scholarly journals On the Chemical Composition and Possible Origin of Na–Cr-Rich Clinopyroxene in Silicocarbonatites from Samalpatti, Tamil Nadu, South India

Minerals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ondřej Krátký ◽  
Vladislav Rapprich ◽  
Martin Racek ◽  
Jitka Míková ◽  
Tomáš Magna

Mineralogical and chemical data are presented for a suite of Na–Cr-rich clinopyroxenes associated with chromite, winchite (sodium-calcium amphibole), titanite and calcite in Mg-Cr-rich silicocarbonatites from the Samalpatti carbonatite complex, Tamil Nadu, South India. The Mg-Cr-rich silicocarbonatites occur as 10–30 cm large enclaves in pyroxenites. The chemical composition of the pyroxenes differs among individual enclaves, with variable proportions of diopside, kosmochlor and jadeite-aegirine end-members. These compositions fill a previously unoccupied space in the kosmochlor-diopside-jadeite+aegirine ternary plot, indicating a distinct origin of kosmochlor-rich pyroxene compared with previous findings from diverse settings. The Na–Cr-rich clinopyroxene has low ΣREE = 9.2 ppm, with slight enrichment in LREE (LaN = 7), coupled with low HREE (YbN = 0.6), and flat HREE, paralleled by a significant fractionation of Nb/Ta (2408) and Th/U (26.5). Sodic metasomatism (fenitization) associated with either carbonatite emplacement at shallow levels or during carbonatite ascent through the upper mantle most likely was the major process operating in the area. We suggest two scenarios of the formation of Na–Cr-rich pyroxene: (1) from mantle-derived chromian mineral phases (spinel and/or garnet) through fenitization, with subsequent corrosion by growing winchite due to volatile influx; (2) via metasomatic reaction of Cr-rich garnet in mantle peridotite due to reaction with Na-rich carbonatite melt. Collectively, the appearance of kosmochlor may play an important role in deconvolving metasomatic processes, and fenitization in particular. If combined with petrologic experiments, it could improve our understanding of the origin and subsequent history of chemical signatures of carbonate-rich materials in the mantle.

Author(s):  
A. R. Venkatachalapathy

E. V. Ramasamy “Naicker” (1879–1973), better known as “Periyar” (literally “the big man”; figuratively “the revered one”), is an iconic figure in the history of Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu all governments of the state since 1967 have been formed by two parties—Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)—both of which split from Periyar’s Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and claim his legacy. Periyar is primarily known as a social reformer, anti-caste crusader, champion of non-Brahmin political and social interests, advocate of women’s rights, and atheist and rationalist. At an all-India level his reputation is that of an “anti-national” who demanded secession from the Indian Union, an atheist who rejected god, religion, and rituals. In 1990, in the context of the Indian government’s move to introduce reservation (affirmative action) for backward castes in education and employment, and the upper-caste protest against it, Periyar’s role in empowering backward castes has received attention. Further, with the renewed rise of Hindu fundamentalism from the 1990s, Periyar’s critique of religion, especially Hinduism, has been recognized politically and intellectually. The dominance of intermediary castes in south India, and Dalit political and cultural assertion since the 1990s, has triggered a re-evaluation of Periyar’s ideas on caste and their impact on the empowerment of backward castes. The renewed political interest in Periyar’s ideas and a longstanding academic interest in the history of the non-Brahmin movement have come together in recent times. This has resulted in the proliferation of new compilations, editions, and reprints of Periyar’s writings. Analytical studies of his life and politics is a growing field. Though undertheorized by scholars, Periyar’s ideas on caste, religion, women’s rights, and language provide a window into understanding and conceptualizing non-mainstream ideological trends in modern Asian history.


2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliza Kent

AbstractIn recent years, environmentalists and scholars of religion have shown an enormous interest in the pan-Indian phenomenon of “sacred groves,” small forests or stands of trees whose produce is set aside for the exclusive use of a deity. This article seeks to contribute to scholarship on sacred groves by considering the meanings that Tamil villagers in the Madurai region attach to them. First, I describe the answers that people give when asked why they do not cut the trees in sacred groves: namely, the trees are the shade-giving temples or beauty-enhancing adornments of the deity. Second, I contextualize local discourse about sacred groves in the environmental and political history of the region to uncover old paradigms that inform present-day beliefs and practices. The forest gods of Tamil Nadu, I argue, are closely modeled on the pālaiyakkārars (or poligars) of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, fierce local chieftains who formed alliances with, and sometimes defied, generations of rulers seeking to subdue the region. The often violent modes of worship these gods require has evoked considerable criticism, but I believe they have a lot to teach us about how people thrived for centuries in an unusually harsh environmental milieu.


