Deep water stratification in deep caldera lakes Ikeda, Towada, Tazawa, Kuttara, Toya and Shikotsu

From six deep caldera lakes in Japan, namely lakes Ikeda, Towada, Tazawa, Toya, Kuttara and Shikotsu (in Japanese referred to as Ikedako, Towadako, Tazawako, Toyako, Kuttarako and Shikotsuko), fine resolution profiles of temperature, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen and pH have been measured. Measurements were conducted just after deep circulation from the end of March to the end of May 2005. Lake Ikeda and Lake Towada did not undergo a complete turnover. Both showed meromictic features with a clear interface separating the recirculated mixolimnion from the deeper monimolimnion. Lake Tazawa and Lake Toya showed a complete turnover in winter 2004/05, while in Lake Kuttara and Lake Shikotsu, a deep water body remained throughout winter due to pressure effects on the temperature of maximum density. Although these deep waters were never fully recycled into the mixolimnion, they presented themselves as well supplied with oxygen and well circulated within themselves. Where overturn had not been complete small gradients in the oxygen profile, pH profiles and electrical conductivity profiles could be detected. However only in Lake Towada were concentrations of dissolved substances and gradients high enough to have decisive impact on the circulation pattern.     

深层海洋浮游植物研究综述

对深层海洋(200 m)浮游生物的研究是我国海洋浮游生物研究的前沿,已有的深层海洋浮游生物知识是我国相关研究的基础。浮游植物需要阳光进行光合作用,大多数浮游植物沉降到深海中会死亡,但有些浮游植物却能在深海中生存。综述深层海洋中存活的浮游植物的研究进展,为我国的研究提供参考。在深层海洋发现的浮游植物(2"m)种类不多,共有18种,最深分布在4000 m,颗石藻的丰度大于硅藻和甲藻,最大丰度为2220个/L,出现在500 m。在1911—1985年期间,曾经发现橄榄绿细胞,由于研究手段有限,一直没有对其进行分类学研究。1985年以后的研究怀疑这些橄榄绿细胞就是聚球藻蓝细菌,聚球藻蓝细菌在太平洋、大西洋和地中海的几个站位能分布到2750 m,在深层海洋的最大丰度为3.5×105个/mL,出现在800 m。在许多海区200—700 m发现有浮游植物色素荧光的高值,但对引起高值的原因尚不清楚。浮游植物生物量在深层海洋的垂直剖面研究不多,已有的研究表明浮游植物生物量在300 m以深为0.001—0.1"g C/L,且其随深度增加而降低。     

Morpho-Functional Groups and phytoplankton development in two deep lakes (Lake Garda,Italy and Lake Stechlin,Germany)

Phylogenetic classifications of plants often do not reflect their ecological functions. In fact, the functional mechanisms of biological communities may be better understood if species are pooled into groups having similar characteristics. The objective of this work is to evaluate, with the use of multivariate methods, classifications based on the morphological and functional characteristics (size and form, mobility, potential mixotrophy, nutrient requirements, presence of gelatinous envelopes) of cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae to explain the seasonal dynamic of the phytoplankton community. The analyses involve data from two deep lakes: Lake Garda, southern Alps, z _max = 350 m; biennium 2002–2003) and Lake Stechlin (north-east Germany, z _max = 67 m; 1995, 1998 and 2001). In both lakes, the temporal evolution of the phytoplankton communities within individual years followed a regular annual cycle, with the exception of Lake Stechlin in 1998, when an irregular phytoplankton pattern was caused by a sudden mass appearance of Planktothrix rubescens in the spring and summer months, resulting in a collapse of the whole community in autumn. Overall, the temporal developments of the phytoplankton communities obtained on the basis of patterns of the morpho-functional groups appeared highly comparable with those obtained, in the single years, on the basis of the original phytoplankton species matrices. The comparison of the morpho-functional groups of the lakes Garda and Stechlin showed important differences in the abundance and seasonality of the dominant phytoplankton types. The results obtained in this study underline that the use of classifications based on the adaptive strategies of the single species may represent a useful tool to investigate the community evolution and to compare phytoplankton assemblages of different lakes, overcoming problems related to possible differences of taxonomic accuracy and identification.     

