Farming Nitrifiers: Main factors and parameters for maintaining healthy cultures

[EN] The atmospheric CO2 level is rising. Its greenhouse effect is partially mitigated by terrestrial (plants) and marine photosynthetic organisms (algae, phytoplankton), and also by the less-known chemosynthetic bacteria. Within this group of bacteria, nitrifiers have a direct and indirect impact on carbon fixation because, on one hand, they are autotrophs and, on the other, they release inorganic nitrogenous nutrients that feed other photoautotrophs. A new assay which simplifies the measurement of nitrification would improve our knowledge about the ocean’s capacity to fix CO2. Knowing how to cultivate these microbes from marine water samples is a first step towards developing new nitrification detection techniques. During the last six months, we have isolated and cultured a natural assembledge of marine nitrifiers. Our larger objective is to develop a way to enzymatically detect nitrification. However, to do this, we need large quantities of nitrifiers. Consequently, at this point, culturing this marine nitrifier community is our priority. We have learned that pH, nutrient levels, air flow, temperature, low light and sterility are critical for growing healthy nitrifiers. With this knowledge we will now be able to conduct experiments with the nitrifiers and develop the methodology that we seek.

Rethinking Metabolic Measurements

Comenzará la charla con un clásico “Érase una vez”, utilizando el símil de una buena historia para redirigir nuestras ideas sobre las medidas y técnicas metabólicas. Nos guiará por esos caminos lleno de reactivos, sustratos y cofactores enzimáticos, de gran complejidad y montones de química orgánica hasta ver la luz en un mundo lleno de nuevas aplicaciones, interpretaciones y futuras mediciones oceanográficas. Intentará sembrar distintas ideas y enfoques con el objetivo de que en el futuro, nuestros diferentes cerebros científicos valoren el trabajo en equipo, juntos. Esto podría dar lugar al descubrimiento de nuevas e interesantes líneas de investigación combinando nuestras propias ideas y experiencias con las de los demás.

Determinación y parametrización de propiedades radiativas de plasmas para la simulación y análisis de experimentos de Astrofísica de Laboratorio

Programa de doctorado: Sistemas inteligentes y aplicaciones numéricas en Ingeniería

Planktonic potential CO2 emission calculation: preliminary results by applying an adapted enzymatic methodology to marine ecosystems

[EN]Isocitrate Dehydrogenase (IDH) is a key enzyme in the Krebs cycle, being responsible for the production of one of the three CO2 molecules related to cellular respiration. In order to measure the potential CO2 production linked to the marine planktonic community we have adapted an enzymatic methodology. Preliminary results show that different proportions of autotrophs, heterotrophs and mixotrophs and their metabolic pathways, lead to different relationships between potential CO2 emission and potential O2 consumption during cellular respiration. Although more experiments need to be made, this methodology is leading to a better understanding of cellular respiration in marine samples and their impact on the food chain, vertical Carbon flux and the current sequestering capacity for anthropogenic CO2.

Inducción de reproductores de corvina (Argyrosomus regius) nacidos en cautividad, mediante inyección con GCH y con GnRHa, esta aplicada además mediante implante. Efecto sobre la la calidad de las puestas

[EN]The best results in all quality parameters, were obtained in the spawns of the broodstock injected with GnRHa, having 98,7 + 1,4% of fertilized eggs, 62,24 ± 27,47 % viable eggs, 92,56 ± 17,19 % hatching and 92,73 ± 10,52 % 3 day old larvae after hatching. Percentage of viable eggs was lower in the spawns of the broomstick injected with hCG, and had significant differences when compared with GnRHa broodstock treatments. 3 day old larvae and hatchings, obtained from the broomstock injected with GnRHa showed significant differences to the rest of the hormonal treatments.

Impact of increasing pCO2 on marine potential respiratory activity

[EN]Due to the increasing atmospheric CO2, several on-going research programs, including the German-led KOSMOS GC14 experiment, are evaluating the impact of acidification on marine organisms, intent to predict their future. In the KOSMOS GC14 mesocosm experiment we assessed the effect of different CO2 concentrations on metabolism in microplankton (0.7-50µm size) and in biogenic particles harvested by sediment traps.

Can zooplankton secondary production models predict growth in the marine mysid Leptomysis lingvura (G.O. Sars, 1866)?

[EN]Zooplankton growth and secondary production are key input parameters in marine ecosystem models, but their direct measurement is difficult to make. Accordingly, zooplanktologists have developed several statistical-based secondary production models. Here, three of these secondary production models are tested in the marine mysid Leptomysis lingvura (Mysidacea, Crustacea). Mysid length was measured in two cultures twice a day, which were grown on two different food concentrations. Growth rates ranged from 0.11 to 0.64 day-1, while secondary production rates ranged from 1.77 to 12.23 mg dry- mass day-1. None of the three selected models were good predictors of growth and secondary production in this mysid species.

Three-dimensional CT reconstruction: other tool to teach in the veterinary colleges

[ES]The purpose of this paper was to use threedimensional computed tomographic reconstruction as another tool to teach in the veterinary colleges. 2-millimeters thick transverse images of two foals and one dog were obtained. Images provided excellent detail of relevant anatomic structures and detailed information regarding the extent of disease and accurate discrimination of neoplastic versus non-neoplastic diseases. Tridimensional reconstruction can be a valuable diagnostic aid for clinical evaluation of several disturbances and could be used as a tool for teaching anatomy in veterinary schools.