Currently, the effects of climate change lead to widespread processes of soil degradation in cattle regions, with serious environmental, social and economic consequences. This have especially significant in the karst regions of western Cuba, which coincides with the areas of highest agricultural production, population density and the most important water supply basins of several provinces. Based on researches carried out for more than three decades in reference livestock farms, and through a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, this article exposes the effects of intensive anthropogenesis and climate change on the spatial - temporal evolution of soil properties. Among them, the reduction of organic matter content, pH increase, compaction values with apparent density thresholds higher than 1.34 Mg.m-3, reinforcement of karstic-erosive processes, salinization, and others that coexist zonally and spatially in an essentially superficial domain (A + B0-50 cm), with a marked tendency to increase. These results should be interpreted as an indispensable basis for the design of mitigation and adaptation strategies with an agro-ecological approach in regions of Cuba

Actualmente, los efectos del cambio climático conducen a procesos generalizados de degradación de suelos en regiones ganaderas, con graves consecuencias ambientales, sociales y económicas. Esto tiene especial significación en las regiones cársicas del Occidente de Cuba, que coincide con las zonas de mayor producción agrícola, densidad de población y con las cuencas de abastecimiento de agua más importantes de varias provincias. A partir de investigaciones realizadas por más de tres décadas en establecimientos ganaderos de referencia, y mediante la combinación de datos cualitativos y cuantitativos, este artículo expone los efectos de la antropogénesis intensiva y el cambio climático en la evolución espacio - temporal de las propiedades de los suelos. Entre ellos, la disminución del contenido de materia orgánica, aumento del pH, valores de compactación con umbrales de densidad aparente superiores a 1.34 Mg.m-3, reforzamiento de los procesos cársico - erosivos, salinización, y otros que coexisten zonal y espacialmente en un dominio esencialmente superficial (A + B0-50 cm), con marcada tendencia a incrementarse. Estos resultados se deben interpretar como base indispensable para el diseño de estrategias de mitigación y adaptación con enfoque agroecológico en regiones de Cuba

Juvenis de pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis, foram expostos a Vermelho de Alizarina S (ARS) 0,1% de duas formas, sozinho ou com uma imersão anterior em 2,2% de solução salina (Indução osmótica, IO) para melhorar o método de marcação ARS. Os procedimentos foram realizados no campo e os peixes foram liberados em gaiolas (tanques-rede) de 1 m3 na lagoa "La Salada de Monasterio", Chascomús, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Após 73 dias, marcas claras foram observadas nos otólitos, raios da nadadeira caudal e escamas em ambos os tratamentos, sendo que a intensidade do sinal nas escalas de IO + ARS de peixe tratado foi superior. Por outro lado, não foram observados marcas no grupo controle sobre as mesmas estruturas. Aproximadamente um ano pós-tratamento (385 dias), apenas marcas nos raios da nadadeira caudal foram encontrados claramente nos peixes tratados com IO+ARS. Entre os peixes observados, após este período, não houve diferenças significativas no comprimento total ou peso entre o grupo controle e marcados, ademais, a mortalidade variou entre 30-40% em todas as gaiolas. Estes resultados fornecem fortes evidências e um grande potencial para aplicação desta técnica rentável de marcação que diferencia o pejerrey selvagem e o produzido em cativeiro. O sucesso na marcação dos raios da nadadeira caudal também é de grande importância, pois sua verificação é fácil e não requer o sacrifício de peixes

Juveniles of pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis, were exposed to 0.1% Alizarin Red S (ARS) alone or with a previous immersion in 2.2% saline solution (Osmotic Induction, OI) to enhance the ARS marking method. Fish were marked in the field and immediately released in 1 m3 cages in "La Salada de Monasterio" lagoon, Chascomús, Buenos Aires , Argentina. After 73 days, clear marks were observed in the otoliths, caudal fin rays and scales with both treatments, being the intensity of the signal in the scales of OI+ARS treated fish higher. On the other hand, no marks were observed in the control group on the same structures. Approximately one year post-treatment (385 days), only marks in caudal fin rays were found clearly in OI+ARS treated fish. After this period, no significant differences in total length or weight between marked or control fish were observed and the mortality ranged between 30-40 % in all cages. These results provide strong evidence for the potential applicability of this cost-effective marking technique in differentiation of wild and hatchery-produced pejerrey. The success in the caudal fin rays marking is also important because it is easy to do and does not require the sacrifice of fish.

