioned using a prospective approach in the form of development scenarios.   Findings: A significant source of international capital flows and a key source of funding for economic growth, foreign direct investment (FDI) has mostly focused on the oil industry and certain tourism projects. As a result of the country's outdated energy grid, investors are interested in something other than investing in Iraq's electrical industry.   Research, practical & social implications: We describe the current issues confronting Iraqi economic development, including the need for more diversity in the economy, structural imbalances between the main sectors, and the near-total dependence on crude oil export revenues, resulting in a decline in industrial production.   Originality/Value: We describe the reality of the Iraqi economy, analyze the structure of Iraq's energy sector based on conventional energy, and then find out about the progress made in renewable energy and existing and future projects under fossil fuels

Geochemical and Characteristics of Mafic and Ultramafic Rocks of the Suprasubduction Zone Mawat Ophiolite, NE Iraq

New geochemical data were presented for the mafic (basalts and gabbros) and ultramafic (dunites, serpentinites and pyroxenites) rocks from the Mawat ophiolite exposed in the Zagros suture zone in northeastern Iraq. The mantle section of the ophiolite is composed of serpentinized peridotites, harzburgites, dunites, chromitites and pyroxenite dykes. The crustal section is composed of layered amphibole-rich gabbros, pegmatitic gabbros as well as basalts and minor felsic dykes. The ultramafic rocks are highly depleted in the LILEs and most of the HFSEs. The mafic rocks are tholeiitic, characterized by depletion of LREEs and display a positive trend from LREE to HREE with low Ti/V ratios. The younger gabbros are mostly calc-alkaline, characterized by enrichments of LREE with a negative REE trend and high Ti/V ratios. The basaltic and ultramafic samples plot below the N-MORB reference line suggesting that these elements have been mobile. They fall within the boninitic field in the Ti/V diagram and are related to the subduction initiation setting. The younger gabbros are related to rifting which postdated the formation of ophiolite. These geochemical data are consistent with the subduction-related suprasubduction zone tectonic setting

SUBDUCTED BASALTS AND SEDIMENTS AS SOURCES FOR FELSIC DYKES IN THE MAWAT OPHIOLITE, NE IRAQ

The Mawat ophiolite is a fragment from the Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere and is considered as the largest and best-exposed ophiolite within the Zagros Suture Zone, northeast Iraq. Felsic dykes are encountered in three locations in the Mawat ophiolite. Here, we use field work, petrology and geochemical data to investigate the magma sources of the felsic dykes. The felsic dykes are classified into two types: oceanic plagiogranites in the western (Mirza and Ismail, 2007) and leucogranites in the central (Mohammad et al., 2014) Mawat ophiolite, here called tonalites and granites, respectively. Both types, mixed in various proportions occur in the eastern felsic dykes. The eastern tonalites are weakly peraluminous to metaluminous and are low in K2O (0.13-0.24 wt%) and TiO2 (0.01-0.07 wt%) and high in Na2O (6.63-11.02 wt%). The eastern granites are strongly peraluminous, moderate to high in K2O (1.16-6.57 wt%) and Na2O (2.83-6.47 wt%), and very low in TiO2 (0.03-0.07 wt%). The western tonalites are similar to adakites and are interpreted to have crystallized from melts of subducted oceanic crust interacting with the mantle. The eastern tonalites underwent hornblende and plagioclase fractionation in shallow-level magma chambers modifying their original compositions. The granites are interpreted to derive from melting of psammitic sediments on top of the subducted slab. Parental melts of the tonalities and granites were partially mixed in shallow magma chambers in eastern Mawat.</p

When forgiving enhances psychological well-being: The role of interpersonal commitment

Contains fulltext : 63487.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)The present research addresses the question of when and why forgiving might enhance psychological well-being. The authors predict that forgiving is associated with enhanced well-being but that this association should he more pronounced in relationships of strong rather than weak commitment. This hypothesis received good support in Studies 1-3. Studies 2 and 3 addressed the issue of why forgiving might be associated with psychological well-being, revealing that this association was reduced after controlling for psychological tension (i.e., a psychological state of discomfort due to conflicting cognitions and feelings). Study 4 revealed that in the context of marital relationships, tendencies toward forgiving one's spouse exhibited a more pronounced association with psychological well-being than did tendencies to forgive others in general.16 p

Genome sequence of an Australian kangaroo, Macropus eugenii, provides insight into the evolution of mammalian reproduction and development.

