Ontogeny of digestive enzymatic capacities in juvenile seahorses Hippocampus guttulatus fed on different live diets

12 páginas, 2 tablas, 3 figurasDifferences in survival and growth rates in seahorse Hippocampus guttulatus juveniles feeding on Artemia sp. or copepods have been related to specific digestive capacities of seahorse newborn, which are capable of actively forage on available prey from the first day of live. Other seahorse species, such as H. abdominalis and H. hippocampus, show high success feeding on Artemia nauplii suggesting species-specific differences in the digestibility of prey among seahorses. In this study, the profiles of digestive enzyme activity during the initial 15 days after release (DAR) were very low for trypsin, chitinase and α-amylase. In contrast, higher activities towards any of the assayed substrates for lipase (butyrate, octanoate and oleate) were evident from 0 DAR onwards. From 15 DAR onwards, the effect of diet composition became evident in juveniles previously fed on a mixed diet (Artemia + copepods), which showed a clear increase in all the assayed enzymes when compared with juveniles fed on Artemia as a sole prey. As a practical applicability of this study, a feeding schedule ensuring an adequate digestibility of the prey is proposed based on ontogenetic enzymatic activities of seahorse juveniles fed on different preyThe study was financed by the Spanish Government (Plan Nacional, Project CGL2009-08386) and the Regional Government of Galicia (Xunta de Galicia, Project 09MDS022402PR). A. Blanco was supported by PhD JAE-Pre grants (Junta para la Ampliación de Estudios Program) from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), co-financed by the European Social FundPeer reviewe

Evaluation of Enzyme Additives on the Nutritional Use of Feeds with a High Content of Plant Ingredients for Mugil cephalus

The Mugilidae are a group of fish with a great interest for aquaculture due to their omnivorous profile, rapid growth, and resistance to environmental variations. The selection of feed ingredients for these species is currently focused on an extensive use of plant by-products, with this being limited by their content in anti-nutritive factors (mainly phytate and non-starch polysaccharides; NSPs). Nevertheless, specific enzymes can be used to counteract some of those negative effects. In the present study, the effect of pretreating two high-plant feeds with a mixture of enzymes (glucanases + phytase) on the digestive use of protein and phosphorus by juvenile mullets (Mugil cephalus) was assessed using both in vitro and in vivo assays. The enzymatic treatment significantly modified the potential bioavailability of some nutrients, such as a reduction of sugars, pentoses, and phytic phosphorus. Also, it increased the digestibility of protein in one of the feeds but reduced that of phosphorus in both of them. The potential usefulness of enzyme treatment and the information provided by the two types of assays are discusse

Multicultural education: some reflections on the spanish case

In this paper we succinctly describe sorne aspects related to multicultural education in Spain. First we must recognise that there exists a somewhat extensive and significant work on Gypsies (the most important ethnic group in Spain) that we do not include in this paper, because it would require a separate article. It is much more interesting, we hope, to present the state of art of discourses and practices related to multicultural education in our country. In fact, we argue Spanish authorities have never considered the education of Gypsy children as a matter of multicultural education. The very phrases 'multicultural education' and 'intercultural education' have only recently been introduced in Spain. In the first section of this paper we describe the reasons put forth by sorne authors to support intercultural education. Their rationale for more multicultural education is compared to our own reasons. Sections number two to five briefly review sorne congresses on multicultural education held in our country (II), current research (III), legislation (IV), and programs in action (V). The common feature of these sections is the emphasis on showing how scarce and recent the whole topic of multiculturalism is in Spain. However, many Spanish investigators and educators are beginning to work in thís fíeld, and government ínvolvement is rapidly growing

Chloride-attachment atmospheric pressure photoionisation for the determination of short-chain chlorinated paraffins by gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry

In this work, a new gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) method based on atmospheric pressure photoionisation (APPI) has been developed for the accurate determination of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) as a reliable alternative to the established methods. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time these compounds has been analysed by GC-MS using atmospheric pressure photoionisation (APPI). Efficient ionisation of SCCPs was achieved using the new GC-APPI source by the formation of [MþCl]e adduct ions in negative ion mode using dopant-assisted APPI with a mixture of acetone/CCl4 (3:1, v/v). Operating at a resolution of 70,000 FWHM (full width at half maximum) and monitoring the [MþCl]e adduct ions for each congener group, a selective determination of the SCCPs was achieved, avoiding isobaric interferences between homologue groups with different carbon chain length and chlorination degree. Moreover, the GC-APPI-HRMS response of each congener group was mainly influenced by its concentration and did not depend on the number of chlorine atoms in the molecule as occurs with the GC-MS methods based on the electron-capture negative ionisation (ECNI). Thus, the contribution of the different carbon and chlorine homologue groups in the SCCP mixtures was determined by the internal normalization method, and the quantification was performed independently of the chlorine content of the SCCP standard mixture employed. The developed GC-APPI-HRMS method offers some interesting advantages over the existing methods, particularly the possibility to quantify individual SCCP congener groups, the use of a simple calibration method for quantification, and an important timesaving in the data processing, especially over ECNI-based traditional methods. The GC-APPI-HRMS method allowed the determination of SCCPs at low concentration levels in fish samples with lowmethod limits of detection (17e34 pg g1 wet weight for total SCCPs), good precision (RSD < 7%) and trueness (relative error < 8%) and can be proposed as a reliable alternative of the established methods for the determination of these pollutants in environmental sample

