Hafnium isotopic variations in East Atlantic intraplate volcanism

The broad belt of intraplate volcanism in the East Atlantic between 25° and 37° N is proposed to have formed by two adjacent hotspot tracks (the Madeira and Canary tracks) that possess systematically different isotopic signatures reflecting different mantle source compositions. To test this model, Hf isotope ratios from volcanic rocks from all individual islands and all major seamounts are presented in this study. In comparison with published Nd isotope variations (6 εNd units), 176Hf/177Hf ratios span a much larger range (14 εHf units). Samples from the proposed Madeira hotspot track have the most radiogenic Hf isotopic compositions (176Hf/177Hfm up to 0.283335), extending across the entire field for central Atlantic MORB. They form a relatively narrow, elongated trend on the Nd vs. Hf isotope diagram (stretching over >10 εHf units) between a depleted N-MORB-like endmember and a moderately enriched composition located on, or slightly below, the Nd–Hf mantle array, which overlaps the proposed "C" mantle component of Hanan and Graham (1996). In contrast, all samples from the Canary hotspot track plot below the mantle array (176Hf/177Hfm = 0.282943–0.283067) and form a much denser cluster with less compositional variation (~4 εHf units). The cluster falls between (1) a low Hf isotope HIMUlike endmember, (2) a more depleted composition, and (3) the moderately enriched end of the Madeira trend. The new Hf isotope data confirm the general geochemical distinction of the Canary and Madeira domains in the East Atlantic. Both domains, however, seem to share a common, moderately enriched endmember that has "C"-like isotope compositions and is believed to represent subducted, =1 Ga

Titanite Mineralization of Microbial Bioalteration Textures in Jurassic Volcanic Glass, Coast Range Ophiolite, California

Volcanic glasses are rarely preserved in the rock record, and the quality of preservation generally declines with increasing age. Records preserved in ancient basaltic glasses therefore provide important links between processes operating in the distant past, and those that are active on the Earth today. Microbial colonization has been linked to the formation of characteristic structures in basaltic glass, including tubules and granule-filled tubules, which are thought to be produced by microbially mediated glass dissolution. Structures of similar occurrence and morphology but filled almost entirely with fine-grained titanite have been documented in some ancient metabasalts. It has been suggested that the ancient titanite-mineralized structures are mineralized equivalents of hollow tubules in modern glassy basaltic rocks, but a direct link has not been firmly established. We report the discovery of tubular bioalteration structures in fresh and minimally altered basaltic glasses of middle Jurassic (164 Ma) age from the Stonyford Volcanic Complex (SFVC), Coast Range Ophiolite, California. Tubular structures hosted in unaltered basaltic glass are typically hollow, whilst those in zones of zeolitic alteration are mineralized by titanite. Tubules are continuous across zeolite-glass interfaces, which mark an abrupt change from titanite-filled to hollow tubules, demonstrating that titanite growth occurs preferentially within pre-existing tubular structures. Titanite mineralization in the SFVC represent a link between tubular structures in modern basaltic glass and titanite-mineralized features of similar morphology and spatial distribution in ancient metabasalts. Our observations support a link between textures in modern glassy basaltic rocks and some of the oldest-known putative ichnofossils

Helium isotopic textures in Earth’s upper mantle

We report ³He/⁴He for 150 mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) glasses from the Southeast Indian Ridge (SEIR). Between 81°E and 101°E ³He/⁴He varies from 7.5 to 10.2 R[subscript A], encompassing more than half the MORB range away from ocean island hot spots. Abrupt transitions are present and in one case the full range occurs over ~10 km. Melting of lithologically heterogeneous mantle containing a few percent garnet pyroxenite or eclogite leads to lower ³He/⁴He, while ³He/⁴He above ~9 R[subscript A] likely indicates melting of pyroxenite-free or eclogite-free mantle. Patterns in the length scales of variability represent a description of helium isotopic texture. We utilize four complementary methods of spectral analysis to evaluate this texture, including periodogram, redfit, multitaper method, and continuous wavelet transform. Long-wavelength lobes with prominent power at 1000 and 500 km are present in all treatments, similar to hot spot-type spectra in Atlantic periodograms. The densely sampled region of the SEIR considered separately shows significant power at ~100 and ~30–40 km, the latter scale resembling heterogeneity in the bimodal distribution of Hf and Pb isotopes in the same sample suite. Wavelet transform coherence reveals that ³He/⁴He varies in-phase with axial depth along the SEIR at ~1000 km length scale, suggesting a coupling between melt production, ³He/⁴He and regional variations in mantle temperature. Collectively, our results show that the length scales of MORB ³He/⁴He variability are dominantly controlled by folding and stretching of heterogeneities during regional (~1000 km) and mesoscale (~100 km) mantle flow, and by sampling during the partial melting process (~30 km).Keywords: MORB, Mantle heterogeneity, Helium isotopes, Southeast Indian Ridge, Mid-ocean ridge

