Use of molecular tools for research and improvement of aquaculture stocks

Development of molecular genetic markers provides aquaculture with tools for a number of research and practical applications. Genetic marking of experimental groups allows their evalu- ation in the same rearing units, increasing statistical power within limited research infrastructure. Parentage can be inferred for individuals in mixed-progeny groups, quantifying the contributions of individual parents and supporting the estimation of sire and dam effects. Building upon parent- age assignment, walk-back selection entails retention of the best members of each family as broodstock for the next generation. Molecular markers can be used to detect the segregation of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and knowledge of such linkages can be used for marker-assisted selection. Gene expression profiling can identify genes affecting traits of interest, providing can- didates for QTL or functional analysis. Purposeful genetic marking can be used to identify pro- prietary stocks, marketed products, and fish out-planted or escaping into natural ecosystems. Although each application has been demonstrated, genetic markers are not routinely used in commercial aquaculture. The limited practical application can be explained by the limited devel- opment of broodstocks for most aquaculture species, the small size and limited scope of most aquaculture operations, and the costs of genetic screening

The Tredegar iron works : 1865-1876

The Tredegar Iron Works rose to prominence dur- ing the Civil War as the chief armorer of the Confederacy. That four-year period represents the focal point of the company\u27s existence, however, the Civil War experience of the Tredegar should not be regarded as a singular industrial monument to the Confederacy but as a maturation process for the company itself. The focus of this thesis is the rebirth and subsequent growth and contraction of the Tredegar in the ten years following the Civil War

Radically Inclusive Pedagogy and Praxis

Although the current definition exists at the intersection of critical pedagogy, disability studies, critical race theory, critical embodiment pedagogy, feminism, cultural rhetoric, expressivism, and queer theory, as it stands now, radical inclusive pedagogy has few, if any, identifiable, distinctive qualities of its own. The pedagogies and theories from which radically inclusive pedagogy draws from speak to the mind, the body, and the spirit separately, or will focus on two aspects while neglecting the third. As I envision it for the classroom practice I have designed and would like others to adopt, radically inclusive pedagogy addresses the mind (embracing students’ knowledge, cultures, and languages), the body (recognizing the need for accessibility and individualistic inclusion), and the spirit (offering compassion and understanding) and has the potential to respond to contemporary concerns of accessibility, language, racism, and multiculturalism that affect every classroom. This project intends to not only fill in the gaps where the definition and praxis for radically inclusive pedagogy lack but also demonstrate how this pedagogy looks within the classroom every day with an emphasis on addressing language in the classroom

A computer software package for assessing and managing risks posed by experiments with genetically modified fish and shellfish

Assessment and management of risk is needed for sustainable use of genetically modified aquatic organisms (aquatic GMOs). A computer software package for safely conducting research with genetically modified fish and shellfish is described. By answering a series of questions about the organism and the accessible aquatic ecosystem, a researcher or oversight authority can either identify specific risks or conclude that there is a specific reason for safety of the experiment. Risk assessment protocols with examples involving transgenic coho salmon, triploid grass carp and hybrid tilapia are described. In case a specific risk is identified, the user is led to consider risk management measures, involving culture methods, facilities design and operations management, to minimize the risk. Key features of the software are its user-friendly organization; easy access to explanatory text, literature citations and glossary; and automated completion of a worksheet. Documented completion of the Performance Standards can facilitate approval of a well designed experiment by oversight authorities

Use of Subimages in Fish Species Identification: A Qualitative Study

Many scholarly tasks involve working with subdocuments, or contextualized fine-grain information, i.e., with information that is part of some larger unit. A digital library (DL) facil- itates management, access, retrieval, and use of collections of data and metadata through services. However, most DLs do not provide infrastructure or services to support working with subdocuments. Superimposed information (SI) refers to new information that is created to reference subdocu- ments in existing information resources. We combine this idea of SI with traditional DL services, to define and develop a DL with SI (SI-DL). We explored the use of subimages and evaluated the use of a prototype SI-DL (SuperIDR) in fish species identification, a scholarly task that involves work- ing with subimages. The contexts and strategies of working with subimages in SuperIDR suggest new and enhanced sup- port (SI-DL services) for scholarly tasks that involve working with subimages, including new ways of querying and search- ing for subimages and associated information. The main contribution of our work are the insights gained from these findings of use of subimages and of SuperIDR (a prototype SI-DL), which lead to recommendations for the design of digital libraries with superimposed information

Bioethics and biotechnology

This paper examines the practice and products of biotechnology from the viewpoint of bioethics, looking at four cases where aquatic biotechnology and bioethics intersect. The four cases applied are: Case 1. Genetic modification of animals; Case 2. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) as food; Case 3. Environmental applications of GMOs; Case 4. Intellectual property production for GMOs and DNA sequences

Genetic Characteristics of Southern and Northern Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) Populations at the Zone of Contact

Population genetic evidence suggests differentiation among evolutionarily significant units of southern and northern Appalachian brook trout, with the zone of contact in southwestern Virginia. Before this differentiation was recognized, brook trout of northern origin were stocked throughout the southeastern United States. In order to determine this differentiation, established allozyme markers were used to classify 56 southwest Virginia populations as southern, northern, or introgressed. Variation at 4 polymorphic loci, including the diagnostic creatine kinase (CK-A2*) locus, indicated that 19 populations were of southern origin, 5 of northern origin, and 32 of mixed genetic origin. Data compiled among genetic studies of brook trout in the southern Appalachians showed that the southern/northern break is sharp, occurring at the New/Roanoke-James watershed divide. New River drainage populations exhibited the southern allele at high frequency, suggesting their historic native character as southern, with presence of northern alleles due to stocking or stream capture events. In conclusion, the present study suggests that management of southern Appalachian brook trout should include: (1) genetically cognizant planning of stocking events, (2) management of populations on a stream-by-stream basis, (3) prioritized conservation of pure southern brook trout populations, and (4) use of southern Appalachian hatchery stocks in restoration efforts

Bioethics and biotechnology

Biotechnology, Bioethics