A temperatura da água não afeta apenas as taxas de crescimento no peixe-rei, mas também direciona o processo de diferenciação sexual. Este fato levanta o questionamento de quão diferente é o desenvolvimento de larvas do peixe-rei da mesma idade quando criadas em temperaturas diferentes. Este trabalho teve como objetivo apresentar uma descrição do de desenvolvimento de embriões e larvas do peixe-rei, Odontesthes bonariensis, e a influência da temperatura de criação no desenvolvimento das larvas. Neste trabalho, o desenvolvimento das larvas foi estudado em três temperaturas diferentes de cultivo. Foram consideradas as alterações ocorridas na morfologia geral, assim como na morfologia e na estrutura da nadadeira caudal dentro da variação termal da temperatura de determinação sexual desta espécie. A taxa de reabsorção da membrana embrionária, a formação da cauda e o formato do corpo foram selecionados para acompanhar os eventos que levam à aquisição da morfologia juvenil. O fenótipo juvenil foi definido quando a nadadeira caudal foi reabsorvida e a cauda adquiriu a estrutura homocerca. O momento no qual o fenótipo juvenil foi atingido, foi avaliado quanto à idade, tamanho e formato da larva, sendo que o tamanho resultou no melhor indicador do desenvolvimento do peixe-rei.

It is well known that in pejerrey water temperature not only affects growth rates but also directs the sexual differentiation process. This fact rise the question of how different the development of pejerrey larvae of the same age is when reared at different temperatures. A description of developmental stages for the embryonic and larval periods of the pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis, and the influence of rearing temperature on larval development are presented. Then, larval development was studied at three rearing temperatures, and changes in general morphology, fin morphology, and caudal fin structure have been taken into consideration within the thermal range involved in the temperature sex determination of this species. Fin fold reabsorption, caudal fin formation, and body shape were selected to follow the events leading to the acquisition of the juvenile morphology. The juvenile phenotype was defined when the fin fold was reabsorpted and the caudal fin acquired its definitive homocercal structure. The moment at which the juvenile phenotype was achieved, was evaluated in relation to larval age, size and, shape. The size resulted as the best indicator of development in pejerrey.

Dados de captura da lagosta Panulirus argus na plataforma cubana foram comparados com concentrações de clorofila (Chl a) e valores de Temperatura de Superfície do Mar (TSM) obtidos pelos sensores Sea Viewing Wide Field of view Sensor (SeaWIFS) e Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), respectivamente. Uma análise de correlação cruzada foi realizada entre as anomalias padronizadas das variáveis ambientais (Chl a e TSM) e as anomalias padronizadas de capturas da lagosta para cada zona de pesca no período 1997-2005. Para as águas profundas adjacentes às zonas de pesca não foi observada uma sazonalidade evidente da Chl a. De forma geral, os menores valores de Chl a ocorreram ao sul da Ilha. Na maioria das zonas de pesca, a captura da lagosta apresentou os maiores coeficientes de correlação com valores de Chl a com defasagem de dois e três anos. Já em relação à análise com dados de TSM, os coeficientes de correlação cruzada apresentaram valores significativos apenas a partir de uma defasagem de 1,5 anos para praticamente todas as zonas de pesca. Neste estudo confirma-se que, em águas cubanas, correlações cruzadas significativas entre estas duas variáveis ambientais medidas por satélite e as capturas da lagosta espinhosa ocorrem principalmente durante o ciclo de vida planctônico desta espécie.

Chlorophyll concentrations (Chl a) data obtained from the Sea Viewing Wide Field of View Sensor (SeaWIFS) ocean color monthly images, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) pathfinder data obtained from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensors, and lobster (Panulirus argus) captures at the Cuban shelf were examined in order to analyze their spatial and temporal variability. A cross-correlation analysis was made between the standardized anomalies of the environmental variables (Chl a and SST) and the standardized anomalies of lobster captures for each fishery zones for the period between 1997 and 2005. For the deep waters adjacent to the fishing zones it was not observed a clear Chl a seasonality and on average the lowest values occurred south of the Island. It is with the three years lag that Chl a had the greatest numbers of significant correlation coefficients for almost all fishing zones. However, the cross-correlation coefficients with SST showed higher values with 1,5 year lag at all zones. Since the two environmental variables obtained by satellite sensors (SST and Chl a) influence the lobsters mainly during the planktonic life cycle, the cross-correlation with lobster captures begin to show significant indexes with lags of 1.5 years or more.

