Native Elements Research Articles

CREATIVITY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. METHODS OF STIMULATING CREATIVITY

Creativity as producing new information system, you can put in what seems unconnected connection, after so many forms of the unfold plan and in content. An entrepreneur will think and do new things or old things in a new form trying to transform ideas into tangible things, products and services. Entrepreneurship is the process through which all functions, activities and actions are shared to identify business opportunities and creating organizations through which they will be used in order to obtain profit and meeting social interests. Boosting creativity is justified in that creative activity is educated, even if some native elements have their own importance in the creative process. If we start from the idea that most barriers to creative thinking are all human creations, tributaries of the left hemisphere, will have to find alternative responses to stimulation, shaping and maintaining the creative process and even create organizational culture conducive to the creative process. Ideas are our tenement dwellers and often are near us in the simplest and quickest form. Just educate us the activation process and instituting the ideas process which involves methods fall under three broad categories: imaginative, heuristics and logical approach. Subject to the risk taken, the combination of these methods can provide as many alternatives to a reality whose details they ultimately determines who assumes the risk of their own decisions.

Enhanced Conductivity and High Thermal Stability of W-Doped SnO2 Based on First-Principle Calculations

Tungsten (W)-doped SnO2 is investigated by first-principle calculations, with a view to understand the effect of doping on the lattice structure, thermal stability, conductivity, and optical transparency. Due to the slight difference in ionic radius as well as high thermal and chemical compatibility between the native element and the heterogeneous dopant, the doped system changes a little with different deviations in the lattice constant from Vegard’s law, and good thermal stability is observed as the doping level reaches x = 0.125 in Sn1-x W x O2 compounds. Nevertheless, the large disparities in electron configuration and electronegativity between W and Sn atoms will dramatically modify the electronic structure and charge distribution of W-doped SnO2, leading to a remarkable enhancement of conductivity, electron excitation in the low energy region, and the consequent optical properties, while the visible transparency of Sn1-x W x O2 is still preserved. Particularly, it is found that the optimal photoelectric properties of W-doped SnO2 may be achieved at x = 0.03. These observations are consistent with the experimental results available on the structural, thermal, electronic, and optical properties of Sn1-x W x O2, thus presenting a practical way of tailoring the physical behaviors of SnO2 through the doping technique.

First terrestrial occurrence of tistarite (Ti2O3): Ultra-low oxygen fugacity in the upper mantle beneath Mount Carmel, Israel

Abstract The minimum oxygen fugacity (fO2) of Earth’s upper mantle probably is controlled by metal saturation, as defined by the iron-wüstite (IW) buffer reaction (FeO → Fe + O). However, the widespread occurrence of moissanite (SiC) in kimberlites, and a suite of super-reduced minerals (SiC, alloys, native elements) in peridotites in Tibet and the Polar Urals (Russia), suggest that more reducing conditions (fO2 = 6–8 log units below IW) must occur locally in the mantle. We describe pockets of melt trapped in aggregates of corundum crystals ejected from Cretaceous volcanoes in northern Israel which contain high-temperature mineral assemblages requiring extremely low fO2 (IW < −10). One abundant phase is tistarite (Ti2O3), previously known as a single grain in the Allende carbonaceous chondrite (Mexico) and believed to have formed during the early evolution of the solar nebula. It is associated with other reduced phases usually found in meteorites. The development of super-reducing conditions in Earth’s upper mantle may reflect the introduction of CH4 + H2 fluids from the deep mantle, specifically related to deep-seated volcanic plumbing systems at plate boundaries.

