Can the Vaquita Be Saved From Extinction?

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is considered the world’s most endangered marine mammal. It is the smallest member of the porpoise family endemic to the upper part of the Gulf of California. The current population is estimated at less than 30 individuals. The primary reasons for the species decline includes limited habitat and incidental mortalities associated with illegal gillnet fishing activities. Since 2008, the Mexican government has taken environmental and economic actions to protect the vaquita’s focusing in reducing by-catch deaths to zero. In 2015, a federal Agreement decreed by the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA in Spanish) prohibited the use of any fishing gillnets for two years, affecting severely the local human communities because in the region the coastal fisheries represent 40% of the regional PIB, besides that 50% of the local inhabitants are devoted to this activity. Recently, an economical compensation is giving to the fishing permits owners if they do not continue with their fishing activities. However none of this actions and agreements have considered social and economic solutions for the local inhabitants of this region, which includes three communities: San Felipe, Golfo de Santa Clara and Puerto Peñasco. If there is not enacted a change of paradigm of the conservation programs, focusing in the wellbeing of the local fishing communities then the vaquita could be the second marine mammal species to disappear due to human activities

Effect of inulin and probiotic bacteria on growth, survival, immune response, and prevalence of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in Litopenaeus vannamei cultured under laboratory conditions

The effect of inulin and probiotic bacteria on the growth, survival, immune response and viral prevalence of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in white shrimp was evaluated. Presumptive bacilli and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were characterized for hemolytic and enzymatic activity, hydrophobicity and antagonism against Vibrio. Selected isolates (Bacilli and LAB) were included in the diet of juvenile shrimp. Two bioassays were conducted with treatments by triplicate (10 shrimp per replicate) with inulin and inulin and bacteria. Fourteen LAB and six bacilli isolates had potential as probiotics. Survival and growth was not affected by the addition of the inulin and bacteria to diet. Inulin and bacteria improved immunity in cultured shrimp. Also, these feed additives reduced the prevalence of WSSV in cultured shrimp.Keywords: Probiotics, prebiotics, white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), immune system, Litopenaeus vannameiAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(21), pp. 3366-337

Continuación del programa de desarrollo de habilidades interpersonales en una empresa de servicio de transporte: manejo de conflictos y negociación

El nombre del proyecto de este PAP es Continuación del programa de desarrollo de habilidades interpersonales en una empresa de servicio de trasporte: Manejo de Conflictos y Negociación y el propósito general se basa en su relación con dos PAP’s anteriores. En el PAP de otoño 2021 el proyecto con el que se trabajó fue: “Realización de un diagnóstico para tipificar la cultura organizacional, en una empresa dedicada al transporte de personal, con el objetivo de fortalecer su proceso de cambio estratégico”. El propósito general fue diagnosticar la cultura organizacional de la empresa. Esta intervención fue la primera que la empresa tuvo con la universidad. Después de esto en el PAP de primavera 2022 se seleccionaron los temas a través de una reunión del equipo PAP junto con un grupo de colaboradores de la empresa, tales como la directora general y la coordinadora del talento humano. Se decidió de manera conjunta, que la empresa requiere darle continuación a las acciones pasadas para abordar las problemáticas en las áreas de comunicación efectiva, liderazgo y trabajo en equipo, además de que se requiere la capacitación para el manejo del conflicto y la capacidad de negociación por parte de los colaboradores. Durante este PAP nos enfocamos en brindar talleres abordando principalmente los últimos dos temas. Los talleres se impartieron a 4 grupos de dos sesiones cada uno. Además de esto, se dio continuación a un grupo del PAP de primavera 2022 abordando los temas de comunicación, liderazgo y trabajo en equipo.ITESO, A.C

The Genome of a Pathogenic Rhodococcus: Cooptive Virulence Underpinned by Key Gene Acquisitions

