A large study of androgen receptor germline variants and their relation to sex hormone levels and prostate cancer risk. Results from the National Cancer Institute Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium

Background: Androgens are key regulators of prostate gland maintenance and prostate cancer growth, and androgen deprivation therapy has been the mainstay of treatment for advanced prostate cancer for many years. A long-standing hypothesis has been that inherited variation in the androgen receptor (AR) gene plays a role in prostate cancer initiation. However, studies to date have been inconclusive and often suffered from small sample sizes. Objective and Methods: We investigated the association of AR sequence variants with circulating sex hormone levels and prostate cancer risk in 6058 prostate cancer cases and 6725 controls of Caucasian origin within the Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium. We genotyped a highly polymorphic CAG microsatellite in exon 1 and six haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms and tested each genetic variant for association with prostate cancer risk and with sex steroid levels. Results: We observed no association between AR genetic variants and prostate cancer risk. However, there was a strong association between longer CAG repeats and higher levels of testosterone (P = 4.73 × 10−5) and estradiol (P = 0.0002), although the amount of variance explained was small (0.4 and 0.7%, respectively). Conclusions: This study is the largest to date investigating AR sequence variants, sex steroid levels, and prostate cancer risk. Although we observed no association between AR sequence variants and prostate cancer risk, our results support earlier findings of a relation between the number of CAG repeats and circulating levels of testosterone and estradiol.

Bitumens in the late Variscan hydrothermal vein-type uranium deposit of Pribram, Czech Republic: Sources, radiation-induced alteration, and relation to mineralization

The late Variscan (275-278 Ma) Pribram uranium deposit is one of the largest known accumulations of uraniferous bitumens in hydrothermal veins. The deposit extends along the northwestern boundary of the Central Bohemian pluton (345-335 Ma) with low-grade metamorphosed Late Proterozoic and unmetamorphosed Cambrian rocks. From a net uranium production of 41,742 metric tons (t), more than 6,000 t were extracted from bitumen-uraninite ores during 43 years of exploration and mining. Three morphological varieties of solid bitumen are recognized: globular, asphaltlike, and cokelike. While the globular bitumen is uranium free, the other two types are uraniferous. The amount of bitumen in ore veins gradually decreases toward the contact with the plutonic body and increases with depth. Two types of bitumen microtextures are recognized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy: amorphous and microporous, the former being less common in uraniferous samples. A lower Raman peak area ratio (1,360/1,575 cm(-1)) in mineralized bitumens (0.9) compared with uranium-free samples (2.0) indicates a lower degree of microtextural organization in the latter The H/C and O/C atomic ratios in uranium-free bitumens (0.9-1.1 and 0.09, respectively) are higher than those in mineralized samples (H/C = 0.3-0.8, O/C = 0.03-0.09). The chloroform extractable matter yield is Very low in uranium-free bitumens (0.30-0.35% of the total organic carbon,TOC) and decreases with uranium content increase. The extracted solid uraniferous bitumen infrared spectra show depletion in aliphatic CH2 and CH3 groups compared to uranium-free samples. The concentration of oxygen-bearing functional groups relative to aromatic bonds in the IR spectra of uranium-free and mineralized bitumen, however, do not differ significantly. C-13 NMR confirmed than the aromaticity of a uraniferous sample is higher (F-ar = 0.61) than in the uranium-free bitumen (F-ar = 0.51). Pyrolysates from uraniferous and nonuraniferous bitumens do not differ significantly, being predominantly cresol, alkylphenols, alkylbenzenes, and alkylnaphthalenes. The liquid pyrolysate yield decreases significantly with increasing uranium content. The delta(13)C Values of bulk uranium-free bitumens and low-grade uraniferous, asphaltlike bitumens range from -43.6 to 52.3 per mil. High-grade, cokelike, uraniferous bitumens are more C-13 depleted (54.5 to -58.4 parts per thousand). In contrast to the very light isotopic ratios of the high-grade uraniferous cokelike bitumen bulk carbon, the individual n-alkanes and isoprenoids (pristane and phytane) extracted from the same sample are significantly C-13 enriched. The isotopic composition of the C13-24 n-alkanes extracted from the high-grade uraniferous sample (delta(13)C = -28.0 to 32.6 parts per thousand) are heavier compared with the same compounds in a uranium-free sample (delta(13)C = 31.9 to 33.8 parts per thousand). It is proposed that the bitumen source was the isotopically light (delta(13)C = 35.8 to 30.2 parts per thousand) organic matter of the Upper Proterozoic host rocks that were pyrolyzed during intrusion of the Central Bohemian pluton. The C-13- depleted pyrolysates were mobilized from the innermost part of the contact-metamorphic aureole, accumulated in structural traps in less thermally influenced parts of the sedimentary complex and were later extracted by hydrothermal fluids. Bitumens at the Pribram deposit are younger than the main part of the uranium mineralization and were formed through water-washing and radiation-induced polymerization of both the gaseous and liquid pyrolysates. Direct evidence for pyrolysate reduction of uranium in the hydrothermal system is difficult to obtain as the chemical composition of the original organic fluid phase was modified during water-washing and radiolytic alteration. However, indirect evidence-e.g., higher O/C atomic ratios in uranium-free bitumens (0.1) relative to the Upper Proterozoic source rocks (0.02-0.05), isotopically very light carbon in associated whewellite (delta(13)C = 31.7 to -28.4 parts per thousand), and the striking absence of bitumens in the pre-uranium, hematite stage of the mineralization-indicates that oxidation of organic fluids may have contributed to lowering of aO(2) and uraninite precipitation.

