Biologische Veränderungen im Versenkungsgebiet für schwach radioaktive Abfälle im Iberischen Tiefseebecken?

From 1979 to 2000, the site for the dumping of low-level radioactive wastes and an unaffected site in the North-east Atlantic were investigated to determine the biomass data of the benthopelagic nekton and the benthic organisms. The investigation shall demonstrate the influence on the biocoenosis of the so-called "artificial reef effect", caused by dumped waste drums. For sampling benthopelagic and benthic organisms, we used a modified Agassiz trawl, called the Deep-sea Closing Net. With the exception of the “Amperima event” in 1996 – a unique occurrence of a large number of sea-cucumbers – there was no change in the composition of benthopelagic and benthic organisms through the years. The biomass of the benthopelagic nekton was characterized by Macrouridae(rat-tailed fishes) and the main tax on of the benthos was Actiniaria (sea-anemones).

A review paper on Integrated Aquaculture Benefits Project at Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan

This paper highlights some of the practices involved in integrated aquaculture such as poultry-cum-fish, pig-cum-fish, sheep and goat-cum-fish and grasscutter-cum-fish. Also the role of fisheries in alleviating protein deficiency was reviewed. Successful research findings on these practices in aquaculture at the Federal College of Forestry, Jericho, Ibadan (Nigeria) will eventually lead to alleviating protein deficiency of the inhabitants of the largest city in West African thus alleviating poverty in the nation

Response of multiple simultaneously recorded macaque area LIP neurons in a memory saccade task

Cells in the lateral intraparietal cortex (LIP) of rhesus macaques respond vigorously and in spatially-tuned fashion to briefly memorized visual stimuli. Responses to stimulus presentation, memory maintenance, and task completion are seen, in varying combination from neuron to neuron. To help elucidate this functional segmentation a new system for simultaneous recording from multiple neighboring neurons was developed. The two parts of this dissertation discuss the technical achievements and scientific discoveries, respectively.

Technology. Simultanous recordings from multiple neighboring neurons were made with four-wire bundle electrodes, or tetrodes, which were adapted to the awake behaving primate preparation. Signals from these electrodes were partitionable into a background process with a 1/f-like spectrum and foreground spiking activity spanning 300-6000 Hz. Continuous voltage recordings were sorted into spike trains using a state-of-the-art clustering algorithm, producing a mean of 3 cells per site. The algorithm classified 96% of spikes correctly when tetrode recordings were confirmed with simultaneous intracellular signals. Recording locations were verified with a new technique that creates electrolytic lesions visible in magnetic resonance imaging, eliminating the need for histological processing. In anticipation of future multi-tetrode work, the chronic chamber microdrive, a device for long-term tetrode delivery, was developed.

Science. Simultaneously recorded neighboring LIP neurons were found to have similar preferred targets in the memory saccade paradigm, but dissimilar peristimulus time histograms, PSTH). A majority of neighboring cell pairs had a difference in preferred directions of under 45° while the trial time of maximal response showed a broader distribution, suggesting homogeneity of tuning with het erogeneity of function. A continuum of response characteristics was present, rather than a set of specific response types; however, a mapping experiment suggests this may be because a given cell's PSTH changes shape as well as amplitude through the response field. Spike train autocovariance was tuned over target and changed through trial epoch, suggesting different mechanisms during memory versus background periods. Mean frequency-domain spike-to-spike coherence was concentrated below 50 Hz with a significant maximum of 0.08; mean time-domain coherence had a narrow peak in the range ±10 ms with a significant maximum of 0.03. Time-domain coherence was found to be untuned for short lags (10 ms), but significantly tuned at larger lags (50 ms).

The impact of varying nutrient regimes in earthen freshwater ponds on the comparative ecology of diurnally occurring candidate live feeds

