Restoration of Acipenser sturio L., 1758 in Germany: Growth characteristics of juvenile fish reared under experimental indoor conditions

The survival of the highly endangered Acipenser sturio L., 1758 depends nearly exclusively upon the establishment of captive broodstocks. Such measures were initiated in Germany in 1996, due to a transfer of 40 artificially reproduced individuals from France under a co-operation agreement. We report the results of rearing these fish for a period of 3 years under freshwater conditions. During the first year the fish being exclusively fed frozen chironomid larvae (N = 40) grew from a median of 27 cm (with range of 23-31 cm), averaging 71 g (42-112 g), to 43 cm (38-51 cm) and 280 g (168-505 g) at a mean temperature of 20 °C (13-27 °C). Following their transfer to larger tanks (approx. 5 m³) at a mean temperature of 21 °C (17-24 °C), the fish (N = 27) reached a length of 68 cm (56-76 cm), averaging 1 281 g (512-2 097 g) at the end of the second year. Decreasing growth and increasing food conversion rates (FCR) during the first four months of the third year made us change the food composition (addition of large chironomids, krill and small marine fish). An increase in growth and a decrease in FCR was observed over the next four months resulting in a median length of 76 cm (58-89 cm), with a weight of 1 827 g (855-3 462 g) at the end of the third year (N = 27). Our fish showed rather large differences in growth, with some individuals reaching the maximum weight gain observed in wild fish, thus indicating the potential to optimise results by future testing involving additional natural food items in order to develop a formulated diet to stimulate early sexual maturation.La supervivencia del altamente amenazado Acipenser sturio L., 1758 depende casi exclusivamente del establecimiento de stocks de cría en cautividad. Tales medidas fueron iniciadas en Alemania en 1996, gracias a la transferencia desde Francia bajo un convenio de cooperación de 40 individuos reproducidos artificialmente. Presentamos los resultados de la cría de estos peces por un periodo de tres años en condiciones dulceacuícolas. Durante el primer año los peces (N = 40) siendo alimentados exclusivamente con larvas congeladas de quironómidos crecieron desde una media de 27 cm (con rango de 23-31 cm), promediando 71 g (42-112 g), a 43 cm (38-51) y 280 g (168-505 g) a una temperatura media de 20 °C (13-27 °C). A continuación de su traslado a tanques más grandes (de aproximadamente 5 m³) a una temperatura media de 21 °C (17-24 °C), los peces (N = 27) alcanzaron una longitud de 68 cm (56-76 cm), promediando 1 281 g (521-2 097 g) al final del segundo año. La disminución del crecimiento y el incremento de las tasas de con versión de alimento (TCA) durante los primeros cuatro meses del tercer año nos hicieron cambiar la composición del alimento (adición de quironómidos de gran tamaño, krill y pequeños peces marinos). Un incremento en el crecimiento y una disminución de las TCA fueron observados durante los cuatro meses siguientes resultando una longitud media de 76 cm (58-89 cm), con un peso de 1 827 g (855-3 462 g) al final del tercer año (N = 27). Nuestros peces mostraron numerosas diferencias en crecimiento, con algunos individuos alcanzando la mayor ganancia en peso observada en peces silvestres, indicando así el potencial para optimizar resultados por futuras pruebas que incluyan alimentos naturales adicionales en orden a evaluar una dieta formulada para estimular la maduración sexual temprana.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Local Detection of Quantum Correlations with a Single Trapped Ion

As one of the most striking features of quantum mechanics, quantum correlations are at the heart of quantum information science. Detection of correlations usually requires access to all the correlated subsystems. However, in many realistic scenarios this is not feasible since only some of the subsystems can be controlled and measured. Such cases can be treated as open quantum systems interacting with an inaccessible environment. Initial system-environment correlations play a fundamental role for the dynamics of open quantum systems. Following a recent proposal, we exploit the impact of the correlations on the open-system dynamics to detect system-environment quantum correlations without accessing the environment. We use two degrees of freedom of a trapped ion to model an open system and its environment. The present method does not require any assumptions about the environment, the interaction or the initial state and therefore provides a versatile tool for the study of quantum systems.Comment: 6 Pages, 5 Figures + 6 Pages, 1 Figure of Supplementary Materia

The genetic contribution of the NO system at the glutamatergic post-synapse to schizophrenia : further evidence and meta-analysis

