Chronostratigraphy of Miocene Strata in the Berkeley Hills (California Coast Ranges, USA) and the Arrival of the San Andreas Transform Boundary

Miocene strata of the Claremont, Orinda, and Moraga formations of the Berkeley Hills (California Coast Ranges, USA) record sedimentation and volcanism during the passage of the Mendocino triple junction and early evolution of the San Andreas fault system. Detrital zircon laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) age spectra indicate a change in sedimentary provenance between the marine Claremont formation (Monterey Group) and the terrestrial Orinda and Moraga Formations associated with uplift of Franciscan Complex lithologies. A sandstone from the Claremont formation produced a detrital zircon chemical abrasion–isotope dilution–thermal ionization mass spectrometry (CA-ID-TIMS) maximum depositional age of 13.298 ± 0.046 Ma, indicating younger Claremont deposition than previously interpreted. A trachydacite tuff clast within the uppermost Orinda Formation yielded a CA-ID-TIMS U-Pb zircon date of 10.094 ± 0.018 Ma, and a dacitic tuff within the Moraga Formation produced a CA-ID-TIMS U-Pb zircon date of 9.974 ± 0.014 Ma. These results indicate rapid progression from subsidence in which deep-water siliceous sediments of the Claremont formation were deposited to uplift that was followed by subsidence during deposition of terrestrial sediments of the Orinda Formation and subsequent eruption of the Moraga Formation volcanics. We associate the Orinda tuff clast and Moraga volcanics with slab-gap volcanism that followed the passage of the Mendocino triple junction. Given the necessary time lag between triple junction passage and the removal of the slab that led to this volcanism, subsidence associated with ca. 13 Ma Claremont sedimentation and subsequent Orinda to Moraga deposition can be attributed to basin formation along the newly arrived transform boundary

Pilot-scale ceramic membrane filtration of skim milk for the production of a 'humanised' protein base ingredient for infant milk formula

The protein composition of bovine skim milk was modified using pilot scale membrane filtration to produce a whey protein-dominant ingredient with a casein profile closer to human milk. Bovine skim milk was processed at low (8.9 °C) or high (50 °C) temperature using ceramic microfiltration (MF) membranes (0.1 μm mean pore diameter). The resulting permeate stream was concentrated using polyethersulfone ultrafiltration (UF) membranes (10 kDa cut-off). The protein profile of MF and UF retentate streams were determined using reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Permeate from the cold MF process (8.9 °C) had a casein:whey protein ratio of ∼35:65 with no αS- or κ-casein present, compared with a casein:whey protein ratio of ∼10:90 at 50 °C. This study has demonstrated the application of cold membrane filtration (8.9 °C) at pilot scale to produce a dairy ingredient with a protein profile closer to that of human milk

Bridging the Gap Between the Foreland and Hinterland II: Geochronology and Tectonic Setting of Ordovician Magmatism and Basin Formation on the Laurentian Margin of New England and Newfoundland

Ordovician strata of the Mohawk Valley and Taconic allochthon of New York and the Humber margin of Newfoundland record multiple magmatic and basin-forming episodes associated with the Taconic orogeny. Here we present new U-Pb zircon geochronology and whole rock geochemistry and neodymium isotopes from Early Paleozoic volcanic ashes and siliciclastic units on the northern Appalachian margin of Laurentia. Volcanic ashes in the Table Point Formation of Newfoundland and the Indian River Formation of the Taconic allochthon in New York yield dates between 466.16 ± 0.12 and 464.20 ± 0.13 Ma. Red, bioturbated slate of the Indian River Formation record a shift to more juvenile neodymium isotope values suggesting sedimentary contributions from the Taconic arc-system by 466 Ma. Eight ashes within the Trenton Group in the Mohawk Valley were dated between 452.63 ± 0.06 and 450.68 ± 0.12 Ma. These ashes contain zircon with Late Ordovician magmatic rims and 1.4 to 1.0 Ga xenocrystic cores that were inherited from Grenville basement, suggesting that the parent magmas erupted through the Laurentian margin. The new geochronological and geochemical data are integrated with a subsidence model and data from the hinterland to refine the tectonic model of the Taconic orogeny. Closure of the Iapetus Ocean by 475 Ma via collision of the peri-Gondwanan Moretown terrane with hyperextended distal fragments of the Laurentian margin is not clearly manifested on the autochthon or the Taconic allochthon other than an increase in sediment accumulation. Pro-foreland basins formed during the Middle Ordovician when these terranes were obducted onto the Laurentian margin. 466 to 464 Ma ashes on the Laurentian margin coincide with a late pulse of magmatism in both the Notre Dame arc in Newfoundland and the Shelburne Falls arc of New England that is potentially related to break-off of an east-dipping slab. Following slab reversal, by 455 Ma, the Bronson Hill arc was established on the new composite Laurentian margin. Thus, we conclude that Late Ordovician strata in the Mohawk Valley and Taconic allochthon of New York and on the Humber margin of Newfoundland were deposited in retro-foreland basins

