Biological and physiological condition of juvenile California halibut (Paralichthys californicus) exposed to a contamination gradient in Mission Bay, CA

Contaminated sediments in marine environments have been shown to be good indicators of ecological risk and a means to assess anthropogenic impacts on marine habitats and the animals that inhabit them (Long et al. 1995, Rattner 2009). Estuarine sediments are especially complex media with regard to physical, chemical, and biological characteristics that trap, store, modify and sometimes release contaminants to the biota (Long et al. 1995). Especially vulnerable are animals that are in constant contact with the sediments, such as flatfishes that partially bury themselves for camouflage (Costa et al. 2011). Impacts can be assessed in a number of ways, one of which involves measuring biomarkers, changes in biological responses ranging from molecular through cellular and physiological responses to behavioral modifications that can be related to the magnitude and duration of exposure (van der Oost et al. 2003). Examining the effects of contaminants on fishes in complex environments requires using multiple biomarkers, which is why a preferred method in areas with sublethal concentrations of contaminants is to use a combined biomarker index to quantify impacts (Sole et al. 2010, Pereira et al. 2010a, b). Juvenile California halibut (Paralichthys californicus) use bays and estuaries as nursery habitats during their first year of life (Forrester and Swearer 2002, Fodrie and Mendoza 2006, Fodrie and Herzka 2013). Studies of young halibut show that they prefer shallow areas with fine sediments and gradually move into deeper, sandier habitats as they grow (Fodrie and Herzka 2008, Lopez-Rasgado and Herzka 2009). In Mission Bay, San Diego, higher concentrations of multiple inorganic and organic contaminants have been found in the back bay (which is shallow with fine sediment and receives input from storm water outfalls) and in boat basins, although not at levels that are acutely fatal to juvenile halibut (Stransky 1999). Some contaminants of interest in Mission Bay are heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn) and compounds associated with anthropogenic inputs, like petroleum hydrocarbons, pesticides and other organic contaminants that have the potential to bioaccumulate. The purpose of this project was to compare contaminant concentrations in sediments to liver, kidney and gill biomarkers in juvenile California halibut caught in different parts of Mission Bay to examine relationships between the distribution of contaminants in Mission Bay and physiological condition of juvenile halibut

Sensory emphasis on pork quality related to the diet content of fermentable fibre-rich feedstuffs (chicory and lupine) with special emphasis on the effect on boar taint

Boar taint in entire male pork is caused by skatole and andros-tenone and other compounds such as indole. However, female pigs also pro-duce skatole and indole. The purpose was to minimise boar taint related to skatole by feeding entire male and female pigs with fibre-rich feedstuffs. An organic, 10% dried chicory or 25% lupine diet was applied for either 7 or 14 days before slaughter. Lupines significantly reduced skatole in backfat for both genders whilst chicory showed no significant differences in this re-spect. From a sensory perspective, chicory and lupine reduced boar taint since odour and flavour of manure related to skatole and urine associated to androstenone were minimised. The level of boar taint in the entire male pigs was mainly reduced after 14 days by both chicory and lupine while the “boar” taint in female pigs was mainly reduced by lupine

Braid Yorkshire: The Language of Myth?

Examines the use of Yorkshire dialect in The Secret Garden, as well as the imagery of gardens, mothers, food, and nature

Machen\u27s Hallows

Discusses one of Machen’s rare stories that deal with “the good supernatural”— in this case, the Grail. Sees parallels between this story and works of Lewis and Williams (especially War in Heaven)

A Mythcon Farewell

Founders note: This song was first sung at the 1994 Conference, and has been sung again at the 1995 and 1996 Conferences. It seems it is now part of the Society\u27s colletion of songs sung at the closing session, along with The Baby and the Bird and The Chorea Magna

Effect of feeding fermentable fibrerich feedstuffs on meat quality with emphasis on chemical and sensory boar taint in entire male and female pigs

Skatole, androstenone and other compounds such as indole cause boar taint in entire male pork. However, female pigs also produce skatole and indole. The purpose of this experiment was to minimise boar taint and increase overall impression of sensory quality by feeding entire male and female pigs with fibrerich feedstuffs. The pigs have been fed three organic diets for either 1 or 2 weeks prior to slaughter of which two diets contained different fermentable fibre-rich feedstuffs – 10–13.3% dried chicory roots or 25% blue lupines. These two treatments were compared with pigs fed with an organic control diet for either 1 or 2 weeks prior to slaughter. Lupines significantly reduced skatole in blood and backfat for both genders after 1 week. Moreover, lupines showed negative impact on growth rate and feed conversion whilst chicory showed no significant differences in this respect. However, the indole concentration was significantly lower in chicory than lupine fed pigs. From a sensory perspective, chicory and lupine feeding reduced boar taint since odour and flavour of manure related to skatole and urine associated to androstenone were minimised. The level of boar taint in the entire male pigs was most effectively reduced after 14 days by both fibre-rich feeds while lupine had the largest influence on ‘‘boar” taint reduction in female pigs

Aggregation of Fine Particles at the Sediment-Water Interface

The presence of a bottom sediment layer agitated by mechanical stirring or by resident organisma (tubificid oligochaetes) significantly increases the rate at which fine (1 µm) cohesive particles are removed from suspension in laboratory columns. Measured rates of particle removal are equivalent to deposition velocities ranging from 0.23 m per day to 0.41 m per day. These rates are an order of magnitude faster than deposition by gravitational settling or coagulation with larger particles in the water column as observed in experimental controls. It is hypothesized that the increased removal rate is the result of aggregation in a sediment layer at the bed-water interface characterized by loosely bound (fluffy), porous material hydrodynamically coupled to the water column. According to this hypothesis particle removal occurs when motion of the overlying water or organism activity causes suspended fine particles to collide with and stick to the interfacial sediment. This new hypothesis is supported by the mass and size distribution of tracer particles recovered in cores and sediment traps at a coastal site and by theoretical estimates of interfacial aggregation rates.This work was supported by EPA grant CR-81181-01-01, by the MIT Sea Grant College Program, under NOAA Grant NA86AA-D-SG089, and by a postgraduate scholarship awarded to the second author by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/92JC0182