Two-sided asymmetric subduction; implications for tectonomagmatic and metallogenic evolution of the Lut Block, Eastern Iran

West directed subduction zones show common characteristics, such as low structural elevation, deep trench, steep slab and a conjugate back-arc basin that are opposite to those of the east directed subduction zones. The tectonomagmatic and metallogenic setting of the Lut Block is still a matter of debate and several hypotheses have been put forward. Despite some authors denying the influence of the operation of Benioff planes, the majority propose that it occurred beneath the Afghan Block, while others consider that oceanic lithosphere was dragged under the Lut Block. Cu-Au porphyry deposits seem to occur in an island arc geotectonic setting during the middle Eocene while Mo-bearing deposits are coincident with the crustal thickening during Oligocene. We introduce new trace element and isotope geochemical data for granitoids and structural evidences testifying the two-sided asymmetric subduction beneath both Afghan and Lut Blocks, with different rates of consumption of oceanic lithosphere

Evaluation of physiological screening techniques for drought-resistant breeding of durum wheat genotypes in Iran

This paper summarizes the results of a project aimed to evaluate the use of physiological traits (such as canopy temperature and chlorophyll content) in determining drought tolerance of durum wheat genotypes under a variety of environmental conditions. Six durum wheat genotypes were planted in rainfed and supplementary irrigation conditions in Gachsaran of Iran for two years (2007 to 2009). Five drought tolerance indices including stress susceptibility index (SSI), stress tolerance index (STI), tolerance index (TOL), mean productivity (MP) and geometric mean productivity (GMP) were calculated. Canopy temperature depression (CTD) and chlorophyll content (CHL) was used to estimate crop yield and to rank genotypes. CTD and CHL were measured at three stages from emergence of 50% of inflorescence (Zadoks Growth Scale54) to watery ripe stage (ZGS71). Genotypes G5 (OUASERL-1) and G6 (Stj//Bcr/LKS41CD94) were superior genotypes for both environments with high PC1 and low PC2 in biplot analysis. The results of genotypes CTD in ZGS69 stage and CHL in grain filling stage had high significant differences. The significant and positive correlation of MP, SSI, STI, CHL and CTD showed that these indices were more effective in identifying high yielding genotypes under both conditions and the result showed that CTD and CHL played important roles to search for the physiological basis of grain yield of wheat and CTD and CHL can successfully be used as a selection criterions in breeding programs.Key words: Canopy temperature, chlorophyll content, drought stress, durum wheat

Transvaginal sonographic evaluation at different menstrual cycle phases in diagnosis of uterine lesions

Masomeh Hajishaiha1, Mohammad Ghasemi-rad2, Nazila Karimpour1, Nikol Mladkova3, Farzaneh Boromand11Department of Gynecology, 2Student Research Committee (SRC), Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Islamic Republic of Iran; 3Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, London, UKPurpose: Intrauterine lesions (IULs) are a common finding in women of reproductive age, particularly infertile women. Transvaginal sonography (TVS) is a popular tool for IUL detection, but there are conflicting data with respect to its accuracy.Methods: Five hundred and six women were enrolled into the study. Of these, 496 underwent hysterosalpingography and subsequent TVS six different times during the course of their menstrual cycle. If a lesion was detected, it was further evaluated by sonohysterography (SHG) and hysteroscopy.Results: Of 496 women, 41 were shown to have IULs by TVS and those lesions were confirmed in 39 by SHG and hysteroscopy. All 39 lesions were detectable during the ovulatory and early luteal phase (days 16–19) of the menstrual cycle. Accuracy of TVS during different phases was largely dependent on the size of the lesion. TVS falsely detected two lesions and missed fine adhesions in two patients.Conclusion: Accuracy of TVS in detection of IULs is highly dependent on the menstrual cycle phase, with the ovulatory and early luteal phase being the optimal time for this examination.Keywords: menstrual cycle phase, space occupying lesions, transvaginal sonograph

Petrography, geochemistry and tectonic significance of the Mahoor granitoids (Lut Block, Eastern Iran)