1994 ◽  
Vol 65 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 167-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Natarajana ◽  
B Bhaskar Rao ◽  
R Parthasarathy ◽  
Anil Kumar ◽  
K Gopalan

2021 ◽  
Vol 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leeberk Raja Inbaraj ◽  
Sindhulina Chandrasingh ◽  
Nalini Arun Kumar ◽  
Jothi Suchitra ◽  
Abi Manesh

Abstract Varicella infection during pregnancy has serious and/or difficult implications and in some cases lethal outcome. Though epidemiological studies in developing countries reveal that a significant proportion of patients may remain susceptible during pregnancy, such an estimate of susceptible women is not known in India. We designed this study to study the prevalence and factors associated with susceptibility to varicella among rural and urban pregnant women in South India. We prospectively recruited 430 pregnant women and analysed their serum varicella IgG antibodies as surrogates for protection. We estimated seroprevalence, the validity of self-reported history of chickenpox and factors associated with varicella susceptibility. We found 23 (95% CI 19.1–27.3) of women were susceptible. Nearly a quarter (22.2%) of the susceptible women had a history of exposure to chickenpox anytime in the past or during the current pregnancy. Self-reported history of varicella had a positive predictive value of 82.4%. Negative history of chickenpox (adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) 1.85, 95% CI 1.15–3.0) and receiving antenatal care from a rural secondary hospital (adjusted PR 4.08, 95% CI 2.1–7.65) were significantly associated with susceptibility. We conclude that high varicella susceptibility rates during pregnancy were noted and self-reported history of varicella may not be a reliable surrogate for protection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariappan Sankara Rama Subramaniam ◽  
Azariah Babu ◽  
Bhabesh Deka

Abstract Background Continuous and non-judicial application of synthetic insecticides to control the tea thrips, Scirtothrips bispinosus (Bagnall), one of the major tea pests in South India has led to certain undesirable issues in the ecosystem besides the presence of the pesticide residues in manufactured tea. Biological control agents are of immense importance in tea cultivation. The present study was designed to isolate Lecanicillium lecanii (Zimmermann) Zare & Gama from the field-collected cadavers of the insects/mites infected by fungi of tea growing areas of Anamallais (Tamil Nadu, South India), and to evaluate their field bio-efficacy against the tea thrips. Results Lecanicillium lecanii isolated from the tea ecosystem had been formulated into a wettable powder (WP) formulation and evaluated against tea thrips under both laboratory and field conditions. Among the several media evaluated, the PDAY (Potato Dextrose Agar + 1% Yeast powder) was found to be the best suitable medium for the growth and germination of spores. Optimum conditions for the growth of L. lecanii were found in PDAY medium at the pH 6-7, temperature 25-30°C and 90-95% RH. Exposure to UV light for more than 30 min significantly inhibited the growth of the fungus. Lecanicillium lecanii at (1 × 107 spore/ha) was found significantly effective against thrips. Fungal development index (FDI) of L. lecanii + jaggery significantly differed than other treatments. Lecanicillium lecanii at 1500g (1×107 conidia/ml) mixed in 400 l of water was effective against the tea thrips. Addition of equal amount of jaggery with L. lecanii wettable powder in the tank mixture could increase the efficacy of the mycopesticide against tea thrips. Conclusion The powder formulation of L. lecanii was found safer to natural enemies present in the tea ecosystem. After fulfilling the requirements for its registration and label claim on tea, this strain of L. lecanii could be commercialized for the benefit of the tea industry for the management of tea thrips in an eco-friendly manner.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 355
Author(s):  
Maria Rampilova ◽  
Anna Doroshkevich ◽  
Shrinivas Viladkar ◽  
Elizaveta Zubakova

The main mass of the Sevathur carbonatite complex (Tamil Nadu, India) consists of dolomite carbonatite with a small number of ankerite carbonatite dikes. Calcite carbonatite occurs in a very minor amount as thin veins within the dolomite carbonatite. The age (207Pb/204Pb) of the Sevathur carbonatites is 801 ± 11 Ma, they are emplaced within the Precambrian granulite terrains along NE–SW trending fault systems. Minor minerals in dolomite carbonatite are fluorapatite, phlogopite (with a kinoshitalite component), amphibole and magnetite. Pyrochlore (rich in UO2), monazite-Ce, and barite are accessory minerals. Dolomite carbonatite at the Sevathur complex contains norsethite, calcioburbankite, and benstonite as inclusions in primary calcite and are interpreted as primary minerals. They are indicative of Na, Sr, Mg, Ba, and LREE enrichment in their parental carbonatitic magma. Norsethite, calcioburbankite, and benstonite have not been previously known at Sevathur. The hydrothermal processes at the Sevathur carbonatites lead to alteration of pyrochlore into hydropyrochlore, and Ba-enrichment. Also, it leads to formation of monazite-(Ce) and barite-II.


2000 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 250-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Newmann ◽  
P Sarin ◽  
N Kumarasamy ◽  
E Amalraj ◽  
M Rogers ◽  
...  

A retrospective study was conducted on 134 HIV-infected females evaluated at an HIV/AIDS centre in south India to characterize their socio-demographics, HIV risk factors and initial clinical presentations. The mean age was 29 years; 81% were housewives; 95% were currently or previously married; 89% reported heterosexual sex as their only HIV risk factor; and 88% reported a history of monogamy. The majority were of reproductive age, thus the potential for vertical transmission of HIV and devastating impacts on families is alarming. Nearly half of these women initially presented asymptomatically implying that partner recruitment can enable early HIV detection. Single partner heterosexual sex with their husband was the only HIV risk factor for the majority of women. HIV prevention and intervention strategies need to focus on married, monogamous Indian women whose self-perception of HIV risk may be low, but whose risk is inextricably linked to the behaviour of their husbands.


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