2002 Regional Ambient Fish Tissue Monitoring Program Summary of Analyses

To supplement other environmental monitoring programs and to protect the health of people consuming fish from waters within this state, the state of Iowa conducts fish tissue monitoring. Since 1980, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region VII (U.S. EPA), and the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory (UHL) have cooperatively conducted annual statewide collections and analyses of fish for toxic contaminants. Beginning in 1983, this monitoring effort became the Regional Ambient Fish Tissue Monitoring Program (the RAFT program). Currently, the RAFT program is the only statewide fish contaminant-monitoring program in Iowa. Historically, the data generated from the RAFT program have enabled IDNR to document temporal changes in contaminant levels and to identify Iowa lakes and rivers where high levels of contaminants in fish potentially threaten the health of fish consuming Iowans. The Iowa RAFT monitoring program incorporates three different but equally important types of monitoring sites: 1) status, 2) trend, and 3) follow-up.

2001 Regional Ambient Fish Tissue Monitoring Program; Summary of Analyses

To supplement other environmental monitoring programs and to protect the health of people consuming fish from waters within this state, the state of Iowa conducts fish tissue monitoring. Since 1980, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region VII (U.S. EPA), and the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory (UHL) have cooperatively conducted annual statewide collections and analyses of fish for toxic contaminants. Beginning in 1983, this monitoring effort became the Regional Ambient Fish Tissue Monitoring Program (the RAFT program). Currently, the RAFT program is the only statewide fish contaminant-monitoring program in Iowa. Historically, the data generated from the RAFT program have enabled IDNR to document temporal changes in contaminant levels and to identify Iowa lakes and rivers where high levels of contaminants in fish potentially threaten the health of fish consuming Iowans.

Fish oil supplementation does not alter energy efficiency in healthy males

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fish oil (FO) supplementation prevents the development of obesity and insulin resistance, and upregulate the expression of UCP3 in skeletal muscle in rodents. This may represent indirect evidence that FO promotes fat oxidation and/or alter energy efficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether such effects can be observed in humans. The metabolic effects of FO were assessed during exercise in order to obtain a direct measurement of energy efficiency. METHODS: Eight healthy male volunteers were studied with and without supplementation with 7.2 g/day FO (including 1.1 g/day eicosopentaenoic acid and 0.7 g/day decosahexaenoic acid) during 14 days. Their VO(2 max) was measured on cycle ergometer. Thereafter, energy metabolism (substrate oxidation, energy expenditure and energy efficiency) was assessed during a 30 min cycling exercise at 50% VO(2 max) performed 2 h 30 after a standardized, high carbohydrate breakfast. RESULTS: VO(2 max) was 38.6+/-2.2 after FO and 38.4+/-2.0 (mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)) in control conditions (NS). Basal plasma glucose, insulin and NEFA concentrations, and energy metabolism were similar with FO and in controls. During exercise, the increases in plasma NEFA concentrations, energy expenditure, glucose and lipid oxidation, and the decreases in glycaemia and insulinemia were not altered by FO intake. Energy efficiency was 22.4+/-0.6% after FO vs 21.8+/-0.7% in controls. In order to ascertain that the absence of effects of FO was not due to consumption of a carbohydrate meal immediately before exercise, 4 of the 8 subjects were re-studied in fasting conditions, FO also failed to alter energy efficiency in this subset of studies. CONCLUSION: FO supplementation did not significantly alter energy metabolism and energy efficiency during exercise in healthy humans.

Curriculum Vitae Normalizado. Jornada técnica sobre CRIS y repositorios

Izascun Lacunza y David Arellano, FECYT, presentaron el proyecto CVN para la creación de un modelo normalizado de CV de investigador a partir de los datos almacenados en los sistemas CRIS institucionales. El modelo CVN se encuentra en la actualidad implementado en 32 universidades españolas, dando servicio a más de 18.500 investigadores de dichas instituciones, lo que supone un 14% del total de investigadores del Sistema Español de Ciencia y Tecnología (SECT), y hay planes para extender su implantación a más universidades y a más personal científico en aquéllas en las que ya está en marcha.