Neogene antecedents of the modern human hand and its relation to bipedalism

El present projecte s'ha dut a terme a l'American Museum of Natural History (AMNH, New York) entre el 31 de Desembre de 2010 i el 30 de Desembre de 2012. L'objectiu del projecte era elucidar la història evolutiva de la mà humana: traçar els canvis evolutius en la seva forma i proporcions que van propiciar la seva estructura moderna que permet als humans manipular amb precisió. El treball realitzat ha inclòs recol•lecció de dades i anàlisis, redacció de resultats i formació en mètodes analítics específics. Durant aquest temps, l'autor a completat la seva de base de dades existent en mesures lineals de la mà a hominoides. També s'han agafat dades del peu; d'aquesta forma ara mateix es compta amb una base de dades amb més de 500 individus, amb més de 200 mesures per cada un. També s'han agafat dades en tres imensions utilitzant un làser escàner. S'han après tècniques de morfometria geomètrica 3D directament dels pioners al camp a l'AMNH. Com a resultat d'aquesta feina s'han produït 10 resums (publicats a congressos internacionals) i 9 manuscrits (molts d'ells ja publicats a revistes internacionals) amb resultats de gran rellevància: La mà humana posseeix unes proporcions relativament primitives, que són més similars a les proporciones que tenien els hominoides fòssils del Miocè que no pas a la dels grans antropomorfs actuals. Els darrers tenen unes mans allargades amb un polzes molt curts que reflexen l'ús de la mà com a eina de suspensió sota les branques. En canvi, els hominoides del Miocè tenien unes mans relativament curtes amb un polze llarg que feien servir per estabilitzar el seu pes quan caminaven per sobre de les branques. Una vegada els primers homínids van aparèixer al final del Miocè (fa uns 6 Ma) i van començar a fer servir el bipedisme com a mitjà més comú de locomoció, les seves mans van ser "alliberades" de les seves funcions locomotores. La selecció natural—ara només treballant en la manipulació—va convertir les proporcions ja existents de la mà d'aquests primats en l'òrgan manipulatori que representa la mà humana avui dia.

Analysis of vineyard differential management zones and relation to vine development, grape maturity and quality

The objective of research was to analyse the potential of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps from satellite images, yield maps and grapevine fertility and load variables to delineate zones with different wine grape properties for selective harvesting. Two vineyard blocks located in NE Spain (Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah) were analysed. The NDVI was computed from a Quickbird-2 multi-spectral image at veraison (July 2005). Yield data was acquired by means of a yield monitor during September 2005. Other variables, such as the number of buds, number of shoots, number of wine grape clusters and weight of 100 berries were sampled in a 10 rows × 5 vines pattern and used as input variables, in combination with the NDVI, to define the clusters as alternative to yield maps. Two days prior to the harvesting, grape samples were taken. The analysed variables were probable alcoholic degree, pH of the juice, total acidity, total phenolics, colour, anthocyanins and tannins. The input variables, alone or in combination, were clustered (2 and 3 Clusters) by using the ISODATA algorithm, and an analysis of variance and a multiple rang test were performed. The results show that the zones derived from the NDVI maps are more effective to differentiate grape maturity and quality variables than the zones derived from the yield maps. The inclusion of other grapevine fertility and load variables did not improve the results.

