Global status of groundfish stocks

We review the status of groundfish stocks using published scientific assessments for 349 individual stocks constituting 90% of global groundfish catch. Overall, average stock abundance is increasing and is currently above the level that would produce maximum sustainable yield (MSY). Fishing pressure for cod-like fishes (Gadiformes) and flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes) was, for several decades, on average well above levels associated with MSY, but is now at or below the level expected to produce MSY. In contrast, fishing pressure for rockfishes (Scorpaeniformes) decreased from near MSY-related levels in the mid-1990s, and since the mid-2000s has remained on average at only one third of MSY-related levels. Regions with the most depressed groundfish stocks are the Northwest Atlantic and the Pacific coast of South America, while stocks from the Northeast and Eastern Central Pacific, Northeast Atlantic, Southeast Atlantic and Southwest Pacific tend to have greatest average abundance relative to MSY-based reference points. In the most recent year available for each stock, the catch was only 61% of MSY. Equilibrium yield curves indicate that 76% of global potential groundfish yield could be achieved using current estimates of fishing pressure. 15% of this is lost by excess fishing pressure, 67% results from lower than optimal fishing pressure on healthy stocks and 18% is lost from stocks currently overfished but rebuilding. Thus, there is modest opportunity to increase catch of global groundfish fisheries by reducing overfishing on some stocks, but more by increasing harvest on others. However, there may be other reasons not to fully exploit these stocks.Fil: Hilborn, Ray. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Hively, Daniel J.. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Baker Loke, Nicole. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: de Moor, Carryn L.. University Of Cape Town; SudáfricaFil: Kurota, Hiroyuki. Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency; JapónFil: Kathena, Johannes N.. Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources; NamibiaFil: Mace, Pamela M.. Ministry for Primary Industries; Nueva ZelandaFil: Minto, Cóilín. Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; IrlandaFil: Parma, Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Quiroz, Juan-Carlos. Instituto de Fomento Pesquero; ChileFil: Melnychuk, Michael C.. University of Washington; Estados Unido

The Rotterdam Study: 2010 objectives and design update

The Rotterdam Study is a prospective cohort study ongoing since 1990 in the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The study targets cardiovascular, endocrine, hepatic, neurological, ophthalmic, psychiatric and respiratory diseases. As of 2008, 14,926 subjects aged 45 years or over comprise the Rotterdam Study cohort. The findings of the Rotterdam Study have been presented in close to a 1,000 research articles and reports (see www.epib.nl/rotterdamstudy). This article gives the rationale of the study and its design. It also presents a summary of the major findings and an update of the objectives and methods

Adsorption of C2-C8 n-alkanes in zeolites

Adsorption of n-alkanes has been studied in the industrially relevant zeolites H-FAU, H-BEA, H-MOR, and H-ZSM-5 combining QM-Pot(MP2//B3LYP) with statistical thermodynamics calculations and assuming a mobile adsorbate. In H-ZSM-5, adsorption at the intersection site with the hydrocarbon chain extending in the straight channel (SC+I) as well as in the zigzag channel (ZC+I) has been studied. In addition, differential heats of adsorption and adsorption isotherms at temperatures from 301 to 400 K of all C3-C6 n-alkane in H-ZSM-5 have been measured simultaneously via calorimetry and gravimetry. Calculated adsorption enthalpies are independent of temperature and are virtually identical to the adsorption energies. The adsorption strength increases in the order H-FAU < H-BEA < H-MOR < H-ZSM-5 (SC+I) < H-ZSM-5 (ZC+I) and varies linearly with the carbon number. As compared to experimental values, the calculated adsorption strength is overestimated by some 2 kJ mol(-1)/CH2 in FAU up to some 4 kJ mol(-1)/CH2 in H-ZSM-5 suggesting that the QM-Pot(MP2//B3LYP) calculations overestimate van der Waals stabilizing interactions and a correction term has been proposed. Adsorption entropy losses are independent of temperature and increase in the order H-FAU < H-BEA < H-MOR < H-ZSM-5 (SC+I) < H-ZSM-5 (ZC+I), according to the pore size of the zeolites. The calculated adsorption entropies agree nicely with available experimental results in all zeolites. QM-Pot(MP2//B3LYP) calculated adsorption equilibrium coefficients (using the corrected adsorption enthalpies) correspond relatively well to experimentally determined values. Comparison of relative turnover frequencies with relative adsorption equilibrium coefficients indicates that the variation of the equilibrium coefficient with the carbon number or with the zeolite can only partly explain the observed reactivity differences in monomolecular cracking of n-alkanes. In agreement with experimental observations, our results indicate that the difference in reactivity of the n-alkanes for monomolecular cracking in a given zeolite mainly originates from a difference in intrinsic monomolecular cracking rate coefficients