Minerals in the Triassic carbonaceous silicites of Sikhote Alin

Over 60 minerals, including native elements, intermetallic compounds, haloids, sulfides, sulfates, arsenides, oxides and hydroxides, silicates, borosilicates, wolframates, phosphates and REE phosphates, were established in Triassic siliceous rocks of Sikhote Alin. Allothigenic and authigenic minerals in the carbonaceous silicites were formed over a long period through several stages. Judging from morphology, chemical composition, and structural position, K-feldspar (K-Fsp), illite, kaolinite, metahalloysite, monazite, xenotime, zircon, rutile, or its polymorphs are the disintegration products of sialic rocks of continental crust. Authigenic sulfides are dominated by diagenetic pyrite (fine-crystalline, microglobular, framboidal, as well as those developed after biogenic siliceous and carbonate fragments), which has been formed prior to precipitation of siliceous cement and lithification of siliceous rocks. Most of other sulfides (sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, argentite, pentlandite, antimonite, ulmanite, and bravoite), arsenides and sulfoarsenides (arsenopyrite, nickeline, skutterudite, cobaltite, glaucodot, and gersdorffite), wolframates (scheelite and wolframite), intermetallides (Cu2Zn, Cu3Zn2, Cu3Zn, Cu4Zn, CuSn, Cu4Sn, Cu8Sn, Cu4Zn2Ni, Ni2Cu2Zn, Ni4Cd), and native elements (Au, Pd, Ag, Cu, Fe, W, Ni, Se) were crystallized later (during catagenesis after the lithification and brecciation of siliceous beds) from metals involved in the easily mobile fractions of bitumens. Supergene mineral formation was mainly expressed in the sulfide oxidation and replacement of diagenetic pyrite by jarosite and iron hydroxides.

Prediction and Validation of Native and Engineered Cas9 Guide Sequences.

Cas9-based technologies rely on native elements of Type II CRISPR-Cas bacterial immune systems, including the trans-activating CRISPR RNA (tracrRNA), CRISPR RNA (crRNA), Cas9 protein, and protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM). The tracrRNA and crRNA form an RNA duplex that guides the Cas9 endonuclease to complementary nucleic acid sequences. Mechanistically, Cas9 initiates interactions by binding to the target PAM sequence and interrogating the target DNA in a 3'-to-5' manner. Complementarity between the guide RNA and the target DNA is key. In natural systems, precise cleavage occurs when the target DNA sequence contains a PAM flanking a sequence homologous to the crRNA spacer sequence. Currently, the majority of commercial Cas9-based genome-editing tools are derived from the Type II CRISPR-Cas system of Streptococcus pyogenes However, a diverse set of Type II CRISPR-Cas systems exist in nature that are potentially valuable for genome engineering applications. Exploitation of these systems requires prediction and validation of both native and engineered dual and single guide RNAs to drive Cas9 functionality. Here, we discuss how to identify the elements of these immune systems to develop next-generation Cas9-based genome-editing tools. We first discuss how to predict tracrRNA sequences and suggest a method for designing single guide RNAs containing only critical structural modules. We then outline how to predict the PAM sequence, which is crucial for determining potential targets for Cas9. Finally, validation of the system elements through transcriptome analysis and interference assays is essential for developing next-generation Cas9-based genome-editing tools.

Natural fracking and the genesis of five-element veins

Hydrothermal Ag-Co-Ni-Bi-As (five-element vein type) ore deposits show very conspicuous textures of the native elements silver, bismuth, and arsenic indicating formation from a rapid, far-from-equilibrium process. Such textures include up to dm-large tree- and wire-like aggregates overgrown by Co-Ni-Fe arsenides and mostly carbonates. Despite the historical and contemporary importance of five-element vein type deposits as sources of silver, bismuth, and cobalt, and despite of spectacular museum specimens, their process of formation is not yet understood and has been a matter of debate since centuries. We propose, based on observations from a number of classical European five-element vein deposits and carbon isotope analyses, that “natural fracking,” i.e., liberation of hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon-bearing fluids during break up of rocks in the vicinity of an active hydrothermal system and mixing between these hydrocarbons (e.g., methane and/or methane-bearing fluids) and a metal-rich hydrothermal fluid is responsible for ore precipitation and the formation of the unusual ore textures and assemblages. Thermodynamic and isotope mixing calculations show that the textural, chemical, and isotopic features of the investigated deposits can entirely be explained by this mechanism.

