Patella malalignment, pain and patellofemoral progression: the Health ABC Study

SummaryObjectivePatellofemoral (PF) joint osteoarthritis (OA) is strongly correlated with lower extremity disability and knee pain. Risk factors for pain and structural progression in PF OA are poorly understood. Our objective was to determine the association between patella malalignment and its relation to pain severity, and PF OA disease progression.MethodsWe conducted an analysis of data from the Health ABC knee OA study. Health ABC is a community based, multi-center cohort study of 3075 Caucasian and Black men and women aged 70–79 at enrollment. Weight bearing skyline knee X-rays were obtained in a subset (595) of subjects, with and without knee pain, at year 2 and year 5 (mean follow-up 36 months). Films were read paired, and PF osteophytes (OST) and joint space narrowing (JSN) were scored on a 0–3 scale using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International atlas. We defined progression of PF OA as any increase in JSN score. Three measures of patella malalignment were made: sulcus angle; patella tilt angle; and patella subluxation medially or laterally (bisect offset). Knee symptoms were assessed using a knee specific Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) knee pain subscale. We assessed the relationship between baseline patella malalignment and pain severity (linear regression for WOMAC) and compartment specific PF OA progression (logistic regression for dichotomous outcomes). We classified continuous measures of patella alignment into quartile groups. We performed multivariable adjusted logistic regression models, including age, gender and body mass index (BMI) to assess the relation of baseline patella alignment to the occurrence of PF JSN progression using generalized estimating equations (GEE).ResultsThe subjects had a mean age 73.6 (SD 2.9), BMI 28.8 (SD 4.9), 40.3% male, and 46% were Black. Medial displacement of the patella predisposed to medial JSN progression; odds for each quartile 1, 1.2, 1.2, 2.2 (P for trend=0.03), whilst protecting from lateral JSN progression; odds for each quartile 1, 0.7, 0.6, 0.4 (P for trend=0.0004). Increasing patella tilt protected from medial JSN progression; odds for each quartile 1, 0.8, 0.5, 0.2 (P<0.0001) and trended to increasing pain severity (P=0.09).ConclusionPatella malalignment is associated with PF disease progression. Medial displacement and tilt of the patella predisposes to medial JSN progression, whilst lateral displacement is predictive of lateral JSN progression. The influence of patella malalignment has important implications since it is potentially modifiable through footwear, taping and/or knee bracing

Geochemistry and iron isotope systematics of coexisting Fe-bearing minerals in magmatic Fe-Ti deposits: A case study of the Damiao titanomagnetite ore deposits, North China Craton

Geochemical and iron isotopic compositions of magnetite, ilmenite and pyrite separates from the FeTi oxide ores hosted in the Damiao anorthosite-type FeTi ore deposit were analyzed to investigate sub-solidus cooling history of the titanomagnetite. The FeTi oxides form two series of solid solutions, namely, ulvöspinel-magnetite (Usp-Mtss) and hematite-ilmenite (Hem-Ilmss) solid solutions. The magnetite separates have 14–27 mol% ulvöspinel, while the ilmenite separates have 5–8 mol% hematite. Major element compositions of the mineral separates suggest that the ilmenites were mainly exsolved from the Usp-Mtss by oxidation of ulvöspinel in the temperature range of ~820–600 °C and experienced inter-oxide re-equilibration with the magnetites. Associated with the exsolution is the substantial inter-mineral iron isotope fractionation. The magnetite separates are characterized by high δ57Fe (+0.27 − +0.65‰), whereas the ilmenite separates have lower δ57Fe (−0.65 to −0.28‰). Two types of pyrite are petrographically observed, each of which has a distinctive iron isotope fingerprint. Type I pyrite (pyriteI) with higher δ57Fe (δ57Fe = +0.63 − +0.95‰) is consistent with magmatic origin, and type II pyrite (pyriteII) with lower δ57Fe (δ57Fe = −0.90 to −0.11‰) was likely to have precipitated from fluids. Iron isotopic fingerprints of the pyrite may result from fluid activities, whereas those of the pyriteII probably indicate variations of oxygen fugacity. The iron isotopic fractionation between the magnetite and ilmenite is the net result of sub-solidus processes (including ulvöspinel oxidation and inter-oxide re-equilibration) without needing varying oxygen fugacity albeit its presence. Although varying composition of magnetite-ilmenite pairs reflects variations of oxygen fugacity, inter-oxide iron isotopic fractionation does not

Heterogeneous oceanic arc volcanic rocks in the South Qilian Accretionary Belt (Qilian Orogen, NW China)

