Identificación de las especies europeas del género Maja (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majidae): análisis de PCR-RFLP de una región del mtADN COI y consideraciones morfológicas

Four species of crabs of the genus Maja have been described along the European coast: M. brachydactyla, M. squinado, M. goltziana and M. crispata. The commercially important species M. brachydactyla and M. squinado achieve the largest body sizes and are the most similar in morphology, and are therefore easily confused. The four species of Maja were identified using a novel morphometric index and a polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP). The relationship between carapace length and the distance between the tips of antorbital spines was used to distinguish adults of M. brachydactyla and M. squinado. PCR-RFLP analysis of a partial sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase type I (COI) revealed that the four species of the genus Maja can be unambiguously discriminated using the combination of restriction endonucleases enzymes HpyCH4V and Ase I. The molecular identification may be particularly useful in larvae, juvenile and young crabs, when the morphological differences found in adults are not applicable.Cuatro especies del género Maja han sido descritas en las costas europeas: M. brachydactyla, M. squinado, M. goltziana y M. crispata. Las especies M. brachydactyla y M. squinado, que tienen importancia comercial, alcanzan los tamaños más grandes y son morfológicamente muy similares, siendo muy fácil confundirlas. La identificación de las cuatro especies se ha realizado utilizando un nuevo índice morfométrico y un análisis de polimorfismos de fragmentos de restricción (RFLP). La relación entre la longitud del cefalotórax y la distancia entre los extremos distales de las espinas antorbitales se ha utilizado para la diferenciación de los adultos de M. brachydactyla y M. squinado. El análisis PCR-RFLP de una secuencia parcial de la citocromo oxidasa tipo I mitocondrial (COI) indica que las cuatro especies del género Maja pueden ser discriminadas usando una combinación de las endonucleasas HpyCH4V y Ase I. La identificación molecular puede ser particularmente útil en las larvas, juveniles y cangrejos jóvenes, cuando las diferencias morfológicas encontradas en los adultos no son aplicables

The VIRUS-P Exploration of Nearby Galaxies (VENGA): Survey Design, Data Processing, and Spectral Analysis Methods

We present the survey design, data reduction, and spectral fitting pipeline for the VIRUS-P Exploration of Nearby Galaxies (VENGA). VENGA is an integral field spectroscopic survey, which maps the disks of 30 nearby spiral galaxies. Targets span a wide range in Hubble type, star formation activity, morphology, and inclination. The VENGA data-cubes have 5.6'' FWHM spatial resolution, ~5A FWHM spectral resolution, sample the 3600A-6800A range, and cover large areas typically sampling galaxies out to ~0.7 R_25. These data-cubes can be used to produce 2D maps of the star formation rate, dust extinction, electron density, stellar population parameters, the kinematics and chemical abundances of both stars and ionized gas, and other physical quantities derived from the fitting of the stellar spectrum and the measurement of nebular emission lines. To exemplify our methods and the quality of the data, we present the VENGA data-cube on the face-on Sc galaxy NGC 628 (a.k.a. M 74). The VENGA observations of NGC 628 are described, as well as the construction of the data-cube, our spectral fitting method, and the fitting of the stellar and ionized gas velocity fields. We also propose a new method to measure the inclination of nearly face-on systems based on the matching of the stellar and gas rotation curves using asymmetric drift corrections. VENGA will measure relevant physical parameters across different environments within these galaxies, allowing a series of studies on star formation, structure assembly, stellar populations, chemical evolution, galactic feedback, nuclear activity, and the properties of the interstellar medium in massive disk galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ, 25 pages, 18 figures, 6 table

The VIRUS-P Exploration of Nearby Galaxies (VENGA): Survey Design and First Results

VENGA is a large-scale extragalactic IFU survey, which maps the bulges, bars and large parts of the outer disks of 32 nearby normal spiral galaxies. The targets are chosen to span a wide range in Hubble types, star formation activities, morphologies, and inclinations, at the same time of having vast available multi-wavelength coverage from the far-UV to the mid-IR, and available CO and 21cm mapping. The VENGA dataset will provide 2D maps of the SFR, stellar and gas kinematics, chemical abundances, ISM density and ionization states, dust extinction and stellar populations for these 32 galaxies. The uniqueness of the VIRUS-P large field of view permits these large-scale mappings to be performed. VENGA will allow us to correlate all these important quantities throughout the different environments present in galactic disks, allowing the conduction of a large number of studies in star formation, structure assembly, galactic feedback and ISM in galaxies.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, proceedings of the "Third Biennial Frank N. Bash Symposium, New Horizons in Astronomy" held in Austin, TX, Oct. 2009. To be published in the Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series, eds. L. Stanford, L. Hao, Y. Mao, J. Gree

Perceptions of pastoralist problems: A participatory study on animal management, disease spectrum and animal health priorities of small ruminant pastoralists in Georgia

