Diagnóstico y mejoramiento del Rastro municipal, Zacoalco de Torres.

Las propuestas de mejora a corto, mediano y largo plazo para el Rastro municipal de Zacoalco de Torres, es un proyecto que se desarrolló en el PAP San Pedro Valencia: Programa de Sustentabilidad Socioambiental para el Desarrollo Inclusivo en el cual identificamos una problemática que se centra en la contaminación del medio ambiente –suelo- a causa de la mala disposición de aguas residuales provenientes de procesos del Rastro Municipal. Esta mala gestión genera riesgos a la salud de viviendas aledañas por contaminación de agua potable y exposición a materia residual no tratada. Para poder proponer dichas propuestas de mejora fue necesario elaborar un diagnóstico/formulario en base a la normativa mexicana aplicable en los rastros municipales. De este modo se encontró un total de 22 Normas Oficiales Mexicanas, de las cuales solamente 5 involucran el manejo de las aguas residuales; Estas cinco normas son: NOM-008-ZOO-1994, NOM-009-ZOO-1994, NOM-194-SSA1-2004, NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, NOM-002-SEMARNAT-1996. De esta forma, una vez que se aplicó el diagnóstico/formulario al director del rastro, se logró identificar aquellas propuestas de mejora a corto, mediano y largo plazo para el rastro de Zacoalco de Torres. Asimismo, se buscó que en todo momento las propuestas fueran claras y de rápida aplicación involucrando tanto a directivos del rastro como al director de gestión y proyectos del agua potable en el municipio.ITESO, A.C

Regulatory Architecture of the Neuronal Cacng2/Tarpγ2 Gene Promoter: Multiple Repressive Domains, a Polymorphic Regulatory Short Tandem Repeat, and Bidirectional Organization with Co-regulated lncRNAs

CACNG2 (TARPγ2, Stargazin) is a multi-functional regulator of excitatory neurotransmission and has been implicated in the pathological processes of several brain diseases. Cacng2 function is dependent upon expression level, but currently, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that control expression of this gene. To address this deficit and investigate disease-related gene variants, we have cloned and characterized the rat Cacng2 promoter and have defined three major features: (i) multiple repressive domains that include an array of RE-1 silencing transcription factor (REST) elements, and a calcium regulatory element-binding factor (CaRF) element, (ii) a (poly-GA) short tandem repeat (STR), and (iii) bidirectional organization with expressed lncRNAs. Functional activity of the promoter was demonstrated in transfected neuronal cell lines (HT22 and PC12), but although selective removal of REST and CaRF domains was shown to enhance promoter-driven transcription, the enhanced Cacng2 promoter constructs were still about fivefold weaker than a comparable rat Synapsin-1 promoter sequence. Direct evidence of REST activity at the Cacng2 promoter was obtained through co-transfection with an established dominant-negative REST (DNR) construct. Investigation of the GA-repeat STR revealed polymorphism across both animal strains and species, and size variation was also observed in absence epilepsy disease model cohorts (Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats, Strasbourg [GAERS] and non-epileptic control [NEC] rats). These data provide evidence of a genotype (STR)-phenotype correlation that may be unique with respect to proximal gene regulatory sequence in the demonstrated absence of other promoter, or 3′ UTR variants in GAERS rats. However, although transcriptional regulatory activity of the STR was demonstrated in further transfection studies, we did not find a GAERS vs. NEC difference, indicating that this specific STR length variation may only be relevant in the context of other (Cacna1h and Kcnk9) gene variants in this disease model. Additional studies revealed further (bidirectional) complexity at the Cacng2 promoter, and we identified novel, co-regulated, antisense rat lncRNAs that are paired with Cacng2 mRNA. These studies have provided novel insights into the organization of a synaptic protein gene promoter, describing multiple repressive and modulatory domains that can mediate diverse regulatory inputs

Características de la canal y calidad instrumental de la carne en cabritos y corderos lechales