The daytime composition and relative abundance of zooplankton species were studied in three treatments of two replicate earthen ponds each with nutrient sources and water replenishment regimes. Treatment -A (200m super(2) surface area supplied 900kgha super(-1) pig manure only). Treatment -B (200m super(2) surface area supplied 70kgha super(-1) month super(-1) pig manure, 50kgha super(-1) month super(-1) N.P.K. [15:15:15] and 30kgha super(-1) month super(-1) Urea) and Treatment-C (1500m2 surface area supplied 1150kgha super(-1) month super(-1) commercial grade 40% crude protein compounded feed). Water replenishment for Treatment A was daily tidal deluge from the New Calabar River while that for treatment B and C was from column-well and occasional rains. No zooplankton species were recovered from the pig-manure only treatment (A) while only Diffugia constricta and Difflugia urceolata were the two protozoans that occurred together in treatments B (combined fertilization) and C (compounded feed only) in contrast, Difflugia acuminate and three rotifers, Collurella uncinata, Diurella stylata and Keratella quadrata occurred only treatment B. similarly, Arcella arenaria, Arcella costata, Centropyxis aculeate, Difflugia pyriformis, Branchionus calyciflorus, Lepadella patella, Polyarthra trigla and Onchocanmptus mohammedi were recovered from treatment C. Arcella costata was the most abundant zooplankton in the entire experiment, while Arcella arenaria was very abundant in treatment C, Collurella uncinata was very abundant in treatment B. The inference is that combined fertilization of earthen freshwater ponds tend to be more suitable for the culture of rotifers such as Brachionus calyciflorus, popular in fish larva nursery, while those supplied compounded feed could be used to produce protozoans where desirable

Wireless parylene-based retinal implant

The degeneration of the outer retina usually causes blindness by affecting the photoreceptor cells. However, the ganglion cells, which consist of optic nerves, on the middle and inner retina layers are often intact. The retinal implant, which can partially restore vision by electrical stimulation, soon becomes a focus for research. Although many groups worldwide have spent a lot of effort on building devices for retinal implant, current state-of-the-art technologies still lack a reliable packaging scheme for devices with desirable high-density multi-channel features. Wireless flexible retinal implants have always been the ultimate goal for retinal prosthesis. In this dissertation, the reliable packaging scheme for a wireless flexible parylene-based retinal implants has been well developed. It can not only provide stable electrical and mechanical connections to the high-density multi-channel (1000+ channels on 5 mm × 5 mm chip area) IC chips, but also survive for more than 10 years in the human body with corrosive fluids.

The device is based on a parylene-metal-parylene sandwich structure. In which, the adhesion between the parylene layers and the metals embedded in the parylene layers have been studied. Integration technology for high-density multi-channel IC chips has also been addressed and tested with dummy and real 268-channel and 1024-channel retinal IC chips. In addition, different protection schemes have been tried in application to IC chips and discrete components to gain the longest lifetime. The effectiveness has been confirmed by the accelerated and active lifetime soaking test in saline solution. Surgical mockups have also been designed and successfully implanted inside dog's and pig's eyes. Additionally, the electrodes used to stimulate the ganglion cells have been modified to lower the interface impedance and shaped to better fit the retina. Finally, all the developed technologies have been applied on the final device with a dual-metal-layer structure.

Projeto de biodigestor para geração de bioenergia em sistema de produção de suínos: um estudo de caso da região de Icolo e Bengo - Angola

A tecnologia da biodigestão anaeróbia tem sido comprovada como uma das mais eficientes no tratamento dos dejetos de suínos, esta tecnologia, encontra-se num crescimento tímido em Angola facilitando assim uma poluição maior dos Rios, solos e o ar atmosférico, por falta de tratamento adequado da biomassa produzida por milhares de suínos existentes neste País. O emprego do biogás como fonte de energia para o funcionamento dos equipamentos ainda encontra limitações de ordem tecnológica e por falta de informação, organização e em muitos casos apoios tecnológicos e de instituições governamentais ou Não Governamentais. Este trabalho avaliou a viabilidade técnica, na implantação de Biodigestores na Região de Icolo Bengo em Angola. Foi estudada a implantação de Biodigestores, Modelo Indiano, na fazenda Menga assim como o potencial de geração de energia elétrica existente na produção de Biogás. O tratamento anaeróbio dos resíduos de Suínos como fonte renovável de energia, dentro de um conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável e de racionalização da produção sem agressão ao Meio-Ambiente também são referenciados mostrando que esta tecnologia pode ser apropriada como estratégia de conservação e uso eficiente da energia elétrica que é muito escasso em Angola. O emprego da biodigestão anaeróbia neste caso é possível e desejável, uma vez que contribui para preservação do Meio Ambiente, viabiliza os modernos sistemas de confinamento e reduz o custo da produção assim como ajuda na produção de energia elétrica e de fertilizantes. Um sistema integrado foi proposto e será aplicado na Fazenda Menga, como um dos projetos pioneiros em Angola.