« Commemoracion et advertissement de la mort de très crestienne, très haulte, tres puissante et très excellante princesse, ma très redoubtée et souveraine dame, madame Anne, deux foys royne de France, duchesse de Bretaigne, seulle heritière d'icelle noble duché, comtesse de Monfort, de Richemont, d'Estampes et de Vertuz, ensaignement de sa progeniture, et complainte que fait BRETAIGNE, son premier herault et l'un de ses roys d'armes ».

Sous le titre ci-dessus est le récit en prose, mêlé de vers, des cérémonies qui suivirent la mort, arrivée à Blois, le 9 janvier 1514, de la reine Anne de Bretagne, et qui accompagnèrent son corps, depuis le château de Blois jusqu'à l'enterrement à St-Denis, et son coeur jusqu'aux Carmes de Nantes, où le narrateur clôt sa relation, à la date du 1er juin 1514. Cette relation est précédée d'une dédicace en 14 vers, de l'auteur à Louise de Savoie, duchesse d'Angoulême, mère de François Ier. Premiers vers (fol. 1. v°) : « Dame royalle, très excellente princesse, D'Angomays et d'Anjou noble duchesse... » La relation commence et finit par des vers. Premiers vers (fol. 2 r°) : « Noblesse, hélas ! si je n'ai bouche ou langue, Pour faire icy suffisante harangue... » Derniers vers (fol. 57 v°) : « Si les prie et requier de faire à Dieu prière Qu'il mecte ma povre ame en celeste lumiere. Amen ! » Dans le cours de cette relation sont insérés : — fol. 3, « la genealogie de ladite dame » ; — fol. 19 à 21, « rondeaux, en forme d'epitache et complaincte de mort » et « la deploracion des lieux où plus souvent lad. dame frequentoit », par « ung sien secretaire nommé maistre ANDRY DE LA VIGNE » ; — fol. 27, autre « rondeau » du même, « mys à St-Saulveur » de Blois. Ornementation. — L'ornementation de ce ms. mérite d'être décrite Elle se compose de miniatures et d'armoiries peintes. Les miniatures sont au nombre de dix et à pleine page, savoir : — fol. 12 v°, Anne de Bretagne, revêtue de ses habits royaux, est étendue sur un lit de parade « en sa salle d'honneur, au corps de maison neuf, sur le devant dud. chasteau de Bloys, où la noble dame print repos jusques au lundi soir », 16 janvier 1514 ; — fol. 14 v°, la mise en bière, à laquelle assistent, lit-on (fol. 15) : « Piédouant, roy d'armes, et heraulx Bretaigne, Vennes et Hennebont » ; — fol. 16 v°, le cercueil d'Anne de Bretagne entouré de religieux, avec les trois hérauts d'armes au pied dud. cercueil ; — fol. 19 r°, « ung signe qui avoit esté veu sur la ville de Suze, le jour qu'elle mourut » ; — fol. 25 r°, ledit cercueil sous la chapelle ardente établie dans « l'eglise S. Saulveur, hors du chasteau » ; — fol. 38 v°, ledit cercueil porté « soubz ung poisle » dans les rues de Paris : — fol. 40 v°, ledit cercueil sous la chapelle ardente établie dans l'église de N.-D. de Paris ; — fol. 42 v°, ledit cercueil sous la chapelle ardente établie dans l'église de St-Denis; — fol. 51 v°, chapelle ardente établie dans l'église des Carmes de Nantes, pour la cérémonie qui précéda le dépôt du coeur de ladite reine « soubz la voulte où gisoient le père et la mère de lad. dame »; — fol. 55 r°, figure du coeur d'or, dans lequel était placé le coeur d'Anne de Bretagne. Les armoiries peintes sont les suivantes : — fol. 1 v°, écu parti de France et de Bretagne, surmonté de deux couronnes et soutenu à destre par un ange, de l'épaule gauche duquel tombe en arrière une banderole sur laquelle on lit : « Rogo pro te, Anna », et à senestre par un lion de la gueule duquel sort une banderole sur laquelle on lit : « Libera eam de ore leonis » ; et est à noter que ledit écu est entouré d'une cordelière d'or, au-dessous de laquelle est une hermine ayant au col un fanion aux armes de France et de Bretagne, et que cette hermine a au-dessous d'elle un cartouche qui porte ces mots : « A ma vie » ; — fol. 28 r°, armes de Blois ; — fol. 30 v°, armes d'Orléans ; — fol. 31 v°, armes de Janville ; — fol. 32 v°, armes d'Étampes ; — fol. 33 r°, armes d'une famille d'Étampes, tirant son origine de « Hue Le Maire, Sr de Chaillou » ; — fol. 37 v°, armes de la ville de Paris ; — fol. 49 r°, armes de la ville de Nantes et écu parti de France et de Bretagne, écu répété en marge du feuillet 50 v°. Les armoiries de villes ci-dessus indiquées sont placées en marge des endroits où il est question du passage du cortège funèbre à travers lesdites villes.