NO is a pleiotropic signaling molecule and has an important role in cognition and emotion. In the brain, NO is produced by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS-I, encoded by NOS1) coupled to the NMDA receptor via PDZ. interactions; this protein-protein interaction is disrupted upon binding of NOS1 adapter protein (encoded by NOS1AP) to NOS-I. As both NOS1 and NOS1AP were associated with schizophrenia, we here investigated these genes in greater detail by genotyping new samples and conducting a meta-analysis of our own and published data. In doing so, we confirmed association of both genes with schizophrenia and found evidence for their interaction in increasing risk towards disease. Our strongest finding was the NOS1 promoter SNP rs41279104, yielding an odds ratio of 1.29 in the meta-analysis. As findings from heterologous cell systems have suggested that the risk allele decreases gene expression, we studied the effect of the variant on NOS1 expression in human post-mortem brain samples and found that the risk allele significantly decreases expression of NOS1 in the prefrontal cortex. Bioinformatic analyses suggest that this might be due the replacement of six transcription factor binding sites by two new binding sites as a consequence of proxy SNPs. Taken together, our data argue that genetic variance in NOS1 resulting in lower prefrontal brain expression of this gene contributes to schizophrenia liability, and that NOS1 interacts with NOS1AP in doing so. The NOS1-NOS1AP PDZ interface may thus well constitute a novel target for small molecules in at least some forms of schizophrenia. PostprintPeer reviewe

Can Galactic Observations Be Explained by a Relativistic Gravity Theory?

We consider the possibility of an alternative gravity theory explaining the dynamics of galactic systems without dark matter. From very general assumptions about the structure of a relativistic gravity theory we derive a general expression for the metric to order $(v/c)^2$. This allows us to compare the predictions of the theory with various experimental data: the Newtonian limit, light deflection and retardation, rotation of galaxies and gravitational lensing. Our general conclusion is that the possibility for any gravity theory to explain the behaviour of galaxies without dark matter is rather improbable.Comment: 12p, REVTeX 3.

Mjerenje ravnosti dugačkih strojnih vodilica

This paper shows the guideway types of large machines and describes problems with their straightness measurement. A short description of straightness measurement methods and the results of investigation in straightness of 10 meter long guideways of a CNC machine by means of the XL-10 Renishaw interferometer are also presented.Rad prikazuje tipove vodilica velikih strojeva i opisuje probleme mjerenja njihove ravnosti. Dat je također i opis metoda mjerenja ravnosti, te rezultati ispitivanja ravnosti 10 metarskih vodilica CNC stroja pomoću XJ-10 Renishawovog interferometra

Elevated aluminium concentration in acidified headwater streams lowers aquatic hyphomycete diversity and impairs leaf-litter breakdown.

Aquatic hyphomycetes play an essential role in the decomposition of allochthonous organic matter which is a fundamental process driving the functioning of forested headwater streams. We studied the effect of anthropogenic acidification on aquatic hyphomycetes associated with decaying leaves of Fagus sylvatica in six forested headwater streams (pH range, 4.3-7.1). Non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed marked differences in aquatic hyphomycete assemblages between acidified and reference streams. We found strong relationships between aquatic hyphomycete richness and mean Al concentration (r = -0.998, p < 0.0001) and mean pH (r = 0.962, p < 0.002), meaning that fungal diversity was severely depleted in acidified streams. By contrast, mean fungal biomass was not related to acidity. Leaf breakdown rate was drastically reduced under acidic conditions raising the issue of whether the functioning of headwater ecosystems could be impaired by a loss of aquatic hyphomycete species

Effects of zinc on leaf decomposition by fungi in streams : studies in microcosms

The effect of zinc on leaf decomposition by aquatic fungi was studied in microcosms. Alder leaf disks were precolonized for 15 days at the source of the Este River, and exposed to different zinc concentrations during 25 days. Leaf mass loss, fungal biomass (based on ergosterol concentration), fungal production (rates of [1-14C]acetate incorporation into ergosterol), sporulation rates and species richness of aquatic hyphomycetes were determined. At the source of the Este River decomposition of alder leaves was fast and 50% of the initial mass was lost in 25 days. A total of 18 aquatic hyphomycete species were recorded during 42 days of leaf immersion. Articulospora tetracladia was the dominant species, followed by Lunulospora curvula and two unidentified species with sigmoid conidia. Cluster analysis suggested that zinc concentration and exposure time affected the structure of aquatic hyphomycete assemblages, even though richness had not been severely affected. Both zinc concentration and exposure time significantly affected leaf mass loss, fungal production and sporulation, but not fungal biomass. Zinc exposure reduced leaf mass loss, inhibited fungal production and affected fungal reproduction by either stimulating or inhibiting sporulation rates. The results of this work suggested zinc pollution might depress leaf decomposition in streams due to changes in the structure and activity of aquatic fungi.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) – Programa Operacional “Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação” (POCTI) - POCTI/34024/BSE/2000