The age and distribution of the igneous rocks of Macquarie Island

Basalts associated with the formation of the Macquarie Ridge have been radiometrically dated at between 9.7 Ma and 11.5 Ma, giving a Middle Miocene age in approximate agreement with the age indicated by fossils in intercalated sedimentary rocks but younger than suggested by the nearby sea-floor spreading anomaly pattern

Effects of yoga - pranayama practices on metabolic parameters and anthropometry in type 2 diabetes

India being the diabetic capital of the world, there is a rise in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with the increase in age, physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle. So, the present study was undertaken to assess the strength of association of these factors and the effects of yoga-pranayama in type 2 diabetes. We selected 44 uncomplicated type 2 diabetic patients in the age group of 40-55 years with diabetes duration of 1-10 years. They were divided into test group and control groups with 22 patients in each group. The test group (T1 and T2) were taught yoga and pranayama for 3 continuous months, 1 hour every day in the morning by yoga expert. The results showed significant decrease in  metabolic parameters, with p < 0.001 in FBS of both the T1 and T2 sub groups [T1- 182.87 + 45.55  to 135.77 + 38.88, T 2 – 160.64 + 41.22 to 130.82 + 36.11], PPBS with p< 0.001 [ T1- 270.64  + 76.6 to  196.90 + 64.67, T 2 – 230.62 + 71.32 to 183.46 + 52.20], Hb A 1c with p < 0.001 in  both the T1 and T2 sub groups, [T1- 9.77 + 0.5 % to  7.68 + 0.4% and T 2 – 8.46 + 0.3% to 7.23 + 0.3%]. There was significant decrease with p < 0.001 in triglycerides of both the T1 and T2 sub groups, [T1- 170 + 70.55 to 132.2 + 60.6, T 2 – 164 + 80.66 to 1143.1 + 28.89]. There was significant decrease with p < 0.001 in LDL of both the T1 and T2 sub groups [T1- 108 + 36.24to 98 + 33.2, T 2 – 101.28 + 32.34 to 86.21 + 27.2]. However, no significant change in HDL levels in test groups (T1 and T2). It also showed significant decrease in weight, BMI and waist- hip ratio in test group. Addition to above benefits there was significant decrease in the requirement of insulin per day in the T2, from 36.42 + 4.2 units to 31.48 + 3.2 units. There were no significant changes in the control group. Thereby concluding that, there are significant benefits of yoga- pranayama practices on metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements in uncomplicated type 2 diabetes

Al-rich spinel in primitive arc volcanics

Al-rich spinels (100Cr/(Cr + Al) 50 wt%) are common in alpine peridotites, both terrestrial and lunar mafic and ultramafic cumulates, and in certain metamorphic rocks, but they are apparently rare in terrestrial volcanic rocks. Here we describe the occurrence of Al-rich spinel inclusions in olivine phenocrysts in island are volcanic rocks from five new localities: Bukit Mapas (Sumatra) and eastern Ball in the Sunda are, and Epi, Merelava, and Ambrym islands in the Vanuatu are. More commonly, relatively Cr-rich spinels also occur as inclusions in the same olivine phenocrysts, and it appears that the Cr-poor aluminous spinels must be in disequilibrium with the host basaltic melts. In the rocks studied, Al-rich spinels also coexist with trapped silicate glasses and highly aluminous clinopyroxene in melt inclusions in olivine. This paragenesis suggests an origin involving contamination by localised Al-rich melt pockets as opposed to a xenocrystic origin. Two mechanisms to produce this high-Al melt in basaltic magma chambers are suggested: (1) localized high-Al melt production by complete breakdown of assimilated lower crustal gabbroic rocks. In this model the high-Al melt may crystallise Al-rich spinels which are subsequently trapped as solid inclusions by phenocryst phases of the host basaltic melt or may be trapped as melt inclusions in which Al-rich spinels and Al-rich clinopyroxene crystallise as daughter phases, and (2) incongruent breakdown of amphibole in amphibole-rich cumulates in sub-are, or sub-GIB volcano magma chambers. The latter reaction produces a melt with similar to 20-22% of Al2O3, aluminous clinopyroxene, Al-rich spinel and olivine. Mixing between these amphibole breakdown products and host basaltic melt may occur throughout the evolution of a magmatic system, but particularly during recharge with hot magnesian basalt batches. Aluminous spinels and aluminous clinopyroxene produced during amphibole breakdown, or perhaps crystallised from aluminous melt produced in the same reaction, are incorporated into the magma during recharge, and subsequently trapped, together with the coexisting Cr-spinels, by crystallising olivine and clinopyroxene