We report the genome of the facultative intracellular parasite Rhodococcus equi, the only animal pathogen within the biotechnologically important actinobacterial genus Rhodococcus. The 5.0-Mb R. equi 103S genome is significantly smaller than those of environmental rhodococci. This is due to genome expansion in nonpathogenic species, via a linear gain of paralogous genes and an accelerated genetic flux, rather than reductive evolution in R. equi. The 103S genome lacks the extensive catabolic and secondary metabolic complement of environmental rhodococci, and it displays unique adaptations for host colonization and competition in the short-chain fatty acid–rich intestine and manure of herbivores—two main R. equi reservoirs. Except for a few horizontally acquired (HGT) pathogenicity loci, including a cytoadhesive pilus determinant (rpl) and the virulence plasmid vap pathogenicity island (PAI) required for intramacrophage survival, most of the potential virulence-associated genes identified in R. equi are conserved in environmental rhodococci or have homologs in nonpathogenic Actinobacteria. This suggests a mechanism of virulence evolution based on the cooption of existing core actinobacterial traits, triggered by key host niche–adaptive HGT events. We tested this hypothesis by investigating R. equi virulence plasmid-chromosome crosstalk, by global transcription profiling and expression network analysis. Two chromosomal genes conserved in environmental rhodococci, encoding putative chorismate mutase and anthranilate synthase enzymes involved in aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, were strongly coregulated with vap PAI virulence genes and required for optimal proliferation in macrophages. The regulatory integration of chromosomal metabolic genes under the control of the HGT–acquired plasmid PAI is thus an important element in the cooptive virulence of R. equi

Isolation and characterization of infectious Vibrio sinaloensis strains from the Pacific shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Decapoda: Penaeidae)

10 páginas, 2 figuras, 2 tablas[EN] Infectious diseases especially those caused by bacterial and viral pathogens are serious loss factors in shrimp farming. In this study, bacteria were isolated from the gut and hepatopancreas of stressed shrimps obtained from a commercial farm. The isolates were screened on Thiosulfate citrate bile salt sucrose (TCBS) agar plates for the selection of Vibrio species. Presumptive vibrios were characterized through tests for hemolytic and enzymatic activity, hydrophobicity, growth and molecular identification. Three experimental infections were conducted in order to confirm the pathogenicity of selected bacterial strains VHPC18, VHPC23, VHPC24 and VIC30. In the third experimental challenge the LD50 was obtained, it lasted 10 days with 10 shrimp, weighing 6.9±1.1g, per tank. The treatments in triplicate were: (1) saline solution (control group); (2) 2×105CFU/shrimp; (3) 4×105CFU/shrimp; (4) 2×106CFU/shrimp; (5) 4×106CFU/shrimp, and (6) 8×106CFU/shrimp. In all challenges, water parameters measured during the experimental period remained within optimum ranges. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that the mixture of four vibrio isolates, identified as Vibrio sinaloensis, was virulent for L. vannamei. The LD50 value was 1.178×105CFU/g body weight. V. sinaloensis may act as opportunistic pathogens for cultured L. vannamei.[ES] Las enfermedades de etiología infecciosa, especialmente las causadas por patógenos bacterianos y virales ocasionan graves pérdidas en el cultivo de camarón blanco Litopenaeus vannamei. En este estudio se caracterizó: la actividad enzimática y hemolítica; hidrofobicidad; crecimiento e identificación molecular de vibrios aislados del intestino y hepatopancreas de camarones estresados, obtenidos de una granja comercial, en medio Agar Tiosulfato Citrato Bilis Sacarosa. Además, se realizaron tres infecciones experimentales para confirmar la patogenicidad de las cepas bacterianas seleccionadas VHPC18, VHPC23, VHPC24 y VIC30. En la tercera infección experimental se obtuvo la LD50, el reto duró 10 días, con 10 camarones por tanque con un peso de 6.9±1.1g. Los tratamientos se realizaron por triplicado: (1) solución salina (grupo control); (2) 2×105UFC/camarón; (3) 4×105UFC/camarón; (4) 2×106UFC/camarón; (5) 4×106UFC/camarón y (6) 8×106UFC/camarón. En todos los retos, los parámetros del agua permanecieron dentro de los intervalos óptimos. Las pruebas de patogenicidad confirmaron que la mezcla de cuatro aislados de Vibrio, identificados como Vibrio sinaloensis, fue virulenta para L. vannamei. El valor de la LD50 fue de 1.178×105UFC/g de peso corporal. Los resultados permiten establecer que las cepas de V. sinaloensis pueden actuar como patógenos oportunistas en L. vannamei cultivado.Authors are grateful to Consejo Estatal de Ciencia y Tecnología del Estado de Sinaloa (CECyT-Sinaloa) and to the Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (SIP-IPN) for financial support. Ma. del Carmen Flores Miranda acknowledges CONACYT-Mexico and SIP-IPN for the M.Sc. grantsPeer reviewe