« Commemoracion et advertissement de la mort de très crestienne, très haulte, tres puissante et très excellante princesse, ma très redoubtée et souveraine dame, madame Anne, deux foys royne de France, duchesse de Bretaigne, seulle heritière d'icelle noble duché, comtesse de Monfort, de Richemont, d'Estampes et de Vertuz, ensaignement de sa progeniture, et complainte que fait BRETAIGNE, son premier herault et l'un de ses roys d'armes ».

Sous le titre ci-dessus est le récit en prose, mêlé de vers, des cérémonies qui suivirent la mort, arrivée à Blois, le 9 janvier 1514, de la reine Anne de Bretagne, et qui accompagnèrent son corps, depuis le château de Blois jusqu'à l'enterrement à St-Denis, et son coeur jusqu'aux Carmes de Nantes, où le narrateur clôt sa relation, à la date du 1er juin 1514. Cette relation est précédée d'une dédicace en 14 vers, de l'auteur à Louise de Savoie, duchesse d'Angoulême, mère de François Ier. Premiers vers (fol. 1. v°) : « Dame royalle, très excellente princesse, D'Angomays et d'Anjou noble duchesse... » La relation commence et finit par des vers. Premiers vers (fol. 2 r°) : « Noblesse, hélas ! si je n'ai bouche ou langue, Pour faire icy suffisante harangue... » Derniers vers (fol. 57 v°) : « Si les prie et requier de faire à Dieu prière Qu'il mecte ma povre ame en celeste lumiere. Amen ! » Dans le cours de cette relation sont insérés : — fol. 3, « la genealogie de ladite dame » ; — fol. 19 à 21, « rondeaux, en forme d'epitache et complaincte de mort » et « la deploracion des lieux où plus souvent lad. dame frequentoit », par « ung sien secretaire nommé maistre ANDRY DE LA VIGNE » ; — fol. 27, autre « rondeau » du même, « mys à St-Saulveur » de Blois. Ornementation. — L'ornementation de ce ms. mérite d'être décrite Elle se compose de miniatures et d'armoiries peintes. Les miniatures sont au nombre de dix et à pleine page, savoir : — fol. 12 v°, Anne de Bretagne, revêtue de ses habits royaux, est étendue sur un lit de parade « en sa salle d'honneur, au corps de maison neuf, sur le devant dud. chasteau de Bloys, où la noble dame print repos jusques au lundi soir », 16 janvier 1514 ; — fol. 14 v°, la mise en bière, à laquelle assistent, lit-on (fol. 15) : « Piédouant, roy d'armes, et heraulx Bretaigne, Vennes et Hennebont » ; — fol. 16 v°, le cercueil d'Anne de Bretagne entouré de religieux, avec les trois hérauts d'armes au pied dud. cercueil ; — fol. 19 r°, « ung signe qui avoit esté veu sur la ville de Suze, le jour qu'elle mourut » ; — fol. 25 r°, ledit cercueil sous la chapelle ardente établie dans « l'eglise S. Saulveur, hors du chasteau » ; — fol. 38 v°, ledit cercueil porté « soubz ung poisle » dans les rues de Paris : — fol. 40 v°, ledit cercueil sous la chapelle ardente établie dans l'église de N.-D. de Paris ; — fol. 42 v°, ledit cercueil sous la chapelle ardente établie dans l'église de St-Denis; — fol. 51 v°, chapelle ardente établie dans l'église des Carmes de Nantes, pour la cérémonie qui précéda le dépôt du coeur de ladite reine « soubz la voulte où gisoient le père et la mère de lad. dame »; — fol. 55 r°, figure du coeur d'or, dans lequel était placé le coeur d'Anne de Bretagne. Les armoiries peintes sont les suivantes : — fol. 1 v°, écu parti de France et de Bretagne, surmonté de deux couronnes et soutenu à destre par un ange, de l'épaule gauche duquel tombe en arrière une banderole sur laquelle on lit : « Rogo pro te, Anna », et à senestre par un lion de la gueule duquel sort une banderole sur laquelle on lit : « Libera eam de ore leonis » ; et est à noter que ledit écu est entouré d'une cordelière d'or, au-dessous de laquelle est une hermine ayant au col un fanion aux armes de France et de Bretagne, et que cette hermine a au-dessous d'elle un cartouche qui porte ces mots : « A ma vie » ; — fol. 28 r°, armes de Blois ; — fol. 30 v°, armes d'Orléans ; — fol. 31 v°, armes de Janville ; — fol. 32 v°, armes d'Étampes ; — fol. 33 r°, armes d'une famille d'Étampes, tirant son origine de « Hue Le Maire, Sr de Chaillou » ; — fol. 37 v°, armes de la ville de Paris ; — fol. 49 r°, armes de la ville de Nantes et écu parti de France et de Bretagne, écu répété en marge du feuillet 50 v°. Les armoiries de villes ci-dessus indiquées sont placées en marge des endroits où il est question du passage du cortège funèbre à travers lesdites villes.