Using biotechnology to increase the growth rates of fish is likely to reduce production costs per unit of food. Among vertebrates, fish appear to occupy a unique position, when growth patterns are considered. With few exceptions, fish species tend to grow indeterminately, implying that size is never fixed. Both hyperplasia and hypertrophy contribute to post-larval muscle growth in fish. Growth hormone (GH) - Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) is the most important growth axis in fish. Our experimental model, the pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Ateriniformes) is a South American inland water fish considered to be a promising species for intensive aquaculture. However, one major drawback to achieve this goal is its slow growth in captivity. In order to understand how growth is regulated in this species, our first objective was to characterized pejerrey GH- IGF-I axis. We first cloned and characterized pejerrey (pj) GH, IGF-I and the growth hormone receptors (GHRs) I and II. In addition to providing valuable data for evolutionary comparison of GH, investigation of GH action in teleosts is particularly important because of its potential application in aquaculture. GH can not only promote the somatic growth in fish but also lower dietary protein requirements. A prerequisite for providing sufficient amounts of GH for basic research and aquaculture application is a large-scale production of GH. For that purpose, recombinant pjGH was expressed in a bacterial system. Protocols for solubilization and proper folding were achieved. Activity of recombinant pjGH was assessed in fish by measuring the liver IGF-I response to different doses of GH. IGF-I transcript was measured in the liver after pjGHr in vivo stimulation by means of quantitative real-time PCR assays. A dose-dependent response of IGF-I mRNA was observed after pjGHr administration, and reached a 6 fold IGF-I maximum increase over control group when 2.5 µg pjGH /g-body weight were injected. Temporal analysis of hepatic IGF-I mRNA levels showed that administration of a single dose of pjGHr into juvenile pejerrey resulted in a significant increase (P<0.02) 9 hours post injection. These results demonstrates that recombinant pjGH could promote a dramatic response in liver, increasing the IGF-I mRNA level. We also study the effect of GH on muscle growth after oral administration. A significant association between GH doses and mean fiber area (MFA) was observed even with a caloric restrictive diet. MFA increased 3.7 µm² per each unit of GH supplied indicating that GH promoted white muscle hypertrophy. These preliminary data indicates that GH could be absorbed by the intestine in an active form and promote somatic growth.

A study about the influence of the curing process of epoxy matrix particulate composites on the glass transition temperature is presented. Aluminum particles with typical sizes ~100 mum were used in the composites. As experimental techniques, differential scanning calorimetry and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy were used. Throughout the curing process of the unfilled epoxy, a good correlation between the free volume and glass transition temperature data was found. For the composites, a non-monotonic behavior between free volume and Tg was found when the particulate volume content was increased. The results are discussed based on changes in the reticulation of the epoxy matrix during the curing process and in the interaction between the polymeric matrix and the particles in the interphase.

Se presenta un estudio acerca de la influencia del proceso de curado sobre la temperatura de transición vítrea (Tg) y volumen libre en compuestos particulados de matriz epoxi. Como carga de la resina se utilizaron partículas de aluminio con tamaños típicos de ~100 mym. La información experimental se obtuvo usando calorimetría diferencial de barrido y espectroscopia temporal de aniquilación de positrones. Los resultados obtenidos estudiando el proceso de curado del polímero blanco permitieron encontrar que existe una muy buena correlación entre el volumen libre y la temperatura de transición vítrea. Al estudiar los compuestos particulados se encontró que el volumen libre promedio se modifica en forma no monótona con el incremento de la fracción de carga. Se analiza dicho comportamiento junto con la variación detectada en la Tg para cada muestra estudiada y se discuten los resultados considerando los cambios en la reticulación del material que se lleva a cabo durante el curado y los efectos de interacción en la interfase matriz polimérica-carga.

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence and relevance of ectopic adrenal tissue in pediatric patients who underwent groin surgical explorations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 1120 patients with groin surgical explorations during a period of 8 consecutive years. Patients’ clinical data and histological findings were analyzed. RESULTS: We found ectopic adrenal tissue in 13 patients in 1120 groin surgical exploration (1.16%). Of the 13 cases, 5 were diagnosed as having undescended testes, 6 inguinal hernia and 2 communicating hydrocele. Median age at diagnosis was 5.6 years. Histological sections showed adrenal cortical tissue with no medulla present. CONCLUSION: Based on the clinical implications of those adrenal rests it is mandatory the removal of this ectopic tissue whenever encountered during surgical interventions in the groin region in children.

A maturação ovocitária final (FOM) é um processo complexo que envolve mecanismos genéticos, bioquímicos e morfológicos que conduzem à transformação de um ovócito pós-vitelogênico em um ovócito apto a ser fertilizado. Esse processo está regulado pelo hormônio esteróide indutor da maturação ovocitária final (MIS), o qual é sintetizado no folículo. Em outras espécies de Sciaenidae, o MIS foi identificado como um derivado hidroxilado da progesterona 17, 20beta, 21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20beta-S). Micropogonias furnieri é um recurso superexplorado na costa uruguaia, contudo, seus processos endócrinos são pouco conhecidos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi pesquisar quais esteróides são sintetizados in vitro pelos folículos em maturação de M. furnieri. Fragmentos de ovários (1 g) foram incubados em três estágios diferentes: pós-vitelogênese (PV), em maturação (Mtg) e maduros (M) com 1 mig/g de progesterona tritriada (P) durante 30, 60 e 180 min. Depois da extração dos esteróides com etanol e diclorometano, esses foram purificados e identificados utilizando-se TLC, rpHPLC e oxidação enzimática. Foram identificados dois derivados de progesterona com idênticas propriedades cromatográficas ao 20beta-S e 17,20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20beta-P), os quais, em outras espécies de peixes, apresentam atividade biológica como o MIS. A 17,20beta-P foi observada claramente nos estágios Mtg e M e confirmada pela oxidação com a enzima 20beta-HSD. A 20beta-S foi claramente observada nos ovários em maturação (Mtg). Os resultados não permitiram confirmar que 20beta-S é o hormônio mais sintetizado nos estágios estudados, como ocorre em outras espécies de ciaenídeos, mas a presença de uma síntese diferencial no estágio de maturação sugere que 20beta-S esteja atuando como o MIS em M. furnieri.

