Important findings and recommendations on chemical use in aquaculture in Southeast Asia

Under the program of Fisheries Consultative Group of the ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) - SEAFDEC (Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center) Strategic Partnership Mechanism, a research project entitled “Food Safety of Aquaculture Products in Southeast Asia” was implemented by SEAFDEC/AQD (Aquaculture Department of SEAFDEC) from 2010 to 2014 with the financial support of the Government of Japan Trust Fund V (GOJ-TF5). The objectives of the project were to 1) contribute to the establishment of guidelines on the production of safe aquaculture products; 2) determine the presence and levels of commonly used chemicals in aquaculture in aquaculture products; 3) compile and disseminate SEAFDEC guidelines on the use of antibiotics and chemicals in aquaculture; and 4) implement training course/workshop to promote food safety awareness in the ASEAN region. Along with the said objectives, research activities, particularly focusing both on withdrawal periods of antibiotics often used in aquaculture and on surveillance of chemical contaminants in aquaculture products and feeds, were implemented (in 2010-2014). In addition, knowledge and technologies on food safety of aquaculture products were disseminated to local and national government staff, practitioners, stakeholders, etc. through an international seminar (in January 2011) and an international training course (in November 2013). Furthermore, AQD organized The International Workshop on Food Safety of Aquaculture Products in the Southeast Asia – Challenges in Sustaining the Food Safety of Aquaculture Products in May 2013 to promote and influence the regional initiatives in securing wholesome and safe aquaculture commodities in the ASEAN region. The publication of this volume consolidates the activities of the project which AQD has pursued during the period of the GOJ-TF5. Although the title of this volume does not include the word “guideline,” this volume surely includes and refers to the ASEAN guidelines recently published with the title of Guidelines for the Use of Chemicals in Aquaculture and Measures to Eliminate the Use of Harmful Chemicals courtesy of the ASEAN secretariat based on the understanding of the collaboration between ASEAN-SEAFDEC, as well as the basic and new findings of AQD scientists accomplished through the research activities, which were not covered by the ASEAN guidelines. Although the food safety of aquaculture products would be strictly required in the ASEAN region in the future, this volume will make a great contribution to the requirement

Survey of antibiotic and pesticide residues in aquaculture products in the Philippines

A survey in the Philippines in the early and mid-1990s (Lacierda et al.,2008) revealed that more than 100 chemicals and biological products are used in aquaculture production starting from pond preparation until harvest including chemicals for disease prevention and control. The survey comprises groups of chemicals and some are namely, soil and water conditioners, fertilizers, pesticides, probiotics and feed additives. A probable increase in the usage (volume) and number of chemicals throughout the years could be inferred since world aquaculture production and the number of species for culture also increased (Tacon & Metian, 2008). For health reasons of consumers and the safety regulations imposed by importing countries on aquaculture products, there is a pressing need to survey the chemicals used in aquaculture at present. In line with the promotion of food safety awareness in the region with regards to fish, the objective of this survey was to determine levels of commonly used antibiotics and pesticides in aquaculture that maybe present in aquaculture products such as fish and shrimps

Withdrawal periods of antibiotics, oxytetracycline, and oxolinic acid, in fish species cultured in the tropics

Food safety is one of the major concerns of products derived from aquaculture. Farm inputs, e.g. drugs and agrochemicals, introduced whether intentionally or unintentionally during culture, may contaminate and remain in the product and become a hazard to the consumers. Chemical hazards in aquaculture products, among them drugs used for the chemotherapy of bacterial infection in fish and other cultured aquatic animals present a negative impact in aquaculture. Fish farmers often result to this treatment in order to save their cultured stock when threatened with infection, although a general conception nowadays is the discouragement of its use, being considered only as the “last recourse.” Drugs, specifically antibiotics, have a long history of successful use in aquaculture (Alderman, 1980)

Evaluación de las fortalezas y debilidades del proceso educativo en centros de infantil, primaria y secundaria desde una perspectiva inclusiva

Este artículo presenta el estudio llevado a cabo en cinco centros educativos (cuatro de educación infantil y primaria y uno de educación secundaria) con el objetivo de evaluar, desde la perspectiva del profesorado de educación infantil, primaria y secundaria, las fortalezas y debilidades del proceso educativo para establecer propuestas de mejora educativa. El diseño de investigación utilizado fue cuantitativo no experimental de corte descriptivo incluyendo como variables influyentes en el proceso educativo la planificación y organización de la enseñanza, implicación activa del alumnado e interacción entre los alumnos, entre otras. Para la recogida de la información se utilizó el instrumento “Autoevaluación de Centros para la Atención a la Diversidad desde la Inclusión” (ACADI) en su dimensión C referida al Proceso Educativo, cumplimentado por 97 docentes de centros públicos de la Región de Murcia. Los resultados muestran que las principales fortalezas que encuentra el profesorado en su quehacer educativo son las referidas al respeto a los estilos de aprendizaje, planificación y organización de la enseñanza, implicación activa del alumnado en su propio aprendizaje, evaluación tolerante, organización de la acción tutorial, interacción entre los alumnos, y relaciones centro-contexto social. En cambio la atención a los ritmos de aprendizaje y a las características del alumnado son las que reciben las puntuaciones más bajas en todos los centros. Al comparar los resultados de los centros de infantil y primaria con el de secundaria, los docentes de infantil y primaria discrepan de forma significativa con los profesores de secundaria en la organización de la acción tutorial, mientras que en otros aspectos como diversidad metodológica, apoyo colaborativo, conocimiento de los objetivos y contenidos del curriculum por parte del alumnado, las discrepancias no son tan significativas.Educació