The Mahoor granitoids are Cu–Zn-bearing porphyries that outcrop in the central part of the Lut Block, about 135 km south-west of Nehbandan (eastern Iran). These granitoids occur mainly as dykes and stocks that intrude Eocene volcanics. Petrographically, all the studied intrusives display porphyritic textures with mm-sized phenocrysts, most commonly of plagioclase and hornblende, embedded in a fine-grained groundmass with variable amounts of plagioclase, hornblende, clinopyroxene, quartz and opaques. Hydrothermal alteration affected these granitoids, as revealed by the common occurrence of sericite, chlorite, sphene/leucoxene, epidote and calcite. Chemical classification criteria show that the intrusives may be named as gabbrodiorites, diorites, monzodiorites and tonalites. Major element geochemistry reveals that all the studied lithologies are typically metaluminous (A/CNK ≤ 0.94) and, in addition, suggest, that they constitute a suite belonging to the high-K calc-alkaline series. Magnetic susceptibility (1485 × 10-5 SI) together with mineralogical and geochemical features show that they belong to magnetite granitoid series (I-type). In primitive mantle-normalized trace element spiderdiagrams, the analysed samples display strong enrichment in LILE compared to HFSE (15.5 ≤ RbN/YN ≤ 45.9), accompanied by negative anomalies of Nb, Ta and Ti. REE chondrite-normalized plots show slight to moderate LREE enrichment (4.9 ≤ LaN/LuN ≤ 8.4) and negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* ratios vary from 0.65 to 0.88). Tectonic characteristics also indicate that the study area is emplaced in a volcanic arc setting. The whole set of geochemical data suggest that the Mahoor granitoids are co-genetic, belong to the calc-alkaline series and have been originated in an active continental margin setting. Sulfide mineralizations (pyrite, chalcopyrite and sphalerite) related to these granitoids are common and occur both disseminated and as hydrothermal veins, indicating a high mineralization potential for this area

Fluid inclusion geothermometry of various alteration – mineralization zones of Chah-shaljami prospect, Eastern Iran

منطقه اکتشافي چاهشلغمي در خراسان جنوبي و در کمربند آتشفشاني – نفوذي بلوک لوت قرار گرفته است. تودههاي نيمه عميق گرانيتوئيدي مربوط به اليگوسن، درون تواليهاي آتشفشاني - پيروکلاستيک ائوسن نفوذ کردهاند. انواع کانيهاي دگرساني شامل آلونيت، ژاروسيت، کلريت، ديکيت، سريسيت، مونتموريلونيت، کوارتز و اکسيدهاي آهن شناسايي شدهاند. کانيسازي شامل پيريت، آرسنوپيريت، موليبدنيت، کالکوپيريت، اسفالريت، گالن و انارژيت است. ميزان دما و شوري بالاي سيالات درگير در زون دگرساني سيليس - کلريت ميتواند در تعيين مرکز سيستم کانيسازي در اکتشافات بعدي مورد استفاده قرار گيرد. دما و شوري سيالات به سمت زون دگرساني کوارتز حفرهاي در حال کاهش است که احتمالا نشان دهنده افزايش دخالت آبهاي جوي ميباشد. شواهد زمينشناسي، دگرساني، کانيسازي و تحول سيالات هيدروترمال نشان دهنده کانيسازي اپيترمال سولفيداسيون بالا مرتبط با سيستم پورفيري عمقي در منطقه ميباشد. کليد واژهها: بلوک لوت، آلونيت، سيالات درگير، اپيترمال.Chah-shaljami exploration area is located in the Southern Khorasan and belongs to the Lut Block volcanic-plutonic belt. Oligocene subvolcanic granitoids intruded into Eocene volcanic - volcaniclastic sequences. Alteration minerals include alunite, jarusite, chlorite, dickite, sericite, montmorillonite, quartz and iron oxide. Mineralization includes pyrite, arsenopyrite, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena and enargite. High temperature – salinity of fluid inclusions from sericite alteration is an indicator that can direct the next exploration toward the mineralization center. Temperature – salinity of fluid inclusions decrease toward the vuggy quartz alteration which indicate the increase of the role of meteoric fluids. The gathered data on alteration, mineralization and hydrothermal fluids together with field evidence evidence indicate that the high-sulfidation epithermal mineralization is related to the deep porphyry system in the area

