Improving the performance of a Mediterranean demersal fishery towards societal objectives beyond MSY

Mediterranean demersal fisheries are highly multispecific and many of their target stocks are overexploited. In addition, rocketing fuel costs and low market prices of traditionally high-value species are challenging the viability of fisheries. Here, based on the numeric results of a simulation model, we conclude that this situation can be remedied by reducing both fishing mortality and fishing costs. According to our model results, fishing effort reductions of 48–71% would improve the health of fish stocks while increasing the economic profits of Mallorca islands bottom trawl fishery to as much as 1.9 M€ (146% higher than current profits). If all fish stocks were exploited at their MSY (or below) level, the reduction in fishing effort would have to be of 71% from current values. If equilibrium profits from the fishery were to be maximized (MEY), fishing effort would need to be reduced by 48%. These results must be taken with caution due the many sources of uncertainty of our analysis. The modeling tools used to estimate these values are conditional to the adequate treatment of two sources of uncertainty that are particularly problematic in Mediterranean fisheries: insufficiently known recruitment variability and lack of periodic evaluations of the state of many species. Our results show that fishing effort reductions would produce economic yield gains after a period of transition. Further studies on the benefits of changing the size-selection pattern of fisheries, on better estimation of stock–recruitment relationships and on better quantifications of the contribution of secondary species to these fisheries, are expected to improve the scientific recommendations for Mediterranean demersal fisheries toward sustainability principles.

Improving the performance of a Mediterranean demersal fishery toward economic objectives beyond MSY

Mediterranean demersal fisheries are highly multispecific and many of their target stocks are overexploited. In addition, rocketing fuel costs and low market prices of traditionally high-value species are challenging the viability of fisheries. Here, based on the numeric results of a simulation model, we conclude that this situation can be remedied by reducing both fishing mortality and fishing costs. According to our model results, fishing effort reductions of 48-71% would improve the health of fish stocks while increasing the economic profits of Mallorca islands bottom trawl fishery to as much as 1.9 M(sic) (146% higher than current profits). If all fish stocks were exploited at their MSY (or below) level, the reduction in fishing effort would have to be of 71% from current values. If equilibrium profits from the fishery were to be maximized (MEY), fishing effort would need to be reduced by 48%. These results must be taken with caution due the many sources of uncertainty of our analysis. The modeling tools used to estimate these values are conditional to the adequate treatment of two sources of uncertainty that are particularly problematic in Mediterranean fisheries: insufficiently known recruitment variability and lack of periodic evaluations of the state of many species. Our results show that fishing effort reductions would produce economic yield gains after a period of transition. Further studies on the benefits of changing the size-selection pattern of fisheries, on better estimation of stock recruitment relationships and on better quantifications of the contribution of secondary species to these fisheries, are expected to improve the scientific recommendations for Mediterranean demersal fisheries toward sustainability principles.

Validations and descriptions of European syntaxa of vegetation dominated by lichens, bryophytes and algae

