Diversity of plantonic fish larvae along a latitudinal gradient in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean estimated through DNA barcodes

Mid-trophic pelagic fish are essential components of marine ecosystems because they represent the link between plankton and higher predators. Moreover, they are the basis of the most important fisheries resources; for example, in African waters. In this study, we have sampled pelagic fish larvae in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean along a latitudinal gradient between 37°N and 2°S. We have employed Bongo nets for plankton sampling and sorted visually fish and fish larvae. Using the cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) as a DNA barcode, we have identified 44 OTUs down to species level that correspond to 14 families, with Myctophidae being the most abundant. A few species were cosmopolitan and others latitude-specific, as was expected. The latitudinal pattern of diversity did not exhibit a temperate-tropical cline; instead, it was likely correlated with environmental conditions with a decline in low-oxygen zones. Importantly, gaps and inconsistencies in reference DNA databases impeded accurate identification to the species level of 49% of the individuals. Fish sampled from tropical latitudes and some orders, such as Perciformes, Myctophiformes and Stomiiformes, were largely unidentified due to incomplete references. Some larvae were identified based on morphology and COI analysis for comparing time and costs employed from each methodology. These results suggest the need of reinforcing DNA barcoding reference datasets of Atlantic bathypelagic tropical fish that, as main prey of top predators, are crucial for ecosystem-based management of fisheries resources

Influence of starvation on the critical swimming behaviour of the Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) and its relationship with RNA/DNA ratios during ontogeny

Food availability can affect larval survival directly through starvation and indirectly through the effects on larval growth rate, swimming performance and vulnerability to predators. In the present study we evaluate the effects of starvation on growth, nutritional condition and swimming behaviour of the Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) throughout ontogeny (8 to 14 days after hatching). Biochemical analysis (RNA/DNA ratios) and behavioural experiments (critical swimming speed, Ucrit) were conducted on larvae reared under 3 feeding treatments: fed ad libitum, deprived of food for 48 hours and deprived of food for 96 hours. Growth was significantly affected by feeding treatment, while only slight decreases in RNA/DNA ratio and swimming performance were registered. Late stage larvae of the three feeding treatments had slower critical speeds than the pre-flexion and flexion stages, which is probably related to the benthic lifestyle acquired by the species at the end of the larval period. These physiological and behavioural changes are in accordance with previous results, which show that flatfish larvae are more resistant to starvation than pelagic species and that they become less active later in development

Estudi de les característiques dels tumors vesicals primaris en funció de la simptomatologia i de la demora en el tractament

L'alta incidència dels tumors vesicals primaris no infiltrants de la muscular pròpia (TNIMP) en el nostre medi fa que moltes vegades es dilati el temps entre el moment de la consulta i el de la intervenció. Volem analitzar si el motiu de consulta i la demora en el tractament influeixen en les característiques d'aquests tumor

Urine sample preparation protocol standarization for selected reaction monitoring (SRM) bases assay

Comunicaciones a congreso

Adenocarcinoma intestinal a colocistoplàsia d'augment

Descrivim el cas d'un pacient que desenvolupà un adenocarcinoma intestinal sobre una colocistoplàstia d'augment portada a terme 29 anys abans per tuberculosi vesical. Es practica una revisió d'aquests tipus de tumors a la literatur

Influencia de la densidad de la masa adulta y el tratamiento del suelo sobre la regeneración del pino laricio (Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. Salzmannii) en España

Satisfactory results relating to the natural regeneration of the Spanish black pine (Pinus nigra Arn ssp. salzmannii) is generally difficult to achieve. The natural regeneration of this pine was studied comparing two types of soil treatment and various overstory densities in six experimental forests. These studies were conducted from 1999 to 2002 and seed rain and germination, as well as seedling survival were observed in a number of specific plots: Brushing, scalping and control plots. In addition various overstory densities were used (measured as base area (square m/ha). Soil and air temperature together with soil moisture were continuously recorded throughout this summer period. The results showed that seed germination was higher in plots using the scalping technique, as opposed to the brushed or controlled plots. The best seedling survival percentage was found in scalped plots together with a larger basal area. It was also found that seedling survival was lower during the first year than during the second one. The results have practical implications for management of Spanish black pine forests as well as valuable information which could improve the conditions for regeneration.Generalmente es difícil conseguir una regeneración natural satisfactoria del pino laricio (Pinus nigra Arn ssp. salzmannii). Esta ha sido estudiada en dos tipos de tratamiento del suelo y bajo diferentes rangos de densidad de masa en seis montes de la Provincia de Cuenca. Entre 1999 y 2000 se ha seguido la lluvia de semillas, germinación y supervivencia de plántulas en las parcelas en las que se realizaron los tratamientos de suelo y bajo diferentes rangos de densidad de masa adulta, medida como área basimétrica (m cuadrados/ha). La temperatura del suelo y aire y la humedad del suelo han sido registradas durante el verano y para las dos primeras épocas de crecimiento de las plántulas. En las zonas decapadas la germinación fue superior a la encontrada en las zonas desbrozadas o testigo. El mejor porcentaje de supervivencia se calculó para las zonas decapadas en combinación con el mayor nivel de área basimétrica medido. La mortalidad de plántulas fue superior durante el primer periodo de crecimiento. Los resultados tienen implicaciones prácticas especialmente en lo relativo a una gestión forestal que mejore las condiciones para la regeneración natural de los bosques de pino laricio