Hydrothermal fluids evolution from various alteration – mineralization zones of Dehsalm porphyry type system, Lut block, Eastern Iran

منطقه اکتشافي دهسلم در خراسان جنوبي و در کمربند آتشفشاني – نفوذي بلوک لوت قرار گرفته است. تودههاي نيمه عميق حدواسط تا اسيدي مربوط به اليگوسن، درون تواليهاي آتشفشاني، ماسهسنگ و سيلتستون ائوسن نفوذ کردهاند. زونهاي دگرساني شامل انواع پتاسيک، پروپليتيک، سريسيت- رسي، اپيدوتي، سريسيت - کلسيت - سيليس و سيليسي ميباشند. کانيسازي بصورت رگه – رگچهاي و پراکنده شامل مگنتيت، پيريت، موليبدنيت، کالکوپيريت، بورنيت، طلا، آرسنوپيريت، اسفالريت، گالن، کوليت، ديژنيت و کانيهاي سولفوسالت ميباشد. مطالعه سيالات درگير تاثير فرايندهاي جوشش، ناآميختگي، سرد شدن و رقيق شدگي توسط آيهاي جوي را طي تحول سيالات کانهساز نشان داده است. ميزان دما و شوري سيالات درگير از زون دگرساني پتاسيک به سمت زون دگرساني سريسيتي - رسي در حال کاهش است که احتمالا نشان دهنده افزايش دخالت آبهاي جوي ميباشد. شواهد زمينشناسي، دگرساني، کاني- سازي و تحول سيالات هيدروترمال نشان دهنده کانيسازي سيستم پورفيري در منطقه ميباشد. کليد واژهها: بلوک لوت، سيالات درگير، جوشش، سيستم پورفيريDehsalm exploration area is located in the Southern Khorasan and belongs to the Lut Block volcanic-plutonic belt of the Lut block. Oligocene intermediate to acidic subvolcanic rocks intruded into Eocene volcanic, sandstone and siltstone sequences. Alteration zones include potassic, propylitic, sericite – calcite – silica, sericite – argillic, epidote and silicification. Vein – veinlet and disseminated mineralization comprise magnetite, pyrite, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, bornite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, galena, covellite, digenite and sulfosalts. Fluid inclusion studies have shown the affect of boiling, fluid immiscibility, cooling and dilution processes by meteoric fluids during the evolution of mineralizing fluids. Temperature – salinity of fluid inclusions decrease from potassic through sericite – argillic alteration which indicate the increase of the role of meteoric fluids. The gathered data on alteration, mineralization and hydrothermal fluids together with field evidence indicate that a porphyry type mineralization system occurs in the area

An android application for estimating muscle onset latency using surface EMG signal

Background: Electromyography (EMG) signal processing and Muscle Onset Latency (MOL) are widely used in rehabilitation sciences and nerve conduction studies. The majority of existing software packages provided for estimating MOL via analyzing EMG signal are computerized, desktop based and not portable; therefore, experiments and signal analyzes using them should be completed locally. Moreover, a desktop or laptop is required to complete experiments using these packages, which costs. Objective: Develop a non-expensive and portable Android application (app) for estimating MOL via analyzing surface EMG. Material and Methods: A multi-layer architecture model was designed for implementing the MOL estimation app. Several Android-based algorithms for analyzing a recorded EMG signal and estimating MOL was implemented. A graphical user interface (GUI) that simplifies analyzing a given EMG signal using the presented app was developed too. Results: Evaluation results of the developed app using 10 EMG signals showed promising performance; the MOL values estimated using the presented app are statistically equal to those estimated using a commercial Windows-based surface EMG analysis software (MegaWin 3.0). For the majority of cases relative error <10. MOL values estimated by these two systems are linearly related, the correlation coefficient value ~ 0.93. These evaluations revealed that the presented app performed as well as MegaWin 3.0 software in estimating MOL. Conclusion: Recent advances in smart portable devices such as mobile phones have shown the great capability of facilitating and decreasing the cost of analyzing biomedical signals, particularly in academic environments. Here, we developed an Android app for estimating MOL via analyzing the surface EMG signal. Performance is promising to use the app for teaching or research purposes. © 2019, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All right reserved