Fourty-two high-rank syntaxa and seven associations of the thallophyte system of syntaxa are either described as new or validated in this paper. Among those, there are the following nine classes: Aspicilietea candidae, Caulerpetea racemosae, Desmococcetea olivacei, Entophysalidetea deustae, Gloeocapsetea sanguineae, Mesotaenietea berggrenii, Naviculetea gregariae, Porpidietea zeoroidis, Roccelletea phycopsis. Eleven orders and ten alliances as well as three associations are described or validated: the Aspicilietalia verruculosae (incl. Aspicilion mashiginensis and Teloschistion contortuplicati), the Caulerpetalia racemosae (incl. Caulerpion racemosae), the Desmococcetalia olivacei (incl. Desmococcion olivacei), the Dirinetalia massiliensis, the Fucetalia vesiculosi (incl. Ascophyllion nodosi), the Gloeocapsetalia sanguineae, the Lecideetalia confluescentis (incl. Lecideion confluescentis), the Mesotaenietalia berggrenii (incl. Mesotaenion berggrenii, Mesotaenietum berggrenii and Chloromonadetum nivalis), the Naviculetalia gregariae (incl. Oscillatorion limosae and Oscillatorietum limosae), the Porpidietalia zeoroidis (incl. Porpidion zeoroidis), and the Roccelletalia fuciformis (incl. Paralecanographion grumulosae). Further, five orders, seven alliances and four associations, classified in known classes, were described as well. These include: the Bacidinetalia phacodis, the Agonimion octosporae and the Dendrographetalia decolorantis (all in the Arthonio radiatae-Lecidelletea elaeochromae), the Staurothelion solventis (in the Aspicilietea lacustris), the Pediastro duplicis-Scenedesmion quadricaudae and the Pediastro duplicis-Scenedesmetum quadricaudae (both in the Asterionelletea formosae), the Peccanion coralloidis and the Peltuletalia euplocae (both in the Collematetea cristati), the Laminarion hyperboreae, the Saccorhizo polyschidi-Laminarietum and the Alario esculenti-Himanthalietum elongatae (all in the Cystoseiretea crinitae), the Delesserietalia sanguinei, the Delesserion sanguinei and the Delesserietum sanguineae (all in the Lithophylletea soluti), as well as the the Rinodino confragosae-Rusavskietalia elegantis and the Rhizocarpo geographici-Rusavskion elegantis (both in the Rhizocarpetea geographici).

Pathophysiology of feline hyperadrenocorticism clinical. Case presentation

Hyperadrenocorticism is a rare endocrine disease in the cat; it is characterized by elevated blood cortisol level that generates numerous clinical signs including hyperglycemia, polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia and skin diseases. The average age of onset is around 10 years. This disease usually occurs link with other endocrine disorders such as diabetes mellitus.The disease can be produced by functional alteration of the pituitary gland or the adrenal. A case report, with differential diagnosis and review of the literature, is presented.

La influencia de las nuevas tecnologías en los hábitos de lectura: análisis de las noticias de "El País", "El Mundo" y "ABC" (2011)

En este texto se explica el cambio de hábitos que ha supuesto la lectura en formato digital. Se indican los factores que determinan la selección un formato u otro, al igual que la situación en la que se encuentra la lectura digital en España. Para ello, se analizan las noticias sobre este tema encontradas en los periódicos: ABC, El País y El Mundo durante el año 2011 -período relevante para la lectura digital- y se comparan con los resultados de las encuestas de AIMC, FGEE, etc., con el fin de sacar conclusiones certeras.

Mouse Uterine Natural Killer Cell Functions During Early Pregnancy

Early pregnancy is characterized by complex interactions between blood vessels, leukocytes, and conceptus-derived trophoblasts within the gestational uterus. Uterine Natural Killer (uNK) cells become the most abundant leukocyte during decidualization and produce a wide array of angiogenic factors, yet little is known regarding their early pregnancy functions. To characterize the role(s) of uNK cells, whole mount in situ immunohistochemistry of live early implant sites was performed. A timecourse examination of murine early pregnancy (virgin, and gd4.5-9.5) implantation sites was performed. Comparison of Gd6.5, 8.5 and 9.5 implant sites from BALB/c+/+ controls (BALB/c) and BALB/c-Rag2-/-Il2rg-/- (alymphoid) identified anomalies that result from the absence of lymphocytes. In alymphoid decidua basalis, mesometrial angiogenesis was widespread but pruning of nascent vessels within alymphoid decidua basalis was deficient. As early gestation progressed, vessels of alymphoid decidua basalis showed no evidence for remodeling. Alymphoid implantation sites showed ~24h delay in uterine lumen closure and embryonic development. To determine if uNK cells would normalize the anomalies observed in alymphoid implantation sites, adoptive cell transfer of NK+ B- T- marrow to alymphoid mice was performed. All of the above anomalies were reversed by adoptive transfer of NK+B-T- marrow. My results suggest that uNK cells support vascular growth and development which ensures the decidua can support the growing conceptus early in pregnancy prior to formation and function of the placenta. Human decidual NK cells may fill similar roles and be important targets for strategies designed to correct intra-uterine growth restriction.