Morphological and geochemical variations along the eastern Galapagos Spreading Center

[1] As the eastern Galápagos Spreading Center (GSC) shallows westward toward the Galápagos Archipelago, axial morphology evolves from a low-relief, valley-and-ridge terrain to an increasingly prominent axial ridge, closely mirroring the western GSC. Between the Inca Transform (∼85.5°W) and its western termination near 91°W, the eastern GSC comprises seven morphological segments, separated by five morphological discontinuities and the eastward propagating 87°W overlapping spreading center. Combined morphologic and geochemical data divide the eastern GSC into two domains independent of the fine-scale morphologic segmentation. The western domain is defined by its axial ridge morphology and highly variable lava population. Elemental data define steep along-axis gradients, reflecting a complex source that includes one or more hot spot–related components in addition to a highly depleted component. The eastern domain is defined by transitional, valley-and-ridge morphologies and a surprisingly invariant lava population. This population is dominated by shallow crystal fractionation processes and displays significantly less variability attributable to multiple source components. The Galápagos hot spot has long been known to have a symmetrical, long-wavelength influence on crustal accretion along the GSC. Existing isotopic and new elemental data define twin “geochemical peaks” that we interpret as loci for transfer of distinct source components from the Galápagos plume to the GSC. Although Na8 and Fe8 values lie within the negatively correlated global array, Na8 increases with decreasing axial depth, contrary to global trends and consistent with emerging deep, hydrous melting models that predict decreasing overall extent of melting despite increasing melt production. Support for hydrous melting comes from decreasing heavy REE, increasing La/Sm and La/Yb, and the systematics of decreasing FeO and increasing CaO and Al2O3 with decreasing distance to the hot spot. Overall, an enriched, deep melt component appears to coexist in the shallow mantle with a ubiquitous, depleted primitive melt component, consistent with new models for channelized melt flow connecting a deep hydrous melt regime with the dry shallow mantle. Nevertheless, an absence of low-Fe lavas suggests that hydrous melting is strictly limited beneath the eastern GSC, becoming dominant only near the western geochemical peak where input from a hydrous “Northern” or “Wolf-Darwin” plume component is inferred

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For schoolaged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI <2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference) and obesity (BMI >2 SD above the median). Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Geochemistry of sediments and interstitial waters of ODP Sites 128-798 and128-799

Interstitial waters in sediments below 400 (Site 798) and 435 meters below seafloor (Site 799) have chloride concentrations of 516-527 and 501-515 mM, respectively, lower than the 540 mM of the modern-day Japan Sea. The chemical composition of interstitial waters, bulk sediments, clay-size sediment fraction, and carbonate nodules from Oki Ridge (Site 798) and Kita-Yamato Trough (Site 799), Japan Sea, reflect in-situ diagenetic processes superimposed on geochemical signals that may indicate freshening of Miocene local marginal basin waters. Interstitial waters at both sites exhibit changes in chemical composition which coincide with the occurrence of low-porosity and high-bulk density layers composed of dolomite and opal-CT, which impede diffusive communication with the overlying interstitial waters. Based on interstitial water stable isotope evidence and mass-balance calculations of chloride dilution, diagenetic reactions that involve the release of structural bound water from opal-A and/or clay minerals contribute to the observed geochemical signals, but cannot account for all the measured chloride dilution