Permanent ectoplasmic structures in deep-sea <i>Cibicides</i> and <i>Cibicidoides</i> taxa – long-term observations at in situ pressure

Deep-sea Cibicidoides pachyderma (forma mundulus) and related Cibicidoides spp. were cultured at in situ pressure for 1–2 d, or 6 weeks to 3 months. During that period, fluorescence analyses following BCECF-AM (2′,7′-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein acetoxymethyl ester) or calcein (bis[N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)aminomethyl]-fluorescein) labelling revealed a persisting cytoplasmic sheet or envelope surrounding the Cibicidoides tests. Thus, the Cibicidoides shell can be considered as an internal rather than an external cell structure. A couple of days to a week after being transferred into high-pressure aquaria and adjusted to a pressure of 115 bar, the foraminifera changed from a mobile to a more or less sessile living mode. During this quasi-sessile way of life, a series of comparably thick static ectoplasmic structures developed that were not resorbed or remodelled but, except for occasional further growth, remained unchanged throughout the experiments. Three different types of these permanent structures were observed. (a) Ectoplasmic “roots” were common in adult C. pachyderma, C. lobatulus, and C. wuellerstorfi specimens. In our experiments single ectoplasmic roots grew to a maximum of 700 times the individuals' shell diameter and were presumably used to anchor the specimen in an environment with strong currents. (b) Ectoplasmic “trees” describe rigid ectoplasmic structures directed into the aquarium's water body and were used by the foraminifera to climb up and down these ectoplasmic structures. Ectoplasmic trees have so far only been observed in C. pachyderma and enabled the tree-forming foraminifera to elevate itself above ground. (c) Ectoplasmic “twigs” were used to guide and hold the more delicate pseudopodial network when distributed into prevailing currents and were, in our experiments, also only developed in C. pachyderma specimens. Relocation of a specimen usually required it to tear apart and leave behind the rigid ectoplasmic structures and eventually also the envelope surrounding the test. Apparently, these rigid structures could not be resorbed or reused.

Thermo-convective Study of a Shell and Tube Thermal Energy Storage Unit

In this paper, we have studied numerically thermo-convective characteristics between a heat transfer fluid (HTF) and phase change material (PCM) in shell and tube thermal energy storage (TES) unit. The paraffin wax is considered as a PCM, filled in a shell which is thermally isolated with the external environment, while the water plays a role of a HTF and flows inside the tube at the moment of charging and discharging cycle. The heat transfer between HTF and PCM is performed by conduction and forced convection, this transfer allows to change the physical state of PCM solid-liquid to obtain a quantity of storable heat in order to create a thermal battery. Enthalpy formulation is used to analyze the heat transfer during melting and solidification process. A good agreement was found between our numerical predictions and the results of the literature. On the other hand, we have investigated the effect of geometrical parameters (tube length and shell diameter) and Reynolds number on the charging and discharging cycles. The obtained results reveal that the tube length and the shell diameter are the most influential parameters on the time of storage system. Similarly, the Reynolds number has much impact on the HTF outlet temperature and the time of solidification and melting process. Furthermore, we have proposed a new thermal storage unit containing the Paraffin wax and RT60 that it gives us a good rate and time of storage compared to the first unit that has only the paraffin wax.

KAJIAN HUBUNGAN KEBIJAKAN BAURANPEMASARANDAN VOLUME PENJUALAN GULA MERAH (SAKA) RAKYAT DI KABUPATEN TANAH DATAR SUMATERA BARAT

Brown sugar (saka) is one of alternative goods to fill sugar demand in Indonesia. This product is mainly produced by local agroindustries that disperse in many regions, one of the location is in Tanah Datar Regency. The aims of this study are to describe the marketing mix and to analyze the relation between marketing mix and selling volume of brown sugar in Tanah Datar Regency. Variables of this research are 4P of marketing mix and selling volume. The data is collected from farmer who produced traditionally, that spread in three district, then using quantitative analyze. The result of this research shows that product is molded by piece of coconut shell (diameter: 3-5 cm), the color is brown, reddish and yellowish, the selling price about Rp 10.000 - 15.000/Kg, and distributted through collecting traders or directly sold in market, and also have no promotion yet. The result of Chi Square analyze shows that there are relation between selling price variable with product variable, whereas place/ distribution variable is not.Keywords : brown sugar, agroindustry, marketing mix

Limited Migration of Scaphitid Ammonoids: Evidence from the Analyses of Shell Whorls

The thickness ratios of shells (=whorl breadth/shell diameter) in the heteromorphic scaphitid ammonoid Scaphites planus (Yabe, 1910) from the lower middle Turonian in the Oyubari and Kotanbetsu areas of Hokkaido, Japan were examined in order to determine their mode of migration. The thickness ratios of S. planus differ significantly between the two localities, which suggest that these different populations did not frequently migrate between the two areas (currently ∼130 km apart, although the actual distance during Turonian is uncertain due to the presence of faults and folds between the two areas). There is no difference in hatchling diameters between the two areas, suggesting that the thickness ratios became manifested after the post-hatchling stage due to limited migration with in a nektobenthic habitat. This study suggests that scaphitid ammonoids became nektobenthic with limited migration at a stage earlier than previously thought (not during the transition from normal to abnormal coiling). The limited migration in scaphitid ammonoids might relate to their higher evolutionary volatility.

Some Morphological Variations in The Land Snail Monacha cantiana (Montagu,1803) within Baghdad Province

The present work includes investigation of some features of shell morphology; shell size, shell thickness, shell colour of the land snail Monacha cantiana, in addition to the correlation between height and diameter of shell and between shell aperture diameter and shell diameter at four sites within Baghdad Province, Iraq. Also, measurements of three environmental variables were made; soil temperature, soil moisture and soil calcium content in adition to population density. Shell Aperture Index (Ia) and Shell Index (SI) for individuals from size class ranged between (9-12)mm were measured. The results showed that the deference in shell size by using (Ia) within population related to temperature, moisture and population density but, the value of Shell Index decreased in AL-Kadhimiya site (0.81-0.97) due to increase in population density. The species was characterized by shell colour variation (creamy white, white ,creamy). Also, The results showed strong and positive correlation between shell height and diameter and between shell aperture diameter and shell diameter for all size classes.

Different modes of migration among Late Cretaceous ammonoids in northwestern Hokkaido, Japan: evidence from the analyses of shell whorls

The thickness ratios of shell whorls (=whorl breadth/shell diameter) in the ammonoids Damesites sugata (Forbes, 1845), Hypophylloceras subramosum (Shimizu, 1934), and Gaudryceras tenuiliratum Yabe, 1903 from Late Cretaceous outer shelf deposits in the Kotanbetsu area of northwestern Hokkaido, Japan, were examined in order to determine their mode of migration. The thickness ratios of D. sugata differ significantly with depth on the outer shelf environment but show no significant difference laterally at a similar depth. These results suggest that D. sugata did not frequently migrate to different depths on the outer shelf environment but tended to live and migrate laterally at a similar depth on the outer shelf. The thickness ratios of H. subramosum and G. tenuiliratum show no significant difference between different depths on the outer shelf environment or for lateral direction at a similar depth. This suggests that H. subramosum and G. tenuiliratum frequently migrated at different depths on the outer shelf environment and laterally at a similar depth. There is no difference in hatchling diameters in all the examined species at different depths on the outer shelf environment, suggesting that the thickness ratios became manifest after the post-hatchling stage due to limited migration, which would have been in a nektobenthic habitat. The various modes of migration in the study area are reconstructed in this study, suggesting diversified paleoecology of Late Cretaceous ammonoids.