Oxygen isotope composition of a section of lower oceanic crust, ODP Hole 735B

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95244/1/ggge964.pd

Monte Carlo Simulations of Metasomatic Enrichment in the Lithosphere and Implications for the Source of Alkaline Basalts

One hypothesis for the origin of alkaline lavas erupted on oceanic islands and in intracontinental settings is that they represent the melts of amphibole-rich veins in the lithosphere (or melts of their dehydrated equivalents if metasomatized lithosphere is recycled into the convecting mantle). Amphibole-rich veins are interpreted as cumulates produced by crystallization of low-degree melts of the underlying asthenosphere as they ascend through the lithosphere. We present the results of trace-element modelling of the formation and melting of veins formed in this way with the goal of testing this hypothesis and for predicting how variability in the formation and subsequent melting of such cumulates (and adjacent cryptically and modally metasomatized lithospheric peridotite) would be manifested in magmas generated by such a process. Because the high-pressure phase equilibria of hydrous near-solidus melts of garnet lherzolite are poorly constrained and given the likely high variability of the hypothesized accumulation and remelting processes, we used Monte Carlo techniques to estimate how uncertainties in the model parameters (e.g. the compositions of the asthenospheric sources, their trace-element contents, and their degree of melting; the modal proportions of crystallizing phases, including accessory phases, as the asthenospheric partial melts ascend and crystallize in the lithosphere; the amount of metasomatism of the peridotitic country rock; the degree of melting of the cumulates and the amount of melt derived from the metasomatized country rock) propagate through the process and manifest themselves as variability in the trace-element contents and radiogenic isotopic ratios of model vein compositions and erupted alkaline magma compositions. We then compare the results of the models with amphibole observed in lithospheric veins and with oceanic and continental alkaline magmas. While the trace-element patterns of the near-solidus peridotite melts, the initial anhydrous cumulate assemblage (clinopyroxene ± garnet ± olivine ± orthopyroxene), and the modelled coexisting liquids do not match the patterns observed in alkaline lavas, our calculations show that with further crystallization and the appearance of amphibole (and accessory minerals such as rutile, ilmenite, apatite, etc.) the calculated cumulate assemblages have trace-element patterns that closely match those observed in the veins and lavas. These calculated hydrous cumulate assemblages are highly enriched in incompatible trace elements and share many similarities with the trace-element patterns of alkaline basalts observed in oceanic or continental setting such as positive Nb/La, negative Ce/Pb, and similiar slopes of the rare earth elements. By varying the proportions of trapped liquid and thus simulating the cryptic and modal metasomatism observed in peridotite that surrounds these veins, we can model the variations in Ba/Nb, Ce/Pb, and Nb/U ratios that are observed in alkaline basalts. If the isotopic compositions of the initial low-degree peridotite melts are similar to the range observed in mid-ocean ridge basalt, our model calculations produce cumulates that would have isotopic compositions similar to those observed in most alkaline ocean island basalt (OIB) and continental magmas after ~0·15 Gyr. However, to produce alkaline basalts with HIMU isotopic compositions requires much longer residence times (i.e. 1–2 Gyr), consistent with subduction and recycling of metasomatized lithosphere through the mantle. EM magmas cannot readily be explained without appealing to other factors such as a heterogeneous asthenosphere. These modelling results support the interpretation proposed by various researchers that amphibole-bearing veins represent cumulates formed during the differentiation of a volatile-bearing low-degree peridotite melt and that these cumulates are significant components of the sources of alkaline OIB and continental magmas. The results of the forward models provide the potential for detailed tests of this class of hypotheses for the origin of alkaline magmas worldwide and for interpreting major and minor aspects of the geochemical variability of these magmas

Musikk for avslapning i hverdagen

Dette er en kvantitativ litteraturstudie med innslag av egne undersøkelser, som hovedsakelig diskuterer klingende musikk og/eller oppfatninger av følgende kilder: - "Weightless" ("the most relaxing song in the world") - Steven Halpern (regnes som grunnlegger av "new age" musikk) - Fire relevante studier/analyser som tar for seg funn angående musikk for avslapning. Mange supplerende studier vil også trekkes inn - Helen Bonny, grunnlegger av Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music - Den norsk/irske duoen Secret Garden, og deres musikk som Avslapningsmusikk (belyses av egne undersøkelser). Disse kildene belyser hverandre, og belyses alle av etablert emosjonsteori; teori om avslapning; teori og funn angående transcendent lytteopplevelse; og teori om preferanser, familiaritet og forventning. På bakgrunn av dette foreslår jeg anbefalinger for hvordan man kan gå frem for å velge avslapningsmusikk i hverdagen, både lytterens forutsetninger og musikkens iboende egenskaper er vektlagt. Det drøftes også potensiell eksistens av forskjellige former for avslapning til musikk