A biologically active peptide in the skin of lampreys (Eudontomyzon danfordi vladykovi). [Translation from: Z.Naturforsch. (B), 26(10), 1021-1023, 1971. ]

In recent years interest in the production and description of kinin-type substances has been greatly intensified. So, for example, bradykinin, phyllokinin, physalaemin, ranatensin and caerulein could be extracted from the skin of amphibians as well as. eledoisin out of the salivary glands of Eledon moschata. An examination of lampreys seemed to us particularly profitable in the search for the incidence of further kinins. Ammocoetes of different sizes and also adults of both sexes of the species Eudontomyzon danfordi vladykovi were studied in this research. This species is found in many tributaries of the Danube. Skin extracts were tested on on isolated rat uterus, rat duodenum, guinea pig ileum and rabbit jejunum, further tests were done in order to determine a peptide character of the biologically active substance.

Model systems for the study of drug hypersensitivity

I. It was not possible to produce anti-tetracycline antibody in laboratory animals by any of the methods tried. Tetracycline protein conjugates were prepared and characterized. It was shown that previous reports of the detection of anti-tetracycline antibody by in vitro-methods were in error. Tetracycline precipitates non-specifically with serum proteins. The anaphylactic reaction reported was the result of misinterpretation, since the observations were inconsistent with the known mechanism of anaphylaxis and the supposed antibody would not sensitize guinea pig skin. The hemagglutination reaction was not reproducible and was extremely sensitive to minute amounts of microbial contamination. Both free tetracyclines and the conjugates were found to be poor antigens.

II. Anti-aspiryl antibodies were produced in rabbits using 3 protein carriers. The method of inhibition of precipitation was used to determine the specificity of the antibody produced. ε-Aminocaproate was found to be the most effective inhibitor of the haptens tested, indicating that the combining hapten of the protein is ε-aspiryl-lysyl. Free aspirin and salicylates were poor inhibitors and did not combine with the antibody to a significant extent. The ortho group was found to participate in the binding to antibody. The average binding constants were measured.

Normal rabbit serum was acetylated by aspirin under in vitro conditions, which are similar to physiological conditions. The extent of acetylation was determined by immunochemical tests. The acetylated serum proteins were shown to be potent antigens in rabbits. It was also shown that aspiryl proteins were partially acetylated. The relation of these results to human aspirin intolerance is discussed.

III. Aspirin did not induce contact sensitivity in guinea pigs when they were immunized by techniques that induce sensitivity with other reactive compounds. The acetylation mechanism is not relevant to this type of hypersensitivity, since sensitivity is not produced by potent acetylating agents like acetyl chloride and acetic anhydride. Aspiryl chloride, a totally artificial system, is a good sensitizer. Its specificity was examined.

IV. Protein conjugates were prepared with p-aminosalicylic acid and various carriers using azo, carbodiimide and mixed anhydride coupling. These antigens were injected into rabbits and guinea pigs and no anti-hapten IgG or IgM response was obtained. Delayed hypersensitivity was produced in guinea pigs by immunization with the conjugates, and its specificity was determined. Guinea pigs were not sensitized by either injections or topical application of p-amino-salicylic acid or p-aminosalicylate.

Alterações estruturais da matriz extracelular do prepúcio humano causadas pelo tabagismo

Os autores têm como objetivo, investigar a matriz extra celular, musculatura lisa e densidade vascular do prepúcio de pacientes tabagistas. Espécimes de prepúcio foram obtidas de 20 jovens adultos (média de idade= 27.2) submetidos a postectomia. Dentre os pacientes analisados, um grupo (n=10) possui história prévia de tabagismo (3 to 13 maços/ano, média = 5.8 3.2), e outro grupo (n=10) formam o grupo controle, não fumantes. A coloração de Tricrômico Masson foi utilizada para quantificar tecido conectivo, musculatura lisa e vasos. A coloração Resorcina-fucsina de Weigert foi utilizada para estabelecer as fibras do sistema elástico e a coloração, Vermelho de Picrosirius para o estudo do colágeno. O estudo estereológico foi realizado utilizando o software Image J, para determinar as densidades volumétricas. Para a análise bioquímica o colágeno total foi determinado em μg de hidroxiprolina por MG de tecido seco. O estudo estatístico foi realizado lançando mão do t-teste (p<0,05). Fibras do sistema elástico de fumantes apresentaram-se aumentadas em 42.5% quando comparado ao grupo controle (p=0,002). Em contraste, musculatura lisa (p=0,42) e densidade vascular (p=0,16) não mostraram nenhuma diferença estatística. Foi realizado uma análise quantitativa utilizando Vermelho de Picrosirius sob luz polarizada, que evidenciou a presença de colágeno tipo I e III, sem diferença estatisticamente significativa. A concentração total do colágeno não mostrou diferença entre tabagistas e o grupo controle. (73.1μg/mg 8.0 vs. 69.2μg/mg 5.9, respectivamente, p=0,23). Tabagismo está associado a um significante aumento de fibras do sistema elástico do tecido prepucial. Estes resultados podem, possivelmente, explicar os altos índices de falha na uretroplastia peniana, com uso de flap de prepúcio em fumantes