Isolation and characterization of cellulose-degrading bacteria from the deep subsurface of the Homestake gold mine,Lead, South Dakota,USA

The present study investigated the cultivable mesophilic (37°C) and thermophilic (60°C) cellulose-degrading bacterial diversity in a weathered soil-like sample collected from the deep subsurface (1.5 km depth) of the Homestake gold mine in Lead, South Dakota, USA. Chemical characterization of the sample by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy revealed a high amount of toxic heavy metals such as Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn. Molecular community structures were determined by phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences retrieved from enrichment cultures growing in presence of microcrystalline cellulose as the sole source of carbon. All phylotypes retrieved from enrichment cultures were affiliated to Firmicutes. Cellulose-degrading mesophilic and thermophilic pure cultures belonging to the genera Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus, Bacillus, and Geobacillus were isolated from enrichment cultures, and selected cultures were studied for enzyme activities. For a mesophilic isolate (DUSELG12), the optimum pH and temperature for carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) were 5.5 and 55°C, while for a thermophilic isolate (DUSELR7) they were 5.0 and 75°C, respectively. Furthermore, DUSELG12 retained about 40% CMCase activity after incubation at 60°C for 8 h. Most remarkably, thermophilic isolate, DUSELR7 retained 26% CMCase activity at 60°C up to a period of 300 h. Overall, the present work revealed the presence of different cellulose-degrading bacterial lineages in the unique deep subsurface environment of the mine. The results also have strong implications for biological conversion of cellulosic agricultural and forestry wastes to commodity chemicals including sugars.     

Global comparison of bicosoecid Cafeteria-like flagellates from the deep ocean and surface waters,with reorganization of the family Cafeteriaceae

Cafeteria is one of the most common and ecologically significant genera of heterotrophic nanoflagellates in marine plankton. We could isolate and cultivate 29 strains morphologically similar to Cafeteria obtained from surface waters and the deep sea all over the world’s ocean. Morphological characterization obtained by high resolution microscopy revealed only small differences between the strains. Sequencing the type material of the type species C. roenbergensis (CCAP 1900/1) and molecular analyses (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA) of newly isolated strains resulted in a revision and separation of the Cafeteriaceae into two known species (C. roenbergensis, C. mylnikovii) and six new species (C. maldiviensis, C. biegae, C. loberiensis, C. chilensis, C. graefeae, C. burkhardae). Many deposited Cafeteria sequences at GenBank and most of our own sequences clustered within one clade (C. burkhardae) with a p-distance of 5% to strain CCAP 1900/1. Only C. maldiviensis clustered together with the type species C. roenbergensis. While C. burkhardae seems to have a cosmopolitan distribution, the distribution of the other species seems to be more restricted. A strain from the Angola Basin had a p-distance of 10% to Cafeteria species and clustered separately within the Anoecales requiring the erection of a new genus, Bilabrum gen. nov., with B. latius sp. nov. as type species.     

The changing face of the deep: Colonization of the Early Ordovician deep-sea floor, Puna, northwest Argentina

An Upper Tremadocian deep-sea ichnofauna from the Chiquero Formation of Puna, northwest Argentina, represents a link between Ediacaran and Cambrian microbial-mat dominated ecosystems and younger Ordovician deep-marine trace-fossil assemblages. This ichnofauna is preserved at the base of thin-bedded turbidites formed in the lobe fringe of a back-arc deep-sea fan. While Ediacaran–Cambrian deep-marine trace fossils are typically linked to matground grazing and feeding, microbial textures in the Chiquero Formation are rare and not associated with trace fossils. Morphologic patterns (e.g. radial trace fossils and networks) of the Chiquero ichnofauna indicate the onset of novel trophic types, recording trapping of microorganisms and bacterial farming. However, in comparison with younger Ordovician deep-sea ichnofaunas, graphoglyptids are relatively rare, poorly diverse, and geometrically simpler. This study indicates that the Early Ordovician was a pivotal point in the ecology of deep-sea infaunal communities. This Upper Tremadocian ichnofauna records the arrival of the Agronomic Revolution to the deep sea. Comparisons with slightly older and younger deep-sea ichnofaunas demonstrate that the colonization of the deep sea was a protracted process spanning the Early Paleozoic, lagging behind colonization of nearshore and offshore substrates.     

Photosynthetic potential of phytoplankton in the deep water of Lake Baikal,Russia

We examined the photosynthetic activity of the phytoplankton community collected from the surface to a depth of 1000m in the south basin of Lake Baikal. Experiments were conducted in June (mixing period) and August (stratified period). The carbon fixation rate was measured by the use of a ¹³C tracer after the incubation of samples under light conditions in the upper water column. Photosynthetic fixation of ¹³C was detected for samples collected from a depth of 500m, indicating the viability of phytoplankton in deep water. The community composition was dominated by Bacillariophyceae in deep water. The finding of lower activity at a depth of 200m than that at a depth of 500m in August suggests that the spring diatom bloom could be a significant source of viable populations at a depth of 500m. Photosynthetic activity was not detected in samples collected at a depth of 1000m.     