New U–Pb Geochronology for the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, Critical Reevaluation of High-Precision Ages and Their Impact on the End-Triassic Extinction Event

The end-Triassic extinction (ETE) event represents one of the ‘big five’ episodes of mass extinction. The leading hypothesis for the cause of the ETE is the intrusion of voluminous magmas of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) into carbon-rich sediments of two South American sedimentary basins, around 201.5 Ma. The timing of dikes and sills emplacement, however, must be considered in light of age models from CAMP rocks occurring in North America. In this work, we present new high-precision ages for critical samples in NE Brazil (201.579 ± 0.057 Ma) and Canada (201.464 ± 0.017 Ma), in order to evaluate how the South and North American magmatic events compare at the 100-ka level, and to the ETE timing. We also discuss inter-laboratory reproducibility of high-precision CAMP ages, including the 230Th disequilibrium corrections that are made to zircon U–Pb dates. Our findings in this newly discovered extension of the CAMP large igneous province in NE Brazil support the hypothesis that the CAMP may be responsible for the ETE through the triggering of greenhouse gas release from magma-evaporite interactions (contact metamorphism) in the South American basins

Rehydration behaviour of spray-dried micellar casein concentrates produced using microfiltration of skim milk at cold or warm temperatures

peer-reviewedMicrofiltration (MF) of skim milk, when combined with diafiltration (DF), facilitates the manufacture of liquid micellar casein concentrate (MCC), which can be spray-dried into high-protein (≥80% protein, dry-basis) powders. MCC powders rehydrate slowly, which is typically considered a defect by end-users. This study compared the impact of cold (<10 °C) or warm (50 °C) MF/DF on the rehydration characteristics of MCC powders (MCCcold and MCCwarm, respectively). The wetting properties of the MCC powders, measured using optical tensiometry, were found to be equivalent. However, pronounced differences in dispersion characteristics were measured, and, after 90 min rehydration at 50 °C, liberated casein micelles accounted for only 7.5% of total particle volume in MCCwarm compared with 48% in MCCcold. Due to its superior dispersion characteristics, MCCcold yielded 50–60% less sediment during analytical centrifugation experiments. Cold MF/DF may improve the solubility of MCC powders by accelerating the release of casein micelles from powder particles during rehydration

Beef production from feedstuffs conserved using new technologies to reduce negative environmental impacts

End of project reportMost (ca. 86%) Irish farms make some silage. Besides directly providing feed for livestock, the provision of grass silage within integrated grassland systems makes an important positive contribution to effective grazing management and improved forage utilisation by grazing animals, and to effective feed budgeting by farmers. It can also contribute to maintaining the content of desirable species in pastures, and to livestock not succumbing to parasites at sensitive times of the year. Furthermore, the optimal recycling of nutrients collected from housed livestock can often be best achieved by spreading the manures on the land used for producing the conserved feed. On most Irish farms, grass silage will remain the main conserved forage for feeding to livestock during winter for the foreseeable future. However, on some farms high yields of whole-crop (i.e. grain + straw) cereals such as wheat, barley and triticale, and of forage maize, will be an alternative option provided that losses during harvesting, storage and feedout are minimised and that input costs are restrained. These alternative forages have the potential to reliably support high levels of animal performance while avoiding the production of effluent. Their production and use however will need to advantageously integrate into ruminant production systems. A range of technologies can be employed for crop production and conservation, and for beef production, and the optimal options need to be identified. Beef cattle being finished indoors are offered concentrate feedstuffs at rates that range from modest inputs through to ad libitum access. Such concentrates frequently contain high levels of cereals such as barley or wheat. These cereals are generally between 14% to 18% moisture content and tend to be rolled shortly before being included in coarse rations or are more finely processed prior to pelleting. Farmers thinking of using ‘high-moisture grain’ techniques for preserving and processing cereal grains destined for feeding to beef cattle need to know how the yield, conservation efficiency and feeding value of such grains compares with grains conserved using more conventional techniques. European Union policy strongly encourages a sustainable and multifunctional agriculture. Therefore, in addition to providing European consumers with quality food produced within approved systems, agriculture must also contribute positively to the conservation of natural resources and the upkeep of the rural landscape. Plastics are widely used in agriculture and their post-use fate on farms must not harm the environment - they must be managed to support the enduring sustainability of farming systems. There is an absence of information on the efficacy of some new options for covering and sealing silage with plastic sheeting and tyres, and an absence of an inventory of the use, re-use and post-use fate of plastic film on farms. Irish cattle farmers operate a large number of beef production systems, half of which use dairy bred calves. In the current, continuously changing production and market conditions, new beef systems must be considered. A computer package is required that will allow the rapid, repeatable simulation and assessment of alternate beef production systems using appropriate, standardised procedures. There is thus a need to construct, evaluate and utilise computer models of components of beef production systems and to develop mathematical relationships to link system components into a network that would support their integration into an optimal system model. This will provide a framework to integrate physical and financial on-farm conditions with models for estimating feed supply and animal growth patterns. Cash flow and profit/loss results will be developed. This will help identify optimal systems, indicate the cause of failure of imperfect systems and identify areas where applied research data are currently lacking, or more basic research is required