Job face à son Dieu : « Le châtiment de Dieu était ma terreur » (Jb 31,23)

Conférence présentée à la Faculté de théologie et de sciences des religions de l’Université de Montréal le 11 septembre 2013. © Jean Duhaime

Moro em edifício histórico, e agora?: avaliação pós-ocupação de habitações multifamiliares no Centro Histórico de São Luís -MA

The central question of the research if inserts in thematic current and of relevance for the studies in Preservation and a Conservation of Historical Centers. It analyzes the relations between habitacional use, satisfaction of the inhabitants and preservation of the patrimony constructed in the Historical Center of São Luis-MA It considers that the use is factor that makes possible the transformation of spaces in places , prioritizing the point of view of the user as essential element to the analysis of the reality and that enriches the evaluation technique of the functional and formal aspects of the constructed environment. It is looked to understand the relation man-environment, and mainly, to verify as it happens throughout the process of the occupation and of appropriation of historical buildings destined to habitacional reuse, and still if this appropriation favors the preservation of the Historical Center of São Luís

Retratos, imagens, letras e numeros colados nas paredes:representaçãoes sociais de escola para ribeirinhos dos rios Môa e Azul - Acre

Remote Communities. Absence of artifacts and minimization of the exacerbated consumption of modernity. The desire which spread beyond what reality can provide. Expressions like this are present in this paper which focus in the social representations of school built by residents who live at the riversides of Môa and Azul Rivers, in Mâncio Lima, Acre State. To do so, we used the methodological contribution of the semi-structured interview, observation of the place while a natural inhabitant of the region, and also photos analyses of local reality. A key feature of the riverside homes is the glued paper on the walls of houses forming a panel set of portraits, pictures, letters and numbers for all appreciated. Regardless of whether or not read, there is admiration for the color of the images, the layout of the letters, and the things of the city awakening the desire to obtain school knowledge. The resident of this Amazon region maintains a close relationship between thinking, acting and feeling living harmonically with nature that connects them to the ideal landscape which is revisited by the graphic material that attracts wondering what exists beyond the shores of the river, beyond the horizon of green forests. It is a life entirely accomplished by the imaginary where exist a framed landscape merged and confused by the real and the supernatural, in which men and gods walk together by the forest, sailing by the rivers and seek a possible aesthetic between the real and ideal. The Theory of Social Representations spread by Serge Moscovici (2005) and Jodelet (2001) guided our gaze on the understanding what the school is and its representation to the riversides, as well to reveal the relation they practice with the knowledge that is spread by the mystification and the knowledge that is practice daily. Based in Bardin s thematic analysis (2004) we tried to raise such contents combining them in five analysis categories