Parasitism in the bathypelagic fish, Melanostigma pammelas

Three hundred and thirty-seven specimens of the zoarcid fish, Melanostigma pammelas, collected between December, 1950 and December, 1969 from bathypelagic waters off southern California, were examined for their parasites. Incidences of infection were: digentic Trematoda 61%, Myxosporida 39%, larval Nematoda 9%. Two adult trematodes are described: Fellodistomum melanostigmum nov. sp. from the intestine, and Aponurus pacificus nov. sp. from the stomach. This parasite record is markedly unlike the typical record reported for eastern Pacific mesopelagic fishes in which many larval nematodes and few, if any, adult trematodes were found. Our long-term objective is to explain parasite pattern differences in the deep ocean in terms of their biological and physical environments. Our initial purpose is to determine the numbers and kinds of parasites in M. pammelas.     

DeepWL: Robust EPID based Winston-Lutz analysis using deep learning,synthetic image generation and optical path-tracing

Radiation therapy requires clinical linear accelerators to be mechanically and dosimetrically calibrated to a high standard. One important quality assurance test is the Winston-Lutz test which localises the radiation isocentre of the linac.In the current work we demonstrate a novel method of analysing EPID based Winston-Lutz QA images using a deep learning model trained only on synthetic image data. In addition, we propose a novel method of generating the synthetic WL images and associated ‘ground-truth’ masks using an optical path-tracing engine to ‘fake’ mega-voltage EPID images.The model called DeepWL was trained on 1500 synthetic WL images using data augmentation techniques for 180 epochs. The model was built using Keras with a TensorFlow backend on an Intel Core i5-6500T CPU and trained in approximately 15 h. DeepWL was shown to produce ball bearing and multi-leaf collimator field segmentations with a mean dice coefficient of 0.964 and 0.994 respectively on previously unseen synthetic testing data. When DeepWL was applied to WL data measured on an EPID, the predicted mean displacements were shown to be statistically similar to the Canny Edge detection method. However, the DeepWL predictions for the ball bearing locations were shown to correlate better with manual annotations compared with the Canny edge detection algorithm.DeepWL was demonstrated to analyse Winston-Lutz images with an accuracy suitable for routine linac quality assurance with some statistical evidence that it may outperform Canny Edge detection methods in terms of segmentation robustness and the resultant displacement predictions.     

Non-skeletal carbonate production and stromatolite growth within a pleistocene deep ocean (Last glacial maximum, Red Sea)

Summary Quasi modern non-skeletal carbonates and stromatolites occur from the Red Sea shelf, proximal to the reef systems and continuous into the axial basin (512 to 2704 metres below present sea level). The lithified carbonates are intermixed with carbonate ooze forming a hard layer of 50 to 90 cm thickness. Decimetric platey fragments of lithified carbonate exhibit planar to columnar stromatolitic growth forms, lumpy microbial fabrics and internal brecciation features. The ultrastructures of lithified carbonates are formed by cryptocrystalline carbonate, mainly as aragonite spherulites, Mg-calcite peloids, anhedral mosaics of Mg-calcite and aragonite. Biogenic overgrowth, intercalations of calciturbidites and the type of interlocking relationships in the crystalline fabrics all indicate precipitation at the sea floor or close by. Morphological and mineralogical similarity with previously published microfabrics indicate microbial mediation of carbonate precipitation. The hard layer was formed during the last glacial maximum (LGM, approx. 23ka to 13ka), when pelagic sedimentation rates droped to a minimum due to high surface water salinities. Precipitation of the excess calcium carbonate in the deep ocean was strongly enhanced because the Hanish sill at the southern end of the Red Sea blocked input of cold bottom waters which in turn caused bottom water with high temperatures and salinities (>50 ‰), and low oxygen content. The scenario of a starved greenhouse-type ocean for the Red Sea during the LGM compliments models for the origin of ancient (Mesozoic and Palaeozoic) deepwater stromatolites.     