Final oocyte maturation (FOM) is a process involving a complex set of genetical, biochemical, and morphological mechanisms. FOM involves the shift of a post-vitellogenic follicle to a pre-ovulated oocyte, which is necessary for fertilization by spermatozoan to occur. This process is regulated by a maturation-inducing steroid (MIS) at the follicular level. In other species of scienids fish the MIS, a hydroxilated derivatives of progestagen 17, 20beta, 21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20beta-S), was identified. Although Micropogonias furnieri is the second fishery resource of Uruguay, basic knowledge about its endocrine process is very scarce. The aim of this work was to investigate what steroids are synthesized in vitro by the oocyte follicle of M. furnieri during the maturation process. Fragments of ovary (1 g) in three stages: post-vitellogenic (PV), maturing (Mtg), and mature (M) were incubated with 1 mug.g-1 of tritiated progesterone (P) at 30, 60, and 180 min. After extraction with ethanol and dichloromethane, steroid metabolites were purified by TLC and rpHPLC. Two progesterone derivatives with identical chromatographic properties of 20beta-S and 17,20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20beta-P) were purified. In other Teleost fish these steroids are biologically activ as MIS. The 17,20beta-P was clearly detected in Mtg and M stages and confirmed by enzymatic oxidation with enzyme 20beta-HSD. The 20beta-S was strongly detected in all Mtg oocytes. The results do not corroborate 20beta-S as a major hormone synthesized in the ovary in FOM as occurs in other scienid fish. A differential steroid synthesis in the advanced oocyte stages suggests that the 20beta-S is acting as a MIS in M. furnieri.

Ten patients treated with vincristine were submitted for electrophysiological examination. It was investigated the number of motor units within the thenar muscle following a technique described previously (Sica et al. — 1974); motor and sensitive conduction velocities as well as motor distal latencies in the median nerve were studied following conventional techniques. The behaviour of the evoked muscle potential with repetitive supramaximal stimulation over the median nerve was also investigated. The findings were compared with control groups. The estimated number of motor units was disminished in eight of ten patients and the average number was significantly different from the control group (control 318 ± 71 UM; patients 174 ± 84 UM; P < 0.001). The potential amplitudes in most of the surviving units were reduced, others remaining within the normal range. This makes apparent that the peripherical nervous system fails to compensate adequatly and, furthermore, a loss of individual muscle fibres occurs within some individual units. The conduction velocities of the fastest conducting motor nerve fibres were reduced and motor distal latencies prolongued (Table 1). Maximal impulse conduction velocities were measured in sensory fibres. In 5 of 7 subjets investigated the values laied just beyond the lower limit of the normal range. The amplitude of the sensory orthodromic evoked potential in the median nerve at the wrist was disminished almost in the whole group. The decremental muscle response to repetitive nerve stimulation, can be interpreted as the result of the damage at the neural apparatus at the motor end plate; it was observed in 57% of the patients. In summary, evidences have been registered showing that the nervous supply to the muscle is affected in patients treated with vincristine; the motor unit behaviour under this conditions is discussed.

Diez pacientes afectados por diversas patologías que requerían tratamiento crónico con Vincristina, fueron sometidos a estudios electrofisiológicos en los que se valoró: el número de unidades motoras (UM) funcionantes en los músculos de la eminencia tenar, los valores de los incrementos medios de UM, velocidad de conducción motora y su latencia residual en el nervio mediano, la velocidad de conducción sensitiva del mismo nervio y el estado de la transmisión neuromuscular. Los valores obtenidos fueron comparados con grupos controles. Los resultados mostraron disminución del número de UM; las UM remanentes presentaron amplitud reducida junto a otras cuyo tamaño no superaba el del grupo control, hecho que sugiere la incapacidad de lograr una reinervación adecuada. Las velocidades de conducción motora y sensitiva mostraron valores diminuídos, con mayor compromiso en los segmentos distales. Junto a estos datos se halló respuesta miasteniforme al estímulo repetitivo. Todos estos resultados permiten postular la existencia de un compromiso de la unidad motora, abarcando todos sus segmentos, en pacientes intoxicados con Vincristina.