Primitive arc magmas in oceanic island arcs are probes of sub-arc magmatic processes and are crucial for understanding oceanic subduction. We report data for an Early Paleozoic oceanic arc volcanic complex in the Lajishan-Yongjing terrane, South Qilian Accretionary Belt (SQAB), Qilian Orogen, including zircon U-Pb dating and Hf-O isotopes, mineral and whole-rock geochemistry, and Sr-Nd isotope compositions. New zircon ages of ∼455-440 Ma constrain the timing of arc volcanism and the subduction of the Qilian Ocean. Based on petrography and bulk-rock composition, five lithological types have been identified, including: (1) ankaramite; (2) high-Mg basaltic andesite; (3) high-Al andesite; (4) boninite; (5) sanukite. The volcanic sequence thus is one of the few island arcs where three types of near-primitive arc rocks including boninite, ankaramite and sanukite have been simultaneously produced. All these rocks have variably enriched Sr-Nd isotopic compositions, positive to slight negative zircon εHf(t) values and elevated zircon δ18O values. Boninites, ankaramites and sanukites are interpreted as contemporary, near-primitive, melts generated from different sources and conditions within an island arc setting. Boninites are characterized by low Ti, REE concentrations and high Cr# chrome spinel, and are interpreted as melts of refractory, Cpx-poor, spinel lherzolite or harzburgite at > 25% partial melting. Anomalous zircon δ18O values of 6.57‰-7.61‰ and Sr-Nd mixing calculations suggest less than 2% incorporation of subducted oceanic sediments into the mantle source of the magmas. The ankaramites are characterized by low SiO2, high MgO (Mg#), Cr, Ni and La/Yb ratios, and have similar isotopic ratios to tectonically adjacent OIB lavas. The ankaramite lavas are likely to have derived from mantle sources similar to those of OIB, i.e., pyroxenite-bearing garnet peridotite enriched in incompatible elements. High-Mg basaltic andesites and high-Al andesites may be derived from parental ankaramite magmas. Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic mixing modeling constrain the amount of silicic melt to ∼1-4% for ankaramite magma. Sanukites are of andesitic-dacitic composition with high Mg#, Cr and Ni, and enriched LILE and high La/Yb ratios. They are interpreted as having been generated by reaction of mantle peridotite with a silicic melt, itself derived from subducted sediments. Enriched Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions constrain the amount of silicic melt to ∼10-15% for sanukite. Large compositional variations among the volcanic rocks from the same arc reflect heterogeneous mantle sources and variable degrees of mantle metasomatism by sediment-derived hydrous fluids or silicic melts, accompanied by secondary AFC processes during magma ascent to the surface

Basalts and picrites from a plume-type ophiolite in the South Qilian Accretionary Belt, Qilian Orogen: Accretion of a Cambrian Oceanic Plateau?

Oceanic plateaus with high–Mg rocks in the present-day oceanic crust have attracted much attention for their proposed mantle-plume origins and abnormally high mantle potential temperatures (Tp). However, equivalent rocks in ancient oceanic environments are usually poorly preserved because of deformation and metamorphism. Here we present petrological, geochronological and geochemical data for pillow lavas from Cambrian ophiolites in the Lajishan and Yongjing regions of the South Qilian Accretionary Belt (SQAB), from the southern part of the Qilian Orogen, northern China. Three rock groups can be identified geochemically: (1) sub-alkaline basalts with enriched mid- ocean ridge basalt (E-MORB) affinity; (2) alkaline basalts with oceanic island basalt (OIB) features, probably derived from partial melting of an enriched mantle source; and (3) picrites with MgO (18–22 wt.%). Cr-numbers [Cr# = Cr/(Cr + Al)] of spinels from the picrites suggest 18–21% degree of partial melting at the estimated mantle potential temperature (Tp) of 1489–1600 °C, equivalent to values of Cenozoic Hawaiian picrites (1500–1600 °C). Zircons from one gabbro sample yielded a U–Pb Concordia age of 525 ± 3 Ma, suggesting the oceanic crust formed in the Cambrian. Available evidence suggests that Cambrian mantle plume activity is preserved in the South Qilian Accretionary Belt, and influenced the regional tectonics: “jamming” of the trench by thick oceanic crust explains the emplacement and preservation of the oceanic plateau, and gave rise to the generation of concomitant Ordovician inner-oceanic island arc basalts via re-organisation of the subduction zones in the region

Geochronology and geochemistry of the Early Jurassic Yeba Formation volcanic rocks in southern Tibet: Initiation of back-arc rifting and crustal accretion in the southern Lhasa Terrane

Understanding the geological history of the Lhasa Terrane prior to the India-Asia collision (~ 55 ± 10 Ma) is essential for improved models of syn-collisional and post-collisional processes in the southern Lhasa Terrane. The Miocene (~ 18–10 Ma) adakitic magmatism with economically significant porphyry-type mineralization has been interpreted as resulting from partial melting of the Jurassic juvenile crust, but how this juvenile crust was accreted remains poorly known. For this reason, we carried out a detailed study on the volcanic rocks of the Yeba Formation (YF) with the results offering insights into the ways in which the juvenile crust may be accreted in the southern Lhasa Terrane in the Jurassic. The YF volcanic rocks are compositionally bimodal, comprising basalt/basaltic andesite and dacite/rhyolite dated at 183–174 Ma. All these rocks have an arc-like signature with enriched large ion lithophile elements (LILEs; e.g., Rb, Ba and U) and light rare earth elements (LREEs) and depleted high field strength elements (HFSEs; e.g., Nb, Ta, Ti). They also have depleted whole-rock Sr-Nd and zircon Hf isotopic compositions, pointing to significant mantle isotopic contributions. Modeling results of trace elements and isotopes are most consistent with the basalts being derived from a mantle source metasomatized by varying enrichment of subduction components. The silicic volcanic rocks show the characteristics of transitional I-S type granites, and are best interpreted as resulting from re-melting of a mixed source of juvenile amphibole-rich lower crust with reworked crustal materials resembling metagraywackes. Importantly, our results indicate northward Neo-Tethyan seafloor subduction beneath the Lhasa Terrane with the YF volcanism being caused by the initiation of back-arc rifting. The back-arc setting is a site for juvenile crustal accretion in the southern Lhasa Terrane