A chemical threshold controls nanocrystallization and degassing behaviour in basalt magmas

An increasing number of studies are being presented demonstrating that volcanic glasses can be heterogeneous at the nanoscale. These nano-heterogeneities can develop both during viscosity measurements in the laboratory and during magma eruptions. Our multifaceted study identifies here total transition metal oxide content as a crucial compositional factor governing the tendency of basalt melts and glasses towards nanolitization: at both anhydrous and hydrous conditions, an undercooled trachybasalt melt from Mt. Etna readily develops nanocrystals whose formation also hampers viscosity measurements, while a similar but FeO- and TiO2-poorer basalt melt from Stromboli proves far more stable at similar conditions. We therefore outline a procedure to reliably derive pure liquid viscosity without the effect of nanocrystals, additionally discussing how subtle compositional differences may contribute to the different eruptive styles of Mt. Etna and Stromboli

Overcoming the dichotomy between open and isolated populations using genomic data from a large European dataset

Human populations are often dichotomized into "isolated" and "open" categories using cultural and/or geographical barriers to gene flow as differential criteria. Although widespread, the use of these alternative categories could obscure further heterogeneity due to inter-population differences in effective size, growth rate, and timing or amount of gene flow. We compared intra and inter-population variation measures combining novel and literature data relative to 87,818 autosomal SNPs in 14 open populations and 10 geographic and/or linguistic European isolates. Patterns of intra-population diversity were found to vary considerably more among isolates, probably due to differential levels of drift and inbreeding. The relatively large effective size estimated for some population isolates challenges the generalized view that they originate from small founding groups. Principal component scores based on measures of intra-population variation of isolated and open populations were found to be distributed along a continuum, with an area of intersection between the two groups. Patterns of inter-population diversity were even closer, as we were able to detect some differences between population groups only for a few multidimensional scaling dimensions. Therefore, different lines of evidence suggest that dichotomizing human populations into open and isolated groups fails to capture the actual relations among their genomic features

The Baia - Fondi di Baia eruption at Campi Flegrei: stratigraphy and dynamics of a multi-stage caldera reactivation event

The Baia–Fondi di Baia eruption is one of the spo- radic events that have occurred in the western sector of the Campi Flegrei caldera. It dates back to 9525–9696 BP and opened Epoch 2 of the caldera activity after a 1000-year- long period of quiescence. Although relatively small in terms of erupted volume with respect to most of the events of the past 15 ka, the Baia–Fondi di Baia eruption was characterized by a complex series of events, which have led to different interpretations in the literature. We present a detailed strati- graphic study of 40 outcrops in a sector of about 90 km2, coupled with sedimentological (grain size, componentry), physical (density, vesicularity), textural, and compositional analyses of the erupted deposits. Based on these data, we interpret the stratigraphic succession as being related to two distinct eruptive episodes (Baia and Fondi di Baia). These were separated by a short time interval, and each was charac- terized by different eruptive phases. The Baia eruptive episode started in a shallow-water environment with an explosive vent-opening phase that formed a breccia deposit (Unit I), rapidly followed by alternating fallout activity and dense, py- roclastic density current deposits generation (Unit II). Sedimentological features and pumice textural analyses sug- gest that deposition of Unit II coincided with the intensity peak of the eruption, with the fallout deposit being character- ized by a volume of 0.06 ± 0.008 km3 (corresponding to a total erupted mass of 4.06 ± 0.5 × 1010 kg), a column height of 17 km, and a corresponding mass flow rate of 1.8 × 107 kg s−1. The associated tephra also shows the highest vesicularity (up to 81 vol.%) the highest vesicle number density (1.01 × 108 cm−3) and decompression rate (0.69 MPa s−1). This peak phase waned to turbulent, surge-like activity possibly associated with Vulcanian explosions and characterized by progressively lower intensity, as shown by density/vesicularity and textural properties of the erupted juvenile material (Unit III). This first eruptive episode was followed by a short quiescence, interrupted by the onset of a second eruptive episode (Fondi di Baia) whose vent opening deposited a brec- cia bed (Unit IV) which at some key outcrops directly overlies the fallout deposit of Unit II. The final phase of the Fondi di Baia episode strongly resembles Unit II, although sedimentological (presence of obsidian clasts which are absent in the Baia deposits) and tex- tural (lower vesicularity, vesicle number density, and decompression rate values) features, together with a more limited dispersal, suggest that this phase of the eruption had a lower intensity. The large range of groundmass glass compositions, associated with vari- able proportions of highly (phonolitic–trachytic) and mildly (tephriphonolitic–latitic) evolved end-members in the erupted products, also suggests that these erup- tive episodes were fed by at least two different magma batches that interacted during the different phases,with an increase of tephriphonolitic–latitic magma occurring during the Fondi di Baia stage