Study of Composite Fiber Reinforcement of Cracked Thin-Walled Pressure Vessels Utilizing Multi-Scaling Technique Based on Extended Finite Element Method

One of the most important challenges of storing fluids in thin walled pressure vessels under internal pressure is preventing crack propagation. In low temperature, steel shows brittle crack propagation characteristic which is highly dangerous. In this paper, a new numerical model is presented in order to investigate the reinforcement of a cracked thin walled pressure vessel by composite patch.Одна из наиболее важных проблем хранения жидкостей в тонкостенных сосудах высокого давления предотвращение распространения трещин. При низких температурах имеет место хрупкое распространение трещин, которое является опасным. Представлена новая численная модель расчета усиления тонкостенного сосуда давления с трещиной композитной накладкой.Однією з найбільш важливих проблем зберігання рідини в тонкостінних посудинах високого тиску є запобігання розповсюдженню тріщин. При низьких температурах має місце крихке розповсюдження тріщин, що є небезпечним. Представлено нову числову модель розрахунку підсилення тонкостінної посудини тиску з тріщиною композитною накладкою

U–Pb zircon geochronology, petrochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic characteristic of Late Neoproterozoic granitoids of the Bornaward complex (Bardaskan-NE Iran)

The Bornaward granitoids in the Taknar zone are located in the northeast of the central Iranian block in northeast Iran (Khorasan Razavi province), about 280 km southwest of Mashhad city and 28 km northwest of Bardaskan city. Taknar zone is an exotic block, bordered by two major faults, the Great Kavir fault in the south and Rivash fault in the north. Intrusive rocks of the study area, called the Bornaward granitoid complex (BGC), include of granite, alkali granite, syenogranite, leucogranite, granophyre, monzogranite, granodiorite, tonalite, diorite and gabbro intruded into the center of Taknar zone. These intrusive rocks affected low grade metamorphism. The results of U-Pb zircon dating on two granite samples, one belonging to the Taknar mine west of the study area and the other the Bornaward granitoids in the eastern part of study area, and also one granodiorite the Taknar mine area and one diorite the Bornaward area, yield ages of the granites as 540.5±2.9 Ma (Taknar mine area) and 550.41 3.21,-4.54 Ma (Bornaward area), the granodiorite as 550±6.9 Ma and diorite as 551.96±4.32 Ma, all Late Neoproterozoic. The Bornaward intrusive bodies are classified as belonging to the ilmenite-series of reduced granitoids. Some small high magnetite-granite and tonalite outcrops in the study area are classified as belonging to the magnetite-series of oxidized granitoids. Chemically, most granitoids of the study area are S-type middle-high metaluminous to slightlymiddle peraluminous and belong to tholeiite, calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline rock series with enrichments in LIL (Cs, Rb and Ba, U, K, Zr, Y, Th) elements and depletion in HIL (Sr and Nb, Ta, Ti) elements. Chondrite-normalized Rare Earth Elements (REEs) plots indicate minor enrichments of LREEs in comparison with HREEs, with (La/Yb)N between 1.04 -7.90 and total of REEs of the samples between 44.8 ppm (minimum) and 293.5 ppm (maximum) with strong negative anomaly of Eu compared to other Rare Earth elements. The Bornaward granitoid have an initial 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd ranging 0.703514 to 0.716888 and 0.511585 to 0.512061, respectively, when recalculated to an age of 550 to 538 Ma, consistent with the new radiometric age results. Initial εNd isotope values for granite, granodiorite and diorite range -6.73 to 2.52. TDM age of the BGC is 1.08-1.70 Ga. This indicates that the Bornaward granitoid complex (BGC) derived partial melting of distinct basement source regions with very high initial 87Sr/86Sr and underwent extensive crustal contamination