Hydrothermal alteration, fumarolic deposits and fluids from Lastarria Volcanic Complex: A multidisciplinary study

A multidisciplinary study that includes processing of Landsat ETM+ satellite images, chemistry of gas condensed, mineralogy and chemistry of fumarolic deposits, and fluid inclusion data from native sulphur deposits, has been carried out in the Lastarria Volcanic Complex (LVC) with the objective to determine the distribution and characteristics of hydrothermal alteration zones and to establish the relations between gas chemistry and fumarolic deposits. Satellite image processing shows the presence of four hydrothermal alteration zones, characterized by a mineral assemblage constituted mainly by clay minerals, alunite, iron oxides, and more subordinated ferrous minerals and goethite. Hydrothermal alteration zones present in the Lastarria sensu stricto volcano are directly related to the recent fumarolic activity. Geochemistry of fumarolic gas condensed, obtained from two fumaroles at temperatures between 328 and 320 °C, has allowed detecting 37 diverse elements corresponding to halogens, chalcophiles, siderophiles, alkali metals, alkali earth metals and Rare Earth Elements (REE), with concentrations that vary widely between 5,620 ppm (chlorine) and 0.01 ppm (Mo, Ag, Sn, Pb, Se, Mg and Cr). Logarithm of Enrichment Factor (log EFi) for each element present values between 6.35 (iodine) and<1 (K, Na, Ca, Fe and Al). Those elements are originated primarily from a magmatic source, whereas at shallow level a hydrothermal source contributes typical rock-related elements, which are leached from the wall rock by a strong interaction with hyperacid fluids. Mostly of elements detected are transported to the surface in the fumarolic emissions as gaseous species, while very few elements (Mg, Ca and Al) are transported in silicate aerosols. A wide spectrum of minerals are present in the fumarolic deposits, which are constituted by sublimates and incrustations, and the main minerals phases are distributed in six mineral families, corresponding to sulphates, hydrated sulphates, sulphides, halides, carbonates, silicates and native element minerals. The sublimate/incrustation minerals are dominated by the presence of sulphate, sulphur, chlorine and diverse rock-related elements, which are formed by processes that include a. oxidation of gaseous phase; b. strong rock-fluid interaction; c. dissolution of silicate minerals and volcanic glass; d. gas-water interaction; e. deposition/precipitation of saline bearing minerals; f. oxidation of sublimates/incrustations to form secondary minerals and g. remobilization of sulphur deposits by meteoric water. Despite that sublimate/ incrustation minerals are dominated by rock-related elements, its chemistry shows high contents of high-volatile elements as As, Sb, Cd, among others. Fluid inclusions studies carried out in thin pseudobanded native sulphur from fumarolic deposits, by use of Raman and infrared spectroscopy combined with microthermometry analyses, provided evidence of H2O, CO2, H2S, SO4, COS bearing fluids, homogenization temperatures around 110 °C and salinities varying from ~11 to ~7 wt% NaCl. Fluid inclusions data show also evidences of a mixing (dilution) between hot and saline fluid with a cooler fluid (cold groundwater or a steam-heated water) as the main process.

Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries: new national and regional vascular plant records, 5

The paper presents new records for 19 vascular plant species from 14 Eurasian countries. Two taxa (Siphonostegia chinensis and Utricularia macrorhiza) are reported from Russia, two (Achnatherum botschantzevii and Stipa zalesskii) from Kyrgyzstan, one (Allium petraeum) from Uzbekistan, three (Crambe orientalis, Eleocharis mamillata and Geranium pratense subsp. sergievskajae) from Kazakhstan, two (Atriplex crassifolia and Petrosimonia brachyphylla) from China, one (Crambe orientalis) from Tajikistan, one (Stipa krylovii) from India, one (Agrostis lazica) from Iraq, two (Orobanche coerulescens and Orobanche zajaciorum) from Armenia, one (Phelipanche lavandulacea) from Montenegro, one (Panicum riparium) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Sweden, one (Sporobolus vaginiflorus) from Bosnia and Herzegovina and two (Ranunculus penicillatus subsp. pseudofluitans and Scutellaria minor) from Poland. Three of the taxa presented (Crambe orientalis, Panicum riparium and Sporobolus vaginiflorus) are regarded as alien to the studied areas, whereas the remaining 16 are native elements to the flora of the countries. For each species, synonyms, general distribution, habitat preferences, taxonomy with remarks on recognition and differentiation of the species from the most similar taxa occurring in a given country, as well as a list of recorded localities (often far from the previously known areas) are presented.

