ALBERT

Notes: This second 1996 Stockton Lecture focuses on poverty as a cause of international conflict - and on what businesses can do or avoid doing to reduce it. Poverty, Roddick argues, fuels revolution. And while the western armaments industry is especially to blame, big institutions like the World Bank and the multinationals have all contributed to causing conflict. Her answers to the problem include more “microenterprise” and fair trading initiatives by multinationals in local communities in the developing world. Her central message is that business “must not only avoid hideous evil; it must actively do good”.

Notes: We report here the results of a study to develop natural zircon geochemical standards for calibrating the U-(Th)-Pb geochronometer and Hf isotopic analyses. Additional data were also collected for the major, minor and trace element contents of the three selected sample sets. A total of five large zircon grains (masses between 0.5 and 238 g) were selected for this study, representing three different suites of zircons with ages of 1065 Ma, 2.5 Ma and 0.9 Ma. Geochemical laboratories can obtain these materials by contacting Geostandards Newsletter.

Notes: The effects of 1 pM–10 μM 24-epibrassinolide presented to apical and basal regions of excised roots of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Best of All) grown aseptically in a two-well culture vessel have been investigated. Only inhibitory effects were observed and only at 0. 1 μM or greater. At 10 μM basally- and apically-applied epibrassinolide inhibited growth in apical regions, but not in basal regions. Lower concentrations (1 and 0. 1 μM) also inhibited growth, again only in apical regions and usually only when presented directly to those regions. Cultured tomato roots therefore appear to transport epibrassinolide acropetally, but whether they do so basipetally is not yet clear. The reduced responsiveness to epibrassinolide observed in roots grown by this method is thought to be due to the larger inoculum used rather than the physiological age of the roots. There was some evidence that the sensitivity of cultured roots to epibrassinolide is directly related to growth rate

Notes: The brassinosteroid, 24-epibrassinolide, caused observable inhibition of the growth of aseptically-cultured excised tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Best of All) roots at a concentration of 0.01 μM. Root formation and outgrowth in tomato shoot cuttings and root biomass in intact tomato seedlings were also depressed by epibrassinolide, but only at a higher concentration (0.1μM). Concentrations of the steroidal estrogens, estrone and estradiol (as sulphate derivatives), in excess of 1.0 μM, reduced cultured root growth as well as root number and total (but not mean) root length in shoot cuttings. Seedling root growth was only slightly inhibited by estradiol but not by estrone. Both epibrassinolide and estrogens caused morphological abnormalities, such as epinasty and leaf-inrolling in cuttings and seedlings. Epibrassinolide stimulated extension growth of the hypocotyl and epicotyl in cuttings and of the hypocotyl in seedlings, but estrogens exerted no effects on shoot growth.

Notes: Concentrations of 24-epibrassinolide as low as 0.1 μM consistently inhibited adventitious root formation and elongation in both hypocotyl and epicotyl cuttings from mung bean (Phaseolus aureus L.). Similar, but less pronounced, inhibitory effects on root elongation were also observed with estrone sulphate and estradiol sulphate. With regards to root number, estrone sulphate enhanced this in both types of cutting, whereas estradiol sulphate was stimulatory in hypocotyl cuttings but inhibitory in epicotyl cuttings. Brassinolide caused a marked stimulation of epicotyl (but not hypocotyl) elongation and a swelling and splitting of the epicotyl in both types of cutting, whereas estrogens varied in their effect from inhibition of epicotyl growth to no effect. Root-applied brassinolide and estrogen sulphates brought about similar morphological abnormalities in shoots viz. epinasty and inrolling of primary leaves and delayed expansion of the first trifoliate leaf.

Notes: At pH 7.2, the potato glycoalkaloid α-chaconine caused release of entrapped peroxidase from phosphatidylcholine liposomes containing different free sterols but was ineffective against sterol-free liposomes. The alkaloid was able to complex with all the tested sterols in vitro although there was no close correlation between the extent of sterol binding and liposome disruption. α-Solanine also complexed with sterols in vitro but had no effects on sterol-containing liposomes under these conditions. Both sterol concentration and alkaloid concentration were limiting factors in the action of chaconine but did not markedly affect that of solanine. Solanine destabilized liposome membranes only at pH values of 8 and above but was less effective than chaconine. The importance of the carbohydrate moiety of glycoalkaloids was further demonstrated by the inability of β2-chaconine to complex with sterols or disrupt liposomes.

Notes: Abstract  Rb-Sr isotopic dating of phlogopite megacryst samples separated from Sturgeon Lake kimberlite, Saskatchewan, yields a crystallization age of 98±1 Ma (2 σ, MSWD=1.2; 87Sr/86Sr(t)=0.7059). The 40Ar/39Ar analyses of a phlogopite megacryst sample indicate the presence of large amounts of excess 40Ar and yield an excessively old age of ∼410 Ma. Assessment of the Ar data using isotope correlation plots indicates clustering of the data points about a mixing line between the radiogenic 40Ar component at 98 Ma and a trapped component with uniform 36Ar/40Ar and Cl/40Ar. Values of δ 18O as high as +20‰ (VSMOW) for calcite from the groundmass and a whole-rock sample indicate pervasive low-temperature alteration. The δ 13C of matrix carbonate is −11.3‰ (PDB), slightly lighter than typical values from the literature. The δ 18O values of about +5‰ (VSMOW) for brown phlogopite megacrysts may be primary, green phlogopites are interpreted to be an alteration product of the brown variety and are 2‰ heavier. Initial Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic ratios for a whole-rock sample (ɛ Nd=+0.8; 87Sr/86Sr=0.7063, 206Pb/204Pb=18.67, 207Pb/204Pb=15.54, 208Pb/204Pb=38.97) suggest an affinity with group I kimberlites. Initial ɛ Nd values of +1.7 and +0.5 (87Sr/86Sr(t)=0.7053 and 0.7050) for eclogitic and lherzolitic garnet megacryst samples, and values of 0.0 for two phlogopite megacryst samples reflect an origin from an isotopically evolving melt due to assimilation of heterogeneous mantle. Lilac high-Cr lherzolitic garnet megacrysts give an unusually high ɛ Nd(98. Ma) of +28.6 (87Sr/86Sr=0.7046) indicating a xenocrystic origin probably from the lithospheric mantle. The very radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr and 206Pb/204Pb ratios of the kimberlite are consistent with melting of EM II (enriched) mantle components.