Meat from very young, milk-fed, small ruminants is an appreciated product in Mediterranean countries where milk is the main product derived from the herds. Nevertheless, many aspects of the quality of the products are virtually unknown for many goat breeds, especially among those that are reared for their meat. In this study, the quality from 50 animals from 5 local goat breeds (one dairy purpose and 4 meat purpose) and 19 lambs (from Churra, a dairy breed) was compared at commercial cold carcass weights of 4.4-6.6 kg. Carcass quality, ultimate pH and meat colour were assessed following standard procedures. Statistical differences (p<0.05) were found in all of the variables analysed. Some of these differences might have been due to the influence of the genotype, the dam's production potential, or differences in carcass weight and age, but most were species dependent. Lambs differed from the kids, especially from those of meat purpose breeds, due to their high proportion of bone (25.0 vs. 21.3 to 23.7%), and a more intense meat colour (higher hue: 29.2 vs. 23.4 to 28.7, and chroma: 14.6 vs. 12.1 to 14.6). Among the goat breeds, Murciano Granadina (dairy breed) and Blanca Celtibérica (meat breed) were the most different in terms of carcass morphology, fatness, and meat colour. The other three local meat-purpose goat breeds (Moncaína, Negra Serrana, and Pirenaica) differed little. To obtain a better understanding of goat species, the differences among breeds, in kids or in their most common products, require further studies.La carne de lechal es muy apreciada en los países mediterráneos, en los que la leche es una producción fundamental. Además, muchos aspectos de los productos de las razas caprinas locales son prácticamente desconocidos. En este estudio se analizó la calidad de 50 animales de 5 razas caprinas (una lechera y 4 de aptitud cárnica) y de 19 corderos (raza Churra de tipo lechero), a pesos comerciales de 4,4-6,6 kg de canal fría. Se evaluaron la calidad de la canal, el pH último y el color de la carne, siguiendo metodologías estandarizadas. Se encontraron diferencias significativas (p<0,05) en todas las variables analizadas. Algunas de estas diferencias se podrían justificar por diferencias raciales, potencial lechero de las madres o peso canal final, pero la mayor parte fueron debidas a la especie considerada. Los corderos fueron diferentes, especialmente de los cabritos de razas con orientación predominantemente cárnica, en la proporción de hueso (25,0 vs. 21,3-23,7%) y color de carne más intenso (superiores valores de tono: 29,2 vs. 23,4-28,7 y saturación: 14,6 vs. 12,1-14,6). Entre las razas caprinas, la Murciano Granadina (raza de aptitud lechera) y la Blanca Celtibérica (raza cárnica) fueron las más diferentes en morfología de la canal, engrasamiento y color de carne. Las otras tres razas de aptitud cárnica (Moncaína, Negra Serrana y Pirenaica) fueron poco diferentes entre sí. Para conocer mejor a la especie caprina, las diferencias entre razas y la calidad de sus productos, son necesarios una mayor cantidad de estudios

Reproductive biology of little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus (Rafinesque, 1810) in the southwest Gulf of Mexico

The aim of this study was to describe the reproductive dynamic of Euthynnus alletteratus in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. The annual variation of the volume fraction occupied by gametes and tissues in gonads were related with main body indexes, such as the gonadosomatic index (IG), the hepatosomatic index (IH), and the nutrition index (IN), and compared with the sea surface temperature. A total of 951 E. alletteratus individuals were sampled, where a sex ratio of 1:1 and a size interval strongly skewed towards organisms with a fork length (LF) of 36–40 cm were observed. The IG showed an increase from March to September with maximum values in April and July. Two clearly defined peaks were observed, and they were consistent with the histological analysis, where the percentage of ripe gametes predominated from April to September. The optimum thermal window for reproductive activity was from 24 to 28 C. The size of first sex maturity was 34.35 cm of LF for males and 34.60 (LF) for females, without significant difference between sexes

Reproductive biology of little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus (Rafinesque, 1810) in the southwest Gulf of Mexico

The aim of this study was to describe the reproductive dynamic of Euthynnus alletteratus in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. The annual variation of the volume fraction occupied by gametes and tissues in gonads were related with main body indexes, such as the gonadosomatic index (IG), the hepatosomatic index (IH), and the nutrition index (IN), and compared with the sea surface temperature. A total of 951 E. alletteratus individuals were sampled, where a sex ratio of 1:1 and a size interval strongly skewed towards organisms with a fork length (LF) of 36–40 cm were observed. The IG showed an increase from March to September with maximum values in April and July. Two clearly defined peaks were observed, and they were consistent with the histological analysis, where the percentage of ripe gametes predominated from April to September. The optimum thermal window for reproductive activity was from 24 to 28 C. The size of first sex maturity was 34.35 cm of LF for males and 34.60 (LF) for females, without significant difference between sexes

Assessing the Speciation of <i>Lutjanus campechanus</i> and <i>Lutjanus purpureus</i> through Otolith Shape and Genetic Analyses

Based on their morphological and genetic similarity, several studies have proposed that Lutjanus campechanus and Lutjanus purpureus are the same species, but there is no confirmed consensus yet. A population-based study concerning otolith shape and genetic analyses was used to evaluate if L. campechanus and L. purpureus are the same species. Samples were collected from populations in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico and the Venezuelan Caribbean. Otolith shape was evaluated by traditional and outline-based geometric morphometrics. Genetic characterization was performed by sequencing the mtDNA control region and intron 8 of the nuclear gene FASD2. The otolith shape analysis did not indicate differences between species. A nested PERMANOVA identified differences in otolith shape for the nested population factor (fishing area) in morphometrics and shape indexes (p = 0.001) and otolith contour (WLT4 anterior zone, p = 0.005 and WLT4 posterodorsal zone, p = 0.002). An AMOVA found the genetic variation between geographic regions to be 10%, while intrapopulation variation was 90%. Network analysis identified an important connection between haplotypes from different regions. A phylogenetic analysis identified a monophyletic group formed by L. campechanus and L. purpureus, suggesting insufficient evolutionary distances between them. Both otolith shape and molecular analyses identified differences, not between the L. campechanus and L. purpureus species, but among their populations, suggesting that western Atlantic red snappers are experiencing a speciation process