Mantle Recycling: Transition Zone Metamorphism of Tibetan Ophiolitic Peridotites and its Tectonic Implications

Large peridotite massifs are scattered along the 1500 km length of the Yarlung-Zangbo Suture Zone (southern Tibet, China), the major suture between Asia and Greater India. Diamonds occur in the peridotites and chromitites of several massifs, together with an extensive suite of trace phases that indicate extremely low fO(2) (SiC, nitrides, carbides, native elements) and/or ultrahigh pressures (UHP) (diamond, TiO2 II, coesite, possible stishovite). New physical and isotopic (C, N) studies of the diamonds indicate that they are natural, crystallized in a disequilibrium, high-T environment, and spent only a short time at mantle temperatures before exhumation and cooling. These constraints are difficult to reconcile with previous models for the history of the diamond-bearing rocks. Possible evidence for metamorphism in or near the upper part of the Transition Zone includes the following: (1) chromite (in disseminated, nodular and massive chromitites) containing exsolved pyroxenes and coesite, suggesting inversion from a high-P polymorph of chromite; (2) microstructural studies suggesting that the chromitites recrystallized from fine-grained, highly deformed mixtures of wadsleyite and an octahedral polymorph of chromite; (3) a new cubic Mg-silicate, with the space group of ringwoodite but an inverse-spinel structure (all Si in octahedral coordination); (4) harzburgites with coarsely vermicular symplectites of opx + Cr-Al spinel +/- cpx; reconstructions suggest that these are the breakdown products of majoritic garnets, with estimated minimum pressures to > 13 GPa. Evidence for a shallow pre-metamorphic origin for the chromitites and peridotites includes the following: (1) trace-element data showing that the chromitites are typical of suprasubduction-zone (SSZ) chromitites formed by magma mixing or mingling, consistent with Hf-isotope data from magmatic (375 Ma) zircons in the chromitites; (2) the composition of the new cubic Mg-silicate, which suggests a low-P origin as antigorite, subsequently dehydrated; (3) the peridotites themselves, which carry the trace element signature of metasomatism in an SSZ environment, a signature that must have been imposed before the incorporation of the UHP and low-fO(2) phases. A proposed P-T-t path involves the original formation of chromitites in mantle-wedge harzburgites, subduction of these harzburgites at c. 375 Ma, residence in the upper Transition Zone for > 200 Myr, and rapid exhumation at c. 170-150 Ma or 130-120 Ma. Os-isotope data suggest that the subducted mantle consisted of previously depleted subcontinental lithosphere, dragged down by a subducting oceanic slab. Thermomechanical modeling shows that roll-back of a (much later) subducting slab would produce a high-velocity channelized upwelling that could exhume the buoyant harzburgites (and their chromitites) from the Transition Zone in < 10 Myr. This rapid upwelling, which may explain some characteristics of the diamonds, appears to have brought some massifs to the surface in forearc or back-arc basins, where they provided a basement for oceanic crust. This model can reconcile many apparently contradictory petrological and geological datasets. It also defines an important, previously unrecognized geodynamic process that may have operated along other large suture zones such as the Urals.