Caracterização das áreas de cultivo da bananeira 'maçã' na região de Ribeirão do Sul/SP

Objetivou-se com este trabalho caracterizar os produtores de bananeira 'Maçã' do município de Ribeirão do Sul/SP, quanto à tecnologia empregada no cultivo da frutífera e à produção obtida. A partir desta avaliação preliminar, pretendeu-se estabelecer algumas inferências com relação à incidência da doença Mal-do-Panamá e o diagnóstico nutricional das propriedades. Através dos questionários aplicados, bem como das análises foliares e de solo, detectou-se que os produtores realizam a prática da adubação e calagem sem resultados de análise de solo, não realizam análises foliares e que os teores de nutrientes no solo e nas folhas apresentam-se em níveis desbalanceados para muitas propriedades avaliadas. A incidência da doença Mal-do-Panamá foi considerada baixa ou ausente em 65% das propriedades avaliadas.

Prevalência do papilomavírus humano em mulheres portadoras do vírus da imunodeficiência humana atendidas no serviço de atendimento especializado de Imperatriz-MA

O presente trabalho tem objetivo de avaliar a prevalência do HPV e os fatores de risco associados à coinfecção HIV HPV. Foram analisadas 78 amostras cervicais de mulheres HIV-positivas atendidas no SAE do Programa Municipal de DST/AIDS de Imperatriz do Maranhão. Realizaram-se os exames de citopatologia e amplificação por PCR. Como instrumento para coleta de dados foi utilizado um questionário. A positividade do DNA de HPV foi de 74,36%. Em nosso estudo a citologia diagnosticou alterações em 16 (20,51%) dos casos. Foi detectado DNA HPV em 71% das pacientes com citologia classificada como inflamatória, e 93,7% das citologias alteradas. Dentre as alterações destacamos ASCUS com 100%; ASCUH 100%; LIE de baixo grau 100%; LIE de alto grau 66,6%. Analisando os fatores de risco sócio-demográficos desta população em relação a prevalência da infecção pelo HPV, notou-se que mulheres que relataram nunca ter feito uso de álcool apresentaram maior prevalência 87,5% e mulheres que fazem uso de cigarro atualmente, 84,6% estavam infectadas pelo HPV. Não houve diferenças entre as variáveis “situação marital”, “escolaridade”, “número de parceiros”, “uso de preservativo” e “uso de anticoncepcional”, ocorrendo perfil semelhante. Esse estudo foi o pioneiro na cidade de Imperatriz e comprovou uma alta prevalência da co-infecção. O combate ao câncer de útero deve ser adotado como uma prioridade dos serviços de saúde pública por se tratar de doença com potencial para a prevenção, cujo rastreamento é eficaz.

The community-level effect of light on germination timing in relation to seed mass: a source of regeneration niche differentiation

Within a community, species may germinate at different times so as to mitigate competition and to take advantage of different aspects of the seasonal environment (temporal niche differentiation). We illustrated a hypothesis of the combined effects of abiotic and biotic competitive factors on germination timing and the subsequent upscale effects on community assembly. We estimated the germination timing (GT) for 476 angiosperm species of the eastern Tibetan Plateau grasslands under two light treatments in the field: high (i.e. natural) light and low light. We also measured the shift in germination timing (SGT) across treatments for all species. Furthermore, we used phylogenetic comparative methods to test if GT and SGT were associated with seed mass, an important factor in competitive interactions. We found a significant positive correlation between GT and seed mass in both light treatments. Additionally, small seeds (early germinating seeds) tended to germinate later and large seeds (late germinating seeds) tended to germinate earlier under low light vs high light conditions. Low light availability can reduce temporal niche differentiation by increasing the overlap in germination time between small and large seeds. In turn, reduced temporal niche differentiation may increase competition in the process of community assembly.