A review of plagioclase growth rate and compositional evolution in mafic alkaline magmas. Guidelines for thermometry, hygrometry, and timescales of magma dynamics at Stromboli and Mt. Etna

Mafic alkaline magmas, such as those feeding the persistent eruptive activity of Stromboli and Mt. Etna volcanoes in Italy, are dominated by the crystallization of plagioclase via cooling and degassing phenomena related to the dynamics of shallow crustal reservoirs and eruptive conduits. Because plagioclase textures and compositions are extremely sensitive to the changes of intensive variables in subvolcanic plumbing systems, the phenomenological variability of erupted crystals preserves detailed evidence of complex growth histories. From this point of view, we reappraise the textural maturation and compositional complexity of plagioclase by allying thermodynamic and kinetic principles to natural and experimental observations, with the purpose of drawing up guidelines for reconstructing magma dynamics in mafic alkaline volcanic settings. A multifaceted statistical method is adopted to parameterize the decay of crystal growth rate with increasing crystallization time, as relaxation kinetics prevails over melt supersaturation effects. This model parameterization is combined with the textural analysis of natural plagioclase crystals to quantify the residence time of phenocrysts in equilibrium with magmas at Stromboli and Mt. Etna and/or the timescale of rapid microlite growth during disequilibrium ascent of magmas within the conduit. The role played by temperature and melt-water content on plagioclase components and major cation substitution mechanisms is also evaluated under both isobaric-isothermal and decompression conditions. The emerging paradigm is that the influence of dissolved water on anorthite-albite exchange between plagioclase and melt is overwhelmingly mitigated by changes in temperature at conditions of P = 30-300 MPa, T = 1050-1150 °C, fO2 = NNO+1.9-NNO+2.3, and melt-H2O = 0.6-4.4 wt.%. As a corollary, anorthite and albite melt activities are almost fully encapsulated in the variation of anhydrous melt components as the crystallization of plagioclase proceeds during magma cooling. Following this line of reasoning, we propose an integrated modeling approach to decipher complex zoning patterns in natural plagioclase phenocrysts from mafic alkaline eruptions. Key findings from our re-assessment of equilibrium, thermometric, and hygrometric models indicate that temperature and dissolved water can be iteratively estimated for different plagioclase textural patterns if crystals are sufficiently strongly zoned and probability-based criteria are applied to determine the maximum probability distribution from kernel density analysis

Genomic analysis reveals hidden heterogeneity within human population isolates

Studying groups subject to barriers to gene flow provides a unique opportunity to understand how inbreeding, genetic drift and selection have shaped the structure of human genetic diversity. Currently, the consequences of genetic isolation may be better studied using genome wide approaches (GWA), such as those based on SNP microarrays which enable the simultaneous analysis of very large numbers of loci distributed across chromosomes. Despite the considerable body of knowledge on human genetic isolates, variation occurring among individuals within isolated populations has not been yet thoroughly investigated. This issue is worth exploring since events of recent admixture and presence of sub-structure could potentially disrupt the genetic homogeneity which is expected when isolation is prolonged and constant over time. In a previous study, we have compared intra and inter- population variation measures combining novel and literature data relative to 87,818 autosomal SNPs in 14 open populations and 10 geographic and/or linguistic European isolates. Here, we expand our dataset to a total of 27 groups and move our focus to the variation among individual genomes within populations. Using four measures of within population diversity (homozygosity, identity-by-state and length and number of runs of homozygosity), we observed a significantly higher level of variation among the German-speakers of the linguistic islands of Sappada, Sauris and Timau and North Sardinians. These same populations show a noticeable among individual variation for ancestry components. Caveats, significance and implications of our results are discussed in relation to both microevolutionary aspects and bio-medical applications