Vanadium, V – a new native element mineral from the Colima volcano, State of Colima, Mexico, and implications for fumarole gas composition

AbstractVanadium, V, is a new mineral found in sublimates of high-temperature fumaroles of the Colima volcano, Mexico. The mineral precipitates over a narrow temperature range of 550–680°C, and occurs in association with colimaite (K3VS4) and shcherbinaite (V2O5). Native vanadium was been found on the inner wall of an inserted silica tube and subsequently in the adjacent rock of the Z3 fumarole. Vanadium forms smooth, irregular to flattened crystals, 5–20 μm in diameter. Smaller irregular crystals have also been observed in silica tubes. Due to its small crystal size, its physical properties (hardness, cleavage and density) could not be determined. An EDS spectrum indicated the presence of V, Fe, Al and Ti with an empirical formula calculated on the basis of EPMA analyses of V0.86Fe0.09Al0.04Ti0.01. Gandolfi and glancing-angle X-ray diffraction data showed that the microcrystals were body-centred cubic, space group Im3̄m, a = 3.022(3) Å, V = 27.60 (5) Å3, Z = 2. The five strongest calculated diffraction lines are [ d spacings in Å, (I) (hkl)]: 2.1411 (100)(110), 1.5126 (12)(200), 1.2301 (19)(211), 0.9565 (8)(310) and 8.8090 (11)(321). The calculated density is 6.033 g cm–3. Thermochemical modelling was used to explain why very oxidized gas at Colima precipitates V-bearing minerals and some native elements (vanadium and gold). Vanadium, is the second newly recognized mineral species (after colimaite) collected from an active fumarole in this volcanic crater. The mineral and its name have been approved by the CNMNC (IMA 2012-021a).

The Emergence of Native-Cultural Identity in Children’s Book Illustration in the Forties1 (With Emphasis on the Works of Perviz Kalantari)

Illustration is an art that in accordance with cultural structures and educational needs of different societies establishes a close link between visual arts and literature. In Iran, this art has enjoyed a long and bright history that with a boom in children literature in post-constitutionalism era as well as the use of lithography could acquire an independent identity. The works presented in the twenties were accompanied with western and non-native feedback and that was the reason our writers and artists focused on indigenous feedback relying on the Persian culture in the forties. That is one of the important periods and effective on the national Persian art and culture. The need to return to national self literature in the literary field led to valuable results and following to that children literature and illustrated books, too, with a realistic approach and influenced by the native culture could open its space among other existing arts. The current paper tries to explain the hypothesis that the emergence of native elements in children illustrations during the forties was in accordance with the necessity of the national identity and hence; Perviz Klantari is the most prominent native Persian illustrator. Documents have been collected through library resources. The results of this study indicate that the need for the Persian cultural identity in the work of writers and illustrators and to promote reading culture by intellectuals most of whom were writers of that time as well as the support of private publishing houses and entry of printing machine led to the growth of children books and transformed the illustration of the forties into an era the most effective on the history of children illustration books. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n2s1p212

OXDPPM: A Software to Convert Chemical Elements Between Oxides and Native Elements

OXDPPM is a simple, but powerful, FORTRAN software program designed for conversion of concentrations of chemical elements. Specifically, it converts the concentrations of elements in any material from oxide percentages to pure native elements, and vice versa. Each chemical element has a conversion factor associated with each of its oxides. The software invokes two modes of operation: data input by mainstream files (F Mode) and data input by interactive dialogue with the computer screen (I Mode). Each of the two modes permits two opposing conversion directions, either converting element content from oxide percentage to parts per million of native elements (0 Mode), or converting the data from native element parts per million to oxide percentage (1 Mode). The program differentiates between 2-and 1-letter element symbols and converts accordingly. A native element converts to the most common oxide in multi-oxide elements. In the F Mode, users need only to supply the program with the name of an input file. Three output files are generated internally: a flat text file containing the results of element conversions, a second file containing the same results in a space-delimited and spreadsheet-compatible file ready for export to a spreadsheet like EXCEL, and a third file containing the element conversion factors. The I Mode produces three similar files. The OXDPPM software is a stand-alone program. With a proper linking, it may be inserted as a module in existing programs or as a dll routine in dynamic libraries. The program launches from the system command prompt or from the program icon on PCs and laptops operating under the WINDOWS environment.