The effects of deep cultivation and oxamyl on control of potato cyst-nematode, Globodera rostochiensis

Soil compaction associated with frequent cultivation of potatoes was partly removed with a deep winged-tine coulter. This increased the yield of tubers of cv. Cara in 1987 and 1988 and of cv. Désirée in 1987 in soil which was heavily infested with potato cyst-nematode, Globodera rostochiensis (Woll.), and which was treated with oxamyl at 5.6 kg ha^-1. In 1988, in soil not treated with oxamyl, deep cultivation significantly decreased the yield of cv. Cara. In both years, oxamyl decreased numbers of G. rostochiensis eggs in the soil following cv. Désirée potatoes but not following cv. Cara which were resistant to the nematode.     

腔静脉滤器植入、溶栓及手术治疗下肢深静脉血栓形成

目的:探讨下肢深静脉血栓形成的有效治疗方法。方法:回顾性分析1988年4月-2006年10月间治疗的255例下肢深静脉血栓形成的临床资料。直接患肢深静脉溶栓74例,手术取栓12例,抗凝等治疗169例,下腔静脉滤器植入32例(均为永久性滤器)。结果:随访2～126个月,平均64个月。31只下腔静脉滤器均展开良好,有1例临时滤器移位至下腔静脉近心端,其他无移位。1例永久性滤器植入14个月后滤器中血栓形成。溶栓组显效52例,有效20例,无效2例。手术组显效10例,有效2例,无效0例。两种治疗方法比较,显效率有显著差别(P＜0．05),总有效率无显著差别。结论:腔静脉滤器植入能有效预防肺动脉栓塞,但应严格掌握适应证。手术治疗是提高疗效和预防后遗症的有效方法。     

Markerless 2D kinematic analysis of underwater running: A deep learning approach

Kinematic analysis is often performed with a camera system combined with reflective markers placed over bony landmarks. This method is restrictive (and often expensive), and limits the ability to perform analyses outside of the lab. In the present study, we used a markerless deep learning-based method to perform 2D kinematic analysis of deep water running, a task that poses several challenges to image processing methods. A single GoPro camera recorded sagittal plane lower limb motion. A deep neural network was trained using data from 17 individuals, and then used to predict the locations of markers that approximated joint centres. We found that 300–400 labelled images were sufficient to train the network to be able to position joint markers with an accuracy similar to that of a human labeler (mean difference < 3 pixels, around 1 cm). This level of accuracy is sufficient for many 2D applications, such as sports biomechanics, coaching/training, and rehabilitation. The method was sensitive enough to differentiate between closely-spaced running cadences (45–85 strides per minute in increments of 5). We also found high test–retest reliability of mean stride data, with between-session correlation coefficients of 0.90–0.97. Our approach represents a low-cost, adaptable solution for kinematic analysis, and could easily be modified for use in other movements and settings. Using additional cameras, this approach could also be used to perform 3D analyses. The method presented here may have broad applications in different fields, for example by enabling markerless motion analysis to be performed during rehabilitation, training or even competition environments.     

Community structure of the deep sea fishes in the northern Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea (Osteichthyes and Chondrichthyes)

The aim of this study was to investigate the community structure of deep sea fishes in the northern Gulf of Aqaba. Deep fish traps, short lines and long lines were deployed at depth ranges from 60 to 700 m between June 2014 and May 2015. A total of 369 fish individuals belonging to 37 species in 21 families were collected. The most abundant family observed in deep fish traps and short line was the commercially important family Sparidae, whereas the most abundant family in long line catch was the commercially unimportant fish family Muraenidae. The most abundant fish species sampled by deep fish traps and shortline was Blueskin Seabream, Polysteganus coeruleopunctatus. The most abundant species in long line catch White-spotted Moray, Gymnothorax johnsoni. In fish traps and with short line, the most commonly caught species was Blueskin Seabream. White-spotted Moray was the most common long line catch. Depth distribution for 37 deep fish species and GIS maps for the two main commercial fish species Blueskin Seabream and Bigeye Hound Shark, Iago omanensis were documented.     

Description of two new species of Bodinia, a new genus incertae sedis in Argestidae Por, 1986 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida), with reflections on argestid colonization of the Great Meteor Seamount plateau

The present paper focuses on the results of taxonomic, faunistic and chorologic investigations on Argestidae Por, 1986 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida). All argestid species collected during the cruise M42/3 of RV “Meteor” (1998) are new to science. In the present contribution, two species are described and united within Bodinia gen. nov.: Bodinia meteorensis sp. nov. and Bodinia peterrummi sp. nov. The new genus is placed as incertae sedis in Argestidae in light of uncertainty concerning the phylogenetic relations within this group and even its status as a monophylum. The question is discussed how members of Argestidae, previously seen as a deep-sea taxon, may have colonized the shallow-water habitat of the Great Meteor Seamount plateau.     