Inter-individual genomic heterogeneity within European population isolates

A number of studies carried out since the early '70s has investigated the effects of isolation on genetic variation within and among human populations in diverse geographical contexts. However, no extensive analysis has been carried out on the heterogeneity among genomes within isolated populations. This issue is worth exploring since events of recent admixture and/or subdivision could potentially disrupt the genetic homogeneity which is to be expected when isolation is prolonged and constant over time. Here, we analyze literature data relative to 87,815 autosomal single-nucleotide polymorphisms, which were obtained from a total of 28 European populations. Our results challenge the traditional paradigm of population isolates as structured as genetically (and genomically) uniform entities. In fact, focusing on the distribution of variance of intra-population diversity measures across individuals, we show that the inter-individual heterogeneity of isolated populations is at least comparable to the open ones. More in particular, three small and highly inbred isolates (Sappada, Sauris and Timau in Northeastern Italy) were found to be characterized by levels of inter-individual heterogeneity largely exceeding that of all other populations, possibly due to relatively recent events of genetic introgression. Finally, we propose a way to monitor the effects of inter-individual heterogeneity in disease-gene association studies

Dati genomici di popolazioni italiane sottoposte a fattori di isolamento geografico e/o culturale

The dataset includes autosomal data of 227 individuals of 9 Italian populations (Aosta, Benetutti, Carloforte, Lessinia Cimbrians, North Sardinia, Sappada, Sauris, Sulcis Iglesiente and Timau) genotyper with the GenoChip 2.0

Layered Double Hydroxides as a Drug Delivery Vehicle for S-Allyl-Mercapto-Cysteine (SAMC)

The intercalations of anionic molecules and drugs in layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been intensively investigated in recent years. Due to their properties, such as versatility in chemical composition, good biocompatibility, high density and protection of loaded drugs, LDHs seem very promising nanosized systems for drug delivery. In this work, we report the intercalation of S-allyl-mercapto-cysteine (SAMC), which is a component of garlic that is well-known for its anti-tumor properties, inside ZnAl-LDH (hereafter LDH) nanostructured crystals. In order to investigate the efficacy of the intercalation and drug delivery of SAMC, the intercalated compounds were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The increase in the interlayer distance of LDH from 8.9 Å, typical of the nitrate phase, to 13.9 Å indicated the intercalation of SAMC, which was also confirmed using FT-IR spectra. Indeed, compared to that of the pristine LDH precursor, the spectrum of LDH-SAMC was richly structured in the fingerprint region below 1300 cm−1, whose peaks corresponded to those of the functional groups in the SAMC molecular anion. The LDH-SAMC empirical formula, obtained from UV-Vis spectrophotometry and thermogravimetric analysis, was [Zn0.67Al0.33(OH)2]SAMC0.15(NO3)0.18·0.6H2O. The morphology of the sample was investigated using SEM: LDH-SAMC exhibited a more irregular size and shape of the flake-like crystals in comparison with the pristine LDH, with a reduction in the average crystallite size from 3 µm to about 2 µm. In vitro drug release studies were performed in a phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.2 and 37 °C and were analyzed using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The SAMC release from LDH-SAMC was initially characterized by a burst effect in the first four hours, during which, 32% of the SAMC is released. Subsequently, the release percentage increased at a slower rate until 42% after 48 h; then it stabilized at 43% and remained constant for the remaining period of the investigation. The LDH-SAMC complex that was developed in this study showed the improved efficacy of the action of SAMC in reducing the invasive capacity of a human hepatoma cell line