A Milestone-Driven Approach for Lab Assignments Evaluation in Information Security

In this paper we describe a methodology for designing and evaluating lab assignments based on the fulfilment of milestones. The approach relies on the integration of ICTs with an automatic, milestone-based evaluation. The final goal of this methodology is to diminish educators’ workload on lab assignments, so they can focus on the development of the assigned tasks, and to enhance students’ experience by providing direct and real-time feedback on their progress. This approach encourages autonomous learning on the students and optimizes the time invested by the educators during the lab assignments. In order to validate our proposal we have applied this methodology in several courses related to Information Security. The results of this experience show that the methodology improves students’ performance, while facilitating the work of the educator.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Educación multicultural y antropología de la educación

En este trabajo pretendemos presentar, desarrollar y defender un tratamiento de la Educación Multicultural desde la Antropología de la Educación

Epothilone-d rescues cognition and attenuates alzheimer’s disease-like pathology in APP/PS1 mice

AIMS: Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients has been linked to synaptic damage and neuronal loss. Hyperphosphorylation of tau protein destabilizes microtubules leading to the accumulation of autophagy/vesicular material and the generation of dystrophic neurites, thus contributing to axonal/synaptic dysfunction. In this study, we analyzed the effect of a microtubule-stabilizing compound in the progression of the disease in the hippocampus of APP751SL/PS1M146L transgenic model. METHODS: APP/PS1 mice (3 month-old) were treated with a weekly intraperitoneal injection of 2 mg/kg epothilone-D (Epo-D) for 3 months. Vehicle-injected animals were used as controls. Mice were tested on the Morris water maze, Y-maze and object-recognition tasks for memory performance. Abeta, AT8, ubiquitin and synaptic markers levels were analyzed by Western-blots. Hippocampal plaque, synaptic and dystrophic loadings were quantified by image analysis after immunohistochemical stainings. RESULTS: Epo-D treated mice exhibited a significant improvement in the memory tests compared to controls. The rescue of cognitive deficits was associated to a significant reduction in the AD-like hippocampal pathology. Levels of Abeta, APP and ubiquitin were significantly reduced in treated animals. This was paralleled by a decrease in the amyloid burden, and more importantly, in the plaque-associated axonal dystrophy pathology. Finally, synaptic levels were significantly restored in treated animals compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Epo-D treatment promotes synaptic and spatial memory recovery, reduces the accumulation of extracellular Abeta and the associated neuritic pathology in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 model. Therefore, microtubule stabilizing drugs could be considered therapeutical candidates to slow down AD progression. Supported by FIS-PI12/01431 and PI15/00796 (AG),FIS-PI12/01439 and PI15/00957(JV)Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

SYSTEMIC ADMINISTRATION OF EPOTHYLONE-D RECUES MEMORY AND AMELIORATES ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE-LIKE PATHOLOGY IN APP/PS1 MICE

Aims Cognitive and memory decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients is highly related to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss. Tau hyperphosphorylation destabilizes microtubules leading to axonal transport failure, accumulation of autophagy/vesicular material and the generation of dystrophic neurites, thus contributing to axonal/synaptic dysfunction. In this study, we analyzed the effect of a microtubule-stabilizing drug in the progression of the disease in an APP751SL/PS1M146L transgenic model. Method APP/PS1 mice (3 month-old) were weekly treated with 2 mg/kg intraperitoneal injections of Epothilone-D (Epo-D) for 3 months. Vehicle-injected animals were used as controls. For memory performance, animals were tested on the object-recognition tasks, Y-maze and Morris water maze. Levels of Abeta, ubiquitin, AT8 and synaptic markers were analyzed by Western-blot. Hippocampal plaque burden, dystrophic and synaptic loadings were quantified after immunostaining by image analysis. Results Epo-D treated mice showed a significant improvement in the performance of hippocampus-associated cognitive tests compared to controls. This memory recovery correlated with a significant reduction in the AD-like hippocampal pathology. Abeta, APP and ubiquitin levels were significantly reduced in treated animals, and a decrease in both the plaque loading and the axonal pathology was also found. Finally, synaptic levels were significantly preserved in treated animals in comparison with controls. Conclusion Epo-D treatment promotes synaptic and cognitive improvement, reduces the accumulation of extracellular Abeta and the associated neuritic pathology in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 model. Therefore, microtubule stabilizing drugs could be considered therapeutical candidates to slow down AD progression.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Supported by FIS-PI15/00796 (AG), FIS-PI15/00957(JV) and co-financed by FEDER funds from European Union

Quality Control of the Thermal Properties of Superstructures in Accommodation Spaces in Naval Constructions

The application of passive design strategies in ships, such as the use of superstructures with high thermal insulation, allows the energy demand of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to be reduced. There is a knowledge gap in the scientific literature on the possibilities to thermally characterize superstructures. Knowing such possibilities would make a methodology available for the quality control of naval constructions and for the inspection of the appropriate state of insulations in existing ships. For this purpose, a total of three different typologies of ship superstructures were monitored, and the data obtained were analyzed by using various existing approaches for the thermal characterization of facades: the heat flow meter method and temperature measurement methods. The results showed that the heat flow meter method constitutes a valid methodology to obtain representative results. In addition, guaranteeing a thermal gradient dependent of the wall typology and placing probes in zones not influenced by thermal bridges ensure that representative results are achieved