The ultracool dwarf DENIS-P J104814.7-395606. Chromospheres and coronae at the low-mass end of the main-sequence

We have obtained an XMM-Newton observation and a broad-band spectrum from the ultraviolet to the near infrared with X-Shooter for one of the nearest M9 dwarfs, DENIS-P J1048-3956 (4pc). We integrate these data by a compilation of activity parameters for ultracool dwarfs from the literature with the aim to advance our understanding of these objects by comparing them to early-M type dwarf stars and the Sun. Our deep XMM-Newton observation has led to the first X-ray detection of DENIS-P J1048-3956 (log Lx = 25.1) as well as the first measurement of its V band brightness (V = 17.35mag). Flux-flux relations between X-ray and chromospheric activity indicators are here for the first time extended into the regime of the ultracool dwarfs. The approximate agreement of DENIS-P J1048-3956 and other ultracool dwarfs with flux-flux relations for early-M dwarfs suggests that the same heating mechanisms work in the atmospheres of ultracool dwarfs, albeit weaker as judged from their lower fluxes. The observed Balmer decrements of DENIS-P J1048-3956 are compatible with optically thick plasma in LTE at low, nearly photospheric temperature or optically thin LTE plasma at 20000K. Describing the decrements with CaseB recombination requires different emitting regions for Halpha and the higher Balmer lines. The high observed Halpha/Hbeta flux ratio is also poorly fitted by the optically thin models. We derive a similarly high value for the Halpha/Hbeta ratio of vB10 and LHS2065 and conclude that this may be a characteristic of ultracool dwarfs. We add DENIS-P J1048-3956 to the list of ultracool dwarfs detected in both the radio and the X-ray band. The Benz-Guedel relation between radio and X-ray luminosity of late-type stars is well-known to be violated by ultracool dwarfs. We speculate on the presence of two types of ultracool dwarfs with distinct radio and X-ray behavior.Comment: accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Involvement of φ29 DNA polymerase thumb subdomain in the proper coordination of synthesis and degradation during DNA replication

φ29 DNA polymerase achieves a functional coupling between its 3′–5′ exonuclease and polymerization activities by means of important contacts with the DNA at both active sites. The placement and orientation of residues Lys538, Lys555, Lys557, Gln560, Thr571, Thr573 and Lys575 in a modelled φ29 DNA polymerase–DNA complex suggest a DNA-binding role. In addition, crystal structure of φ29 DNA polymerase–oligo (dT)(5) complex showed Leu567, placed at the tip of the thumb subdomain, lying between the two 3′-terminal bases at the exonuclease site. Single replacement of these φ29 DNA polymerase residues by alanine was made, and mutant derivatives were overproduced and purified to homogeneity. The results obtained in the assay of their synthetic and degradative activities, as well as their coordination, allow us to propose: (1) a primer-terminus stabilization role at the polymerase active site for residues Lys538, Thr573 and Lys575, (2) a primer-terminus stabilization role at the exonuclease active site for residues Leu567 and Lys555 and (3) a primer-terminus binding role in both editing and polymerization modes for residue Gln560. The results presented here lead us to propose φ29 DNA polymerase thumb as the main subdomain responsible for the coordination of polymerization and exonuclease activities

"La Araucana" y la “Nueva novela histórica”

In the present essay we assess the narratives of the conquest, and specifically La Araucana, in the light of Aínsa and Menton’s concept of the “New Historical Novel”. We show that this epic presents many features that characterize their definition. We conclude that if the genre of the historical novel starts from the common basis of the epic, La Araucana is the work that best reflects this transition; it no longer belongs exclusively to history or to the novel, but is one of the earliest historical novels of literature –if not the earliest– written in Spanish.En el presente ensayo, aplicamos los rasgos que Aínsa y Menton consideran que definen la “Nueva novela histórica” a los relatos de conquista, y concretamente, a La Araucana, para demostrar cómo dicha obra épica tiene muchas características comunes con la “Nueva novela histórica”. Concluimos que si, como se ha establecido, los géneros histórico y novelesco parten del tronco común de la epopeya, La Araucana es, de todas las epopeyas, la que determina ese salto, pues ya no pertenece exclusivamente ni a la historia ni a la novela, sino que puede ser considerada, si no la primera, como una de las primeras novelas históricas de la literatura escrita en español

Applications of infrared thermography in sports. A review

La termografía infrarroja (TI) registra el calor irradiado de un cuerpo, que es emitido en un rango del espectro electromagnético que la visión humana no es capaz de identificar. La respuesta térmica depende de una serie de ajustes fisiológicos específicos como la homeostasis corporal y salud del deportista, lo cual permite establecer interesantes aplicaciones en el deporte. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido revisar la literatura en torno a las aplicaciones de la TI en el ámbito del deporte, y proponer las características óptimas del registro en relación al evaluado, las condiciones ambientales y la cámara utilizada. Concluimos que la principal contribución de la TI en el ámbito del deporte es ayudar a identificar signos de lesión antes de que la lesión se produzca, permitiéndonos actuar de manera preventiva durante el proceso de entrenamientoInfrared thermography (IRT) records the radiant heat of a body, which is emitted in the range of the electromagnetic spectrum that human vision is not able to identify. The thermal response depends on a number of specific physiological adjustments as body homeostasis and athlete’s health, which allow us to establishing interesting applications in sport. The aim of this study was to review the literature on IRT applications in sports, and to propose the optimal characteristics of the register in terms of the subject, the environmental conditions and the camera used. We conclude that the main contribution of IRT in the field of sport is to help identify signs of injury before it occurs, allowing us to act proactively along the training proces