Preliminary results in using Deep Learning to emulate BLOB,a nuclear interaction model

PurposeA reliable model to simulate nuclear interactions is fundamental for Ion-therapy. We already showed how BLOB (“Boltzmann-Langevin One Body”), a model developed to simulate heavy ion interactions up to few hundreds of MeV/u, could simulate also ¹²C reactions in the same energy domain. However, its computation time is too long for any medical application. For this reason we present the possibility of emulating it with a Deep Learning algorithm.MethodsThe BLOB final state is a Probability Density Function (PDF) of finding a nucleon in a position of the phase space. We discretised this PDF and trained a Variational Auto-Encoder (VAE) to reproduce such a discrete PDF. As a proof of concept, we developed and trained a VAE to emulate BLOB in simulating the interactions of ¹²C with ¹²C at 62 MeV/u. To have more control on the generation, we forced the VAE latent space to be organised with respect to the impact parameter (b) training a classifier of b jointly with the VAE.ResultsThe distributions obtained from the VAE are similar to the input ones and the computation time needed to use the VAE as a generator is negligible.ConclusionsWe show that it is possible to use a Deep Learning approach to emulate a model developed to simulate nuclear reactions in the energy range of interest for Ion-therapy. We foresee the implementation of the generation part in C++ and to interface it with the most used Monte Carlo toolkit: Geant4.     

云南抚仙湖沉水植物分布及群落结构特征

2005年6～7月对抚仙湖沉水植物进行了调查。共采集到沉水植物12种。沉水植物在抚仙湖沿岸浅水区均有不同程度的分布,主要分布在北岸、南岸、河口以及湖湾。分布区内平均水深4．27m,平均透明度2．96m。优势种为黑藻、穗状狐尾藻、篦齿眼子菜、金鱼藻和苦草,其优势度分别为59．08％、54．47％、54．26％、48．71％和48．30％,占群落总优势度的65．19％。根据优势种及组成特征,可将沉水植物群落分为11个类型。全湖沉水植物分布区面积318．8hm^2,资源量19502．79t,平均生物量6118g/m^2。2005年与1980年前后和2003年的调查结果相比,抚仙湖沉水植物、生物量和分布范围显著增加。     

山东济阳坳陷古近系沙河街组深水湖沉积中的遗迹化石

山东济阳坳陷古近系沙河街组深水湖沉积地层主要由深灰色、褐灰色泥岩、油泥岩、泥灰岩和石灰岩以及岩盐组成,浊流沉积发育。已发现深水型遗迹化石有12个遗迹属14个遗迹种,包括3个新遗迹属6个新遗迹种。根据这些遗迹化石的组成与分布特征及其围岩的沉积特征,可以划分出2种不同沉积环境下的遗迹化石群落,即(1)Mermoides-Neonereites遗迹群落,主要由觅食迹(Fodinichnia)和牧食迹(Pascichnia)组成,常见分子有Mermoides chezhenensis,Mermoides latiusculus,Neonereites uniserialis,Hel minthoidichnitescf.tenuis,Hel-minthopsis abeli,Pilichnus lacustris,Multilagueichnus lingpanensis,Cochlichnus anguineus,Gordiaichnosp.,Palaeophycus tubularis和Planolites beverleyensis等,它们被解释形成于半深水湖或较深水湖沉积环境;(2)Semi-rotundichnus遗迹群落,以半圆形、小碟形牧食迹为其特征,典型组成分子有Semirotundichnus dongyingensis,Pa-tellarisichnus boxingensis和Neonereites uniserialis等,它们均产生于深水湖沉积环境。     

Shallow-buried Pleistocene Madrepora-dominated coral mounds on a muddy continental slope, Tuscan Archipelago, NE Tyrrhenian Sea

Subfossil azoxanthellate deep-sea coral mounds occur at 355–410 m on the continental slope of the NE Tyrrhenian Sea between Gorgona and Capraia islands, Tuscan Archipelago. These low-relief patch reefs are at present buried by a thin muddy drape. Their age is latest Pleistocene. The colonial scleractinian Madrepora oculata is the major frame builder, in association with the solitary coral Desmophyllum dianthus and the colonial coral Lophelia pertusa. These NE Tyrrhenian Madrepora-dominated coral mounds represent one of the few known Mediterranean examples of deep-coral colonization of a muddy, low-gradient continental slope.