The vaquita will be the second cetacean species driven to extinction by humans

Within the interior of the Upper Gulf of California lives a small marine cetacean called Vaquita marina (Phocoena sinus). Limited habitat and by-catch by gillnet has resulted in the reduction of its population to 154 individuals, making it endangered. The Mexican federal government has taken environmental and economic actions to protect and encourage its conservation. Economic action was taken in January 2008 through a program of buy-out fishing permits, as a solution to reduce by-catch deaths to zero. However, as of December of 2011, only 340 permits have been withdrawn which is coupled with the refusal of the public to surrender fishing permits because fishing is the most important economic activity in the region. The transformation of fishing activities into tourism services is still not the solution to save the vaquita from extinction. This problem requires developing a viable economic alternative and proper management of the social aspects of the communities involved. The authorities have few years to find a solution before the vaquita is the second species to disappear due to human activities

Effect of inulin and probiotic bacteria on growth, survival, immune response, and prevalence of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in Litopenaeus vannamei cultured under laboratory conditions

The effect of inulin and probiotic bacteria on the growth, survival, immune response and viral prevalence of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in white shrimp was evaluated. Presumptive bacilli and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were characterized for hemolytic and enzymatic activity, hydrophobicity and antagonism against Vibrio. Selected isolates (Bacilli and LAB) were included in the diet of juvenile shrimp. Two bioassays were conducted with treatments by triplicate (10 shrimp per replicate) with inulin and inulin and bacteria. Fourteen LAB and six bacilli isolates had potential as probiotics. Survival and growth was not affected by the addition of the inulin and bacteria to diet. Inulin and bacteria improved immunity in cultured shrimp. Also, these feed additives reduced the prevalence of WSSV in cultured shrimp

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EFFECTS CAUSED BY THE NAFTA IN THE FISHERIES OF TUNA IN BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, MEXICO

Even though the international trade system was originally developed without considering an environmental protection framework, efforts are being made to join environmental and political aims. In Mexico, Baja California Sur (BCS) is the most arid state and with more coastline than any other state in the country (2,200 km). The purpose of this work was to identify economic and social impacts caused, up until the present, by the North American Free

Teleconexiones atmosféricas-oceánicas (océanos Pacífico y Atlántico) moduladoras de veranos húmedos y secos en el Núcleo del Monzón de Norte América