Reversal of social deficits by subchronic oxytocin in two autism mouse models

Social deficits are a hallmark feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related developmental syndromes. Although there is no standard treatment for social dysfunction, clinical studies have identified oxytocin as a potential therapeutic with prosocial efficacy. We have previously reported that peripheral oxytocin treatment can increase sociability and ameliorate repetitive stereotypy in adolescent mice from the C58/J model of ASD-like behavior. In the present study, we determined that prosocial oxytocin effects were not limited to the adolescent period, since C58/J mice, tested in adulthood, demonstrated significant social preference up to 2 weeks following subchronic oxytocin treatment. Oxytocin was also evaluated in adult mice with underexpression of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NR1 subunit (encoded by Grin1), a genetic model of autism- and schizophrenia- like behavior. Subchronic oxytocin had striking prosocial efficacy in male Grin1 knockdown mice; in contrast, chronic regimens with clozapine (66 mg/kg/day) or risperidone (2 mg/kg/day) failed to reverse deficits in sociability. Neither the subchronic oxytocin regimen, nor chronic treatment with clozapine or risperidone, reversed impaired prepulse inhibition in the Grin1 knockdown mice. Overall, these studies demonstrate oxytocin can enhance sociability in mouse models with divergent genotypes and behavioral profiles, adding to the evidence that this neurohormone could have therapeutic prosocial efficacy across a spectrum of developmental disorders

Space Weather Modeling Capabilities Assessment: Auroral Precipitation and Highâ Latitude Ionospheric Electrodynamics

As part of its International Capabilities Assessment effort, the Community Coordinated Modeling Center initiated several working teams, one of which is focused on the validation of models and methods for determining auroral electrodynamic parameters, including particle precipitation, conductivities, electric fields, neutral density and winds, currents, Joule heating, auroral boundaries, and ion outflow. Auroral electrodynamic properties are needed as input to space weather models, to test and validate the accuracy of physical models, and to provide needed information for space weather customers and researchers. The working team developed a process for validating auroral electrodynamic quantities that begins with the selection of a set of events, followed by construction of ground truth databases using all available data and assimilative data analysis techniques. Using optimized, predefined metrics, the ground truth data for selected events can be used to assess model performance and improvement over time. The availability of global observations and sophisticated data assimilation techniques provides the means to create accurate ground truth databases routinely and accurately.Key PointsA working team has been established to develop a process for validation of auroral precipitation and electrodynamics modelsValidation of auroral electrodynamic parameters requires generation of ground truth data sets for selected eventsCurrent observations and data assimilation techniques continue to improve the accuracy of global auroral electrodynamic specificationPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/148365/1/swe20815_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/148365/2/swe20815.pd

Mechanisms controlling the localisation of fault‐controlled hydrothermal dolomitisation, Derbyshire Platform, UK

The Derbyshire Platform is a Mississippian aged flat-topped, steep sided platform that forms the westernmost expression of the Derbyshire-East Midlands Platform. On the south-east platform margin, 60 km2 of Visean limestone has been dolomitised, forming two distinct bodies. One of these bodies forms along a major NW–SE trending basement fault and smaller, associated, N–S trending faults and fractures. This study uses outcrop, petrographic and geochemical analysis to better constrain the timing and mechanism for this fault-controlled dolomitisation. Field relationships demonstrate dolomitisation was multi-phase and initiated after the main phase of matrix pore-occluding calcite cementation on the Derbyshire Platform and terminated prior to the main phase of mineralisation. Fluids are interpreted to have fluxed from adjacent basins, primarily along strike-slip crustal faults that were reactivated during basin inversion at the onset of the Variscan Orogeny. Fluid supply was episodic and progressively confined to fractures as matrix porosity became occluded. The study demonstrates the complex interplay between basin kinematics, host rock permeability and timing of fluid supply through seismic valving along faults that connect the carbonate platform to basin compartments. This ultimately controlled the position of dolomite geobodies along faults and provides a record of fluid flow during the transition from thermal subsidence to post-rift basin inversion. The findings have implications for the exploration of both minerals and hydrocarbon within dolomitised host rocks and can inform studies of fluid transfer and reaction on carbonate platforms within the burial realm