Gaussian processes for machine learning (GPML) toolbox

The GPML toolbox provides a wide range of functionality for Gaussian process (GP) inference and prediction. GPs are specified by mean and covariance functions; we offer a library of simple mean and covariance functions and mechanisms to compose more complex ones. Several likelihood functions are supported including Gaussian and heavy-tailed for regression as well as others suitable for classification. Finally, a range of inference methods is provided, including exact and variational inference, Expectation Propagation, and Laplace’s method dealing with non-Gaussian likelihoods and FITC for dealing with large regression tasks.

News from Academy Bay

New Faces and New Projects in a New CDRS Department. International Workshop: Feral Goat Eradication Program. Geologists to Invade Galápagos. GIS in Galápagos. The Isabela Project: Off and Running. A Pig-Free Santiago: Is it a Dream or on the Horizon? The Special Law for Galápagos.

Using the empirical Bayes method to estimate and evaluate bycatch rates of seabirds from individual fishing vessels

Minimizing bycatch of seabirds is a major goal of the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. In Alaska waters, the bycatch (i.e., inadvertent catches) of seabirds has been an incidental result of demersal groundfish longline fishery operations. Notably, the endangered short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) has been taken in this groundfish fishery. Bycatch rates of seabirds from individual vessels may be of particular interest because vessels with high bycatch rates may not be functioning effectively with seabird avoidance gears, and there may be a need for suggestions on how to use these avoidance gears more effectively. Therefore, bycatch estimates are usually made on an individual vessel basis and then summed to obtain the total estimate for the entire fleet.

News from Academy Bay

Darwin Station Director's report. Release of captive-bred land iguanas. Land iguanas breed on Venecia. The age of the giant tortoise. Visitors and events at the Charles Darwin Research Station (January - April 1982). Photo of Masked Booby and Swallow-tailed Gull.

Estudo do perfil clínico, metabólico, hormonal e inflamatório de crianças pré-púberes nascidas com baixo peso e sua relação com a prematuridade, retardo do crescimento intrauterino e ganho ponderal pós-natal