Parasitic fauna in hybrid tambacu from fish farms

The objective of this work was to evaluate the parasitic fauna of hybrid tambacu (Colossoma macropomum x Piaractus mesopotamicus) from fish farms and the host-parasite relationship. A hundred and fourteen fish were collected from four fish farms in Macapá, in the state of Amapá, Brazil, 80.7% of which were infected by: Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ciliophora); Piscinoodinium pillulare (Dinoflagellida); Anacanthorus spatulatus, Notozothecium janauachensis, and Mymarothecium viatorum (Monogenoidea); Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae (Acanthocephala); Cucullanus colossomi (Nematoda); Perulernaea gamitanae (Lernaeidae); and Proteocephalidae larvae (Cestoda). A total of 8,136,252 parasites were collected from the examined fish. This is the first record of N. buttnerae, C. colossomi, N. janauachensis, M. viatorum, and Proteocephalidae for hybrid tambacu in Brazil. Ichthyophthirius multifiliis was the most prevalent parasite, whereas endohelminths were the less. A positive correlation was observed between number of I. multifiliis and total length and weight of fish, as well as between number of P. gamitanae and total length. The infection by I. multifiliis had association with the parasitism by Monogenoidea. Low water quality contributes to high parasitism of hybrid tambacu by ectoparasites, which, however, does not influence the relative condition factor of fish.

Identificação de SNPs para conteúdo de ácidos graxos em soja pela técnica HRM

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar SNPs em genes associados ao conteúdo de ácidos graxos em soja e implementar a metodologia "high resolution melting" (HRM) para genotipagem desses SNPs. Os iniciadores HRM foram desenhados para discriminar os alelos SNPs em duas populações de mapeamento (RILs e F2) e seguiram o padrão esperado de segregação. Os SNPs do gene ABI associaram-se significativamente ao conteúdo de ácido esteárico (R² = 12,14), e os do gene FAD3B, aos conteúdos de ácido oleico (R² = 14,69) e linolênico (R² = 10,62). A técnica de genotipagem dos SNPs por HRM é eficiente na discriminação das classes genotípicas.

Study of fish swimming activity using Acoustical Doppler Velocimetry (ADV) techniques

Peer reviewed

Uso da técnica de confusão sexual no manejo populacional de Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) em videira

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência da técnica de confusão sexual, com o feromônio sexual sintético composto (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16: Ald) a 1,8% e (Z)-13-octadecenal (Z13-18: Ald) a 1,8%, no controle da população de traça-dos-cachos, Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), em cultivares de videiras (Vitis vinifera) destinadas à produção de vinhos. Os experimentos foram realizados em duas localidades na região do Vale do São Francisco, em áreas comerciais de produção de uva para processamento, com as cultivares Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo e Chenin Blanc. Os tratamentos avaliados foram os seguintes: confusão sexual com uso de liberadores Splat ("specialized pheromone and lure application technology"), aplicados com pistola manual a 500 pontos por hectare (2 g por ponto); e testemunha sem aplicação. O efeito da técnica sobre os adultos de C. gnidiella foi avaliado com uso de armadilha tipo Delta, iscada em um septo com 2 g de feromônio sintético da mesma formulação. Os danos nos cachos foram avaliados à colheita. O uso da técnica de confusão sexual reduziu a captura de adultos de C. gnidiella em mais de 59% na 'Tempranillo', 68% na 'Chenin Blanc', 80% na 'Cabernet Sauvignon' e 97% na 'Petit Verdot'. À época da colheita, os danos nos frutos foram reduzidos de 65 a 100% nas áreas tratadas. O feromônio sexual sintético é eficaz para reduzir o acasalamento de C. gnidiella em vinhedos, com o uso da técnica de confusão sexual.

Fish oil replacement by soybean oil in the diet of fat snook juveniles

The objective of this work was to evaluate fish oil replacement by soybean oil in diets, as for the effects on the performance and body composition of juveniles of fat snook (Centropomus parallelus). The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design, with three treatments (lipid sources) and six replicates, in a 60-day period. Fat snook juveniles (24.17±0.28g) were distributed in 18 experimental tanks of 200 L each, equipped with aeration and heating systems, under continuous water renovation (800% per day). Three isoproteic (44% CP) and isoenergetic (4,635 kcal CE kg-1) diets were formulated to comprise three replacement rates (0, 50, and 100%) of fish oil by soybean oil. Biometric analyses were done to evaluate fish performance, and two entire specimens from each replicate were used for body composition analyses. The zootechnical indices of weight gain (38.68±5.41 g), feed conversion (1.38±0.10), and specific growth at 1.70±0.18% weight gain per day were considered satisfactory. Lipid source substitution does not affect the performance and body composition of fat snook juveniles, which suggests that soybean oil can replace fish oil in diet formulation.