Abstract In recent decades, irregular rainfall has evidenced a number of adverse environmental and socioeconomic effects worldwide. The goal of this study was to analyze the ability of four Regional Climatic Models (RCM's) forced by ERA-Interim to capture the humid and dry extreme monsoons in the Core North American Monsoon (CNAM), considering the oceanic mechanisms of the Pacific and Atlantic. From available databases in the network and for the period 1990-2008, we obtained: 1) average observations (obs mean); after obtaining four sets of observed precipitation data: UDel, CLICOM, GPCP and CRU, 2) from the Coordinated Regional Scale Reduction Experiment (CORDEX) -of North America (NA), four RCM's were obtained forced by ERA-Interim, 3) number and intensity of Pacific hurricanes, and 4) calculation of Caribbean Low Level Jet (CLLJ) anomalies, the Filtered Variance (VF), the Decadal Pacific Oscillation (PDO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). Two extreme monsoons were selected: one wet (1990) and one dry (2005). To all the data, they were applied the test of normality of Shapiro Wilk. It was calculated a Pearson correlation and a hypothesis test, with a confidence level of 95% (P<0.05) and 99% (P<0.01) between the models, Era-Interim, the observations and oceanic indexes. Regardless of the oceanic indexes, HadGEM3-RA and ERA-Interim were the that better captured precipitation in wet monsoons; And ERA-Interim and Reg1 proved to be better at capturing precipitation for dry monsoons. The 1990 monsoon presented almost twice as much precipitation as the monsoon of 2005. This wet anomaly could be associated with the occurrence of 16 hurricanes near the Gulf of California by 1990, since in 2005, only 7 hurricanes occurred. VF and CLLJ are inversely proportional and are two significant predictors of wet monsoons in the CNAM. ERA-Interim better captures precipitation in extreme wet years. PDO, was significantly and negatively correlated with REMO (Pr = -0.90) and CLLJ (Pr = -0.90), that is to say, REMO has no ability to capture dry monsoons that occur when -PDO (La Niña) and -CLLJ (La Niña) phases are present. The dry events are significantly associated with the occurrence of -PDO (La Niña) phase anomalies and not with the occurrence of -CLLJ (La Niña) phase anomalies. This methodology is an effective alternative to predict extreme hydroclimatic events in CNAM, especially when there is no data from weather stations.Resumen En décadas recientes, la irregularidad de las precipitaciones ha tenido diversos efectos ambientales y socioeconómicos adversos a nivel mundial. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la resolución de cuatro Modelos Climáticos Regionales (MCR’s) forzados por ERA-Interim para capturar los monzones extremos húmedos y secos en el Núcleo del Monzón de Norte América (NMNA), considerando los mecanismos oceánicos del Pacífico y del Atlántico. De las bases de datos disponibles en la red y para el período 1990-2008, se obtuvo: (1) promedio de las observaciones (obs media) después de haber obtenido 4 conjuntos de datos de precipitación observados: UDel, CLICOM, GPCP y CRU, (2) del Experimento Regional Coordinado de Reducción de Escala (CORDEX)-de Norte América (NA) se obtuvieron cuatro MCR’s forzados por ERA-Interim: RegCM4 (Reg1 y Reg2), HadGEM3-RA, RCA3.5 y REMO, (3) número e intensidad de los huracanes del Pacífico y (4) cálculo de las anomalías del Jet de Niveles Bajos del Caribe (CLLJ), Varianza Filtrada (VF), Oscilación Decadal del Pacífico (PDO) y Oscilación Multidecadal del Atlántico (AMO). Se seleccionaron dos monzones extremos: uno húmedo (1990) y otro seco (2005). Se aplicó una prueba de normalidad de Shapiro Wilk a los datos a estudiar. Se calculó una correlación de Pearson y una prueba de hipótesis con nivel de confianza de 95 % (P < 0.05) y 99 % (P < 0.01) entre los modelos, Era-Interim, las observaciones y los índices oceánicos. Sin considerar los índices oceánicos, HadGEM3-RA y ERA-Interim capturan de mejor manera la precipitación en los monzones húmedos, en tanto que ERA-Interim y Reg1 resultaron ser mejores para capturar la precipitación para monzones secos. El monzón de 1990 presentó casi el doble de precipitación que el 2005. Esta anomalía húmeda al parecer se asocia con la ocurrencia de 16 huracanes cerca del Golfo de California en 1990, lo que contrasta con el 2005, cuando solo se presentaron 7 huracanes. VF y CLLJ son inversamente proporcionales a la vea que son dos predictores significativos de los monzones húmedos en el NMNA. ERA-Interim captura de mejor manera las precipitaciones en años extremos húmedos. La PDO se correlacionó significativa y negativamente con REMO (Pr = -0.90) y CLLJ (Pr = -0.90), es decir, REMO no presenta resolución para capturar monzones secos que ocurren al presentarsefases -PDO. Cuando se presentan anomalías de fase +PDO y -CLLJ, también se presentará una anomalía de fase -CLLJ y viceversa, las cuales son características de eventos secos. Esta metodología resultó eficaz para predecir eventos hidroclimáticos extremos en el NMNA, sobre todo cuando se carece de datos provenientes de estaciones meteorológicas

Dietary microorganism and plant effects on the survival and immune response of Litopenaeus vannamei challenged with the white spot syndrome virus.

The effect of plants and probiotics on the survival and immune response of Litopenaeus vannamei challenged with the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was evaluated. A probiotic mixture (PM), plant extract (PE) or powdered plants (PP) were added to feed with the attractant Dry Oil. An experiment was conducted with ¢ve treatments in triplicate. Shrimp were cultured in120 L plastic tanks and fed twice a day with commercial feed plus additives orwith commercial feed plusWSSV. Animals weremonitored for the occurrence ofWSSVusing single- step and nested PCR. The PMand PP added to the commercial feed showed high survival, a decrease in WSSVprevalence in shrimp and an increase in the activity of lysosomal enzymes, N-acetyl-b-glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase. The total haemocyte count in shrimp treated with PM was signi¢cantly higher than that in the control group (treatment I) and in shrimp fed with PE. The results of the present work indicate that PP and PMare good candidates for use as feed additives againstWSSVin shrimp cultures