Clima e vulnerabilidade socioespacial: uma avaliação dos fatores de risco na população urbana do município de São Luís (MA)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Space-time relation of post-collisional granitic magmatism in Santa Catarina, southern Brazil: U-Pb LA-MC-ICP-MS zircon geochronology of coeval mafic-felsic magmatism related to the Major Gercino Shear Zone

LA-MC-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon dating was performed on syntectonic, early post-collisional granitic and associated mafic rocks that are intrusive in the Brusque Metamorphic Complex and in the Florianopolis Batholith, major tectonic domains separated by the Neoproterozoic Major Gercino Shear Zone (MGSZ) in south Brazil. The inferred ages of magmatic crystallization are consistent with field relationships, and show that the syntectonic granites from both domains are similar, with ages around 630-620 Ma for high-K calc-alkaline metaluminous granites and ca. 610 Ma for slightly peraluminous granites. Although ca. 650 Ma inherited zircon components are identified in granites from both domains, important contrasts on the crustal architecture in each domain are revealed by the patterns of zircon inheritance, indicating different crustal sources for the granites in each domain. The granites from the southern domain (Floriandpolis Batholith) have essentially Neoproterozoic (650-700 Ma and 900-950 Ma) inheritance; with a single 2.0-2.2 Ga inherited age obtained in the peraluminous Mariscal Granite. In the northern Brusque Metamorphic Complex, the metaluminous Rio Pequeno Granite and associated mafic rocks have scarce inherited cores with ages around 1.65 Ga, whereas the slightly peraluminous Serra dos Macacos Granite has abundant Paleoproterozoic (1.8-2.2 Ga) and Archean (2.9-3.4 Ga) inherited zircons. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the MGSZ separates domains with distinct geologic evolution; however, the contemporaneity of 630-610 Ma granitic magmatism with similar structural and geochemical patterns on both sides of this major shear zone indicates that these domains were already part of a single continental mass at 630 Ma, reinforcing the post-collisional character of these granites. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CaCO3, foraminifer fragmentation, benthic carbon isotopes, coarse lithic counts and radiogenic isotopes (Sr, Nd, Pb) of the Pliocene and earliest Pleistocene terrigenous component (3.3-2.4 Ma) of IODP Site 306-U1313

We present Plio-Pleistocene records of sediment color, %CaCO3, foraminifer fragmentation, benthic carbon isotopes (d13C) and radiogenic isotopes (Sr, Nd, Pb) of the terrigenous component from IODP Site U1313, a reoccupation of benchmark subtropical North Atlantic Ocean DSDP Site 607. We show that (inter)glacial cycles in sediment color and %CaCO3 pre-date major northern hemisphere glaciation and are unambiguously and consistently correlated to benthic oxygen isotopes back to 3.3 million years ago (Ma) and intermittently so probably back to the Miocene/Pliocene boundary. We show these lithological cycles to be driven by enhanced glacial fluxes of terrigenous material (eolian dust), not carbonate dissolution (the classic interpretation). Our radiogenic isotope data indicate a North American source for this dust (~3.3-2.4 Ma) in keeping with the interpreted source of terrestrial plant wax-derived biomarkers deposited at Site U1313. Yet our data indicate a mid latitude provenance regardless of (inter)glacial state, a finding that is inconsistent with the biomarker-inferred importance of glaciogenic mechanisms of dust production and transport. Moreover, we find that the relation between the biomarker and lithogenic components of dust accumulation is distinctly non-linear. Both records show a jump in glacial rates of accumulation from Marine Isotope Stage, MIS, G6 (2.72 Ma) onwards but the amplitude of this signal is about 3-8 times greater for biomarkers than for dust and particularly extreme during MIS 100 (2.52 Ma). We conclude that North America shifted abruptly to a distinctly more arid glacial regime from MIS G6, but major shifts in glacial North American vegetation biomes and regional wind fields (exacerbated by the growth of a large Laurentide Ice Sheet during MIS 100) likely explain amplification of this signal in the biomarker records. Our findings are consistent with wetter-than-modern reconstructions of North American continental climate under the warm high CO2 conditions of the Early Pliocene but contrast with most model predictions for the response of the hydrological cycle to anthropogenic warming over the coming 50 years (poleward expansion of the subtropical dry zones).