Biología y ecología del calamar Dosidicus gigas (Cephalopoda) en aguas chilenas: una revisión

Indexación: Web of Science; Scielo.ABSTRACT. The jumbo squid Dosidicus gigas is the most abundant cephalopod species in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, which supports the biggest cephalopod fishery in the world. Due to its growing economic importance, the population growth and distributional expansion of this squid is being increasingly studied. Nevertheless, some basic features of the biology of D. gigas are still unknown or have been poorly investigated. In this review we summarize the known information regarding the biology and ecology of this species in the southeastern Pacific Ocean; we focus on the Chilean region in order to propose hypotheses and research lines for a better understanding the life history of this organism. Available data on the size structure, reproduction and genetics of D. gigas allows us to propose hypotheses related to the squid's life history traits. Based on the current literature and publications of colleagues, we propose two hypotheses regarding the effect of spatial variation on the life history of D. gigas. Hypothesis 1: Squids mature at large sizes and spawn in oceanic waters with warm temperatures where paralarvae and juveniles develop. Immature squids migrate near shore to feed, grow and mature, and then return to the offshore sites to spawn. Hypothesis 2: Alternatively, juvenile D. gigas in the oceanic zone do not migrate to coastal waters and mature at small sizes compared to individuals living near the coast that mature at larger size and migrate to oceanic waters to spawn. We provide background information about the feeding behavior and parasitism of this species, suggesting that D. gigas is an important trophic link in the southeastern Pacific marine ecosystem. However, more studies on the feeding habits, reproduction and parasite load are needed not only to test hypotheses proposed in this study, but also to advance the overall knowledge of this species.RESUMEN. Dosidicus gigas, es el calamar más abundante en el Pacífico suroriental, manteniendo la mayor pesquería mundial de cefalópodos. Su creciente importancia económica, ha motivado el aumento de estudios asociados al crecimiento de sus poblaciones y su expansión geográfica. Sin embargo, algunas características biológicas básicas de esta especie son desconocidas o escasamente estudiadas. En esta revisión, se resume la información sobre la biología y ecología de esta especie para el Pacífico suroriental y se proponen hipótesis y líneas de investigación para el mejor entendimiento de su historia de vida. Los datos sobre estructura de tamaños, reproducción y aspectos genéticos de la especie, permiten avanzar en las hipótesis relacionadas con la historia de vida de estos rasgos. Hipótesis 1: Los calamares maduran a gran tamaño y desovan en aguas oceánicas con temperaturas cálidas, donde paralarvas y juveniles se desarrollan. Los calamares inmaduros migran hacia la costa para alimentarse, crecer y madurar, y luego vuelven a los sitios en alta mar para desovar. Hipótesis 2: Alternativamente, los juveniles de D. gigas en la zona oceánica no migran a las aguas costeras y maduran pequeños en comparación a los individuos que viven cerca de la costa que maduran a un tamaño más grande y migran a las aguas oceánicas para desovar. Se proponen dos hipótesis acerca de la variación espacial de la historia de vida. Además, se proporciona el marco relativo a la alimentación y parasitismo del calamar, que coloca a D. gigas como un importante nexo trófico en los ecosistemas marinos del Pacífico suroriental. No obstante, se necesitan más estudios relacionados con alimentación, reproducción y carga parasitaria del calamar para poner a prueba las hipótesis propuestas en este trabajo.http://ref.scielo.org/hpft7

Analysis of densification mechanisms of dry granulated materials

International audienceDry granulation by roll compaction is a continuum manufacturing process to produce granules with improved flowability which can further be easily used in tableting process. However, the granules are non-homogeneous in density and have non-spherical shapes which impact their densification behaviour during die-compaction. The aim of this study was to investigate both the densification mechanism and the failure strength of granules of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and mannitol using Cooper-Eaton and Adams models. For both materials, the Cooper-Eaton approach led to the quantification of fractional volume compaction by particle rearrangement and by plastic deformation respectively to explain the difference in densification behaviour of raw material and granules. Moreover, the model showed its ability to capture the effect of granule density and granule sizes and to differentiate the densification mechanisms of MCC as a plastic material and mannitol as a brittle material. The Adams model was used to compute the failure strength of single granule from in-die compression data. The obtained results of the granules were in the range [0.6–1.43  MPa]. However, regarding the effect of granule density, the model showed mixed results indicating that the model is not representative of the studied granules which are not spherical and have a relatively wide range of sizes, nevertheless, the model was derived for near spherical particles with a narrow size distribution

