Reproductive Biology of Cobia, Rachycentron canadum, from Coastal Waters of the Southern United States

Reproductive biology of the cobia, Rachycentron canadum, is described from four coastal areas in the southern United States. Samples were obtained from recreational fishermen between December 1995 and November 1997 from the southeastern United States (Morehead City, NC, to Cape Canaveral, FL), the eastern Gulf of Mexico (Ft. Myers to Crystal River, FL), the north-central Gulf of Mexico (Destin, FL, to Chandeleur Islands, LA) and the western Gulf of Mexico (Port Aransas, TX). Histological evidence of spawning occurred from April through September in all areas. Some female cobia (17-32%) throughout the Gulf of Mexico had spent or regressed ovaries by July. Gonadosomatic index peaked between May and July throughout the region. Ovaries of females from all areas contained both postovulatory follicles (POF) and oocytes in final oocyte maturation (FOM) during all months of the reproductive season. Batch fecundity was calculated by using three different methods: oocytes \u3e700 pm were fixed in 1) Gilson\u27s fixative or 2) 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF), and 3)oocytes undergoing FOM were sectioned for histological examination. Mean batch fecundity ranged from 377,000 +/- 64,500 to 1,980,500 +/- 1,598,500 eggs; there was no significant difference among methods. Batch fecundity calculated with the NBF method showed a positive relationship with fork length (P=0.021, r(2)=0.132) and ovary-free body weight (OFBW; P=0.016, r(2)=0.143). Relative batch fecundity was not significantly different among months during the spawning season and averaged 53.1 +/-9.4 eggs/g OFBW for the NBF method and 29.1 +/- 4.8 eggs/g OFBW for the FOM method. Although spawning frequencies were not significantly differ ent among areas (P=0.07), cobia from the southeastern United States and north-central Gulf of Mexico were estimated to spawn once every 5 days, whereas cobia from the western Gulf of Mexico were estimated to spawn once every 9 to 12 days

Reproductive Biology of Cobia, \u3ci\u3eRachycentron canadum\u3c/i\u3e, from Coastal Waters of the Southern United States

Reproductive biology of the cobia, Rachycentron canadum, is described from four coastal areas in the southern United States. Samples were obtained from recreational fishermen between December 1995 and November 1997 from the southeastern United States (Morehead City, NC, to Cape Canaveral, FL), the eastern Gulf of Mexico (Ft. Myers to Crystal River, FL), the north-central Gulf of Mexico (Destin, FL, to Chandeleur Islands, LA) and the western Gulf of Mexico (Port Aransas, TX). Histological evidence of spawning occurred from April through September in all areas. Some female cobia (17-32%) throughout the Gulf of Mexico had spent or regressed ovaries by July. Gonadosomatic index peaked between May and July throughout the region. Ovaries of females from all areas contained both postovulatory follicles (POF) and oocytes in final oocyte maturation (FOM) during all months of the reproductive season. Batch fecundity was calculated by using three different methods: oocytes \u3e700 μm were fixed in 1) Gilson’s fixative or 2) 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF), and 3) oocytes undergoing FOM were sectioned for histological examination. Mean batch fecundity ranged from 377,000 ± 64,500 to 1,980,500 ± 1,598,500 eggs; there was no significant difference among methods. Batch fecundity calculated with the NBF method showed a positive relationship with fork length (P = 0.021, r2 = 0.132) and ovary-free body weight (OFBW; P = 0.016, r2 = 0.143). Relative batch fecundity was not significantly different among months during the spawning season and averaged 53.1 ± 9.4 eggs/g OFBW for the NBF method and 29.1 ± 4.8 eggs/g OFBW for the FOM method. Although spawning frequencies were not significantly different among areas (P = 0.07), cobia from the southeastern United States and north-central Gulf of Mexico were estimated to spawn once every 5 days, whereas cobia from the western Gulf of Mexico were estimated to spawn once every 9 to 12 days

Cerebellar c9RAN proteins associate with clinical and neuropathological characteristics of C9ORF72 repeat expansion carriers.

Clinical and neuropathological characteristics associated with G4C2 repeat expansions in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72), the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia, are highly variable. To gain insight on the molecular basis for the heterogeneity among C9ORF72 mutation carriers, we evaluated associations between features of disease and levels of two abundantly expressed "c9RAN proteins" produced by repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) translation of the expanded repeat. For these studies, we took a departure from traditional immunohistochemical approaches and instead employed immunoassays to quantitatively measure poly(GP) and poly(GA) levels in cerebellum, frontal cortex, motor cortex, and/or hippocampus from 55 C9ORF72 mutation carriers [12 patients with ALS, 24 with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and 19 with FTLD with motor neuron disease (FTLD-MND)]. We additionally investigated associations between levels of poly(GP) or poly(GA) and cognitive impairment in 15 C9ORF72 ALS patients for whom neuropsychological data were available. Among the neuroanatomical regions investigated, poly(GP) levels were highest in the cerebellum. In this same region, associations between poly(GP) and both neuropathological and clinical features were detected. Specifically, cerebellar poly(GP) levels were significantly lower in patients with ALS compared to patients with FTLD or FTLD-MND. Furthermore, cerebellar poly(GP) associated with cognitive score in our cohort of 15 patients. In the cerebellum, poly(GA) levels similarly trended lower in the ALS subgroup compared to FTLD or FTLD-MND subgroups, but no association between cerebellar poly(GA) and cognitive score was detected. Both cerebellar poly(GP) and poly(GA) associated with C9ORF72 variant 3 mRNA expression, but not variant 1 expression, repeat size, disease onset, or survival after onset. Overall, these data indicate that cerebellar abnormalities, as evidenced by poly(GP) accumulation, associate with neuropathological and clinical phenotypes, in particular cognitive impairment, of C9ORF72 mutation carriers

Bodyweight Perceptions among Texas Women: The Effects of Religion, Race/Ethnicity, and Citizenship Status

Despite previous work exploring linkages between religious participation and health, little research has looked at the role of religion in affecting bodyweight perceptions. Using the theoretical model developed by Levin et al. (Sociol Q 36(1):157–173, 1995) on the multidimensionality of religious participation, we develop several hypotheses and test them by using data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults. We estimate multinomial logistic regression models to determine the relative risk of women perceiving themselves as overweight. Results indicate that religious attendance lowers risk of women perceiving themselves as very overweight. Citizenship status was an important factor for Latinas, with noncitizens being less likely to see themselves as overweight. We also test interaction effects between religion and race. Religious attendance and prayer have a moderating effect among Latina non-citizens so that among these women, attendance and prayer intensify perceptions of feeling less overweight when compared to their white counterparts. Among African American women, the effect of increased church attendance leads to perceptions of being overweight. Prayer is also a correlate of overweight perceptions but only among African American women. We close with a discussion that highlights key implications from our findings, note study limitations, and several promising avenues for future research

Expressions 1988

https://openspace.dmacc.edu/expressions/1031/thumbnail.jp