The use of morphological characteristics and texture analysis in the identification of tissue composition in prostatic neoplasia

Quantitative examination of prostate histology offers clues in the diagnostic classification of lesions and in the prediction of response to treatment and prognosis. To facilitate the collection of quantitative data, the development of machine vision systems is necessary. This study explored the use of imaging for identifying tissue abnormalities in prostate histology. Medium-power histological scenes were recorded from whole-mount radical prostatectomy sections at × 40 objective magnification and assessed by a pathologist as exhibiting stroma, normal tissue (nonneoplastic epithelial component), or prostatic carcinoma (PCa). A machine vision system was developed that divided the scenes into subregions of 100 × 100 pixels and subjected each to image-processing techniques. Analysis of morphological characteristics allowed the identification of normal tissue. Analysis of image texture demonstrated that Haralick feature 4 was the most suitable for discriminating stroma from PCa. Using these morphological and texture measurements, it was possible to define a classification scheme for each subregion. The machine vision system is designed to integrate these classification rules and generate digital maps of tissue composition from the classification of subregions; 79.3% of subregions were correctly classified. Established classification rates have demonstrated the validity of the methodology on small scenes; a logical extension was to apply the methodology to whole slide images via scanning technology. The machine vision system is capable of classifying these images. The machine vision system developed in this project facilitates the exploration of morphological and texture characteristics in quantifying tissue composition. It also illustrates the potential of quantitative methods to provide highly discriminatory information in the automated identification of prostatic lesions using computer vision.

Morphology and localization of interstitial cells in the guinea pig bladder: structural relationships with smooth muscle and neurons.

PURPOSE: In the current study we examined the location of interstitial cell of Cajal (ICC)-like cells in the guinea pig bladder wall and studied their structural interactions with nerves and smooth muscle cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Whole mount samples and cryosections of bladder tissue were labeled with primary and fluorescent secondary antibodies, and imaged using confocal and multiphoton microscopy. RESULTS: Kit positive ICC-like cells were located below the urothelium, in the lamina propria region and throughout the detrusor. In the suburothelium they had a stellate morphology and appeared to network. They made connections with nerves, as shown by double labeling experiments with anti-kit and anti-protein gene product 9.5. A network of vimentin positive cells was also found, of which many but not all were kit positive. In the detrusor kit positive cells were most often seen at the edge of smooth muscle bundles. They were elongated with lateral branches, running in parallel with the bundles and closely associated with intramural nerves. Another population of kit positive cells was seen in the detrusor between muscle bundles. These cells had a more stellate-like morphology and made connections with each other. Kit positive cells were seen tracking nerve bundles and close to intramural ganglia. Vimentin positive cells were present in the detrusor, of which some were also kit positive. CONCLUSIONS: There are several populations of ICC-like cells throughout the guinea pig bladder wall. They differ in morphology and orientation but all make connections with intramural nerves and in the detrusor they are closely associated with smooth muscle cells.

EMI Suppression in an Aircraft Cooling Vent

Digital avionics systems are increasingly under threat from external electromagnetic interference (EMI). The same avionics systems require a thermal cooling mechanism and one method of providing this is to mount an air vent on the body of the aircraft. For the first time, a nacelle-mounted air vent that may expose the flight critical full authority digital engine controller (FADEC) to high intensity radiated fields (HIRF) is examined. The reflection/transmission characteristics of the vent are reported and the current shielding method employed is shown to provide a low shielding level (5 dB at 18 GHz). A new design has been proposed, providing over 100 dB of attenuation at 18 GHz. To the authors' knowledge this is the first time this shielding method has been applied to aircraft air vents.