23 research outputs found

    Sulfide immiscibility induced by wall-rock assimilation in a fault-guided basaltic feeder system, Franklin Large Igneous Province, Victoria Island (Arctic Canada)

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    The Southern Feeder Dike Complex is part of the Franklin Large Igneous Province (LIP), exposed in the Minto Inlier of Victoria Island in the Canadian Arctic. Previous field and geochemical studies on the Franklin LIP considered its igneous rocks to be prospective for Fe-Ni-Cu mineralization. The Southern Feeder Dike Complex comprises a series of NW-SE-trending gabbroic intrusions and sedimentary hosts. Field and textural relationships show that the Complex intrusions were emplaced contemporaneously with Neoproterozoic normal faulting. Faulted contact zones correspond to prominent first derivative magnetic lineaments. Gabbroic dikes have intrusive contacts against brecciated country rock, and diabasic microxenoliths in basaltic matrices indicate multiple intrusive/brecciation events. Intrusive breccias are commonly overprinted by hydrothermal greenschist facies assemblages, with calcite + pyrite veins filling open spaces between breccia fragments. Late dikes emplaced into these heterogeneous breccias contain disseminated globular and net-textured sulfides suggesting that sulfide immiscibility was triggered on a local scale by assimilation of local wall rock. This inference is supported by elevated δ34S values of sulfides in these dikes, consistent with assimilation of country rocks. Wall-rock assimilation would have been facilitated by fault-related brecciation and cataclasis, which would expose extensive xenolith surface areas to fresh magma. Gossanous and meter-scale semimassive sulfide showings associated with dikes and sills located upsection from the Southern Feeder Dike Complex suggest that immiscible sulfide liquids may have been flushed downstream (or upsection) during replenishment of composite dike systems. Fault-mediated melt ascent along northwest-southeast faults has been documented elsewhere in the Minto Inlier, providing equivalent opportunities for wall-rock assimilation and consequent triggering of sulfide immiscibility and sulfide melt redistribution. The evidence preserved in the Complex confirms the Fe-Ni-Cu potential of the Franklin LIP and informs current models of ore deposit formation in conduit-type magmatic plumbing systems

    Functional and morphological characterization of small and large steroidogenic luteal cells from domestic cats before and during culture

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    The current study aimed to isolate, culture and characterize small (SLC) and large (LLC) steroidogenic cells from the corpora lutea (CL) of non-pregnant domestic cats. Isolation of feline SLC was based on an enzymatic digestion of luteal tissue, whereas LLC were obtained by mechanical disruption of CL. To assess function of both cell types, progesterone secretion and mRNA expression of selected genes involved in steroid and prostaglandin synthesis were measured, as well as relative transcript abundance of hormone receptors and anti-oxidative enzymes, before and during culture. The cells were cultured for 3 or 5 days without gonadotropins. Isolated feline SLC and LLC had different sizes (12 ± 3 μm vs. 34 ± 5 μm, respectively), morphologies (amount of lipid droplets) and behaved differently in culture. SLC attached and proliferated or spread quickly, but lost their steroidogenic function during culture (significant decrease in progesterone secretion and expression of steroidogenic genes). The expression of receptors for gonadotropins and prolactin also decreased. Prostaglandin synthase (PTGS2) decreased steadily over time, whereas mRNA expression of PGE2 synthase (PGES) increased. The gene expression of anti-oxidative enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), also increased during culture, but not of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). In comparison to SLC, LLC did not attach to culture plates, secreted more progesterone per inoculated cells and maintained steroidogenic function during culture. Expression of prostaglandin synthases (PTGS2 and PGES) was almost non-detectable. The gene expression of hormone receptors for prostaglandin F2 alpha (PTGFR), gonadotropins (LHCHR and FSHR), and prolactin (PRLR), as well as of anti-oxidative enzymes (GPX4, SOD1), increased over time. To conclude, we successfully isolated and cultured different types of feline steroidogenic luteal cells and comprehensively characterized both isolated cell types. This knowledge can be used to better understand the CL lifecycle in felines more broadly, and the established cell cultures will provide a foundation for future studies on luteolytic and luteotrophic factors in the domestic cat, and for comparison with other feline species, particularly lynx

    Sulfide Immiscibility Induced by Wall-Rock Assimilation in a Fault-Guided Basaltic Feeder System, Franklin Large Igneous Province, Victoria Island (Arctic Canada)

    No full text
    The Southern Feeder Dike Complex is part of the Franklin Large Igneous Province (LIP), exposed in the Minto Inlier of Victoria Island in the Canadian Arctic. Previous field and geochemical studies on the Franklin LIP considered its igneous rocks to be prospective for Fe-Ni-Cu mineralization. The Southern Feeder Dike Complex comprises a series of NW-SE-trending gabbroic intrusions and sedimentary hosts. Field and textural relationships show that the Complex intrusions were emplaced contemporaneously with Neoproterozoic normal faulting. Faulted contact zones correspond to prominent first derivative magnetic lineaments. Gabbroic dikes have intrusive contacts against brecciated country rock, and diabasic microxenoliths in basaltic matrices indicate multiple intrusive/brecciation events. Intrusive breccias are commonly overprinted by hydrothermal greenschist facies assemblages, with calcite + pyrite veins filling open spaces between breccia fragments. Late dikes emplaced into these heterogeneous breccias contain disseminated globular and net-textured sulfides suggesting that sulfide immiscibility was triggered on a local scale by assimilation of local wall rock. This inference is supported by elevated δ34S values of sulfides in these dikes, consistent with assimilation of country rocks. Wall-rock assimilation would have been facilitated by fault-related brecciation and cataclasis, which would expose extensive xenolith surface areas to fresh magma. Gossanous and meter-scale semimassive sulfide showings associated with dikes and sills located upsection from the Southern Feeder Dike Complex suggest that immiscible sulfide liquids may have been flushed downstream (or upsection) during replenishment of composite dike systems. Fault-mediated melt ascent along northwest-southeast faults has been documented elsewhere in the Minto Inlier, providing equivalent opportunities for wall-rock assimilation and consequent triggering of sulfide immiscibility and sulfide melt redistribution. The evidence preserved in the Complex confirms the Fe-Ni-Cu potential of the Franklin LIP and informs current models of ore deposit formation in conduit-type magmatic plumbing systems

    Medical applications of model based dynamic thermography

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    The proposal to use active thermography in medical diagnostics is promising in some applications concerning investigation of directly accessible parts of the human body. The combination of dynamic thermograms with thermal models of investigated structures gives attractive possibility to make internal structure reconstruction basing on different thermal properties of biological tissues. Measurements of temperature distribution synchronized with external light excitation allow registration of dynamic changes of local temperature dependent on heat exchange conditions. Preliminary results of active thermography applications in medicine are discussed. For skin and under- skin tissues an equivalent thermal model may be determined. For the assumed model its effective parameters may be reconstructed basing on the results of transient thermal processes. For known thermal diffusivity and conductivity of specific tissues the local thickness of a two or three layer structure may be calculated. Results of some medical cases as well as reference data of in vivo study on animals are presented. The method was also applied to evaluate the state of the human heart during the open chest cardio-surgical interventions. Reference studies of evoked heart infarct in pigs are referred, too. We see the proposed new in medical applications technique as a promising diagnostic tool. It is a fully non-invasive, clean, handy, fast and affordable method giving not only qualitative view of investigated surfaces but also an objective quantitative measurement result, accurate enough for many applications including fast screening of affected tissues
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