O baixo peso ao nascer (BPN) possui grande impacto na mortalidade neonatal, assim como no desenvolvimento de complicações futuras, como obesidade, hipertensão arterial sistêmica e resistência insulínica, condições relacionadas à doença cardiovascular aterosclerótica, principal causa de morbimortalidade no mundo. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi estudar o perfil clínico, metabólico, hormonal e inflamatório relacionado à doença cardiovascular em crianças pré-púberes de BPN, bem como avaliar a influência do BPN, prematuridade e restrição do crescimento intrauterino nas variáveis de interesse. Realizou-se estudo transversal com 58 crianças de dois a sete anos de BPN, sendo 32 prematuros adequados para idade gestacional (AIG), 17 prematuros pequenos para idade gestacional (PIG), 9 a termo PIG e 38 crianças de peso ao nascer adequado, nascidas no Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto da Universidade do Estado do Rio de janeiro, oriundas do Ambulatório de Pediatria Geral deste mesmo hospital. Frequências de perfil lipídico alterado, assim como medianas das variações no Z escore de peso e estatura do nascimento até o momento do estudo, do Z escore de índice de massa corporal (ZIMC), da circunferência da cintura, da pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica, do colesterol total, da lipoproteína de baixa densidade, da lipoproteína de baixa densidade, do triglicerídeo, da glicose, insulina, do Homeostasis Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), da leptina, da adiponectina, da interleucina 6 e da proteína C reativa foram comparadas entre os dois grupos. No grupo de BPN, avaliou-se a correlação entre estas mesmas variáveis e peso de nascimento, idade gestacional, Z escores de peso e comprimento de nascimento e variações no Z escore de peso e comprimento até o primeiro ano, e até o momento do estudo, com ajuste para idade e sexo. O grupo de BPN apresentou maiores variações nos Z escore de peso (p-valor 0,0002) e estatura (p-valor 0,003) até o momento do estudo e menores níveis de adiponectina (p-valor 0,027). Não houve correlação entre as variáveis associadas ao risco cardiovascular e o grau de baixo peso, prematuridade ou crescimento intrauterino retardado. Os níveis de ZIMC (p-valor 0,0001), circunferência da cintura (p-valor 0,0008), pressão arterial diastólica (p-valor 0,046), insulina (p-valor 0,02), HOMA-IR (p-valor 0,016) e leptina (p-valor= 0,0008) se correlacionaram com a variação no Z escore de peso no primeiro ano. O ZIMC (p-valor 0,042) também se correlacionou com a variação do Z escore de comprimento no primeiro ano. Houve ainda correlação entre o ZIMC (p-valor 0,0001), circunferência da cintura (p-valor 0,0001), pressão arterial sistólica (p-valor 0,022), pressão arterial diastólica (p-valor 0,003), insulina (p-valor 0,007), HOMA-IR (p-valor 0,005) e leptina (p-valor 0,0001) com a variação no Z escore de peso até o momento do estudo. Os achados mostram que este grupo de crianças pré-púberes com BPN ainda não diferem do grupo de crianças nascidas com peso adequado exceto pelos níveis de adiponectina, sabidamente um protetor cardiovascular. Em relação às análises de correlação, nem o peso ao nascer, tampouco a prematuridade ou CIUR, influenciaram as variáveis de interesse. No entanto, fatores pós-natais como o ganho pondero-estatural se correlacionaram com o ZIMC, circunferência da cintura, pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica, insulina, HOMA-IR e leptina. Mais estudos são necessários para avaliar se os achados configuram risco cardiovascular aumentado neste grupo de pacientes.

Breeding populations of seabirds in California, 1989-1991. Volume I - population estimates

In 1989-1991, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service surveyed breeding populations of seabirds on the entire California coast. This study was sponsored by the Minerals Management Service in relation to outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing. At 483 nesting sites (excluding terns and skimmers in southern California), we estimated 643,307 breeding birds of 21 seabird species including: 410 Fork-tailed Storm-petrel (Oceanodroma furcata); 12,551 Leach's Storm-petrel (O. leucorhoa); 7,209 Ashy Storm-petrel (O. homochroa); 274 Black Storm-petrel (O. melania); 11,916 Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis); 10,037 Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus); 83,394 Brandt's Cormorant (P. penicillatus); 14,345 Pelagic Cormorant (P. pelagicus); 888 Black Oystercatcher (Haemotopus bachmani); 4,764 California Gull (Larus californicus); 61,760 Western Gull (L. occidentalis); 2,838 Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) (excluding southern California); 3,550 Forster's Tern (S. forsteri) (excluding southern California); 272 Least Tern (S. albifrons) (excluding southern California); 351,336 Common Murre (Uria aalge); 15,470 Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba); 1,821 Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus); 1,760 Xantus' Murrelet (Endomychura hypoleuca); 56,562 Cassin's Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus); 1,769 Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata); and 276 Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata). The inland, historical or hybrid breeding status of American White Pelican (P. erythrorynchus), American Oystercatcher (H. palliatus), Heermann's Gull (L. heermanni), Ring-billed Gull (L. delawarensis), Glaucous-winged Gull (L. glaucescens) and Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) are discussed. Estimates for Gull-billed Tern (S. nilotica), Royal Tern (S. maxima), Elegant Tern (S. elegans) and Black Skimmer (Rhynchops niger) will be included in the final draft of this report. Overall numbers were slightly lower than reported in 1975-1980 surveys (summarized in Sowls et al. 1980. Catalog of California seabird colonies. U.S. Dept. Int., Fish Wildl. Serv., Biol. Serv. Prog., FWS/OBS 37/80). Recent declines were found or suspected for Fork-tailed Storm-petrel, Leach's Storm-petrel, White Pelican, Black Tern, Caspian Tern, Least Tern, Common Murre and Marbled Murrelet. Recent increases were found or suspected for Brown Pelican, Double-crested cormorant, California Gull, Western Gull, Forster's Tern and Rhinoceros Auklet. Similar numbers were found for other species or trends could not be determined without additional surveys, studies and/or more in-depth comparisons with previous surveys. The status of terns and skimmers in southern California has not yet been finalized.