Small ruminants support the livelihoods of millions of poor pastoralist and sedentary households around the world. While pastoralists are generally not amongst the poorest in terms of assets, they are frequently marginalised in terms of their access to political power, health and education. This study was undertaken among pastoralist households keeping small ruminants in four regions of the country of Georgia. Small ruminants are an important cultural, social and economic asset in Georgia and are mainly managed in a transhumant pastoralist system. Georgia suffered its first, and so far only outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in 2016. This qualitative interview study was designed to acquire contextual understanding of local small ruminant husbandry and the livelihood situations of the participating pastoralists, and to detect historical, unreported PPR outbreaks. Focus group discussions comprising participatory epidemiology tools and other forms of interviews were used to explore small ruminant management, disease spectrum and management, and animal health priorities.The participants had experienced a wide variety of animal health constraints, with intestinal worms, braxy, piroplasmosis, pasture-related problems, predators and lameness emerging as priorities. No historic, unreported PPR outbreak was detected in this study, and PPR was not a priority for participants. Instead, the day-to-day reality of animal health for the pastoralists was characterised by co-infections of mainly endemic pathogens, and problems related to other challenges such as access to land, feed and genetic resources. The rationale behind the participants' prioritisation of animal health problems was supported by the need to pay extra attention to animals in order to avoid risk factors, keep animals healthy and minimise the negative impact of diseases or management problems; the various epidemiological and clinical parameters of the prioritised diseases; the economic impact of the specific problems and the zoonotic potential of diseases and predation. Even within regions, and within seemingly socially and culturally homogenous groups, there were important local differences in the problems faced by pastoralists that affect their livestock management. This study underlines the importance of a contextualised understanding of the local disease panorama and complexities in the livelihood situations of rural people when designing actions to improve animal health in general or, more specifically, passive surveillance as well as prevention or control measures. Finally, it is concluded that to achieve such an understanding, there is a need for participatory, scoping-style studies that specifically acknowledge diversity and power relations

Anisotropiy of magnetic susceptibility and fault-slip dat study in late cenozoic rocks exposed in the southwest border of puna plateau (27º30´S)

We present new Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) analysis integrated with structural analysisof fault slip data to document a strain fi eld change from syndepositional to post depositional deformationduring the late Eocene to Pliocene times, in the southwest margin of Puna Plateau (SWPP) and north areas inthe Argentine Precordillera (Pc, 27º30´S, Fig. 1). We obtained 10 AMS sites carried out in late Eocene-early Oligocene sedimentary rocks in the SWPP and 6 AMS sites in early Pliocene sedimentary and volcaniclasticrocks exposed in Pc (Figs. 1A and 1B, respectively). The measurements show low to high values of anisotropydegree (P= 1,00-1,16) in the deformation zones, and low and high values of bulk susceptibility (with an averageof 11.9x10-3 SI). The magnetic fabric is the type I and II, according to Robion et al. (2007), in most of thesites, with a shape parameter whose values show an oblate to prolate shape (T=-0,8 to 0,9), with a weak towell-developed magnetic lineation in some sites. We estimate two main orientations of magnetic lineation,a ~N-S and E-W, in the SWPP, and a NS orientation in the Pc area (Figure 1). We compare the orientationof magnetic lineation with the structural features and with maximum horizontal stress directions (SHmax)obtained from fault-slip inversion (FSI) data obtained using the Wintensor software (Delvaux and Sperner2003) (Quiroga et al., in prep.). In the west area of SWPP the NS-oriented magnetic lineation is parallelto the orientation of folds and reverse faults that aff ect the early Oligocene sequences, and orthogonal tothe E-W compression direction estimated from the FSI obtained from mesoscale reverse fault measured inthese rocks, and strike-slip faults aff ecting the Pliocene volcanic rocks exposed in the area (Fig. 1A) (Quirogaet al. in prep.). In the East sector of this area (SWPP), the magnetic lineation is NW oriented, parallel tothe main strike of structures that conform a strike-slip fault system, and reverse faults with N-S and NNEcompression directions. The activity of these structures started after the middle Miocene times (Quiroga etal. in prep). In the North Pc, the magnetic foliation is parallel with the restored bedding plane orientationof Pliocene sequences. The incipient magnetic lineation is NS-oriented, parallel to the NS-strike of foldsand faults that are aff ecting the Pliocene sequences (Fig. 1B), parallel to paleocurrents documented inthe same sequences, and orthogonal to the E-W compression documented between the upper Miocene andlower Pliocene (Quiroga et al. 2021).We interpret a tectonic origin for magnetic lineation in the SWPP, documenting an E-W contraction,parallel to the regional SHmax that aff ected the Central Andes during the Eocene Incaic orogeny. In the Pcarea, the magnetic fabric was developed in a sedimentary setting whose incipient magnetic lineation maydocument an E-W syndepositiontal contraction direction, parallel to the regional Incaic E-W compression.Since ~5 Ma, a shift in the compression direction towards a N-S orientation is interpreted to be related to thelocal-third-order stress fi eld that aff ects the entire south margin of the Puna Plateau along its transition tothe Frontal Cordillera and Sierras Pampeanas (Quiroga et al. 2021). This shifting could be a consequence ofthe Pliocene uplift of the southern Puna, generating a juxtaposition of an area under N-S extension, in thetopographically-higher Puna, with the lower areas outside of the limit of this plateau under N-S compression.Fil: Quiroga Carrasco, Rodrigo Adolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Peña, Matías. Universidad Mayor.; Chile. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Fuentes, Guillermo. Universidad Santo Tomás (ust);Fil: Giambiagi, Laura Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Barcia Poblete, Fernando Andrés. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Strecker, Manfred Reinhard Karl. Universitat Potsdam. Mathematisch Nautrwissenschaften Fakultat. Institut Fur Geowissenschaften; AlemaniaFil: Wagner, Fabián. Universidad Mayor.; ChileXXI Congreso Geológico ArgentinoPuerto MadrynArgentinaSociedad Geológica Argentin