Aplicación de la técnica de espectrometría de fluorescencia de rayos-X en el estudio de la dispersión de metales en áreas mineras

One critical factor for success in characterizing metals polluting mining environments so as to be able to eliminate them and subsequently recover these areas depends upon a speedy and correct response in the analysis of samples. Rapid, simultaneous, multi-element analysis can be undertaken using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, a versatile, non-destructive analytical technique commonly employed to identify both major and minor elements in samples related to environmental studies. An additional advantage of this technique is the possibility of conducting the analysis directly on solid samples, which is extremely convenient when dealing with environmental samples that are difficult to dissolve, such as soils, sediments and mining wastes. Moreover, in recent years the development of spectrometers equipped with digital-signal processors combined with enlarged X-ray production, using better designs for excitation-detection, has contributed to an improvement in instrumental sensitivity, thus allowing us to detect important polluting elements such as Cd and Pb at trace levels. In this paper the authors describe, on the basis of their own experience, some interesting applications of XRF spectrometry for the analysis of several types of environmental samples related to the study of the dispersion of metals within mining environments: (A) analysis of mining wastes, soils and sediments; (B) analysis of samples of vegetation used as bioindicators or related to phytoremediation studies; and (C) analysis of water samples related to mining operations

Manual de la técnica de rejilla mediante el programa RECORD ver. 2.0: Capítulos I (introducció), II (Etapa de diseño) y III (Fase de administración)

La técnica de rejilla es un instrumento de evaluación de las dimensiones y estructura del significado personal que se deriva de la teoría de los constructos personales. Tanto en la versión original de G. A. Kelly (1955) como en sus continuas actualizaciones, esta técnica pretende captar la forma en que una persona da sentido a su experiencia en sus propios términos. No se trata, por tanto, de un test convencional, sino de una forma de entrevista estructurada orientada a explicitar y analizar los constructos con los que la persona organiza su mundo. De la entrevista se genera una matriz de datos que se somete a varios análisis para revelar su estructura implícita. El programa RECORD ofrece los resultados de una forma clara y proporciona además una serie de gráficos de fácil interpretación. Todo ello permite dibujar la estructura del mapa cognitivo del sujeto desde su propia semántica, culminando así, con rigor metodológico, una vieja aspiración fenomenológica. Se trata de un instrumento muy 'flexible que puede adaptarse a diversas áreas de aplicación: evaluación individual, grupal, familiar y de pareja, intervención psicoeducativa, asesoramiento vocacional, investigación de mercados, asesoramiento empresarial, investigación terapéutica, estudio de la estructura cognitiva de la personalidad, etc.

Manual de la técnica de rejilla mediante el programa RECORD ver. 2.0: Capítulos I (introducció), II (Etapa de diseño) y III (Fase de administración)

La técnica de rejilla es un instrumento de evaluación de las dimensiones y estructura del significado personal que se deriva de la teoría de los constructos personales. Tanto en la versión original de G. A. Kelly (1955) como en sus continuas actualizaciones, esta técnica pretende captar la forma en que una persona da sentido a su experiencia en sus propios términos. No se trata, por tanto, de un test convencional, sino de una forma de entrevista estructurada orientada a explicitar y analizar los constructos con los que la persona organiza su mundo. De la entrevista se genera una matriz de datos que se somete a varios análisis para revelar su estructura implícita. El programa RECORD ofrece los resultados de una forma clara y proporciona además una serie de gráficos de fácil interpretación. Todo ello permite dibujar la estructura del mapa cognitivo del sujeto desde su propia semántica, culminando así, con rigor metodológico, una vieja aspiración fenomenológica. Se trata de un instrumento muy 'flexible que puede adaptarse a diversas áreas de aplicación: evaluación individual, grupal, familiar y de pareja, intervención psicoeducativa, asesoramiento vocacional, investigación de mercados, asesoramiento empresarial, investigación terapéutica, estudio de la estructura cognitiva de la personalidad, etc.