Diamond-bearing ophiolites and their geological occurrence

We document in this study the geological occurrence of diamonds and other ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) minerals in ophiolitic mantle peridotites and podiform chromitites from different orogenic belts. These minerals exist in both high-Cr and high-Al chromitites. Most ophiolite-hosted diamonds are small (∼ 200-500 μm across), and some contain distinctive inclusions (i.e., coesite, Ni-Mn-Co alloys, spessartite, tephroite). All of the analyzed diamonds have extremely light carbon isotope compositions (δ 13 C = -28.7 to -18.3‰) and variable trace element contents that distinguish them from most kimberlitic and UHP metamorphic varieties. A wide range of highly reduced minerals, such as native elements, Ni-Mn-Co alloys, Fe-Si and Fe-C phases and moissanite (SiC) also occuras accompanying mineral separates confirming the super-reducing conditions of their environment of formation. The presence of exsolution lamellae of diopside and coesite in some chromite grains suggests chromite crystallization depths around >380 km, near the mantle transition zone. Carbon and other recycled crustal materials at these depths are likely to have been derived from previously subducted material. The peridotites encapsulating the podiform chromitites and diamonds were transported to shallow mantle by convection cells beneath oceanic spreading centers. The chromitites may have formed in the deep mantle or in shallow suprasubduction zone environments. Our observations suggest that diamonds, UHP minerals and recycled crustal material are likely to be ubiquitous in the oceanic mantle.

Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries: new national and regional vascular plant records, 4

The paper presents new records for 20 vascular plant species from 13 Eurasian countries. Four taxa (Calamagrostis sichuanensis, Klasea dissecta, Ptilagrostis milleri and Stipa klimesii) are reported from China, four (Aconogonon valerii, Carex siderosticta, Poa tanfiljewii and Potamogeton × subobtusus) from Russia, three (Amorpha fruticosa, Carduus acanthoides and Plantago minuta) from Tajikistan, two (Achillea sergievskiana and Delphinium barlykense) from Kazakhstan, one (Calamagrostis effusiflora) from Bhutan and India, one (Campanula wolgensis) from Mongolia, one (Orobanche coerulescens) from Georgia, two (Dysphania geoffreyi and Ptilagrostis milleri) from Nepal, one (Stipa × alaica) from Afghanistan, one (Stipa × manrakica) from Kyrgyzstan, one (Ranunculus × gluckii) from Poland and one (Sporobolus cryptandrus) from Italy. Four of the taxa presented (Amorpha fruticosa, Carduus acanthoides, Carex siderosticta and Sporolobus cryptandrus) are regarded as alien to the studied areas, whereas the remaining 16 are native elements to the flora of the countries. For each species synonyms, general distribution, habitat preferences, taxonomy with remarks on recognition and differentiation of the species from the most similar taxa occurring in a given country, as well as a list of recorded localities (often far from the previously known areas) are presented. Based on the spikelet morphology, we have proposed in Ptilagrostis a new section Barkworthia M. Nobis, A. Nobis & A. Nowak, which comprises two species Ptilagrostis yadongensis and Ptilagrostris milleri, with distinctly unequal glumes, lemmas and paleas.

Solidago canadensis impacts on native plant and pollinator communities in different-aged old fields

Secondary succession in former arable fields (i.e. old fields) might be altered by the colonization of invasive alien species, with possible community-wide impacts, hindering the ability of old fields to become species-rich communities. However, the effects of invasive species on local communities have rarely been addressed in the light of secondary succession. Therefore, we studied the impact of the highly invasive Solidago canadensis on plant and pollinator communities along a gradient of invasion severity in old fields with different ages (1–20 years since last ploughing) in Southern Transylvania, Romania. We asked whether the invasion of S. canadensis causes shifts in (1) the composition and diversity of plant communities, and (2) pollinator communities along the successional gradient. Further, we asked (3) to what extent the presence of S. canadensis affected flower visitation of native plant species by pollinators. According to our results, the invasion reduced the native plant species richness throughout succession, although the most profound negative effect on plant diversity and vegetation naturalness was exerted in older successional communities. The invasion of S. canadensis had a negative effect on the abundance of bees irrespective of the old field age; however, there was no similar negative effect on hoverflies. Native flowers experienced reduced visitation by wild bees, honey bees and hoverflies due to the augmented presence of S. canadensis. Therefore, the invasion of this perennial plant species diverts the trajectory of vegetation succession, alters the mutualistic links between the native elements of these old fields, and causes a non-desired alternative stable states to be installed.

Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries: new national and regional vascular plant records, 3

The paper presents new records for 18 vascular plant species from six Eurasian countries. Three taxa (Lepidium densiflorum, Stipa czerepanovii, Xanthium albinum) are reported from Kazakhstan, one (Ranunculus schmakovii) from Mongolia, three (Dianthus campestris, Ranunculus kauffmannii, Viola suavis) from Poland, five (Eragrostis amurensis, Linum catharticum, Ludwigia peploides subsp. stipulacea, Pyrethrum mikeschinii, Solidago canadensis) from Tajikistan, five (Clinopodium menthifolium, Juncus effusus, Mollugo cerviana, Poa sphondylodes, Vulpia myuros) from Russia, and one (Orobanche alba subsp. xanthostigma) from Georgia. Ten of the taxa presented (Clinopodium menthifolium, Dianthus campestris, Eragrostis amurensis, Juncus effusus, Lepidium densiflorum, Mollugo cerviana, Solidago canadensis, Viola suavis, Vulpia myuros and Xanthium albinum) are regarded as alien to the studied areas, whereas the remaining eight are native elements to the flora of the countries. For each species, synonyms, general distribution, habitat preferences, taxonomy with remarks on recognition and differentiation of the species from the most similar occurring in a given country, as well as a list of localities recorded (often far from the previously known areas), are presented.

A primary natrocarbonatitic association in the Deep Earth

In addition to ultramafic and mafic associations, a primary natrocarbonatitic association occurs in the lower mantle. To date, it was identified as inclusions in diamonds from the Juina area, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. It comprises almost 50 mineral species: carbonates, halides, fluorides, phosphates, sulfates, oxides, silicates, sulfides and native elements. In addition, volatiles are present in this association. Among oxides, coexisting periclase and wustite were identified, pointing to the formation of the natrocarbonatitic association at a depth greater than 2000 km. Some iron-rich (Mg,Fe)O inclusions in diamond are attributed to the lowermost mantle. The initial lower-mantle carbonatitic melt formed as a result of low-fraction partial melting of carbon-containing lower-mantle material, rich in P, F, Cl and other volatile elements, at the core-mantle boundary. During ascent to the surface, the initial carbonatitic melt dissociated into two immiscible parts, a carbonate-silicate and a chloride-carbonate melt. The latter melt is parental to the natrocarbonatitic lower-mantle association. Diamonds with carbonatitic inclusions were formed in carbonatitic melts or high-density fluids.

Causes of anomalous mineralogical diversity in the Periodic Table

AbstractWhen crustal abundance (A, measured in atomic parts per million) of a chemical element is plotted vs. number of mineral species in which that element is an essential constituent (S), a significantly positive correlation is obtained, but with considerable scatter. Repeated exclusion of outliers at the 90% confidence level and re-fitting leads, after the sixth iteration, to a steady state in which 40 of the 70 elements initially considered define a trend with logS= 1.828 + 0.255 log a (r= 0.96), significantly steeper than the original. Three other methods for reducing the effect of outliers independently reproduce this steeper trend. The 'diversity index'Dof an element is defined as the ratio of observed mineral species to those predicted from this trend.Dseparates elements into three groups. More than half of the elements (40 of 70) haveD= 0.5–2.0. Apart from these 'typical' elements, a group of 15 elements (Sc, Cr, Ga, Br, Rb, In, Cs, La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Yb, Hf, Re and Th) form few species of their own due to being dispersed as minor solid solution constituents, and a hitherto unrecognized group of 15 elements are essential components in unusually large numbers of minerals. The anomalously diverse group consists of H, S, Cu, As, Se, Pd, Ag, Sb, Te, Pt, Au, Hg, Pb, Bi and U, with Te and Bi by far the most mineralogically diverse elements (D= 22 and 19, respectively). Possible causes and inhibitors of diversity are discussed, with reference to atomic size, electronegativity and Pearson softness, and particularly outer electronic configurations that result in distinctive stereochemistry. The principal factors encouraging mineral diversity are: (1) Particular outer electronic configurations that lead to a preference for unique coordination geometries, enhancing an element's ability to form distinctive chemical compounds and decreasing its ability to participate in solid solutions. This is particularly noteworthy for elements possessing geometrically flexible 'lone-pair cations' with ans2outer electronic configuration. (2) Siderophilic or chalcophilic geochemical behaviour and intermediate electronegativity, allowing elements to form minerals that are not oxycompounds or halides. (3) Access to a wide range of oxidation states. The most diverse elements can occur as anions, native elements and in more than one cationic valence state.