Performance and carcass characteristics of steers fed with two levels of metabolizable energy intake during summer and winter season

Climate change is producing an increase on extreme weather events around the world such as flooding, drought and extreme ambient temperatures impacting animal production and animal welfare. At present, there is a lack of studies addressing the effects of climatic conditions associated with energy intake in finishing cattle in South American feed yards. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of environmental variables and level of metabolizable energy intake above maintenance requirements (MEI) on performance and carcass quality of steers. In each experiment (winter and summer), steers were fed with 1.85 or 2.72 times of their requirements of metabolizable energy of maintenance. A total of 24 crossbred steers per experiment were used and located in four pens (26.25 m2/head) equipped with a Calan Broadbent Feeding System. Animals were fed with the same diet within each season, varying the amount offered to adjust the MEI treatments. Mud depth, mud scores, tympanic temperature (TT), environmental variables, average daily gain, respiration rates and carcass characteristics plus three thermal comfort indices were collected. Data analysis considered a factorial arrangement (Season and MEI). In addition, a repeated measures analysis was performed for TT and respiration rate. Mean values of ambient temperature, solar radiation and comfort thermal indices were greater in the summer experiment as expected (P\u3c 0.005). The mean values of TT were higher in steers fed with higher MEI and also in the summer season. The average daily gain was greater during summer v. winter (1.10 ± 0.11 v. 0.36 ± 0.06) kg/day, also when steers were fed 2.72 v. 1.85 MEI level (0.89 ± 0.12 v. 0.57 ± 0.10) kg/day. In summer, respiration rate increased in 41.2% in the afternoon. In winter, muddy conditions increased with time of feeding, whereas wind speed and rainfall had significant effects on TT and average daily gain. We conclude that MEI and environmental variables have direct effects on the physiology and performance of steers, including TT and average daily gain, particularly during the winter. In addition, carcass characteristics were affected by season but not by the level of MEI. Finally, due to the high variability of data as well as the small number of animals assessed in these experiments, more studies on carcass characteristics under similar conditions are required

Trends in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in small areas of 33 Spanish cities

Background: In Spain, several ecological studies have analyzed trends in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality from all causes in urban areas over time. However, the results of these studies are quite heterogeneous finding, in general, that inequalities decreased, or remained stable. Therefore, the objectives of this study are: (1) to identify trends in geographical inequalities in all-cause mortality in the census tracts of 33 Spanish cities between the two periods 1996–1998 and 2005–2007; (2) to analyse trends in the relationship between these geographical inequalities and socioeconomic deprivation; and (3) to obtain an overall measure which summarises the relationship found in each one of the cities and to analyse its variation over time.Methods: Ecological study of trends with 2 cross-sectional cuts, corresponding to two periods of analysis: 1996–1998 and 2005–2007. Units of analysis were census tracts of the 33 Spanish cities. A deprivation index calculated for each census tracts in all cities was included as a covariate. A Bayesian hierarchical model was used to estimate smoothed Standardized Mortality Ratios (sSMR) by each census tract and period. The geographical distribution of these sSMR was represented using maps of septiles. In addition, two different Bayesian hierarchical models were used to measure the association between all-cause mortality and the deprivation index in each city and period, and by sex: (1) including the association as a fixed effect for each city; (2) including the association as random effects. In both models the data spatial structure can be controlled within each city. The association in each city was measured using relative risks (RR) and their 95 % credible intervals (95 % CI).Results: For most cities and in both sexes, mortality rates decline over time. For women, the mortality and deprivation patterns are similar in the first period, while in the second they are different for most cities. For men, RRs remain stable over time in 29 cities, in 3 diminish and in 1 increase. For women, in 30 cities, a non-significant change over time in RR is observed. However, in 4 cities RR diminishes. In overall terms, inequalities decrease (with a probability of 0.9) in both men (RR¿=¿1.13, 95 % CI¿=¿1.12–1.15 in the 1st period; RR¿=¿1.11, 95 % CI¿=¿1.09–1.13 in the 2nd period) and women (RR¿=¿1.07, 95 % CI¿=¿1.05–1.08 in the 1st period; RR¿=¿1.04, 95 % CI¿=¿1.02–1.06 in the 2nd period).Conclusions: In the future, it is important to conduct further trend studies, allowing to monitoring trends in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality and to identify (among other things) temporal factors that may influence these inequalities