Estudi de la recidiva a la primera cistoscòpia dels tumors vesicals superficials primaris en funció del grup de risc

Els tumors vesicals superficials presenten un alt índex de recidiva, essent la recidiva als 3 mesos un factor demostrat de progressió a tumor infiltrant. Per tal d'evitar aquesta recurrència precoç es porten a terme diferents pautes de tractament adjuvan

Pieloplàstia oberta vs. laparoscòpia: revisió de la nostra sèrie

Si bé la pieloplàstia ha estat des de sempre el tractament d'elecció al nostre centre per l'estenosi pieloureteral, des de fa 4 anys hem optat per l'abordatge laparoscòpic a l'hora de portar a terme aquesta tècnica. Volem comparar el resultat tant clínic com funcional de les pieloplàsties obertes (PO) i laparoscòpiques (PL) portades a terme al nostre centre durant els darrers 8 any

An estimate of the total catch in the Spanish Mediterranean Sea and Gulf of Cadiz regions (1950-2010)

The underestimation of fisheries removals is a global issue that spans countries from different continents and different socio-economic situations. Underestimation of catches is especially important in countries where fishing fleets are highly diversified, the enforcement of fishing management is low, data availability is poor, and there is high demand for fish products in local markets. This is the case for Mediterranean countries. Here, we estimated total removals of marine resources by Spain from 1950 to 2010 for the Spanish Mediterranean Sea and Gulf of Cadiz regions following a catch-reconstruction approach. We first collected information from scientific publications, grey literature and secondary sources of information (i.e., personal communications, interviews with managers and fishers) to complement officially reported catch data, which are publicly available from FAO databases and from national and regional statistics. A literature search and fishers interviews provided assessments of missing catch sectors that are time-point estimates. These were used as anchor points of reliable data upon which we then estimated total catch using interpolation to fill in the periods for which quantitative data were missing. Overall, the reconstructed catch was 70% larger than the nationally reported data for the same time period. Results illustrated that unreported removals and discards represent important portions of total removals in the study area. Unreported landings and discards accounted for, on average, 42% of total removals between 1950s and 2010, and were composed of black market sales, subsistence fishing, artisanal fishing, recreational fishing and illegal catch, in addition to discarding. By the late 2000s, recreational fishing was the most important sector for unreported landings (~36%), followed by black market sales (~32%), subsistence fishing (~17%), unreported artisanal fishing (~12%) and illegal catch (~2%). While FAO landings data showed an increase of landings from 1950 to the mid-1960s and a decline from the mid-1970s to 2010, a different trend emerged after accounting for all fisheries removals. Reconstructed total catches revealed an earlier maximum of total removals in the late 1950s, a plateau being reached during the 1960s and 1970s, and a decline from the early 1980s to 2010. Our estimates of total fisheries catches represent an improvement over official catch data, and suggest a different historical trend of marine resource use

Strandings of cetaceans and sea turtles in the Alboran Sea and Strait of Gibraltar: a long-term glimpse at the north coast (Spain) and the south coast (Morocco)

., 2011. Strandings of cetaceans and sea turtles in the Alboran Sea and Strait of Gibraltar: a long-time glimpse of the north coast (Spain) and the south coast (Morocco). Animal Biodiversity and Conservation, 34.1: 151-163. Abstract Strandings of cetaceans and sea turtles in the Alboran Sea and Strait of Gibraltar: a long-term glimpse at the north coast (Spain) and the south coast (Morocco) .-A total of 13 species of cetaceans and three species of marine turtles were found in this study. Data were collected by eight independent and self-regulated stranding networks, providing information about 1,198 marine mammal (10 odontocetii, three mysticetii and one phocidae) and 574 sea turtle stranding events between 1991 and 2008. Trends in the strandings were analysed in relation to species composition and abundance, and their geographic and seasonal distribution. The most abundant species recorded were the striped dolphin and the loggerhead turtle. Some of the strandings, such as the humpback whale, harbour porpoise, hooded seal and olive ridley turtle, were considered 'rare' because their distribution did not match the pattern of the study. When the north and south coasts in the study area were compared, pilot whales stranded more frequently in the north, while delphinid species stranded more in the south coast, and loggerhead turtles stranded more frequently in the north while leatherback turtles stranded more in south coast. Key words: Strandings, South-western Mediterranean, Distribution, Marine turtle, Cetacean, Conservation. Resumen Varamientos de cetáceos y tortugas marinas en el mar de Alborán y el Estrecho de Gibraltar: un vistazo a largo plazo de la costa norte (España) y la costa sur (Marruecos) .-En este estudio se registraron un total de 13 especies de cetáceos y tres especies de tortugas marinas, proviniendo los datos de redes de voluntarios que prestan asistencia en los varamientos. Se recogió información de 1.198 mamiferos marinos (10 odontocetos, tres misticetos y un fócido) y 574 tortugas marinas entre los años 1991 y 2008. Se analizaron las tendencias de los varamientos en relación a la composición de especies, su abundancia y su distribución geográfica y estacional. Las especies más comunes fueron el delfín común y la tortuga boba. Algunos de los varamientos, como la ballena jorobada, la marsopa común, la foca de casco o la tortuga olivácea, pueden considerarse "anómalos" puesto que su distribución se escapa a los patrones del estudio. Comparando la costa norte del área de estudio con la sur, los calderones y tortugas bobas vararon con mayor frecuencia en la costa norte, mientras que las especies de delfines y las tortugas laúd vararon con mayor frecuencia en la costa sur