Long-term monitoring of feral genetically modified herbicide-tolerant Brassica napus populations around unloading Japanese ports.

Genetically modified, herbicide-tolerant (GMHT) Brassica napus plants originating from seed spill have recently been found along roadsides leading from Japanese ports that unload oilseed rape. Such introductions have potential biodiversity effects (as defined by the Cartagena Protocol): these include replacement of native elements in the biota through competitive suppression or hybridization. We conducted surveys in the period 2006–2011 to assess such threats. We examined shifts in the population distribution and occurrence of GMHT plants in 1,029 volunteer introduced assemblages of B. napus, 1,169 of B. juncea, and 184 of B. rapa around 12 ports. GMHT B. napus was found around 10 of 12 ports, but its proportion in the populations varied greatly by year and location. Over the survey period, the distributions of a pure non-GMHT population around Tobata and a pure GMHT population around Hakata increased significantly. However, there was no common trend of population expansion or contraction around the 12 ports. Furthermore, we found no herbicide tolerant B. juncea and B. rapa plants derived from crosses with GMHT B. napus. Therefore, GMHT B. napus is not invading native vegetation surrounding its populations and not likely to cross with congeners in Japanese environment.

Diamonds, native elements and metal alloys from chromitites of the Ray-Iz ophiolite of the Polar Urals

Diamonds and a wide range of unusual minerals were originally discovered from the chromitite and peridotite of the Luobusa ophiolite along the Yarlong–Zangbu suture zone in southern Tibet. To test whether this was a unique occurrence or whether such minerals were present in other ophiolites, we investigated the Ray-Iz massif of the early Paleozoic Voikar–Syninsk ophiolite belt in the Polar Urals (Russia) for a comparative study. Over 60 mineral species, including diamond, moissanite, native elements and metal alloys have been separated from ~1500kg of chromitite collected from two orebodies in the Ray-Iz ophiolite. More than 1000 grains of microdiamond were recovered from the chromitite and, of particular importance, 2 grains were found as in-situ inclusions in chromite grains, proving that these minerals are intrinsic to the rock, and not the result of natural or anthropogenic contamination. The native elements include Cr, W, Ni, Co, Si, Al and Ta, commonly associated with carbides such as SiC and WC, and metallic alloys, such as CrFe, SiAlFe, NiCu, AgAu, AgSn, FeSi, FeP, and AgZnSn also occur. These minerals are accompanied by oxides (wüstite, periclase, eskolaite, rutile, baddeleyite, ilmenite, corundum, chromite, NiO and SnO2) and silicates (kyanite, zircon, garnet, feldspar, and quartz). Sulfides of Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, Pb, Ab, AsFe, FeNi, CuZn, and CoFeNi are common, as are various iron minerals, such as native Fe, FeO, and Fe2O3. Here, we focus on the composition and character of the diamonds, native elements and metal alloys.All of the minerals discussed here are similar to those reported from chromitites of the Luobusa ophiolite, Tibet, indicating that they are not restricted to one ophiolite or one geographic region; rather, they may be widespread in the oceanic mantle. The diamonds recovered from these ophiolites are completely different from most of those in kimberlites and ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks, and represent a new occurrence of diamonds on Earth. A three-stage model is proposed to explain the source of the diamonds and highly-reduced minerals, their formation, and their preservation in ophiolites.