Relación de los niveles de testosterona sérica y el tamaño testicular en alpacas según grupo etario y mes del año en Tacna, Perú

El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la relación del tamaño testicular con los niveles de testosterona sérica en alpacas según la edad y mes del año. Se trabajó con ocho machos (4 jóvenes y 4 adultos). Las mediciones del tamaño testicular se realizaron con una regla Vernier y la determinación de los niveles de testosterona en suero se realizó mediante una prueba de quimioluminiscencia. Los adultos presentaron mayor tamaño testicular en los meses de abril, octubre, noviembre y en jóvenes en abril y noviembre. Así mismo, se encontró una diferencia significativa (t=3.17; p=0.009) entre adultos (8.41 cm2) y jóvenes (6.57 cm2). Con relación al nivel de testosterona, tanto en adultos y jóvenes, los niveles más altos fueron en el mes de abril. La comparación entre jóvenes y adultos no presentó diferencias significativas (t=0.23; p=0.81).  Además, la concentración de testosterona no presentó una relación significativa con el largo (r = 0.41), ancho (r = 0.21) y área testicular (r = 0.32)

Performance and carcass characteristics of steers fed with two levels of metabolizable energy intake during summer and winter season

Climate change is producing an increase on extreme weather events around the world such as flooding, drought and extreme ambient temperatures impacting animal production and animal welfare. At present, there is a lack of studies addressing the effects of climatic conditions associated with energy intake in finishing cattle in South American feed yards. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of environmental variables and level of metabolizable energy intake above maintenance requirements (MEI) on performance and carcass quality of steers. In each experiment (winter and summer), steers were fed with 1.85 or 2.72 times of their requirements of metabolizable energy of maintenance. A total of 24 crossbred steers per experiment were used and located in four pens (26.25 m2/head) equipped with a Calan Broadbent Feeding System. Animals were fed with the same diet within each season, varying the amount offered to adjust the MEI treatments. Mud depth, mud scores, tympanic temperature (TT), environmental variables, average daily gain, respiration rates and carcass characteristics plus three thermal comfort indices were collected. Data analysis considered a factorial arrangement (Season and MEI). In addition, a repeated measures analysis was performed for TT and respiration rate. Mean values of ambient temperature, solar radiation and comfort thermal indices were greater in the summer experiment as expected (P<0.005). The mean values of TT were higher in steers fed with higher MEI and also in the summer season. The average daily gain was greater during summer v. winter (1.10±0.11 v. 0.36±0.06) kg/day, also when steers were fed 2.72 v. 1.85 MEI level (0.89±0.12 v. 0.57±0.10) kg/day. In summer, respiration rate increased in 41.2% in the afternoon. In winter, muddy conditions increased with time of feeding, whereas wind speed and rainfall had significant effects on TT and average daily gain. We conclude that MEI and environmental variables have direct effects on the physiology and performance of steers, including TT and average daily gain, particularly during the winter. In addition, carcass characteristics were affected by season but not by the level of MEI. Finally, due to the high variability of data as well as the small number of animals assessed in these experiments, more studies on carcass characteristics under similar conditions are required