Notes: Abstract Rb-Sr isotopic dating of phlogopite megacryst samples separated from Sturgeon Lake kimberlite, Saskatchewan, yields a crystallization age of 98±1 Ma (2 σ, MSWD=1.2; 87Sr/86Sr(t)=0.7059). The 40Ar/39Ar analyses of a phlogopite megacryst sample indicate the presence of large amounts of excess 40Ar and yield an excessively old age of ∼410 Ma. Assessment of the Ar data using isotope correlation plots indicates clustering of the data points about a mixing line between the radiogenic 40Ar component at 98 Ma and a trapped component with uniform 36Ar/40Ar and Cl/40Ar. Values of {ie212-1} as high as +20%. (VSMOW) for calcite from the groundmass and a whole-rock sample indicate pervasive lowtemperature alteration. The {ie212-2} of matrix carbonate is-11.3%. (PDB), slightly lighter than typical values from the literature. The {ie212-3} values of about +5%. (VSMOW) for brown phlogopite megacrysts may be primary, green phlogopites are interpreted to be an alteration product of the brown variety and are 2%. heavier. Initial Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic ratios for a whole-rock sample {ie212-4}; 87Sr/86Sr=0.7063, 206Pb/204Pb=18.67, 207Pb/204Pb=15.54, 208Pb/204Pb=38.97) suggest an affinity with group I kimberlites. Initial {ie212-5} values of +1.7 and +0.5 (87Sr/ 86Sr(t)=0.7053 and 0.7050) for eclogitic and lherzolitic garnet megacryst samples, and values of 0.0 for two phlogopite megacryst samples reflect an origin from an isotopically evolving melt due to assimilation of heterogeneous mantle. Lilac high-Cr lherzolitic garnet megacrysts give an unusually high {ie212-6} of +28.6 (87Sr/86Sr=0.7046) indicating a xenocrystic origin probably from the lithospheric mantle. The very radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr and 206Pb/204Pb ratios of the kimberlite are consistent with melting of EM II (enriched) mantle components.

Notes: Abstract The Wild Bight Group (WBG) is a sequence of early and middle Ordovician volcanic, subvolcanic and epiclastic rocks, part of the Dunnage Tectonostratigraphic Zone of the Newfoundland Appalachians. A detailed geochemical and Nd-isotopic study of the volcanic and subvolcanic rocks has been carried out to determine the geochemical characteristics of the rocks, interpret their palcotectonic environments and constrain their petrogenetic history. The lower and central stratigraphic levels of the WBG contain mafic volcanic rocks with island-arc geochemical signatures, including LREE-enriched are tholeiites with ε Nd(t) =-0.1 to +2.2 (type A-I), LREE-depleted arc tholeiites with ε Nd(t) =+5.6 to +7.1 (type A-II) and an unusual suite of strongly incompatible-element depleted tholeiites in which ε Nd(t) ranges from-0.9 to +4.6 and is negatively correlated with147Sm/144Nd (type A-III). High-silica, low-K rhyolites occur locally in the central part of the stratigraphy, associated with mafic rocks of arc affinity, and have ε Nd(t) =+4.7 to +5.4. The upper stratigraphic levels of the WBG dominantly contain rocks with non-arc geochemical signatures, including alkalic basalts with ε Nd(t) =+4.6 to +5.5 (type N-I), strongly LREE- and incompatible element-enriched tholeiites that are transitional between alkalic and non-alkalic rocks with ε Nd(t) =+4.4 to +7.0 (type N-II) and rocks with flat to slightly LREE-enriched patterns and ε Nd(t) =+5.1 to +7.4 (type N-III). Rocks with non-arc and arc signatures are locally interbedded near the stratigraphic type of the WBG. Nd-isotopic data in the type A-I and A-II rocks are generally compatible with mixing/partial melting models involving depleted mantle, variably contaminated by a subducted crustally-derived sediment. The petrogenesis of type A-III rocks must involve source mixing and multi-stage partial melting, but the details are not clear. The geochemistry and Nd isotope data for types N-I, N-II and N-III rocks are compatible with petrogenetic models involving variable partial melting of a source similar to that postulated for modern oceanic island basalts. Comparison of the WBG with modern analogues suggests a 3-stage developmental model: stage 1) island-arc volcanism (eruption of type mafic volcancs); stage 2) arc-rifting (continued eruption of type A-I, A-I, eruption of types A-II and A-III mafic volcanics and high-silica, low-K rhyolites); and stage 3) back-arc basin volcanism (continued minor eruption of type A-I basalts, eruption of types N-I, N-II, N-III basalts). Stages 1 and 2 volcanism involved partial melting of subduction contaminated mantle, while stage 3 volcanism utilized depleted-mantle sources not affected by the subducting slab. This model provides a basis for interpreting coeval sequences in central Newfoundland and a comparative framework for some early Paleozoic oceanic volcanic sequences elsewhere in the Appalachian orogen.