BACKGROUND: We present the genome sequence of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, which is a member of the kangaroo family and the first representative of the iconic hopping mammals that symbolize Australia to be sequenced. The tammar has many unusual biological characteristics, including the longest period of embryonic diapause of any mammal, extremely synchronized seasonal breeding and prolonged and sophisticated lactation within a well-defined pouch. Like other marsupials, it gives birth to highly altricial young, and has a small number of very large chromosomes, making it a valuable model for genomics, reproduction and development. RESULTS: The genome has been sequenced to 2 × coverage using Sanger sequencing, enhanced with additional next generation sequencing and the integration of extensive physical and linkage maps to build the genome assembly. We also sequenced the tammar transcriptome across many tissues and developmental time points. Our analyses of these data shed light on mammalian reproduction, development and genome evolution: there is innovation in reproductive and lactational genes, rapid evolution of germ cell genes, and incomplete, locus-specific X inactivation. We also observe novel retrotransposons and a highly rearranged major histocompatibility complex, with many class I genes located outside the complex. Novel microRNAs in the tammar HOX clusters uncover new potential mammalian HOX regulatory elements. CONCLUSIONS: Analyses of these resources enhance our understanding of marsupial gene evolution, identify marsupial-specific conserved non-coding elements and critical genes across a range of biological systems, including reproduction, development and immunity, and provide new insight into marsupial and mammalian biology and genome evolution

Immune signatures predict development of autoimmune toxicity in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are among the most promising treatment options for melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While ICIs can induce effective anti-tumor responses, they may also drive serious immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Identifying biomarkers to predict which patients will suffer from irAEs would enable more accurate clinical risk-benefit analysis for ICI treatment and may also shed light on common or distinct mechanisms underpinning treatment success and irAEs. Methods: In this prospective multi-center study, we combined a multi-omics approach including unbiased single-cell profiling of over 300 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples and high-throughput proteomics analysis of over 500 serum samples to characterize the systemic immune compartment of patients with melanoma or NSCLC before and during treatment with ICIs. Findings: When we combined the parameters obtained from the multi-omics profiling of patient blood and serum, we identified potential predictive biomarkers for ICI-induced irAEs. Specifically, an early increase in CXCL9/CXCL10/CXCL11 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) 1 to 2 weeks after the start of therapy are likely indicators of heightened risk of developing irAEs. In addition, an early expansion of Ki-67+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and Ki-67+ CD8+ T cells is also likely to be associated with increased risk of irAEs. Conclusions: We suggest that the combination of these cellular and proteomic biomarkers may help to predict which patients are likely to benefit most from ICI therapy and those requiring intensive monitoring for irAEs. Funding: This work was primarily funded by the European Research Council, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Cancer League, and the Forschungsförderung of the Kantonsspital St. Gallen

Microbial transformations of selenite by methane-oxidizing bacteria

Abstract Methane oxidizing bacteria are well known for their role in the global methane cycle and their potential for microbial transformation of wide range of hydrocarbon and chlorinated hydrocarbon pollution. Recently, it has also emerged that methane-oxidizing bacteria interact with inorganic pollutants in the environment. Here we report what we believe to be the first study of the interaction of pure strains of methane-oxidizing bacteria with selenite. Results indicate that the commonly used laboratory model strains of methane oxidizing bacteria, Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b are both able to reduce the toxic selenite (SeO32-) but not selenate (SeO42-) to red spherical nanoparticulate elemental selenium (Se0), which was characterised via EDX and EXAFS. The cultures also produced volatile selenium-containing species, which suggests that both strains may have an additional activity that can either transform Se0 or selenite into volatile methylated forms of selenium. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements and experiments with the cell fractions: cytoplasm, cell wall and cell membrane show that the nanoparticles are formed mainly on the cell wall. Collectively these results are promising for the use of methane-oxidizing bacteria for bioremediation or suggest possible uses in the production of selenium nanoparticles for biotechnology

Measurement of the branching ratio of Bˉ→D(∗)τ−νˉτ\bar{B} \to D^{(\ast)} \tau^- \bar{\nu}_\tau relative to Bˉ→D(∗)ℓ−νˉℓ\bar{B} \to D^{(\ast)} \ell^- \bar{\nu}_\ell decays with hadronic tagging at Belle

We report a measurement of the branching fraction ratios R(D(*)) of Bbar -> D(*) tau- nubar_tau relative to Bbar -> D()* l- nubar_l (where l = e or mu) using the full Belle data sample of 772 x 10^6 BBbar pairs collected at the Y(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. The measured values are R(D)= 0.375 +- 0.064(stat.) +- 0.026(syst.) and R(D*) = 0.293 +- 0.038(stat.) +- 0.015(syst.). The analysis uses hadronic reconstruction of the tag-side B meson and purely leptonic tau decays. The results are consistent with earlier measurements and do not show a significant deviation from the standard model prediction.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.